AquaTru Water Filter Review – How Good Is the Countertop RO System?
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Last Updated:
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Contents
The AquaTru provides pure and delicious RO water free from up to 99.99% impurities. But what’s really special about it, and the reason why it’s our go-to reverse osmosis system, is that it’s a countertop unit which doesn’t require installation. No drilling, no plumbing, no nothing – it’s plug and play. This is not only ideal for renters who can’t make permanent changes to their plumbing system, it’s also great if you’re not a born DIYer and want to save the extra money for a plumber. Or you simply don’t want to bother with a tedious install.
Want all details? You’ll find everything here in our AquaTru review!
Make sure to use our discount code BOSAquaTru at checkout and get 10% OFF!
 AquaTru | |
| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Stages: | 4 |
| NSF Certifications: | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473 |
| Annual Cost: | $$ |
| Warranty: | 1 Year |
Our Rating
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AquaTru Review – Key Features
The AquaTru is independently tested to remove 82 contaminants that might be present in your water supply.
- The mechanical/carbon pre-filter traps sediment, rust, and other large particles, and also takes care of chlorine, THMs, bad tastes and odors, and more.
- Next, the pre-conditioned water is treated by the RO membrane. Reverse osmosis is a highly effective water purification process removing heavy metals such as lead and chromium-6, but also stuff like fluoride, nitrate, TDS, radium, and BPA.
- Lastly, an activated carbon polishing block filter reduces organic compounds, PFOA, PFOS, pesticides, and drug residue. It also provides for pristine water taste.
All in all, the 4-stage filtration process has earned a total of 5 certifications according to NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 58, 401 and P473, which A) is outstanding in itself and B) guarantees clean drinking water and the safety of your health.
By the way, all carbon filter media is derived from coconut shells.
AquaTru Pros
More advantages of the AquaTru countertop RO system?
- The design is space-saving.
- It’s ready to get to work in less than ten minutes.
- It’s super easy to use: Simply fill the removable reservoir and insert it into the system. The filtration process will start automatically.
- The AquaTru is fast. It purifies 1 gallon of water in 10-15 minutes.
- And because it uses a pressure pump to push the water through the reverse osmosis membrane (cost for electricity is negligible), it wastes far less than the standard RO system: Only ⅕ of the input water goes down the drain (80% recovery rate), compared to 3-5 gallons that other RO systems waste per 1 gallon of filtered water produced.
- The clean water collects in the front tank for easy dispensing. All the bad stuff is captured in a second tank in the back and can be discarded. Also, the clean-water tank holds 3 quarts and is removable for cooling in the fridge.
- AquaTru uses BPA and BPS-free Tritan plastic only. Tritan does not show hormonal activity.
- System maintenance is low thanks to long-lasting filters and quick filter replacements (takes literally 2 minutes with no need for tools). Also, an indicator light will tell you when to change your filters.
- Everything is covered by a 1-year warranty.
Installation
Like we said, there’s no plumbing or installation required with the AquaTru RO system. In fact, it can be set up within a few minutes. Don’t believe us? See for yourself:
The Package (Parts)
- AquaTru module incl. tap water tank + filtered water tank
- Sediment/carbon pre-filter cartridge
- RO membrane
- Carbon post-filter cartridge
- Quickstart guide
- Owner’s manual
Maintenance
You shouldn’t experience any problems with system maintenance. And it’s not much work required either.
Filter stage 1/2 lasts 600 gallons or 6 months. The reverse osmosis membrane lasts 1200 gallons or 2 years. And the VOC filter (stage 4) is good for 600 gallons or 1 year. In other words, you’re probably looking at biannual/annual filter replacements which don’t take more than a few minutes, no tools required!
The unit tracks the number of water gallons already used as well as time so you don’t have to worry about that. Just make sure to change the corresponding filter when the numbered light on the front panel says so. And don’t forget to hit the filter reset button.
What about costs?
Replacement filters are surprisingly affordable! Around $100-120 per year seems realistic.
- Sediment/carbon pre-filter is $19.95
- Reverse osmosis membrane is $49.95
- VOC filter is $29.95
Manual
Here’s a link to the AquaTru user manual.
AquaTru Cons
We read about leaking due to design flaws. And there have been issues with units that stopped working after a couple of months use. Troubleshooting according to the manual didn’t help in many cases.
Mind you, this only happened to a small proportion of users and there’s the 1-year warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship, but if this is something you absolutely don’t want to deal with this product might not be for you.
AquaTru Water Filter Review: Our Verdict
The AquaTru is our favorite reverse osmosis system. Rigorous testing shows it provides drinking water of the highest quality, completely installation-free. On top of that, maintenance is a piece of cake and highly affordable. Taking everything into account: 4.5 stars!
Looking for More Reviews?
You can find more countertop reverse osmosis system reviews here.
Or are you interested in all types of RO systems?
This completes our AquaTru water filter review. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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