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Compare Portable Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtering Systems: RO-CTOP by APEC WATER or ZIP by RKIN?

ZIP Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier
ZIP RO Water Filtering System (Photo Credits: RKIN)
The treated tap water supplied to our homes can still contain some impurities and some bad taste due to the chemicals such as chlorine used during the treatment. Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtering systems can be used to filter up to 99% of the impurities and contaminants.

RO filtering is achieved when the water to be filtered is pushed through a special, semi-permeable membrane with ultra small pores (from 0.001 to 0.00001 micron). The membrane allows only clean water to pass through, filtering most of the impurities and contaminants. With RO systems, very high filtering specifications can be achieved.

This article will consider two of the best rated portable and countertop  Reverse Osmosis Water Filtering Systems:
  • RO-CTOP by APEC WATER that connects to your faucet and does not require any other installation or any electrical connection.
  • ZIP by RKIN that is a self-contained unit that requires zero installation and just needs to be plugged. 



If you are in a hurry and wish to see right away Amazon price information for these two products, please click below:

Selected Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtering Systems on Amazon.


Detailed Description of Selected Reverse Osmosis Systems
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RO-CTOP APEC WATER Portable Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtering System

 APEC Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filtering and Purification System
Photo Credits: APEC
This is a light and compact system that was designed to offer excellent portability, convenience and ease of use. It hooks up easily to most types of existing standard faucets in seconds. Aside from connecting the water input hose to your faucet no installation is required.

It is perfect for apartments, condominiums, motor homes, retirement homes and students. At 60 psi water pressure, it takes about 15 minutes to  obtain a gallon of filtered water. This is equivalent  to about 90GDP (Gallons Per Day) of bottled-water-quality, safe drinking water that you can fill any type of water storage container. The whole system weighs no more than 7 pounds and therefore it is very convenient to take with you when you travel.

This product was designed with simple installation and maintenance in mind. The John Guest quick connection fitting allows quick filter changes, and the included faucet adapters connect to most faucets with little to no effort. Note however that this product is compatible with standard faucets. It will not work with pull-out faucets, special size designer faucets and sprayer faucet. Please see the image below for an illustration of faucet connection:

APEC WATER Portable Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter
(Photo Credits: APEC WATER)
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​The unit is equipped with a 5-stage of all US made super high capacity NFS (National Sanitation Foundation) compliant filters:
  • 1st stage: Premium Quick-Connect 5-micron sediment filter which removes dust, particles, and rust. It also protects and extends the life of the membrane. 
  • 2nd stage: Premium Quick-Connect coconut shell activated carbon filter which gets rid of unpleasant chlorine, odors, cloudiness, and colors. It also removes VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals) and other common chemicals from the water. 
  • 3rd stage: Select FILMTEC (Dow Chemical) High Rejection Reverse Osmosis membrane which removes up to 99% of total dissolved solids and contaminants such as arsenic, lead, fluoride, chromium, radium, bacteria, viruses and much more. 
  • 4th stage: Premium Quick-Connect coconut shell activated carbon filter which removes any possible residual tastes.

​The following picture illustrates the 4 filtering stages:
APEC WATER Portable Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter
(Photo Credits: APEC Water)
Note that APEC Water has 20 years of successful experience in creating the finest water filtration systems from their California facility. All APEC Reverse Osmosis systems are designed, engineered, assembled, and tested in-house using high-quality parts to ensure that a trouble-free system arrives at your door. Their superior engineering, design expertise, and attention to details have earned their products the distinction of being one of the most durable water-filtration systems on the market.

APEC Water warrants to the customer that its residential Reverse Osmosis systems will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of 1 year. The company will replace or repair any part of the APEC Reverse Osmosis water system that is found to be defective in operation due to faulty materials or workmanship within one year of the date of original purchase (used replaceable filter cartridges and membranes are excluded).​

For price information on this product or to purchase on Amazon, please click the following link:

APEC WATER Reverse Osmosis Portable Countertop Water Filtering System on Amazon


 ZIP by RKIN Portable Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtering System

ZIP Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filtering and Purification System
Photo Credits: RKIN
If you are looking for an attractive and portable countertop Reverse Osmosis water filtering system that will look great in your kitchen, requiring no installation at all, and that will produce in minutes a fresh supply of safe, pure, alkaline and great tasting water, you might want to consider ZIP by RKIN.

ZlP's innovative patented design has all the features of a traditional Reverse Osmosis filter system in a convenient and stylish countertop and portable case.  The booster pump, prefilter, carbon filter, Reverse Osmosis membrane and post filter are all contained in a compact unit that gives you 50% space savings compared to traditional, bulky, Reverse Osmosis filters.

With ZIP, you just need to plug the unit, fill up the bottom container with tap water, push the button and walk away. In about 20 minutes, the top container will be filled with purified water, and the unit will turn itself off.  This unit can produce up to 75GPD (Gallons Per Day) of purified water. With ZIP, there are no leaky diverter valves or bulky hoses to attach to your faucet. Note that the top and bottom containers are BPA free and can be easily removed and cleaned with dish soap.  

The unit is 9.5 inches wide, 14.5 inches deep and 16.25 inches high and is easily portable. Therefore, it is also perfect for students, renters and RV owners, as they can easily take it with them wherever they go.

Energy wise ZIP is very efficient as it uses only 24W of power which is less than what is used by a regular light bulb, and it has 50% (1:1) recovery rate – best among reverse osmosis filters.  
For outdoor use, it can be operated from a car's cigarette lighter (12V power plug).

The filters are very easy to change and are available on Amazon. The unit will notify you for recommended filter change via a red blinking light every 12 month. The 4 stages of advanced filtration used by ZIP are listed below:
  • Stage 1 is a 5-micron sediment filter which removes dust, particles, and rust.
  • Stage 2 is activated carbon block filter which eliminates chlorine, odors, cloudiness, and colors. 
  • Stage 3 is the heart of the Reverse Osmosis system, the RO membrane. It will remove a minimum of 96% of organic contaminants and chemicals from the water. These include pesticides and herbicides (such as DBCP), industrial chemicals (such as PCBs, THMs, TCE), heavy metals (such as lead, copper, zinc, arsenic), fluoride, nitrates, and other organics.
  • Stage 4 is a high quality alkaline post filter. It returns beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium to water and increases water Ph to alkaline level. 

​The following picture shows the four filtering stages:

ZIP Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filtering and Purification System
Photo Credits: RKIN

​The following picture describes the various parts that  make up  the ZIP Reverse Osmosis  water filtering unit:
ZIP Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filtering and Purification System
(Photo Credits:RKIN)
Note that all ZIP units are 100% factory tested and sterilized before they are shipped. Furthermore, ZIP has successfully achieved CE, NSF, FDA, SGS, and Water Quality Association Gold Seal certification. ​  
RKIN warrants to the customer that all ZIP Reverse Osmosis units will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of 1 year. The product comes with a 1-Year money back warranty.

For price information on this product or to purchase on Amazon please click the link below:

ZIP Reverse Osmosis Portable Countertop Water Filtering System on Amazon


So which Filtering and Purification System should you get?

The portable countertop Reverse Osmosis water filtering systems described above are both excellent products as can be see from the excellent ratings given by Amazon customers. Indeed, both products had received an average rating of at least 4 stars (out of 5 stars) at time this article was written. Therefore, there is a good chance that you will be very satisfied with either product. However, some important differences between these two products exist, and you should carefully consider them before deciding which to get:

1.  If you are looking for a stylish unit that will look very nice in your kitchen, then you should consider ZIP which looks like an upscale and attractive coffee maker.  

2.  ZIP by RKIN requires no connections or installations and is completely portable anywhere you go. RO-CTOP by APEC WATER must be connected to a standard faucet. Note that pull-out faucets, special size designer faucets and sprayer faucet are not compatible.

3.  RO-CTOP by APEC WATER does not require to be plugged. While ZIP needs to be plugged, it uses less power than  a regular light bulb and can  be run by connecting it to your car's or RV's cigarette lighter.
​

4.  ZIP by RKIN is also equipped with a high quality alkaline post filter which returns beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium to water and increases water Ph to alkaline level.

Though ZIP is more expensive than the  APEC WATER filtering system, if you can afford it, you should definitely consider it, as you will be very pleased with the way it looks, the zero installation requirement, and the taste of the alkaline filtered water  obtained. However, if you can not afford ZIP, the APEC WATER RO filtering system is definitely an excellent alternative as long as your kitchen is equipped with a standard faucet. But no matter which of these two systems you select, you will be able to enjoy unlimited ultra-fresh, great tasting, clean and safe water right at home for both drinking and cooking. You will also be able to save money by avoiding the hassle of buying costly bottled water.

 

APEC WATER RO-CTOP and ZIP RO Systems on Amazon

Please click the Amazon US link image below for the home gym of your choice to see exact price information or to purchase.
​
Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country..

RO-CTOP APEC WATER
Water Filter System



RO-CTOP APEC WATER
Replacement Filter Set (Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4)



 

ZIP RO Water Filter System
(Alca Pure is Identical to ZIP / Both made by RKIN)



Replacement Filters & RO Membrane for
ZIP RO Water Filter System



 

TDS Water Quality Measurement Meter

​​ A TDS meter is a  digital tool that instantly checks your  water quality. TDS stands for "Total Dissolved Solids", solids being any salt, metal or mineral in the water. With the push of a button, the TDS-EZ will determine your  water purity level, which will be displayed on the screen in ppm (parts per million).  Note that the meter does not test for biological contaminants. The TDS-EZ is an  indispensable  tool for drinking water, water filtration and purification,  hydroponics, aquariums, RO/DI systems, pools and spas, and more.  To obtain the TDS meter, please click the Amazon link below:
​
TDS Water Quality Meter

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