Aqua Optima lumi Chiller Review and Giveaway

12th June 2019
[This is a paid collaborative review with Aqua Optima]

Living in a hard water area, drinking water straight from the tap can often be quite hit and miss. The inside of our kettle only serves as proof as to how much limescale our water really contains. I hate to admit, but I often buy bottled water to drink directly but in the current climate I have been sourcing an alternative to reduce our plastic waste in this household and were kindly sent an Aqua Optima lumi Chiller to test out.

I am notoriously bad at putting anything together, so I was pleasantly surprised as to how easy it was to set the unit up and felt rather smug when I had it up and running in under ten minutes. You are advised that once opened, you submerge the filter in a bowl of water to get rid of air bubble. The filter can also come with a bit of black “dust” as you get it out the packet, but this is easily wiped off.

Once your filter is good to go after 30 minutes soaking, it’s time to start going. This water filter is easy to use; you simply fill the top section with water and it slowly trickles down to the bottom tank where the filtered water stays. The machine keeps the water chilled to 12 degrees and the water button simply works with gravity. This means it can be a little slow, but it’s not a problem and you soon get used to the speed.

The water on the first use can take up to 90 minutes to cool to 12 degrees, so don’t expect instantaneous results when you first get it out the box! Subsequent uses and top ups can take around 30 minutes to chill to that temperate. The water tastes good and smooth. Living in a hard water area it is good to be able to have so much filtered water “on tap”. I think we drink more water as a family because of it, especially Charlie who is forever wanting to top it up and use it. I love the fact we can have the water instantly at a good, chilled temperature as I have rather sensitive teeth so water stored in a fridge often is too cold for me to cope with.

I love the way it looks; it is super sleek and stylish and makes a great addition to the kitchen. The Aqua Optima lumi filtered water chiller has a total capacity of 8.2 litres of water and only takes around 30 mins to chill the water to 12C; this is nearly half the time it would take for a jug in the fridge to chill to this same same temperature. If you aren’t sure when it’s ready, the blue LED cool light on the front of the machine glows when the filtered water is chilled and ready to be dispensed. The unit provides around 10 glasses of water before needing to be topped back up. To do it, it’s really simple as you just remove the lid at the top and pour the water in. The machine will do the rest as it’ll trickle down and filter your water – simple!

The machine doesn’t always need to be on so I have found that we often switch it off at night to save electricity and if I know we are going to be out all day again I will switch it off. Once switched back on, it will need time to re-chill but still will supply lovely filtered water as soon as it’s turned back on.

Aqua Optima’s offers a fast flow 5 step filtration whilst reducing impurities such as limescale, chlorine, heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides from tap water. Lumi filtered water costs up to 10x less than branded bottled water meaning you save money all whilst reducing your plastic waste. It is a great way to reduce your plastic waste by topping up your hydration bottle with chilled, great tasting water in and outside the home.

For me, the only downside of the unit is that it is quite bulky. The dimensions of the unit are as follow:

  • Height: 428mm
  • Depth: 346 mm
  • Width: 264 mm

Luckily, we have a lot of counter worktop space in our kitchen, so it slots in nicely but it is quite a large item so this is definitely something to bear in mind if you’re pushed for space. I think eventually when we move house and get the much desired office, it will fit perfectly in there for now it fits in the kitchen well. It also has quite a short cable lead so will need to be placed near to a plug socket to keep it running.

All Aqua Optima Water filters are 100% recyclable. Getting involved is completely free and easy. All you have to do is sign  up/create a free TerraCycle account, then downloading a free UPS label when required. When your used filter is ready to go, you book a free UPS collection which is free of charge and no cost to you. The package can also be dropped-off at your closest UPS drop-off point (which you can find on the UPS website) If that’s not easy enough, there are also local community collectors where your filters can be dropped off. You can find your nearest drop off here: https://goo.gl/8obbPd
I haven’t used the recycling facility yet, but really like the fact that there is a scheme to recycle the filters and that it is so easy to do. This coupled with the fact we no longer need to buy bottled plastic water, makes me feel better about our environmental green footprint as a family.

With the filters removing limescale and reducing impurities, it is recommended that the filter that comes with your original purchase will need changing every 30 days. If you’re anything like me and have a million other things to remember, then you can simply download the Aqua Optima app which you can download and sett a reminder to purchase a new filter when it is needed. The app also shows you which stockists you can purchase replacement filters from which include Asda, Argos and Wilko. If you do not replace the Aqua Optima water filter it  will continue to reduce the impurities in tap water but at a lower level. Once the water filter is completely used up, the water will be the same quality as tap water. It is worth noting that the water filter however will never release any impurities back into the water.

It was also really handy when we had guests over for a BBQ as the water stayed chilled for the guests. I think next time (if the weather ever cheers up!) we would move it outside to enable the kids and guests to help themselves to a cool drink on a hot day. Charlie wanted to do a water test and can you spot which is the filtered and which is the tap water? The difference is quite something visually I think.

The Lumi chiller is available to buy from Amazon and Robert Dyas with an RRP of £129.99, and I am excited to be able to give one lucky Twinderelmo reader the chance to win one for themselves. All you need to do is complete the RaffleCopter below, which has no mandatory options. This giveaway open to UK residents aged 18+ only. Winners details will be passed onto the Aqua Optima PR company via email to arrange delivery to the giveaway winner and will not be used for any other purpose in line with GDPR regulations. Giveaway ends midnight on 9th July 2019

Winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter and their first name displayed on the widget on this page. No correspondence will be entered into. Please read full terms and conditions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

B xx

Disclosure: We were given the Aqua Optima lumi Chiller for the purpose of this review. All words, opinions and photos are my own

  • Tracy Nixon 12th June 2019 at 10:06 am

    Boil what you need. Save water, money and energy by only boiling as many cups of water as you need

  • Solange 12th June 2019 at 10:14 am

    Take shorter showers. A typical shower uses five to ten gallons of water a minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rise off.

  • Helen 12th June 2019 at 11:50 am

    Don’t over fill the kettle and take water out with you in a reusable bottle 🙂

  • Fiona jk42 12th June 2019 at 5:24 pm

    I try not to overfill the kettle, and turn the tap off when brushing my teeth.

  • Fiona K 12th June 2019 at 6:16 pm

    Only put as much water in the kettle as you need

  • Peter Watson 12th June 2019 at 7:10 pm

    Only flush the loo after a poo but not after a wee wee.

  • Ritchie Dee 12th June 2019 at 7:18 pm

    If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.

  • Sarah Ann 12th June 2019 at 8:20 pm

    Don’t run the tap whilst brushing your teeth. Such a waste of water.

  • Janet powell 12th June 2019 at 9:07 pm

    This is a very useful prize.

  • Suzanne Sendell 12th June 2019 at 9:44 pm

    I use a water butt to collect rain water for my summer plants

  • Kathleen marsden 12th June 2019 at 10:01 pm

    Because our hot water takes ages to come through the tap, I keep an empty 2l plastic bottle next to the sink so as to collect the cold water that would run down the sink and use it for putting in the kettle to make hot drinks. It saves so much water.

  • Margaret GALLAGHER 12th June 2019 at 10:19 pm

    Boil only what you need and don’t leave taps running

  • barbara daniels 13th June 2019 at 4:34 am

    my best tip is that whenever there is tea left in a cup, it always goes on my plants, I alos never have the water runnign when I brush my teeth.

  • Lucy 13th June 2019 at 5:21 am

    To save water I use my bath water in the summer to water my flowers in my garden

  • Justine Meyer 13th June 2019 at 8:33 am

    Use washing up water for the garden and have a water butt to collect rain water

  • Penny Hajiantoni 13th June 2019 at 8:37 am

    Not very original but only fill the kettle as much as you need. I love this water cooler, the black, sleek design would look fab in my kitchen 🙂

  • Alica 13th June 2019 at 11:55 am

    Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, this can save 6 litres of water per minute!

  • Laura Chapman 13th June 2019 at 1:50 pm

    This sounds great, although our Brita water jug is just as good and convenient (and cheaper as lower initial payouts) which we keep in the fridge. But I suppose this is a bit of a novelty to have in the house. My water saving tip is to carry around my reusable water bottle with me – often cafes and bars will fill it up for free.

  • Helen Adams 13th June 2019 at 2:40 pm

    Only put the amount of water in the kettle that you need

  • fiona waterworth 13th June 2019 at 6:25 pm

    Having lots of children my husband modified the ballcock to the toilet, therefore using a lot less water every flush

  • Lisa Pope 13th June 2019 at 7:26 pm

    Use old washing up water to water the garden & invest in a water butt

  • James Silcock 13th June 2019 at 7:54 pm

    A great prize

  • Darrell Perry 14th June 2019 at 5:47 am

    Take a shower, rather than a bath and don’t leave the water running when you are shaving!

  • Steph Curtis 14th June 2019 at 10:47 am

    Shorter showers – pains me to see all that water flowing away!

  • iain maciver 14th June 2019 at 12:52 pm

    only boil what you need to use

  • Marc H 14th June 2019 at 1:38 pm

    I have a water saving device in my toilet cistern. According to the blurb it saves 3 litres per flush.

  • charlotte isobelle 14th June 2019 at 2:28 pm

    turn the tap off when your brushing your teeth

  • Sheena Batey 14th June 2019 at 4:40 pm

    Don’t leave the tap running when you clean your teeth

  • Laura Pritchard 14th June 2019 at 8:13 pm

    Wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine or your dishwasher.

  • Kirsty Taylor 15th June 2019 at 8:03 am

    We have two water butts in the garden which we use to clean the flags and water the plants during dry weather

  • Laura Wheatley 15th June 2019 at 6:09 pm

    recycle water, use it on your garden plants

  • Dean T 16th June 2019 at 3:05 am

    Best way to save water is quick showers, really cuts down on the clear stuff

  • Natalie White 16th June 2019 at 11:56 am

    Turn the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth!

  • Kim Styles 16th June 2019 at 5:28 pm

    share bath water and then use bath water to water the garden – hasn’t killed off my plants yet!!

  • Karen Usher 17th June 2019 at 4:08 pm

    Avoid buying bottled water, instead use water bottles that you simple wash and refill! Saves water and a tonn of money!

  • stephen holman 17th June 2019 at 4:32 pm

    have a quick shower rather than a full bath

  • M Nicholson 17th June 2019 at 4:35 pm

    Use water butts to collect water for the garden, in high summer you can use bath / wash up water on the garden, keep soap to a minimum.

  • Emma Walton 18th June 2019 at 6:59 am

    I currently use a water filter jug to fill my espresso machine. You have to keep water in the jug at all times to keep the cartridge wet but I don’t want to use water that has been sitting in the jug for 2-3 days. Rather than waste the water, I use it to water my plants.

  • betsy ferguson 18th June 2019 at 8:14 am

    my garden plants dont do well with tap water, and i notice they thrive after a rain, so i bought water butts and use rain water for my garden now – kind of an incidental discovery, but it does save water, too. (and, handy to have the butts during hose pipe bans, too). love everyones tips in the comments, and will be trying a few x

  • Kim Neville 18th June 2019 at 2:18 pm

    Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth.

  • Rich Tyler 18th June 2019 at 8:17 pm

    Share bath water

  • Michelle Smith 19th June 2019 at 1:57 pm

    I share bath water with my hubby

  • Amy Bondoc 19th June 2019 at 5:18 pm

    Don’t over fill the kettle and tuern the tap off whilst brushing yourt teeth

  • Ruth Harwood 20th June 2019 at 6:17 am

    only fill the kettle with enough for a couple brews as it goes faster and saves energy x

  • laura milton 24th June 2019 at 10:28 am

    To save on water I use a pot of rain water I collect to water my plants, I only fill the kettle enough for what I need, showers more than baths and I cook with my steamer so I only use one pan of water not all 5

  • Cheryl Kemp 24th June 2019 at 7:38 pm

    A water saving tip of mine is to use dish water for the plants 🌱🌷

  • Jemma Dwyer 25th June 2019 at 2:49 pm

    have showers instead of baths

  • Susan B 29th June 2019 at 8:01 am

    Invest in a collapsible bucket for the bathroom and use it to collect bath water for plants and washing outdoors such as steps, paths etc.

  • Carole Nott 29th June 2019 at 9:52 pm

    I try to save rainwater in containers and water butts – much more economical than using tap water

  • Stephanie Coals 30th June 2019 at 10:59 am

    Have a water butt in the garden to collect rainwater that can then be used to water all of the plants

  • Lorna Ledger 30th June 2019 at 1:29 pm

    Water butts, flash savers, and take showers! thanks for the chance

  • Rikki Lipscombe 30th June 2019 at 2:25 pm

    If its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down 😂

  • James Travis 2nd July 2019 at 5:30 pm

    Only put in as much water as you need in the kettle

  • kris mc 3rd July 2019 at 9:33 am

    Use s reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic disposable water

  • Mary Campbell 3rd July 2019 at 2:33 pm

    In drier weather and in the event of a drought, it’s always a good idea to conserve and re-use bath water, to water the plants. That way, the garden will get the resources it needs, nothing will go to waste, and you’ll still get a valuable bath-time soak – result!

  • Alison Johnson 4th July 2019 at 9:53 pm

    I always turn the tap off when brushing my teeth & I recycling everything possible of recyling. I have trained the kids & even guests know better than to put something in the bin that could be recycled!

  • Patricia Avery 5th July 2019 at 6:06 pm

    We have water butts on all our downpipes, perfect for watering plants, cleaning thecar and topping up the fishpond 🙂

  • Andrew Zazulak 6th July 2019 at 11:23 am

    I conserve as much water as possible, like having a shower instead of bath, turning the tap off when needed and water butts outside to use in the garden.

  • Megan Kinsey 6th July 2019 at 5:01 pm

    I find shower timers are great! And when I have waste water from things like boiling pasta, I leave it to cool then use it to water the plants.

  • Elizabeth Yeates 6th July 2019 at 7:32 pm

    Keep a water butt in your garden

  • sara wilson 6th July 2019 at 9:41 pm

    Measure in a mug the amount of water you need to boil for cups of tea/ coffee that way no waste

  • Susan Smith 7th July 2019 at 8:55 am

    Boil only what you need, and have shorter showers, i have been known to use my washing up water for the garden as well

  • Sean Eccles 7th July 2019 at 9:39 am

    Take a shower instead of a bath

  • Kim M 7th July 2019 at 3:57 pm

    Wash on shorter cycles in your washing machine x

  • Victoria Prince 7th July 2019 at 5:46 pm

    wash fruit and veg over a container and then you can use the water for something else such as watering plants or flushing the toilet

  • Lynn Neal 7th July 2019 at 7:45 pm

    I like to make my own compost using kitchen and garden waste plus cardbord and grass clippings!

  • Ellen Stafford 7th July 2019 at 8:26 pm

    I shower more than bath. Use the washing up water on the plants.

  • Adrian Bold 8th July 2019 at 12:31 am

    Got a dishwasher? Fill it up completely each time you run it and you’ll use less water than you would doing the dishes by hand

  • Carly Belsey 8th July 2019 at 3:40 am

    We all have quick showers and try not to use the bath very often. I dont own a dishwasher but do the dishes once a day to save water too

  • Abbygayle May 8th July 2019 at 5:26 am

    Don’t run water just use what you need. I also use a washing up bowl and pour the water on my flowers / vegetables when I am finished saves on using a hose

  • Helen Best 8th July 2019 at 6:12 am

    Take a shower rather than a bath & only boil enough water what you need in the kettle,
    Collect water of the rain to water the plants to

  • Sandra Fortune 8th July 2019 at 6:19 am

    I leave watering cans outside to collect rain water for my plants and used washing up water I pour on to unwanted seeds

  • Melissa Lee 8th July 2019 at 8:06 am

    I have a water butt outside which really helps save water when watering the garden in the summer

  • Leanne Perrett 8th July 2019 at 8:15 am

    in this heat at the moment the boys want the pool up but filling and refilling it daily uses a lot of water so at the end of the day i put a fitted sheet from a mattress over the top to stop bugs getting in the water and it can be reused a few times

  • Amanda Botterill 8th July 2019 at 8:22 am

    my children use the same bath water, which is then used to water plants

  • Nadia Josephine 8th July 2019 at 9:55 am

    I always take my water bottle with me, I have one in the car, one at work and one in my bag. I use these so I can just refill my water when I am out rather than buying single use bottles

  • paula cheadle 8th July 2019 at 11:20 am

    put your washing up water on your flowers

  • Emily 8th July 2019 at 12:05 pm

    Take shorter showers, don’t take baths unless necessary, only fill the kettle up as much as is needed.
    Re-use containers to reduce waste.

  • Darren Bourne 8th July 2019 at 3:24 pm

    Don’t leave the tap running when brudhing your teeth.

  • CAROL PATRICK 8th July 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Taking showers instead of baths is essential for saving water. It saves heating up a tank full of water too – using less energy.

  • Lynne OConnor 8th July 2019 at 4:10 pm

    We got rid of our kettle and replaced it with a one cup dispenser. Water is ready in a fraction of the time even when I need 3 or 4 cups, and there’s no waste

  • janine atkin 8th July 2019 at 5:43 pm

    shower more ften than bath

  • bex allum 8th July 2019 at 6:06 pm

    Turn your tap off when brushing your teeth.

  • Teresa sheldon 8th July 2019 at 6:33 pm

    I only boil as much water as I need in the kettle, I’ve got a water butt for watering the garden and use my water refill bottle as much as possible

  • Vicky Allum 8th July 2019 at 8:02 pm

    I use one of those water saving Hippo Bags in the cistern of my toilet in order to save three litres of water!

  • Caroline Blaza 8th July 2019 at 8:23 pm

    Water the plants in the garden with washing up water x

  • Amy Jo mclellan 8th July 2019 at 8:41 pm

    Collect rain water in buckets for plants.

  • Maria hackett 8th July 2019 at 9:17 pm

    I’m very concerned about saving water, energy electricity! I do try my best to use water little as possible by turning the tap off whilst brushing teeth, have showers instead of baths x

  • Sarah Roberts 8th July 2019 at 9:26 pm

    We take showers instead of baths and have a shower timer to conserve water

  • Tania Nehme 8th July 2019 at 9:44 pm

    I always empty the condenser dryer water holder outside to water the plants/flowers as I do with the dog bowls when changing their water daily

  • Isabel Marie Baker 8th July 2019 at 10:34 pm

    I use a bowl in our kitchen sink to rinse off all of our dirty plates before they go in the dishwasher,so I save this bowl to water my house plants and the remainder goes in our water butt to water all of my homegrown vegetables/fruit on a daily basis too 😊

  • Georgie Wright 8th July 2019 at 10:58 pm

    Collect the water you use to wash vegetables and use it in the garden.

  • Follow Me


    Archives

    Twitter Feed

    Latest Vlog

    ×
    %d bloggers like this: