Review: APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter System
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Sep 12, 2023
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The APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter System can be used to treat tap or properly disinfected well water.
The main benefit: It is highly affordable. But does it also deliver? Let’s find out!
Contents
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APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter System |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Process: | Sediment Pre-Filter, Activated Carbon Blocks |
| Filter Life: | 12 Months |
| Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Annual Cost: | ~$40 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter System – All Specs
- Model: WFS-1000
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$40
- Filter Media/Process: Sediment Pre-Filter, 2x Activated Carbon Block
- Filter Stages: 3
- Filtering Capacity: 1 Year
- WxHxD: 15″x12″x6″
- Weight: 13 lb.
- Water Temperature: 40-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 20-85 psi
- Fitting: 3/8” or 1/2″ NPT
- Warranty: 1 Year
APEC WFS-1000 – Key Features
The APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter features 3 filter stages that help you get rid of sediment, dust, and other particles, as well as bad tastes and odors, chlorine, volatile organic compounds, and other common chemicals:
- At stage 1, a 5-micron polypropylene sediment filter traps sand, dirt, rust, etc.
- The second stage is an activated carbon block (5 microns nominal) which removes free chlorine, VOCs, and other organics. It also greatly improve how your water tastes, smells and looks.
- Same as 2.
As you can see, by default the system uses identical filters in housings 2 and 3, which is why you might want to consider upgrading one of them.
- One of your options is a specialized fluoride removal cartridge, the WFS-1000-FP, that also takes care of bacteria. According to APEC, the filter reduces fluoride from 0.5 parts per million to less than 0.1 ppm. How? It makes use of granular activated alumina media, so basically an oxidation process.
- In addition, APEC has introduced the WFS-1000-PB filter cartridge for lead and bacteria removal.
- The last optional upgrade is the WFS-1000-CHLORM designed for water supplies that use chloramines instead of chlorine for disinfection. Apart from chloramines, the catalytic GAC also takes care of hydrogen sulfide via oxidation. One cartridge can treat as much as 1,500 gallons.
Whichever option you choose, all filters are made in the USA.
APEC Under Sink Water Filter Pros
What we like most about the APEC WFS-1000 is the affordable price tag. And this also goes for replacement filters which cost no more than approx. $40 a year.
Also, filters are standard-sized so you can go off-brand if you want to customize your system or save even more money.
Finally, the system is backed by a 1-year satisfaction guarantee with U.S. based support by certified WQA water specialists.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
This system claims to remove dust, particles, rust, chlorine, tastes, odors, VOCs and other organic contaminants, colors, and cloudiness.
The APEC WFS-1000 – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
Even if you are not a trained do-it-yourselfer and haven’t done much plumbing before you should be able to get this under sink water filter up and running within 1 or 2 hours. The setup is pretty simple – also thanks to the quick connect fittings – although directions might be a little confusing at first.
Please note: The WFS-1000 uses a dedicated faucet which will need to be installed on your kitchen countertop or sink.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Tools needed for installation:
- Teflon tape
- Variable speed drills
- Pliers
- Utility knife or scissors
- Drill bit: ½” (air-gap faucet would need a 1”d hole)
- ⅝”, 9/16” open-end wrench, pliers, or adjustable wrench
Follow these steps to install the system:
- Turn off the incoming cold water supply.
- Drill a hole for the faucet. If you’re using a standard faucet, drill a ½’ diameter hole. If there’s an existing hole, you can skip the hole drilling stage.
- Mount the faucet.
- Next, position the system. The main system can be placed in the sink cabinet. You don’t need to mount the system to the wall.
- Connect the system.
- Start up the system. To do this, turn on your feed water and slowly turn the cold water supply.
- Turn the needle valve counter-clockwise to let water enter the system.
- Check for leaks.
- Flush the system and filters for about 5 minutes before use.
- Your system is ready for use!
The Package (Parts)
- System head with mounting bracket
- 3 filters + housings
- ¼“ color-coded tubing
- Feed water adapter
- Faucet with tubing, washers, nuts
- Filter wrench
- Teflon tape
- Manual
Maintenance
Filter cartridges last 12 months which means minimal maintenance requirements. If you receive your water from a private well, however, replacement might be required sooner due to higher sediment levels.
Annual replacement costs? Around $40 which is very affordable!
That being said, replacing the filters is a matter of minutes:
- First, turn off the water supply to the system.
- Open the dispenser to release pressure from inside.
- Remove all three filter housings.
- Discard the old filters, clean the housings with mild soap water if need be, and insert the new cartridges.
- Screw the housings back on making sure that O-rings are properly seated.
- Turn on water supply.
- Check for leaks.
- Done!
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/C1FVIU22VcS.pdf
NSF and Other Certifications
APEC Water Systems say that the WFS-1000 has NSF certifications, but we couldn’t find them online.
Earlier Product Versions
As far as we know, this product has no earlier versions.
APEC Water Systems WFS-1000 Cons
One thing we don’t like about the APEC WFS-1000 under sink filter is the dedicated faucet, which seems a little too flimsy and therefore hard to tighten on a sink or countertop making it prone to leaking – some customers also complained about this.
What’s more, we couldn’t find any NSF certificates online.
APEC WFS-1000 Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter by APEC Water Systems is good for improving the taste and smell of drinking water. So if that’s what you are looking for by all means go for it –it is highly affordable after all. Just don’t expect outstanding filtration results. What you get is better-tasting drinking water at an affordable price, not more. 3.5 stars!
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 5.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Under Sink Water Filters
Let’s compare the APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter System to two competitors, the CF 3-Stage and the Epic Smart Shield.
Clearly Filtered 3-Stage |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filtration Process: | Activated Carbon + Proprietary Blend |
| Filter Life: | 2,000 gal |
| Water Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Annually: | $440 |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Epic Smart Shield |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filtration Process: | Activated Carbon Block |
| Filter Life: | 651 gal |
| Water Flow Rate: | 1.25 gpm |
| Annually: | $115 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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APEC WFS-1000 |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filtration Process: | Sediment Pre-Filter, Activated Carbon Blocks |
| Filter Life: | 1 Year |
| Water Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| Annually: | ~$40 |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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The CF (review here) has 3 filter stages with different filter media. The first stage comprises granular activated carbon, the second a media blend that removes VOCs, heavy metals, PFAS, and more (note that they don’t tell us what this proprietary blend is). The final stage removes arsenic and fluoride (we also don’t know what this stage is exactly). In all, the system removes a broad range of contaminants and has powerful filtration. The CF is NSF-tested against standards 42, 53, 401, and for over 230 contaminants with outstanding results.
What’s more, the CF is built in the USA, has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, a 12-month filter life, an inline design (so you don’t need an extra faucet), and a limited lifetime warranty. Long story short, there are a lot of great specs here, but a downside is that the CF is more expensive to buy and maintain than most other under sink water filters.
Our next system is the Epic Smart Shield. The Epic has an inline filter with a single carbon block and is NSF-certified to remove cyst, lead, chlorine, chloramine, mercury, VOCs, MTBE, Bisphenol A, pharmaceuticals, turbidity, asbestos, and a lot more.
It is more affordable to buy and maintain compared to the CF, and costs about the same as the APEC.
On top of that, the Epic is made in the USA, has a lifetime warranty, solid customer support, and a return policy. Plus, the company has a recycling program that allows you to exchange 3 old filters for a new one.
Our take: The CF is a premium system, clearly the best of the 3. But it’s expensive, and it might not be your cup of tea. The Epic is budget-friendly and yet still effective. Compared to that, the APEC WFS-1000 is not tested or certified to remove any contaminants, so we can’t vouch for the water quality. In our opinion, it comes last place when we rank the three.
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This completes our review of the APEC WFS-1000 Under Sink Water Filter System. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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