A great reverse osmosis water system can really improve your life. But to qualify as great, it needs to purify the water, remove all the dissolved contaminants, and provide you with clean, pure, and healthy drinking water.
Few reverse osmosis water systems meet that standard, but after testing over 30 different reverse osmosis water filtration systems, we believe the iSpring RCC7AK RO Drinking Water Filter System is the best among them.
iSpring RCC7AK RO Drinking Water Filter System
— Best overall RO water system
This affordable and reliable RO water filter is a 6-stage NSF-certified filtration system that is best for most homeowners.
With over 6,000 5-star ratings, iSpring RCC7AK is an NSF certified under sink reverse osmosis drinking water filter system designed to provide you with water with natural alkalinity and mineral balance.
This water filter can remove up to 99% of over 1,000 harmful contaminants like lead, chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, and more from the water and maintain a pH of 7.0 or below in the drinking water.
Waterdrop RO Drinking Water Filtration system
— Best overall RO water system
This tankless RO water filter system by Waterdrop comes with a 400 liters capacity, compact design, and smart faucet feature.
This reverse osmosis water filter system by Waterdrop is tested and certified against NSF/ANSI standards 58 and 372 — which means it can effectively remove most contaminants and heavy metals in your tap water.
It offers a space saver and compact design that is only 5.68 inches wide, so you can either keep t under the sink or on the counter. Its tankless design saves 50% under-sink space and prevents bacteria from forming, ensuring the purity of your water.
Everything we recommend…
Editor’s choice
iSpring RCC7AK RO Drinking Water Filter System
This affordable and reliable RO water filter is a 6-stage NSF-certified filtration system that is best for most homeowners.
ALSO GREAT
Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration system
This tankless RO water filter system by Waterdrop comes with a 400 liters capacity, compact design, and smart faucet feature.
BUDGET PICK
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Filtration System
This Express RO water filter uses 5-stages that guarantees to remove up to 99% of contaminants from water.
How we tested…
We have tested 30+ reverse osmosis water filters to find out the best ones for you.
Manufacturer, Capacity, Dimensions, Purification method, Included components, and Certification.
All the reverse osmosis water systems were bought from online stores with some standard filters like at least 1,000+ customer reviews, good tank capacity, certifications, and a high overall warranty by the manufacturer.
iSpring RCC7AK RO Drinking Water Filter System
iSpring RCC7AK RO Drinking Water Filter System
— Best overall RO water system
This affordable and reliable RO water filter is a 6-stage NSF-certified filtration system that is best for most homeowners.
The iSpring water filter system is not only an RO system, it also has a remineralization system.
It is a six-stage process in which the water is first filtered using the Reverse Osmosis system and put through another system that adds essential minerals to the water.
This is an amazing find and very utilitarian in nature. The only problem with the RO system is that it removes important minerals from the water. But this purification system adds them back through the integrated procedure.
It also comes with three extra-long life filters which provide extra protection by adding layers of filtration to the already compact procedure.
The company has been in the business for a long time and has loyal customers. This indicates the quality of the products and services they provide. They have consistently been in the market, always upgrading and adapting with time and requirements.
The look of the RO Purification system is also very modern but classical at the same time and it goes well with any form of interior.
The iSpring water filter is extremely easy to install and one can do it at the home with the kit provided with the machine itself. This also means that you can save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on the installation procedure.
Quick facts
→ Manufacturer: iSpring
→ Capacity: 75 Gallons
→ Dimensions: 15 x 8 x 18 inches
→ Purification method: Ultra-safe Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration system and Alkaline
→ Included components: RO System, Brushed Nickel Faucet and Storage Tank
→ Certification: NSF/ANSI 58
Pros: Leak-free system, 6-stage transparent water filtration process, live phone support, and easy installation process.
Cons: Big size.
Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filtration system
Waterdrop RO Drinking Water Filtration system
— Compact RO water system
This tankless RO water filter system by Waterdrop comes with a 400 liters capacity, compact design, and smart faucet feature.
The Waterdrop RO system is an NSF-certified filter that is equipped to remove contaminants and pollutants of microscopic nature.
The system is compact in nature and does not have separate filters which are needed to be installed separately. Instead, it comes in a single package that can be placed at any convenient place.
The filtration technology used in this filter is also modern and makes sure that the water is rid of all the harmful contents.
Although the brand is comparatively new, it has gathered quite a good reputation and a broad customer base.
This water filtration system also has a number of features that makes it even more effective in terms of use. It has a leakage protection feature that indicates if there is a leakage and stops it.
A buzzer is equipped to beep if there is any situation of leakage. This means that the user needs to pull out the water container and clean the filter to prevent leakage. This feature increases the lifespan of the product and also helps in conserving precious water.
Quick facts
→ Manufacturer: Waterdrop
→ Capacity: 400 Liters
→ Dimensions: 18.06 x 5.68 x 17.76 inches
→ Purification method: Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration system and cross filtration
→ Included components: System cover, Brushed nickel faucet, RO filter, CF filter, CB filter, PE pipes (3), T-fitting, waste-water clip
→ Certification: NSF/ANSI standard 58 & 372
Pros: Very compact tankless design, easy to set up and move, provides clean drinking water, easy installation, in-built TDS display, automatic flushing, and smart designer faucet.
Cons: Cannot produce large quantity of purified water on the go.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Filtration system
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis System
— Best budget RO water system
This Express RO water filter uses 5-stages that guarantee to remove up to 99% of contaminants from water.
This company promises to provide the best and the safest drinking water in the world. This system has five stages through which the filtration takes place.
Through the five stages of filtration, the system removes all the contaminants and pollutants in the water.
This Reverse Osmosis filtration system is an under sink system which needs to be installed under the sink which is a hassle-free procedure. This filter also comes with a chrome faucet. This faucet transports the purified water from under the sink to your glass.
There are some unique features that this particular filter has which makes it all the more eligible to find a place in your house.
Each of the filters included in the set is double sealed. This increases the safety of the water and also increases the longevity of the filters. A leak stop valve is provided in the system. Whenever there is a chance of overflow of water, this valve stops it from happening hence helps with wastage of water.
It also comes with a brass adapter which indicates that one does not need to make a trip to the hardware store again after the purchase.
All of these special features help in saving water, money and time. This in turn increases the cost-efficiency.
Quick facts
→ Manufacturer: Express Water
→ Capacity: 4 Gallons
→ Dimensions: 16.18 x 18.75 x 18.06 inches
→ Purification method: 5 Stages Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration system
→ Included components: Reverse osmosis system, Water storage tank, Tank valve, Faucet
→ Certification: NSF standard 58
Pros: Removes 99.99% contaminants, easy to use, less maintenance required, fast flow rate, and cost-effective RO system.
Cons: Big in size so takes up a lot of space, and no remineralization option.
Who Should Use Reverse Osmosis Water Systems?
Reverse osmosis water systems (also known as RO water systems or simply RO) have become more popular in recent years. If you don’t know what reverse osmosis is, it’s a process that filters the hard water and separates the salt from the fresh drinking water.
The process requires various stages of filtering which removes and cleans hard minerals from the water. RO systems also removes bacteria, minerals, chemicals, and many other toxins from the tap water.
Reverse Osmosis water systems are highly recommended for anyone who wants fresh, healthy, clean water. It is especially essential for people who reside in areas that have exceptionally hard water.
RO systems can also clean large amounts of water that you can use for drinking, cooking, or even watering plants. People use these systems at their homes, in industries, and even in medical facilities.
So if you have hard water in your area, and you want to live healthier and wish to prevent several health complications — you can install reverse osmosis water systems in your home.
The Competition
We also tested a few other reverse osmosis water systems that didn’t make it to our final list, but they’re still worthy of mention.
APEC Water systems ROES-PH75
The best RO system for large families
Express Water RO system
Can produce over 100 gallons water/day
AquaTru Countertop RO system
Cost effective RO system
iSpring RCC1UP-AK
The best midrange RO system
Home Master TMHP Hydroperfection
The best 1high range RO system
- APEC Water systems ROES-PH75 — This APEC RO system is suitable for big families with a capacity of 75 Gallons. The filters it uses are long-lasting super-efficient APEC carbon blocks that ensure maximum water purity. It also has easy installation and maintenance.
- Express Water RO system — This is an 11 stage under-sink UV reverse osmosis water filtration system by Express Water. It can remove up to 99.99% of the contaminants from water, and its leak stop valve shuts off water flow if excess water is detected. It can also produce over 100 gallons of clean water per day.
- AquaTru Countertop RO system — This is a countertop 4-stage ultra RO filter by AquaTru. It is certified to remove microplastics, toxins, carcinogens, arsenic, lead, and other contaminants from the tap, filtered, and bottled water. This filter is also very cost-effective, with the capability to last for 600 to 1200 gallons of purified water.
- iSpring RCC1UP-AK — This iSpring 7-stage under sink RO water filter comes with an in-built water softener with alkaline remineralization and UV ultraviolet filter. This filter delivers purified water with less wastewater and adds back the healthy ionized minerals back to the water during the RO process.
- Home Master TMHP Hydroperfection — This under sink Home Master is a 9-stage RO and UV filtration system. While this system is costlier, it also offers features like 5-year limited warranty, faster flow, modular design, EPA-approved UV light sterilization, and a non-electric permeate pump.
Note that all these RO systems are good for specific use cases like the APEC ROES-PH75 Water system is best for large families. So you can check any of these RO systems that fit your specific needs.
What to look for in Reverse Osmosis Water Systems?
Choosing the best RO system which fits all your requirements perfectly, is a difficult job.
The process includes proper scrutinization of all the options available to you. But even before that, there is something else one needs to do. The first thing is to judge your own requirements and understand what kind of RO filter you need.
Listed below are some of the important points that should be kept in mind…
1. Water Quality
You have to test the water quality of the supply that you receive at home. The various forms of contaminants that are available in it will indicate what kind of filtration you will need.
A Reverse Osmosis system is best suited if you have dissolved chemical contaminants. The model you buy should be well developed to successfully remove the contaminants completely.
2. Usage
You should measure the quantity of water that you use daily. This varies from house to house and family to family.
This will give you a fair idea about what kind of machine you should buy. If your per day consumption is on the heavier size, you should go for a heavy-duty model that will cater to your needs and suffice.
3. Budget
This is another one of the most important factors that you need to keep in mind at all times of the procedure. You should have a fair idea of how much you can and are willing to spend on a water purification system. Reverse Osmosis systems are affordable and budget-friendly for long term use.
However, it will depend on the kind of RO system you choose and the quantity of water you need to process in a single day.
4. Electricity Requirement
Reverse Osmosis Filtration systems require electricity to run. This is an important factor that you need to look out for.
The more advance the RO system will be, the more electricity it will require. So, before you make the decision to buy a RO purification system, make sure to check out the quantity of electricity that will be required for a particular model. Cross-check with the other appliances to make an informed decision.
5. Cost of Maintenance
An RO water filter system is not a high maintenance device. Two servicing every year is enough to maintain the system. However, this also depends on the kind of model you choose.
In case you are planning to buy a heavy-duty system, you might need to spend more time and money on the maintenance of the purification system. Before you decide to buy one, make sure to know how much it will cost you every year.
6. Registration
When you buy a Reverse Osmosis system, make sure to choose a company that is registered. There are many companies that produce systems and many are unregistered. You should be careful while you choose one particular company.
If the company is not registered, chances are that you will not receive a warranty or free servicing.
Conclusion
Now that you have got the idea of the various Reverse Osmosis systems found in the market, we hope you can choose the one best suited for you. Deciding on a RO system can be a lengthy process. Oftentimes one gets confused between the features. Follow the guide we have provided and make a list of features that you need depending on your family size, requirements and water quality.
This will help you to narrow down to the options. Once you are done creating the shortlist, choose the one that will be the most-effective in your case.
In case you have a considerably bad supply of water, go for the 11 stage procedure of the Express Water filter system. Just like this, if you have a big family, you should go for a Reverse Osmosis system which can filter a good quantity of water at a time. We hope you can decide on the machine that best suits your home and family.
iSpring RCC7AK RO Drinking Water Filter System
— Best overall RO water system
This affordable and reliable RO water filter is a 6-stage NSF-certified filtration system that is best for most homeowners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a reverse osmosis system?
You should check the filtration quality, flow rate, tank capacity, purification method, and certifications to select good reverse osmosis water systems.
Is reverse osmosis worth it?
Reverse osmosis systems are a great means of purifying tap water, so yes, reverse osmosis water filter systems are worth their cost — especially if you live in a locality where the drinking water is not so great.
Why reverse osmosis water is bad for you?
One disadvantage of reverse osmosis water systems is that while they’re effective in removing water contaminants, they also remove the good minerals that the human body requires.
Who makes the best reverse osmosis water system?
Some of the best reverse osmosis water systems are created by brands like iSpring, Waterdrop and Express Water.