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If you are looking for a way to save money and reduce waste, the Waterdrop A1 Reverse Osmosis Hot/Cold Water Dispenser presents an intriguing opportunity. The A1 is a countertop water filtration system that improves the taste and quality of tap water, and doesn’t require a plumber for installation. After using a water filter pitcher for many years, I tried the A1. There were lots of reasons to like it, but a few things you might want to consider before buying one. Before diving into my review, I’ll outline the system details.
The Waterdrop A1 purifies tap water with carbon block sediment filtration, reverse osmosis filtration, and UV purification. It features a removable water tank to fill with tap water, and two internal tanks that hold purified water ready for immediate use. A built-in chiller maintains one of the internal tanks at about 41 degrees while the other internal tank stays at room temperature. The unit also includes a powerful heater that can instantly warm the ambient water to near boiling.
Rating: 4/5
Photo: Amazon
Out of the box, it only took about 30 minutes to set up the A1. I installed the two filter cartridges, washed and rinsed the tank, set the base unit in place, and plugged it in. Finally, I filled the removable tank and followed the prompts to flush the system before the initial use. Everything worked as expected, and I was pleasantly surprised by the clear, bright touch controls. I followed the user manual, but the onboard prompts made the operation pretty much intuitive.
After everything was set, I tasted my first glass of Waterdrop water. It was excellent. My tap water is highly chlorinated, so that was a big relief. Next, I brewed a cup of tea. The water came out incredibly hot. To be completely honest, I didn’t expect it to actually approach the boiling point, but it measured 202 degrees Fahrenheit on my digital thermometer.
One thing that I had not considered was that this system produces wastewater. The removable tank has two compartments–3.25 quarts capacity for tap water and just over 1 quart capacity for wastewater. So don’t expect the “empty” tank to actually be empty. My family of four fills the tank about 5 times a day on average. I was also somewhat surprised by the long (expected) filter life: 6 months for the CO cartridge and 12 months for the RO cartridge. Time will tell if those estimates are accurate.
As for the controls, there is a lot to choose from. Placing a container beneath the fill nozzle activates the system, illuminating the touch controls. Choose from cold, ambient, or hot water. Increase or decrease the temperature of the hot water. Select a preset amount of water (4, 8, 16, or 20 ounces) or “max fill” to take up to the full amount of available water (32 ounces of either ambient/hot or cold). There is also a child safety lock that can be set to prevent dispensing excessively hot water.
Overall, I really liked this countertop water dispenser. The water tastes great, and it is instantly cold or hot enough to brew tea or cook noodles. The controls are brightly lit and intuitive. And the filters last a long time between changes. But a couple of aspects won’t work in every home. It is a space hog, measuring 8 inches wide, 18 inches front to rear, and 17 inches tall. As such, it can’t be placed on a counter beneath cabinets, or else you won’t be able to remove the water tank. Also, the relatively modest size of the tank means that our family has to fill it frequently, which often goes overlooked by the person who emptied it.
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Photo: Amazon