Are you planning to buy a new water purifier for home, but confused with the different technologies available in India?
Well, you’re not alone.
There are many people who don’t understand the different water purification technologies and what type of water purifier to choose for their specific needs.
So, in this article, we’ll be explaining you the difference between RO (Reverse Osmosis Purifier), UV (Ultraviolet Rays Purifier), UF (Ultrafiltration Purifier), and MF (Micro Filtration Purifier).
Difference b/w RO, UV, UF & MF Water Purifiers
Let us know each technology in detail so that we can get an idea on what type of water purifier should we pick based our requirements and local conditions (TDS levels).
1. RO Water Purifier Technology
The Reverse Osmosis technology filters remove TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) present in the water and provide you with pure drinking water.
The RO filter also removes all the viruses and germs in the water, but it requires a lot of water.
Say for example, you get 1 liter of pure water if you input 3 liters of tap water (impure).
RO water purifiers have a little bad name that they can’t convert the saline water to fresh water and some non-branded RO purifiers cannot retain the natural minerals in the water.
2. UV Water Purifier Technology
These Ultraviolet purifiers work with normal tap pressure and little electricity unlike the RO purifier which require a lot of electricity and won’t use the tap pressure.
The UV filters are able to eradicate all the germs, bacteria and viruses in the water. But, the dead bacteria remains in the water.
These purifiers are cost-effective and are also reliable.
One good thing about these UV water purifiers is that they do not change the taste or color of the water as they are chemical free.
Another merit is that they are compact and has less maintenance.
3. UF Water Purifier Technology
The Ultrafiltration system works without the need of electric power and can kill as well as remove all the viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms present in the water.
They work with regular pipe water pressure and hence need no electricity.
Unlike the UV purifiers, the UF water purifiers remove even the dead bacteria and germs from the water.
The only downside of the UF filters is that they won’t be able to remove the dissolved solids in the water.
So, you can use them only if the TDS levels in your water are less. Else, you should go for Reverse Osmosis water purifiers at least.
4. MF Water Purifier Technology
The Micro Filtration system also doesn’t require electricity and works with normal tap water pressure.
It removes all the suspended and visible impurities like mud, dirt, sand, rust etc…from the water.
The MF purifiers cannot remove dissolved salts or harmful metals from the water and hence you’ll need a RO purifier if your TDS levels are more..
Well, here is a detailed summary of all the water purifier technologies that we’ve discussed above.
RO vs UV vs UF vs MF Water Purifier Comparison
| RO Water Purifiers | UV Water Purifiers | UF Water Purifiers | MF Water Purifiers |
| Requires electricity to work | Req. electricity | Does not req. Electricity to work | Does not req. electricity |
| Filters out all the bacteria & viruses from the water | Kills bacteria & viruses but their dead bodies remain in the water | Filters out all the bacteria & viruses | Filters out only bacteria |
| Req. more electricity to boost tap water pressure | Works with normal tap water pressure | Works with normal tap water pressure | Works with normal tap water pressure |
| Removes dissolved salts & harmful metals | Cannot remove dissolved salts or harmful metals | Cannot remove dissolved salts or harmful metals | Cannot remove dissolved salts or harmful metals |
| Filters out all the suspended & visible impurities like sand, dirt, mud, rust etc… | No filtering | Yes, filters all | Yes, Filters all |
| Membrane size: 0.0001 micron | No membrane | Membrane size: 0.01 micron | Membrane size: 0.1 micron |
| RO purifiers come with pre-filtration system to work with dirty water | It req. clear water to work | Works with dirty turbid water | Works with dirty turbid water |
| 90% TDS reduction | 0% TDS reduction | 0% TDS reduction | 0% TDS reduction |
| Water wastage is high | No water wastage | No water wastage | No water wastage |
| Maintenance is high | Less maintenance | Less maintenance | Less maintenance |
Conclusion: Which Water Purifiers are the Best?
Well, the answer is clear. The RO water purifier technology is the best of all types.
Although, they waste a lot of water and require more electricity and maintenance, the purity of the water is a lot better when compared with other types like UV, UF or MF filters.
The other purifiers are not capable of removing heavy metals and cannot work with water with high TDS levels.
So, which water purifier to choose from?
These purifiers use multi-stage filtration using 2 to 4 pre-filters like pre-sediment filter, sediment filter, pre carbon filter, active carbon filter etc… to make the water as pure as possible to drink.
Hope you found this detailed article on difference between RO, UV, UF and MF water purifiers, helpful.
Like!! I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest.
Thanks for the detailed guide.
Very helpful, thank you. We use Waterdrop for years, and very cost-effective with good value. Use advanced activated carbon for high-efficiency filtration and maximum removal of impurities.Easy to carry out, also can meet the daily requirements