We tested the Bluevua ROPOT to find out how it performed when filtering our treated well water in Colorado. Our hands-on testing involved assessing the system’s ability to remove the contaminants detected in our water, determining its ease of setup and maintenance, and evaluating its design quality.
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
| Price | $454.00 |
| Contaminants Reduced | 1000+ |
| Certifications | Not Certified |
| Process | Mechanical + Carbon + RO + UV + Remin |
| Filter Capacity | 538 / 1,056 / 260 gallons |
| Annual Cost | ~$169.86 |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Table of Contents
📊 Scoring Data
At Water Filter Guru, we test all our filters across 6 different factors that impact their performance, ease of use, and value. We then take the results of that test and compare them to all other filters we’ve tested so far. When testing the Bluevua ROPOT system, we specifically focused on how the unit compares to other similar countertop RO systems.
Check out the full performance table below to see how this system ranks:
| Criteria | Results |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.68 |
| Health Related Contaminants | 8.40 |
| Aesthetic Related Contaminants | 9.90 |
| Performance Certification | Not Certified |
| Filtration Rate | 0.06 GPM |
| Component Quality | Exceptional |
| Component Certification | NSF 372 |
| Setup | Exceptional |
| Servicing Requirements | Outstanding |
| Costs | $0.27/ gallon |
| Warranty Length | 1 year |
| Shipping | Free Shipping to continental US |
| Returns | 30 days |
🎬 Video Review
🚰 Contaminant Reduction
Score: 8.23Reverse osmosis is known as an effective water purification method, meaning that it greatly reduces or removes virtually all impurities from drinking water.
So in our contaminant reduction testing for the Bluevua ROPOT system, our expectations were high. We assessed the system with two water quality tests: one taken straight from our faucet, and one taken from the collection carafe post-filtration.
We also compared the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims (including their performance certification claims) with actual evidence from certifying organizations.
Our Performance Testing
Score: 8.48
We follow the same testing procedure for all countertop RO systems, using a laboratory testing kit called SimpleLab Tap Score.
Tap Score’s comprehensive, interactive test reports provide information on our water quality in thorough detail.
Our testing process involves taking a sample of water straight from our faucet, and a separate sample from the RO system itself, then shipping them to the lab for analysis.
Health-Related Contaminants
Score: 8.40
Our Tap Score test detected 2 contaminants exceeding the HGL in our unfiltered water:
- 1.2 PPM fluoride (exceeding the HGL of 0.8 PPM by 50%)
- And 0.0099 PPM of uranium (exceeding the HGL of 0 PPM)
Long-term exposure to these impurities in drinking water has been linked to health effects including developmental, reproductive, and kidney effects, with high fluoride exposure increasing the risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis.
A scattering of health-related contaminants were also detected at trace levels below the HGL, including nitrate, sulfate, copper, barium, strontium, and molybdenum.
You can view the full list of contaminants detected in our water, and their concentrations, in the next table.
| Property | Type | Unit | Pre Filtration | Post Filtration | % Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloride | Inorganics | PPM | 15.4 | 3.3 | -78.57% |
| Fluoride | Inorganics | PPM | 1.2 | 0.2 | -83.33% |
| Nitrate (as N) | Inorganics | PPM | 3.2 | 0 | -100.00% |
| Sulfate | Inorganics | PPM | 7.8 | 0 | -100.00% |
| Strontium | Metals | PPM | 0.108 | 0.026 | -75.93% |
| Barium | Metals | PPM | 0.0168 | 0.0038 | -77.38% |
| Copper | Metals | PPM | 0.0764 | 0 | -100.00% |
| Molybdenum | Metals | PPM | 0.0023 | 0 | -100.00% |
| Uranium | Metals | PPM | 0.0099 | 0 | -100.00% |
| Manganese | Metals | PPM | 0 | 0.0023 | n.a |
| Sodium | Minerals | PPM | 9.91 | 4.01 | -59.54% |
| Magnesium | Minerals | PPM | 6.07 | 2.42 | -60.13% |
| Bicarbonate | Minerals | PPM | 88.9 | 29.54 | -66.77% |
| Calcium | Minerals | PPM | 25.3 | 3.3 | -86.96% |
| Carbonate | Minerals | PPM | 0.052 | 1.36 | 2515.38% |
| Potassium | Minerals | PPM | 0 | 2.75 | n.a |
So what did our filtered water test results show?
Starting with the 2 contaminants detected above the HGL, the Bluevua ROPT system eliminated all uranium—but it didn’t completely eliminate fluoride. Our results showed an 83% reduction, which is still pretty good, but not ideal if you want a guaranteed method of fluoride removal.
Of the contaminants detected below the HGL, the system removed nitrate, sulfate, copper, and molybdenum by 100%, as well as barium by 77% and strontium by 75%.
We were generally pleased with these results, although we’ve seen more complete contaminant elimination from other systems. The lingering traces of fluoride, barium, and strontium prevented Bluevua from getting the top score in this category.
Aesthetic Contaminants
Score: 9.90
Moving on to aesthetic contaminants, or those that can affect water’s taste, smell, and appearance. There was only one contaminant in this category detected in our water: chlorine.
To test for chlorine, we used a test strip that was included with our sample-taking kit rather than getting this chemical tested in our water at the lab. Chlorine is highly volatile and dissipates quickly, so testing for it on-site gave us the most accurate understanding of its actual presence in our water.
Around 1 PPM of chlorine was detected initially, and post-filtration with Bluevua, no chlorine was detected at all—a 100% elimination. This was an outcome that we’d expected because the system uses activated carbon filtration media, which has well-documented chlorine reduction abilities.
Minerals & Salts
Like all reverse osmosis systems, the Bluevua ROPOT’s membrane eliminates not just harmful contaminants, but all “neutral” minerals, salts, and ions.
We tested the system’s base model with the remineralization filter. If you want to add trace minerals back into your water, Bluevua sells a filter that screws on top of the purified water carafe, so water is remineralized before collecting in the carafe.
The Bluevua system reduced all minerals and salts in our water, including:
- Calcium by 86% (from 25.3 to 3.3 PPM)
- Magnesium by 60% (6.07 to 2.42 PPM)
- And sodium by 59% (9.91 to 4.01 PPM)
That’s actually not as much of a reduction as we’ve seen with other RO systems, many of which eliminated minerals by 90%+ in our testing even with an added remineralization filter.
What does that mean?
Either that the RO membrane doesn’t address impurities as thoroughly as other systems, or that the remineralization filter just does a better job at reintroducing minerals.
Given that minerals enhance the taste of water and give it more of a depth of flavor, investing in the separate remineralization filter will further improve the taste and quality of your purified water.
Performance Certifications
Score: 6.00
Our water contained only a fraction of the contaminants that Bluevua claims to reduce. For instance, the system has been tested by the manufacturer to reduce chromium III, PFAS, bacteria, plasticizers, pesticides, and some heavy metals that weren’t detected in our own water.
Given the limited scope of our own testing, we like to look for performance certifications from organizations like the NSF, WQA, and IAPMO, to prove a filter’s contaminant reduction abilities beyond the manufacturer’s claims.
Many similar countertop RO systems we’ve tested have been performance certified (the AquaTru is even certified across the board for every single contaminant it’s claimed to reduce).
But Bluevua has no certifications for contaminant reduction.
This is disappointing, especially since Bluevua uses misleading marketing language on its product page, such as “Official Third Party Certification”—when actually, the system has only been independently tested.
To add to the confusion, Bluevua has shared its WQA Gold Seal certificate at the very top of its test reports page. The Gold Seal informs customers that products have been tested to recognized industry standards. But, in Bluevua’s case, this certificate is for WQA testing for lead-free design only, not contaminant reduction.
In our opinion, the certificate has been intentionally shared above the test reports. The result is that customers wrongly assume the certificate indicates that Bluevua has been performance certified by the WQA.
🚦Filtration Rate
Score: 7.50The Bluevua ROPOT has a pretty typical rate of water production for a countertop RO system.
In our testing, it took 5 minutes and 53 seconds to filter enough water to fill the carafe (which holds 60 ounces of water, or around 7.5 cups).
Beyond this, we continued to filter our water until the last 500ml of the unfiltered water tank was emptied, which took a further 1 minute and 26 seconds, totaling 7.317 minutes overall. This equated to a flow rate of 0.06 GPM.
The other countertop RO systems we tested had filtration rates ranging from 0.03 to 0.1 GPM, making the Bluevua system one of the faster filtering models you can get.
Efficiency Ratio
A reverse osmosis system’s efficiency ratio, or pure-to-wastewater ratio, is a measure of how much water is wasted per gallon of water purified.
All reverse osmosis systems waste water, and knowing a system’s recovery rate helps us to compare its efficiency to similar models and decide whether we’re comfortable with the volume of wastewater produced.
The Bluevua ROPOT has a decent 2:1 pure-to-wastewater ratio. While much better than most conventional under-sink reverse osmosis systems, we’ve tested other countertop RO units that have more impressive 3:1 and even 4:1 recovery rates.
📐 Design
Score: 10.00The Bluevua ROPOT system received the highest design score possible, impressing us with its component quality and design certifications.
It consists of the main unit, which houses the filters on the left side, and a slot for the clean water carafe on the right. The water shuts off when the carafe is full, most likely prompted by an internal scale, to prevent overflows.
There’s a smart LCD display on the front of the unit that lets you visualize and monitor your water quality with a real-time TDS reading. You can also select your water volume and see the filter lifespan at a glance.
Like many of the modern countertop RO systems, the unit has a few smart design features that make it more efficient to operate.
These include:
- The power-saving standby mode, which is automatically activated when the system isn’t in use
- A built-in UV light to kill microorganisms in the water (we got the UV upgrade; non-UV systems are also available)
- Automatic self-cleaning before the first use and each filtration cycle, and when power is restored
As a standalone countertop unit, this Bluevua model doesn’t need to be connected to a water line. It stores unfiltered water and wastewater from the RO process in separate tanks, and the purified water collects in the glass carafe. It’s a corded electric model that needs to be plugged into a power outlet, which creates the pressure needed to drive the water through the filter stages.
Component Quality
Score: 10.00
The Bluevua ROPOT system is made from polypropylene plastic and polyamide (a type of polymer), with a design that feels sturdy and well-made. The filters themselves, including the RO membrane, also use plastic in their designs.
A big selling point of this system is that the purified water carafe is made of high borosilicate glass carafe instead of plastic, limiting the water’s exposure to plastic components after it has been treated.
Storing the water in a glass container reduces the risk of recontaminating the water with bisphenols or microplastics. This risk is particularly common with mineral-devoid RO water, which readily absorbs contaminants from the container it’s stored in.
Filter Design
We didn’t award a score to the Bluevua model for the filters themselves; only their ability to improve our water quality.
But it’s pretty interesting to compare the filters to similar countertop RO systems, as they all seem to use similar or the same filter elements, despite their differing performances in our testing.
The Bluevua system uses 4 filter cartridges:
- A PP sediment filter
- A coconut carbon block filter
- An RO membrane
- A post-carbon filter
This appears to be a similar setup to the Waterdrop countertop ROs, the RKIN U1, and Simpure’s Y7P. From testing many of these units ourselves, the filters have very similar designs and are typically the same size, suggesting to us that multiple manufacturers use the same supplier in China for certain filters.
Certification
Score: 10.00
The final scoring category for design is certification.
Again, some elements of design quality and safety can’t be deduced from our own experience using a product, which is why we also like to see that a system has obtained a design certification from a reputable organization.
The Bluevua ROPOT system has been certified by the WQA to NSF 372 for lead-free design (remember the confusing WQA GOLD Seal certificate I mentioned earlier).
The entire system and all its filters have received this certification, meaning that, in testing, no part of the system was found to contain lead.
That’s a great outcome, but we’d also like to see the system certified for materials safety, like many of its competitors.
⚙️ Setup
Score: 10.00The Bluevua ROPOT system was quick and easy to set up, earning it the top score in this category.
Thanks to its plug-and-play design, we just had to rinse the containers with warm water and soap, install the filters following a basic assembly process, then plug the unit into a power outlet and prime the filters.
The initial priming process was time-consuming but easy, requiring us to flush water through the system to fill 5 full carafes. Aside from filling the unfiltered water tank, no manual priming work was required.
🔧 Maintenance
Score: 9.75The ROPOT system also has a basic maintenance schedule that you’ll need to follow to keep it in proper working order.
To score the system in this category, we analyzed its servicing requirements and calculated its ongoing spend for replacement filters.
Servicing Requirements
9.50
We haven’t had to replace the ROPOT filters yet, but we consulted the user manual to get a thorough understanding of what’s required.
The unit has separate filters to replace, so you’re going have to make more frequent replacements than you would with a single-filter system.
The filters last from 12 to 24 months, with the exact lifespan varying from one filter to the next. This makes maintenance seem confusing, but the unit’s display screen indicates the lifespan of each filter with a bar icon and alerts you when a specific filter needs replacing. So while you still have to put in the work buying and replacing the filters, you don’t need to make your own calendar reminders.
Replacing the filters is as easy as installing them for the first time: you just slide the side cover off the unit, lift and twist the expired filter to remove it, and insert the new filter into the base, twisting counter-clockwise until you hear a click.
After replacing a filter, you have to flush water through the system to fill the carafe 3 times before the filter is ready to use.
Aside from changing the filters, the user manual also contains instructions on how to descale the system (remove calcium and magnesium buildup) using white vinegar, citric acid, or lemon juice.
We also washed the unfiltered water tank and glass carafe around once a week, and cleaned the outside of the unit with a damp cloth whenever necessary.
Costs
Score: 10.00
To determine the Bluevua ROPOT’s long-term value for money, we calculated its ongoing spend for each individual filter, then combined these costs to obtain an overall cost per gallon for the filters.
The total maintenance spend for this system came to $0.27/ gallon. Here’s a breakdown of the cost per gallon for each of the filter stages, based on their replacement costs and lifespans:
| Filter | Capacity (gallons) | Cost | Cost per gallon |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP | 538 | $29.99 | $0.05 |
| CTO | 538 | $29.99 | $0.05 |
| PCF | 538 | $29.99 | $0.05 |
| RO membrane | 1076 | $59.99 | $0.05 |
| Remineralization filter | 260 | $19.90 | $0.07 |
The Bluevua system is super affordable to maintain, with a similar ongoing cost as its competitors. Interestingly, we’ve found that the systems that cost more to buy upfront often have a lower ongoing spend, despite requiring multiple different filter replacements throughout the year.
🏢 Company
Score: 8.65Now we’ve reviewed everything about the product itself, let’s finish by reviewing Bluevua as a company.
Warranty
Score: 8.50
Bluevua offers a 1-year limited warranty for all its systems, which protects against defects in materials and workmanship.
From what we can tell, you’ll need to register your unit on the Bluevua website after purchasing it to be eligible for the warranty. The company’s warranty information isn’t readily available online, so the exact terms and conditions are unclear.
Shipping
Score: 9.50
Bluevua offers free shipping to customers based in the continental US. The company currently doesn’t ship at all to Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Find out more about Bluevua’s shipping here.
Returns
Score: 8.00
Bluevua’s 30-day returns offering is better than nothing, but there are a few stipulations to be aware of:
- You’ll need to disassemble and repackage your returned items as you originally received them.
- The policy is only valid if you make your order at Bluevua.com.
The policy applies to all items for 30 days beyond your purchase receipt. You’ll need your order number and shipping address to make a returns request, and Bluevua will send you a free shipping label.
Bluevua’s returns and refund policy can be viewed here.
💰 Value For Money
Let’s round off this review with our opinion on the Bluevua ROPOT system’s overall value for money.
It’s priced pretty similarly to the other countertop RO systems on the market, which seems fair, given that they offer very similar results.
But, let’s not forget that Bluevua doesn’t currently hold any performance certifications, and it didn’t completely eliminate some concerning contaminants in our water, like fluoride.
If you like the particular design of this system, you don’t want or need to address fluoride in your water, and you’re not bothered about performance certifications, it might be perfect for you.
But if you’re looking for a performance-certified system that eliminates fluoride, and you still want a system with a glass collection tank, we recommend considering the AquaTru Carafe instead. It’s a bit cheaper and offers a remineralization upgrade, with the reassurance of a performance certification and fluoride removal, offering a superior contaminant reduction performance in our testing.