Best Countertop Reverse Osmosis System 2025? 12 Units Tested!

Countertop Reverse Osmosis Systems

• AquaTru Classic
• AquaTru Carafe
• Bluevua RO100ROPOT
• Crystal Quest Countertop Thunder
• SimPure Y7P-BW
• Waterdrop A1 (Updated Version)

Please note: This page is still a work in progress. Additional content and details will be added shortly – stay tuned!

Paraphrased Video Script

Hey, Sarah here from BOS and welcome to the biggest comparison of countertop reverse osmosis systems on YouTube. Today we are reviewing the 10 most promising and most popular countertop RO systems, which includes professional lab testing that we conducted on each of our 10 systems in order to learn more about their real-life contaminant removal capabilities. You ready to dive in? Let’s go.

Introduction – 10 Countertop RO Models

First things first, let’s introduce our 10 countertop RO models. Let’s start with the two AquaTru units: the AquaTru Classic, which we’ve reviewed on this channel before, and the more lightweight AquaTru Carafe.

Next, we have the APEC RO-CTOP Plus, the Waterdrop C1H, and the new Aqua 4-Stage Countertop Reverse Osmosis System. These three will not only filter your water, they can also dispense steaming hot water.

Speaking of hot water, the Waterdrop A1, which has been discussed on this channel before as well, can heat and cool your filtered water.

Then we have the Frizzlife WB99C and the Bluevua RO100ROP, which is highly popular on Amazon right now.

Next, the Simpure Y7P, which some of our viewers might recognize from one of our previous videos.

And finally, the Crystal Quest Countertop Thunder, which is a little bit different from the rest because it connects directly to a kitchen or bathroom faucet.

How We Tested and Rated

For us, the most important aspect of a countertop reverse osmosis system, and any type of water filter really, is to make sure that it’s actually effective at removing harmful contaminants. Because what’s the point of using a water filter if it does nothing or not much to improve the quality of your water, right?

So, one way to go about this is checking each product for official NSF certifications for contaminant reduction. These play a huge factor in our evaluation, but not every product that lacks NSF certifications has to be bad, especially when it comes to reverse osmosis systems.

That’s why we conducted our own lab testing, meaning we took water samples from all 10 filters and sent them to a professional third-party lab for analysis. We also checked for any NSF and other testing that a company may have conducted.

In case you don’t know what that means, NSF standards can help us determine if a water filter is effective at removing certain contaminants by providing standardized testing methods. So, if a water filter holds an official NSF certification, then you can safely rely on whatever that certification warrants.

Aside from NSF certifications, there’s what we call NSF testing. NSF testing means a company claims that they had their filter tested against one or more NSF standards but not directly by the NSF, WQA, or IAPMO, which is why NSF testing and any similar testing needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

We also checked each individual filtration process, so the different filter stages and the filter media and methods used. And of course, we also did a taste and odor test of the filtered water.

Aside from filtered water quality, the next important factor for rating each countertop RO system was usability. Think initial system setup, including filter priming, refilling each system with water, how fast you can dispense the filtered water, how well the display functioned (provided there was one), and so on.

We also performed a pure-to-drain ratio test. We’ll have more on that in a bit.

Then came price tag and long-term cost for replacement filters.

And finally, all other factors such as maintenance needs, product warranty, any additional features and pros like glass versus plastic tank, filter life indicators, real-life TDS monitors, overall looks, and third-party customer reviews.

All of these factors helped us pick four systems that we will recommend for different use cases.

Transparency and Setup

By the end of this video, you’re going to know which countertop RO system we think is the best if contaminant reduction is your number one priority, which model to buy if you’re on a slightly lower budget, and which filter to choose if you want different water temperatures.

That said, you can check out our full analysis of each of our 10 RO systems, including all lab reports in the Google sheet, which I’ll link in the video description. Everything is fully transparent. Just be warned that the sheet contains a lot of data points. The sheet also contains all the product links and plenty of discount codes, which we’ll also add in the description box.

All RO systems and their filter elements were brand new when we took the water samples. All we did was assemble and prime each system following the provided manufacturer instructions precisely.

Once every RO system was set up and ready for testing, we let each system filter one additional gallon of water right before starting the sampling process. This was to prevent TDS creep. We also discarded that water.

Then we filled a single clean bucket with enough of our raw tap water so that we could add a quarter gallon into each RO system and also take the unfiltered water sample. We also wanted to have enough water left in the bucket so that the last one or two RO systems wouldn’t get a higher load of contaminants that might have accumulated in the bottom.

Before filling each RO system with a measuring cup, we also made sure to stir the water, trying to distribute all of the impurities as evenly as possible.

We then added a quarter gallon of untreated tap water into each system, waited for the water to filter through, discarded the first cup of cold water, and finally took the cold water samples directly from each system.

We shipped all sampling kits on the same day.

We did not repeat the lab testing for the AquaTru Classic because we tested this one before on the same water supply. The same goes for the Waterdrop A1, which we had tested on a different water supply.

Disclaimer: Remember that with this kind of lab testing, we can only test for the reduction of contaminants that are actually present in our water supply. For example, one important contaminant that we couldn’t test for was chromium 6. And this approach of before versus after lab testing isn’t an exact science, and you won’t get 100% accurate results for several reasons, like unequal contaminant distribution and interferences.

Taste and Odor Test

To perform the taste and odor tests, I labeled a cup for each system and filled them accordingly. I smelled and tasted each of them, one after the other, and I honestly didn’t find a huge difference between any of the systems. But I will say that compared to my tap water, it was a definite upgrade. They all tasted very clean, and there was no odor to speak of.

Speed Test

Regarding our speed test, it’s important to know that each system works differently, so you’ve got to take this test with a grain of salt.

I dispensed 12 ounces of water from each system, starting the timer from the moment the water started pouring and stopping the timer when the water hit the 12 oz line.

For the systems with carafes, I marked them at the 12 oz line to see how fast they would fill to that line.

Now, some of the systems filter on demand, so naturally they were a lot slower.

• The AquaTru Classic was the fastest (12 oz in 4 seconds).
• The AquaTru Carafe was the slowest.
• The Crystal Quest Countertop Thunder and Bluevua RO100ROP were also pretty slow.
• All the rest were between 30 and 50 seconds.

Pure-to-Drain Ratio Test

I performed a pure-to-drain ratio test by filling each system to the top and testing how much clean water I could get out. We calculated the pure-to-drain ratio based on that.

We felt this might be closer to reality than what the manufacturers claim, but we have to note that this may not take into account when a system performs auto-flushing before or after a filtration cycle.

Due to the nature of the product, testing procedures for the Crystal Quest were a little bit different, but we’re still confident that the results are pretty accurate.

Recommendation #1 – Best Overall: AquaTru Classic

Our lab testing showed 100% reduction of chlorine, disinfection byproducts, copper, barium, boron, zinc, nitrate, and uranium. Strontium was reduced to 96%, so almost a perfect score as well.

For fluoride, we saw a minimum reduction rate of 41% which seems low, but this is owed to the specific testing method used. The AquaTru Classic is NSF certified for fluoride reduction with an average reduction rate of 93.5%.

It holds certifications for NSF standards 42, 53, 58, and 401 for more than 80 different impurities total. Aside from the AquaTru Carafe, none of the other systems can compete with that.

The only minor issue we saw was a tiny amount of aluminum detected in the filtered water (0.05 ppm, well below guidelines).

Setup process and filter replacements are easy and self-explanatory. The system is straightforward to use. You fill the tap water into the feed tank, wait, and dispense filtered water from the front tank. Both tanks are removable.

Our speed test showed that you can dispense 12 ounces of water within 4 seconds, making the AquaTru Classic the fastest system.

Our pure-to-drain ratio test showed that it might produce a little more wastewater than most other systems, but still within reasonable limits.

Warranty: 1-year limited. Includes water shortage reminder and filter change indicator. Filter life is about 600–1200 gallons.

Cons: some users complained about malfunctioning units. Ours didn’t work at first, but we found that drying the front handle fixed the issue.

Costs: reasonable price, bundle deal includes free replacement filters, and it can be combined with a 15% discount code. Annual filter cost is around $100–120.

Recommendation #2 – Best Budget: AquaTru Carafe

With our discount code, you can purchase the AquaTru Carafe for under $300. It’s also great for people who want a smaller footprint, and it collects clean water in a borosilicate glass carafe.

Lab results showed 100% reduction of most contaminants. Strontium was reduced 98%, boron 60%, zinc 50%, and fluoride 67%. Low aluminum was detected (0.04 ppm, well below guidelines).

It holds the same NSF certifications as the Classic with more than 70 contaminants tested.

Setting the system up is easy. You fill the removable feed tank and put the glass carafe in place to start filtration. Dispensing is slower than the Classic, but the carafe is a good everyday size. Pure-to-drain ratio is good with little wastewater.

Filter replacement uses the included tool and is simple. A filter life indicator tells you when it’s time. Filter life is 300–600 gallons, about half of the Classic. Annual replacement cost is ~$150.

Recommendation #3 – Best for Hot Water: New Aqua 4-Stage RO & APEC RO-CTOP Plus

Both units provide hot water up to 200–203°F and come with child safety locks.

Both achieved solid lab results. APEC showed strong removal of boron, aluminum, and zinc. The New Aqua did slightly better for fluoride.

The APEC unit only had a TDS reduction of 88%, which is low considering the RO membrane was new.

Neither holds NSF certifications or NSF testing.

Both have straightforward setup and filter replacement. Both use removable feed tanks of similar size, but the APEC clean water tank is larger at ~0.8 gallons.

Dispensing: about 30 seconds for 12 ounces.

Pure-to-drain ratio: New Aqua wasted 0.8 gallon per 1 gallon filtered. APEC wasted ~0.5 gallon per 1 gallon.

Warranty: 1 year, extendable for APEC. Some customers reported APEC malfunctions and poor New Aqua customer service.

Both have filter change indicators. Filter life: 1000 gallons (APEC), 9–24 months (New Aqua). Annual cost: $50–70.

Price: similar. 5% discount available for New Aqua, none for APEC.

Honorable Mention – Bluevua RO100ROP

This system could compete with the AquaTru Classic in lab testing. The difference is certifications: AquaTru has several, Bluevua is still waiting for its first.

We think it’s solid, but AquaTru is the safer choice for now.

Final Notes

That wraps up our countertop RO system recommendations.

Remember: full analysis and lab reports are in the Google sheet linked in the description, along with product links and discount codes.

Please support our channel by subscribing, liking this video, and sharing your experiences in the comments. Let us know which water filters you’d like us to review next.

Until next time.