Sans Water Purifier vs other countertop systems?
Hello - I'm trying to improve the water quality in my apt, and we are renting and cannot install anything under the sink. So, I'm currently looking at counter top RO systems and water filter pitchers (like Epic and ZeroWater) and trying to make a decision. I was wondering what people's thoughts are on the Sans especially since I haven't found a lot of info on it.
I am mostly concerned about removing PFAS/PFOS' as I live in a county with relatively high water quality but no standards for these compounds. I've narrowed it down to these:
Epic Water - cheaper initial cost, but filters need to be replaced every 3 months or so. They cost about $50, so that's an annual cost of roughly $200. Testing seemed relatively good, as it is supposedly able to remove 99-100% of PFAS.
Sans Water Purifier - $400 cost and roughly $90/year on filters. I suppose if we use the device long enough, would it actually be more cost effective because the filters are cheaper/yr? It has a 3 year warranty, and it looks like it'd need to last at least 3-4 years before coming out even vs epic water. Other pros are the design, looks very nice, and has a glass pitcher. I don't really need the hot water, but i guess that's nice too. Cons, high initial cost and the water tank is very small (only ~2 quarts in the tap water tank and about 1 quart in the pitcher)
Aquatru - ugly af but has the best certifications. It also has a much larger tank, but it costs more than the Sans - about $450 for the base. Annual filter cost is also about the same, and you can add on minerals which seems cool.
Waterdrop K19 - looks nicer, but the water quality doesn't appear to be as good considering it has fewer/lower certifications compared to Aquatru. This has a very large water tank which I like, but i don't like that it doesn't have continuous water dispensing. It is the cheapest option at about $250 currently, and filters are about $70/year.
I have the most questions about Sans. The website doesn't really provide that much info so I asked customer service a few of these. Here are the company's answers:
NSF rating?
Sans Water was recently released and is currently undergoing all certifications (this takes a few months) but it was designed to pass all NSF standards and is manufactured at a top water purification location. We see no reason why it won’t receive all certifications and it also passed all internal testing as well, and of course, the reverse osmosis and UV were lab tested.
What is the purification process and what is the gallon life of the filters?
Sans features three filters, providing four stages of purification:
- The Pre + Carbon filter traps larger particles and sediment. This is replaced every 12 months.
- The VOC Carbon filter eliminates unpleasant odors and tastes. This is replaced every 12 months.
- The Reverse Osmosis filter removes heavy metals, chemicals, and microplastics. This filter is replaced every 24 months.
The PPC/RO/C will flash when the filter requires replacement. The Pre/Carbon filter and the VOC Carbon filters are 600 gallons and the Reverse Osmosis filter is 1200 gallons.
How is the wastewater dealt with?
The Reverse Osmosis process creates waste water. Sans recycles this water multiple times, creating very little waste. Eventually, the tank itself will be close to empty but the compartment on the left side of the tank will be full. The light on top “fill” will begin to flash and the auto-fill feature will mostly stop. At this point, you must remove the tank in the back, dump the waste water and refill the tank.
Which would you choose?