After working on many different brands and styles of reverse osmosis systems over the years, I have seen good and bad points in every design.
Some systems have easy-to-change filters but very hard-to-change membranes. Some can easily be installed in just a few hours with no special tools, and others are a nightmare to install.
I looked into many brands to narrow down the search for the best all-around reverse osmosis system and have decided on a few things that they MUST have in order for me to consider them as being an absolutely great value.
I found only a handful that are truly easy to install, have filters that are easy to get and change yourself (including the membrane), and also are well made so that they would last a long time. And of course, they are at a great price.
Here are my top choices of reverse osmosis systems that fit all these credentials and then some. For the price, they are a perfect fit for anyone looking to improve the quality of the water that they are drinking and I highly recommend them.
The ESSENCE ROES-50 by APEC
A Simple RO that delivers Exceptional water!
A pillar in the reverse osmosis industry, APEC water has been providing the highest level of excellence in their water systems for over 20 years.
The ESSENCE ROES-50 is a perfect example of a reverse osmosis drinking water system that is designed to last for a long time and provide great tasting water, at a very reasonable price.
With heavier duty and higher quality construction than most reverse osmosis systems in the same price range, the APEC ESSENCE ROES-50 has proven to be a superior choice in a simple reverse osmosis system that still works like a reverse osmosis drinking water system that is twice the price.
Who is the ESSENCE ROES-50 reverse osmosis for?
I recommend the ESSENCE ROES-50 reverse osmosis drinking water system by APEC for the small to the mid-sized family that will be drinking reverse osmosis water every day but are not concerned about having all the extra stages that are widely available on other reverse osmosis systems with more stages to them.
The ESSENCE ROES-50 is a perfect fit for the active single person that may entertain regularly where having high-quality drinking water available at all times would be important. It is also a great system for the soon-to-be-growing family that may not need a whole lot of very pure water now, but they soon will be.
Available HERE on Amazon
Check out this quick video on the APEC ESSENCE ROES-50
| Brand | APEC | | | Reduces | |||||
| Model | ESSENCE ROES-50 | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| My Rating | 4.9 out of 5 | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | Easy | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Under Sink | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 5 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Estimated Gallons Per Day | 50 | | | Lead | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.9 out of 5 | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Permeate (Booster) Pump | No | | | Fluoride | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | No | | | Arsenic | Yes | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No | | | Over 900 more | Yes |
The RCC7AK by iSpring
Great RO at a GREAT PRICE!
I found this iSpring Water Systems RCC7AK 6-Stage reverse osmosis system to provide a large quantity of high-quality water and at a fantastic price.
Changing the filters is very simple and with the see-through blue pre-filter housing, you can easily see if the pre-filter is getting dirty. It also comes with an Alkaline Re-mineralization cartridge.
Many reverse osmosis systems have just a few stages to remove impurities from your water, and that’s great. But when you remove minerals from water, the water can end up being acidic.
With a special acid-neutralizing sixth stage that also improves the taste of your water, this reverse osmosis system is a step above, but still at a fantastic price.
Why I highly recommend the RCC7AK for most families.
Not only will the RCC7AK 6-Stage reverse osmosis system deliver as much as 75 gallons of excellent tasting water per day, but it also has a remineralization stage to neutralize the acid in the water to make the water that your drinking more alkaline.
Alkaline water is believed beneficial to our health and prevents corrosion by the acidic water that is produced by a reverse osmosis system.
Available HERE on Amazon
| Brand | iSpring | | | Reduces | |||||
| Model | RCC7AK | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| My Rating | 4.8 out of 5 | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | Easy | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Under Sink | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 6 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Estimated Gallons Per Day | 75 | | | Lead | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.8 out of 5 | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Permeate (Booster) Pump | No | | | Fluoride | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | Yes | | | Arsenic | Yes | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No | | | Over 900 more | Yes |
The RCC7P-AK by iSpring
Great RO with a BOOST!
All the benefits of the iSpring RCC7AK, but with an added booster pump for better flow in homes with low water pressure, or extra strong flow in homes where the water pressure is good, to begin with.
Do you need a reverse osmosis system with a BOOST?
Many people with well water may have insufficient water pressure in their homes to make the process os reverse osmosis work correctly.
Residential reverse osmosis systems work best when the water pressure going to the reverse osmosis membrane is 60 pounds per square inch (PSI).
Because well pressure tanks fluctuate from as little as 30 PSI to up to 60 PSI, having a booster pump directly on your reverse osmosis system will ensure that the water pressure going to your reverse osmosis membrane will be sufficient to optimize the performance of the system.
Why get a reverse osmosis system that will not give you the best water that a reverse osmosis system can provide?
If you get your water from a private well or your home’s water pressure is less than ideal, the RCC7P-AK with booster pump is an excellent choice.
Available HERE on Amazon
| Brand | iSpring | | | Reduces | |||||
| Model | RCC7P-AK | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| My Rating | 4.8 out of 5 | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | Easy | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Under Sink | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 6 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Estimated Gallons Per Day | 75 | | | Lead | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.8 out of 5 | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Permeate (Booster) Pump | Yes | | | Fluoride | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | Yes | | | Arsenic | Yes | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No | | | Over 900 more | Yes |
The RCC1UP-AK by iSpring
Great RO with a little bit “EXTRA”!
A great step-up is this iSpring RCC1UP-AK 7-Stage reverse osmosis drinking water system with UV Sterilizer. It has the ability to produce up to 100 gallons of reverse osmosis water per day and even includes a booster pump for maximum performance.
Reverse osmosis removes a lot of unwanted solids from your water, but it doesn’t actually sanitize your water.
But with the addition of an ultraviolet light purifying “7th” stage, this reverse osmosis system will provide you and your family with great-tasting and UV purified water.
Available HERE on Amazon
| Brand | iSpring | | | Reduces | |||||
| Model | RCC1UP-AK | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| My Rating | 4.8 out of 5 | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | Easy | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Under Sink | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 7 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Estimated Gallons Per Day | 100 | | | Lead | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.8 out of 5 | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Permeate (Booster) Pump | Yes | | | Fluoride | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | Yes | | | Arsenic | Yes | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | Yes | | | Over 900 more | Yes |
The RCS5T by iSpring
High volume, with high efficiency!
With the capability of producing up to 500 gallons of water per day, in ideal conditions. The iSpring RCS5T tankless reverse osmosis system can crank out as much as 0.34 gallons of water every minute.
While most reverse osmosis systems waste 4 gallons of water to produce one gallon of water, this super-efficient dual-flow reverse osmosis membrane can have a 1 to 1 ratio.
This means that only one gallon of water is needed to rinse away contaminants from your water to produce one gallon of great-tasting drinking water.
The iSpring RCS5T removes up to 99% of over 1000 potential contaminants such as lead, arsenic, chlorine, and even PFOA and PFOs.
Available HERE on Amazon
| Brand | iSpring | | | Reduces | |||||
| Model | RCS5T | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| My Rating | 4.4 out of 5 | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | Easy | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Under Sink | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 5 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Estimated Gallons Per Day | 500 | | | Heavy Metals | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.6 out of 5 | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Permeate (Booster) Pump | Yes | | | Fluoride | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | No | | | Arsenic | Yes | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No | | | Much more | Yes |
The WHER25 by Whirlpool
Great RO water on a budget!
You can have premium quality reverse osmosis water without paying a premium with the Whirlpool WHER25. It is reverse osmosis quality water for a fraction of the price of the larger systems for big families.
Why buy a reverse osmosis drinking water system for a family of ten when you just want it for your morning coffee or tea.
A long-lasting reverse osmosis membrane and simple to change filters, make this system ideal for well or municipal water, where only simple reverse osmosis water is what you are looking for.
Available HERE on Amazon
| Brand | Whirlpool | | | ||||||
| Model | WHER25 | | | Reduces | |||||
| My Rating | 4.5 out of 5 | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | Easy | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Under Sink | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 3 | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Estimated Gallons Per Day | 18 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.5 out of 5 | | | Lead | Yes | ||||
| Permeate Pump | No | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | No | |||||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No |
My top recommended reverse osmosis systems.
| Model | WHER25 | ESSENCE ROES-50 | RCC7AK | RCC7P-AK | RCC1UP-AK | RCS5T | ||||
| Brand | Whirlpool | APEC | iSpring | iSpring | iSpring | iSpring | ||||
| Average Cost | $165 – $185 | $189 – $229 | $239 – $269 | $279 – $299 | $469 – $499 | $565 – $599 | ||||
| Stages | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | ||||
| Installed | Under Sink | Under Sink | Under Sink | Under Sink | Under Sink | Under Sink | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.9 out of 5 | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.6 out of 5 | ||||
| Booster Pump | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | ||||
| Available on | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
The ZIP2WHT by AlcaPure
Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter.
No installation is required! This counter-top reverse osmosis system will provide you with high-quality water without the loss of space under your sink, and no installation.
Don’t let the term countertop fool you! This is a fully functional reverse osmosis drinking water system that produces water that is as pure as other under-sink models.
It even has an alkalinity stage to produce water that is considered to be healthier than water produced by standard reverse osmosis systems.
Absolutely no installation and no assembly required, ready to go in minutes!
Great for apartments, condos, and rooms other than your kitchen.
Available HERE on Amazon
| Brand | AlcaPure | | | Reduces | |||||
| Model | ZIP2WHT | | | Chlorine | Yes | ||||
| My Rating | 4.5 out of 5 | | | Sodium | Yes | ||||
| Ease of install | None | | | Dissolved Solids | Yes | ||||
| Where Installed | Countertop | | | Sediment | Yes | ||||
| Number of Stages | 4 | | | Chemicals | Yes | ||||
| Overall Value | 4.5 out of 5 | | | Microbial Cysts | Yes | ||||
| Permeate (Booster) Pump | No | | | Fluoride | Yes | ||||
| Remineralization Stage | Available | | | Heavy Metals | Yes | ||||
| Ultraviolet Protection | No | | | Many More | Yes |
