Review: Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Feb 2, 2024
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Brita is a popular name on the water filtration market. Although the company is primarily known for their water filter pitchers, they also have some alternative products, like the Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System.
A reverse osmosis system by Brita? Is that a good idea? Let’s find out!
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Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Stages: | 3 |
| Water Flow: | 0.9 gpm |
| NSF Certifications: | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473, P231 |
| Annual Cost: | ~$210 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘ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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Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System – All Specs
- Model: BRDROS
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$210
- Filter Media/Process: Sediment + Activated Carbon Pre, RO, Carbon Post
- Filter Stages: 3
- Flow Rate: 0.9 gpm
- Recovery Rate: 21.2%
- Filtering Capacity: 6 Months to 2 Years
- WxHxD: 3.5″x9″x11.5″
- Tank: 9″x14″9″
- Water Temperature: 40-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 40-100 psi
- Water pH: 4-10
- NSF Certifications: Standards 42, 53, 58, 401, P473, P231
- Warranty: 1 Year to Lifetime
Brita Total 360 BRDROS – Key Features
The Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System comes with a classic 3-stage filtration process:
- Activated carbon pre-filter: removes silt, dirt, various other sediments, chlorine, organic chemicals, and improves the smell and taste of water.
- Reverse osmosis membrane: removes a large number of contaminants, including heavy metals, salts, and organic matter.
- Activated carbon post-filter: further improves taste and smell and gives your filtered water one last polish after it has been stored in the tank.
Again, this is a classic approach used by reverse osmosis systems to process water. First we have a sediment and carbon filter which does the pre-treatment and protects the RO membrane from fouling/clogging. This is followed by the RO stage itself which does the bulk of the contaminant reduction. And finally the post-filter removes any remaining impurities and eliminates any taste/odor that might have leached from the storage tank.
What sets the Brita Total 360 BRDROS apart, though, is that it has been extensively tested and even certified against NSF standards both by the NSF itself and the IAMPO – for the reduction of more than 60 different contaminants in total (more on that below). In other words, you can absolutely rely on the filtration process to be effective. Contaminants that will be removed include sediment, chlorine Taste and Odor, VOCs, PFOAS, heavy metals, salts, pesticides, trace pharmaceuticals, and microorganisms.
What’s more, Installation is easy and doesn’t require any special skills or equipment. You get everything you need included in the box. The faucet looks nice thanks to the brushed nickel finish, and you get an air-gap model on top of that.
How about maintenance requirements? DIY-friendly with modular filters that can be removed via a simple twist and with no need to shut off the feed water supply. Filter life is 6 months to 2 years at an estimated annual replacement cost of ~$210.
Finally, you get a 1-year warranty on the parts, with the option to extend it to a lifetime warranty if you subscribe to Brita’s filter replacement program.
Brita Reverse Osmosis Pros
- Impressive amounts of testing done on contaminant reduction, backed by multiple NSF standards.
- Wide range of contaminant removal.
- Easy and straightforward installation.
- Simple maintenance.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The list of contaminants addressed by the Brita Total 360 BRDROS is quite impressive. The manual provides these reduction rates (not a full list):
- Chlorine taste and odor: 97.5%
- PFOA & PFOS: 97.7%
- Dozens of VOCs: 99.4%
- MTBE: 99.4%
- Arsenic 5: 98.2%
- Barium: 97.8%
- Cadmium: 98.1%
- Chromium 6: 97%
- Cysts: 99.99%
- Lead: 99.1%
- Fluoride: 96.5%
- Nitrate: 74.9%
- Nitrite: 80.9%
- Radium: 80%
- Selenium: 98%
- Turbidity: 99%
- TDS: 90.6%
- Ammonium: 90%
- Sulfate: 98%
- Tannin: 97%
- BPA: 98.2%
- DEET: 99.2%
- Ibuprofen: 94.5%
- Phenytoin: 99.5%
- Other trace pharmaceuticals, pesticides, organic chemicals
The Brita Total 360 BRDROS – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
Again, the Brita Total 360 BRDROS is easy to install thanks to a step-by-step installation manual and color-coded tubing.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Here’s an overview of the installation steps – check your manual for more detailed instructions, though:
- Shut off the cold water valve.
- Disconnect the cold water supply line.
- Install water supply fitting onto the cold water shutoff valve.
- Install any optional pipe fittings.
- Find a location for the drain adaptor, or find an existing one you can reuse.
- Install the drain adaptor.
- Install a remote drain point and air gap.
- Install the storage tank.
- Install the reverse osmosis faucet by drilling a hole for it or reusing an existing one.
- Connect all remaining tubing.
- Turn on cold water supply.
- Sanitize, test, and purge the system – refer to the manual for more information.
The Package (Parts)
- Reverse Osmosis Assembly
- Product Water Storage Tank
- Tubes
- Reverse Osmosis Faucet
- Eye Dropper
- Tank Connector
- Nitrate/Nitrite Test Kit
- Drain Adaptor
- Water Supply Fitting
Maintenance
Maintaining the system is very simple – you just need to regularly replace the different filter cartridges. Removing cartridges is as simple as unscrewing them by hand – you don’t even need to shut off the water supply beforehand. But remember to purge the new filters according to instructions!
The replacement schedule for each filter is as follows:
- Reverse osmosis membrane: every 2 years.
- Pre-filter: every 6 months or 230 gallons.
- Post-filter: every 6 months or 230 gallons.
In total, maintenance comes down to around $210 per year, which is noticeably more than other similar systems in this price range.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://resources.ecopurehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/7379599_E.pdf
NSF and Other Certifications
The Brita Total 360 BRDROS comes with multiple NSF and IAPMO certifications:
- NSF 42 – NSF | IAPMO – removal of chlorine, taste and odor.
- NSF 53 – IAPMO – removal of MTBE, VOC, PFOA, PFOS.
- NSF 58 – NSF | IAPMO – removal of arsenic 5, barium, cadmium, chromium 6, chromium 3, copper, cyst, fluoride, lead, nitrate/nitrite, radium 226/228, selenium, TDS, turbidity reduction.
- NSF 401 – IAPMO – removal of meprobamate, atenolol, carbamazepine, DEET, metolachlor, trimethoprim, linuron, TCEP, TCCP, phenytoin, ibuprofen, naproxen, estrone, bisphenol A, nonylphenol.
- NSF P473 – IAPMO – reduction of PFOA and PFOS.
- NSF P231 – IAPMO – removal of bacteria, virus, and cyst.
Earlier Product Versions
We couldn’t find any earlier versions of the Brita Total 360 BRDROS.
Brita RO System Cons
- Annual maintenance is more expensive than the average for this type of product.
- Relatively short filter life – while with other systems, you can replace the pre and post-filter once a year, this one requires replacements at least every 6 months or 230 gallons.
- Recovery rate of 21.2%, which means that 4 gallons of water go down the drain for each gallon filtered – that’s due to the lack of a pressure pump.
- According to other users, very slow to dispense water occasionally.
Brita Total 360 BRDROS Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System is very impressive in terms of filtration strength and overall performance. We were very pleased with the provided certifications and extensive testing. However, all of this comes at a cost – the system costs more to maintain than what you might be used to from other similar models. Also keep in mind that the lack of a pressure pump will result in a lot of wastewater. 4 stars.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 4.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 4.0/5.0
- Overall: 4.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Reverse Osmosis Systems
If you’re interested in RO system alternatives, two options we can recommend are the Waterdrop G3 and the AquaTru.
Waterdrop G3 |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Stages: | 4 |
| Flow Rate: | 0.42 gpm |
| NSF: | 58, 372 |
| Annually: | ~$145 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘ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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AquaTru |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Stages: | 4 |
| Water: | 1 Gallon in 10-15 Minutes |
| NSF: | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473 |
| Annually: | ~$100-120 |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
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Brita Total 360 BRDROS |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Stages: | 3 |
| Flow Rate: | 0.9 gpm |
| NSF: | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473, P231 |
| Annually: | ~$210 |
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Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘ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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The AquaTru is a top choice if you want something that’s both powerful and easy to use. It’s a countertop system, meaning that it requires practically no installation. It comes with a 4-stage filtration process certified against multiple NSF standards – 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473 – which is quite impressive. This makes it capable of removing these and other contaminants:
- Chlorine: 96.6%
- VOCs: 95-99%
- Chromium-6: 97.2%
- TDS: 87.1%
- Cyst: 99.99%
- Fluoride: 93.5%
- Lead: 99.1%
- Radium 226/228: 96.4%
- BPA: 99%
- Various trace pharmaceuticals and pesticides: 86.7-96.6%
- PFOA, PFOS: 97.5%
As you can see, those are pretty much also covered by the Brita. However, when comparing reduction rates directly, the Brita Total 360 BRDROS seems to come out on top here, but it also offers a shorter filter life, making it more expensive to maintain.
Another benefit of the AquaTru is that it takes up very little space and can be placed in a variety of locations due to its compact design. It works fast, and it’s very efficient, wasting only 20% of the input water. This is significantly better than what you get from the Brita, thanks to the built-in pump. The model is made of BPA and BPS-free Tritan plastic.
The only minor disadvantages of the AquaTru include some occasional faulty models and the higher upfront purchase price – but it’s still less expensive to maintain than the Brita at around $100 – $120 per year.
The Waterdrop G3, on the other hand, is a tankless under sink reverse osmosis system that filters water on demand and doesn’t store it for later access. It comes with a 4-stage filtration process backed by a certification for NSF standard 58, as well as testing (but no certification) for NSF standards 42, 53, 58, and 401. With all that in mind, the Waterdrop G3 is capable of removing:
- VOCs: 99%
- Chlorine: 99%
- Nitrate: 98%
- Fluoride: 99%
- Arsenic: 99%
- Chromium-6: 99%
- Lead: 99%
- PFOA/PFOS: 99%
With the help of an internal pump, the system is capable of achieving a flow rate of 0.42 gallons per minute, making it perfect for quickly filling a glass of water. It wastes very little water in addition to that, again thanks to the pump – only around 33% of the input water gets wasted, much better than the Brita. The system is also easy to install, much like the Brita.
Another nice feature of the Waterdrop G3 is the smart faucet, which alerts you when it’s time to replace a filter using lights and sound. Filters last between 550 and 2,200 gallons of water, or 6-24 months. Replacing them is very simple, and you don’t need to shut off the water, much like with the Brita. You can also check the status of your system, as well as your TDS levels, with the built-in monitoring panel.
The Waterdrop G3 is made of BPA-free materials. The company offers a full money-back satisfaction guarantee if you return your model within 30 days, as well as a 1-year manufacturer warranty that’s only valid if you use the system on municipal water. And even though it may occasionally produce a weird noise, those issues seem to be quite limited.
The Waterdrop G3 is more expensive than the Brita upfront, but cheaper to maintain at around $145 per year.
Bottom line: We would choose the AquaTru over the other 2. If you want an under-the-sink system, it really depends on what you prefer: NSF-backed filtration process? Then you should go with the Brita. If you prefer reduced wastewater and maybe a tankless design with fast water flow then we recommend the Waterdrop G3.
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This completes our review of the Brita Total 360 BRDROS Reverse Osmosis System. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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