a.o. smith: water purification, what you should know

Preface:Thanks to Codoon Trendy Goods Store for providing the opportunity to review the A.O. Smith R500MTD2 water purifier. In my opinion, every product review is an in-depth study of a category. When you want to apply for this review opportunity, you need to learn and understand the product you are applying for. Once you get the review opportunity, you need to constantly summarize your feelings and understanding of the product in theory and experience. Reviewing is not just about saying good things about the product, but about helping others with similar needs choose the most suitable product.

Influenced by the book 'The Hidden Messages in Water,' I started paying attention to water health relatively early. Seventy percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, and the human body contains about 70% water, highlighting the significance of water to life. I was born and raised in Inner Mongolia, and from a young age, I knew that the water in Inner Mongolia is hard (alkaline). The inside of our kettle at home always had a thick layer of scale. As a child, I wondered if there was a similar layer of scale in my stomach.

As a child, my understanding of tap water was that you could drink it directly by turning on the faucet, which was affectionately called the 'tail-up pipe.' Whenever I was tired from playing, I would drink directly from the faucet. Although my parents would say that drinking raw water would make you sick, no one seemed to get sick from it. The water was safe back then. Years later, we started using bottled water at home, initially thinking it was more refined than tap water. Bottled water became a new lifestyle trend. In fact, the emergence of bottled water indicated a serious problem: water pollution was around us.

Our household tap water mainly comes from two sources: river water and groundwater. However, over the years, these two sources have suffered severe pollution. Drinking water pollution can be roughly divided into three categories: bacterial contamination, heavy metal contamination, and other agricultural and chemical pollutants. Our current tap water purification mainly involves sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination, which can only address bacterial contamination. Boiling tap water only reduces bacterial contamination and does nothing for other types of water pollution. Drinking healthy water is very important to us.

At this point, you should realize that bottled purified water can only meet part of our direct drinking needs and cannot address most of our household healthy water needs. Household water purifiers have become essential products for our daily lives!

By understanding water pollution, we naturally think that as long as we can effectively filter out pollutants from drinking water, it can be used normally. Yes, filtration and purification are the working principles of mainstream water purifiers. Most water purifiers on the market use a five-stage filter standard:

First stage: PP cotton, function: used to filter and remove larger particles such as mud, sand, and rust from the water;

Second stage: Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), function: adsorbs chemical pollutants such as color, odor, and organic substances in the water;

Third stage: Sintered Activated Carbon (CTO), function: further adsorbs smaller particles, suspended solids, and colloids in the water;

Fourth stage: RO reverse osmosis membrane/ultrafiltration membrane, function: retains pollutants not treated by the first three stages, such as residual chlorine, inorganic impurities, bacteria, viruses, and heavy metals in the water;

Fifth stage: Post-Activated Carbon (T33), function: improves water taste.

Therefore, we often see many water purifiers with a '5+1' structure, meaning the purifier has 5 filters and 1 storage tank. The 5 filters solve the purification problem, and the storage tank solves the issue of insufficient water flow of purified water.

Now, here come the questions:

• How often do the filters of the water purifier need to be replaced?

• Can I replace the filters myself?

• Are all filter specifications consistent?

• When was the last time the filters of the household water purifier were replaced?

• What precautions should be taken if the water purifier has not been used for a while?

• Has the household water purifier ever leaked?

• What should I do if the water flow from the purifier is too small?

• What is the lifespan of the water purifier?

...

These are all questions I encountered while using a water purifier. Although buying and installing a water purifier is convenient, maintaining it later is quite troublesome. When you search 'how often to replace water purifier filters' on Baidu, you will get different answers, but generally, the 5 filters have 3 replacement cycles (most answers: 1-3 stage filters are replaced every 3-6 months; RO membrane filter is replaced every 2 years; post-activated carbon filter is replaced every year), and many times the repairman will tell you to replace them all.

I also tried buying filter parts and replacing them myself, but either the specifications were wrong, or I got the order wrong. After finally installing them, I found leaks a few days later, so I had to replace the problematic parts again... I encountered all kinds of frustrating problems. Therefore, providing a more thorough purification and easier maintenance water purifier is one of the development directions of the household water purifier market.

When I saw the introduction of the A.O. Smith R500MTD2 water purifier, my first impression was that it was worry-free because it only has two filters, reducing the hassle of replacing different filters at different cycles. One filter is a high-efficiency composite filter (five materials in one), and the other is a reverse osmosis filter. The official replacement cycle is 12 months for the composite filter and 3 years for the reverse osmosis filter, making maintenance very convenient.

Reviewing the A.O. Smith R500MTD2 water purifier, the overall experience can be summarized into three points: quick initial setup, smooth usage, and easy maintenance.

1. Quick Initial Setup:

The review machine was delivered by SF Express from the manufacturer. To get a direct feel, I first unpacked it. It was divided into two layers: one for the main unit and one for the filters and related accessories. The packaging design was very neat, which would be very pleasing to someone with OCD. I made an appointment for installation by calling the customer service number as instructed, and the technician was scheduled to come the next day. The technician followed the standard procedure strictly, wearing shoe covers before entering, showing his work ID and health certificate, and then checking the packaging before starting the installation. A small detail: before installing the filters into the machine, the technician put on disposable gloves to avoid contaminating the filters after unsealing.

The installation process was very smooth, taking less than 20 minutes. However, I did frown a bit at the large power adapter, which is about the size of a brick. It would be perfect if the next generation could integrate the power supply into the main unit. After installation, the technician explained the usage precautions while testing the water quality with an instrument to ensure it met the standards. The degree of standardization is a difference between brands.

Most people know the A.O. Smith brand because of its water heaters, which have a good reputation globally. A.O. Smith water purifiers may not be as famous as their water heaters, but when you search for 'household water purifier' on major e-commerce platforms, you will find that many brands still mainly sell models with 3-5 filters, while A.O. Smith's dual-filter models stand out and attract attention, representing their level of research and innovation.

2. Smooth Usage:

A good device should provide users with a 'foolproof' operation experience, meaning it should be simple and convenient. For example, a good phone doesn't need a user manual; different groups can quickly learn to use it, even small children. The core experience of a water purifier should be large water flow, good water quality, and device safety.

Regarding large water flow, you can choose different models of water purifiers based on the household water consumption. The official data for the R500MTD2 water purifier shows a water flow rate of 1.4L per minute. I tested it with a 600ml water bottle, and both tests took 19 seconds, meaning the water flow rate can reach nearly 1.9L per minute. Of course, different regions and water pressures will cause different data. This flow rate is more than enough to meet the daily water needs of a household of 4-6 people. Since replacing this water purifier, all drinking, cooking, and washing at home use water from the purifier, and even the flowers at home benefit from it.

Regarding good water quality, as long as the filters work properly, the purified water quality should be fine. I drink tea every day, so I can tell the difference in water quality. I compared the taste of tea made with supermarket purified water and water from this purifier. If you don't deliberately know which is which, there's almost no difference. Also, after using the kettle for more than ten days, I haven't seen any scale buildup, and I will continue to monitor this over time.

Regarding device safety, we mainly consider two aspects: connection sealing and electrical safety. The A.O. Smith R500MTD2 uses composite filters, reducing the connections between parts and achieving integrated water paths. This advantage reduces the number of joints from 23 in traditional 5-filter purifiers to 9, greatly reducing the risk of leaks and saving space. This is also one reason why the installation time is quick. For safety detection, there is a leak detection probe at the bottom of the main unit. If the machine leaks, it will be detected and alarmed promptly.

3. Easy Maintenance:

All water purifiers make people happy when they first start using them because improving the quality of drinking water at home is a joyful thing. However, there should be a more convenient and easy maintenance experience later. The A.O. Smith R500MTD2 dual-filter water purifier doesn't require you to record usage time or worry about water quality. The machine has a dual filter replacement reminder function. There are signal lights on the faucet and the machine. When the yellow light is on, it warns that the filter life is less than 5%. When the red light is on, it means the filter must be replaced immediately, and the indicator light on the machine will tell you which filter needs to be replaced.

Speaking of easy maintenance, we have to mention the composite filter used in the A.O. Smith R500MTD2. From the cross-sectional diagram of the composite filter in the official promotion, you can understand its material composition and working principle. This composite filter breaks through the traditional process of separate and sequential filtration of multiple filters, representing a technological breakthrough and innovation. The greatest convenience for customers is reducing the frequency of filter replacement and the risk of leaks caused by filter replacement.

Overall, the A.O. Smith R500MTD2 is a very good household water purifier, but it may not be suitable for all families. Here are some dimensions for choosing a household water purifier:

1. Understand the water quality standards of your living area and choose different working principles of water purifiers.

If you live in most cities in China, you will likely face the risk of heavy metal pollution in the water, so it's best to choose a water purifier with reverse osmosis purification principles.

2. Choose according to the household scenario; different household water needs require different standards for choosing a water purifier.

The more people in the household, the larger the water flow capacity of the water purifier needed. The 500 in the A.O. Smith R500MTD2 model represents a daily water flow capacity of 500 gallons (500 gallons = 1892 liters), which means it can purify 1.4 liters of water per minute. Therefore, the A.O. Smith R500MTD2 water purifier is more suitable for households with more than 4 people. A three-person household can choose the A.O. Smith 400G series products.

3. Choose according to the installation space and installation method of the water purifier.

The A.O. Smith R500MTD2 model water purifier uses integrated technology, so its overall size is small and requires less installation space. It can be installed in spaces with a height of 425mm, which is lower than the space requirements of traditional machines.

4. Choose a water purifier brand based on post-maintenance convenience.

Big brands and good after-sales service will make users more worry-free during use. Therefore, for most families and frequent water users, it is recommended to choose a water purifier from a big brand, as after-sales service is more guaranteed. At the same time, we always hope for lower maintenance frequency. The A.O. Smith R500MTD2 model water purifier extends the replacement time of the composite filter to 12 months (depending on water quality) and the reverse osmosis filter to 3 years.

5. High standards for environmentalists.

Using a water purifier, you will know that there is a waste water pipe during installation, which goes directly to the drain. This is the waste water generated by the reverse osmosis purification principle. There is a term called waste water ratio (or water production rate), which means how much waste water is produced for every cup of purified water. Some water purifiers produce 3 cups of waste water for every cup of purified water, with a water production rate of 25%. The A.O. Smith water purifier has a high water production rate. The R500MTD2 model has a water production rate of 55%, meaning 1 cup of purified water for 1 cup of waste water. Some A.O. Smith models can reach a water production rate of 75%, meaning 3 cups of purified water for 1 cup of waste water. This indicator should be considered for different environmental and water use requirements.

I hope this review can give you a better understanding of household water purifiers and help you choose a suitable water purifier to drink pure and healthy water. Of course, some communities now use direct drinking water solutions, which have similar purification principles to household water purifiers. I hope this article can also make everyone aware of the harm of water pollution and the urgency and difficulty of its treatment. We should protect water resources and the natural environment within our capabilities. Reducing water pollution and improving the water environment is everyone's responsibility.