[Observation by Ding Tech News] With the improvement of people's living standards, water purifiers have entered more and more households. However, many consumers may find that when water purifier manufacturers promote their products, they often emphasize that their products are equipped with long-lasting filters that can last for N years, with some even promising no filter changes for N years. However, Ding Tech News has found that due to lack of expertise, consumers may misunderstand these advertisements.
Ordinary consumers may think that the so-called long-lasting filters can be used for a long time, such as a 5-year long-lasting filter can be used normally for 5 years, or that it only needs to be replaced after 5 years. In reality, a 5-year long-lasting filter and a filter that doesn't need to be replaced for 5 years are not the same.
Why does this deviation occur? Ding Tech News has noticed that when manufacturers mention a 5-year long-lasting filter, they often refer to the RO reverse osmosis membrane that can be used for 5 years. However, besides the RO membrane, the overall filter assembly also includes pre-composite filters and post-carbon filters, which have shorter replacement cycles, usually within 2 years. Therefore, consumers who think they don't need to change the filter for the whole unit for 5 years actually need to replace it in less than 2 years.
Therefore, when purchasing a water purifier, consumers need to verify how often the entire filter cartridge needs to be replaced, rather than just focusing on the long-lasting time of the RO membrane.
Additionally, when promoting the replacement cycle of water purifier filters, manufacturers often emphasize a long cycle and cost savings, but they do not usually highlight the warranty period. On e-commerce platforms, Ding Technology Network found that a certain brand of water purifier only mentioned in the fine print under "friendly reminder" that "the filter replacement cycle is not the same as the quality warranty period." However, ordinary consumers often only see the manufacturer's prominently featured 5-year long-lasting RO, without realizing that the manufacturer does not provide a 5-year warranty for the filters.
Nowadays, some manufacturers are promoting sales campaigns like "buy filter cartridges, get a water purifier for free." These filter cartridges often have a short replacement cycle and come at a high cost, making the overall cost over 3-5 years very expensive. The profit for the manufacturers doesn't come from selling the purifier itself, but from selling the consumables, which is a common tactic in the water purifier industry.
For consumers, when choosing a water purifier, it's crucial to be vigilant. Don't just be swayed by claims of "5-year long-lasting filter cartridges." Make sure to check the replacement cycle for the whole unit and the warranty period for the filter cartridges. Don't fall for the manufacturers' deliberate attempts to confuse and charge you an "intelligence tax." (Original content from Ding Technology, please indicate the source if reposted)
