Gear guide · 8 products

Hobby reverse osmosis for maple sugaring

RO removes water before boiling: Childs (Cornell) halved boil time for 25 taps on a 2x4 flat pan with a ~$360 water-purifier RO (2% -> 4-5% sugar); a water-purifier unit removes water from sap at ~1/6 its rated water output; remove the carbon filter; membranes must be stored in permeate.

Our pick

Top pick: The RO Bucket RB15 ($630) for 25-75 taps - stated 24 gal/h sap throughput, 3 membranes, fully assembled
Budget pick: The RO Bucket RB5 ($410) for 5-25 taps; or a DIY water-purifier RO per Childs (Cornell) with the carbon filter removed; Only maker throughput figures (PRACTITIONER) and price per gal/h can be compared; RO Bucket publishes both at the hobby scale, Leader's Micro Mini ($2,900, 31 gph) is the dealer-supported step up for 100-200 taps.; What would change it: Independent throughput tests; a Next Generation Maple product page (domain did not resolve this session).

Disclosure

Gear pages contain affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nobody on this site has tested these products; recommendations rest on manufacturer specifications, extension-service guidance, price and availability on the dates shown.

What matters

How to judge hobby reverse osmosis

Each criterion names the extension or manual source it comes from; 'synthesis' marks our own reasoning.

1
RO removes water before boiling: Childs (Cornell) halved boil time for 25 taps on a 2x4 flat pan with a ~$360 water-purifier RO (2% -> 4-5% sugar); a water-purifier unit removes water from sap at ~1/6 its rated water output; remove the carbon filter; membranes must be stored in permeate.
CORNELL-NB p.89-90 · verified
2
Compare on: gallons of sap processed per hour (or water removed per hour), concentrate Brix per pass, pump pressure/type, membrane count/size, 110 V draw, and whether maple-specific membranes are claimed.
Maker pages read (RO Bucket, Bascom/Leader, Smoky Lake/MemProTec); CORNELL-NB p.89 · synthesis
3
Sugar sand forms faster in the evaporator with RO concentrate.
NAMSPM2 p.146 · verified
4
RO 'units require special storage and regular cleaning' (membrane washing, off-season preservation).
UMAINE-7040; CORNELL-NB p.89 · verified

Products

8 hobby reverse osmosis we looked at

Specs are from the maker's or dealer's page; 'unknown' means it wasn't stated. Prices are the dealer's on the date shown; Amazon prices aren't shown here because Amazon's rules require live data.

The RO Bucket

RB5 Bucket (8 GPH RO System)

sap in:: 8 gal/h (4 gal water + 4 gal concentrate per hour)
pump:: 40 gph high-pressure diaphragm
membranes:: 1 x '8GPH membrane and housing kit'
prefilters:: 2 x 10 in 5-micron
assembly:: fully assembled (maker)
made in:: 'assembled in the USA from domestic and foreign components' (maker)

⚠ Site returns 403 to curl/WebFetch; read in Browser pane

$410at robucket.com, 2026-10-05

Suits: First season, Serious backyard

View at robucket.com →

Verified on the page: name, price, sap in, pump, membranes

The RO Bucket

RB10 Bucket (16 GPH RO System)

sap in:: 16 gal/h

⚠ Category-page price; product page not opened

$520at robucket.com, 2026-10-05

Suits: Serious backyard

View at robucket.com →

Verified on the page: name, price

The RO Bucket

RB15 Bucket (24 GPH RO System)

sap in:: 24 gal/h (12 gal water + 12 gal concentrate)
pump:: 40 gph high-pressure diaphragm
membranes:: 3 x 8GPH membrane and housing kits

$630at robucket.com, 2026-10-05

Suits: Serious backyard, Small sugarhouse

View at robucket.com →

Verified on the page: name, price, sap in, membranes

The RO Bucket

Single Post DP System (60 gph) / Single Post RO (80 gph) / Double Post (140 gph)

prices:: $1,450 / $2,400 / $3,000

⚠ Category-page prices

$1,450at robucket.com, 2026-10-05

Suits: Small sugarhouse

View at robucket.com →

Verified on the page: prices

Leader / H2O Innovation (via Bascom)

Micro Mini RO Machine (110 V)

taps:: 'under 250 taps'
removal:: ~62% of water per pass (2% -> 5.2%)
throughput:: 31 gph
power:: 110 V, 8.4 A
membranes:: 'high-flow 20-inch'
features:: pressure gauge, flow meter, concentrate dial, auto shutoff

$2,900at bascommaple.com, 2026-10-05

Suits: Small sugarhouse

View at bascommaple.com →

Verified on the page: name, price, taps, removal, throughput, power

LS Bilodeau (maker/distributor page)

Sap Bucket Reverse Osmosis (for 75-150+ taps; ~10 gal/h of 4% concentrate at 50% removal; 400 gpd booster pump; 3 x 400 gpd membranes)

taps:: 75-150+
output:: ~10 gal/h concentrate at 4%
pump:: 400 gpd booster
membranes:: 3 x 400 gpd

⚠ Price not shown ('on demand')
⚠ Canadian page

Price not read

Suits: Small sugarhouse

View at lsbilodeau.com →

Verified on the page: taps, output, pump, membranes

MemProTec (via Smoky Lake)

MemProTec MiniPro 100 RO System w/ flowmeter panel ('200 Gallon Per Hour single pump ... 4 BRIX in 1 pass'; stainless self-priming pump)

throughput:: 200 gph (maker)
concentrate:: 4 Brix in one pass
pump:: stainless, self-priming

⚠ Price not captured ('priced for pick-up')

Price not read

Suits: Small sugarhouse

View at smokylakemaple.com →

Verified on the page: throughput, concentrate

CDL

CDL Vertical Hobby RO (125 GPH and 250 GPH)

models:: 125 and 250 gph
taps:: '500 to 2 000 taps' (maker) - above this site's scope
power:: 120 V 17 A / 240 V 10 A
build:: stainless main unit, pump and 4 in post

⚠ No price; sized for 500+ taps

Price not read

Suits: Small sugarhouse

View at cdlinc.ca →

Verified on the page: models, taps, power

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