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Water Filters & Purifiers

8 STAGE WATER FILTERS

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Bottle Set w/ Filter

Awesome Ceramic Dome Filter

97% Fluoride Removal Ceramic Filter

Awesome Magnesium Prill Beads

Distilled Water vs Reverse Osmosis: What's the Difference?

September 16, 2021 2 min read

Both distillation and reverse osmosis produce very high purity water — but they work differently, cost differently, and suit different households. Here’s a clear comparison to help you decide which is right for your home.

For more detail on each system, see our Water Distillers Guide and Reverse Osmosis Guide. To browse products, visit our water distiller range and reverse osmosis range.

How Each System Works

Distillation

Water is boiled into steam, then condensed back into liquid in a separate clean container. Contaminants, minerals, bacteria, heavy metals, and most chemicals don’t evaporate with the water — they’re left behind in the boiling chamber. A carbon post-filter removes any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that carry over with the steam.

Reverse Osmosis

Water is forced under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane with pores small enough to block dissolved contaminants, heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses. Most RO systems include pre-filters (sediment and carbon) and many include a remineralisation stage that adds beneficial minerals back after filtration.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Distillation	Reverse Osmosis
Purity level	Extremely high — removes virtually everything	Very high — removes up to 99% of contaminants
Removes fluoride	Yes	Yes
Removes bacteria/viruses	Yes — killed by boiling	Yes — blocked by membrane
Removes VOCs	Yes (with carbon post-filter)	Partially
Minerals retained	No — remineralise separately	No — but many RO systems include remineralisation stage
Water on demand	No — 4–5 hours per 4L batch	Yes — instant from tap
Upfront cost	Lower	Higher
Running cost	Electricity to boil water (~$0.05–0.10/L)	Filter replacements every 6–12 months
Plumbing required	No — benchtop, plug-in	Yes — connects to mains water
Best for	Maximum purity, renters, CPAP use, no plumbing	Families wanting on-demand filtered water

Which Should You Choose?

Choose a water distiller if: you want the absolute highest purity, you’re renting and can’t install plumbing, you need distilled water for a CPAP machine, or you want a simple plug-in solution with no installation.

Choose a reverse osmosis system if: you want filtered water on demand from the tap, you have a family with higher daily water needs, or you want a system with a built-in remineralisation stage for better-tasting water.

Both are excellent choices for Australian households wanting to remove fluoride, chlorine, heavy metals, and other contaminants from their drinking water. Browse our water distiller range and reverse osmosis range, or call us on 1800 789 781 and we’ll help you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is distilled water or RO water better for drinking?

Both are very high purity. RO water with a remineralisation stage is generally preferred for daily drinking as it has a better taste and retains beneficial minerals. Distilled water is ideal for maximum purity applications like CPAP machines or when you want to add your own minerals.

Does reverse osmosis remove fluoride?

Yes — a quality RO membrane removes up to 95–98% of fluoride. See our Reverse Osmosis Guide for more detail.

Can I use distilled water in my RO system?

There’s no need to — an RO system produces its own purified water from tap water. Distilled water is used as the output of a distiller, not as an input to another system.

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