APEC WATERSystems Ultimate RO-Hi Top Tier Supreme Certified High Output Fast Flow Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System

I received this reverse osmosis system about three months ago and it was a pretty simple install. I was able to complete it in over one day and over the next few days I was able to tweak the system just how I liked it. During this time I was able to run the system to the countertop faucet that's included as well as routing to the fridge as a separate line. The quality of water from what I went from is pretty amazing. I went from around 150 parts per million to a consistent one to seven parts per million even after sitting for a few days. I would buy this product again in a heartbeat.

Overall, I am very pleased with this system. After flushing 3 times, it reduced the reading on our TDS meter from 58 PPM to 1 PPM. I also noticed an improvement in taste compared to the refrigerator filter. It seems that there may be a very subtle difference in water texture...perhaps a little more slippery, but I haven't identified the exact difference.The engineers for Hydroviv actually recommended APEC as a preferred system, even though they are considered competitors.Customer service was excellent and timely.The speed of the flow was worth the extra cost to us. The flow rate is definitely faster than the refrigerator. It will make using filtered water for cooking a breeze. I have used reverse osmosis systems that seem to take forever to fill a cup of water. That is not the case at all with this system.Installation was not easy, but it is manageable if you have someone in the household with maintenance experience. The manual was OK, but could use some improvement (with concise wording in some sections, more detail in other sections, and improved grammar and wording for clarity). The color picture that showed an overview of the entire setup was very helpful. A hole needs to be drilled in a pipe under the sink for drainage in an ideal spot to prevent noise. Also, there would need to be a hole in the counter top or sink for the faucet. We had an existing hole with a diameter of 1.5 inches, which just barely worked for the faucet. Anything larger would not have worked without some sort of creative adapter and a larger washer to reduce the hole diameter. We also made the mistake of not tightening the filters enough (the manual said not to overtighten). This made a mess on the first trial. I cannot comment on ease of filter change yet since we are not due for one. Under a cabinet, it definitely seems like a tray would be needed to collect spilled water if it is mounted. Otherwise, in our case, there is enough give in the tubing to pull the system out for a filter change.The cost of filter changes at this time would be $40.95 to $52 annually for stages 1, 2, and 3. Water with high sediment may need to be changed more frequently. I was told that noticing the water flow slow down and seeing buildup in the filter would indicate a need for a filter change to prevent damage to the RO membrane. These are sediment and carbon block filters.Stage 4 replacement is $78.95 to $98.95 every 3 to 5 years. I was told that using a TDS meter to see if the water quality has changed would indicate a need for this filter change. This is the actual RO membrane that makes the system work by filtering larger particles than the tiny holes in the membrane. Stage 5 replacement is $20.95 to $26.99 every 3 to 5 years. This filter improves taste and reduces chlorine. Well water would need more frequent changes (2 to 4 years?) if the sediments are higher.Overall, I am extremely happy with this system so far. I hope this is helpful.

After years of using a filtering water pitcher, I decided to install an RO system. My only reason for doing so was to have the convenience of basically unlimited filtered water without having to fill a pitcher several times a day. I really thought the quality of the pitcher-filtered water was good. Was I ever wrong! I didn't know what I was missing. The APEC RO-HI system produces the cleanest, best-tasting water I've ever had, hands-down.I decided on the top-of-the-line RO-HI model because it had excellent reviews and wasn't that much more expensive than the more basic models. The RO-HI consists of five filter units: 1) a sediment pre-filter, 2&3): carbon pre-filters, 4) the RO unit, and 5) a post-filter. There is also a pre-pressurized storage tank, which is nominally 5 gallons but its actual capacity will depend on your incoming water pressure.The instructions are extremely well-written and easy to follow. If you aren't at least moderately handy, though, consider hiring a plumber: this is a fairly complex system with a lot to consider when installing it. For example, the manufacturer suggests installing the unit under the kitchen sink, but if you do that, you won't have much (if any!) space left for storage. I installed my unit in the basement directly below the sink, and it works great.Maintenance is minimal: the instructions suggest changing the first three filter cartridges (sediment & carbon) every 6 months to 1 year and changing the other cartridges (RO filter and post-filter) and O-rings only every three years.There are a few things that could be improved, but in total they aren't even worth taking one star away:-- The amount of LLDPE plastic tubing provided with the unit was inadequate since the unit was mounted in the basement rather than under the kitchen sink. I was easily able to find LDPE tubing (the same tubing used for ice makers) in my local building supply store as well as the necessary John Guest press-in connectors.-- When I ordered this unit from the manufacturer, the only spigot option offered was chrome. Separately, I purchased a brushed copper spigot to match the rest of my kitchen hardware.-- I wish the filter system was contained in a case of some kind. The first three filters are held together by a metal plate that can be affixed to a wall, but that's it. The last two filters are simply attached to the top of the unit by heavy plastic clips. This is a fairly complex system with water lines running everywhere, and it seems like it would be easy enough to snag one of those lines and damage the unit. You might want to consider installing the system in a closet or even building a small cabinet around it.Overall, I am VERY happy with this system, the price, and especially that for the first time in 54 years I have virtually unlimited pure drinking water at the turn of a tap!