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Head-to-head · Best Under-Sink Water Filters

APEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis System vs Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

APEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis System is the only one of the two with a published score (4.3); Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink has none, so this is not a close call so much as an unmeasured one. APEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis System is best for: households that want thorough reverse osmosis filtration at a low running cost and have under-sink space to spare. Read the strengths below before deciding.

APEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis System
Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Under-Sink Water Filters
APEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis System
1 source$190as of Oct 17

The APEC ROES-PH75 is a six-stage, tank-based under-sink reverse osmosis system rated at 75 gallons per day, with a 4-gallon tank, a dedicated chrome faucet and a final calcite remineralisation stage. Water Filter Guru scored it 8.87/10 after lab testing showed it removed every contaminant found above health guideline levels and cut dissolved solids by 93%, though its measured output and water efficiency were well short of APEC's figures. Bob Vila named it best overall, with its tester reporting clearer, better-tasting water from the first day in a home on hard municipal water. It suits households that want thorough, low-cost purification and have cabinet space to spare; anyone short on under-sink room, or keen to limit wastewater, should look at a tankless or pumped system instead.

Strengths
  • — Removed every contaminant detected above health guideline levels in Water Filter Guru's lab test
  • — Cut total dissolved solids by 93%, from 875 to 54 ppm, with no significant TDS creep
  • — Calcite remineralisation stage kept the filtered water from turning acidic
Watch-outs
  • — Wasteful without a pump: 10.6 oz sent to drain per 1 oz purified on a small draw
  • — Installation took 90 minutes and needs a dedicated faucet hole drilled in the countertop
  • — The 4-gallon storage tank fills much of the under-sink cabinet
$190 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink
Ranked #5 in Best Under-Sink Water Filters
Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink
Unrated3 sources$550as of Oct 10

The Clearly Filtered 3-Stage is the broad-spectrum carbon system, independently tested to reduce 232+ contaminants, including fluoride, lead, PFAS and arsenic, while wasting no water. Its 2,000-gallon filter life is among the longest here. Two catches: it's the costliest in this group, and it carries only one full NSF certification despite extensive third-party testing. For maximum contaminant breadth without RO, it's excellent.

Strengths
  • — Independently tested to reduce 232+ contaminants including fluoride, lead, PFAS and arsenic
  • — Long 2,000-gallon filter life (per Bos Water), roughly 9 to 15 months between changes
  • — No water waste, no drain line or dedicated faucet needed
Watch-outs
  • — Holds only one full NSF certification (NSF 42) despite broad third-party testing, which Bos Water notes is less reassuring than formal certification
  • — Significantly more expensive upfront than other carbon systems
  • — Some owners report reduced water pressure over the filter's life
$550 · Buy at clearlyfiltered.comFull review →

How they stack up

APEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis System

The ROES-PH75 is a reverse osmosis system, unlike the Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink, which reduces contaminants without RO, and the Aquasana Claryum AQ-5300+, which is a no-wait filter that keeps healthy minerals. The APEC instead strips most minerals and adds a calcite stage at the end, and it needs a 4-gallon storage tank and a drain connection that sends water to waste.

Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink

The Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink is tested to reduce 232+ contaminants including fluoride, which the Frizzlife MP99 and Waterdrop 15UA do not reduce. It holds only one full NSF certification, where the Aquasana Claryum AQ-5300+ is certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401. Its 2,000-gallon filter life is longer than the Aquasana's 800 gallons and far shorter than the Waterdrop's 16,000, and it costs far more than all three.

Specs side-by-side

SpecAPEC Water ROES-PH75 Essence Alkaline Reverse Osmosis SystemClearly Filtered 3-Stage Under the Sink
Filtration Stages6 (sediment, 2 carbon blocks, RO membrane, carbon post-filter, calcite remineralisation)—
Rated Output75 gallons per day—
Storage Tank4 gallons—
Dimensions15.5 x 5.25 x 17.5 in—
CertificationsNSF/ANSI 58 (TDS reduction), lead-free designNSF/ANSI 42, 372 (broad third-party testing)
Power SourceWater pressure (no pump)—
Warranty1 year limited—
Filtration—3-stage Affinity media
Contaminants Reduced—232+ (fluoride, lead, PFAS, arsenic)
Filter Life—2,000 gallons / 9-15 months
Mineral Retention—Partial: Water Filter Guru's lab measured calcium -92%, magnesium -6%, hardness -68%
Water Waste—None
Faucet—Uses existing faucet (no separate faucet)
Reduction Rate—90-99% across tested contaminants
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