What is an under the sink water purifier ?
An under-the-sink water purifier works just like a standard over-the-counter water purifier. The only difference is the placement of the water purifier.
An under the sink water purifier is placed under the sink instead of over it. It is out of sight and provides drinking water directly into a tap that comes with the water purifier and is placed on your sink alongside your regular tap.
Most people choose an Under sink water purifier for aesthetic reasons. Ordinary water purifiers have to be placed on the counter or mounted on the wall above the sink. In either case, it takes up space and looks odd.
Generally, Under counter water purifiers have a longer lifespan than regular water purifiers. They have a longer filter life than other purifiers. Under-sink filters use water pressure, not gravity. Unlike traditional wall-mounted water purifiers, to push water through the filter, their filters can be denser, so they can remove a greater range of potential contaminants.
I have written about the best water purifier in India. You can also read that post for a better understanding of the difference between an under-the-sink and a regular water purifier.
Pre- Installation requirements of an under sink water purifier
Every water purifier that you buy from Amazon will cover the installation. After the product delivery, you will get a call from the company representative to arrange the installation.
An under-the-sink water purifier requires basic plumbing and hardware mounting. It is a straightforward job and does not require a special effort on your part. Only two things are needed to be done before the installation technician comes.
- You would require a water connection with a continuous water supply under the sink. There is usually a water connection point below the sink in housing societies, but if it is not, you can get your local plumber or maintenance people to get a connection from the main pipe. In an independent house, you will have to get a local plumber to do it. Kindly make sure that this water connection is made before the technician comes for installation; otherwise, the technician will not be able to get the installation done without a water connection.
- A power connection is required for the under-the-sink water purifier. The power connection is easy and can be arranged in two ways. Either you can get a new power socket under the sink or an extension board under the sink.
That’s It. You are ready to get an under-the-counter water purifier installed.
A separate faucet that is provided with the water purifier will need to be fixed on your sink. Thus a hole has to be made for fitting the tap. Don’t worry; the company technician will drill the hole. This is a 12mm hole, but you need to confirm with the company before getting it done yourself. After the purchase, you can speak to the company technician and see if you can get the hole done in advance because it will save a lot of time.
A lot of water is wasted when the filter runs, so kindly fill a bucket l with the water expelled when the filter is running. Since there is a drainage hole under the sink, you will be ok even if the water overflows.
What are the advantages of keeping a water purifier under sink ?
There are five main advantages of using an under-the-sink water purifier.
- An under-the-sink water purifier hides away from sight, thus improving the aesthetics of the kitchen that you have so lovingly decorated.
- Water spillage can only fall in the sink, so no need to clean the counter again and again in case of spillages.
- It is easier for kids and older parents to use a tap instead of a wall-mounted purifier.
- The water flow rate is higher as compared to a traditional wall-mounted RO. An under-the-sink water purifier uses a pressure pump, and thus the water outflow is higher than the gravity-based water flow of a wall-mounted RO.
- It is easier to place a bucket under the sink to collect the water wasted during the filtration process. You cannot place a bucket in your sink to collect the excess water.
Under sink water purifier disadvantages
Under-the-counter water purifiers are usually more expensive than wall-mounted water purifiers. The replacement cost of the filters is also considered higher than other RO systems.
Usually, the space under the sink is not of much use, but the under-counter water purifier does take us this space which otherwise could have been used for storing something else.
One major disadvantage or precaution is a better word that you must take while buying an under-the-counter water purifier: the space below the sink has to be kept dry and clean. Make sure your sink does not leak and water does not drip on the purifier system.
Under sink water purifiers are more expensive upfront than over the counter purifiers, and replacement filters are also more expensive in absolute terms and averaged over time.
Wall mounted RO VS Under the sink RO ?
| Wall Mounted RO | Under the Sink RO | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit cost | Cheaper than under sink | Costlier than wall mounted |
| Running cost | Filter change around 6000 litres average | Filter change around 4000 to 5000 litres average |
| Aesthetics | Spoils the interiors of the kitchen | You won’t notice a thing |
| Purification tech | No difference | No difference |
| Ease of use | Difficult to use for kids | Much easier to use |
| Water dispensing speed | Slow | Fast |
| Installation | No special effort | A power point & water connection under the sink |
Best under the sink water purifier India
Now that we have understood how an under-the-counter purifier works let us look at some of the top models in the category.
1. Kent under the sink water purifier
Kent is a sort of a leader in the Indian water purifier industry. It is also one of the most marketed brands in the category.
Kent has the most number of under the sink water purifier models in the market. Let us discuss them one by one.
A. KENT Excell+ 7-litres Under the counter RO + UV/UF+TDS Controller (White) 15-Ltr/hr Water Purifier
Kent Excell Plus is one of the highest-selling under-the-counter RO in the market.
The storage capacity of the Kent excell plus 7 litres, and it comes with a 1 Year Warranty + 3 years no service charge offer.
The body of the Kent excel is made up of ABS, which ensures a corrosion-free lifespan of the unit. Kindly use a TDS meter to find out the correct TDS of your water source before buying a water purifier.
The technology used in this water purifier is RO+UV +UF+ TDS Mineralizer water purification.
You can get more details and compare this to other comparable purifiers on the link below.
B. Kent Sterling Plus RO+UV+UF+TDS Cont. Under The Sink RO Water Purifier
Kent sterling plus is one of the best-looking under-the-sink water purifiers in the market. It feels like a compact box and does not have any glass panels under the sink like the Kent excell plus.
Let us now take a look at some of the features of this purifier now:
- The product is relatively compact and does not need too much space. It is ideal for under-the-counter installation.
- Sterling plus employs Mineral ro technology and ro+uv/uf with tds control valve to remove dissolved impurities such as arsenic, rust, chemicals, bacteria, viruses and salts and makes water 100% pure and safe for consumption.
You can get more details about the Kent sterling plus on the link below.
C. KENT 11077 Sterling UV + UF Under The sink Water Purifier 7 L | 60L/hr Water Purification | Activated Carbon Pre-Filter, White, Standard
Kent Sterling RO is a value-for-money under-the-sink water purifier from Kent. The design of the model is a single cabinet design ideal for under-the-counter placement.
The purification technology employed in the Kent Sterling RO is U.V. + U.F. There is no mineralizer technology like the sterling plus listed above.
The product comes with a 1 Year Warranty + 3 Years No Service Charge. The package comes with a Kent Sterling UV Purifier-01, 3 Way Connector- 01, S.S. ball valve- 01 No., Food Grade Pipe 1/4″ (White)- 2.5 Mtr, Food Grade Pipe 3/8″ ( White)- 2.5 Mtr., Faucet- 01, Instruction Manual-01.
You can get more details about the Kent sterling on the link below, where you can also compare it with other similar products.
3. Eureka Forbes Aquaguard UTC RO+UV+MTDS 8 L Water Purifier
Aquaguard under sink water purifier
Aquaguard water purifiers are among the most popular water purifiers in India and at one time the word Aquaguard was synonymous with water purifiers in India.
Aquaguard has only one under-the-counter water purifier: Eureka Forbes Aquaguard UTC RO+UV+MTDS 8 L Water Purifier.
It is a pretty decent-looking water purifier and uses RO + UV + MTDS for water purification.
Kindly note that the brand requires you to get a 15mm hole drilled in the sink for the faucet before installation.
You can get more details about this Aquaguard under sink water purifier on the link below.
4. AO Smith under sink water purifier
If you have read my blogs, you will know that AO Smith is my favourite water purifier brand. I have written a detailed blog post about The Best 6 AO Smith Water purifiers.
Let us now take a look at AO Smith under the sink water purifier options:
A. AO Smith Z2+ Under The Counter RO+MIN-TECH Water Purifier – 5 L
The AO Smith Z2 under-the-counter water purifier is one of the best-rated and most popular under-the-sink water purifiers.
The Z2 employs 6 stages of purification: Pre-filter + Sediment filter + Pre Carbon filter + RO Membrane + SCM-TECH(Silver Activated Post Carbon+ MIN-TECH).
The water that you get vis the Z2 is mineralized. The warranty depends on the TDS level of your place and can be either 1 or 2 years.
The Z2 features a WQA Certified Membrane RO.
You should check out this excellent purifier. You can get more details at the link below.
B. AO Smith X5+ Under The Counter RO+MIN-TECH White 7.5 L Water Purifier
AO Smith X5 is not a very pretty looking under sink water purifier, but it will be out of sight, so why worry?
You can consider the AO Smith X5 along with the Kent Excell Plus. Both look quite the same :).
The X5 employs a 6 stage purification process: Pre-filter + Sediment filter + Pre Carbon filter + RO Membrane + SCM-TECH(Silver Activated Post Carbon+ MIN-TECH)
The storage capacity of the AO Smith X5 is 7.5 litres, and it comes with a one or 2-year warranty.
You can not go wrong with an AO Smith product, so you can go ahead with the purchase of either model if you are looking to buy an under-the-counter water purifier.
Check out more details and compare the AO Smith X5 to other comparable purifiers on the link below.
5. Havells under sink water purifier
If AO Smith is my favourite water purifier brand, Havells is my famous oil heaters and water geysers.
Let us take a look at Havells under sink water purifier here
A. Havells UTC Alkaline with 100% RO & UV Purified Alkaline Water Purifier (Grey and White), 8 litre
If you are looking for features rich under-the-counter water purifiers at a very reasonable price, this Havells under sink water purifier is the right choice for you.
Let us take a look at some of the features of this Havells under the sink water purifier now:
- The Havells Alkaline water purifier employs eight stages of water purification. Advanced features such as RO Plus UV plus alkaline water are included in the price, and you will not find all these technologies in other comparable water purifiers.
- The Havells Alkaline water purifier dispenses water with pH 8 to 10.
- UV purification disinfects microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, protozoa; disinfects the water for safe drinking.
You can seriously consider this water purifier because Havells is a trusted brand. I have had excellent experiences with the company’s products. This water purifier offers technologies that no other water purifier provides in this segment and price.
You can get more details on the link below, where you can compare it to other comparable products.
B. HAVELLS UTC 100% RO & UV WATER PURIFIER
This Havells under the counter Ro & Uv water purifier is pretty similar to the one listed above (Havells UTC Alkaline) except it does not have an alkaline water feature.
RO & UV technology is used for filtration. The product is well-reviewed, and you should consider it because it offers good features at a good value.
6. Bluestar under sink water purifier
I could not find an under-the-sink water purifier model from Bluestar, but you can take a look at the myriad of under-the-sink water purifier options on this page.
7. Zero B under sink water purifier
A. Zero B Kitchenmate RO+ TDS Remover Water Purifier with 7 Stage Purification
Zero B is an Indian company, but I have not heard too much about the brand. The company does specialize in water purifiers, so I would like to think that their products are of good quality.
Zero B Kitchenmate employs RO +TDS + UV technology for water purification. The water goes through 7 stages of purification.
You can explore this ZER B Kitchenmate water purifier on the link below.
B. Zero B Kitchen Mate Pro UV Water Purifier- UV Technology+ Mineral Enhancer Upgradation Available + Under The Sink Suitable for Purification of Tap Water and Municipal Water Supply
Zero B Kitchen Mate Pro is a value-for-money under-the-counter water purifier.
It employs UV (Ultraviolet) technology to treat water. Product Water meets USEPA drinking water standards as per IS 10500.
The Kitchenmate pro has four levels of water filtration and has a storage capacity of 8 litres.
The design of this water purifier is pretty elegant and can fit easily under the sink.
You can get more details about the Zero B Kitchenmate Pro on the link below.
Conclusion
I hope this comprehensive blog about under the sink water purifier has given you a fair idea of the product.
If I were to buy an under the counter water purifier, I would choose the AO Smith Z2 or Havells UTC Alkaline for the reasons mentioned above.
I have written extensively about water purifiers, and you may want to read some of my other articles on the topic.
- Water Purifier Master Price List India (2021)
- The Best 6 AO Smith Water Purifier Review (2021)
- 7 Best Water Purifier with Hot Water in India (2021)
- The Best 10 Aquaguard Water Purifier Reviews
- The Top 10 Pureit Water Purifier
- The 5 Best LG Water Purifier
- Best Water Purifiers For Home
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