This is our review of the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis System.
Our team has several years of experience researching the best water filtration systems available in the market. So we put this accumulated knowledge into practice and researched the best Reverse Osmosis systems so you don’t have to waste your precious time. In this article, we will give an in-depth look at the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis System to help you decide if this product is the right choice for you and your family.
We believe that the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis is a great option if you have a limited budget because this RO system delivers some of the best features of the top systems but comes at a really affordable price.
In this comprehensive Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis review we will analyze the filtration capabilities, the system design features, its performance, its capacity, the installation & maintenance process, discuss customer reviews, and potential alternatives for this Reverse Osmosis system.
Let’s get started!
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis System Overview
The Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis is a point-of-use (POU) RO system with a storage tank that is installed under the sink to deliver clean water through a specific faucet.
Despite having a lower price than most of the top competitors, this NSF-certified system performs well compared with most of them, as it can remove most of the contaminants from the water through a 5-stage filtration process.
While it doesn’t have a remineralization stage to add back some beneficial minerals, this system is prepared to add-ons like an additional alkaline filter, or even a UV filter if you need to deal with viruses and bacteria.
The Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis is an easy-to-install system as it comes with pre-assembled, color-coded parts and easy-to-follow instructions, so you should be able to install it by yourself in a couple of hours.
This system only filters 50 gallons of water per day which is on the lower end of the top RO systems, but this quantity is more than enough for most families.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Filtration Capabilities
The Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis system was independently tested and has different NSF certifications like NSF 42, NSF 58, NSF 401, and EPA 542.2. But let’s check in detail what this means:
- NSF 42: for aesthetic effects, this certifies systems designed to reduce non-health-related contaminants, such as chlorine, chloramine, taste and odor, iron, manganese, particulate, and total dissolved solids (TDS).
- NSF 58: for Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems, this certifies RO systems designed to reduce TDS and additional contaminants, and ensures the safety of the materials in contact with drinking water, structural integrity, and efficiency rating.
- NSF 401: for emerging compounds/incidental contaminants, this certifies systems designed to remove up to 15 individual contaminants which have been identified in published studies as occurring in drinking water, such as prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbicides, pesticides, and chemical compounds.
The filtration takes place through 5 different stages, such as:
- Stage 1: a 5-micron sediment pre-filter that removes larger particles like dirt, sand, dust and sand, protecting the lifespan of the remaining filters
- Stage 2 & 3: a double block of activated carbon filters that remove chlorine, VOCs, chemicals, and bad taste & odors
- Stage 4: a RO membrane that removes several contaminants including fluoride and heavy metals
- Stage 5: an activated carbon post-filter, that sits between the tank and the faucet, that removes any existing bad taste & odors
With this, the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis system reduces up to 99.9% of the TDS from the water, filtering out the majority of the harmful contaminants like chlorine, lead, pharmaceuticals, VOCs, chemicals, nitrates, and more.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Design Features
The Express Water RO5DX is a system less expensive than most of the top RO systems, so it’s a bit more basic regarding some extra design features. But that being said, it still has some nice features that are relevant to know more about.
It comes with a leak detection system that will automatically shut off the system if detects excess water on the floor near the system. This is helpful to protect your home and appliances, and to leave you safe about using this system.
The double-sealed filter housings also contribute to improving filtration efficiency, avoiding leaks, and extending the life of the system.
The Express Water RO5DX comes with a nice chrome faucet included that swivels 360º and has a quick 0.8 GPM (gallons per minute) that will fill a glass of water in a few seconds.
Lastly, the system includes quick connect adapters and color-coded tubes to make the installation process easier and prevent some incorrect connections that may result in leaks and inferior performance.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Performance
This is one factor that we don’t love about the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis. This system has a waste water ratio efficiency of 1:3 which means that it creates 3 gallons of waste water for each gallon of purified water.
This efficiency is in line with some of the better RO systems, and the average is around 1:4, so the performance of the Express Water RO5DX is slightly better than average. But it can’t compete with the top RO systems that can generate only one gallon or less waste water per filtered gallon of water.
Our recommendation is to use this water for other activities that do not need filtered water, like washing your car or watering your lawn and plants.
If can also buy an additional permeate pump to increase the pressure and reduce the amount of waste water produced.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Capacity
The Express Water RO5DX system can filter 50 gallons of water per day, which is average compared to RO systems, but worse than some of the top options that can generate up to 600 GPD.
But for most families, this quantity is more than enough, so don’t let this number affect you, just make your water consumption calculations first to understand if this system fits your needs.
Regarding water flow, using its storage tank that refills automatically when the filtered water is consumed, the faucet can deliver 0.8 gallons of water per minute, which is enough to fill a glass of water in a few seconds.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Installation & Maintenance
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis system is relatively easy to install as it comes with pre-assembled filters, clear instructions, color-coded tubes, and quick-connect fittings to facilitate the entire process.
You should be able to install this system without issues in less than 2 hours, even if you are not particularly good at DIY activities. But if you really struggle with this type of activity, just hire a plumber to do this job for you.
Maintaining the RO5DX RO system is simple, as you will only need to replace the filters according to the recommendations of the manufacturer:
- Sediment, Carbon Block, and Activated Carbon filters every 6 months
- Post-carbon filter once a year
- RO membrane every 1 to 2 years
The process is quick and easy, as you only need to open the filter housings, replace the old filter with the new one, and close it again.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis System Reviews
The Express Water RO5DX has great reviews by its customers, and it achieved a status of “Amazon’s Choice” product in Amazon, with a 4.7 stars average rating with more than 3.000 reviews, which is outstanding.
From these reviews, around 95% of them are 4 or 5 stars, showing how much the customers love this RO system.
Carefully reading the reviews we can find several positive comments about the relation between the price and quality of this product.
Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis Alternatives
If the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis system isn’t the ideal solution for your household, there are other alternatives that you can consider.
Waterdrop G3P800 Reverse Osmosis System
A great alternative is the Waterdrop G3P800 Reverse Osmosis system.
This is one of the best Reverse Osmosis systems in the market, as this tankless NSF-certified system removes up to 99.9% of the water contaminants, comes packed with several smart features like a TDS meter or a filter life indicator in-built on a designer faucet, has one of the best waste water ratio performances of 3:1, and it’s easy to install.
AquaTru Countertop Reverse Osmosis System
If you prefer a countertop Reverse Osmosis system to save you space under the sink, this is the right choice.
The AquaTru Countertop Reverse Osmosis System is a well-designed modern RO system that fits well in every kitchen, does not require installation, has a really low waste water ratio, and removes several contaminants through a 6-stage filtration process.
iSpring RCC7AK-UV Reverse Osmosis System
If you need to deal with well water the iSpring RCC7AK-UV Reverse Osmosis system might be the solution for you.
This NSF-certified RO system removes 99.9% of water contaminants through 7 stages of filtration, which the last one is composed of a UV filter that inactivates viruses and bacteria that are commonly found in well water.
Our Verdict
We recommend the Express Water RO5DX Reverse Osmosis, and we choose this RO system as our budget choice for the best Reverse Osmosis systems.
For its price, RO5DX is a great RO system and can perform almost as well as the top (and more expensive) systems. It can remove up to 99.9% of the water contaminants, comes with leak protection features, is easy to install, is NSF certified, and can filter up to 50 GPD.