Stainless Steel Vs ABS Plastic Water Purifiers

The water purifier storage tank is made of either food-grade ABS or stainless steel. The cheaper ones come with ABS plastic and the premium ones come with stainless steel tanks.

Many people are confused about whether to choose a water purifier with an ABS storage tank or an SS storage tank. So in this article, we will try to differentiate between Stainless Steel Vs ABS Plastic Water Purifiers.

Before we learn about the differences between stainless steel vs ABS Plastic, we will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of stainless steel and ABS plastic.

What Is ABS Plastic?

The full form of ABS is Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. It is a food-grade plastic that can absorb impacts. What does it mean that ABS won’t break easily under impact?

Stainless Steel Vs ABS Plastic Water Purifiers

It’s an opaque plastic that can be molded into any shape. It is also chemical-resistant and fatigue-resistant. The presence of styrene makes it harder, improves the surface quality, and makes the surface very glossy if needed.

Since it’s plastic, it’s corrosion-resistant too. That makes it an ideal choice for use as a storage container for water purifiers.

Advantages Of ABS Plastic

  • ABS is a food-grade plastic. So it does not do any chemical reaction with water and is safe too.
  • ABS can be molded into any shape thus giving design flexibility.
  • It is a highly impact-resistant plastic. It can absorb minor blows and falls easily without breaking
  • Can be very glossy. So aesthetic appeal will be good.
  • Light in weight compared to metal
  • Can be molded with any color pigments.
  • Relatively cheaper than metals.

Disadvantages Of ABS Plastic

  • ABS plastic containers should be kept away from UV rays and heat.
  • Although it’s a food-grade plastic over some time it can degrade its properties and may do chemical reactions with water
  • Frequent cleaning of the storage tank is required
  • Storage containers with ABS plastic do not carry the premium feel that a metal counterpart carries.

What Is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is a ferrous alloy. The 11% chromium present in the stainless steel makes it corrosion-resistant and heat-resistant too.

The chromium creates a passive film layer that protects the metal from doing any chemical reaction with water and thus prevents it from corrosion.

Stainless Steel Vs ABS Plastic Water Purifiers

Stainless steels are available in different grades like SS304, SS403, etc. If the grade is high, the cost is also high. The presence of nitrogen results in high mechanical strength and helps in corrosion resistance too.

One of the best things about stainless steel is that it is very strong and gives a premium look to appliances. Stainless steel does not need any coating. So it looks like bare steel.

Advantages Of Stainless Steel

  • Chemical-resistant and heat-resistant too
  • Available in different grades
  • Tougher than ABS plastic
  • Does not degrade its properties over time as other plastics do
  • Stainless steel is non-toxic
  • Storage tanks with stainless steel last longer than ABS Plastic
  • Cleaning is easy

Disadvantages Of Stainless Steel

  • Not much design flexibility
  • The glossy surface of stainless steel attracts fingerprints
  • Compared to ABS plastic, stainless steel is heavy
  • Relatively costlier than ABS plastic.

Stainless Steel Vs ABS Plastic Water Purifiers

Stainless SteelABS Plastic
Little heavier than plasticVery lightweight
Offers better chemical resistanceA wide range of water purifier models available on the market
Poor impact resistanceExcellent impact resistance
Different grades are available based on the compositionNo different commercial grades
More durable than ABSABS is also durable but not as good as SS
Gives a premium look to the water purifierCheaper water purifiers use ABS
Fewer varieties of models are availableWide range of water purifier models available on the market
The stainless steel water purifier is easy to clean and maintainCleaning is not easy
SS water purifiers are costlyCheaper compared to SS water purifiers.

Conclusion: Stainless Steel Vs ABS Plastic Water Purifiers

No doubt, stainless steel is better in terms of look, durability, and overall value-for-money composition. But stainless steel water purifiers are very costly compared to ABS plastic which makes them a poor choice for budget customers.

But if you are buying water purifiers for the long term then I would suggest you go for stainless steel water purifiers as those are more durable and give a very good premium look.

Rajib
Rajib
Rajib Is The Founder And Head Of RiansClub. A NIT 2004 Graduate In Mechanical Engineering With Close To Two Decades Of Experience In Designing Large Appliances And Consumer Electronics Products.

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