Review: Crystal Quest Thunder Portable Countertop 10-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
Written by: Alexandra Uta // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Sep 7, 2023
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The Crystal Quest Thunder is a portable countertop reverse osmosis system. Most importantly, it can be installed to any standard faucet in no time. You can use it in your RV or home and take it with you when you move to a new place. You might even have the space to make it your travel companion. Bottom line: We like!
Let’s find out about all the pros, cons, and complaints of the Crystal Quest Thunder!
Crystal Quest Thunder |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Stages: | 5 (10) |
| Filtered Water: | ~2 Gallons Per Hour |
| NSF Certifications: | – |
| Annual Cost: | ~$65-100 |
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Our Rating
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Crystal Quest Thunder RO System – Key Features
When you attach the Crystal Quest Thunder to your kitchen faucet the water has to go through 10 filtration steps before it comes out of the dispenser:
- It all starts with a 1-micron filter pad. The pad blocks suspended solids like sediment but also giardia and cryptosporidium (cyst).
- Filter stage 2 uses granulated activated carbon. It adsorbs chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, and all kinds of chemicals that might be causing bad taste and odor, and that could actually be harmful to your health.
- Next comes another 1-micron filter pad.
- At the heart of the system (stage 4), the reverse osmosis membrane comes into play. It removes the majority of inorganic as well as organic contaminants – think lead, nitrate, and chloride.
- One more filter pad.
- Filter stages 6 and 7 use a blend of copper and zinc oxidation media (Eagle Redox Alloy) also known as KDF to reduce chlorine, water soluble metals such as iron, lead, and chromium, hydrogen sulfide, and more. The filter media also inhibits bacteria from fouling the system.
- Stage 8 is an ion exchange resin. It gets rid of whatever heavy metals might be left and also reduces water hardness.
- Another granular activated carbon filter removes any residual tastes.
- A final 1-micron filter pad.
All in all, the Crystal Quest countertop RO system produces water that tastes very clean. Unfortunately, we cannot provide you with specific contaminant reduction rates (more on this in a bit).
By the way, you can order additional optional filter cartridges. There’s one for nitrates, one for arsenic, one for fluoride, and one ionization/remineralization/oxidation filter. They might be useful for your individual water situation.
What flow rate can you expect? The system is rated at .03 gallons per minute at 60 psi which equals 2 gallons per hour. If the water pressure in your house is lower, you’ll get less. So the filtration is not super fast but fast enough if you use the Crystal Quest Thunder in combination with a large container to store the purified water in.
The minimum required pressure is 45 psi.
Thunder Pros
For us, the main selling point of the Crystal Quest Thunder is its portability. Measuring 16x7x7 inches it’s one of the most compact countertop RO systems we know. This plus the fact that the unit can be easily hooked up and removed from any standard faucet within seconds, 2 minutes at max, is why it’s our #1 portable reverse osmosis system.
Crystal Quest customer service is great, too. And everything is covered by a 1-year warranty.
The Crystal Quest Thunder – learn more on crystalquest.com
Setup
The Crystal Quest Thunder comes with all hardware included. Here’s how to set it up:
- Remove the faucet’s aerator.
- Check if you need an adapter.
- Screw the diverter to the faucet until hand tight.
- Use the clamp to tighten hose to the diverter.
- Push spout into its housing.
Parts
- GAC filter cartridge
- 50 gpd RO membrane
- SMART filter cartridge
- Various system components including diverter, tubing, auto shut-off valve
- Adapters
Filter/Membrane Replacement
All filter elements need to be replaced regularly to ensure proper system performance. The granular activated carbon filter cartridge expires within 12-18 months. RO membrane and SMART filter last 2-3 years
However, if you notice a change in water taste or smell or you see a reduction in water flow it’s usually an indicator that at least one filter element has reached the end of its life.
The good news, replacing is fast and easy thanks to quick-connect fittings.
Cost? Between $65 and $100 per year which is pretty affordable.
Manual
Here is the manual for the Crystal Quest Thunder Portable 10-Stage Countertop Reverse Osmosis System.
Thunder Cons
The product description says all system components are NSF certified. But no actual certification or performance data is provided. We don’t even know which NSF certifications we’re talking about. Personally, we would have appreciated specific contaminant reduction rates.
That said, reverse osmosis water purification, activated carbon adsorption, and the other filter media mentioned above have proven themselves over the years so it’s not that big of a deal.
Crystal Quest Thunder Review: Our Verdict + Best for
People are satisfied with both product and customer service. They say the Crystal Quest Thunder portable countertop RO system is “worth every penny” and would buy again. We can only agree. Considering the reasonable price, it’s our go-to portable reverse osmosis system and worth 4.5 stars from us!
The Crystal Quest Thunder is best for people who want a compact RO system ideal for both home use and travelling.
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This completes our review of the Crystal Quest Thunder. Questions? Ask away!
About the Author Alexandra Uta
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