Costco RODI - Great Deal?

[ashtonmitchell]

Any Input?

So I was doing some poking around my local costco and saw this Watts Brand RODI system for 140 bucks... It's a 5 stage system that produces pharmaceutical grade water, here's a review I read..

Model Number: WP4-V
"I have another RO unit that cost $499.99 in our kitchen. This one serves the garage, game room, patio including chilled water & ice. We actually had our water tested for lead at faucets with tap water & for free they tested the RO water. Both RO systems produce "reagent/pharmaceutical grade" water. I have been told the Costco price is way below wholesale for the exact same Watts Brand unit from plumbing supply houses!"


Here's the product description:

Reverse osmosis, also known as hyperfiltration, is a process that reduces the particles down to the molecular level. The same process used by major bottled water companies, reverse osmosis reduces the salts and other impurities, giving you high quality great tasting water. This five-stage system provides an affordable alternative to bottled water, conveniently located right in our home.

Manifold five-stage, reverse osmosis, water filtration system
Innovative one-piece design
Reduces: Arsenic, cysts (cryptosporidium, giardia, entamoeba and/or toxoplasm), barium, hexavalent chromium, trivalent chromium, copper, lead, fluoride, cadmium, radium 226/228, selenium, TDS and turbidity
Includes a high capacity 3-gallon storage tank
Built with a high production thin film membrane
Provides bottled water quality
Can be easily connected to an ice maker
Easy to install and maintain
Numerous uses: Drinking water, coffee, tea, juice, ice makers, food preparation and more
Tank Dimensions: 11" D x 16" H :
Filter Dimensions: 16.5" L X 16.75" W X 4.6" H
Three-year limited warranty

 

[Rebel]

Sounds like a winner, but I am a gullible consumer like everyone else. I know that identical products are often marketed differently, and this could be the exact product we pay much more for--but there's always that doubt, too. Will it work? I bet so. But I would be skeptical about "produces bottled water quality," however. I think I get better water out of my tap than some bottled waters. And it also uses the typical marketing weasel-words like "reduces." It doesn't say reduces to zero, or eliminates. But few are willing to make those absolute claims, even in aquarium systems.

 

[rmougey]

It's fairly easy to check the output using a TDS meter (is there one built in?). I've always found that many Costco items are of high quality and at prices that are at or near wholesale. They are hard to beat. Add to that their lifetime, no questions asked return policy..... you can buy it, try it and see how you like it. If it doesn't make the cut, take it back. They even refund shipping costs if you buy it on-line.

The thing to look at with any RO-DI system is the number of gallons per day (GPD) that it can produce. Make sure that you are buying a unit that is large enough. Also remember that RO-DI units require regular maintenance. Are the replacement cartridges available through Costco as well, or will you need to go elsewhere?

There are many RO filters on the market and they all basically do the same thing.....

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

That is an RO system, rather than an RODI system. Most in this hobby opt for an RODI system.

Also - because this system is intended to produce drinking water, it likely has a very low capacity membrane - something on the order of 12 gpd or something similar.

Also - the system comes with a proprietary membrane - you can't just go buy a standard replacement (think $ here).

Russ

 

[dv3]

That is an RO system, rather than an RODI system. Most in this hobby opt for an RODI system.

Also - because this system is intended to produce drinking water, it likely has a very low capacity membrane - something on the order of 12 gpd or something similar.

Also - the system comes with a proprietary membrane - you can't just go buy a standard replacement (think $ here).

Russ

BTW ...these guys (BFS) are the ones you want to buy RO/DI filters from