*Countertop RO Recommendations* *1. Best Overall: AquaTru Classic* → Buy Here (Deal 1 - Incl. Free Replacement Filter Set!): waterwellness.pxf.io/9LgyXY - Use code “BOSAQUATRU” for an Additional 15% off! → Buy Here (Deal 2 - New - $100 Off!): aquatruwater.com/product/countertop-reverse-osmosis-water-purifier/?oid2=50&affid2=1286&c=boswater - No Code Needed. $100 Discount Already Applied With Link! *2. Best Budget Pick: AquaTru Carafe* → Buy Here (New Deal - $100 Off!): aquatruwater.com/product/carafe-countertop-reverse-osmosis-water-purifier-variation/?oid2=50&affid2=1286&c=boswater - No Code Needed. $100 Discount Already Applied With Link! *3. Best for Hot Water: NU Aqua 4-Stage Countertop Reverse Osmosis System and APEC ROCT-PLUS* → Buy NU Aqua 4-Stage Here: nuaquasystems.com/products/nu-aqua-countertop-reverse-osmosis-system?rfsn=4096226.c90f2b&.c90f2b&subid=YTTOPCTRO - Use Code “BOSWATER” for 5% Off! → Buy APEC ROCT-PLUS Here: amzn.to/3SUfwxR *4. Honorable Mention: Bluevua RO100ROPOT* → Buy Here: amzn.to/3SSMPkU
This was very helpful. For me, another important thing is I don’t want my water stored in plastic. Especially if it’s being heated in plastic… I don’t think anyone tests for microplastics but it’s obvious a growing concern since they’re everywhere. Aquatru carafe it is.
Correct, but remember that we could only test for those contaminants actually present in our water supply. That's why we value NSF certifications so much. And you are welcome!
@a.debbarh8527 I'm not sure what you're asking. Our channel runs on affiliate commissions if that's what you mean. This includes AquaTru but is not limited to it.
I've had the Bluevua ROPOT for a year now and love it. Water tastes great and even better with the remineralization filter. Customer service is also great.
Thank you for this great new video and your fantastic work! You not only help customers to choose the right unit, but also force the manufacturers to improve.
Sorry but Bluevue for the win. I've gone through three AquaTru classics in a year plus one carafe, every single one of them defective. As "great" as it may be, doesn't matter if the thing doesn't work. I will say the company stands by the warranty but constantly shipping the system back to wait for a replacement is ridiculous. Everyone I've spoken to who also had (past tense) an AquaTru had similar stories. I've switched to Bluevue and absolutely couldn't be happier. Works beautifully, zero issues, does what it's supposed to do. Those I know who had AquaTru have taken my rec and switched to Bluevue.
Thank you for this comment. I've had my aquatru for 2 years, and yesterday, it stopped working. So, of course, I am searching for a replacement. Your comment is very helpful. Thank you for your insight.
My uncles Blue Vua unit died within three months and he complained that he had a hell of a time working with them for any kind of warranty. Both his family and my family have the AquaTru carafe now and are quite happy with them.
The elephant in the room with AquaTru is they don't recommend using it on the water harder than 10 gpg (or 171 mg/l). Quote from their web-site under the Classic model: Can AquaTru filter hard water? AquaTru is intended for water with hardness below 10 gpg (grain per gallon). If the hardness is higher, lime scale will build up on the membrane RO filter replacement. We do not recommend that AquaTru is used with water in excess of 10 gpg hardness, unless the water is softened prior to filtering in AquaTru, or unless you regularly complete our descaling maintenance.
First of all, you are right that the AquaTru is recommended for a maximum hardness level of 10 gpg. Btw, the same applies to the AquaTru Carafe. But this is not really the elephant in the room in my opinion. I've just checked all 8 other countertop ROs we reviewed as part of this video and none of them even mentions a maximum hardness level - but not because you could use them on any hardness level you want. Hard water will always cause scaling and this will also affect all other countertop ROs. The question is, to what extent? Can they handle more than 10 gpg or less? We don't know. What I know is that both AquaTru units are recommended for a TDS level of up to 1500 mg/L. The Bluevua is recommended for up to 800-1000 mg/L. And Waterdrop C1H, Waterdrop A1, and SimPure Y7P-BW are only recommended for a TDS level of up to 500 mg/L. Now TDS =/ hardness, but calcium does contribute to TDS. Finally, 10 gpg isn't too bad. So, I'm not saying that what you said is wrong - not all at. I just don't think that the other systems are necessarily better in that regard.
Good point. At the same time, say, I know for a fact my water hardness is well above 10 gpg. So, I know the producer does not recommend this system for my water. And then you read those reports about the leaks. If that happens it's solely my responsibility. And if I buy a different system (1) there's a chance it will work just fine with my water and (2) if something happens there's a warranty. Thanks for the review. I was considering the apec for a while now. But fluoride results seem disappointing. Do you think the Bluevua and its lite version could produce the same quality water? The lite version is way cheaper to buy and to own.
Agreed! I'm not familiar with the light version. But I'd say if it uses the same filter elements, then it should produce similar results. If lite means smaller filter elements, then it may not perform as well.
There are some reports on Amazon of aquatru's filter clogging after a few months of water that's only a hardness of 6 which really makes the system inconvenient/costly if true. I read one review which had it happen to 3 filters and the customer service, after sending out a replacement that got clogged, told the customer that's as far as their resolution was going to go.
@thebooper8988 From my experience, there are complaints about clogging filters for every single water filter I know. I'm not saying that this isn't valid criticism, but it makes it really hard to find a suitable product.
Love my Bluevua. Using for 4 months now and the pitcher has the trace mineral add filter, to put minerals back in, that the body needs. 2 pitchers a day for 1 persons for 96 oz. a day supply. For a family, I'd go under sink RO.
This is the most comprehensive and detailed analysis and comparative review of these systems. I am so absolutely grateful that I've received such good guidance before my first purchase!
I saw prices much higher than that, but this also depends on how thorough the testing I guess. But let's say it's "only" $300. That would still roughly double our lab costs for each video. So it would be either testing for microplastics or testing for all the other contaminants combined, and we feel that testing for all the other contaminants has priority.
We didn't test this but I'm assuming that the aluminum leaching, if it really came from the AquaTru Classic/Carafe, subsides eventually. Also, these public health guidelines are usually created taking into account long-term exposure. And please consider that, based on our research, the average American consumes around 10 mg aluminum a day via food, so you would have to drink 52 gallons of AquaTru water a day to reach that amount.
Hi! I'm doing some research and trying to purchase a RO system. I cannot find NSF data for the top filter suggestion AquTru on the NSF website. Are they no longer certified by NSF?
You need to check the IAPMO directory. Here is a link: pld.iapmo.org/ - you need to check "Listed Model / Additional Company" and search for "AquaTru".
Does any of your units release nano plastic particles from either the housing, tubing, or RO material? thanks. Columbia Univ. with advanced testing techniques have uncovered that many RO systems do release micro and nano sized plastic particles.
That study was focused on nanoplastics in bottled water which we cannot test for. That said, this was only a first step into investigating how nanoplastics may contaminate our water, and it raised more questions than it provided answers. Because if you check the study (www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2300582121 ), you'll find that they identified 7 types of plastic polymers which "can only account for roughly about 10% of the total particles/dots imaged under SRS microscopy" - which is just a fraction obviously. Yes, 1 of those 7 plastic polymers (PA) is commonly used in RO membranes and may originate from them. But 2 other commonly used water treatment methods (ion exchange and coagulation) might be equally affected. Also, the study further says that it is possible that RO membranes actually remove some of the polymers that are abundant in our water. So, again, this raised more questions than it gave answers, like what other types of plastic may be affected? What about the plastics used to construct water filters and their filter cartridges? Maybe the only way to avoid micro/nanoplastics would be to use a water distiller that doesn't use any plastic parts that the water could touch? However, maybe nanoplastics are so small that they would simply evaporate together with the water (could be complete nonsense). Bottom line is, as long as we don't have more answers, we would't demonize RO, especially because chances are that this is a much more widespread problem.
Did your lab tests have the pH mineral filters attached when sampling? Very curious to see what unwanted stuff might be added since most of the worlds supplements come from china even if "made usa". ...
Only the Frizzlife WB99-C used a remineralization filter. The filtered water report listed manganese which hadn't been detected in the unfiltered water (but please remember that this might be coincidence as we didn't repeat the testing).
Hi there, chlorine 100%. We couldn't test for lead ourselves because it isn't in our water supply, but both AquaTru units are certified against NSF standards for lead removal (99.1% and 99.2% average reduction). Also, the combination of activated carbon + RO which all of these systems use is highly effective at reducing lead from water.
The plastic containers are a concern truthfully I just want to filter the water and put it straight into my 2.5 or 5 gallon jug would your recommendation still stand for the classic?
Thank you so much for the video! This was the only reliable comparison I could find after tens of hours researching RO filters. I ended up buying the AquaTru from the link you provided. I’m still confused on whether I need to remineralize the purified water after or if it’s safe to drink long term as it is? Thank you again for your thorough work!
Thank you so much for your kind words and for using our link! According to our research, there are only 2 important minerals when it comes to drinking water: Calcium and magnesium. The optimum for calcium seems to be 50 mg/l and for magnesium it's 20-30 mg/l. The minimum recommended levels are 20 mg/l and 10 mg/l respectively. I would assume that after RO filtration your water is pretty much free from minerals, so these are the amounts you'd need to add to reach the minimum/optimum minerals levels. Also, you should be able to find a converter online that allows you to switch from mg/l to oz/gal if needed.
Hello, thank you for all the information It’s truly appreciated May I ask if I should use an under-the-sink direct connect filter before adding water to the RO system I’m on city tap water, I usually use a brita only but after looking into it I’m going to order a RO system but was wondering if I use a filter ( like 50 micron or 0.5 micron ) to protect the RO filters or it’s not necessary
These RO systems use a sediment pre-filter before the RO membrane, so it's usually not necessary. But if you know that your city water isn't as reliable then it certainly won't hurt to add another pre-filter.
Thank you! If by tested and approved you mean certified against NSF standards, then no. But there doesn't even exist a standard for nanoplastics right now which are usually defined to be smaller than 1 micron in size. As for microplastics, any RO membrane should be able to remove these easily due to the extremely small pore size.
Thank you for this video! Do you have any comments on the cfu (colony-forming units of bacteria) levels in the lab reports? The raw tap water had zero cfu/ml, but the AquaTru Classic had more than 1600 cfu/ml, more than the 500 cfu/ml EPA limit.
@MarkDickson-dp3ld Great question, and I appreciate the fact that you are asking about this rather than drawing your own conclusions as so many other people do that end up being false. So first of all, you are right with what you say about the total bacteria count in the lab reports. However, what this measurement basically says is that there is - and I'm citing the EPA here - "low disinfectant residual" in the water. In other words, total bacteria count is used to check if a water supply is being properly treated with a disinfectant like chlorine. But because pretty much all water filters remove chlorine and other disinfectants from the water, the total bacteria count goes up - which makes total sense due to low or even no disinfectant residual. That said, these types of bacteria exist literally everywhere in our environment and they are not harmful.
I just saw the video you posted on your channel 5 months ago about the test results of the Waterdrop A1. Video title “Cancer causing chemical found in RO water…”. In that video you mention that the unit in question is the Waterdrop A1. I’m surprised to see that you still recommend the A1 in this video. Was there an update that I have missed? Please elaborate. Thanks for all your effort in providing this super helpful information. Great channel.
I see that now after reviewing your Google sheet. Bottom line after watching the “Cancer causing….” video, I was shocked to see this unit on the top 10 best list for 2024. Thanks again for all the helpful information, it helped me make an informed decision.
Hey, Sarah! Can you clarify a few questions for me if you have any time for that? I still can't make my mind up. RO membrane should not let viruses and bacteria through. Does that mean UV light is redundant? If not how bad is it for AquaTru not to have one? What about secondary contamination, what is the AquaTru pure water tank made out of? Why do RO systems need another stage after RO if the RO membrane is so thorough and much better than everything else?
1. RO membrane should not let viruses and bacteria through - true, they are too large in size. But there are several factors that could still cause those pathogens to end up in the filtered water, like a tiny amount of water bypassing the RO membrane. That said, most if not all RO systems for household use are only recommended to be used with potable and microbiologically-safe water. Some use UV light but that is only to stop the water from taking on a bad taste. In other words, if there are any potentially harmful pathogens in your water, please don't use a reverse osmosis system to remove them. Properly disinfect the water first, and then you can filter it using RO. 2. How bad is it for the AquaTru to not have UV light - I wouldn't worry about that at all. Again, this is only to try and make the filtered water taste better for a longer time. But as long as you're not allowing the water to to sit in the tank for too long, this shouldn't be an issue. 3. The website says it's Tritan plastic (BPA-free). But if you're worried about that, you could also use the AquaTru Carafe. 4. I might be wrong about this, but I think that when back in the day there were only tank-based systems, they used a carbon post-filter to refresh the taste of the filtered water after it has been sitting in the tank. So maybe they just kept doing that even with tankless systems. Or some manufacturers might use a post-filter to make sure that there aren't any chemicals from the membrane manufacturing process that could end up in the filtered water. Activated carbon is great for removing those.
@@boswater6065Do you think it is a problem that AquaTru carafe lid is made out of plastic? Btw, is it the same way with the Bluevua? Another thing is on Amazon a 2-year set of replacement filters is $220 for either AquaTru Classic or Carafe, but the first one produces twice as much water for the same money. Not sure which one is the budget version.
It’s a valid question, I’m guessing you live by yourself sauerkraut. Our fridge is filled to the brim with food for the family, no space for a pitcher.
I'm looking at getting the AquaTru Carafe Alkaline - the one with the Alkaline Mineral Boost VOC Filter. What are your thoughts on the Mineral Boost Filter? Versus maybe adding mineral drops to add the minerals back in? Thanks!
Great question. We haven't tested the alkaline version yet. But for all the RO systems with remineraliation that we tested, results weren't that great, meaning not a whole lot of minerals were added back into the water. So mineral drops might be the better option.
We don't know. Might be coincidence. Also, remember that 300% increase sounds like a lot, but it was from 0.01 mg/L to 0.04 mg/L which is still well below the strictest health goal of 0.6 mg/L set by the OEHHA.
@lalulu14 I don't think so, no. But please remember that 300% sounds like a lot because this is only because the feed water concentration was at the lowest possible level at 0.01 ppm.
@lalulu14 I see where you are coming from and definitely agree that this isn't great. Still, remember that the average diet includes many, many times the amount of aluminum (10 mg/day) that you could possibly ingest using the AquaTru Carafe.
Hi there. Good video. Thank you. I need mostly a device that provides 'mineral free' water. Do any of these do remineralization? Something I don't want and IMO this seems to be a way to hide the effect of the RO purification.
@ seems so, I wanted to buy it, but not much info/tests available about it online and it seems they’re lacking official FDA (or alike) certifications ://
When it comes to the AquaTrue Classic, the aluminum section says added (see below). I don't see the results. What does it say for the reduction of aluminum in the test?
We found no aluminum in the feed water and 0.05 ppm in the filtered water. So not ideal as mentioned in the video, but this is a very tiny amount of aluminum and 12 times below the strictest health guideline we could find. Also, the average adult ingests around 10 mg of aluminum a day via food which is much, much more than what you might be exposed to using the AquaTru Classic.
Thanks so much for making this! I recently went down a rabbit hole on a filtration system for my wife's birthday. Ended up getting the Clearly Filtered pitcher, but we are somewhat underwhelmed. I wanted an undercounter system, but price of the unit and of install was pretty high. Is $400 for install appropriate in your opinion? I thought a countertop unit might be best for now. But lack of effortless/affordable remineralization steered me away. I'd love to get your thoughts on if I'm overthinking that? I've heard that the vitamins you get through food are somehow not an entirley sufficient replacement, but don't know if that's legit science.
$400 for installation seems reasonable. As for remineralization, according to the WHO what you should be most concerned about are calcium and magnesium. We always recommend people to at least consider remineralization, so you are not overthinking this imo. I know that the AquaTru can also be used with a remineralization filter. Or you could add those minerals manually with a mineral blend.
I thought I wanted a remineralization filter, but the water filter article on the Eat Beautiful blog links articles that say adding calcium to water can cause heart disease.
Do you have a video about what happens to the waste water of a countertop RO system that just has one water holding tank. I assume that the RO waste water goes back into the tank. Seems problematic?
The wastewater gets recycles and filtered again. They do this to lower the amount of wastewater that's being produced. This is nothing to worry. What's important is that the water you're drinking is clean, and based on our lab testing we can't see a difference between a system that recycles the wastewater and one that doesn't.
Thanks for all the work! It's so great! Do you know the arktisquelle produkt? The price goes really up. I m wondering if they really deliver as they say. If u have an opinion would be great ! Thanks
It's so hard to find a countertop water dispenser that offers cold water. It might have the symbol ❄️ but it doesn't get chill enough. I see that the lowest it goes is 49 degrees. I have a thermometer inside my refrigerator and i have seen that i prefer my water at 40°F. I can't find any countertop water dispenser that can get this cold 🥶. Sucks!!!!
hi guys have you considered testing the water fountains for pets like cats and dogs? there are tons of them and it would be great to see how effective they are. thanks
very nice. Another thing is that we are planning to get a Bluevua mainly for the remineralizing filter, so we wouldn't like that our pet's fountain remove the mineral again. Please take that into account when you make the pet fountain review. I think chatgpt suggested to use catit brand because it can be used without filters, but then debris like hair wouldn't be removed. I'd love to find an equilibrium between using bluevua and a pet fountain haha. Thank you guys you rock
Do you know if the APEC ROCT-plus and Waterdrop K19-H are basically the same device? The machine itself, manuals, error codes, and filters seem to be of similar design. Even if similar design, is it possible that the filtering performance could be different depending on individual specifications for the manufacturers? Any additional data about whether other Waterdrop RO systems had dichloromethane issues similar to the Waterdrop A1 and C1H or follow up beyond their statement?
You are right, they look pretty similar, and the filter element looks pretty much identical. That said, we haven't tested the K19-H so far, so I can't say anything about filtration performance. If they use the same filter element, then you can expect similar filtration results, although this also depends on things like water pressure etc. No new data about Waterdrop RO systems yet. And we are currently waiting for an update from Waterdrop.
@@boswater6065 Thank you! Even though the APEC ROCT-plus costs more than the Waterdrop K19-H, I decided to go with the APEC for a bit of extra reassurance in part because it tested well in your analysis. APEC has a more well established reputation for reverse osmosis compared to Waterdrop, correct?
That's great! Well, if I'm not mistaken APEC has been on the market for much longer. I'm not sure about the well established reputation. But what I know is that both Waterdrop ROs that we tested may have problems with releasing VOCs into the water, and the APEC ROCT-Plus didn't - all based on our lab testing.
@@boswater6065 Yeah, I'm hoping that the little bit of extra security buying something from a US-based company with a longer history will provide a bit of security in case something breaks while under warranty. Are you all going to publish a standalone review of the APEC ROCT-plus any time soon? I was unable to find much about it in contrast to the Waterdrop K19-H (they seem to be more aggressive in giving review samples to people), so I was thinking about recording an unboxing and setup video so there'd be at least a little more info out there.
I was curious about the SimPure results, so I looked up the manual. You state that you ran one gallon of water through each system before taking the water samples. The flushing procedure from SimPure is to go through the outlined steps 3-5 times, which would require at least four gallons of water. I'd be curious to see the lab results after doing a full flush.
No, that's not how we did it. We've installed and primed each system according to the instructions. So we did flush the SimPure 3-5 times. And then we flushed an additional gallon immediately before taking the water sample in order to avoid TDS creep.
How about the power requirements? These devices would be a Godsend in grid down or SHTF situations (like hurricanes). How much power (Watts) do they consume? Is this a generator only load or will a portable power station suffice?
I went with the SimPure WP1-100 because it has UV sterilization. It draws 30 Watts (only while processing). It will produce about 1/2 gallon of safe drinking water in about 10 minutes.
P473 was for PFOA and PFOS reduction, and that is now part of NSF 53 and NSF 58. So P473 merged into 53/58. And because the AquaTru is certified for PFOA and PFOS reduction, it basically has P473.
The pre-filter and the VOC filter both contain activated charcoal derived from coconut shells. I'm assuming it's the same with the mineral filter, but the website only says that it's "made up of a proprietary blend of our activated carbon", so I'm not 100% sure.
Can you please test/review Bevilt 100GDP Countertop Reverse 100GPD Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System? Also what company do you use to test the water?
What does it mean when these filters say they are tested against NSF standards or meet nsf standards but none of them are listed on the NSF contaminate reduction claims website page ?
There are 3 organizations accredited to award NSF certifications: NSF, WQA, and IAPMO. If a water filter is NSF-certified (meaning certified against an NSF standard), then the certification must show up in the directories of one of these 3 organizations. Last time we checked, the AquaTru Carafe and Classic were the only 2 from our list with actual NSF certifications, awarded by the IAPMO. The Bluevua is in the process of getting certified apparently. All other systems claim to have performed their own independent testing against NSF standards. But that wasn't done by the NSF, WQA, or IAPMO, and thus there are no NSF certifications for that, so we need to take this test data with a grain of salt. Side note: Certified by the WQA or IAPMO is as good as certified by the NSF directly. There is no qualitative difference there.
In that case you should start with proper disinfection. Please do not use such an RO system to treat microbiologically unsafe water, even if it uses UV.
@@boswater6065 Could you please help me choose the best system for our situation. We’re trying to be as non toxic/plastic reducing as possible. We love the idea of the Aquatru glass carafe but we’re a family of 4 with 2 cats who will be drinking the water. How is the safety of the plastic with the Classic model and does it shed microplastics into the fresh water container? Is the plastic BPA free? We also will be transferring the clean water into a glass carafe to sit in the fridge for cold water!
Their website shows they're NSF/ANSI 58&372 Certified but the google sheet says they're not NSF certified. Any clarification? 🙏🏼 I just purchased the Aquatru Classic. Ive heard good things about Waterdrop though
The Google sheet lists all NSF certifications for contaminant reduction, and it lists several certifications for the AquaTru Classic and the Carafe. It doesn't matter that the NSF certifications were awarded by the IAPMO. IAPMO is fully accredited. About your other questions, we couldn't test for microplastics. The plastic is BPA-free. I think that if you store enough water in a glass carafe or two, then the AquaTru Carafe will provide your family with enough water.
Of all 10 systems only the Frizzlife WB99-C features remineralization. But based on our lab data it didn't add in a whole lot of minerals, so there really wasn't that much of a difference compared to the other systems that don't remineralize the water.
Thanks for the great reviews. I wish you would tell us where are you getting the water tested The one screenshot seems to indicate a different company than you used for testing aqua true classic. Also would buy from your company if you sold the AquaTrue alkaline filter and extended warranty. Right now AquaTrue is having some good deals themselves with $100 off the carafe
This is the water test we are using: etrlabs.com/product/premium-water-test/ Waterandwellness.com is not our company, we just participate in their affiliate program.
@@boswater6065 Thanks for the quick reply and help, and a wonderful review videos. In this video, you didn't retest the aquatru because it had been tested on a previous review, but in that review he used tap score to test the water. The tap score test is slightly more expansive for the advanced one but looks more thorough, any thoughts on the two companies? Thanks
With ETR, you only get the lab report with no explanations whatsoever. Tap Score does a much better job here, but it also costs a bit more. So I guess it depends on what you prefer. For our purpose, we consider ETR to be totally fine.
@@boswater6065 I'm curious about this - I want to get a machine to ship to Mexico as hauling huge plastic containers is ghastly. Many expats here use an under counter RO system for drinking water - to remove the bacteria and pathogens. Are you saying this is not a good idea?
@bbgunn917 An RO membrane definitely has a small enough pore size to reject bacteria and some other types of pathogens, but they might also accumulate and grow in the system over time. Also, just a few germs need to bypass the treatment somehow and you could still get sick. So I'd only use RO as a short-term solution but the go-to methods are boiling and disinfection.
@@RapturereadyNOW This is useless to 'review' a brand new unit. They should be a few months old with constant use and then do a review. Definately do not invest in this brand, mine I had to toss out, Customer Support was non existent.
Aquatru user here! Leaking could be due to clean water tank not sitting firmly on its base. You gotta push the whole tank down (especially the handle side). We’ve had leaking problem too, but now it’s all good 😊
Thanks for the reviews. I would love to know what you think of the Bluvua Ropot lite and the travel. The combine all the stages in one cartridge vs four separate ones.
The level increased from 0.01 mg/L to 0.04 mg/L - definitely not ideal but this is well below even the strictest health guidelines. Also, the average American diet contains around 10 (7-9) mg aluminum a day. So drinking water at 0.04 mg/L adds such a tiny amount of aluminum that it becomes negligible in our opinion.
Possibly, based on our lab data. But please always keep in mind that our before vs after lab testing is not an exact science, and we didn't repeat the testing to confirm our findings. So this might be coincidence.
Great video and testing, but way too much concern about certifications. And I don't see how the AquaTru Carafe got a recommendation when the filtration results were very average.
None with reverse osmosis. Zero water filters are what you are looking for. I used to use them. I switched to reverse osmosis because it is more cost efficient. TDS alone is not a good measure of safe water.
@@boswater6065 yup, had the same idea! ordered some test strips, will test the raw tap, purified, and wastewater. it's not too late to cancel my order, are there any reliable test strips you'd recommend? btw bought my aquatru with your code, keep up the great work!
Yes, zinc only causes aesthetic issues when found at very high levels in drinking water. It's just that RO removes all the bad stuff but the good stuff, too.
I really want to know about the ispring. After all my research that’s the one I’m leaning on. It’s taken me all year to get this far, I need to buy something soon.
@@boswater6065 they have only two I’ve seen. One they also heats, and one that heats and cools. I’m looking at the one that heats. I don’t need to pay extra for cooling. But my main motivation is quality build/design/filtration. As well as great customer service. The most recent customer reviews on other top brands have really turned me off. I’m stuck not knowing what to buy and been getting by on bottled water all year.
Wow. I don't think I've seen a channel that does such detailed reviews of water purifiers. If possible, can you guys do a review of the Philips ADD6190? Thanks.
@@boswater6065 Upon checking it seems it's only available in Hong Kong and Asia, so looks like it will be hard for you to get a hold of a unit in the US. Too bad. Anyway, nice reviews. I love the detail you put into them.
Looking at the results of this tests and Bluevua seems like the best of the bunch. How did AquaTru Classic come out on top? is this video sponsored by them?
You're welcome! These pure-to-drain ratios are about as good as it gets for RO systems. Also, you're probably using much more water for other things like showering.
Because the initial aluminum concentration in the water was as low as it could have been (0.01 ppm). 300% increase means we found 0.04 ppm in the filtered water, which is 15 times lower than the strictest health guideline we could find. Also, it is estimated that adults ingest around 10 mg of aluminum a day via food which is many, many times more than what you might get exposed to using the AquaTru Carafe.
*Countertop RO Recommendations*
*1. Best Overall: AquaTru Classic*
→ Buy Here (Deal 1 - Incl. Free Replacement Filter Set!): waterwellness.pxf.io/9LgyXY - Use code “BOSAQUATRU” for an Additional 15% off!
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*2. Best Budget Pick: AquaTru Carafe*
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This was very helpful. For me, another important thing is I don’t want my water stored in plastic. Especially if it’s being heated in plastic…
I don’t think anyone tests for microplastics but it’s obvious a growing concern since they’re everywhere.
Aquatru carafe it is.
Glad that you liked it! Yes, testing for microplastics is extremely expensive.
That’s the one I bought recently
I store all my water in big half gallon mason jars made of glass.
@ that is good idea!
Based on these tests, Bluevua is good as others, and removes the most fluoride. Thank you for testing.
Correct, but remember that we could only test for those contaminants actually present in our water supply. That's why we value NSF certifications so much. And you are welcome!
I loved my Bluevua until it stopped working properly, their customer service was phenomenal.
@tammyvenezia9117 Could the problem be solved?
@@boswater6065 Your promotional product is Aquatru?
@a.debbarh8527 I'm not sure what you're asking. Our channel runs on affiliate commissions if that's what you mean. This includes AquaTru but is not limited to it.
I've had the Bluevua ROPOT for a year now and love it. Water tastes great and even better with the remineralization filter. Customer service is also great.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this great new video and your fantastic work! You not only help customers to choose the right unit, but also force the manufacturers to improve.
You are welcome, and thank you so much for saying that!
Sorry but Bluevue for the win. I've gone through three AquaTru classics in a year plus one carafe, every single one of them defective. As "great" as it may be, doesn't matter if the thing doesn't work. I will say the company stands by the warranty but constantly shipping the system back to wait for a replacement is ridiculous. Everyone I've spoken to who also had (past tense) an AquaTru had similar stories. I've switched to Bluevue and absolutely couldn't be happier. Works beautifully, zero issues, does what it's supposed to do. Those I know who had AquaTru have taken my rec and switched to Bluevue.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this comment. I've had my aquatru for 2 years, and yesterday, it stopped working. So, of course, I am searching for a replacement. Your comment is very helpful. Thank you for your insight.
i'm on my second year of BlueVua under very heavy use and have been very happy with it.
Great to hear!
My uncles Blue Vua unit died within three months and he complained that he had a hell of a time working with them for any kind of warranty. Both his family and my family have the AquaTru carafe now and are quite happy with them.
The elephant in the room with AquaTru is they don't recommend using it on the water harder than 10 gpg (or 171 mg/l). Quote from their web-site under the Classic model: Can AquaTru filter hard water?
AquaTru is intended for water with hardness below 10 gpg (grain per gallon). If the hardness is higher, lime scale will build up on the membrane RO filter replacement. We do not recommend that AquaTru is used with water in excess of 10 gpg hardness, unless the water is softened prior to filtering in AquaTru, or unless you regularly complete our descaling maintenance.
First of all, you are right that the AquaTru is recommended for a maximum hardness level of 10 gpg. Btw, the same applies to the AquaTru Carafe. But this is not really the elephant in the room in my opinion. I've just checked all 8 other countertop ROs we reviewed as part of this video and none of them even mentions a maximum hardness level - but not because you could use them on any hardness level you want. Hard water will always cause scaling and this will also affect all other countertop ROs. The question is, to what extent? Can they handle more than 10 gpg or less? We don't know. What I know is that both AquaTru units are recommended for a TDS level of up to 1500 mg/L. The Bluevua is recommended for up to 800-1000 mg/L. And Waterdrop C1H, Waterdrop A1, and SimPure Y7P-BW are only recommended for a TDS level of up to 500 mg/L. Now TDS =/ hardness, but calcium does contribute to TDS. Finally, 10 gpg isn't too bad.
So, I'm not saying that what you said is wrong - not all at. I just don't think that the other systems are necessarily better in that regard.
Good point. At the same time, say, I know for a fact my water hardness is well above 10 gpg. So, I know the producer does not recommend this system for my water. And then you read those reports about the leaks. If that happens it's solely my responsibility. And if I buy a different system (1) there's a chance it will work just fine with my water and (2) if something happens there's a warranty.
Thanks for the review. I was considering the apec for a while now. But fluoride results seem disappointing. Do you think the Bluevua and its lite version could produce the same quality water? The lite version is way cheaper to buy and to own.
Agreed!
I'm not familiar with the light version. But I'd say if it uses the same filter elements, then it should produce similar results. If lite means smaller filter elements, then it may not perform as well.
There are some reports on Amazon of aquatru's filter clogging after a few months of water that's only a hardness of 6 which really makes the system inconvenient/costly if true. I read one review which had it happen to 3 filters and the customer service, after sending out a replacement that got clogged, told the customer that's as far as their resolution was going to go.
@thebooper8988 From my experience, there are complaints about clogging filters for every single water filter I know. I'm not saying that this isn't valid criticism, but it makes it really hard to find a suitable product.
Love my Bluevua. Using for 4 months now and the pitcher has the trace mineral add filter, to put minerals back in, that the body needs. 2 pitchers a day for 1 persons for 96 oz. a day supply. For a family, I'd go under sink RO.
This is the most comprehensive and detailed analysis and comparative review of these systems. I am so absolutely grateful that I've received such good guidance before my first purchase!
would be interested to see how much microplastic contamination these RO's leave from the plastic tubes and non-glass water tanks.
Microplastic testing is extremely expensive, unfortunately. We would like to do it at some point in future, though.
If I'm no mistaken, tap water testing for microplastics costs the same as testing for contaminants - $300
I saw prices much higher than that, but this also depends on how thorough the testing I guess. But let's say it's "only" $300. That would still roughly double our lab costs for each video. So it would be either testing for microplastics or testing for all the other contaminants combined, and we feel that testing for all the other contaminants has priority.
Even if the amount of aluminum in the Aqua Tru is low isn't that still a problem if you are drinking it throughout the day, every day?
We didn't test this but I'm assuming that the aluminum leaching, if it really came from the AquaTru Classic/Carafe, subsides eventually. Also, these public health guidelines are usually created taking into account long-term exposure. And please consider that, based on our research, the average American consumes around 10 mg aluminum a day via food, so you would have to drink 52 gallons of AquaTru water a day to reach that amount.
Hi! I'm doing some research and trying to purchase a RO system. I cannot find NSF data for the top filter suggestion AquTru on the NSF website. Are they no longer certified by NSF?
You need to check the IAPMO directory. Here is a link: pld.iapmo.org/ - you need to check "Listed Model / Additional Company" and search for "AquaTru".
Do these tests include any algae contaminants? I don’t see any testing for algae & the FL Keys are known for them.
No, our testing doesn't include algae due to budget restrictions.
I am not able to open the excel document, can you help ? Great video!
Do you mean the Google Sheet? Sorry, I have no idea why it wouldn't open. Maybe try a different browser?
This is such a great video! Thank you for the awesome info! I love my Nu Aqua System! Glad to see it made it on the list!
Glad you liked it!
Can you please reviews the Sans water purifier? I find it’s very similar to the aqua tru but still not sure which to get between the two.
Added to our list!
Does any of your units release nano plastic particles from either the housing, tubing, or RO material? thanks. Columbia Univ. with advanced testing techniques have uncovered that many RO systems do release micro and nano sized plastic particles.
That study was focused on nanoplastics in bottled water which we cannot test for. That said, this was only a first step into investigating how nanoplastics may contaminate our water, and it raised more questions than it provided answers. Because if you check the study (www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2300582121 ), you'll find that they identified 7 types of plastic polymers which "can only account for roughly about 10% of the total particles/dots imaged under SRS microscopy" - which is just a fraction obviously. Yes, 1 of those 7 plastic polymers (PA) is commonly used in RO membranes and may originate from them. But 2 other commonly used water treatment methods (ion exchange and coagulation) might be equally affected. Also, the study further says that it is possible that RO membranes actually remove some of the polymers that are abundant in our water. So, again, this raised more questions than it gave answers, like what other types of plastic may be affected? What about the plastics used to construct water filters and their filter cartridges? Maybe the only way to avoid micro/nanoplastics would be to use a water distiller that doesn't use any plastic parts that the water could touch? However, maybe nanoplastics are so small that they would simply evaporate together with the water (could be complete nonsense). Bottom line is, as long as we don't have more answers, we would't demonize RO, especially because chances are that this is a much more widespread problem.
@boswater6065 thank you so much for this video. The study was removed or link is not working. Could you please provide another link if possible?
@mikemihay Thanks for pointing this out. I fixed the link.
I like the scientific rigor in your reviews. Surprise that you get much fewer subscribers than another channel who review without independent tests
Thank you for your kind words!
Thanks for doing this! :)
Our pleasure!
please review the Stokk T1! I like that it has the remineralization filter and UV filter in addition to the 4 standard filtration steps
Added to our list!
This video was very helpful and saved me so much time. Thank you very much for the great information!
The video that I was looking for! Appreciate the efforts!
You're welcome!
Did your lab tests have the pH mineral filters attached when sampling? Very curious to see what unwanted stuff might be added since most of the worlds supplements come from china even if "made usa". ...
Only the Frizzlife WB99-C used a remineralization filter. The filtered water report listed manganese which hadn't been detected in the unfiltered water (but please remember that this might be coincidence as we didn't repeat the testing).
Hello, do these RO systems remove chlorine and lead?
Hi there, chlorine 100%. We couldn't test for lead ourselves because it isn't in our water supply, but both AquaTru units are certified against NSF standards for lead removal (99.1% and 99.2% average reduction). Also, the combination of activated carbon + RO which all of these systems use is highly effective at reducing lead from water.
The plastic containers are a concern truthfully I just want to filter the water and put it straight into my 2.5 or 5 gallon jug would your recommendation still stand for the classic?
Definitely. In this case the plastic container won't be a problem at all.
Great review!! Have you tested the ITEHIL Portable RO Water Filtration System ? Was looking at it, especially since it's quite portable.
No, but thank you for the suggestion!
Thank you so much for the video! This was the only reliable comparison I could find after tens of hours researching RO filters. I ended up buying the AquaTru from the link you provided. I’m still confused on whether I need to remineralize the purified water after or if it’s safe to drink long term as it is? Thank you again for your thorough work!
Thank you so much for your kind words and for using our link! According to our research, there are only 2 important minerals when it comes to drinking water: Calcium and magnesium. The optimum for calcium seems to be 50 mg/l and for magnesium it's 20-30 mg/l. The minimum recommended levels are 20 mg/l and 10 mg/l respectively. I would assume that after RO filtration your water is pretty much free from minerals, so these are the amounts you'd need to add to reach the minimum/optimum minerals levels.
Also, you should be able to find a converter online that allows you to switch from mg/l to oz/gal if needed.
Hello, thank you for all the information
It’s truly appreciated
May I ask if I should use an under-the-sink direct connect filter before adding water to the RO system
I’m on city tap water, I usually use a brita only but after looking into it I’m going to order a RO system but was wondering if I use a filter ( like 50 micron or 0.5 micron ) to protect the RO filters or it’s not necessary
These RO systems use a sediment pre-filter before the RO membrane, so it's usually not necessary. But if you know that your city water isn't as reliable then it certainly won't hurt to add another pre-filter.
Great content! Have any of these brands been tested and approved to remove nano and microplastics?
Thank you! If by tested and approved you mean certified against NSF standards, then no. But there doesn't even exist a standard for nanoplastics right now which are usually defined to be smaller than 1 micron in size. As for microplastics, any RO membrane should be able to remove these easily due to the extremely small pore size.
Thank you for this video! Do you have any comments on the cfu (colony-forming units of bacteria) levels in the lab reports? The raw tap water had zero cfu/ml, but the AquaTru Classic had more than 1600 cfu/ml, more than the 500 cfu/ml EPA limit.
Oh dear.... Thank you for pointing that out!
@MarkDickson-dp3ld Great question, and I appreciate the fact that you are asking about this rather than drawing your own conclusions as so many other people do that end up being false.
So first of all, you are right with what you say about the total bacteria count in the lab reports. However, what this measurement basically says is that there is - and I'm citing the EPA here - "low disinfectant residual" in the water. In other words, total bacteria count is used to check if a water supply is being properly treated with a disinfectant like chlorine. But because pretty much all water filters remove chlorine and other disinfectants from the water, the total bacteria count goes up - which makes total sense due to low or even no disinfectant residual. That said, these types of bacteria exist literally everywhere in our environment and they are not harmful.
I just saw the video you posted on your channel 5 months ago about the test results of the Waterdrop A1. Video title “Cancer causing chemical found in RO water…”. In that video you mention that the unit in question is the Waterdrop A1. I’m surprised to see that you still recommend the A1 in this video. Was there an update that I have missed? Please elaborate. Thanks for all your effort in providing this super helpful information. Great channel.
We're not really recommending it. Our final rating was 2.5/5.0.
I see that now after reviewing your Google sheet. Bottom line after watching the “Cancer causing….” video, I was shocked to see this unit on the top 10 best list for 2024. Thanks again for all the helpful information, it helped me make an informed decision.
Okay, yes, I see your point now. Glad we could help!
This was a great review on the Countertop RO systems; are there still any discounts available for the Aquatru Classic?
Thank you! You can simply use our product links. They include the discounts without any code required.
Hey, Sarah! Can you clarify a few questions for me if you have any time for that? I still can't make my mind up. RO membrane should not let viruses and bacteria through. Does that mean UV light is redundant? If not how bad is it for AquaTru not to have one? What about secondary contamination, what is the AquaTru pure water tank made out of? Why do RO systems need another stage after RO if the RO membrane is so thorough and much better than everything else?
1. RO membrane should not let viruses and bacteria through - true, they are too large in size. But there are several factors that could still cause those pathogens to end up in the filtered water, like a tiny amount of water bypassing the RO membrane. That said, most if not all RO systems for household use are only recommended to be used with potable and microbiologically-safe water. Some use UV light but that is only to stop the water from taking on a bad taste. In other words, if there are any potentially harmful pathogens in your water, please don't use a reverse osmosis system to remove them. Properly disinfect the water first, and then you can filter it using RO.
2. How bad is it for the AquaTru to not have UV light - I wouldn't worry about that at all. Again, this is only to try and make the filtered water taste better for a longer time. But as long as you're not allowing the water to to sit in the tank for too long, this shouldn't be an issue.
3. The website says it's Tritan plastic (BPA-free). But if you're worried about that, you could also use the AquaTru Carafe.
4. I might be wrong about this, but I think that when back in the day there were only tank-based systems, they used a carbon post-filter to refresh the taste of the filtered water after it has been sitting in the tank. So maybe they just kept doing that even with tankless systems. Or some manufacturers might use a post-filter to make sure that there aren't any chemicals from the membrane manufacturing process that could end up in the filtered water. Activated carbon is great for removing those.
@@boswater6065is that true that both AquaTru carafe and Bluevua have their carafe lids made out of plastic?
@@boswater6065Do you think it is a problem that AquaTru carafe lid is made out of plastic? Btw, is it the same way with the Bluevua? Another thing is on Amazon a 2-year set of replacement filters is $220 for either AquaTru Classic or Carafe, but the first one produces twice as much water for the same money. Not sure which one is the budget version.
No, they are both glass.
I don't know the prices on Amazon. This is based on prices you can find on waterandwellness.com
As someone who prefers cold water vs room temp. Do any of these brands have a refrigeration option that’s makes the water cold before dispensing?
From the top of my head I only know the Waterdrop A1.
Just put it in a mason jar and put it in the fridge. Problem solved
I believe that the RKIN U1 also dispenses cold water, but it is pricey, retail $750
@@yazars are people really this lazy? Dump the water in a pitcher and put it in the fucking fridge like I said
It’s a valid question, I’m guessing you live by yourself sauerkraut. Our fridge is filled to the brim with food for the family, no space for a pitcher.
Just what I was looking for, thank you! Was thinking on the Bluevua 100 but needed more about RO systems
You're welcome!
I'm looking at getting the AquaTru Carafe Alkaline - the one with the Alkaline Mineral Boost VOC Filter. What are your thoughts on the Mineral Boost Filter? Versus maybe adding mineral drops to add the minerals back in? Thanks!
Great question. We haven't tested the alkaline version yet. But for all the RO systems with remineraliation that we tested, results weren't that great, meaning not a whole lot of minerals were added back into the water. So mineral drops might be the better option.
Amazing work. It must have taking some time. Thank U very much.
The AquaTru Carafe shows a 300% increase in aluminum? Where is the aluminum coming from?
We don't know. Might be coincidence. Also, remember that 300% increase sounds like a lot, but it was from 0.01 mg/L to 0.04 mg/L which is still well below the strictest health goal of 0.6 mg/L set by the OEHHA.
Did you ask the company Aqua about the 300% increase in aluminum after filtering?
@lalulu14 I don't think so, no. But please remember that 300% sounds like a lot because this is only because the feed water concentration was at the lowest possible level at 0.01 ppm.
@@boswater6065thank you. based on Any increase in aluminum, I would not purchase.
@lalulu14 I see where you are coming from and definitely agree that this isn't great. Still, remember that the average diet includes many, many times the amount of aluminum (10 mg/day) that you could possibly ingest using the AquaTru Carafe.
Hi there. Good video. Thank you. I need mostly a device that provides 'mineral free' water. Do any of these do remineralization? Something I don't want and IMO this seems to be a way to hide the effect of the RO purification.
Thank you! Only the Frizzlife WB99-C uses remineralization.
Anyone know is Osmio Zero 2.0 any good?
Looks more robust design than WaterDrop K9, but less of marketing team :))
We haven't tested the Osmio Zero 2.0. I think it's only available in UK/EU, right?
@ seems so, I wanted to buy it, but not much info/tests available about it online and it seems they’re lacking official FDA (or alike) certifications ://
When it comes to the AquaTrue Classic, the aluminum section says added (see below). I don't see the results. What does it say for the reduction of aluminum in the test?
We found no aluminum in the feed water and 0.05 ppm in the filtered water. So not ideal as mentioned in the video, but this is a very tiny amount of aluminum and 12 times below the strictest health guideline we could find. Also, the average adult ingests around 10 mg of aluminum a day via food which is much, much more than what you might be exposed to using the AquaTru Classic.
Thanks so much for making this! I recently went down a rabbit hole on a filtration system for my wife's birthday. Ended up getting the Clearly Filtered pitcher, but we are somewhat underwhelmed.
I wanted an undercounter system, but price of the unit and of install was pretty high. Is $400 for install appropriate in your opinion?
I thought a countertop unit might be best for now. But lack of effortless/affordable remineralization steered me away. I'd love to get your thoughts on if I'm overthinking that? I've heard that the vitamins you get through food are somehow not an entirley sufficient replacement, but don't know if that's legit science.
$400 for installation seems reasonable.
As for remineralization, according to the WHO what you should be most concerned about are calcium and magnesium. We always recommend people to at least consider remineralization, so you are not overthinking this imo. I know that the AquaTru can also be used with a remineralization filter. Or you could add those minerals manually with a mineral blend.
I thought I wanted a remineralization filter, but the water filter article on the Eat Beautiful blog links articles that say adding calcium to water can cause heart disease.
Great video ! any discount codes for Eu based purchases by any chance?
Thank you! We don't have any codes for EU, sorry.
Do you have a video about what happens to the waste water of a countertop RO system that just has one water holding tank. I assume that the RO waste water goes back into the tank. Seems problematic?
The wastewater gets recycles and filtered again. They do this to lower the amount of wastewater that's being produced. This is nothing to worry. What's important is that the water you're drinking is clean, and based on our lab testing we can't see a difference between a system that recycles the wastewater and one that doesn't.
Thanks for all the work! It's so great! Do you know the arktisquelle produkt? The price goes really up. I m wondering if they really deliver as they say. If u have an opinion would be great ! Thanks
Look like this is a German system? Never heard of it and I can't really say anything about it, except that it seems really expensive.
It's so hard to find a countertop water dispenser that offers cold water. It might have the symbol ❄️ but it doesn't get chill enough. I see that the lowest it goes is 49 degrees. I have a thermometer inside my refrigerator and i have seen that i prefer my water at 40°F. I can't find any countertop water dispenser that can get this cold 🥶. Sucks!!!!
Just filter a bunch and leave it in the fridge
I’ve read drinking cold water isn’t good
hi guys have you considered testing the water fountains for pets like cats and dogs? there are tons of them and it would be great to see how effective they are. thanks
No, we haven't thought about that yet. Thanks for the idea!
very nice. Another thing is that we are planning to get a Bluevua mainly for the remineralizing filter, so we wouldn't like that our pet's fountain remove the mineral again. Please take that into account when you make the pet fountain review. I think chatgpt suggested to use catit brand because it can be used without filters, but then debris like hair wouldn't be removed. I'd love to find an equilibrium between using bluevua and a pet fountain haha. Thank you guys you rock
Do you know if the APEC ROCT-plus and Waterdrop K19-H are basically the same device? The machine itself, manuals, error codes, and filters seem to be of similar design. Even if similar design, is it possible that the filtering performance could be different depending on individual specifications for the manufacturers? Any additional data about whether other Waterdrop RO systems had dichloromethane issues similar to the Waterdrop A1 and C1H or follow up beyond their statement?
You are right, they look pretty similar, and the filter element looks pretty much identical. That said, we haven't tested the K19-H so far, so I can't say anything about filtration performance. If they use the same filter element, then you can expect similar filtration results, although this also depends on things like water pressure etc.
No new data about Waterdrop RO systems yet. And we are currently waiting for an update from Waterdrop.
@@boswater6065 Thank you! Even though the APEC ROCT-plus costs more than the Waterdrop K19-H, I decided to go with the APEC for a bit of extra reassurance in part because it tested well in your analysis. APEC has a more well established reputation for reverse osmosis compared to Waterdrop, correct?
That's great! Well, if I'm not mistaken APEC has been on the market for much longer. I'm not sure about the well established reputation. But what I know is that both Waterdrop ROs that we tested may have problems with releasing VOCs into the water, and the APEC ROCT-Plus didn't - all based on our lab testing.
@@boswater6065 Yeah, I'm hoping that the little bit of extra security buying something from a US-based company with a longer history will provide a bit of security in case something breaks while under warranty. Are you all going to publish a standalone review of the APEC ROCT-plus any time soon? I was unable to find much about it in contrast to the Waterdrop K19-H (they seem to be more aggressive in giving review samples to people), so I was thinking about recording an unboxing and setup video so there'd be at least a little more info out there.
We're not planning to at this point, no.
An anyone tell me if the Bluevua comes with the remineralisation filter from Amazon or do you have to order that separately?
There are both versions available.
Does the aquatru carafe work with different carafes?
I don't think so because inserting the carafe into the unit activates the filtration process.
I was curious about the SimPure results, so I looked up the manual. You state that you ran one gallon of water through each system before taking the water samples. The flushing procedure from SimPure is to go through the outlined steps 3-5 times, which would require at least four gallons of water. I'd be curious to see the lab results after doing a full flush.
No, that's not how we did it. We've installed and primed each system according to the instructions. So we did flush the SimPure 3-5 times. And then we flushed an additional gallon immediately before taking the water sample in order to avoid TDS creep.
how tall a glass be placed under an aqua tru classic?
Around 6"
Why is the AquaTru no longer showing up on the NSF website?
The system is certified against NSF standards by the IAPMO, so you need to check here: pld.iapmo.org/
How about the power requirements? These devices would be a Godsend in grid down or SHTF situations (like hurricanes). How much power (Watts) do they consume? Is this a generator only load or will a portable power station suffice?
I've checked the product manuals but most didn't specify Watts. I think it's probably best if you reach out to the companies about this.
I went with the SimPure WP1-100 because it has UV sterilization. It draws 30 Watts (only while processing). It will produce about 1/2 gallon of safe drinking water in about 10 minutes.
Thanks for sharing!
Why are you guys claiming the carafe has the same certifications as the Classic when it's missing the 473 rating?
P473 was for PFOA and PFOS reduction, and that is now part of NSF 53 and NSF 58. So P473 merged into 53/58. And because the AquaTru is certified for PFOA and PFOS reduction, it basically has P473.
@boswater6065 very cool, I'll look into that. Thanks!
aqua true has all plastic water storage, cant fill water bottles, has no UV or remineralization and is #1?
Does the Aquatru have coconut in its filters and their mineral replenish filter? Thanks. Subscribed.
The pre-filter and the VOC filter both contain activated charcoal derived from coconut shells. I'm assuming it's the same with the mineral filter, but the website only says that it's "made up of a proprietary blend of our activated carbon", so I'm not 100% sure.
@@boswater6065 thank you!
@@boswater6065 Thank you !
You're welcome!
Can you please test/review Bevilt 100GDP Countertop Reverse 100GPD Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System?
Also what company do you use to test the water?
We use ETR Labs. I've never heard of Bevilt before but we'll check it out. Thank you for suggesting!
I would love to see a review of the SimPure Y10C system! Thank you for such thorough reviews!
Noted!
We have been trying to SimPure Y7 and are so impressed. Thinking of upgrading though to the Y10
What does it mean when these filters say they are tested against NSF standards or meet nsf standards but none of them are listed on the NSF contaminate reduction claims website page ?
There are 3 organizations accredited to award NSF certifications: NSF, WQA, and IAPMO. If a water filter is NSF-certified (meaning certified against an NSF standard), then the certification must show up in the directories of one of these 3 organizations. Last time we checked, the AquaTru Carafe and Classic were the only 2 from our list with actual NSF certifications, awarded by the IAPMO. The Bluevua is in the process of getting certified apparently. All other systems claim to have performed their own independent testing against NSF standards. But that wasn't done by the NSF, WQA, or IAPMO, and thus there are no NSF certifications for that, so we need to take this test data with a grain of salt.
Side note: Certified by the WQA or IAPMO is as good as certified by the NSF directly. There is no qualitative difference there.
What about microorganisms and viruses? Why isn't there any UV sterilization? Not all of us are starting with clean potable tap water.
In that case you should start with proper disinfection. Please do not use such an RO system to treat microbiologically unsafe water, even if it uses UV.
Whats is ph after filtration through the aqua thru counter top classic
Before was 7.66 and after was 7.61 (according to lab reports). But pH doesn't matter with RO water - it's alkalinity that matters.
pH matters for pipes. Did you mean alkalinity only matters for health? @@boswater6065
@JMBlackNet I meant pH of RO water doesn't matter for health but alkalinity does.
How’s the waterdrop? I didn’t see anything on that one
Both their filtered water samples contained elevated levels of dichloromethane (aka methylene chloride), so no recommendation at this point.
@@boswater6065 Could you please help me choose the best system for our situation. We’re trying to be as non toxic/plastic reducing as possible. We love the idea of the Aquatru glass carafe but we’re a family of 4 with 2 cats who will be drinking the water. How is the safety of the plastic with the Classic model and does it shed microplastics into the fresh water container? Is the plastic BPA free? We also will be transferring the clean water into a glass carafe to sit in the fridge for cold water!
Their website shows they're NSF/ANSI 58&372 Certified but the google sheet says they're not NSF certified. Any clarification? 🙏🏼 I just purchased the Aquatru Classic. Ive heard good things about Waterdrop though
i actually realized this certification is for the under the sink model
The Google sheet lists all NSF certifications for contaminant reduction, and it lists several certifications for the AquaTru Classic and the Carafe. It doesn't matter that the NSF certifications were awarded by the IAPMO. IAPMO is fully accredited.
About your other questions, we couldn't test for microplastics. The plastic is BPA-free. I think that if you store enough water in a glass carafe or two, then the AquaTru Carafe will provide your family with enough water.
What about minerals added in?
Of all 10 systems only the Frizzlife WB99-C features remineralization. But based on our lab data it didn't add in a whole lot of minerals, so there really wasn't that much of a difference compared to the other systems that don't remineralize the water.
Thanks for the great reviews. I wish you would tell us where are you getting the water tested The one screenshot seems to indicate a different company than you used for testing aqua true classic.
Also would buy from your company if you sold the AquaTrue alkaline filter and extended warranty. Right now AquaTrue is having some good deals themselves with $100 off the carafe
This is the water test we are using: etrlabs.com/product/premium-water-test/
Waterandwellness.com is not our company, we just participate in their affiliate program.
@@boswater6065 Thanks for the quick reply and help, and a wonderful review videos. In this video, you didn't retest the aquatru because it had been tested on a previous review, but in that review he used tap score to test the water. The tap score test is slightly more expansive for the advanced one but looks more thorough, any thoughts on the two companies? Thanks
With ETR, you only get the lab report with no explanations whatsoever. Tap Score does a much better job here, but it also costs a bit more. So I guess it depends on what you prefer. For our purpose, we consider ETR to be totally fine.
On all the systems you shown in video do they remove bacteria & virals
RO in general has a very high effectiveness at removing bacteria and viruses. But it should not be your preferred method of treatment.
Thank you for responding just making sure those get cleaned out as well as the chlorine all chemicals
@@boswater6065 I'm curious about this - I want to get a machine to ship to Mexico as hauling huge plastic containers is ghastly. Many expats here use an under counter RO system for drinking water - to remove the bacteria and pathogens. Are you saying this is not a good idea?
@bbgunn917 An RO membrane definitely has a small enough pore size to reject bacteria and some other types of pathogens, but they might also accumulate and grow in the system over time. Also, just a few germs need to bypass the treatment somehow and you could still get sick. So I'd only use RO as a short-term solution but the go-to methods are boiling and disinfection.
I had an Aquatru and in 2 months it was leaking everywhere.
Thanks for sharing. We never had an issue with leaking so far.
I saw sev complaints about the leaking as well on a reddit post and on amazon. I'll be avoiding that one.
@@RapturereadyNOW This is useless to 'review' a brand new unit. They should be a few months old with constant use and then do a review. Definately do not invest in this brand, mine I had to toss out, Customer Support was non existent.
We've been using 2 units for months and never had an issue except for what was mentioned in the video.
Aquatru user here! Leaking could be due to clean water tank not sitting firmly on its base. You gotta push the whole tank down (especially the handle side). We’ve had leaking problem too, but now it’s all good 😊
Thanks just learning about them need to get one. God bless
You're welcome!
Can you test the Sans water filter?
Added to our list!
Did any or these positive for filter contaminants?
Do you mean leaching contaminants into our water? Yes, some did which is all outlined in the Google Sheet.
@@boswater6065 thanks
Thanks for the reviews. I would love to know what you think of the Bluvua Ropot lite and the travel. The combine all the stages in one cartridge vs four separate ones.
You're welcome. They're both on our list!
So did the aquatru carafe make aluminum rise 200%
The level increased from 0.01 mg/L to 0.04 mg/L - definitely not ideal but this is well below even the strictest health guidelines. Also, the average American diet contains around 10 (7-9) mg aluminum a day. So drinking water at 0.04 mg/L adds such a tiny amount of aluminum that it becomes negligible in our opinion.
@@boswater6065does the regular aqua tru system lead to a rise in aluminum as well ?
@@boswater6065I have metal toxicity so I need to be careful
@@boswater6065was the large aquatru not the carafe one raising aluminum as well
Possibly, based on our lab data. But please always keep in mind that our before vs after lab testing is not an exact science, and we didn't repeat the testing to confirm our findings. So this might be coincidence.
Great video and testing, but way too much concern about certifications. And I don't see how the AquaTru Carafe got a recommendation when the filtration results were very average.
The lab testing we can do is very limited compared to the certifications the AquaTru Carafe comes with.
which one actually gets the tds monitor to read 000
None with reverse osmosis. Zero water filters are what you are looking for. I used to use them. I switched to reverse osmosis because it is more cost efficient. TDS alone is not a good measure of safe water.
Hey there, is super pure water supposed to taste kinda sweet and bitter? idk if that's normal or my aquatru is defective or if it's just my taste buds
Most people would describe RO water as tasting flat, so like not much at all. When was the last time you replaced your filters?
@@boswater6065 it's brand new and I ran the system through 4 times before using. might just be my taste buds haha. thanks for replying
Hm, weird. Would be interesting to do a pH test!
@@boswater6065 yup, had the same idea! ordered some test strips, will test the raw tap, purified, and wastewater.
it's not too late to cancel my order, are there any reliable test strips you'd recommend?
btw bought my aquatru with your code, keep up the great work!
No, I can't recommend any strips specifically. But I used some before and they weren't accurate at all. I can't remember the brand, though.
why would we want to remove things like zinc? Isn't it healthy for us?
Yes, zinc only causes aesthetic issues when found at very high levels in drinking water. It's just that RO removes all the bad stuff but the good stuff, too.
I really want to know about the ispring. After all my research that’s the one I’m leaning on. It’s taken me all year to get this far, I need to buy something soon.
Which model in particular?
@@boswater6065 they have only two I’ve seen. One they also heats, and one that heats and cools. I’m looking at the one that heats. I don’t need to pay extra for cooling. But my main motivation is quality build/design/filtration. As well as great customer service. The most recent customer reviews on other top brands have really turned me off. I’m stuck not knowing what to buy and been getting by on bottled water all year.
In that case you must be talking about the iSpring RCD100? This one is on our list already.
@@boswater6065 is there a video featuring it? I don’t see it in this one.
Oh not, what I meant was that it's on our list for products that we want to test in future.
Could you do a review on the spiropure sp-ro500?
We'll check it out. Thank you!
Wow amazing video. Do these RO systems remove forever chemicals?
Glad that you like it. And yes, they do remove forever chemicals.
Can you compare/review the Sans RO Countertop system with AquaTru?
This one is on our list! Thank you.
Do you do a comparison to spring water?
We're planning to lab test some popular spring water brands at some point, yes.
do these also remove microplastics?
Yes
Hi, would you please test express water roc001 as well! It seems a lot of people use it too!
Thanks. I've added it to our list!
Wow. I don't think I've seen a channel that does such detailed reviews of water purifiers. If possible, can you guys do a review of the Philips ADD6190? Thanks.
Thank you for your kind words! I've checked - is the Philips system available in the US?
@@boswater6065 Upon checking it seems it's only available in Hong Kong and Asia, so looks like it will be hard for you to get a hold of a unit in the US. Too bad. Anyway, nice reviews. I love the detail you put into them.
Too bad. But thanks again for your kind words!
Will these reverse osmosis systems remove plastics at a micro level?
Yes!
Looking at the results of this tests and Bluevua seems like the best of the bunch. How did AquaTru Classic come out on top? is this video sponsored by them?
All of this is explained in the video.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VALUABLE RESEARCH 😇🙏🏽👍🏾👍🏾👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Why are you not testing for FOREVER Chemicals?
Because it's extremely expensive and out of our budget for now.
Amazing video!
Thanks very helpful!
Great video! Thank you
Glad you liked it, and you are welcome!
Hi @boswater6065, do you ship AQUATRU products in Australia? Hope you can answer me. Planning to order. Thank you!
We don't sell any products, we only review them. But I've checked with the seller we use and it looks like they do ship to Australia!
I wonder if this water (remineralised) is safe for cats. Anyone?
Can you review the Sans RO countertop water purifier, please! 🙏 😊😊
It's on our list! Thank you.
thanks for all testing and recommend! but all product's pure-drain ratio is so high! i am living in California and water bill is crazy.
You're welcome! These pure-to-drain ratios are about as good as it gets for RO systems. Also, you're probably using much more water for other things like showering.
Would love for you to review the sans water filter! ❤
It's on our list!
Can you please review the Sans Water Filter? Thank you
This one is on our list already. Thank you!
Can you review the WaterFirst® Dr.Water countertop RO filter also please?
I've added it to our list!
300% increase in aluminum on the carafe model? Why and how is that safe?
Because the initial aluminum concentration in the water was as low as it could have been (0.01 ppm). 300% increase means we found 0.04 ppm in the filtered water, which is 15 times lower than the strictest health guideline we could find. Also, it is estimated that adults ingest around 10 mg of aluminum a day via food which is many, many times more than what you might get exposed to using the AquaTru Carafe.
The Aqua Tru Carafe shows 300% aluminum increase is that equal to the mentioned .04 ppm? Thank you so much for the videos!
Right, it increased aluminum from 0.01 ppm to 0.04 ppm. So 300% sounds like a lot but it really wasn't that much.