Counter Top Reverse Osmosis - Advice Needed

[canadianguy1]

I bought a counter top RO unit ($100 on ebay), and as I'm reading the manual before setting it up, it's saying the source water must have a TDS of less than 250 or else I'll need extra filters and post filters to protect the membrane.

The TDS of my water (well water) is over 400, so I'm wondering how long it would last if I used it without installing any more filters. I use about 3-4 gallons/week. Do you think I would get at least a year out of it?

After reading some comments about cheap RO systems, I'm also now debating whether to just simply send it back for a refund. Would I be better off with one of those gravity pitchers like zero water or Brita if I'm looking to spend $100 for a water filter system?

 

[ditttohead]

Countertop units basically suck, we sell lot's of them and their is simply no good way to make one work universally. Too many items to list here but are you renting? Is that why you are looking for a countertop? here are other solutions that work fairly well and are reasonably priced for renters.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[canadianguy1]

yes I'm renting, and would like something simple

 

[ditttohead]

A simple under the counter filter that feeds all the cold water to your kitchen faucet is a sound design. The key is a good filter cartridge designed for this specific application. A 1 micron sediment filter followed by a high flowing, high capacity carbon block is a good start. The problem has been the carbon has difficulty reducing certain contaminants at high flow rates (1 GPM).