Review on 💧 Certified Brondell Circle Reverse Osmosis System by Mike Malvo

First of all, Brondell Circle is a damn good reverse osmosis system. It does an excellent job of filtering the well water in our home for drinking. The installation was very easy. Sleek design (which seems strange considering it's not a new iDevice or anything). At our home, Brondell replaced an 8 year old "traditional" reverse osmosis system that had failed (more on that later). So I already had plumbing, drain, and faucet lines ready for Brondel installation. I figured it out in less than 15 minutes. If you're starting from scratch, allow at least 30 minutes to install these lines—even longer if you have to drill a faucet hole in a sink or countertop. After installation we immediately saw a difference in our water. Our total dissolved solids (TDS) dropped to less than 1/10th that of the incoming water: Before reverse osmosis, my digital TDS meter read 202 ppm; after RO the TDS value dropped to 19 ppm (see photo). Our water has never looked so clear and tasted so good! What drew me to Brondell Circle was how it improved on the design of a traditional reverse osmosis system. Aesthetically it's a nice system if you've ever seen what a reverse osmosis system usually looks like. As an engineer, I genuinely appreciate the thought, attention, and design touches embodied in Brondell Circle. The versatile circular filtration system with quarter turn filters makes filter changes much easier than a traditional reverse osmosis system. Before purchasing the Circle I had to remove each of the system's 3 filter canisters (which drained water throughout the process) to replace the pre-filters. O-rings sometimes wouldn't close, leading to a nasty mess. The tentacles of the water pipes stretched out in all directions and around the system, looking like a mess. It worked, but it wasn't pretty! But the last time I changed the filter, I must have pushed one of the tiny water inlet pipes. Didn't know it was leaking until we found water stains on the ceiling underneath! I'm sure Brondell's simplified design will help reduce the risk of damage when changing filters. In addition, the Brondell Circle includes a beautiful chrome faucet that is a vast improvement over the old universal system faucet. The Circle faucet features a blue LED that gently flashes while the reverse osmosis water is flowing. The LED changes color to red when the filters need to be replaced. Genius! This great feature helps the owner remember to change filters in time to keep Circle running at its peak performance. Significant improvements in Circle's design only got me thinking about what might be next in the evolution of his design. My kids wanted an LED light to illuminate the reverse osmosis water coming out of the faucet. This would be a great feature in the dark. Maybe a phone app could control the color of the LED! Speaking of applications, one of them could help me monitor and manage my expected filter life and change the filter change order. Brondell Circle should offer a choice of different faucet finishes such as brushed nickel, antique bronze etc as part of the base offering of this premium system. Circle can easily measure TDS and other important water measurements that can be viewed on a small LCD (or app). The circuit can measure flow to detect parasitic (or catastrophic) leaks. When detected, it can close the inlet valve to prevent water damage. But I digress. Now for an opportunity for improvement: I'm concerned about the cost of replacement Circle filters. I used to be able to replace all the filters plus membrane in my 5 stage system for less than $40/year. By understanding the recurring revenue model related to filter consumables, Brondell could make it easier for consumers to purchase the product, but they must consider a reasonable price to make money and sell more of the product. At the moment I feel that the price ($60+) for a pack of 3 filters (which need to be replaced every 6 months) is way too high compared to the competition. It's a business decision that Brondell must weigh. do you want to change the rules of the game and become a leader in this entry and middle market? If so, they have laid a foundation with a great product. I want them to install this system in as many homes as possible because a great RO can be simple, elegant and accessible to everyone. Brondell could sell a lot more if they lowered the regular filter cost. The market penetration could be huge as they keep improving and adding features while keeping the price competitive.