When we talked about tankless reverse osmosis system reviews, we are actually referring to the countertop ro systems. To new readers, I have already done a couple of such reviews. You can read them here:
In this article, I am reviewing Hydrologic’s Evolution tankless reverse osmosis system. It is probably one of the most expensive countertop RO systems I have seen and I am very interested to see if it is worth the money, relative to other systems in the market today.
Evolution countertop RO system review
The Evolution RO system’s main selling point is removing the need for a water tank as well as the need to store the water using other storage items.
Most countertop RO systems has a slow fill rate, thus requiring the user to store up some filtered water in advance to reduce waiting time. The Evolution RO system is designed to overcome this waiting time by providing a faster flow rate that takes away the need to store filtered water in advance. However, to achieve this flow rate, it is recommended that you need a pressure of at least 60 psi. Anything lower and you might see the same problems as other countertop reverse osmosis systems.
For the quality of filtration, the Evolution RO system can produce water that has around 45 ppm in TDS. Although this number seems high relative to systems such as the iSpring which can produced water with 9ppm, it is below the tap water TDM. In other words, the water quality is still much better than what you can get from your tap water.
In terms of capacity, the stated output is 1000 galleons per day, which is more than what a normal household will need. However, do note if your water needs a lot of filtration, you will get less than the 1000 galleons as the system needs more time to clear the unwanted chemicals out of the water.
Finally, it has a very compact design and fits in well under your kitchen sink. This is great for those who live in small apartments or doesn’t have much space to install a full blown RO system.
Cons of the Evolution system
There are a few things that I hope the company can improve on.
First is of course the price. At a retail price of more than USD500+, it is probably the most expensive tankless RO system I have come across. Even the ones that comes with a water storage and remineralization filter cost less than USD500. Although the improved water flow is a great feature, I don’t know how many families are willing to pay the premium to enjoy it.
Second, the unit is a bit noisy when it is running. I have heard it in stores myself and it is definitely louder than the other units that I have reviewed in the past. Hopefully, the next version can figure out a way to reduce the noise level.
Third, no pre filters. You can get one if you want but the company will charge you another hundred dollars or so. I think that is a rip off. With a USD500 price tag, a pre filter should definitely be included as part of the package.
Fourth, you probably need to invest in a booster pump to achieve the desired 60 psi. I think most homes can do about 50 or 40 at best which is not enough to trigger the fast water flow. This will again eat up more budget as a booster pump is not a cheap home appliance. Average price will be around USD100+ for a good quality pump that can achieve the 60 psi pressure.
Conclusion
My overall impression of this machine is that it is overpriced. The only unique strength is that it is a tankless RO system that has a fast water flow and eliminates the need to store up any filtered water. However, the water quality is below what other similar systems can achieve, not to mention the high price you are paying. Whether this is something that is justifiable depends on how much emphasis you put on a tankless reverse osmosis system that produces filtered water fast without a tank.