Pros:* The biggest pro is that the bottles are BPA-Free. We recycled all our plastic cups & water bottles that didn''t have a BPA-free stamp on it, and this unit is a nice way to replace 4 bottles at once.
* The unit is easy to assemble, easy to use.
* It''s convenient to grab a bottle on the go.
* Easy to wash (bottles have a wide mouth, the lids screw off completely for washing)
Cons:
* The filter is just a basic activated charcoal filter. Don''t get me wrong activated charcoal is one of those miracle discoveries that has a million uses. But the filter is thin, it doesn''t "push" the water through the filter at an even rate, and needs frequent replacing.
This probably only filters out 50% of the contaminants in regular faucet water. Better than nothing, but don''t think that it''s "pure" water.
* Bottles are too small (16.9oz), even for children. Should be 20-24 ounces.
* The lid on the unit just sets into place, not very secure. From looking at the picture, I was hoping the entire unit would be portable, or would travel. It definitely does not the bottles do not lock into place, the lid or filter don''t lock into place. I wish the lid locked on, and the unit had a handle on top. I''d love to be able to travel with this it''s much more useful on the "road" (at work, traveling, etc), than it is at home.
* I like different colored caps, but the bottles are not very kid-friendly. The caps screw off, they do not squirt, and cannot hold a straw.
* The entire gizmo is somewhat flimsy if our children ever knocked it on the floor, it would shatter in a 100 pieces. I think the price point is a bit high given the overall quality of the unit I''d expect a price point of around $30-35.
I popped open the box, cleaned it as instructed and filled up our bottles.
I like the water bottles, they are nice and sturdy, perfect for our son''s school lunches or a trip to the gym. The bottles are easy to clean, and I haven''t had any issues with water leakage when filling them up in the station. The water filters out quickly, no long waits.
At first glance, I thought this was expensive, but we paid about $12 for our Camelbak bottles, on the other hand, they are bigger than the bottles that come with this system. But my issue is going to be replacing the filter. I''m not always good about that, and when the filter needs to be replaced, I simply move over to my fridge and get my water from there. And that means, I have something sitting on my counter, or in my cabinets that I don''t use very often.
I like this system for my children, I can quickly fill up the bottles for my two younger boys to take outside when they play with friends. Because they are a bit smaller, they do not take up as much room in their backpacks or lunch sacks. We use it often now, but in three months (when the filter will needs to be replaced) if I don''t remember to get a filter, or one isn''t easily available (though you can order them from Amazon for about $11) I will go right back to using my fridge''s water system. Though I will continue to use the bottles for my children.
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For many years now, I''ve been a big advocate of clean water. The common tap contains a mixture of lead, chlorine, pesticides, fungicides, minerals, and fluoride.Whenever I go to a restaurant, I instantly know when I''m drinking tap water by the bitter taste. You can somewhat disguise it by making the water cold (using ice), but not totally.
I use a carbon filter at home, which supposedly removes 99% of the contaminants. The nice thing about carbon is that the water still contains the positive minerals that our bodies need. Whereas reverse osmosis removes everything, good and bad.
I mention this because the Filtrete 4-Bottle Water Station uses a carbon based filter. As of this review, the replacements cost $9.50 and can be located on Amazon here: 3M Filtrete Fast Flow Filter. The manufacturer claims that each one lasts for approximately three months. That would be $38 a year to spend on filters. Now, keep in mind that this is just a loose guesstimate. Usage, not time, ultimately determines how often a filter needs to be changed.
Upon first use, I was surprised how quickly the water flowed through the filter and into the bottles. Usually, carbon slows down the process considerably. This means the technology used in the filter is either really good, or really bad. Since I don''t have a quality tester, I''m unable to determine this for certain. I will say, however, that I noticed a bitter taste when using this filter over the one on my mainline at home. It could just be that the filter needs time to break in.
The bottles themselves are quite nice. Similarly shaped/sized to the throwaway water bottles on the market, it makes the adjustment of switching easier. The strap which connects the lid to the bottle is good for easy one-finger carrying. The strap can also be removed from the bottle should it annoy you. Oddly enough, I found that the strap can''t be removed from the screw-on lid itself. So you either have a lid with a strap or no lid at all. Personally, I don''t find it an issue because Filtrete smartly designed the strap to rotate away from the top when you take a drink--nothing more annoying than having a strap you have to force back with your fingers, so kudos to them for thinking of this during the design phase.
I also like how the top of the bottle unscrews to make for easy cleaning (and, if you really want to, turn it into a drinking glass). The clear plastic of the bottle makes the water inside look crystal clear, appetizing. As a result I find myself drinking more water than I normally do (subliminal). Since I have access to filtered water at work already, I simply refill the bottle as-is, thus avoiding use of the one it came with, which prolongs its lifespan (and saves money).
Overall, I''m happy with this set. It cuts down on the amount of disposable water bottles my wife has been buying, which is good for the environment (they claim it saves up to 3000 discarded bottles a year), and keeps down clutter and storage space. I have yet to be impressed with the actual filtering quality itself, but I''m thinking that will come with time and frequent usage.
NOTE: The manufacturer claims these are dishwasher safe, but make sure you put them on the top shelf not the bottom. As for myself, I''ll be handwashing them to avoid possible hard water buildup caused by prolonged exposure to the dishwasher.
Read Best Reviews of Filtrete 4-Bottle Water Station with Multicolored Bottle Tops Here
Used this when I knew hurricane sandy was coming. Helped drastically. I also use it now too but I appreciated it more during the stress.Want Filtrete 4-Bottle Water Station with Multicolored Bottle Tops Discount?
How it works: Place whole thing in sink so the faucet pours water into the top of the device and filters water into each of the 4 BPA free bottles.It really does filter water fast (within seconds), so I don''t know if that means it''s effectively filtering my tap water or not. There is no chance of overfilling the bottles because any extra water just sits at the top or pours out of the spout. I don''t like this feature because there''s potential for stagnant water to just sit in the spout which I cannot remove to clean.
I really like the design of the 16oz BPA free bottles but I wish they were bigger. The lid unscrews in 2 places: 1 from the bottle and 1 at the very top at the mouthpiece. Unscrewing the lid from the bottle allows me to fill the bottle quickly (larger opening) and the very top of the lid unscrews to reveal the lip of the lid which is perfect for guzzling from.
Unfortunately, the whole contraption takes up too much space in my sink and counter, and I find it easier to use my Brita filter to fill up the bottles. I''ll keep the bottles but I could do without the rest of the station because of it''s large footprint.
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