RO Water vs Distilled Water: Which 19-Litre Bottle Is Right for Your Home or Office? If you are shopping for 19-litre water bottles in Malaysia, you have probably noticed two options on the delivery menu: RO water and distilled water. Both come in the same familiar blue bottle, both are purified to high standards, and both are available for home or office delivery. So what is the real difference, and which one should you order?
This guide breaks down how each water type is made, what it tastes like, and which situations call for RO over distilled or vice versa. By the end, you will know exactly which 19-litre bottle fits your household, pantry, or office.
What Is RO Water? RO stands for reverse osmosis, a multi-stage filtration process that pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane traps dissolved solids, chlorine, sediment, heavy metals, and most contaminants while allowing only clean water molecules to pass through.
At WATERBOY, our 19-litre RO water undergoes:
Sediment pre-filtration — removes dirt, rust, and large particles Activated carbon filtration — strips chlorine, taste, and odour Reverse osmosis membrane — blocks dissolved solids, lead, arsenic, fluoride, and bacteria Post-carbon polishing — finishes the water for a clean, crisp taste The result is water that is 95-99% free of total dissolved solids (TDS). It is the same technology used in bottled-water plants and many home under-sink systems, scaled to 19-litre bottles for convenient delivery.
What Is Distilled Water? Distillation is a simpler, older purification method. Water is boiled into steam, leaving minerals, heavy metals, and most impurities behind. The steam rises, cools, and condenses back into liquid water in a separate chamber.
A typical distillation cycle for 19-litre distilled water:
Source water is heated to boiling point Impurities with higher boiling points (calcium, magnesium, lead, nitrates) stay in the boiling chamber Pure steam rises and travels through a cooling coil The condensed steam is collected as distilled water Distillation removes an even wider spectrum of impurities than reverse osmosis — including some volatile organic compounds and biological matter — because the boiling step effectively sterilises the water.
RO vs Distilled: Side-by-Side Comparison
- Purification Level
Both methods produce exceptionally clean water, but they remove different types of impurities:
Aspect RO Water Distilled Water Removes dissolved solids 95-99% 99.9%+ Removes bacteria and viruses Yes (membrane blocks them) Yes (boiling kills them) Removes chlorine and taste Yes (carbon pre-filter) Yes (boiling drives it off) Retains any minerals Trace amounts may pass the membrane Nearly zero — minerals are left behind TDS level after treatment Very low (10-50 ppm typical) Near zero (0-10 ppm typical) Verdict: Distilled water is marginally purer on paper, but for practical drinking-water purposes both are well within safety standards.
- Taste
Taste is where most people notice the biggest difference.
RO water has a clean, neutral taste that most Malaysians find pleasant. A tiny amount of dissolved minerals (usually less than 50 ppm) gives it a slight body that mimics what people expect from bottled water. Distilled water can taste flat or “empty” to some drinkers because it contains virtually no minerals. Without any calcium or magnesium, the mouthfeel is noticeably different from tap water or even RO water. If you drink water straight and care about taste, RO water is generally the preferred choice for daily hydration.
- Best Uses
This is the most important section for deciding which to order.
RO water is ideal for:
Everyday drinking and cooking Coffee and tea (clean flavour without altering the taste of your brew) Office pantries where multiple people drink throughout the day Households that prefer the familiar bottled-water taste Filling kettles, rice cookers, and water dispensers Distilled water is ideal for:
Medical equipment (CPAP machines, humidifiers, autoclaves) — the absence of minerals prevents scale buildup Car batteries and cooling systems — no mineral deposits inside radiators Laboratory use and industrial processes that require ultra-pure water Steam irons and garment steamers — no white residue on clothes Baby formula preparation (check with your paediatrician, but many recommend distilled because of its purity) For general home or office drinking, RO water is the practical everyday choice. Distilled water shines in specific applications where mineral-free water is a technical requirement.
- Cost and Availability
Both are available as 19-litre bottles through WATERBOY’s home and office delivery service across Malaysia. Pricing is comparable for single bottles, and both qualify for the same volume-discount packages:
Single bottle — one-off delivery . Min order is 6 bottle per delivry 15, 30, 50, or 100 Bottle Packages — bulk pricing with scheduled refills Water dispenser bundles — delivered with a free bottle when you order a table-top or floor-stand dispenser Since WATERBOY delivers both types to the same areas, your choice comes down to usage rather than availability or price.
Which One Should You Choose? Choose RO Water 19 Litre if: You want great-tasting drinking water for your family or staff You plan to use the water for everyday cooking, coffee, and tea You prefer the standard bottled-water taste most Malaysians are used to You are ordering for a general office pantry or common area You want trace minerals still present for taste and body Choose Distilled Water 19 Litre if: You need water for a CPAP machine, humidifier, or medical device You run a laboratory, clinic, or workshop that requires mineral-free water You use a steam iron or garment steamer regularly You top up car batteries or cooling systems What About a Mix? Many WATERBOY households and offices order both: RO water for drinking and cooking, and distilled water dedicated to appliances and equipment. A 15-bottle RO package plus a few distilled singles covers most homes easily. For larger offices, the 50 or 100-bottle RO package combined with a standing order for distilled bottles keeps everyone — and every machine — happy.
How to Order 19-Litre Water Delivery in Malaysia WATERBOY delivers 19-litre RO water and 19-litre distilled water straight to your doorstep. No heavy lifting, no trips to the grocery store — just reliable bottled water delivery on a schedule that suits you.
Packages available:
RO Water 19 Litre — single bottle or bulk (15, 30, 50, 100 bottles) Distilled Water 19 Litre — single bottle . Min order is 6 bottle per delivery Dispenser + water bundles — table-top or floor-stand unit paired with free RO water bottles Rental plans — hot-normal-cold dispensers with filter (plans from RM75 to RM95) and stainless steel with filter (plans from RM180 to RM250) Sand filter systems for whole-home filtration Customers we serve:
Households across Malaysia Office pantries and break rooms Hostels, schools, banks, and factories (rental plans available for these settings) Still unsure which 19-litre water type fits your needs? Contact WATERBOY today and we will help you pick the right bottle — and the right package — for your home or workplace. With RO water delivery and distilled water delivery available on the same route, switching or combining is easy.
