Best reverse osmosis system for home use in 2015

In this reverse osmosis system reviews (also known as ro system reviews),  I will be doing a comparison of the top rated models in the market. By doing so, you will know which is the best reverse osmosis filter systems that meets your home or domestic needs. I will highlight a few models that have different price tags and qualities to satisfy families with different budget constraints. Before the  ro system comparison, here is some basic information you should know.

 

Benefits for a reverse osmosis home system

For first timers, you might wonder whether “do I need a reverse osmosis system” and my answer is a strong yes. The main reason for getting a ro filter system is to remove the harmful materials in our drinking water. It is amazing how much toxic we are putting into our body everyday by drinking unfiltered water so I strongly recommend you to reduce such intake as much as possible. In fact, it is easy to test for this improvement using equipment such as PD tester. Don’t be surprise to see that the drinking water you have been consuming is way off balance.

A solid RO system is especially useful when:

• You have a new born baby. The filtered water will be the purest form of water you can give to your child if he or she is not being breast fed.
• You want to make better tasting beverages such as tea and coffee. Trust me. The water quality does make a lot of difference to the taste.

 

Best reverse osmosis system for the money

If budget is not a concern and you want the absolute best under counter reverse osmosis system, then this Home Master Water Filter System is your answer. Its water quality in terms of taste and purity is one of the highest you can get and that is due to its patented system.

In traditional systems, the water can be cleaned of up 98% of chlorine, and other unwanted chemicals. However, this typically leaves the water slightly acidic, which not only affects the taste but can attack the rubber bladder in the water storage tanks and cause them to enter into the water.

What the Home Master innovates on is a  second stage filtering in which the cleaned water will be channel back to its patented remineralization system for it to add calcium and magnesium minerals. This rebalances the water and keep it from being acidic.

The end result is well filter water that tastes fantastic! I am not kidding when I says it tastes better than the bottled water from the likes of Evian. In fact, try using this water to make coffee and serve it to your family or friends. I can guarantee that they will notice the difference and asked on why is your coffee tastier than before.

In terms of installation, it is a breeze. If you can set up your TV, you can easily do this. The Home Master Artesian system has been designed to be ‘plug and play’. As long you have industry standard water valves, it is fairly simple. You need to attach the filter system through the 2 brackets given in the product, drill a hole in the drainage pipe and connect the system to the water valves. That is it!  Just remember that you need to let the tank be fully filled before you can get any pressure from the ro system.

You can also connect your reverse osmosis system to the fridge and ice maker,  but you will need further instructions from the company’s rep. According to the reviews at Amazon, these guys’ services are out of this world as you get to speak a real professional rep who will guide through any installation problems either with fridge connection or any problems.

Like most RO systems, it takes 4 galleons of wasted water to produce 1 galleon of drinking water. Home Master has another model called the Hydroperfection, which has a 1:1 ratio but be prepared to pay more for it. Maximum capacity for this model is around 50 galleons per day.

Overall, it is a well designed reverse osmosis filter system that produce PH balanced water, unlike other RO systems. Yes,  it is more pricey than the others but you pay for the highest quality water money can buy. Be it for your new born baby or yourselves,  it is worth the investment if you can afford it.

 

Cheapest best reverse osmosis system almost under $100

If you don’t want to spend so much money and yet have a reasonably top rated ro system, try the five stage water filter system from Express Water.  It is priced slightly above USD100 so it is very affordable. In fact, it is the closest you can come at finding a reverse osmosis system under $100. Like other reverse osmosis system, it has a 5 step filtering process that can remove up to 98% of all bad mineral and chlorine. However, compared to the Home Master’s version above, there are some shortcomings you should be aware of

• Installation is a bit complicated. You need to know how to set up everything from the instructions given before starting the installation work. If you are the type who is not familiar with DIY plumbing work, calling a plumber might not be a bad idea.

• Water taste is slightly acidic. As mentioned above, stripping out all the minerals can leave the water slightly off balance i.e. more acidic. Because Express Water doesn’t have a remineralization process, the water will stay unbalanced when it reaches your tap.

Besides the above 2 points, Express Water is an easy to recommend system because of its low price. It is not bad, just not the best can money can buy.

 

APEC RO system review

Finally, we have the APEC system that sits somewhere in between the high end Home Master and the affordable Express Water. It has the industry standard of 4:1 water production i.e. 4 galleons of waste water to filtered water. It also has a 5 filtration system that takes of 98% of unwanted minerals and bacteria in the water.

Installation wise, it is a simplier process than the Express Water model. You need to drill a couple of holes. 2 to hold the system under the sink and one to connect to the faucet. In a way, the installation works very similar to the Home Master model.

Taste wise, it loses slightly to Home Master due to the slightly acidic nature of the water. Again, without the remineralization process, it is hard to compete. However, it definite taste better than your average drinking water and is way more healthy.

I recommend buying this if you want an easier installation process but don’t want to splurge on a Home Master unit.

 

Common FAQs

If you are new to using this reverse osmosis filter system, reading through this faq might help you to answer questions that you have in mind.  If you have more questions other than the ones presented in this list, please free feel to question in the comments sections and I will respond accordingly.

 

Can I install the reverse osmosis system at the basement?

Before installation, you need to first check the output pressure of the system you have. In particular, you need to know how much the vertical and horizontal travel system can carry the water through the pressure.

Are the materials used in the ro system not carcinogenic?

Some folks might worry that the materials used in the tank are cancer causing. To remedy this, ensure that the water tank in your reverse osmosis system is NSF Certified.

 

Can the RO systems remove hormones and other bacteria?

Yes they can.  To know the exact bacteria that can be removed, I strongly advice you to read the manufacturer’s detailed product specs.

 

How much space do we need in the under counter cabinet?

A typical reverse osmosis unit measures around 15*11 + the number of filters you have. It should fit under almost any average under sink cabinet. You can see our featured image for an idea of how it will work like.

How long do you need to change filter in the reverse osmosis system?

This will depend on particular models but the industry average is around 6 months. Changing the actual filters itself is pretty simple. Simply unhook them and place it the new ones.

 

 

Conclusion

There are quite a number of Ro systems in the market. Most will give you false promises but it is easy to see through their marketing lies by doing a PH test. The models recommended here have successfully passed the test and have been positively reviewed by many happy customers on Amazon.

If you want the absolute water reverse osmosis system, go for the Home Master version. For those who want a less than $100 purchase, the Express Water model is the best option although it can be difficult to install. The APEC provide a happy middle ground.

Have fun shopping!