Bad quality
Written: Aug 25 '07 (Updated Sep 01 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Makes good clean water, attractive, filter-change LED is nice
Cons: Cheap quality makes for very expensive and time-consuming maintenance
The Bottom Line: Don't buy this system. Sears now offers an updated version (the 650) which may or may not be better, but I doubt that it's worse.
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| mundocani's Full Review: Kenmore Ultrafilter 500 Reverse Osmosis Drinking W... |
I've had this filter for about three years now. In that time I have had to replace the controller board, the automatic-shutoff cover, the faucet, and last but not least the RO filters twice.
The shutoff cover developed a hairline fracture and leaked water, which is probably what destroyed the controller board. The faucet leaked and destroyed the LED that tells you when the filters need changed. The RO filters got damaged somehow (probably internal leakage allowing chlorinated water to reach the membrane).
The water this makes is great as you'd expect from an RO system, but so many failures caused by cheap/shoddy manufacturing are inexcusable. Both the initial system and the replacement parts are expensive and the unreliability makes the system not worth owning.
Installation wasn't too hard, though you do have to drill a hole for the faucet. That may take tools you don't have (such as a hole saw) or be beyond your skills. Working underneath the kitchen sink to mount the faucet requires a lot of bending and strenuous reaching as well.
The pieces are easy to fit together, but make sure you follow the directions and trim the drain hose or you'll end up with water backing up into the faucet.
The tank isn't very big (a gallon or so), but it can be expanded with a second tank if that's not enough. It takes a couple hours to generate a full tank so if you may consume water faster than that you should consider an extra tank or consider a different larger system.
The LED on the faucet is really nice. It's not just some timer that goes off every 4 months, it actually has sensors down in the filter housing and it appears to measure the Total Dissolved Solids. I notice when the water starts to taste just a bit "off", and usually within a week or two the LED comes on -- a very cool feature.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
mundocani
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Reviews written: 1
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