ZeroWater 10-Cup Round 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher Dispenser with 5-Stage 0 TDS Zero Water Filter – IAPMO Certified to Reduce Metals, Chlorine, Lead, Chromium, and Forever Chemicals PFOA/PFOS

I will start off by saying that I have an M.S. degree in Environmental Science. This has absolutely no bearing on this review, except that I completely understand the processes going on with the zero water filter and the concept of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).I did not purchase the zero water for any altruistic purpose. I did it to save money. I used to by bottled spring water because I grew up in a rural area and never acquired a taste for city water. I hate the taste of chlorinated water. I was looking for an alternative to expensive, and yes wasteful, bottled water that would taste good enough to drink.I did a lot of research before deciding to buy this, and I am glad that I did. The result is that I love the choice I made. I am going to discuss my experience with this product and also respond to some of the other reviews that I read here.So here we go:1. The product is solidly made. I have owned this for five months and have had no problems with leakage from the filter (I am on number two) where it connects to the water reservoir or any other mechanical problems.2. When I first set the product up, I did neglect to watch the O-ring around the filter when I tightened it. I saw a few drops of water leak out around the seal, realized what had happened, and screwed the filter on making sure the O-ring was secure and tight. This was complete user error and had nothing at all to do with the product. I mention it so that if you are just starting out, you do not make the same mistake.3. It does take awhile for the water to filter through. When I first got this and after replacing the filter, I would say it took about twenty to thirty minutes to filter enough water to fill the container. After filling it the first time, I have just gotten into the habit of pouring water in when I take water out. It is easy and gives me a constant supply of water.4. The life of the filter is highly dependent on the water quality from your tap and how much water you use. I was worried that I would end up spending more on filters than bottle water costs; it did not end up being a problem in my area. The TDS for my tap runs somewhere between about 98 and 140 ppm (parts per million) with an average of around 111 ppm. I have learned this from testing the TDS over time. To test the life of my first filter, I decided never to add water to the reservoir unless it was below 120 ppm. The only time my water gets above this is when their is a big rain storm, so I just worked around the weather. Using this as my guideline, my first filter lasted 71 days. I am on number two, now. Also, I use somewhere between two-thirds to all of the water capacity daily. Way more economical than bottled water!Note: Before purchasing this, I went to the zero water website. They have a section where you can enter your zip code, and it tells you what the average TDS is for your area. For my area, their information was accurate. I would suggest doing this when deciding if this is right for you, especially if the cost of filters is an issue.5. The taste of the water is good. Now, I will say that for the first four or five days the water has a funk to it. I thought it tasted vaguely like when you use purification tablets in water. I was not impressed, but I thought it was better than city water. What I noticed was that after a few days the water tasted better. This happened again when I replaced the filter. I am guessing that when you first use the filter there is some aromatic residue from the filter itself, but it goes away basically after you get through the initial water that you put in. I have super sensitive taste - my boyfriend did not notice the funk at all. He really likes this water, and once the funk goes away, I really like it, too. No chlorine taste! Yay!6. I have read some concerns in the reviews about the pH of the water that you get. I have not tested the pH of the water after it has been treated with the zero water system. However, If the pH is 4 or 5, I am not very concerned about it. The natural acidity of your stomach is around 4 to 5, and drops to somewhere between 1 and 2 when you eat. I have had no problems with an acid stomach, etc. from this product. In fact, the lower acidity may reduce the amount of acid your body has to produce to counteract what you have consumed. I am not sure, but I have not noticed any changes in my physiology in response to drinking this water.Overall, I am extremely pleased with my zero water purifier. It is economical, produces tasty water, and is very convenient. It is slender enough that we keep ours in the refrigerator, so we not only have good water, but we can keep it cool, as well. In five months, mine has more than paid for itself in savings from buying bottled water.Hope this effort helps if you are making the decision as to whether or not this investment is right for you.

I decided to measure my pH, TDS, EC, Salinity, and Temperature of my tap water (straight from the sink). I also decided to measure this by the water filtration method we are using (Zero Water - pitcher)I did a couple of scenarios as in my baseline tap water cup. The second one was a current cup filled from a previous filter change. This means it had multiple refills of the water and our current pitcher being used. So probably like 3-7 pitchers already drank.The other test was from a new separate zero water pitcher that has had only one single drain using all 64ozs. I've labeled it as SINK, PITCHER A & PITCHER B each of the pitchers filters had just been changed and I wanted to have a separate comparison for each. I do want to see this tested again after the filter is ready to be renewed (as Zero water suggests it at 006ppm)I really am surprised that the basic tester Zero water gives you is actually good enough just to show you how much bad or good it is working. I did notice that the tested I used which had the ability to test multiple ways was by far a better method and way more reliable andrs accurate in my opinion. Below is the list of tests I have found for my own personal experience and test. I suggest you check it out yourself. Especially when you talk about the difference between the SINK water and the water from the SHOWER/Bathroom Sink. It'll open up your eyes as to why the bathroom was irritating the SKIN for some of the people in my household. I would recommend getting the AquSoft tester & the Zero water filter for drinking. Aside from reverse osmosis filters, this is hands down the best option for those on a budget and are very interested in their own health.The pitcher itself is a durable, easy to clean pitcher. The neutral colouring helps you easily to see when the pitcher gets dirty so you can wash with soap and water and start using it again. The only thing that I can mention about the filter changes would be to make sure you TIGHTEN the filter on correctly (threaded properly). Plus do not, over tighten the tension between the two (pitcher & filter). Otherwise you might have some difficulties removing the old one. So far I haven't had any issues after not trying to tighten it too hard. We drink and use the filtered water for everything. Coffee, tea and cooking etc. You name it and we try using it. Way better than plastic bottles. Might cost a bit more but it's way worth it for us.-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=CUP-1 = SINK (TAP WATER)Zero Water Tester probe325567ppm75.2°549ppm74.1°567ppm73.7°1156us/cm73.4°1155us/cm73.2°1151us/cm73.2°0.05% Salinity73.0°0.05% Salinity73.0°0.05% Salinity73.0°7.91ph73.0°7.79ph73.0°7.74ph73.0°-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=CUP-2 = ZERO Pitcher AZero Water Tester probe000001ppm74.3004ppm74.8°002ppm75.0°006us/cm75.2°007us/cm75.3°01175.3°000% Salinty75.5°000% Salinity75.5°000% Salinity76.5°6.01ph75.5°5.86ph75.5°5.78ph75.5°-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=CUP-3 = ZERO Pitcher BZero Water Tester probe000000ppm75.0°000ppm75.0°000ppm74.8°000us/cm74.8°000us/cm74.8°000us/cm74.8°000% Salinty74.8°000% Salinity74.8°000% Salinity74.6°6.30ph74.6°6.13p74.6°6.07ph74.6°

This was worth every cent! I splurged on this and it was well worth it. One of the best features is that you can fill a cup while the water is still filtering through the top -- no more waiting for water to drain in a pitcher before you can drink! The reservoir on top holds a full, regular pitcher's worth of water at a time, so it's easy to stay on top of filling it. Water taste is great, as expected from a Zero filter. The little groves you can see in the image on the back of the base allow it to be set up on something (we use a couple rectangular containers) and the whole thing is balanced well enough that you can set it up high like that so a cup fits under nicely is you don't have a spot on the counter where it can hang over the edge. Overall well designed, doesn't take up too much counter space, and very functional. We use it constantly.