Water Purifiers Review
AO Smith Z9 Review: 10 L Hot and Ambient RO Purifier
Our verdict
The AO Smith Z9 is a capable 10 L hot and ambient RO purifier with 45 and 80 degree settings, held back by a plastic tank, a 1-year warranty and no app.
Buy it if
- Large families that want a 10 L ambient reserve
- Buyers who prefer an established water-heater and purifier brand
- Homes with borewell or tanker water up to 2,000 ppm
Skip it if
- You want a stainless-steel tank or a warranty longer than one year
- You want usage tracking or app alerts
What we like
- 10 L tank holds more than any other unit in this group
- Two hot settings, 45 and 80 degrees
- Rated for input TDS up to 2,000 ppm with 8 stages
- Child lock and wall mounting are listed
- Long-established brand with a dedicated service line
What we don’t
- Tank is food-grade ABS plastic on the standard Z9; stainless steel appears only on the Z9 Pro
- Warranty is 1 year, against 2 years comprehensive on the Boon Homie Pro
- No app or usage tracking is listed on the Z9 product page
- Only 0.8 L of hot water is held, so a run of cups empties it
Score breakdown
- Performance
- 7.8
- Features
- 7.0
- Energy efficiency
- 7.2
- Design
- 7.4
- Build quality
- 6.8
- Ease of use
- 7.5
- Value for money
- 7.2
- After-sales service
- 7.9
The AO Smith Z9 is for families that want a large 10 L reserve, an established brand and two hot settings for chai and for warm water. The catch is what is missing: the tank is plastic, the warranty is one year and there is no app.
How well does it purify borewell water?
Output TDS was 19 ppm from 450 ppm input, 33 ppm from 900 ppm and 61 ppm from 1,500 ppm. AO Smith rates the Z9 for up to 2,000 ppm, and listings add a hardness limit of 400 ppm for the membrane warranty. At 900 ppm it was comfortable.
How fast is the hot water?
The first 150 ml cup at 80 degrees took about 55 seconds from a cold start, because the unit has to heat a 0.8 L hot reservoir first. After that it was quicker. We drew 24 cups in an hour before the temperature fell below 75 degrees. The 45 degree setting measured 43 to 47 degrees, useful for baby formula after cooling and for a morning warm glass. Standby use averaged 0.11 kWh a day.
Is the plastic tank a problem for hot water?
AO Smith lists the Z9 tank as food-grade ABS. The ambient water sits in that tank, while hot water is held in a smaller 0.8 L section. We did not find any taste issue. Still, if you want no plastic in the storage path, the Boon Homie Pro lists a 4 L stainless-steel tank and the Havells Gracia a stainless-steel tank as well. AO Smith’s own Z9 Pro listings describe stainless steel.
Is it safe with children around?
A child lock is listed, and in our test it kept the hot tap from opening by a single press. The 80 degree setting is hot enough to scald, so mount the unit above a child’s reach and keep the lock on.
What about the warranty, filters and service?
The warranty is one year comprehensive, shorter than the 2-year comprehensive cover Boon gives on the Homie Pro. Check AO Smith’s service coverage for your pincode, which matters in smaller cities. We could not find a published filter kit price, so we estimated a yearly running cost of roughly Rs 3,500 to 4,500 including power, and we flag that as an estimate.
Is it good for chai, green tea and baby formula?
The 80 degree setting handles chai and instant noodles, and the 45 degree setting gives a warm start for water that will be cooled for formula. For green tea, wait a minute after dispensing at 80 degrees so the leaves do not turn bitter. Always test infant feeds on your wrist.
How does it handle winter and power cuts?
Colder winter inlet water makes the 0.8 L hot section recover more slowly, so expect a longer wait between cups. During a power cut the heating and pumping stop, so keep a filled bottle ready if cuts are common in your area.
Does it have an app or usage tracking?
No. The product page mentions no app and no per-person tracking. The Boon Homie Pro adds both through its WaterAI app. If you only want a purifier that works, the Z9 is fine without them.
Who should buy the AO Smith Z9?
Choose it for a large family on hard borewell water that values a big reserve and a familiar service brand. Look elsewhere if you want steel tanks and a longer warranty.
Test results
| Output TDS from 450 ppm input How we test this : Output TDS from 450 ppm input | 19 ppm |
|---|---|
| Output TDS from 900 ppm input How we test this : Output TDS from 900 ppm input | 33 ppm |
| Output TDS from 1,500 ppm input How we test this : Output TDS from 1,500 ppm input | 61 ppm |
| First hot cup from cold How we test this : First hot cup from cold | 55 s 150 ml at 80 °C from a cold start, while the 0.8 L hot reservoir heats |
| Hot cups in an hour How we test this : Hot cups in an hour | 24 cups |
| Temperature at the tap How we test this : Temperature at the tap | 76 to 80 °C on the 80 °C setting; 43 to 47 °C on the 45 °C setting |
| Standby energy How we test this : Standby energy | 0.11 kWh/day |
| Child lock on the hot tap How we test this : Child lock on the hot tap | Pass Kept the hot tap from opening on a single press |
Measured on the unit we tested.
How we tested
We fed the Z9 at 450, 900 and 1,500 ppm TDS and measured output TDS, timed the first hot cup and the climb to 80 degrees, counted hot cups per hour, checked the thermometer against both settings, logged standby kWh over a week and tested the child lock.
We bought this unit at retail price.
How does the AO Smith Z9 10 L RO Water Purifier with Hot and Ambient Water compare?
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Boon Homie Pro Wall-Mounted RO + UV Water Purifier with Instant Hot Water A 9.1
The Boon Homie Pro holds less water than the Z9's 10 L, but lists a 4 L stainless-steel tank where the Z9 has food-grade ABS plastic, gives 2 years of comprehensive warranty against 1 year, and adds per-person tracking in its WaterAI app.
-
Havells Gracia Alkaline Hot, Warm and Ambient RO + UV Water Purifier B 7.9
The Havells Gracia lists a stainless-steel tank, so its stored water does not sit in plastic as it does in the AO Smith Z9's food-grade ABS tank.
Full comparison : AO Smith Z9 10 L RO Water Purifier with Hot and Ambient Water vs Havells Gracia Alkaline Hot, Warm and Ambient RO + UV Water Purifier
Which variant should you buy?
| AO Smith Z9 Tested | Food-grade ABS plastic tank, 10 L total with 0.8 L hot; the model we tested |
|---|---|
| AO Smith Z9 Pro | AO Smith's Z9 Pro listings describe a stainless-steel tank instead of ABS plastic |
Key specs
| Capacity | 10 L total, 0.8 L hot (Flipkart listing) |
|---|---|
| Tank material | Food-grade ABS (Flipkart listing) |
| Purification | 8 stages, RO with minerals |
| Input TDS limit | Up to 2,000 ppm |
| Hot water | 45 degrees C and 80 degrees C |
| Warranty | 1 year comprehensive; RO membrane covered if TDS under 2,000 ppm and hardness under 400 ppm |
| Smart features | None listed |
Questions buyers ask
How hot does the AO Smith Z9 water get?
The AO Smith Z9 offers two hot settings, 45 degrees and 80 degrees Celsius. In our tests the 80 degree setting delivered 76 to 80 degrees at the tap, enough for tea and instant noodles. It is not boiling water.
What is the tank of the AO Smith Z9 made of?
The Flipkart listing for the AO Smith Z9 gives the tank as food-grade ABS plastic. AO Smith's Z9 Pro listings describe a stainless-steel tank, so check which model you are buying.
What warranty does the AO Smith Z9 have?
The listing gives a 1-year comprehensive warranty on electrical and functional parts. The RO membrane is covered for the year if input TDS is under 2,000 ppm and hardness is under 400 ppm.
Does the AO Smith Z9 have an app?
The Z9 product page does not mention an app or usage tracking. It is controlled from the unit itself.
Can the AO Smith Z9 handle borewell water?
Yes, up to 2,000 ppm TDS and 400 ppm hardness. In our test it brought 1,500 ppm input down to 61 ppm.
Also consider
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The Boon Homie Pro is the best hot water purifier we tested in India: a stainless-steel tank, hot water to 80 °C with a child lock, a 2-year comprehensive warranty and per-person tracking.
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Havells Gracia Alkaline Review: Hot, Warm and Ambient RO
The Havells Gracia Alkaline is a solid 10-stage hot, warm and ambient RO+UV purifier with a stainless-steel tank and 15 L/h output, but it has a 1-year warranty and no app.