The Best Countertop & Portable Reverse Osmosis System Reviews

AquaTru is hands down one of the most popular countertop reverse osmosis water filters on the market. The model has gained its rightful vogue owing to multiple unprecedented features that it sports at a commendably affordable price point. Below we break down why we think this is the best portable reverse osmosis system that you can find.

Starting from its appearance, the model is pleasing to look at and sits pretty with a small footprint of 14” x 12” on both; granite and laminate countertops. Apart from looks, the feed tank RO model is diligent at removing suspended and dissolved impurities with precision complying to NSF standards.

The 4-stage filtration system is highly efficient at filtering out some the most dreaded contaminants namely Lead and Fluoride beside arsenic, hexavalent chromium, chlorine, nitrates and some VOCs. In a nutshell, that’s an exemplary display of reverse osmosis in action.

With a contemporary design, modern appearance and flawless functionality, the Alcapure range of portable RO water filters are close rivals of our top pick. The Alcapure edition is essentially another set of independent countertop reverse osmosis systems that come in two finishes namely Silver White and Space Black.

True to its name, the AlcaPure zero installation edition is ready to use right out of the box. Place it on your countertop, plug in the AC adapter and you’re good to go! As evident, this unit, too, is equipped with a feed tank and clean water tank implying that you need to manually fill it with tap water.

To start using the RO system, you need to fill the bottom tank container with tap water and hit the start button. Water pressure is created using a built-in booster pump and the tap water is forced through all the 4-stages of filtration. Purified water subsequently fills up in the top 0.5-gallon container, ready to be consumed, treated to the absolute state of purity. The 4-stage RO filtration system removes all potential pollutants from your tap water. These include industrial and agricultural chemical, microbial pathogens and other inorganic compounds.

Defining portability, APEC’s RO-CTOP is in true sense the best portable reverse osmosis water filter – deal to be attached to standard faucets in a small kitchen, a condominium or a motorhome. Note that this unit would not fit unconventional faucet types including pull-down and sprinkler faucets. If you’ve got one of those standard kitchen faucets, setting it up merely takes minutes.

Coming to the filtration mechanism, the unit does it in 4 stages. Stage-1 and 2 represent a regular sediment filter and an activated carbon filter respectively. Tap water, having passed through both these stages is free from heavy suspended impurities and certain chemicals. Following these, the RO membrane eliminates 99% of the potentially harmful contaminants that make it to your tap water. Subsequently, the water goes through a coconut shell activated carbon cartridge to be get corrected for foul odor and taste.

As there’s no feed tank or clean water tank, purified water is produced on demand with a purification capacity of 90 gallons per day. The GPD rating is evidently sufficient for a family of 6 adults or less.  

With an extra deionizing stage of filtration, this 5-stage portable RO system maybe more effective for people living in regions with a higher tap water TDS count. To start, the unit fits almost all standard kitchen faucets with ease. If not, the seller provides for a free connector if you contact and communicate your requirements to them.

There are a couple of reasons as to why this RO system could be a better match for you. First, it’s fairly cheap as compared to our other picks. Secondly, the extra stage of filtration helps you achieve a really low TDS ranging between 0-2 ppm. Next, despite a rather rigorous filtration mechanism, with this one, you get a decent ‘gallons per day’ rating. To be specific, the unit allows for 75 gallons of purified water per day.

For a family for more than 5 adults, it might become challenging for the RO filter to serve on demand. Hence, you may fill a large pitcher beforehand to keep the filtration system unoccupied at peak hours.

Finally, filters last for 8-12 months depending on usage and quality of water being treated. In any case, filtration systems and RO membrane; both are readily available on Amazon and can be conveniently replaced without much hassle and professional help.

This is presented for peeps that are a bit too tight on their budget and are looking for something that’s minimalistic but still does the job. If I described your needs correctly, may you resonate with the recommendation as well! The PuroSmart High Flow is arguably the best countertop reverse osmosis water filter for frugal renters and/students.

To start off, this one is hands down one of the most compact RO systems that we’ve encountered whole surfing through model to put together this list. We only included it because despite the small size of this unit, it doesn’t skimp on the most essential feature that we’re all here for. Effective RO filtration!

The 2-stage miniature RO model fits most kitchen faucets. You simply need to replace the aerator of your faucet with the diverter included in your package. Mount the filter on the plastic stand and complete the pipe connections. That’s it, you’re ready to go! This tiny RO water filter takes portability up a notch and might suit you best if you’re always on the move.

The initial stage out of the two stage filtration system is a carbon block pre-filter that removes suspended particles and some inorganic impurities like chlorine and chloramine. The subsequent RO membrane accounts for TDS reduction and elimination of most prominent pollutants found in tap water. However, we wouldn’t recommend you to rely on this unit for a sustained supply of clean and purified water if you’ve a household of more than 2 people.

Before anything, you or your guests would notice the design and external appearance of this new addition in your kitchen. Given that this piece of technology is meant to sit on your countertop and be very visible, it becomes all the more important for you to choose a countertop RO system that looks good besides working meticulously. Remember, too many pipes would make your countertop look dirty and old fashioned.

Countertop reverse osmosis systems can be found in two basic configurations: one with feed water tanks and others that connect directly to your faucet and deliver purified water on demand. The former variants may take a teeny bit of your counter space but in turn give you the liberty of choosing a luxury kitchen faucet independent of other considerations.

Adequate water pressure in your kitchen faucet is one of the primary requisites for installing a tankless RO system on your countertop. Some models as discussed earlier work solely based on water pressure. So, if your household or locality struggles with maintaining a decent water pressure, you may be looking at a reduced flow rate and in turn a poor recovery rate.

tandard portable reverse osmosis filters produce a significant amount of waste water per gallon of purified water. The ratio of filtered water to overall feed water is expressed as recovery rate of that RO system and is majorly governed by the system’s filter mechanism and is further affected by factors like water pressure and seasonal variation in hardness of water.

The NSF or National Sanitation Foundation certification is an elite standard for food safety and sanitation that ensures all products conforming to it leave no scope of improvement in safety and sanitation assurance. To ensure that you land on the best countertop reverse osmosis water filter, check if the purification claims of the manufacturer comply with that of corresponding NSF standards for different class of contaminants.