APEC RO-90 Review
APEC RO-90 is a 5-stage reverse osmosis system that produces clean drinking water. The system has been in the market for quite some time and is quite reputable due to its impressive specs and results. This is similar to the ROES-50 but has a capacity of 90 gallons per day instead of 50 gallons per day like the ROES-50.
Clean water is important to many people. Reverse osmosis is one of the best methods for removing contaminants from water. A list of contaminants can be found on our Types of Water Contamination page.
The APEC RO-90 has impressive user reviews on AMAZON and other consumer review sites. Below is a list of APEC RO-90 features, pros and cons and our thoughts on whether it is worth the money. Other RO filters are compared on our Best Reverse Osmosis Filter Systems page.
Criteria
As mentioned above, APEC RO-90 is a reverse osmosis water filter system. It is a five-stage reverse osmosis system that eliminates 99% of contaminants such as arsenic, chlorine, fluoride, lead, copper, and selenium. Removing such contaminants eliminates risks of health related complications, improves taste and removes odor.
A good RO system should :
- Filter almost all contaminants
- Have at least 2 carbon filters before the RO filter
- Feature high quality filters
- Have a reasonable GPD (Gallons Per Day).
The APEC RO-90 satisfies all these standards. The system is easy to install and the company provides support throughout the lifetime of the product.
Product Overview
APEC RO-90 produces bottled-water-quality water from your tap and in the largest quantities of any of the APEC RO Filters. The contaminant-free water can be used for drinking, cooking, making tea, coffee or ice cubes. The system has a very high rejection rate, making it highly efficient in the elimination of organic and inorganic contaminants.
Contaminants (Removes 97% or more)
- Arsenic
- Borium
- Cadmium
- Chromium (Hex)
- Chromium (Tri)
- Copper
- Fluoride
- Lead
- Selenium
- Radium 226/228 (80%)
5 Stage Filter System
The system has five filters. The first filter is the sediment filter that removes silt, dust, rust and other large particles. It is essential for the prolonged life of the other filters. The next two filters are carbon block filters that remove chlorine, bad taste, and unpleasant odor. These filters also remove other chemicals including VOCs. The fourth filter is a high-quality reverse osmosis filter responsible for the removal of 99% of contaminants. The final filter is a Coconut Shell Refining Carbon filter that polishes the water by removing odor and improving taste. You may need to change the water filters after 1,000 gallons of water pass through the system.
Capacity
APEC RO-90 has a capacity of 90 gallons per day. Its tank, which measures 11 × 11 × 15 inches, can hold 4 gallons at a time. The tank fills in about 2-3 hours, according to the manual. Any time the tank fills up the system ceases running. The water filtration system runs on water pressure alone, no power supply or fuel is needed.
Requirements
APEC RO-90 can handle water with a pH value between 2 and 11 and temperature between 40 and 100° Fahrenheit. For efficient filtration of water, the feed water should have pressure above 40psi. The system’s dimensions are 16 × 5.25 × 17.5 inches (w × d × h). The dimensions allow installation under the sink. The fittings are high quality, with no extra clipping needed. The fittings are leak free, eliminating any need for leak detectors.
Pros
Advantages of the APEC RO-90 include;
- Removes 99% of over 40 contaminants.
- Cheap, when you consider the lifetime of the filter.
- Long lasting filters. Even with heavy use they will last 6 months or longer before they need to be replaced.
- Easy to install for someone with basic handyman knowledge. The system comes with a step-by-step user manual
- Small size for installation under the sink or inside a kitchen cabinet
- Comes with a lead-free, high-pressure faucet
- The system is certified by the NSF and FDA
- One year warranty
- Customer support throughout the lifetime of the system. Support through live chat, email or telephone.
- 100% built in the USA
Cons
Even an excellent product has a few drawbacks; These drawbacks are common for all RO filter systems.
- The system has a rejection rate of 3:1. Every gallon of clean water results in 3 gallons of waste water. You can direct the waste water to a garden or reuse it in some other ways such as cleaning the house.
- The system is not selective in the minerals it filters out. Some important minerals in water such as calcium are lost.
- There is no alert or any other way for knowing when the filters require changing. However, you can install a TDS (total dissolved solids) meter, which indicates the rejection rate. If the rejection rate falls, change the filters.
- The system only comes with one option for the faucet, which requires mounting on the sink. This could be a problem for people who do not want to drill their sinks to accommodate the chrome faucet.
