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Under Sink vs Reverse Osmosis Water Filter: Which is Better?

Published by: Paulo Baker

Under Sink vs Reverse Osmosis

Water is a necessity for everyone and as such, it’s vital to receive cleaner, better-tasting water.

Two of the most common methods used to remove contaminants are an under sink vs reverse osmosis water filter. Each system has its own benefits but how do you decide which is best? This article will help you make a decision about which option is the best for you

Let’s get started…

Under Sink Water Filtration Systems 

Under sink water filters are commonly found in households with heavy water usage. These filters are used widely, and they’re well-known for being convenient and easy to install. 

As it is evident in their name, these filters are installed under your kitchen sink or countertop, which means that they don’t occupy much space in your kitchen. It can also get connected to the dispenser tap of your refrigerator. 

Pros of Under Sink Water Filters

Before you decide to buy an under-sink water filter for your house, you should weigh its pros and cons to ensure that it is the appropriate option for your home.

1. Filtered Water at High Speed

Countertop water filters often work with gravity, and hence, they filter water at a slow pace. The slow-paced filters can take up to a minute to fill a bottle of water

On the other hand, a quality under-sink water filter stores filtered water in a hydrostatic air pressure bladder tank, ensuring that the water comes out with great speed.

Do Faucet Water Filters Really Work

The water flow from an under-sink water filter is so high that it can fill a water bottle in 10-15 seconds. 

2. Water Doesn’t Spill on the Floor

The problem you may face with mount water filters is that they need you to hold the utensil till the water gets filled. This raises the possibility of spills as well.

With an under-sink water filter installed in your house, you won’t have to worry about the water getting spilled as these have a smart curvy tap design that fits alongside the main tap in your kitchen. This ensures that you can fill your water bottle or other utensils with water without any hassles. 

3. Doesn’t Take Kitchen Space or Hamper its Looks

Under-sink water filters hide under the kitchen sink, making them invisible in the kitchen. As it is covered, the filter doesn’t take any space on the countertop, and it doesn’t spoil your kitchen’s look.

Only the faucet of the under-sink water filter is visible, ensuring that your kitchen’s look and style stay intact. 

4. Easy to Install

Although you need basic plumbing skills to install an under-sink water filter, they can become a successful DIY.

Benefits of Undersink Water Filter

However, if you doubt your plumbing skills, you should hire a professional to do the job for you. 

5. Budget-Friendly 

Under-sink water filters are affordable compared to their counterparts in the market. However, they mainly demand initial purchase costs. In addition, these filters need to be maintained annually. 

6. Easy to Maintain

It is convenient to maintain under-sink water filters as they don’t require you to keep an eye on them now and then. You just need to replace the filters regularly, and that’s it! Your filter will run smoothly just by keeping the filters clean. 

Cons of Under Sink Water Filters

Here are a few cons:

1. Filtered Water Only from the Faucet

While whole-house water filtration systems provide clean filtered water throughout the house, under-sink water filters only offer filtered water from their faucet. 

This means that if you want to get a filtered water supply in your washroom or any other part of the house, you’ll need to get a separate water filter installed for that. This may prove to be heavy on your pocket. 

2. A New Tap

Under-sink water filters cannot be used with the existing tap in your kitchen as they use a 3-way-tap or standard filter tap only. This can become a hassle for some people. 

Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration Systems 

Reverse osmosis is a process of filtering water by pushing it through a semipermeable membrane which stops all the harmful particles and molecules from passing through the filter. As a result, you get clean filtered water for consumption. 

Reverse osmosis water filters successfully get rid of contaminants such as sulfates, nitrates, arsenic, and fluoride, among others.

However, these filters also remove some beneficial minerals and nutrients such as sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium from water. Their efficiency rate of removing contaminants is known to be 99%. 

Pros of Reverse Osmosis Water Filters 

Let’s weigh the pros and cons of reverse osmosis water filters to help you make an informed decision: 

1. Excellent Quality of Water

Reverse osmosis water filters eliminate 95-99 percent of dissolved contaminants from tap water. These filters remove TDS as well.

Moreover, they make your water smell and taste good.  

2. It Doesn’t Cost Much

It is a steal deal to buy a reverse osmosis water filtration system as they provide healthy and safe drinking water at a very reasonable cost. These filters are a long-term investment, and they last for several years. 

3. Improved Water Taste

From drinking to cooking, we need clean water for everything, and especially for cooking, the bad taste of water can spoil your food’s taste.

Reverse osmosis ensures that your water tastes delicious. 

Cons of Reverse Osmosis Water Filters

Here are a few cons:

1. Clogs

If not maintained timely, the small pores present in the semipermeable membrane can get clogged and impact the efficiency of your water filter. Your filter can also get damaged by chlorine. Because of this, you may need to buy a pre-filter for your RO system. 

2. Filter Need to be Replaced

Reverse osmosis water filters need to be cleaned or replaced at regular intervals to work properly. The maintenance costs can be hard to handle for some people.

In addition, the filtration system needs to be sterilized and cleaned once every year as well. 

3. The Process is Slow

Another disadvantage of a reverse osmosis filter is that it takes time to filter the water. In addition, once empty, the filter’s tank takes time to refill. 

Our Take — Under Sink vs Reverse Osmosis Filter

We highlighted both types of these water filtration systems above, and we’ve also discussed their pros and cons in detail.

However, if you’re still confused about which filtration system you should go with, we suggest you consider your purpose of using the filter alongside your budget. Doing so will help you pick one of the above options. 

Conclusion 

In this guide, we thoroughly understood what under the sink and reverse osmosis water filters are alongside their benefits and drawbacks. We hope this guide helps you compare both types of water filtration systems with ease and makes it simple for you to pick one that suits you best. 

FAQs

Which one is better? Reverse osmosis or tap water?

Numerous heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and unwanted particles are found in tap water. These components are harmful to the human body, and they can lead to dangerous diseases. Reverse osmosis water filters eliminate these components while retaining valuable nutrients and minerals. Therefore, reverse osmosis is better than tap water.

Are under sink water filters worth it?

If your home has heavy water usage, an under-sink water filter is worth it for you. Under sink water filters work efficiently, and they provide clean and fresh water all day. With an under-sink filter installed in your house, you won’t have to worry about running out of safe drinking water.

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Article by:

Paulo Baker

Paulo is a senior writer at Dash Appliances, where he research, writes, and reviews home and commercial water filters. Paulo is covering home-related things like water filters, vacuum cleaners, and more since 2019. When he's not researching and testing, he's traveling and playing golf.

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