iSpring CKC2 3-Stage Countertop Water Filter
Price:
Product Feature
- Removes sand, silt, sediment, and rust from your drinking water
- Reduces the taste and odor of chlorine
- 3 Stages of Filtration in 2 canisters. Easy installation. Portable
- Great for places where space is limited
- Clear housing makes it so visible when the filters need to be replaced!
Product Description
Product Features iSpring 3-stage Counter Top Water Filter System generates clean water from tap water. The unit removes sediment and rust, chlorine taste and odor, scale, and many other water impurities. If you are looking for a basic, effective water filter to treat micro-organisms, chlorine, bed tastes and odors, this filter is for you. Product Highlights NEW sediment/GAC combo filters provides more stages of filtration for a double-canister counter top system. 1st Stage - Sediment Filter: With five micron rating, It is effective for removing dirt, rust, sand particles, and other pollutants. 2nd Stage - GAC Carbon Filter: Adsorb chlorine, halide, organic contaminants, odors, and other impurities that contribute to bad taste and odor. 3rd Stage - CTO Carbon Filter: Removing remaining chlorine, halide, organic contaminants and odors. Portable, pre-assembled with tap faucet adapter Standard replacement cartridges 2.5" x 10"; RECOMMENDED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 6 MONTHS. Installation Hardware Diverter Valve, Wrench and manual Specifications & Dimensions Water Source: Chlorinated or non-chlorinated water supplies System Capacity: 500 gallons per day @ 50/60 psi & 77 degree F Feed Water pH: 3.0 -11.0 Feed Water Pressure: 40-95 psi Feed Water Temperature: 40-100 F (4 - 38 C) Max Total Dissolved Solids: 2500 ppm System Package Dimensions(inch): 12w x 5d x 13h System Package Weight : 9 lbs.iSpring CKC2 3-Stage Countertop Water Filter Review
I've had to return 2 of the cheaper (~$40) 1-cartridge countertop filters Amazon sells, the Watts & Paragon. One for spraying all over from the faucet adapter's swivel joint, the other for having an unfixable fast leak from the base of the cartridge housing. So this iSpring was Amazon's last chance to sell me a filter that actually, like, works.Sure enough, when I just tightened everything & turned it on, it leaked rather badly from the base of the 2nd (opaque) cartridge housing. But that was easily fixed by taking it apart, washing the rubber O-ring in dish detergent, then smearing lots of Vaseline into the O-ring's channel & then over the O-ring after it was in place, to make a good watertight seal. That worked--ever since, it hasn't leaked a drop. (Pure Vaseline is totally non-toxic in a water system--you can eat a tablespoon of the stuff, & it'll only act as a mild digestive lubricant.) Interestingly, the 1st (transparent) cartridge housing has a polyethylene instead of rubber O-ring, & with a similar seal design, hasn't leaked at all.
Oh, & the other thing you discover if you don't disassemble the filter before first use is that both filter cartridges, already installed inside their housings, come still completely wrapped in plastic and won't let water flow thru, at least 'til water pressure ruptures a hole in it. So unscrew both housings & remove the plastic wrap from both cartridges before use. And be very careful that both O-rings stay in the groove as you screw the housings back on to avoid damaging them, even if you don't have to use Vaseline to get a better seal.
As other reviewers have said, I suspect the quality of both stock filter cartridges isn't that great, but the water tastes fine & all chlorine taste is gone. I have better standard 10" cartridges waiting for the 1st set to reach capacity.
This filter isn't as convenient to use as many other countertop filters for 2 reasons. 1st, the faucet valve isn't spring-loaded, so it doesn't automatically return to the no-filtering position when you shut the water off. You have to remember to turn the valve back manually, & if you forget, you waste filtration for a couple of seconds 'til you realize. And 2nd, the filtered water comes out of a separate spigot on the filter instead of being rerouted back in a 2nd little hose to the faucet fitting, so you have to quickly switch positions over to the back corner of the sink to get the filtered water into whatever you're holding. This will become more of a reflex with time, but will never be as convenient as coming out of the faucet adapter. More of a problem for short people who have trouble reaching the back of their sink.
Still, overall I'm pleased with the filter, so far (after a mere week of use) & give it 4 stars. Having 2 filter cartridges means you can use 2 different kinds (e.g. VOC vs biologicals), & that the 1st filter protects the 2nd from a lot of sediment & other contamination, so the 2nd (finer & so more expensive) filter should last much longer than if it were the only cartridge.
Update 3/14/13: I just reduced my rating from 4 to 3 stars. After a few weeks of use, the faucet adapter popped right out of our faucet, just from the water pressure. It had not been pulled on at all. The adapter's threads are plastic, not metal, & with so few threads to engage, apparently water pressure is enough to pop it off.
So naturally when reinstalling it, I tightened it more than the first time. That resulted in deforming the plastic threads a little, enough so it sprayed past the threads some (but still within the sink, not onto the counter or floor). After a couple of days, the plastic had flowed into shape & filled the gaps, & it's been working fine since then (for about 2 months now).
The one other thing I could've done is find a custom-fit washer about half as thick to fit between the top of the adapter & bottom of the faucet, to let about 1 more thread engage in the faucet. If it pops off or sprays again, I'll do that.
The one other problem is that the hand-turned valve (to select filtered vs unfiltered water), also a plastic part, is already getting hard to turn. This may be from the amount of loose crud particles coming out of our old water heater, which is what disabled the valve in our old water filter.
Anyway, I still think it's a good filter for the money, but you have to be very careful when screwing those plastic threads into the faucet. Use the thinnest washer you can. Tighten it pretty gently at first, & if it leaks, tighten it just a tiny bit more at a time, then check for leaks. If you overtighten it, you could easily deform or strip the threads.
Update 9/21/13: Reduced to 1 star because: Several months ago, the swivel joint in the middle of the faucet adapter started leaking, & that was only fixable by removing the aerator to reduce the back pressure. That was OK, except it made our faucet's spray hose quit working due to lack of back pressure. Yesterday, the joint failed completely, spewing water all over, so all I could do is remove the whole filter. Will have to check to see if it's still under warranty, or if I can buy a replacement attachment cheaply. Is it too much to ask that a simple piece of metal plumbing hardware last at least a year? Back when this stuff was made in the US & the companies were run by engineers & cared, it lasted decades. The mfr claims it's US-made but it sure seems like Chinese quality.
Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "iSpring CKC2 3-Stage Countertop Water Filter" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from iSpring CKC2 3-Stage Countertop Water Filter ...
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