Best Reverse Osmosis RO System for Apartment Living In 2023

Between 10 and 12 percent of people in the US reside in apartments. That’s rough 10-12% are likely to believe that they cannot filter their drinking water due to rental terms or the layout of the building.

However, this isn’t the case, as the demand to purchase the best RO system for apartment owners is growing.

In this best Reverse Osmosis water filter guide, I’ve examined 9 filters that are appropriate and perfect for apartments. 

I’ve ranked them according to the most significant elements from an apartment’s owner’s viewpoint, such as the ability to move, user-friendliness, maintenance costs, certifications, and, obviously, the elimination of contaminants.

What is the best reverse osmosis system for home?

It is an example of a membrane technology filtering method that removes all large molecules and ions from the water using pressure applied.

This way, the solvent remains on the pressure-sensitive side of the membrane. In contrast, the pure solvent can flow to the opposite side.

The membrane generally doesn’t allow massive molecules or even ions to pass through the pores. It will enable only those smaller elements of the solution to move.

The best RO System for Apartment

1. iSpring RCC7AK Best Reverse Osmosis Filter Under Sink
2. Waterdrop G3 Tankless Reverse Osmosis System for Home
3. Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Water Filter
4. APEC Alkaline Water Systems ROES-50 Essence Series
5. AquaTru – Countertop Water Filter System
6. Aquagear Water Pitcher
7. Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Countertop Water Filter
8. Brita Tap Faucet Water Filter
9. CO-Z Water Distiller

---

1. iSpring RCC7AK Best Reverse Osmosis System Under Sink

Why It’s a Top Pick

This is one of the best RO water purifier for an apartment available in today’s market.

The iSpring RCC7AK NSF Certified 75 GPD 6-Stage under sink RO system can remove up to 99% of 1,000 harmful contaminants like chlorine, fluoride, and heavy metal like lead, arsenic, and asbestos.

It also has an alkaline layering filtration system that balances your water’s pH level.

Thanks to iSpring’s 6-stage alkaline remineralization layered filtration, your water is now as clean and pure as bottled water.

But don’t just take our word for it; one of the many systems on-site at your local grocery store uses the same filtration process to ensure that every gallon of their source water comes with NSF certification.

Not only is this an effective cleaner, but it’s also convenient since all you have to do is fill it up with water and leave it running while you go about your day.

It’s also an excellent option for those who want to treat hard water because it uses reverse osmosis water filtration to remove minerals and reduce the amount of calcium.

The given table helps to know the hardness level:

Degree of hardness	Calcium carbonate: Milligrams per liter	Calcium carbonate: Grains per gallon
Soft	0 – 60	0 – 3.5
Moderately hard	60 – 120	3.5 – 7
Hard	120-180	7 – 10.5
Very hard	More than 180	More than 10.5

Features

This iSpring is the best reverse osmosis system under sink for apartments and has the following features:

• 3 Pre-filters: PP sediment RO filter. Carbon KDF (GAC) filter. Carbon Block (CTO) filter. These filters eliminate large amounts of pollutants and protect RO membranes from chemical agents like chloramines and chlorine.  
• iSpring RO system can provide perfect tap water treatment by removing the contaminant to 0.0001 microns.
• An alkaline Remineralization filter helps restore healthy minerals and maintains an alkaline balance.
• Granular Active Carbon block filter gives final polishing before the filtered drinking water goes to the faucet.

Who It’s Best For

According to a survey conducted for NSF, a global public health and safety organization, reveal that while most US consumers drink tap water (71 percent) and nearly half (42 percent) do not filter or treat their home’s drinking water.

This product is perfect for apartments or larger households. It offers excellent protection against contaminants and maintains an alkaline balance.

It’s also great for people looking for an all-layered filter system that removes large amounts of pollutants.

It offers great protection while also having a low waste water ratio. However, if budget is an essential factor and you’re looking for a system that removes large amounts of pollutants, then the iSpring might just be what you’re looking for!

---

2. Waterdrop G3 Best Countertop Reverse Osmosis System For Home

Why It’s a Top Pick

We’ve all heard that the tap water you drink can harm your health, and it’s true. Efficient filtration, like the Waterdrop RO system, helps to reduce those unwanted toxins in your drinking water.

The Waterdrop G3 tankless reverse osmosis system allows you to enjoy safe and pure water for years.

It is a state-of-the-art tankless system and can flush away unwanted toxins.

Made with high-quality materials, certified against NSF 58 and NSF 372, and TDS reduction -it is one of the best drinking water filtration system for an apartment on the market today.

This 8-stage filtration process can effectively reduce TDS levels as well as other harmful substances like chromium, pfas, fluoride, arsenic salt, iron, radium nitrate, and calcium.

The brand offers us high-quality products built to last without any flaws or defects in their design or manufacture.

Features

• Reduce TDS levels to between 10 and 50 ppb
• Certified against NSF 58 and NSF 372 standards
• Made with high-quality materials
• 8-stage filtration process
• TDS removal rate up to 91.9%
• Hexavalent chromium reduction rate up to 96.9%

Who It’s Best For

The Waterdrop G3 system is perfect for anyone looking for an effective and reliable drinking water filtration system for apartment that can protect your health.

Its tankless design means it can be placed anywhere in the home, making it an excellent addition for those with large or small kitchens.

Ultimately, I found the Waterdrop RO system to be high quality and efficient countertop water filter system. While it may cost a bit more than some other systems on the market, its high-quality materials and TDS reduction rate make it well worth the investment.

---

3. Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Water Filteration 5 Stage

Why It’s a Top Pick

Whether for regular home use or to supply a family’s business, the reverse osmosis systems will provide the right water quality for your household or business needs.

Don’t drink bottled water or go without showering when you can have fresh, high-quality filtered water from Express Water.

The Express Water 5 Stage RO System is NSF certified and comes with all of the parts you’ll need to install yourself in a short amount of time.

It reduces up to 99.99% of lead, chlorine, fluoride, nitrates, calcium, and more from your water, so you can enjoy healthy and clean water as much as possible.

The reverse osmosis system has an emergency leak detector that shuts off water flow when it detects unwanted moisture and coconut carbon filters for an environmentally friendly option. 

With a few easy steps and by following the installation guide provided with your system, you’ll have your new system installed in no time!

Features

• NSF certified
• Reduces heavy metal like lead up to 99.99%
• Chemical Disinfectants: 99.68%
• Fluoride: 99.83%
• Pharmaceuticals: >99.99%
• Nitrates / Nitrites: 99.26%
• Emergency leak detector
• Coconut carbon filters for an environmentally friendly option
• Comparatively affordable option
• Quick and easy installation

Who It’s Best For

The Express Water 5 Stage System is perfect for anyone looking for a high-quality water filtration system for apartment that’s both affordable and easy to install.

It’s particularly great for households or businesses that don’t have access to clean, fresh tap water.

All in all, the Express RO is an affordable and easy-to-install option that removes various contaminants from your water, making it perfect for households or businesses. While some users have experienced difficulty replacing the filters, overall, this is highly rated best reverse osmosis system under sink and comes with many pros.

---

4. APEC Water Systems ROES-50 Top Tier 5-Stage Certified

Why It’s a Top Pick

The APEC ROES-50 has five stages of filtering to deliver delicious and purified clean water; that’s why it is the best Reverse Osmosis system for your home.

It is the perfect RO to remove Arsenic, lead, bacteria, giardia viruses, arsenic in tap water, fluoride, mercury, and chlorine smell. 

A ROES-50 needs an operating water pressure that is 40 PSI. If the pressure in your home is lower than that threshold, you should be expecting poor results.

The maximum operating water pressure recommended is 85 psi. Anything higher than that is susceptible to causing damage to your system and raising leakage.

The maximum amount of total dissolved solids the system can handle: 2000 ppm. That’s an enormous amount! Rate of recovery: 3 times at maximum effectiveness (pretty normal).

That’s why it is the best RO system for apartment to get rid of brown well water.

Features

• 5-Stage system
• Ultra safe reverse osmosis system
• American Made quality with
• Filters remove up to 99% of contaminants
• Max Total Dissolved Solids – 2000 ppm.
• Feed Water Pressure 40 to 85 psi –
• Noise-free operation

Who It’s Best For

This water filter is perfect for anyone who wants the best possible drinking water quality, safety, and dependability.

Whether in a city or rural area, this system can provide pure, safe soft water for your entire family.

Overall, this high-quality water filter system offers excellent value for your money. It’s affordable, easy to use, and reliable, and it will provide you with safe, pure drinking water for years to come.

---

5. AquaTru 4-stage Best Countertop Reverse Osmosis (RO) System For Apartment

Why It’s a Top Pick

Filtration is the key to a healthy lifestyle, and choosing AquaTru is like having your own personal doctor treating you.

With a 4-stage process that removes 82+ contaminants, including lead, chromium, copper, radium, and chlorine, our system ensures that your family gets filtered water at all times.

Plus, twist-and-seal filters last up to 2 years, so you don’t have to replace them often! The AQUA TRU system covers you, whether for drinking or cooking.

It’s also great for those with hard water because it uses reverse osmosis water filtration to remove minerals and reduce the amount of calcium.

Features

• Removes 82+ contaminants from tap water
• Includes an exclusive 4-stage ultra-RO process
• Seal filters and twists last up to two years
• These RO water purifiers can treat hard water
• Removes Lead contaminant 99.1%, Chromium 97.2%, Copper 95.2%, Fluoride 93.5%, Radium 96.4%, and Chlorine 96.6% (to name a few). 
• No plumbing or installation is required.
• NSF/ANSI standards certified

Who It’s Best For

AquaTru is perfect for anyone looking to improve their water quality and have better control over what goes into it.

Whether you’re a busy family with kids constantly asking for soft water or want to be sure to get the purest drink, this reverse osmosis system has you covered.

Overall, the AquaTru RO filter is one of the best on the market as a countertop water filter. It has a 4-stage process that removes many pollutants and is even compatible with hard water.

---

Other Ideal Filter Types for Use in Apartments

6. Aquagear Filter Pitcher

This purifier pitcher supplies you with gallons of pure drinking water and has an all-year warranty. If your pitcher breaks, you will get an alternative one at no cost.

The Aquagear needs a replacement filter after providing all 150 gallons of purified water.

---

7. Big Berkey Gravity-Feed Countertop water filter

These qualities make it reliable, like a reverse osmosis system with an affordable range.

The system can do effective water treatment without taking away the beneficial minerals in the water, like magnesium and calcium.

As a countertop water filter that does not require installation or connection to the waterline, it is set up on the counter, unpack and set the filters into place, and then add water.

---

8. Brita Faucet Water Filter System

When it’s time to replace the faucet filter, the indicator light will turn orange. It is a simple “1-click” filters change process. 

There is an extra fee for Brita brand replacement filter cartridges, however.

---

9. CO-Z Water Distiller

When the chamber is full, it will be able to work when you turn it on so that you can concentrate on the essential things while waiting.

This CO-Z distiller features a very efficient heating element that rapidly allows water distillation.

Producing more than half one gallon of pure water every hour can distill around 6 gallons of distilled clean water every day. Although, it seems to have low performance against the reverse osmosis system.

The primary contaminants that the CO-Z removes are VOCs, bacteria, and dissolved solids. It helps make bottled water cleaner, healthier, and suitable for your pets.

The glass container that holds the water is significant in the opening, which makes cleaning it a breeze.

---

The following steps of the water filtration system

• An additional carbon filter removes chemical compounds that aren’t removed from the membrane.
• It comes with a sediment filter to catch particles, such as calcium carbonate and rust.
• An activated carbon filter can keep out chlorine and organic chemicals. This system will eventually attack and weaken the TFC RO membranes and affects your water supply.
• The optional ultraviolet lamp can sterilize any microbes which may escape filtering by a reverse osmosis water membrane within the device.

The benefits of the Reverse Osmosis Filter System

• This machine purifies water using methods that are widely famous for water purification.
• An apartment community could possess a separate alkaline water storage tank that is not used that apartment residents can later utilize through their pipeline.
• RO provides higher quality filtered water and removes all chemical and biological contaminants. 
• It also enhances the taste, odor, and aesthetics of the water. It also requires a small power source.
• A Reverse Osmosis filtration system is one of the highest rates of rejection of contaminants in any water purification system.
• They are eco-friendly and do not use chemicals or products that harm the environment.
• Because the big water softener of an apartment has multiple pipelines, most people living in the flats might be worried about the moss accumulation in the pipes. In these instances, residents can put a convenient RO in their kitchen.
• It is the best RO system for apartment that easily connects to a water supply line.

The drawbacks of Reverse Osmosis systems

• It involves a massive quantity of water within an apartment complex. Eventually, it leads to the loss of an enormous amount of water. It could be up to 80 percent, with just 20 percent of the water intake recovered.
• If society eliminates the wastewater, it could pose a danger to the septic systems of the building due to the excessive volume of water.
• There will be several pipes connecting to each home; there is a chance of contamination by small leaks.
• Although reverse osmosis systems are the most efficient, one of their significant disadvantages is that they require electricity for operation, making them inaccessible in areas with power issues.
• If the water flow entering the system is not high-pressure, your RO system in the apartment will not function efficiently.
• It eliminates the healthy minerals naturally found in nature that are present in water. Drinking water deficient in minerals may be unsafe and less likely to be a good drink.

What is enough space in your apartment to use the RO system?

The standard osmosis water filtration system is comprised of separate components joined via 3.5 inches of tubing to allow for various mounting options, and specific dimensions are as follows:

• Storage tank 3.2 gallons 15″ high x 11″ diameter (OPTIONAL 1.2 gallon – 13″ high x 8″ diameter)

The tank can be placed on its side or moved to a cabinet within 10 feet of the filters using the additional 3/8″ tubing kit.

What makes it helpful to use the RO system?

The removal of TDS (total dissolved solids):

A RO plant within an apartment eliminates the TDS from well water between 90 and 95 percent. 

You need to treat hard water; avoid directly feeding into an RO system; it is essential to ensure that the TDs are eliminated. 

Apartment members can contribute to setting up the central water softener that will give purified water.

Get rid of hard water:

The hard water in the apartment complex corrodes the pressure cookers, geysers, vessels that contain water pipes, and others. 

This also causes poor washing quality in appliances and increases detergent use.

It also stops soap from lathering after taking bathing or washing utensils. 

Hard or non-purified water can also lead to bad cooking, ruin many dishes’ flavor, and satisfy the thirst. 

In these instances, alkaline water softeners play a significant function. You can use them as part of a more extensive centrally-installed system that connects small RO systems to offer soft filtered water in apartments.

Is Reverse Osmosis System or UV filter better?

In terms of removing contaminants, both are equally effective. However, both systems come with advantages and disadvantages.

For example, the RO membrane is very efficient at removing dissolved solids, but it has some drawbacks.

• First, it requires a lot of energy to operate.
• Second, it’s expensive to install.
• Third, it doesn’t remove bacteria or viruses.
• Fourth, it can cause scaling problems when used with hard water.
• Fifth, it can leave behind residue that can affect the taste.
• Sixth, it can damage pipes and plumbing fixtures.
• Seventh, it can require frequent maintenance.
• Eighth, it can clog easily.
• Ninth, it can be noisy.
• Tenth, it can create a mess.

On the other hand

• The UV lamp is much less expensive than the RO membrane.
• It’s easier to maintain and repair.
• It won’t clog.
• UV won’t damage pipes or plumbing fixtures.
• It won’t produce a mess.
• If you do not use this, you could get sick from drinking contaminated water.
• And it won’t generate noise.

So, if you’re looking for a simple way to improve the quality of your drinking water, then the RO membrane might be the best choice.

But the UV lamp might be the best option if you’re looking for the most cost-effective way to provide safe drinking water.

Do I have to drill holes to install the best reverse osmosis system?

Installing a Drain Line

It is also possible to find the drainpipe within “the “P-trap” and the sink that is easy to remove. 

Then, take that pipe to your preferred hardware store and buy the same piece. 

Utilize the new pipe to drill the hole to create the drain line saddle and then restore the original piece of drainpipe before taking it out.

Installing RO system in apartment faucet

If your kitchen sink is covered with three (or more) holes and the kitchen faucet has one hole, you can remove its base plate and reveal two additional holes.

You can use one hole to install reverse osmosis systems in the kitchen and purchase an additional soap dispenser or cover plate to fit the second hole.

Replace the kitchen faucet you have now with RO water filter system Faucet or Combination Tap.

Suppose your refrigerator has water dispensers connected to your refrigerator rather than an RO Faucet.

However, you’ll need to flush the system at regular intervals and require a method to flush the water from the system into the sink or bucket. 

It isn’t a good idea to let that water get into your refrigerator since it’s difficult to flush your refrigerator and the ice maker. 

Buy your refrigerator connection Kit, and then use your “Inline Ball Valve 3/8” as your termination and flushing point under the sink.

The installation cost of the RO system in Apartment

A unit price of the best osmosis water filtration system for an apartment is priced between $200 and $400.

For 1000 liters/per hour, RO industrial unit costs around $3500 for the PVC pipe. The cost for the same size unit using stainless steel could be as high as $4500.

These massive systems are typically built in communities with around 75-100 flats.

Independent testing of water quality in the region is conducted before installing the RO water purifier for apartment.

FAQ: Best RO System for Apartment

Conclusion

As the demand for high-quality RO filters has grown, so has the quality and affordability of these systems.

You can now easily find a cost-effective, easy-to-install, and maintain system that will also provide outstanding results.

Through this guide, you can get we have highlighted some of the best RO systems for apartments. These top-notch systems are suitable for your next remodel project!