Hi All, recently moved over from the coffee forums after I realised everyone had left, just wanted to see what peoples thoughts are on the zerowater jugs? https://zerowater.co.uk/pages/shop are they actually good enough to use in a high end coffee machine?

@"Mik3"#p12443 Welcome to the forum, yeah I think people like the Zerowater jugs, they definitely work. Some do like to remineralise so it won't scale but tastes better. @"Rob1"#171 will probably stop in to advise. I guess all the adverts on CFUK starting to hurt your eyes…plus not a lot going on there now. Mainly business spam, paid forum fluffers, and the one post BTC machine users. 😉

@"DavecUK"#p12457 think it was mainly the signatures of people like yourself saying you no longer used the forums that made me look elsewhere haha landed here with incredible timing for a deal on a new machine too so it’s already working out for the best! I previously had an under sink 6 stage RO system but don’t have the space for it here so looking for an alternate solution that requires no plumbing in / drilling through worktops without spending too much good to know, cheers

> @"Mik3"#p12469 without spending too much This is very relative. What’s your budget please ? Apart from ZeroWater , the other counter top ROs would also work well - Osmio Zero, Skuma water to name a few. The latter isn’t released yet I think, while the former will set you back by £450-£500 inc accessories. As Dave said, people are happy with ZeroWater. I won’t know what the frequency of filter change would be. We have some ZW users, who will be able to advise you.

@"LMSC"#p12471 yeah I have seen the osmio zero but was a touch on the pricey side at the moment as I also need a new grinder 😂 so far as budget it’s really as cheap as I can get but that will ensure the new coffee machine is cared for from day one. Was thinking the zerowater would be a good option as I can get a 2.8l jug (big enough to fill the water tank in the machine) and 4 spare cartridges for \~£80 currently, just conscious that a £40 jug might not be as good as it claimed? My old under counter fixed unit was less than £300 but I left it in my last house, the glass kettle I had for 5 years still had a mirror finish on the element so really looking for the best I can get without breaking the bank to keep my machine as clean as I can

@"Mik3"#p12481 Neither I know what your machine is nor the ZW. Of course, we understand the budget constraint. So, spend wisely. If we are spending Ks on a machine, it remains good for a long time assuming she gets good water and TLC. We also have to be aware of the frequency of filter change, the cost of filters and a temporary or a permanent nature of the water solution. The longer the duration, the higher the cost and more so, if l hard water. The ROs may also require frequent filter change if you live in a hard water area. Some of us have Osmio Zero; she gets softened water. The filter therefore lasts 1 year at least. We view the one-time outlay as worth every penny. We drink, cook and feeds the coffee machine. Edit : I think @"dutchy101"#56 uses the Zero Jug.

I'm not sure you'll get 2.8l of purified water in that jug from a single fill. The filtration media has quite a lot of resistance, I found that if the bottom got too full, flow would stop. It was good for about a litre a time from the 2.3L version. If I bought a Zerowater again, I'd go for a larger reservoir.

@"LMSC"#p12487 yeah unfortunately the water here is classified as hard, it’s another reason I want to ensure there is a good level of filtering prior to any of it going anywhere, conscious £60 every 4-6 months would be adding up quickly on top of the £450 “If you have a hardness level over 250 Calcium Carbonate then you may need to change the carbon block and membrane more frequently than every 6 months.” the water company tells me it’s 281 mg/l of calcium carbonate

@"MWJB"#p12491 good to know, thanks for the insight, I was thinking it meant 2.8l filtered but most likely it’s the jugs capacity then

I've been using the 2.8l zero jug for about 4 months & remineralising for coffee. I reckon the usable capacity is around 2.6-2.7l from filling my 5l water bottle. Luckily I live in a soft water area < 50mg hardness & the original filter is still going strong running about 10 litres a week through it. The only minor niggle is the cover over the spout. It doesn't open enough on its own when pouring so the water stream can be broad & if you manually open it won't lock into place fully & flips down when pouring. So I end up having to hold the dam thing open. I suppose I could remove it but I do like that it prevents anything dropping in the jug.

@"Mik3"#p12493 Do you have a whole house softener installed?

Zero water jugs

Alexvs

Mik3 I also chose to contact Osmio and they sold me a grade B which has 1 or 2 small marks I don’t even notice and cost £250 with new hard water filters that I specified. I previously had a Brita for my old machine but felt I needed to do better for the Minima. My water hardness is similar to yours and if I get 6 months or more from the filters it’ll be great but won’t change until I get the alert.

I know £60 a filter change is on the high side but similar to the jugs over 6 months, or less for anything over 6 (I know Dave and another got 12 months with softer water). The big plus for me was being without all the fuss as I don’t add anything additional and happy with it.

Mik3

Alexvs that’s a very valid point, did you just email osmio customer service about the graded machines or are they advertised?

you mean you don’t remineralise the water? Isn’t that not recommended because it’s “hungry water” results in the water absorbing vitamins from you? Or does the osmio have a remineralisation filter?

Sham

Mik3 That absorbing vitamins thing is a silly myth… If you eat ANY food then it makes up for it. Maybe if you were fasting and only drank water for a week it might have a slight affect on you,

Alexvs

Mik3 I just emailed them and asked as I read on here they have them from time to time. I was also asking questions about having to remineralise and they said it’s unnecessary as they have the mineral cartridge as part of the filtration system which adds enough back.

It’s our main drinking source now, however the Brita is occasionally used by the wife as she likes it for ease filling drinking bottles as we go through 4 or so a day, plus we have a couple of filters left to use.

MediumRoastSteam

Mik3 - I remineralise with either 100mg/L of Sodium Bicarbonate or Potassium Bicarbonate. Have been doing so for the past two years.

Sham - Just check on eBay and go for something where the water only touches stainless steel rather than plastic. But even then that’s easily solvable by removing the spout and fitting a silicone hose to distil it directly into a bottle or any container.

I bought mine second hand from Dave - it was in his garage gathering dust for years and years and it hasn’t missed a bit. It’s a very simple appliance and it will cost you around £70 or thereabouts on eBay or Amazon. There are more expensive versions of course.

Something like this: https://www.vevor.co.uk/water-distiller-c_10700/4l-220v-stainless-steel-filter-pure-water-distiller-purifier-dental-home-travel-p_010920740092?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlp-93L7Z9gIVR7DtCh0pww7PEAQYASABEgJCdvD_BwE

A lot have a carbon filter fitted at the spout. I never used it. I simply discard the first 300ml or so - apparently it contains Volatile Organic Compounds and should not be consumed unless you use one of the filters. Some distillers have a tiny hole in the condenser where those VOCs evaporate away anyway. Mine does. I never ever seen another distiller ever, so I’m clueless. :-)

Rob1

MediumRoastSteam A lot have a carbon filter fitted at the spout. I never used it. I simply discard the first 300ml or so - apparently it contains Volatile Organic Compounds and should not be consumed unless you use one of the filters. Some distillers have a tiny hole in the condenser where those VOCs evaporate away anyway. Mine does. I never ever seen another distiller ever, so I’m clueless. :-)

I carefully open the distiller and pour it back in.

dutchy101

LMSC Edit : I think @dutchy101 uses the Zero Jug.

I do indeed. I have the 2.8l version, which I got from Lakeland for about £22 with a filter. I live in London with very hard water circa 300 TDS with the reader that came with the jug. When I check the water that comes out of my Britta filter in the fridge with the TDS reader it is 200. The zero water is literally zero and filters 30 - 35 litres of my London water before this changes. I have also tested this with GH and KH drop test kits, which confirm how well the zero water filter works.

I bought the jug as a temporary measure whilst I await delivery of my Skuma RO water unit, which I am expecting delivery of in June, provided there are no delays to production. The latest update on the project states they are still on schedule for June delivery. With the water in London, I only use the zero jug for feeding my Minima.

simonc

dutchy101 I’m also plagued with London water and looking at a zero jug as temporary measure until softened and RO fitted.

30l just into the Minima would last me a long time. How other so you replace the filter?

dutchy101

I’ve had the machine 2 months now and I’ve filtered 15l of zero water on my 2nd filter since getting the machine (will be making up a further 5l today and this will leave me with 2 × 5l of water ready to use in the Minima).

From memory I think the first filter made me 30 - 35l of zero water, but I am keeping tabs ths time around.

I performed a service boiler drain at 6 weeks which drew out 1.4l. The alkalinity levels were a little on the high side in the water I tested after draining the service boiler (it had doubled), which I was a little perplexed by. I’m going to test the water again today after 2 weeks to see what the state of play is after 2 weeks

dutchy101

dutchy101 From memory I think the first filter made me 30 - 35l of zero water, but I am keeping tabs this time around.

So I’m on my 2nd filter and the TDS reading in the zero water has gone up to 2 from 0 after filtering 30 litres of water, so my previous recollection was about right. Using the TDS reader in my tap water, it is reading north of 400 at the moment. The Britta filtered water is around 250 so presumably there could be some benefit to filtering the Brita filtered water through the zero jug in terms of getting more from the zero filter, but since I have 3 more filters left, plus approximately 9 litres of remineralised water sitting ready to go and I am expecting my Skuma unit in June, I think I’ll just crack on as I am.

Each filter is lasting me about 6 weeks for water for the Minima, so I’m going through about 5 litres a week.

simonc

Thanks. That’s a lot of water in 2 months!

I’m thinking I use 5l a week So hoping I can leave the filter in for a few months. Looks like Zero say they don’t get bacterial growth like Brita can.

dutchy101

simonc That’s a lot of water in 2 months!

It seems like it, but a lot of the water is used for warming cups before shots, cleaning the group, which I do after each shot and backflusing every day etc. I also draw a cup of water for a cup of tea most days

simonc

dutchy101 Good point.. I am a bit tight with my water at the moment as its bought (although more plastic issue than cost) and I have a quooker so use that for warming cups, rinsing portafilter etc and tea. But yes I would probably run more if the water was more readily available and once have taste tested more espressos and got better dialled in I might start drinking some more long blacks, or even go back to an afternoon v60 with this water.

dutchy101

Yeah, when I consider that prior to buying the machine, I was using Tesco Ashbeck water which was £1.25 for 5l, a filter on the zero is probably costing me about double the price of the Ashbeck, but at the same time, I’m not using a filter in the machine as I was with the Bambino and the water I’m using will be better for the machine too.

In a couple more months, I should have my Skuma unit (provided it comes as per the delivery schedule), so the Zero was always a stop-gap which enabled me to get the machine I wanted when I wanted it. Put it this way, £12.50 wouldn’t get me 2 pints in the pub after work, so if it does me a month or so for water in my machine, which I use every day, it’s not too bad!

Meldrew

dutchy101 Do you mind me asking what swayed you to go with the Skuma and not the Osmio zero, It’s something that I have been looking at as an option.

dutchy101

Meldrew

Not at all. There were a few reasons

It came up as a kickstarter a few months ago and I got it for a steal compared to the full price of the Osmio (provided it still materialises of course)

At the time I had won a few quid on sone very profitable football bets and I was buying this as a pre-cursor to moving on the Sage Bambino that I had at the time and getting a Minima that needed RO water.
I liked the unique concept of the remineralised water that the unit offers having the option to be able to choose different mineral compositions whilst still being able to take pure RO water as and when required

simonc

I’m wondering on size and looking at the 2.8 jug Vs the larger squarer one with the tap. Either they are the same size and W,L,D are round the wrong way or the dimensions of the 4.7l don’t match the picture.

They appear to be not much difference in size, with the squarer one more efficient in its footprint. I’m tempted to go with that one as it will live in a cupboard and only used for this. But concerned if it turns out to be much bigger than I expect.

Any ideas?

2.8L

Dimensions (L x W x H): 29.5 × 15 × 28 cm

4.7L

Dimensions (L x W x H): 29.6 × 27 × 14.2 cm

simonc

dutchy101 That’s good news. I imagine my water is similar for TDS, being just outside London and I use around 5 litres, maybe a bit more if I pull hot water for occasional long blacks from the Minima rather than the quoker.

My decision now is on the traditional jug or the squarer dispensers with the tap at the bottom that can do more in one go.

dutchy101

I guess it comes down to the space you have available. I’m using the 2.8L jug and it doesn’t take too long to filter the water for my needs. I tend to leave the jug full in the fridge so it only takes one refill on top at the time I want to make up a 5l batch of water for my machine.

dutchy101

Just been looking at getting some more filters and seen that 4 filters on Ocado are currently £39.99 - that’s £15 cheaper than buying direct.

https://www.ocado.com/products/zerowater-replacement-water-filters-409886011?ds_rl=1126321&ds_rl=1164972&ds_rl=1291426&gclid=CjwKCAjwlqOXBhBqEiwA-hhitA7KbgdRMTZ1K4hX2I_TlbS-96hOGe_RLqtuh_cEeBctn2zuBTB0gBoC-gcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

simonc

dutchy101 missed it. Now see £49.99

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