Review: Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Nov 01, 2023
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The Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser is the first of its kind — an under sink RO water filter system that provides both hot and cold filtered water. The system’s water flow is superb, and it produces very little wastewater.
Sounds like the dream water system? Here’s everything else you must know!
Contents
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Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Sediment Filtration, Activated Carbon, RO |
| Filter Life: | 1,600 Gallons |
| NSF: | 42, 53, 58 |
| Water Temp: | Up to 203 °F |
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Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, water temperature settings, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser – All Specs
- Model: K6
- Last Price: $799.99
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$140
- Filter Media/Process: Sediment Filtration, Activated Carbon, RO
- Filter Stages: 5
- Flow Rate: 0.4 gpm
- Filtering Capacity: 1,600 gal
- WxHxD: 17.5″x16.6″x6.7″
- Input Water Temperature: 5-38 °F
- Hot Water Temperature: Up to 203 °F
- Water Pressure: 14.5-87 psi
- Fitting: 3/8″ or 1/2″
- NSF Testing: Standard 42, 53, 58
- Warranty: 1 Year (Limited)
Waterdrop K6 – Key Features
First of all, the Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser provides both hot and cold (or rather ambient) water that’s highly pure as it has been filtered by reverse osmosis technology.
Being an under sink water filter, this is the only system of this kind available right now. Of course, you could always use any under sink filter plus a separate under sink water heater, but the Waterdrop K6 combines all in one.
How hot does the hot water get? Up to 203°F, so steaming hot!
The filtration process is no less effective; it includes five stages which are NSF-tested against standards 42, 53, and 58:
- Polypropylene (PP) cotton membrane: This initial stage filters sediments.
- Carbon fiber: This one traps chlorine, organics, and bad taste and smell.
- RO membrane: This is the main stage that removes total dissolved solids (TDS) including salts, and heavy metals, but also microbes, asbestos, and most other stuff.
- Carbon block: This stage adsorbs escaping contaminants and fine-tunes water taste and odor.
- Second PP cotton layer: This last stage traps any remaining particles so they don’t enter your drinking water.
Filter life is 1,600 gallons at around $140 annually.
Product warranty: 1 year (limited).
Waterdrop K6 RO System Pros
Most importantly, we love the special feature of producing hot and cold filtered water. It saves you the stress (and extra cost) of installing an under sink heater.
What’s more, if you’re worried about the heating element scaling and becoming less efficient due to hard water, drop your worries. The RO membrane in the system removes any limescale, so the heating process stays efficient. There are also safety measures to prevent dry-burning of water.
And as mentioned before, the K6 is NSF-tested against more than a dozen contaminants, so you can bank on its reduction claims.
Another pro to point out is the super-fast water flow. The RO membrane filters up to 600 gallons per day (gpd), so the water flow rate is about 0.4 gal/min. That means you can fill a glass of water in just seconds! How is that possible? The system uses an internal pump, which also helps reduce wastewater to the bare minimum. The pure to drain water ratio is 2:1.
Then, there’s the smart faucet. It has many enticing features — looks cool, digital control panel, touch buttons for dispensing hot or cold water, buttons to set the hot water temperature, child lock function, filter lifespan display, and TDS level display. Smart, indeed! The system’s front panel also has a filter reset indicator, it shows output water TDS, and you can use it to control water temperatures.
Maintenance is easy, too. You only replace the filter annually since each filter element filters 1,600 gallons of water. The replacement process is incredibly easy and budget-friendly, costing you only $140 a year.
What about filter materials? They are BPA-free.
The system has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee in case anything goes wrong.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Waterdrop K6 RO system removes the following contaminants and more (we included the reduction rates too):
- 99% chlorine
- 99% turbidity
- 98% TDS
- 93% nitrate
- 99% fluoride
- 99% arsenic
- 99% chromium 6
- 99% cadmium
- 99% lead
- 99% copper
- 99% barium
- 99% mercury
- 96% selenium
- 99% chlorate
- 99% PFOS + PFOA
- 99.999% total coliforms
The Waterdrop K6 – learn more on Waterdropfilter.com
Installation
Installing the Waterdrop K6 is no more difficult than hooking up any other under sink reverse osmosis system. In fact, we find it easier due to the fact that all filter elements are contained within the main module.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Here’s a list of the tools you’ll need to install this system:
- Adjustable wrench
- Variable speed drill
- ¼” and 1″ drill bits (for drain line and faucet hole)
- Utility knife or scissors
- Screwdriver
- Towel
- Torchlight
And here are the installation steps:
- Turn off the water supply.
- Connect the feed water adapter to the water supply valve.
- Install the smart faucet to the existing hole on your sink (if there’s none, drill it).
- Drill a spot on your drain line and connect the drain saddle.
- Set the system housing in the cabinet under your sink.
- Connect the INLET, PURE, HOT, and DRAIN tubings to their respective ports.
- Insert the faucet power cord in the faucet connector.
Now, it’s time to start the system up. Here’s how you do that:
- Switch the cold water valve on and plug the system into a safe grounding socket.
- Once on, the system will automatically flush for one minute. It will show a 60-second countdown timer as it does this.
- Turn on the smart faucet and let it run for about ten minutes.
- Automatically, the system will take five minutes to dispense water to the heater.
- Check for leaks, and you’re good to go.
Video
The Package (Parts)
- System
- Smart faucet
- Feed water adapter with inlet water tubing
- 6x lock clip
- Drain saddle
- Teflon tape
Maintenance
You can DIY this system’s maintenance; it does not void the warranty. You get reminders to replace the filter (system color change), and the replacement process is cheap and straightforward.
All you need is about $140 per year and taking these steps:
- Turn off the faucet and wait for about 30 seconds.
- Turn each old filter 90° anticlockwise and remove it.
- Slot the new filter into the filter barrel. Turn it clockwise so the filter handle aligns perpendicularly to the display bar.
- Press the filter reset button for about five seconds. The system will beep and turn blue to confirm that it’s been reset successfully.
- Wait for the 60-second automatic system flush.
- Flush the filter for another 15 minutes by pressing the cold water button.
As mentioned, you don’t have to track filter replacement dates. The system changes color to indicate the filter lifespan status. When it’s perfect, it’s blue. When the capacity is less than 40 gallons (meaning you need to replace it soon), it becomes violet and beeps twice when you fetch water. And when it needs immediate attention, it becomes red and beeps continuously.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
The Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser has no NSF certifications. However, it has been tested against NSF standards 42, 53, and 58.
Earlier Product Versions
This product has no earlier versions.
Waterdrop K6 System Cons
The K6 by Waterdrop has its perks, but we also noticed some drawbacks.
- For example, they say it’s an “instant hot water RO system”. But when you need hot water, you must first set the heating temperature and wait for it to reach that temperature. Not so “instant” if you ask us. The internal stainless steel tank (which heats and stores hot water) may get empty, and the only option would be to wait. The tank’s capacity is 70 oz, so getting empty might be a regular thing if you use hot water often.
- Also, saying that this filter dispenses cold water is kind of a misnomer. It actually dispenses ambient-temperature water, so there is no actual cooling going on.
- Another thing is the relatively high price – be ready to pay for the excellent functionality and features you’ll be getting.
- Some buyers had issues reaching customer support when they had problems with their filter.
- One last con is that the Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis has only NSF testing but no NSF certifications.
Waterdrop K6 Review: Our Verdict + Best for
We’ve never had an under-the-sink RO system dispensing hot and cold water; this filter is the first. Its quality looks solid, and it filters water effectively and fast. Plus, its NSF testing reveals high contaminant reduction rates. The system is user-friendly and has really nice features. Considering the price, we give it 4.5 stars!
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 5.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 5.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 4.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 4.5/5.0
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This completes our review of the Waterdrop K6 Reverse Osmosis Instant Hot Water Dispenser. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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