10 Best Reverse Osmosis Filter Systems (2022 Reviews)
Clean water is a human necessity. Pure water is a human necessity. High-quality is a human necessity. Yet, too often, we do not get a chance to really know and understand what is in your water supply. Whether you get your whole house’s water supply through well water or city water, your water can still have harmful pollutants in it. Here are some of the of the harmful contaminants that can be in your tap water: lead, arsenic, nitrates, nitrites, chromium, selenium, fluoride, cadmium, phosphate, radium, chlorine, barium, bacteria, cysts, viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, and VOCs.
Here is an article by Time magazine detailing how so many Americans do not have access to clean water. We have developed this handy list to help you find the best reverse osmosis system for all your water purification needs. There are links attached to every product mentioned that will link to the product’s listing on Amazon. Below the list you will also find a more thorough explanation of the water treatment filtration process!
In a hurry? Here’s the test winner after 10 hours of research:
10 Best Reverse Osmosis Filter Systems (2021 Reviews) – Overview
Here are the top 5 picks (keep scrolling for more details and picks 6-10).
1. NU Aqua 7 Stage Reverse Osmosis System
- 120 DAY HOME TRIAL AND 3 YEAR WARRANTY: If you're not satisfied with your system in 120 Days send it back for a full refund. Backed by an industry leading 3 year manufacture warranty and lifetime...
The NU Aqua 7 Stage Reverse Osmosis System is a seven stage system that can get through 100 gallons per day with a very high flow rate. This product comes with a free digital PPM (parts per million) meter water tester that you can use to measure the quality of your water. This should help you assess how clean your water is and how many contaminants are in it.
This reverse osmosis system also comes with a UV filter that will help you remove bacteria and other harmful microorganisms from your drinking water, as well as an alkaline filter that will add beneficial filters back into your water. This product also boasts a Booster Pump feature that improves the efficacy of the system and reduces the waste produced.
Features of the NU Aqua 7 Stage Reverse Osmosis System:
- 7 basic stages of filtration
- UV (UV light) Filter to destroy bacteria and other microorganisms
- Alkaline Filter to add beneficial minerals back to the water
- Booster Pump to improve efficiency and decrease wastewater
- High 100 gallon per day capacity
- Higher flow rate
- 5 year manufacturer warranty and lifetime support
- Free digital PPM meter water tester so that you can get a quick measurement of overall water quality
2. Waterdrop G3 Reverse Osmosis System
- [Trusted Certification] The Waterdrop reverse osmosis system is certified against NSF 58 for TDS reduction and NSF 372 certified for lead-free material. The TDS removal rate of the RO system is...
The Waterdrop G3 Reverse Osmosis System is a wonderful under-sink reverse osmosis system fashioned with a sleek compact design with seven stages of filtration. It is a tankless design, meaning that it does not rely on a pressurized storage tank to hold the filtered water, which can get through 400 GPD (gallons per day) with five times the daily output than most other brands on the market.
There is also an LED ring on this system’s faucet that shows you the status of these filters through a color-coded system. There is also an LCD panel that will show you the amount of TDS (total dissolved solids) being filtered out of your home water in real-time.
Features of the Waterdrop G3 Reverse Osmosis System:
- Under-sink reverse osmosis system
- Sleek compact design
- Seven stages of filtration
- Tankless design
- Five times the daily output
- Up to 400 GPD (gallons per day) of filtered water
- LED ring on the faucet glows with different colors to show you the status of the filters
- LCD panel on the filtration system reports both the filter status and the current TDS (total dissolved solids) level of the filtered water in real-time
3. Home Master TMAFC-ERP Artesian Reverse Osmosis System
- A better RO system | Home Master Artesian Full Contact’s innovative design solves most common problems associated with cannister and tankless RO systems.
The Home Master TMAFC-ERP Artesian Reverse Osmosis System is a seven stage filtration system that can produce up to 75 gallons of water per day. It comes with a 5-year warranty. This product also comes with a faucet, a permeate pump (non-electric device that increases the water pressure) and a pressurized storage tank. This Home Master system is extremely easy to install and should only take you about an hour to install, without the need for a plumber.
There is an added feature to this system which is a remineralization filter. A remineralization filter adds safe minerals back into the water and raises the pH to be more alkaline. Alkaline water can have anti-aging properties (via liquid antioxidants that absorb more quickly into the human body), colon-cleansing properties, and immune system support properties. It can also aid in hydration, skin health, weight loss and cancer resistance.
Features of the Home Master TMAFC-ERP Artesian Reverse Osmosis System:
- Remineralization filter that reduces water waste up to 80 percent and increases water production up to 50 percent
- 7 stage system
- Permeate pump
- 75 gallons of purified water production per day
- Complete the install within about an hour DIY
- Comes with both a faucet and pressurized storage tank
- 5-year warranty
4. Home Master TMHP HydroPerfection Reverse Osmosis
- A Better RO System | Home Master HydroPerfection’s innovative design solves most common problems associated with canister and tankless RO systems
The Home Master TMHP HydroPerfection Reverse Osmosis boasts a whopping nine stages of filtration and can get through 75 gallons of water per day. It comes with a 5-year warranty. Its advanced technology can reduce the amount of waste water to simply one gallon of waste water for every gallon of purified water that is produced. There are several added features to this system.
There is a permeate pump, a non-electric device that increases the water pressure, a remineralization filter that adds safe, healthy minerals back into your water and raises the pH of your water to become alkaline, which as mentioned above, has several added health benefits (anti-aging properties, colon-cleansing properties, and immune system support properties). There is also an iron filter to take care of staining and water taste. Finally, there is also a UV filter that will wipe out 99.8% of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. The only downside is that this UV filter does require a 110V power outlet in order to function.
Features of the Home Master TMHP HydroPerfection Reverse Osmosis:
- 9 stages
- Includes a permeate pump
- 75 gallons per day
- Reduces the amount of waste water needed to flush the membrane to just 1 gallon for every gallon of purified water produced
- Remineralization filter that adds safe minerals back into the water and raises the pH to be more alkaline
- UV (ultraviolet) light that will kill 99.8% of microorganisms
- UV filter requires a 110V power outlet.
- Modular filters (which include an iron filter)
- 5-year warranty
5. iSpring RCC7AK-UV Reverse Osmosis System
- Certified to NSF/ANSI 58, this Reverse Osmosis under sink mounted water filter and Point-of-use water softener contains 7 different stages of filtration to remove up to 99% of over 1,000 contaminants,...
The iSpring RCC7AK-UV Reverse Osmosis System is a sturdy reverse osmosis system that can clear through 75 gallons of water per day. It is a 7-stage system that fits under your sink. It is NSF (National Science Foundation) certified and annually tested by the WQA (Water Quality Association). There is an alkaline remineralization filter as well as a UV filter.
The only downside to this system is that this particular iSpring product produces three gallons of wastewater for every gallon of purified water that it produces, which is considerably more than other products on the market.
Features of the iSpring RCC7AK-UV Reverse Osmosis System:
- NSF Certified
- 75 GPD (gallons per day)
- 7-Stage
- Under Sink
- Alkaline Remineralization Filter
- UV Ultraviolet Filter
- UV filter requires a 110V power outlet.
- Wastes 3 gallons to produce a gallon of purified water
6. APEC ROES-PH75 Top Tier Alkaline Mineral pH+ Reverse Osmosis System
- Supreme quality – Designed, engineered and assembled in USA to guarantee water safety & your health.
The APEC ROES-PH75 Top Tier Alkaline Mineral pH+ Reverse Osmosis System is a 6-stage filter that can get through 75 gallons of water per day. It is a certified reverse osmosis filter system. It also boasts a remineralization filter with alkaline water capabilities. Similar to the product mentioned earlier, this APEC model also produces a significant amount of waste water, standing at 3 gallons of wastewater for every 1 gallon of purified water. You should watch out for your water bill in case you choose to go with this product.
Features of the APEC ROES-PH75 Top Tier Alkaline Mineral pH+ Reverse Osmosis System:
- 75 GPD
- 6-Stage
- Certified
- Remineralization filter
- Wastes the average rate of about 3 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of purified water
7. PureDrop 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- 【Fresh-Tasting RO Water filter】 Our under sink RO Water filter system uses a 5-stage filtration process which includes a polypropylene sediment filter, a granular activated carbon filter, a carbon...
The PureDrop 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System is a 5-stage filter that can remove up to 99 percent of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). It is able to go through 50 gallons of purified water per day, which is slightly less than other brands mentioned on this list. It also wastes 3 gallons of water for every gallon of purified water produced. This is an affordable system that is very easy to install since the installation package comes with color-coded tubing and connections that should make this process a breeze.
Features of the PureDrop 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System:
- Affordable price
- Can purify up to 50 gallons of water per day
- 5 stages of filtration
- Remove up to 99 percent of TDS
- For every gallon of purified water produced, there are 3 gallons of wastewater
- Easy to install, thanks to color-coded tubing and connections
8. iSpring RCS5T Tankless Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
- 5-STAGE FILTERS: 1-3rd stages remove rust, sand, chlorine, disinfection byproducts and odor. 4th stage RO Membrane removes heavy metals, pesticide residues, etc. 5th Stage removes chlorine, tastes to...
The iSpring RCS5T Tankless Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System boasts 5 separate stages of filtration that can get rid of up to 99 percent of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). This tankless system can purify up to a whopping 500 gallons of water per day and as opposed to other brands, only wastes one gallon of wastewater for every gallon of purified water produced. The only downsides to this system are that the water pressure in your home can lower with the use of this product. It also comes with a booster pump which might help its efficiency but it is required that it is plugged into the electricity outlet.
Features of the iSpring RCS5T Tankless Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System:
- 5 stages of filtration
- Can remove up to 99 percent of TDS
- Slightly slower and with less water pressure
- Booster pump included with this tankless reverse osmosis system requires electricity but helps to maximize the efficiency of the system
- 1:1 ratio of purified to wastewater
- Purify up to 500 gallons of water per day
9. APEC Ultimate RO-90-Reverse Osmosis System
- Enjoy unlimited ultra-fresh, clean, great tasting water right at home. Save money, time and hassle of buying costly, bottled water
The APEC Ultimate RO-90-Reverse Osmosis System boasts a high filtration capacity with 90 gallons per day, and only requires annual replacement, depending of course on the level of minerals, the water hardness and the amount of TDS present in your home’s water. The only issue with this reverse osmosis water filter system is that it can be slightly more costly than other brands on the market. Also, you might need to replace your filters every six months for the reasons mentioned above, which is a shorter lifespan than other brands.
Features of the APEC Ultimate RO-90-Reverse Osmosis System:
- Highest filtration capacity
- 90 gallons of filtered water every single day
- Annual replacement, except when you struggle with high levels of minerals, water hardness or TDS, which leads to clogging. In such cases, you will need to change your filters after six months
- Slightly costly
10. Aquasana OPTIMH2O Home Reverse Osmosis System
- Drink With Confidence Knowing Your Drinking Water Has Been Purified Through Both Reverse Osmosis & Aqua Sana's Claryum Filtration - to filter 95% of fluoride & 97% Of Chlorine, plus 99% of 86 other...
The Aquasana OPTIMH2O Home Reverse Osmosis System is an Aquasana product with a remineralization filter that boasts a large set of certifications: the NSF standard 42 for chlorine and chloramine removal, the NSF standard 53 for the reduction of contaminants with health effects, the NSF standard 401 for contaminants that found their way into the water systems in recent years, the NSF standard 58 specifically for point-of-use RO systems and the NSF protocol P473 for PFOS and PFOA which are known carcinogens. This system is able to get through and remove 88 different contaminants, such as lead (99.3%), asbestos (99.0%), chloramines (97.66%), chlorine (97.66%), arsenic(V) (97.6%), chromium hexavalent (97.0%), mercury (95.8%) and fluoride (95.7%). This is a fantastic and reliably sturdy filter.
Features of the Aquasana OPTIMH2O Home Reverse Osmosis System:
- NSF Standard 42 for chlorine and chloramine removal
- Standard 53 for the reduction of contaminants with health effects
- Standard 401 for contaminants that found their way into the water systems in recent years
- Standard 58 specifically for point-of-use RO systems
- Protocol P473 for PFOS and PFOA which are known carcinogens
- Remineralizes water with healthy calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which adds up to your daily nutritional intake
- Capacity of 3.2 gallons
Our Winner:
The NU Aqua 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System is the definite best on this list. It is not only a great reverse osmosis system, but it has a UV filter that will get rid of bacteria and viruses. It has also got an Alkaline filter and a Booster pump, all to make the best system on this list.
Final Thoughts
In a reverse osmosis filter system, water passes through an RO membrane (semi-permeable membrane also called reverse osmosis membrane) and additional sediment filters and pre-filters (with activated carbon) to remove impurities, which are then flushed down the drain, and create RO water. There are different sizes of particles that can be filtered with different products, which are measured by microns. Membranes, carbon filters, and carbon block features need to be replaced every six months to two years depending on the type of filter and how much water you use. These systems can be installed on your countertop or under your sink as long as they are connected to the feed water (water supply).
Here is an article by How Stuff Works detailing how these types of reverse osmosis systems work. Installing a water filter in your home can get you healthier, great-tasting water that has gone through a purifier and is healthier for it. It may or may not make a slight difference in the water flow on your taps. For taking care of your pipes and your appliances, you might want to also look into water softeners, that prevent limescale buildup.
There are many things that you can do in order to take care of the water in your home. A water filter (and especially a reverse osmosis water filter) is a fantastic place to start, since it deals with the contaminants in your drinking water, meaning that you can start to see real health benefits in yourself and your family within a decently short amount of time. So if you are willing, all you need to do is get started on ordering one for your home today!
Bonus tip: Check out this video on the inner workings of a reverse osmosis system!
