Best choice
Certified and tested to remove lead, chemicals and other contaminants, this model features a user-friendly design that saves closet space.
The Cloud RO under sink is our best reverse osmosis filter. Being a tank-based system, this model uses the pressure in your pipes to filter water and stores it in a self-pressurizing reservoir until you need it. It’s the oldest method of home reverse osmosis and, at least in terms of hype, is eclipsed by tankless pump systems that filter water on demand. But when we compared the two types, the old method stole the show.
The Cloud RO is quiet, unlike tankless pump models that rumble and hum. It doesn’t require an electrical outlet in the cabinet under the sink, which can be an expensive addition. And it delivers filtered water at a rate comparable to some tankless models that cost much more. The main criticism of reservoir-based RO models is that the reservoir takes up too much space, but Cloud’s design minimizes the size of the reservoir while increasing the volume it can hold, resulting in the system taking up slightly more space than the pump-based models we tested.
It is certified by NSF Standard 58 and has undergone rigorous and trusted third-party testing to numerous other standards. Cloud RO is NSF International Standard 58 certified for total dissolved solids, lead-free materials, structural integrity, and material recovery (meaning it does not leach materials such as microplastics into filtered water). The company also tested the system against several NSF standards to reduce additional contaminants. He openly shares test results; these include passing scores for lead, mercury, chromium, arsenic, PFOA and PFOS (two common forever chemicals), and volatile organic compounds (generally speaking, solvents). Testing was carried out by SGS, a large international certification company.
It delivers filtered water quite quickly. In my testing, the Cloud RO dispensed 2 liters (68 ounces or half a gallon) of water in one minute with a full tank. This produces an 8 ounce glass of water in 7 seconds. The flow slows down as the reservoir empties; with the tank about half full, delivering 2 liters took 1 minute 40 seconds. For pouring yourself a drink, this flow rate, although half that of the high-performance Waterdrop X12 with pump I tested, is not a dealbreaker. And they are similar to the results I got from the pumped Delta Clarifi.
It’s compact. The filter block is 16.25 inches high, 7 inches wide, and 10 inches deep, and the reservoir is 9 inches in diameter and 15 inches high. Together, the two components aren’t much deeper or wider than the Waterdrop and Delta tankless systems I tested. (It’s difficult to compare sizes directly since the Waterdrop and Delta models don’t have a reservoir but have taller, deeper filter housings due to built-in pumps. The photo at the top of this guide probably gives a better idea of their relative weight.) After I installed the Cloud RO and the other two under-sink models in a cramped 18.5-inch-wide sink cabinet, there was still room in the cabinet for two bottles of detergent, a bag of sponges, a couple bottles of spray bottle and a pack of dishwasher tablets.
The app is easy to connect and provides useful monitoring information. Cloud RO connects via Bluetooth to your phone. Unlike many other wireless devices I’ve tested, installation was quick and seamless. The Cloud RO app reads total dissolved solids, shows filter performance (or problems) and provides alerts when it’s time to replace filters. It’s simple, unobtrusive and effective.
Replacing filters is easy. Three filters (sedimentary, carbon, reverse osmosis) are simply inserted into and removed from their slots. To simplify the maintenance cycle, Cloud designed them to finish at the same time, rather than staggered as is usually the case. Typically, you’ll have to replace filters every 12 to 18 months, which cost $200; The replacement kit includes filters, a built-in battery and a cartridge for remineralization.
This is effective for a tank system. Cloud RO has an efficiency rating of 54%, meaning it produces about a gallon of wastewater for every gallon of filtered water, a roughly 1:1 ratio. This is about the same efficiency as today’s tank systems – in the past the efficiency was only 20%, or a ratio of filtered to waste water of 1:4. Tankless systems that use electric pumps can be even more efficient, reaching approximately 75% efficiency or a 3:1 ratio. Both Waterdrop X12 and Delta Clarifi are close to this indicator.
It can be connected directly to the refrigerator dispenser and ice maker. Cloud RO uses a permeate pump to maximize efficiency and create higher pressure in the storage tank. This higher pressure also allows you to connect the Cloud RO to your refrigerator without the need to add a pump; Cloud offers a kit that allows you to do this, although I haven’t tested it. In contrast, connecting tankless systems to a refrigerator often requires the installation of a secondary pressurized tank, turning them into the sort of traditional tank systems they supposedly obsolete.
The pump is almost silent. Permeate pumps are powered by wastewater flow rather than electricity – this video explains the clever energy recovery process. The Cloud RO pump makes a slight hissing sound that I could only detect when I put my ear close to the machine, not when the sink doors were closed. Waterdrop X12, Delta Clarifi, and AquaTru Classic electric pumps were making distracting rattling, humming, or knocking noises.
It comes with an excellent user manual, clearly labeled equipment, and a well-vetted customer service team if you need support. A good manual may seem like an afterthought, but in this case it’s not, which is especially useful if you decide to install Cloud RO yourself. The instructions in the manual for this are clear and broken down into small steps on separate pages. Other topics, from connecting the device to the phone to replacing cartridges, are also well covered. The installation instructions for the Waterdrop X12 and especially the Delta Clarifi are not nearly as user friendly.
The different Cloud RO hoses are clearly labeled, as are the connectors each one connects to on the filter unit, plumbing, and tank. It will be difficult to confuse them during installation. Cloud also includes some spare C-clamps and a tool to remove them – a nice touch since these clips do the important job of holding the hoses in place and can fly if you ever need to remove the hose for maintenance.
Finally, the company’s customer service receives consistently positive ratings from owners who have needed assistance with installation or service.
Disadvantages, but not deal breakers
Perhaps the countertop needs some work. The included faucet, available in four finishes, can be installed into an existing hole in the countertop, but the hole cannot exceed 1.25 inches in width. The hole in our test sink was larger, so there was a bit of DIY involved: I cut a wooden disk with a hole saw, plugged the existing hole with it, drilled a new 0.5-inch hole in the disk for the faucet stem, and bought a large washer for the fender to hide the edges of the wooden disk. A wider baseplate for the faucet would eliminate the need for all of this.
The mixer rod is short. The faucet stem that extends through the counter into the cabinet below is another potential obstruction. The threaded portion is only 2 inches long, and you use about half an inch of that length for the nut and washer that tightens the faucet in place. In short, if your countertop and cabinet fixtures are thicker than 1.5 inches, you’ll need to find a solution or buy a compatible third-party faucet with a longer stem. (The Cloud RO uses a 0.25″ faucet hose, so you will need a faucet or adapter with similar specifications.)
If you want a large amount of filtered water available immediately, you will need to fill the pitcher or jug in advance to replenish the reservoir. In contrast, tankless systems with pumps can supply filtered water continuously. The time it takes to fill the Cloud RO tank depends on the water pressure, but it is a continuous process that continues whenever the faucet is not in active use. The reservoir capacity is 2.8 gallons or 45 cups, which means you’ll almost always have enough filtered water to fill dinner glasses or a couple of pots.
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