By Rehan Iqbal
There is no better way to ensure safe, clean and great tasting water in your home than by using a reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration system. These units fit under your kitchen sink (or anywhere else if you want) and have a dedicated faucet that will provide you with the purest water on demand. You also have the option of installing extra plumbing to supply purified water elsewhere – like your refrigerator or ice maker.
Okay, when I say the purest water, this will depend on which reverse osmosis system you install – they are far from being equal. This review is going to give the lowdown on the absolutely fantastic iSpring RCC1UP-AK under sink 7-stage reverse osmosis system. I’m not easy to impress when it comes to products, but this one has blown me away.
I used to think that 5 stage reverse osmosis was the best that you can get. Then many manufacturers of reverse osmosis products introduced a 6th stage. Though this isn’t really a filtration stage, 6 stage reverse osmosis water purifiers add essential minerals and/or adjust the PH to soften the water. Some don’t even call this a 6 stage system but, rather, a 5 stage system with remineralization. Then along comes iSpring with a 7 stage reverse osmosis system. At first, I wondered what more could be added to a water purification system that already seemed to be perfected. After all, it’s been widely accepted that a 5 stage reverse osmosis system is as good as it gets when it comes to supplying perfectly pure water. Adding extra minerals being a bonus on some of the high-end products.
So What is this Seventh Stage All About?
Usually, the fifth stage of a reverse osmosis system is a final filter that removes any particles that could have accumulated whilst the water lay dormant in the tank. The sixth stage being the remineralization process. Now, the seventh stage provides the best antibacterial process used today, a UV filter. When you open the faucet, a flow switch activates 11 UV lights inside a flow chamber. As the water flows out of the tank, it passes through this final UV filter, ensuring that absolutely no bacteria can survive. That really impressed me and I’m not too sure how many other guys are doing this.
Beyond the fact that the iSpring RCC1UP-AK reverse osmosis water purifier has this advantage, there are more reasons why I really like this product. Firstly, it smacks of quality. From all the filtration components down to the superbly crafted faucet, this RO system is clearly made to the highest manufacturing standards.
Filtration
Filtration is what it’s all about when we’re talking about reverse osmosis and, to this end, the iSpring really makes the grade. The thin-film calcium carbonate RO filters remove particles down to 0.0001 microns, this is unfathomably small. To give you an idea of the magnitude of this size filtration, a human hair is about 50 microns thick. These filters provide the ultimate removal of any chemicals that may be in the water (over 1000 of them). Then there’s the added capacity. Most reverse osmosis filtration systems supply 75 gallons per day (GPD), this one does 100 GPD – 25% more, making it ideal for busy family homes.
Installation
Installation is made super easy and most people with reasonable DIY skills will install the unit with ease. Maintenance is also a very simple process. Amongst other things, the filter housings are transparent, so you can immediately see the state of your filters and how much debris has collected in them. Though speaking from experience, you must never install transparent filters where they receive any kind of light – algae will grow inside them. Since these are typically installed under the sink, you won’t experience a problem.
Issues
An issue with many reverse osmosis systems is the restriction of the water flow. The filters cause a drop in water pressure. If you have low water pressure or live in an area where the water pressure fluctuates, the water coming from your RO faucet can be reduced to a trickle. To overcome this problem, many reverse osmosis systems have a booster pump that keeps the pressure constant. Though this has its drawback – pumps can be noisy. So every time you open the faucet, you have the mechanical grind of a pump in your kitchen. This can become irritating and we simply learn to live with it. The iSpring RCC1UP-AK gives you the benefit of a booster pump without the horrible noise – it’s close to whisper quiet. So when running your RO faucet, all you’ll hear is a gentle hum from under the sink, not even as loud as a quiet refrigerator. Basically, you won’t notice it.
Conclusion
When we move onto 6 stage RO systems, one needs to be aware of how the extra minerals are added to the water. Adding calcium carbonate is great for balancing the PH and then there are other minerals that benefit our health. Some systems can add minerals from a source that is uncertified and this can be harmful. Again, iSpring has stepped up to the challenge. During the 6th stage, the PH is balanced and essential minerals are added by means of red mineral stones. This gives you a natural mineral supply to your water.
I think this review has made it clear why you’ve just got to love the iSpring RCC1UP-AK under sink reverse osmosis system. It’s truly magnificent – by anyone’s standards. This is a top quality reverse osmosis system with uncompromised filtration. Then you have the benefit of the UV antibacterial stage and perfectly safe remineralization. I cannot see things being better than this.
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