Review: Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Feb 6, 2024
This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy a product or service through such a link we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
The Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis System is affordable, easy-to-install, and user-friendly. Along with reverse osmosis, the system uses remineralization and ultraviolet (UV) light to purify water. Sounds interesting? Read on to find out more!
Contents
show
Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis System |
|
| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Stages: | 7 |
| Water Flow: | Not Specified |
| NSF Certifications: | – |
| Annual Cost: | ~$150 |
|
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.
|
|
Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis System – All Specs
- Model: WU-100GPD-NP-UV-ALk
- Last Price: $259.47
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$150
- Filter Media/Process: Sediment Pre, GAC, Carbon Block, RO, Carbon Post, Remineralization, UV
- Filter Stages: 7
- Filtering Capacity: 0.5-1.5 Years
- WxHxD: 15″x19.5″x5.5″
- Tank: 11″x15″x11″, 3.2 gal
- Water Pressure: 45-80 psi
- Warranty: 3 Years
Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage – Key Features
The Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage uses the standard filtration process for RO systems together with UV light disinfection and remineralization. There’s the:
- Sediment pre-filter: This one removes sediment, dirt, and suspended particles.
- Granular activated carbon: It adsorbs chlorine, foul taste, odor, lead and few other heavy metals, and organics.
- Activated carbon block: Asbestos, cysts, pesticides, disinfection byproducts, VOCs, organic chemicals and even more heavy metals get stuck here.
- Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane: This stage removes dissolved solids like copper, arsenic, chromium, fluoride, radium, lead, and nitrate. It also rejects microorganisms.
- Carbon post-filter: It sucks up any leftover taste and odor.
- Remineralization: This stage adds useful minerals (like calcium, magnesium, and potassium) back into water adding to your daily required intake. They also balance water pH. Aside from that, the remineralizer stage which uses ORP balls, maifan, calcite, tourmaline, and BioCeramic is said to provide drinking water with benefits like reducing inflammation in your body, improving hydration, improving immunity, and better bone health – we take these claims with a grain of salt.
- UV sterilization: Finally, UV light neutralizes up to 99% of germs like bacteria.
All in all, the filtration process sure looks promising! Sadly, there’s no form of independent NSF backing (testing or certification) as far as we can tell. The company provides these reduction rates, though:
- Fluoride – 99.56%
- Arsenic 5 – 97.04%
- Chromium 6 – 99.64%
- Chromium 3 – 99.69%
- Mercury – 99.57%
- Selenium – 99.13%
- Lead – 99.3%
- Uranium – 99.1%
- Beryllium – 99.68%
- Copper – 99.97%
What about filter lifespan? Depending on the filter in question, it can last between 6 months and 1.5 years. Replacement filters are cheap (~$150 a year), making the Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage super affordable to maintain. Plus, when you subscribe, you get a 10% discount on replacement filters as well as a lifetime system warranty. But even without the subscription, the system comes with a 3-year warranty and 120-day satisfaction guarantee. Nice, right? That’s not all. This system also comes with a free TDS meter and a leak detector that turns off the water supply when it suspects a leak!
Nu Aqua Reverse Osmosis Pros
This RO system’s biggest pro is its affordability. For the whole setup and the features we mentioned above, you’re paying only $295.47.
Worried about long-term running costs? Ease up – you’ll spend only about $150 per year. Considering that this Nu Aqua model has seven filter stages, including a UV light bulb, this is definitely a good price. You can even save 10% on filter replacements by subscribing. The same subscription also offers you a lifetime system warranty to top of the usual 3-year warranty and 120-day satisfaction guarantee.
Color-coded tubing makes installation quick and not-so-brain-racking. Maintenance? DIY-ready.
The free TDS meter and leak detector are nice benefits, too. With the leak detector, you’ll never come home to a flooded kitchen. It automatically turns off the water supply if it suspects any leak in the system.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage RO system removes sediment, rust, dirt, and other suspended particles, chlorine, taste, odor, asbestos, pesticides, cysts, VOCs, disinfection byproducts, copper, lead, chromium, arsenic, fluoride, nitrate, radium, and harmful microbes like bacteria, and more.
Nu Aqua provides these reduction rates:
- Fluoride – 99.56%
- Arsenic 5 – 97.04%
- Chromium 6 – 99.64%
- Chromium 3 – 99.69%
- Mercury – 99.57%
- Selenium – 99.13%
- Lead – 99.3%
- Uranium – 99.1%
- Beryllium – 99.68%
- Copper – 99.97%
The Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage – learn more on Nuaquasystems.com
Installation
The color-coded tubing in this system makes installation quick and easy.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Tools you’ll need to install:
- ¼ and ½” drill bits
- Drill
- Adjustable wrench
- Philips screwdriver
- Razor
- 14 mm wrench
To get your system working:
- Connect the feed water adapter to your cold water line.
- Install the leak stop valve. Note that you can’t benefit from the system warranty if you don’t install this component.
- Install the drain saddle on your drain line.
- Fix the faucet on the second hole in your sink. If there’s no extra hole, drill one.
- Wrap the threads on the storage tank with Teflon tape and connect the tank ball valve to the threads.
- Remove the cap on the valve and insert it in the yellow tubing.
- Insert the yellow tubing in the valve completely.
- Unwrap the filters and connect them to their respective housings.
- Connect the filter housing (with the filters standing straight up under it) to the system cap. Tighten it with your housing wrench.
- Unscrew the RO membrane housing cap and moisten the O-rings with water.
- Install the membrane and reattach it to the cap. Remember to tighten it with a wrench.
- Connect each end of the alkaline filter to a quick connect elbow.
- Attach housing clips to the carbon post filter and fix the alkaline filter to the housing clips.
- Install the UV filter.
- Follow the instructions for filter priming.
Video
The Package (Parts)
- Filter elements
- Chrome faucet
- Color-coded tubing
- Feed water adapter
- Storage tank
- Drain saddle
- Filter housing wrench
- Leak detector
- TDS meter
- UV sterilizer
- Teflon Tape
Maintenance
To maintain this Nu Aqua Platinum Series, you must replace filters as needed. Lifespans vary from filter to filter. Here’s a breakdown:
- Sediment pre-filter: 6-9 months
- Granulated activated carbon: 6-9 months
- Carbon block: 6-9 months
- RO membrane: 1-1.5 years
- Carbon post-filter: 6-9 months
- Remineralization: 1 year
- UV: 1 year
So, how much are we looking at per year? Again, about $150, which is a good price considering that it’s a 7-stage system, including a UV bulb. Plus, you can save about $15 when you subscribe.
Now, here’s how you replace filters the pre-filters when they are due:
- Switch off the cold water supply and turn on the RO faucet.
- After draining the system, put it in a bucket and unscrew the pre-filters using your wrench.
- Dispose of the used filters.
- Wash and rinse the filter housings thoroughly.
- Insert the new filters in their respective housings.
- Check the O-rings to confirm they’re in the proper position.
- Use your wrench to secure the filter housings in place.
- Follow the usual system restart process.
The replacement process for the RO membrane and post-filters is similar.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
The Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis System has no NSF certifications.
Earlier Product Versions
To the best of our knowledge, it has no earlier versions either.
Nu Aqua RO Cons
NSF certifications give us reason to trust a water filtration process. Sadly, this RO system has none. We can’t even vouch that it has been tested against NSF standards. The company provides some contaminant reduction rates, but they didn’t state where they got them from.
Also, Nu Aqua does not specify the wastewater ratio. We assume it’d be the usual 1 gallon purified to 3-5 gallons wasted, which is normal but still a lot. If the system had a pressure pump, it would save much more water.
We found complaints about leaks and packages arriving with missing parts. Many users didn’t like the customer service and although the company promises a 120-day satisfaction guarantee, a couple of customers complained that they had issues returning and getting a full refund when they had problems with their unit.
Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The best part of this Nu Aqua reverse osmosis system is affordability, both upfront and in the long run. The remineralizer and UV bulb are also great features. NSF certifications/testing would have sold us totally, but we miss that. We’re awarding 4-stars!
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 3.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 4.0/5.0
Comparison to Other Reverse Osmosis Systems
Let’s see how good the Nu Aqua compares to the Waterdrop G3 and the AquaTru. Note that both of these systems do not remineralize your water!
Waterdrop G3 |
|
| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Stages: | 4 |
| Flow Rate: | 0.42 gpm |
| NSF: | 58, 372 |
| Annually: | ~$145 |
|
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.
Get 10% Off! Use Code: |
|
AquaTru |
|
| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Stages: | 4 |
| Water: | 1 Gallon in 10-15 Minutes |
| NSF: | 42, 53, 58, 401, P473 |
| Annually: | ~$100-120 |
|
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Get 15% Off! Use Code: |
|
|
Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage |
|
| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Stages: | 7 |
| Flow Rate: | Not Specified |
| NSF: | – |
| Annually: | ~$150 |
|
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.
|
|
The Waterdrop G3 is another under sink RO system, but this one is tankless and produces filtered water on demand. It’s an excellent choice for saving space because there’s no bulky tank that sits in your kitchen.
The system features a solid four-stage filtration process backed by NSF testing/certifications. It has an NSF 58 certification for TDS reduction and impressive reduction rates from testing against NSF standards 42, 53, 58, and 401. The Waterdrop G3 removes up to 99% VOCs, 99% chlorine, 98% nitrate, 99% fluoride, 99% arsenic, 99% chromium-6, 99% lead, and 99% PFOA/PFOS among other contaminants. This is way better than the Nu Aqua, which has no NSF testing/certifications.
The Waterdrop G3 also uses a pressure pump to increase water flow rate and reduce wastewater to 33% only, making it better than the Nu Aqua.
You’ll have no issues with installation either. Filters last between 550 and 2,200 gallons, or 6 to 24 months. They’re super easy to replace. You don’t have to disconnect anything, turn off feed water, or use any tools.
Lastly, you’re offered a money-back satisfaction guarantee for 30 days. There’s also a 1-year warranty for manufacturing defects, but only on the condition that you use municipal water.
What do we not like about Waterdrop G3? Well, we found complaints about loud noises even when the system is not working. Also, it is more expensive than the Nu Aqua but costs about the same to maintain ($145 per year).
On to the next system, AquaTru. The AquaTru is our favorite reverse osmosis system and for good reason. First, it’s a countertop unit, so you don’t need installation at all. In fact, you can set it up for work in less than ten minutes. The design is space-saving, and it’s straightforward to use. Water filtration is also super-fast. Of course, if it had all these without solid filtration, it wouldn’t be our favorite. Fortunately, the AquaTru’s four-stage filtration process has been tested and certified by third-party against NSF standards to reduce almost 80 contaminants! It has five certifications altogether: NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473. Now, this isn’t only outstanding but is also an assurance of clean, healthy water. The Nu Aqua pales in comparison here; no NSF testing/certifications.
Another impressive feature of the AquaTru is its high water recovery rate. Only 20% of the feed water goes to waste, saving a whopping 80%. The internal pump does the trick, making it better than both the Nu Aqua and Waterdrop G3 in that regard. The system uses strictly BPS and BPA-free Tritan plastic, so it’s safe and sturdy.
On the flip side, we found a few complaints about leaks because of design mistakes. Some also said their system stopped working after a few months. We didn’t experience these issues ourselves, though. Also keep in mind that the AquaTru is more expensive than the Nu Aqua but slightly more affordable to maintain ($100 to $120 each year).
In all, the AquaTru is our #1 because of its fair price, affordable maintenance, NSF backing, fast filtration, highly reduced wastewater, etc. We’d pick the Waterdrop next because it’s also effective, fast, tankless, simple to install, and wastes relatively little water. The Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage makes a good choice if you really want remineralization and you’re on a tight budget. However, remember it has no NSF standardized testing/certification.
More Reviews:
More Nu Aqua Reviews:
This completes our review of the Nu Aqua Platinum Series 7-Stage Reverse Osmosis System. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.