Product: A. O. Smith P7 Water PurifierI strongly do not recommend the A. O. Smith P7, for two fundamental design and policy reasons that completely undermine the idea of “safe drinking water.”1) Unsealed internal water reservoir — insects can access your drinking waterThe P7 has an internal reservoir that stores already-filtered water before dispensing. Shockingly, this reservoir is not sealed. In my case, ants were able to enter the reservoir, and I only discovered this after finding dead ants and ant parts in my drinking water.This alone should be a deal-breaker for any product that claims to provide safe water for your family. A water purifier must be sealed by design. Allowing insects into filtered drinking water is not a minor flaw — it is a basic hygiene failure.When I contacted the reseller / A. O. Smith about this, the response was essentially: don’t place the machine near food.That is a completely unrealistic and frankly ridiculous suggestion. This is a water machine designed for kitchens. Kitchens contain food. That is not a user error — it is a design flaw.In the end, I had to seal parts of the machine myself with tape, hoping the water was no longer contaminated. That should never be necessary with a premium water purifier.2) Forced filter replacement via software lockoutThe second major issue is the filter replacement policy. The P7 requires filter changes every 12 months. After 12 months, the machine starts warning you — fine so far.However, if you do not replace the filters within about one additional month, the machine is programmed to completely stop dispensing water. You are forcibly locked out of using the machine, regardless of actual filter condition, financial situation, or personal choice.This behavior was not clearly communicated upfront and is unacceptable. A company should inform users — not hold their water supply hostage via software.ConclusionBetween the unsealed water reservoir that allowed insects into my drinking water and the forced shutdown if you don’t buy replacement filters on their schedule, I consider this product fundamentally flawed.I would strongly advise against buying the A. O. Smith P7. If you care about hygiene, transparency, and basic consumer respect, look elsewhere.
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A O Smith Corporation is an American manufacturer of both residential and commercial water heaters and boilers.
