7 Best UV Water Purifiers Buyer’s Guide & Reviews!

With increasing population and industrialization, one finds deterioration in the quality of water supplied through municipal taps.

Human and industrial waste has contaminated river water sources.

The groundwater quality is also not of the highest standards, as they come contaminated with high levels of TDS.

Using water purifier is a a viable solution. Different types of water purifiers are available such as,

UV Water Purifiers – Removes bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.
UF Water Purifiers – Removes visible sediments and other contaminants.
RO Water Purifiers – Eliminates TDS and purify water.

UV water purifier is recommended when the TDS levels in your water source is below 500ppm only.

In General Contest, If you get municipality water which is not salty in nature and you want to remove bacteria and germs from the water, UV purification is the right choice.

We shall look at the best UV water purifiers in this section before discussing the points to consider before purchasing a UV water purifier.

Best UV Water Purifiers

1. AO Smith Z1 – UV 10L Wall Mountable

AO Smith is a top international brand of water purifier producing some of the best UV water purifiers in India. It has a sleek appearance and boasts of a reliable performance because of its excellent features.

Suitable for water having TDS levels less than 200 ppm
Five stage filtration process
Ultra-filtration for hot water
One-year warranty

Appearance-wise, the AO Smith Z1 is ideal for enhancing the kitchen environment. It works on UV technology and performs the best when purifying water with TDS levels less than 200 ppm.

This water purifier has a five-stage purification structure involving a pre-filter, sediment filter, silver activated post carbon filtration, UV lamp, and UFSS (for hot water) to ensure healthy drinking water.

The advanced UV lamp does not use any chemicals for purifying water. It works best for water with low TDS levels. The best aspect of this water purifier is that it gives hot water between 45⁰C and 80⁰C.

An exciting feature is the digital display to provide vital information. The Night Assist feature is a welcome addition as it guides you in the dark, besides enhancing the kitchen environment.

The UV Life Alert feature indicates when it is time for replacing the lamp.

Pros

Can handle water with TDS levels up to 350 ppm if there are no visible contaminants
A versatile appliance as you can wall-mount it and keep it on the kitchen tabletop, as well
Good water flow

Cons

Though it provides hot water, the water tank has to be full before you can activate the hot water option.

2. Kent Maxx 7L Wall mountable cum tabletop UV + UF Water purifier

Kent is one of the best-selling Indian brands when it comes to kitchen appliances like water purifiers. These water purifiers are the most reliable because of their incredible features.

7-litre detachable water tank
Water flow rate of 60 litres per hour
UV + UF technology
Food-grade plastic material
One-year warranty

Kent water purifiers are versatile because they come with different installing options. This water purifier can be mounted on the wall and placed on the kitchen top, as well.

It works on UV + UF technology to provide safe and hygienic water 24×7.

The detachable storage tank is an advantage because it allows you to clean the appliance comfortably. The advantage of the storage tank is that it can ensure the continuous supply of pure water, even in the absence of electricity.

As it is made from food-grade plastic, it does not affect the quality of pure water. The push-fit design prevents leakages.

Kent Maxx water purifiers come with computer-controlled options such as UV change and filter change alarms. By alerting you in advance, it proves its safety and convenience.

Kent offers pan-India service, as it has more than 1500 service centres spread all over the country.

Pros

Good value for the money you spend
The detachable tank provides greater convenience
Kills germs without using chemicals

Cons

Not the ideal water purifier if your source water has TDS levels more than 500 ppm

3. Eureka Forbes Aquasure from Aquaguard Aquaflo DX Wall Mountable UV water purifier

Eureka Forbes is one of the oldest companies manufacturing water purifiers in India. They offer a range of appliances, of which this UV water purifier stands out for its popularity.

Works on UV technology to purify water
Ideal for use when TDS levels are less than 200 ppm
Water flow rate of 2 litres per minute
In-built voltage stabiliser

This Eureka Forbes UV water purifier is the ideal appliance when you wish to have instant pure water. As it does not feature any storage tank, there is no question of recontamination of water during storage.

The excellent flow rate of two litres per minute ensures you get instant pure water whenever you need it.

This appliance comes with an inbuilt voltage stabiliser, thereby ensuring to protect the appliance from voltage fluctuations. It also features smart indicators to update the status of the UV bulb and cartridge.

This Aquaflo water purifier is the best one to fill up water bottles for carrying outdoors or storing in the fridge because it can deliver a flow rate of two litres per minute.

The wall-mountable water purifier does not occupy much space. It also features a stand where you can place the water bottle or glass when filling it up.

This UV water purifier can handle source water with TDS levels less than 300 ppm.

Pros

Easy to install and use
Excellent water flow rate
Can handle voltage fluctuations

Cons

No storage tank, hence, you cannot get pure water when there is a power cut.

4. AO Smith X2 5L UV + UF Water Purifier

Here is another AO Smith model that can deliver pure water at the touch of a button. UV + UF technology ensures double protection.

UV + UF technology
The capacity of five litres
Useful when TDS levels in water are less than 200 ppm
Five stage water purification process

This AO Smith UV + UF water purifier is the ideal one for use in cities where you get RO-treated municipal water in your kitchen taps.

This water purifier works on a 5-stage purification process that includes a sediment filter, a fine sediment filter, carbon block filters, UV lamp, and UF process. Thus, you get high-quality pure water without any loss in taste and odour.

The storage capacity of the tank is five litres. Thus, you have adequate storage capacity to take you through power cuts.

The digital display feature is an excellent one, as it provides valuable information to the user. This water purifier features a UV Life Alert system to indicate that it is time to change the UV lamp.

This wall-mountable device comes in attractive dual colour design. It is one of the most attractive appliances to adorn your kitchen, as it blends beautifully with the other appliances.

Pros

The stainless-steel tank is a durable one.
The water purifier comes with an inbuilt booster pump.
Suitable for areas that get RO-treated water in taps

Cons

Not suitable if the TDS levels are higher than 200 ppm

5. Eureka Forbes Aquasure from Aquaguard Smart 20W UV water purifier

The advantage of using this UV water purifier is that it does not use any chemicals for purification. This water purifier offers superior UV protection because of its excellent features.

Water flow rate of 2L per minute
Useful in cases where TDS levels are less than 200 ppm
Energy saver mode available
Activated carbon filter

The UV rays deactivate the disease-causing bacteria and other microorganisms to protect the entire family.

The high-grade Quartz glass sleeve protects the UV lamp and does not allow it to touch the water. The advanced UV lamp sensing mechanism is a welcome addition as it stops dispensing water during malfunctioning of the appliance.

This water purifier can deliver a flow rate of two litres of safe drinking water every minute. It comes with an activated carbon filter with 0.2% silver to arrest bacterial growth.

The energy saver mode switches off automatically when the water is not drawn for ten minutes. Thus, it saves valuable power.

This water purifier comes equipped with an inbuilt voltage stabiliser to protect the appliance from substantial voltage fluctuations.

The provision of a glass holding tray makes it convenient to fill bottles for storage.

Pros

Ideal for homes that get water supply pre-treated by municipal authorities
Activated carbon filter to eliminate bad odour
High-quality purification

Cons

Does not have a storage tank
Not ideal when the source water has TDS levels more than 200 ppm

6. Kent Ultra Storage 7L UV + UF Water purifier

Kent water purifiers generally come with adequate storage capacity to ensure that you get pure water even during power cuts. This UV + UF water purifier works best when you use it to purify pre-treated RO water supplied through municipal taps.

7L storage capacity
UV + UF double filtration process
Food grade plastic material
Suitable for water with low TDS levels

This Kent water purifier uses a double filtration method to purify water. The UF membrane takes care of the minute contaminants, whereas the UV lamp eliminates bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms.

Thus, you have pure and hygienic water to drink every time.

This appliance comes with a storage tank having a capacity of seven litres. It ensures that you get your share of pure water during power cuts.

The best aspect of this water purifier is that it features computer-controlled filter-change and UV fail alarms to alert the user to replace them on time.

At the same time, it also features a safety mechanism that stops the appliance from working when the UV lamp becomes inefficient. Thus, it ensures there is no supply of impure water at any time during its life cycle.

This water purifier features an inbuilt SMPS instead of a standard adapter. Thus, it can withstand massive voltage fluctuations in the range of 100V to 300V. The 1L/min water flow speed is a good one for domestic use.

Pros

High-quality water purification
Food grade quality plastic is hygienic.
Eliminates bacteria, viruses, and cysts

Cons

Not the best appliance when it comes to dealing with water with TDS levels more than 300 ppm

7. Havells UV Plus 8L UV UF Water Purifier

Water purifiers, generally, occupy space in the kitchen. Havells makes beautiful use of space by introducing a water purifier that can be placed at the corners.

Double purification, UV plus UF
Revitaliser feature to improve hydration and mineral absorption
Soft-touch faucet with zero splash feature
Capable of corner mounting

Havells water purifiers come with a futuristic design that enables you to mount it in a corner. This water purifier is available in an excellent combination of blue and white colours with a transparent water tank.

It works on the dual purification technology encompassing UV and UF. The 5-stage UV purification with germicidal UV-C protection ensures pure and safe drinking water every time.

This purifier features a unique Revitaliser technology that restructures water molecules to enhance mineral absorption and hydration.

The space-saving design is the highlight of this water purifier. The advantage is that you can place it on a table or even mount it on the corners.

The iProtect feature monitors the purification process and switches off the machine on detecting a fault.

The inbuilt voltage stabiliser ensures that the appliance performs well in the voltage range of 170V to 310V. The Aero-splash faucet design prevents the water from splashing around when using the soft-touch faucet.

The smart alerts prove useful to inform the user about the time to replace the UV lamp. The Ingress Protection tank cover stops the external invasion of insects and dust particles. The removable tank allows you to clean it periodically.

Pros

Exquisite design with wall-mounting features
5-stage purification process involving UV plus UF
Water taste remains the same after purification

Cons

The pricing could have been lower.

UV Water Purifier – Buying Guide

Before we proceed with the things to consider while purchasing a UV water purifier, one should understand the difference between UV and RO water purification.

UV Water Purification

UV or Ultraviolet water purification is one of the safest methods of water purification. The process ensures elimination of 99.99% harmful bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants, thereby making the water pure to drink.

The water passes through a tank equipped with a UV lamp to kill the bacteria and other microorganisms.

The most significant highlighting feature is that there is no addition of any chemicals to improve the taste of water.

RO Water Purification

RO or Reverse Osmosis water purification is a comprehensive purification process for removing TDS from source water.

This process involves the water to pass through a reverse osmosis membrane to remove TDS. The resultant water is pure and free of TDS.

However, the process of RO purification removes essential chemicals like magnesium, calcium, and others.

Therefore, RO water purifiers come with TDS control mechanisms or mineralisers to add these minerals after the purification process to improve the water taste.

Working of UV Water Purifier

The working of a UV water purifier is simple. The water runs through a chamber containing a UV lamp.

The disinfection or the purification is done in this chamber, where a UV light with a wavelength of 254nm attacks the microorganism’s DNA and eliminates their reproduction capacity.

The higher the dosage of UV light, the better is the purification process. The modern-day UV water purifiers can destroy up to 99.99% microorganisms in contaminated water and make it hygienic to drink.

Working of RO Water Purifier

RO water purifier works on a multi-stage purification process. It begins with the sediment filter to take care of visible, insoluble contaminants.

The activated carbon filters remove organic impurities. The Reverse Osmosis membrane then takes over the job of eliminating TDS.

The water then passes through another layer of an activated carbon filter to remove any traces of bad odour.

If necessary, the RO-purified water is passed through a UF membrane and UV chamber to ensure the elimination of microorganisms.

Finally, these purifiers have a TDS controller or mineraliser to replenish the essential minerals lost during the RO purification process.

RO vs UV Water purifier

Compared to the RO process, the UV chamber purification is a straightforward method.

However, one should ensure that the TDS levels in water should not be more than 500 ppm. If TDS is more than 500 ppm, one should invest in a RO water purifier.

Components inside a UV water purifier

There are four primary components in a UV water purifier.

Some of the optional attachments include low UV alarms, lamp-changing timers, and indicators to alert users of any system failure.

Advantages of UV Water Purification

Here are the advantages of UV water purification.

UV purification can destroy up to 99.99% of bacteria, viruses, and harmful microorganisms to make the water pure to drink.
UV purification is an eco-friendly process, as it does not involve the use of chlorine and other harmful chemicals.
The water does not undergo any variation in the taste when using UV purification.
UV water purifiers are easy to maintain. One needs to clean the purifier regularly and replace the UV lamp annually.
The UV process can kill pathogens like Cryptosporidium and Giardia that are resistant to chlorination.
UV filters consume less power when compared to RO water purifiers. They are economical, as well.
The UV purification process can work in combination with other purification methods like RO and UF.
UV water purification does not waste water like the RO water purification process.
The water does not come in contact with the bulb. It is only exposed to UV radiation.

Disadvantages of UV Water Purification

One should also know the disadvantages of UV water purification before purchasing UV water purifiers.

UV purification can eliminate microorganisms alone. It does not remove visible impurities like mud. It also does not remove TDS from water and chemicals like arsenic and chlorine.
The UV water purification is effective only when there are no visible impurities. It is suitable for water having TDS levels up to 500 ppm without any turbidity.
If the source water is turbid, you should use a UV-cum-UF water purifier. If TDS levels are more than 500 ppm, one should go for a combination with RO.

Things to consider when purchasing UV water purifiers

The choice of the ideal water purifier for the home depends on various factors. One should look into them carefully before selecting the best UV water purifier.

Water Quality

Contaminants present in water can scatter or absorb UV light, thereby affecting the water purification process.

These contaminants include iron, manganese, and others. Water that is free from such contaminants is the best for UV treatment.

Similarly, suspended particles in water also need elimination. Therefore one should ensure that the source water satisfies these parameters. Otherwise, you might need an additional filtration method like a pre-filter, UV filter, or even RO filtration.

The hardness of the source water should be less than 300 ppm.
The presence of iron and manganese should not be more than 0.3 and 0.05 ppm, respectively.
The turbidity levels should be less than 1 NTU.
Tannins should be less than 0.1 ppm.
The UV transmittance should be more than 75%

Some of the other aspects to look out for are the certifications, customer support, warranty, and pricing.

Who should purchase a UV water purifier?

People living in metro cities and those areas having access to soft water without insoluble contaminants should opt for a UV water purifier.

Generally, the municipal authorities have large RO water purification plants to treat the water before distributing it to the individual residents.

Under such circumstances, the TDS levels of source water will be less than 300 ppm.

UV water purification should be enough to eliminate the microorganisms and make the water hygienic for drinking.

If the turbidity levels of the source water are high, one can attach an optional sediment filter before the UV water purifier. It ensures to trap the visible contaminants and improve the lifespan of the UV lamp.

Better to go for RO + UV purification

People depending directly on river water sources for their water requirements should install a RO water purifier having a UV purification element in it.

Such water contains human and industrial wastes. Hence, it requires higher levels of purification, even if the TDS levels are within the acceptable limits.

People dependant on well water and groundwater sources should consider installing RO water purifiers with UV chambers in it. This water contains high levels of TDS along with bacteria and microorganisms.

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