Watts 500315 Counter-Top Drinking Water Filter
by Watts
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List Price: Our Price: $42.99 You Save: $2.01 (4%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $32.53 (click here) Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Watts 500315 Counter-Top Drinking Water Filter
Customer Review: The good, the bad and the Ugly!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
THE GOOD
Just moved to a new town. Anywhere else around the area, my Britta would clean up the taste of bad water, but not here. Here it's SO chlorinated, I needed something better.
After a lot of reading and research I was down to the Filtrete Under-the-counter unit and this unit. The Filtrete pro sounded like it had a strong flow and filtered down to .5, but after looking at it closer, it would be just my luck to have a connector pop out and cause water damage without me around. So, I decided on this.
I had it connected in under 5 minutes. I just needed a pair of pliers to loosen the faucet part which needed to be removed. The unit came with a needed adapter which worked perfect. I turned it on and after letting it run for a few minutes, I tried the water. AWESOME!!! Clorine smell and taste was GONE!
This thing works, and works well and I don't have to worry about broken lines under the sink. The water flow remains good through the unit as well. I can also find many options in replacement filters because of its standard size. I love the quality and functionality of this unit.
THE BAD.
The problem was, upon closer inspection, there was a small bead of water coming from the units water output. At the bottom of the metal output piece (Which you can just pull out) there are 2 small, round O-rings, and one was pertruding. It was cracked, so only one O-ring was ok, and when I moved the water output, it beaded up.
I called the "Manufacturer", which sounds like it isn't REALLY the manufacture, but a distributor, and was told they don't have any parts, they get the unit assembled. The parts they DO carry they said, are all given to Amazon. SO.... they told me I should pack it back up, and send it back to Amazon.
What?!? I am suppose to ship the whole unit back, at MY expense, and have another unit sent, when a 5 cent part could be mailed out to me for the cost of a stamp. RIDICULOUS!!! Not too bright, or environmentally friendly. This is the problem with buying some things over the internet, from a place without a local retail outlet, but to save, we gamble...
Now I either ship it back, hunt online or drive to local hardware stores and look for something that COULD work as a replacement. Grrrrr.....
I finally went to Home Depot and found that they carried a package of #47 O-rings for a couple bucks that fit fine. All better now.
THE UGLY
This Item is Ugly as sin. It reminds me of my pool filter. I am going to make or find something to cover it.
OVERALL
For this price, it's an AWESOME deal!!!
Customer Review: best by far
Summary: 4 Stars
So far I have tried a few filters and all were not up to expectations. I felt that it was impossible to have clean drinking water unless you set up an expensive under the counter filtration system until this one came along. The purina one was annoying as you had to stand by it filling it up with water as it slowly filtered it, plus taste wasn't that great. I seen the ones they have attaching to faucets at my friends house and didn't like it as the water didn't come out very well plus taste was same as with the one I had. Then after so may great reviews I went with the culligan faucet attachments which were the worst. Tried three different casings and five filters and they were all terrible, they have the worst water pressure ever. Even with water going at full blast the filter is barely dripping water.
This one on the other hand is very good, water flows well and the taste is decent. I found it easy to install and had no problems with it yet.
I do have some issues with it and it is why I can't give it 5 stars. First is that the casing is impossible to remove without a wrench and it wasn't included. They sell it for $3 on their web site, but for the price it's pure laziness that it's not already in the box. I called them and they also recommended a strap oil wrench in case I do not want to buy theirs.
The look of the filter makes it stand out heavily in my kitchen, and not in a good way.
This filtration system only works with cold water, not I don't know whether it is because of the filter that they have in there or because of the casing. I seen replacement filters that fit this type of casing that do well with hot water also but will have to call to find out what is the actual threshold temperature of this one.
After a few years of searching, so far this is the only filter I can recommend.
Customer Review: A solution to getting the canister open...
Summary: 4 Stars
I got this from Quality in three days from the day I ordered it. It arrived in perfect condition the only problem I had was that it was hard to twist open so that I could see the filter. It didn't come with a wrench.
I like the unit. It's very sturdy, not flimsy or lightweight, it is a bit large for the space I have but I can deal with it for the avaibalility of cheaper clean water. I've had to haul bottles of water at least a mile every month and then I've had to hassle with cheaper units that have broken or the replacement filters were difficult to find locally so I've had to resort to paying far more than is necessary (especially if they really want us to stop putting plastic in the landfills) to get one. The filter will last me probably 12 months. Water flow is great, and the water tastes great. I am a satisfied customer.
Update:
I spoke too soon. I am having trouble getting the canister open. A solution came to me after trying various things to get it open. Put it in the freezer. I got the idea from another plastic product I purchased with an air sealed top. I put it into the freezer. When I took it out the next day the lid just came right off the thing as if there had been no pressure holding it closed at all. I thought it was probably due to the freezing of the air inside. Anyway, if this filter was exposed to heat for any length of time it might have caused the canister to become difficult to open. So mine's in the freezer right now and I'm hoping it works. Maybe a little vaseline would have prevented this problem. Let you know if this works.
Customer Review: Finally something that works for the kitchen faucet!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've own this for 6 months now and had to replace the filter inside of it. Wasn't easy to remove. They need better instructions. I had to go to Home Depot and but a professional tool made out of heavy duty plastic that sold in sink filters for under the sink (plumping department. But you still need a large Philips screw driver to insert where the the water comes out of. Then lay the unit on a flat surface. Turn counter clockwise and with some luck it will unlock and you can get to the dirty filter. I was so amazed how dirty the water filter was compared to the recently order one from Amazon. The new one claims it can last 3,000 gallons. The one that comes with this filter in the manual read 6 months. That was on track. Once the filter is clogged or dirty the water doesn't taste the same. So now I am on my second filter and the water is much better tasting than the old Pur, Brita were. Still you can't knock this water filter it does do a good job providing good drinking and cooking water. Best if you run it cold or use your filtered ice with it. If you seal the water in container it will stay fresh tasting. I've tried this and it sure does. Leave it out over night in a glass then it will start to taste stale. I have given this review max stars because the unit does work out of the box and the water is just as good or even better than bottle water you shell out for in the store. Save some money with this unit and buy the extra filters for it when you buy it. Still comes out cheaper to me in the long run!Customer Review: Execellent Buy!
Summary: 4 Stars
I have had one of these counter top filters in the past and just loved it!, I have an antique home with antique plumbing and no way to install an under the counter or whole house filter without taken on a total remodel project. I have used those little filters that screw on to your faucet but because of the heavy rust and sediment in the lines they would clog up in less then a month, for the same price that you would buy one of those little filters not to mention the replacements you can buy one of these, the replacement filters for this one are cheap and last a long time. not to mention that you can pick from several style cartridges from just a basic to the top of the line cartridges.
My only complaint with this filter, is that it did not come with a filter wrench to remove the housing, I wanted to replace the cartridge that came pre-installed, (I'm Hoping it's installed) to a better cartridge that captures everything including virus's. (That's the only reason I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars)
I do not have the hand strength to open it and when I ask a friend to help me, one on each end of the filter turning in opposite directions it still would not open. Ill try to locate a wrench and give it one more try before contacting the company for another filter, other then that it is a great filter for the money and looks nice on the counter.