Review: Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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At first glance, the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System seems to apply a solid filtration process.
But filter cartridges aren’t standard-sized which can turn out to be a problem.
If you want to learn more about that, continue reading. We’ll take a closer look at the Pro+Aqua Elite and see if it’s the right whole house water filter for you.
Contents
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Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Media Blend, Carbon |
| Filter Life: | 100,000 Gallons |
| Flow Rate: | 7 Gallons Per Minute |
| Annual Cost: | ~$300 |
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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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Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System – All Specs
- Model: PRO-100-E
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$300
- Filter Media/Process: 5-Micron String-Wound Sediment, Media Blend, Activated Carbon
- Filter Stages: 3
- Flow Rate: 7 gpm
- Filtering Capacity: 100,000 gal
- WxHxD: 23″x27″x8″
- Water Temperature: 40-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 45-80 psi
- Fitting: 1″
- Warranty: 5 Years
Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 – Key Features
The Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System features 3 filter stages: A sediment filter, a media blend, and a carbon filter. Here’s how they work:
- Stage 1 (#FC-19-SED): The string-wound sediment filter removes dirt, sand, rust, silt, turbidity and other sediments down to 5 microns. This effectively protects the 2 following filter stages as well as your home pipes and appliances from clogging.
- Stage 2 (#FC-19-CRK): Next, water goes through a blend of filter media, which we assume contains at least some KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion). This stage is claimed to reduce microorganisms, iron, chlorine, scale, lead, hydrogen sulfide, mercury, nickel, and other dissolved metals in water.
- Stage 3 (FC-19-ACB): The coconut shell activated carbon filter removes bad taste and odor, VOCs, herbicides, pesticides, and other organic chemicals.
All in all, the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 will make the water floating throughout your home taste and smell a lot better. And it likely makes the water much healthier, depending on its exact composition. On top of that, your entire plumbing system is protected from dirt.
What’s more, the system has a flow rate of 7 gpm, making it suited for small but not large-sized homes. The filters have a capacity of 100,000 gallons (or a lifespan of four to six months) which is pretty average.
And finally, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 5-year manufacturer warranty.
Pro+Aqua Elite Whole House Water Filter Pros
Not all whole house filters can tackle both tap and well water, but the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 is suited for both.
The system also has pressure release buttons at each filter stage that make filter replacements much easier! (Removing the filter housings is a lot harder with pressure in the system, so pressure release buttons are super helpful).
But it doesn’t end there. There’s a pressure gauge at every filter stage that lets you know when filters are due for replacement.
Another cool feature is the Pro+Aqua Elite’s transparent filter housing. The transparent housing allows you to see your filter’s current state without unscrewing anything. So, with a quick glance, you know if your filter needs to be changed or not. It’s clear that this system was designed with stress-free maintenance in mind.
And to top it all, the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 whole house filter is pocket-friendly with military, first responder, teacher, and government employee discounts available. We’d say it’s affordable, at least at purchase.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
According to the company, the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 system removes all sediments and particles that are 5 microns and larger (like sand, silt, rust, and dirt). It also removes harmful dissolved metals like lead, nickel, chromium, and iron, and it eliminates chlorine taste and odor. In addition, it catches VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, and other organics.
The Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
There’s not much difference installing the Elite Gen2 when compared to hooking up other whole house water filters.
Unfortunately, we’re missing a bypass valve so you would have to establish a bypass yourself if you want one.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
That said, you’ll need these tools to install the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 whole house water filter:
- Drill bit
- Bolt bit
- Teflon tape
- Pen or pencil (for marking)
- Variable speed drill
- Adjustable wrench
- Any type of pipe cutter
Once all your tools and components are ready, you can install the system following these steps:
- Turn off your main water supply valve.
- Using your bolts, fix the filter system to the wall.
- Connect your water inlet pipe to the “IN” port on the system.
- Connect your water outlet pipe (the one that’ll take filtered water into your home) to the “OUT” port. It’s best to use plastic pipe fittings here; the Pro+Aqua manual says not to solder.
- Place the three filter cartridges in their respective housings. Ensure they sit on the standpipe inside the housing.
- Now, place each filter housing on the corresponding head (now on the wall). Turn the housings clockwise until it becomes tight enough. Be careful not to over-tighten.
- Remove the aerator at the nearest tap, then open the tap for about five minutes to flush the new filters.
- Confirm there are no leaks, and your Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 whole house filter is ready for use!
Video
The Package (Parts)
- Preinstalled bracket
- Three preinstalled heads on the bracket
- Three filter housings
- Three filter cartridges
- Two mounting screws (or lag bolts and washer)
- One housing wrench
Maintenance
The Pro+Aqua whole house filter is pretty easy to maintain. You only need to replace the filters every six months (it could be more or less often depending on your water use and quality). Fortunately, you have pressure gauges to let you know when the filters need replacement. Plus, the pressure release buttons will prevent most cases of stuck filter housings.
Bad news is, filter cartridges aren’t standard sized – Pro+Aqua uses their own proprietary size. This means that you are stuck with Pro+Aqua replacement filters since off-brand models won’t fit – more on this in the Cons section below.
Here’s how you replace the filters:
- Turn off your water supply
- Press the pressure release buttons. Keep a bucket or towel handy to collect any spilled water.
- Use a wrench to remove each filter housing from its head.
- Replace the present filter cartridge in the housing with a new one. Make sure it seats correctly.
- Examine and lubricate the O-ring on the housing. Make sure it sits perfectly too.
- Return the filter housing to its position by simultaneously moving it up and turning it clockwise.
- Ensure the housing sits correctly and tightly. Again, do not over-tighten.
Manual
We couldn’t find the manual to the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System online.
NSF and Other Certifications
This product is not NSF-certified.
Earlier Product Versions
The Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 whole house filter is an improved version of the Gen1. The earlier version used standard-sized filter cartridges, while the Gen2 uses proprietary sizes.
Pro+Aqua Whole House Water Filter Cons
Our first bone to pick with this Pro+Aqua whole house filter is the proprietary-sized filter cartridges. Simply put, Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 filters are incompatible with standard size filters. This is because they’re not the regular 4.5×20-inch (big blue) size.
The implication here is that you can’t replace them with other, possibly cheaper, filters from other brands. You must replace them with original cartridges from Pro+Aqua every time. So you definitely won’t be able to save money by going off-brand. Another reason why we find this problematic is because if Pro+Aqua stops producing these filter cartridges, you’ll have to get an entirely new filter system.
Also, the Pro+Aqua is pricey to maintain. Maintenance costs about $300 per year, and there’s no way to escape this cost.
Another thing that we don’t really like is the 7 gpm flow rate. This isn’t enough for large homes and only caters to smaller households.
The pressure gauges come with rubber washers underneath, which often prevents them from working well (until you remove them). Several users complained of the gauges coming off and causing leaks.
Last but not least, there’s no built-in bypass valve. So if you want a bypass, you’ll need to set it up yourself when installing the system.
Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Review: Our Verdict + Best for
Is the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter System effective at removing contaminants? Yes! However, we still wouldn’t recommend it. Our main issue is the proprietary-sized filter cartridges. You can’t buy replacements from other brands. And if the company stops producing replacement filters for some reason, you’ll have to get a new whole house filter altogether. That makes it somewhat unsafe to invest in this product in our opinion.
Also, considering the flow rate, the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 is only practical for small homes. All in all, it’s not our favorite.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 4.5/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 3.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 5.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 3.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Whole House Water Filters
Now, let’s compare the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 to other whole house water filters. We’ll consider two popular options; the SpringWell CF and Kind E-1000.
SpringWell CF |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon, KDF |
| Filter Life: | 1,000,000 gal or 6 Years |
| Flow Rate: | 9-20 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$40 |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Kind E-1000 |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon Block |
| Filter Life: | 12 Months |
| Flow Rate: | 15 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$145 |
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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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Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 |
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| Price: | $ |
| Filter Media: | 5-Micron Sediment, Media Blend, Carbon |
| Filter Life: | 100,000 gal |
| Flow Rate: | 7 gpm |
| Annual Cost: | ~$300 |
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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 SpringWell CF whole house filter is a tank-based system that uses catalytic carbon to remove contaminants. Catalytic carbon is a carbon that’s more powerful than regular activated carbon at removing a larger range of contaminants and more of them. Besides the catalytic carbon, the SpringWell also uses a 5-micron sediment filter and KDF. With this combo it’s the ideal city water treatment system.
In addition, the SpringWell CF doesn’t need filter cartridge replacements (except for the small sediment filter). So, very little is spent on maintenance, making it very affordable in the long run.
Next is the Kind E-1000 (review here). It uses a 5-micron sediment filter and catalytic carbon in block form, so it also is highly effective. It’s a cartridge-based system, a bit pricey to purchase but very affordable to maintain. But most importantly: The E-1000 uses standard-sized cartridges, so you can buy replacement filters from almost ANY brand.
Both SpringWell and Kind have higher flow rates, too, which is great if you have multiple bathrooms, a long satisfaction guarantee, and a limited lifetime warranty.
In comparison, the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 systems costs a lot more to maintain, uses non-flexible proprietary-sized filter cartridges, has a lower flow rate, and no satisfaction guarantee.
In summary, the SpringWell CF and Kind E-1000 whole house water filters have an edge over the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2, and we definitely prefer them!
More Pro+Aqua Reviews:
This completes our review of the Pro+Aqua Elite Gen2 Whole House Water Filter. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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