There are a lot of great water filters in the market. Most of the water filters that we have featured are great for specific reasons. After paying upwards of $300, you can be certain that whatever brand the filter is, it will be good enough. But the APEC ROES-50 is special. We can easily call it the best under-sink water filter that we have tested. Of course, this does not make it perfect, as there are no perfect under-sink water filters in the market, but the APEC comes very close. So what makes this filter so special? And is it the perfect choice for your needs? Here’s our review of the APEC ROES-50 reverse osmosis under sink water filter system.
What’s There In The Box?
It is perhaps the biggest unboxing we did in our under sink filter review series. We ordered the filter from Amazon, and the packaging was decent, not the best. The packaging could have been better, but not a big complaint here. What we got inside was really surprising and delightful.
There are so many things you get at such a low price. Inside the box, you get three pre-filter sets, two post filter sets, a drain saddle, two colored hoses, a feed adapter, housing wrench, a large water storage tank, tank ball valve, and the most impressive; lead-free brushed nickel faucet.
Coming to the quality, we were impressed with the build quality, the plastic material, the hoses, and the faucet as well. Everything feels sturdy, durable, and way more premium than the price you have to pay. We are content with the build quality of the entire filtration unit. With impressive quality and great unboxing experience, it is time to move to the next step; Installation.
Installing the Filter
The installation process of the filter is complicated, and there is no other way to say it. We can’t say that you might need some professional tools or help. It is far from an easy DIY experience. It does not mean that you cannot install the filter on your own. It can be done, but that includes a lot of hassle, a lot of space, and a lot of time.
The first problem that we faced while installing the filter was the sheer bulk of it. There are five filtration units, along with a large water tank that already takes up all the space under your sink, even if you have a large storage space there. So forget about fitting anything else there if you want to keep this there.
The other problem is the installation and the complications that come with it. Since there is an extra faucet, you’ll have to fix the faucet in the sink. It requires a lot of work, a few extra tools, and a lot of mess. So the two most difficult things to get through would be finding the right spot to fix its filtration unit. If you want to put the filter on the cabinet wall, you need some strong fixtures to hold it up.
After an hour of fitting everything and drilling to fix the faucet, there was another issue. Since this is an active filter, it also needs an active power supply as it uses reverse osmosis. So it would be best if you had a socket near the filter. If you want to fix it under your sink, make sure you have a socket there or get it installed there. We did not have one, but an extension cord did the job. Makeshift job.
In short, do not expect an easy installation with the APEC ROES-50. Once you get it delivered to you, spare 1-2 hours and a bit of elbow grease to get it fixed—3 out of 5 for installation.
Filtration
The most important thing about this filter is filtration. It is seriously impressive. We were already impressed with the 5-stage filtration system, which is unheard of at this price range. So what’s so special about filtration here? Let’s find out.
The first stage of the water filter is a pre-filter used to remove all the sedimentary contaminants such as sand, silt, smaller debris, plastic, etc. Think of this as a sifting filter, but with very fine filtration.
The second filter is an activated carbon filter which is specially designed to remove the dissolved chemicals, mostly chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, PFAs, and other VOCs. These steps also work wonderfully to remove the smell and taste of the water.
The third filter is a catalytic carbon filter that is used to remove all the toxic metals in the water. The filter claims to remove an impressive 99% of lead, mercury, arsenic, and other elements. This stage also further improves the quality of water, making it smell, taste, and look better.
While the filter would have already purified the water enough after this stage, the APEC takes it a step further. The fourth stage is the reverse osmosis stage. Reverse osmosis further removes the left-over contaminants to such metals, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, etc.
The fifth and final stage is just a coconut fiber carbon filter that does a final cleaning and improves the quality and taste of water. It concludes the entire filtration system, but how does this filter work in real life? We put it to the test.
Testing the Filter
Since this is a powerful filter (extremely powerful) at an unbelievable price, we had to put it through a tough test. It is because the entire thing sounded too good to be true. So we prepared our concoction of one of the most toxic and contaminated water samples to see how well this filter would clean it.
The water sample contained heavy amounts of lead, mercury, arsenic, chlorine, fluoride, DEET (insecticide), and some microplastics, sand, silt, and debris. Trust us, the water looked dangerously bad with all the solids in it, and it smelled horrible. It would have been a win if the filter could at least make it smell or taste better.
After the filter worked its magic, we were really impressed by the filtration. It is not because we doubted the ability of the 5-stage filter. We were impressed because of the level of filtration at this price range. The water was devoid of all the lead and mercury, and arsenic was almost nil. The larger debris, sand, silt, microplastic was removed without a trace. The chemical removal was fantastic. Thanks to the powerful RO, all the chemicals that we added were virtually removed.
Now, coming to the taste and smell of water, it was hundred percent consumable without any smell. It is impressive because we had added some of the most pungent-smelling chemicals like DEET. In addition, we are very impressed with the filtration. An easy ten on 10 for filtration, and no matter how polluted your water supply is, this filter can easily handle it.
What We Loved About The Product?
- Price
- Separate Faucet
- Good Water Pressure
- Good Filter Life
- Great Filtration
- Clunky
- Installation
There are a lot of great things about this filter. In fact, we could hardly find any actual con of this product. So here are all the pros that we found about the APEC ROES-50.
1. Price
The absolute best thing that we loved about this product was the price. You would not believe how much it costs. The APEC ROES-50 costs just $200. Yes, you get a five-stage RO-enabled active filter just for $200. It is hard to find a passive filter at this price range. Single filtration unit filters cost upwards of $130. So at this price range and these features, it is a steal.
2. Separate Faucet
There is a great benefit of having a separate faucet. It increases the filter life. Since there is a separate faucet for you to get the filtered water, you can use the unfiltered water for general purposes and filtered water for drinking and cooking.
3. Good Water Pressure
Since this is an RO filter, it means that the filtered water is cleaned and stored in the storage tank. It creates an issue of water flow rate. The great thing is the water flow rate is good, not great. It fills bottles and cups quickly. And added to that, the water tank capacity is a good 4 gallons, which is enough to get through the day for three to four people.
4. Good Filter Life
The filters are said to last around one year, which is not a great filter life. But considering most of the RO-based water filters, one year of filter life is great.
5. Great Filtration
Even if the price of the filter were over $400, the filter would have been great because of the excellent water filtration it provides. The company claims that it can remove an astounding 1000+ contaminants, some such as lead by over 99%. All of this comes at just $200, which is unheard of. The filtration, along with the price, is the USP of the APEC ROES.
What We Did Not Like?
Not all was great about the APEC. There are definitely some cons to this filter. None of these cons are deal-breakers, but they are important to be mentioned. Here are some things that we did not like about the APEC ROES-50.
1. Clunky
There is no doubt that this filter is a huge and clunky unit. It is difficult to handle while installing and storing it is another mess.
2. Installation
Installation is not an easy task. Since this is big and clunky, plus you have to install a separate faucet and get a power supply as well. So it can be a bit of a daunting task.
The APEC ROES-50 is one of the best products in Amazon under the water filtration system category, with over 5,000 reviews crossing four stars. We think the customers' verdict is very clear. The ROES-50 is a reverse osmosis filtration system; it is an active filter and removes a wide range of tap water contaminants.
Conclusion
There are a lot of great things about the APEC ROES-50, and it clearly makes it the best under sink water filter that we have tested. It comes from its filtration and the price. There are a few cons that come with the filter, but none of them are strong enough not to consider it. This one is a great filter that will be a great addition to your home. We recommend it without a second thought.
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