Water is an essential life force that we all consume on a daily basis. Whether you’re making a cup of tea, brushing your teeth, or filling up a water bottle, it is essential that you can trust the supply of water that comes out of your taps. 

If the water in your area has an unpleasant taste, or if you’d prefer a higher quality of drinking water, then this may encourage you to choose a water filter. In particular, a reverse osmosis (RO) system can provide more thorough filtration than a traditional water filter, giving you confidence in your water supply. These come in a variety of makes and models, so you can find the unit that best suits your home and your daily needs. 

The reverse osmosis process consists of several stages, helping to ensure that the water that you drink is incredibly well purified. Read on to find out more about how this works, with a closer look at some of the RO products on offer from Hommix.

What is Reverse Osmosis?

Reverse osmosis is a method of water purification that involves the removal of contaminants through numerous filtration stages. Typically, this involves pushing water molecules through a semipermeable membrane to separate out any impurities.

RO systems can filter water through 3 or more stages, each reverse osmosis system will filter water through at least three stages, using a sediment filter, a carbon filter and an RO membrane. Additional stages can then be incorporated for higher-quality results.

Five stage RO systems typically feature the following levels of filtration:

1. Sediment Filter: this initial barrier removes large particles such as sand and dirt, preventing the more delicate parts of the RO system from becoming clogged.
2. Carbon Block Filter: the carbon filter will drastically improve water quality by removing chlorine, organic compounds and other contaminants.
3. Granular Activated Carbon Filter: this carbon filter will further remove chlorine as well as heavy metals and more but the prime purpose of the carbon filters is to protect the next stage, the RO membrane.
4. Reverse Osmosis Membrane: this core component distinguishes the RO system from other filters, working to remove dissolved solids such as salts and minerals, especially calcium and magnesium, which are the causes of limescale.
5. Post-Carbon Filter: at this stage, the purified water is then polished with the post-carbon to improve the taste of the water, leaving behind high-quality great tasting purified water.

Key Types of RO Water Filters

There are lots of different systems that utilise reverse osmosis technology for water purification. As such, you can choose an installation that fits into your lifestyle, where different models offer various specialist features and benefits.

Some popular options include:

Under Sink RO Systems

As the name suggests, these reverse osmosis systems are fitted underneath the sink in your home or business. They will be connected to your home’s plumbing system, where a storage tank will hold the purified water until you need to use it.

Typically, these systems are more budget-friendly than tankless alternatives, but they can be more complex to install than tankless alternatives. You will also need to ensure that you have sufficient space under your kitchen units for the tank and filter to be fitted securely, which needs to be easily accessible for filter replacements (once every 6-12 months depending on the system).

Tankless Under Sink Systems

As an alternative to traditional RO systems, tankless options can produce water on demand, meaning you won’t need to have a tank installed. As such, they utilise the same filtration technology as a system with a tank, but without taking up lots of space.

It is also easier to change the filter of a tankless system, although these models may be more expensive than traditional units.

Countertop RO Systems

In recent years, countertop reverse osmosis systems have increased in popularity, with many compact and stylish designs on offer. These systems can provide you with purified water at various temperatures, offering convenience and easy hydration. The highest range

of countertop RO systems in the UK can be found here.

Countertop systems, such as the Hommix ziRO, don’t require a professional installation, where the unit simply needs to be plugged in. Once the built-in water tank is filled, your unit will be ready to go after several initial flushes.

The most popular countertop RO systems are however the plumbed-in appliances, which

are able to provide purified hot water for teas and coffees, cold water for the summer and

room temperature water for day-to-day use. These systems are ideal for compact kitchen spaces, where some models can even provide you with purified sparkling and ice cold water.

The Benefits of Reverse Osmosis

There are numerous reasons why you should choose a reverse osmosis water filter compared to a traditional filtration system - some of these advantages are discussed below:

Safer, Cleaner Water

A key benefit of reverse osmosis over other kinds of filtration is that these systems allow you to remove a wide range of impurities and contaminants from your water. The 3 or more stages of filtration used by your RO system can help to extract metals, chlorine, fluoride, nitrates, pesticides and various bacteria, all of which can impact water quality.

As such, if you’re looking to drink only the purest, safest water, then a reverse osmosis system is definitely the best choice for your home.

Improved Water Taste & Smell

In addition to improving water safety, one of the main advantages of using a water filter is that it makes your water taste and smell better. This can help to encourage you and your family to drink lots of water throughout the day, keeping everyone in your household healthy and hydrated.

Environmental Benefits

If clean, pure-tasting water is a top priority for you, then it can be tempting to buy bottled water that has undergone the filtration process. This can lead to unnecessary plastic waste, BPA inside the water,  as well as continued expense over time. Filtering your own water at home removes the need for bottled water, helping to reduce your environmental impact.

Minimal Maintenance

Most reverse osmosis water filters are simple to use and easy to maintain. Many countertop systems don’t require professional assistance to maintain, whereas lots of models today only need their filters changing once or twice a year.

Your water filter may also come with a self-cleaning cycle, helping to keep your unit in top condition with minimal effort on your part. With proper care, a good quality RO system can last for many years, making for a good investment.

Hommix UK: Stylish Reverse Osmosis Water Filters For Your Home

At Hommix, we supply a wide range of RO water filtration systems, giving you access to the best quality drinking water in the comfort of your own home. 

Whether you’re looking for a countertop reverse osmosis unit or a tankless RO installation, we can provide you with the perfect water filtration solution that meets your needs.

Our Under Sink Systems:

Standard RO - With Tank

The Hommix M800 Pumped 6-stage RO water filter system comes complete with an alkaline filter and a handy automatic shut-off valve. You can also benefit from push fit ports for a straightforward installation.

Direct Flow RO - Tankless

For a popular tankless option, you may wish to consider the Hommix hydRO-1K RO system. This unit is extremely compact, designed to fit neatly underneath almost all kitchen units. You can also replace your filter in minutes, without moving your system.

Our Countertop Systems:

Hommix puRO (Ambient Only)

Our puRO system is designed to hold 5.5 litres of filtered ambient water, providing 4-stage reverse osmosis filtration. Benefit from a slim, modern design that takes up minimal space in your kitchen.

Hommix spaRO (Hot, Cold, Ambient, Ice & Sparkling)

This 5-in-1 filtration system offers cold, ice and ambient temperature water, so you can hydrate in the way that suits you best. Offering 5 stages of purification, the spaRO stands out with its single touch sparkling water dispenser.

Hommix espressRO - Black (Hot, Cold, Ambient, Ice & Coffee)

Combine your water and coffee brewing systems with the Hommix espressRO machine, designed to accept our innovative triple structure coffee pods. This unit also provides ambient and ice options, with integrated child safety features to protect your family.