9 Best Water Ionizer Picks in 2020 | Reviews and Recommendations
Find the best alkaline water machine for your home today! We rate the top 6 best water ionizer models available right now and give the low down on the key features that you should be looking for!
Alkaline water ionizers are powerful machines that use some clever technology. Besides making alkaline water on demand, they can also filter your water to remove harmful contaminants like lead.
From our research, we’ve compiled a list of the 6 best water ionizers on the market right now. We also present you with 3 water ionizer contenders of 2020 we think you should add to your shortlist of best alkaline water machine options this year. We’ve also put together a handy comparison table where you can compare their key features, and we also review each one in more detail.
If you’re new to these devices then don’t miss our introduction to water ionizers below, at the end of the review section!
Make sure you check out our buyer’s guide too, for the lowdown on the key features that you should be looking for when you decide to buy the best alkaline water ionizer for your needs. Use the links below to quickly navigate.
These are the 6 best water ionizer machines available right now. Use the comparison table to compare the key features, before looking at our alkaline water machine reviews, where we discuss each model in more detail.
1. Tyent UCE-11 – The Most Powerful & Feature-Packed Water Ionizer
The Tyent UCE-11 is a water ionizer of some distinction. Besides looking amazing, it’s packed full of quality features.
Tyent UCE 11 Tech Specs and Features Explained
It makes use of 11 platinum plates and a massive 750 Watts of power to produce a huge pH range and antioxidant potential. The range of pH available is the largest we have encountered. It can produce ultra alkaline water of pH 12 and also acidic cleaning water of pH 1.7, with every value in between. Its oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is also the top of the charts. It can produce water of a value of -1050 ORP, which has huge antioxidant benefits.
Key Features
Rating: 4.9
Price: $$$$$
a pH of 1.7 to 12
-1050 ORP
11 Platinum Plates
Self Cleaning
Built-in 0.01 Micron Dual Water Filter
Amazing Touch Screen Interface
99 Preset Options
Multiple Automatic Features
FDA Approved
UL Listed
Lifetime Warranty
This water ionizer is undoubtedly very powerful, but it manages to look great too. It’s considered an under-counter unit, which is where it differs from the other models we have reviewed. The ionizer unit is installed under the kitchen sink and feeds water through the special faucet/dispenser, which replaces your regular kitchen faucet.
The only visible hardware is this special dispenser. On the dispenser is a full touch screen control panel, that takes its inspiration from modern smartphones. Now, this thing looks pretty incredible! It would make any kitchen instantly look like it came from the future. The touch screen is color-coded and gives one-touch access to a huge range of features and presets. There’s also a jog dial on the top of the faucet that allows you to easily switch through different modes of operation.
What Else Should You Know about the Tyent UCE 11 Under Counter Water Ionizer?
If all this wasn’t enough, it also speaks to you! It has an audio output that can tell you what mode of operation is currently being used. The user interface is quite amazing, and makes this system a real standout.
The electronics on this system are not just a gimmick though. There are some really handy features that you would expect from a unit with this price tag. These features include:
Temperature Sensor – this stops the water flow and displays a warning if the incoming water temperature exceeds operating limits.
Automatic Water Flow Monitor – this stops the water flow if the system is left unaided for 15 minutes.
Automatic Electrolysis Tank Cleaning – by cleaning itself it ensures no scale builds up and impedes the efficiency of the system.
Automatic Memory – the last function used is displayed on the standby screen so that it can be quickly called upon again.
Self Diagnosis – by monitoring the condition of the incoming water, the system can advise if it’s not suitable for use.
Filter Monitor – it monitors the filter lifespan and usage, so it can recommend an optimum time to replace them.
The last thing we need to discuss is the in-built water filter. It has a rating of 0.01 microns and is said to remove up to 99% of many harmful contaminants. The micron rating means that nothing bigger than this in size (0.000001 cm) will pass through. This rating of the filter is much better than your average specialist water filter system and is only topped by something like a reverse osmosis unit.
It filters the water using two components. There’s an activated carbon filter that is very effective at removing chlorine, detergents, and VOCs. Then there is the ceramic filter that provides fine filtration. These filters last around 6 months of use and are very easy to replace.
Bottom Line
As you would expect from something with this price tag, the filter is of really high quality. In our opinion, this is the best water ionizer on the market right now. However, it’s certainly not the cheapest.
The Life Ionizer MXL-9 alkaline water machine is the latest iteration of the incredibly successful M9 model. This 2018 countertop model includes performance improvements regarding its efficiency and pH range, that allow it to compete with the very best. But, possibly the most impressive improvement in this 2018 model is that it comes with a full lifetime warranty and a 75-day trial.
The system is controlled using a simple seven-button interface and an easy to read LCD screen. The intuitive operation has simple one-touch settings that allow your desired water to be delivered promptly.
M9 Next Gen. Countertop Water Ionizer Tech Specs and Features Explained
One downside of the new iteration is that it has slightly increased in size. However, It isn’t as large as you’d imagine, and its 12.5″ (width), 15″ (height), 6.25″ (depth) dimensions take up little counter space. The new model looks great though, and I’d proudly sit this on my countertop.
The Life Ionizers MXL-9 has a huge pH range of 2 – 11.5. This is a wider range than last year’s already impressive statistics. A range of this size means you have complete control over the alkalinity of your drinking water or acidity for cleaning purposes. A pH range of this size competes with systems with more plates and much larger price tags.
The MXL-9 has an antioxidant ORP potential of up to -504 mV. The ORP value is closely related to the pH of the water. As the water gets more alkaline, the ORP value decreases, and the more antioxidant “power” the water has. A potential of -504 mV will produce the kind of water that many deem to be healthier.
Key Features
Rating: 4.8
Price: $$$$$
pH 2 to 11.5
-504 ORP
9 Platinum Coated Titanium Plates
+5 Liters/Minute Water Flow Rate
Self Cleaning
100% Lead & BPA Free
WQA Gold Seal Certificate
Customizable Built-in Water Filter
Ultraviolet Light Water Sterilization
Lifetime Warranty
75-day Satisfaction Guarantee
It achieves this by using 9 platinum-coated titanium plates that are charged by an adjustable power supply. The power supply reaches a massive 500 Watts, which makes this one of the most powerful 9-plate ionizers out there.
New with this year’s model is the matrix grid technology that aligns the plates. This technology ensures the system is much more efficient, and performs better than other 9 plate devices. It’s more energy efficient too, and despite being so powerful, it won’t use as much energy as you think.
One of my favorite features about the previous model was the inclusion of the water filter. Life Ionizers would research the EPA records of your local water supply to identify exactly which contaminants you need to be protected against. That means they could provide customized water filtration, tailored to your needs.
What Else Should You Know about the M9 Next Gen. Countertop Water Ionizer?
This feature remains in the 2018 model and it’s been upgraded too. New this year is the inclusion of an ultraviolet sterilization filter. UV light is an excellent sterilization tool that removes harmful bacteria, viruses, and pathogens from the water. The water filtration with the MXL is top-notch and makes it stand apart in a crowded market.
The system comes as standard with an activated carbon filter, and a vitamin C ceramic block filter. The carbon-based filter is especially good at removing chlorine and chloramines from water. In fact, it will remove up to 99% of chlorine and its by-products.
But, should the water quality research highlight contaminants like lead and arsenic, then there are specialized filters that can deal with this too. These filters can be installed in one of the two internal filter slots, or as part of a pre-filter system. There is a wide range of specialized filters, designed to deal with many common water contaminants. The filters have been independently tested to prove their effectiveness. The specialist filters protect against water contaminants including:
Lead
Arsenic
Fluoride
Chlorine
Nitrate
Sediment
Limescale
Having such an effective water filter system makes this a water ionizer of some distinction. Water filters themselves can take up a great deal of space too, so having this all contained in one unit is an economical use of space.
Aside from water contamination, this model can also deal with hard water. Hard water is particularly bad for water treatment machines like this, as the limescale it produces binds to the fixtures and makes them ineffective over time. This is one of the reasons many people use water softeners. The MXL-9 uses an Advanced Reverse Action Dual Cleaning system to prevent limescale from affecting its operation. This feature uses electricity to prevent scale from binding to the plates.
Bottom Line
This is a powerful water ionizer/filter combination. The simple controls and effective technology mean this alkaline water ionizer reviews really well on sites like Amazon too. We love the filtration power it has, especially with the new UV filter. It has all the bells and whistles of a device that costs a lot more than this one does.
You May Also Want to Check Out the Aqua-Ionizer Pro Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine
The Bawell Platinum model is another countertop unit. It uses the popular 7 plate system to generate pH ranging from 2 to 12, and an ORP of +600 to -800. These are impressive figures and among the best available for a medium-priced unit.
It uses a 180 Watt SMPS power unit to produce alkaline water at a rate of 2 gallons per minute. This water flow rate isn’t quite as strong as the M9 we reviewed previously, but still offers enough power to cater for most homes.
The Bawell water ionizer is controlled using a color touch screen display. The LCD display gives information about the current pH, ORP, filter life, and the electrolysis settings being used.
Bawell Platinum Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine Tech Specs and Features Explained
It uses 3 color-coded modes to make things easier to understand. These modes relate to the 4 alkaline levels it offers, the neutral water level, and the 3 acidic water levels. That gives a total of 8 water settings, ranging from strongly acidic to ultra-strong alkaline. The color-coding means you are always immediately aware of the type of water that is being produced (alkaline/neutral/acidic), as well as the strength of the water (how alkaline or acidic it is).
Key Features
Rating: 4.6
Price: $$$$
pH 2 to 12
-800 to +600 ORP
7 Platinum Coated Titanium Plates
2 Liters/Minute Water Flow Rate
Self Cleaning
35 Preset Options
Touch Screen Operation
100% BPA Free & FDA Approved Components
0.1 Micron Built-in Water Filter
Lifetime Warranty
60-day Satisfaction Guarantee
There are also 5 pre-programmed power settings, that give you a total of 35 preset alkaline water and acidic water settings (5 power settings x 7 acid/alkaline settings). This model gives a huge amount of instant options that make it one of the easier systems to use.
What Else Should You Know about the Bawell Platinum Alkaline Water Machine?
The Bawell Platinum also comes with a 0.01-micron built-in water filter. This level of filtration is pretty powerful and is only trumped by methods like reverse osmosis. There is also a carbon filter that is effective at removing contaminants like chlorine and its byproducts.
Bottom Line
This system has some great features, but perhaps best of all is the lifetime warranty. A water ionizer can represent a significant financial outlay, so to come with a warranty like this offers some real peace of mind. This system has so many options, but importantly they are really easy to use. It’s a really effective ionizer that makes some of the most alkaline water available.
The Air Water Life Deluxe 9.0 alkaline water machine comes with amazing value and offers powerful antioxidant potential and a wide range of pH. It is the cheapest 9 plate system that we are aware of by some margin. The other 9 plate model we have reviewed is the considerably more expensive M9.
The Air Water Life ionizer packs an impressive 9 platinum plates that make it a really effective unit. A 9 plate model like this is said to give up to 28% better ORP yields than a 7 plate system. These plates make it capable of changing the pH of water from 3 to 11.5.
Aqua-Ionizer Pro Deluxe 9.0 Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine Tech Specs and Features Explained
You might wonder why you would want water with a low pH, but it is great for cleaning and disinfecting. Aside from the pH capabilities, it is also able to make water with an antioxidant potential of +1000 to -860 ORP. The lower the ORP value, the more healthy antioxidant properties in the water. A value of -860 means that this model is only topped by the considerably more expensive Tyent UCE-11 in our reviews. But, this model costs much less.
Key Features
Rating: 4.7
Price: $$$
pH 3 to 11.5
+1000 to -860 ORP
3 Liters/Minute Water Flow Rate
9 Platinum Coated Plates
Self Cleaning
Built-in Carbon Water Filter
7 pH settings
FDA Approved Components
ETL Certified
Lifetime Warranty
This system offers seven pH water settings. These include 4 alkaline settings (strong to weak), a pH 7 neutral setting, and 2 acid water settings (strong and weak). The ORP levels of these settings can be varied throughout the full +1000 to -860 range. The settings are easily selected and changed using the intuitive user interface.
What Else Should You Know about the Aqua-Ionizer Pro Deluxe 9.0 Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine?
The Deluxe 9.0 has an automatic cleaning feature. This operates every time the device is turned on and off. The cleaning system has 3 stages and ensures that the system always runs efficiently, and free from hard water scale.
Besides making water more alkaline, this model also has a built-in water filter. The filter is made of activated carbon, which makes it particularly good at removing chlorine from water. The filter is easily replaced and is rated to last for 4000 liters of use, or about 12 months.
Bottom Line
The Deluxe 9.0 offers a huge antioxidant potential of -860 ORP. It’s great value for a 9 plate system. This Air Water Life ionizer reviews really well on sites like Amazon too.
The Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 5.0 is the cheapest of the water ionizers we have included in our guide. While it’s not as powerful as the expensive units, it represents amazing value for money and is a worthy inclusion.
The Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 5.0 Alkaline Water Machine Tech Specs and Features Explained
The Deluxe 5.0 uses five platinum-coated plates to produce water ranging from pH 4.5 to 11. This produces water of an antioxidant potential ranging from -600 to +600 ORP. The water is available in 7 varieties that are easily chosen using the simple control menu.
These options include 4 alkaline choices, neutral pH, and 2 mildly acidic (these are great for cleaning and disinfecting). The ORP value of the water is fully adjustable within the operating range.
Key Features
Rating: 4.4
Price: $
a pH of 4.5 to 11
-600 to +600 ORP
5 Platinum Coated Plates
3 Liters/Minute Water Flow Rate
Self Cleaning
Built-in Carbon Water Filter
Simple Menu
FDA Approved Components
ETL Listed
Lifetime Warranty
The system has a self-cleaning feature that prolongs the life of the filter. It cleans itself both at the start and at the end of each use. The filters last for around 4000 liters of use, or about 6 months.
What Else Should You Know about the Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 5.0 Alkaline Water Machine?
It also has a built-in carbon water filter. Carbon filters are great at removing chlorine and its by-products but will remove a whole range of other harmful pollutants too. The carbon filter lasts for about one year or 40o0 liters of use.
The Deluxe 5.0 is ETL listed so you can be assured that it is well built and meets American safety standards. Its component materials are also FDA approved.
Bottom Line
Despite costing a fraction of some of the alkaline water machines, this unit still has plenty to offer. This is probably the best alkaline water machine when it comes to value for money.
This is a 5 plate system that offers 6 pH water settings. This includes 3 alkaline water settings, a pH neutral mode, and 2 acidic water settings. The pH ranges from 3.2 to 10, which gives plenty of options. These pH settings are also available at variable ORP levels. The ORP range of this system ranges from +600 to -420.
Bawell Premier Alkaline Ionized Water Ionizer Machine Tech Specs and Features Explained
It features a large color digital display, that allows you to easily see which mode is being used in real-time. It uses color coding which varies depending on the strength of the water type (alkaline or acidic). The display screen also shows the filter life (so that you are always aware of the filter state), the electrolyzing strength, pH, ORP, cleaning mode, and the water temperature.
The display also shows exactly how much life is left on the filter, as well as other functions like electrolyzing strength, cleaning, PH and ORP, and even water temperature. There is even a color-changing effect depending on the level of alkaline or acid water you select.
Key Features
Rating: 4.4
Price: $$$
a pH of 3.2 to 10
+600 to -420 ORP
3 Liters/Minute Water Flow Rate
5 Platinum Coated Plates
Self Cleaning
Built-in Carbon Water Filter
6 pH settings
Lifetime Warranty
What Else Should You Know about the Bawell Premier Alkaline Ionized Water Ionizer Machine?
It also includes a water filter. The filter lifespan is the best we have seen for an alkaline water machine and is around 6000 liters. This should easily last for a year or even longer. The filter is easily replaced with one-touch removal and insertion.
The water filter is made from activated carbon. This is very effective at removing chlorine, but it will also target pesticides, arsenic, mercury, lead, pharmaceuticals, and more.
Bottom Line
This is a great value system that is really easy to use. While it isn’t the best alkaline water machine out there, it will definitely save you a few bucks.
Alkaline Water Machine makes PH 3.2 to 10.0 ORP +600 to -420
1195 Water Ionizers are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty
Making Alkaline Ionized Drinking Water Benefits the color-changing…
3 New Best Water Ionizer Options of 2020: Contenders
Before we move on to the next chapter of our guide on how to choose the best water ionizer on the market this year, we want to present you with a few more alkaline water machine choices. These products are serious contenders to the ones we reviewed above already. So let’s see them!
This newly redesigned Tyent UCE 13 is very expensive and pretty hard to find as people buy it like crazy, but it does an amazing job, hence the awards it has received since its launch on the market.
Some of the key features of this product include an extra-large, 7-color, LCD display screen that displays information about the filter life, pH level, ORP and more; a sleek silver-color to match the kitchen; colorful soft-touch selection buttons with useful icons and descriptive labels; carbon fiber filter; platinum- titanium electrolysis alloy plates producing 7 different stages of electrolysis, and more. Seeing these tech specs, you understand immediately why this product may be one of the best water ionizers in 2020 to consider!
If you ever wanted a portable alkaline water machine, then look no further! Just like portable water filter bottles, this water ionizer filters the water and makes it alkaline to improve your health. Moreover, this GOSOIT Hydrogen water machine features the latest Platinum coated Titanium (SPE) electrolysis plates and the long lifetime Proton Membrane (PEM) made by DuPont in the USA.
Conclusion
If you want us to offer you in-depth reviews of these 3 new water ionizers, let us know in the comment section below! Now, let’s move on to the next chapter of our guide and learn what is alkaline water, how water ionizers work, and how to choose the best alkaline water machine for your needs!
An Introduction to Water Ionizers
There’s a lot of technical speaking and science talk used when people talk about alkaline water ionizers. In this section, we break it all down into more manageable pieces. We give the lowdown on these systems, and exactly what they do. What’s ionized water? How do water ionizer machines work? Why get an ionizer? Read on to find out more.
What is Alkaline Water?
Ionized water or alkaline water is simply water that contains minerals. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium are naturally found in water. These minerals enter the water as it passes through the soil, or over the rock on its way down rivers. These minerals become ions (positively or negatively charged molecules) when they lose or gain electrons.
Water with no mineral content is called deionized or purified water. This kind of water does not occur naturally and is made through a process of filtration or purification like reverse osmosis or distillation. This kind of water is neutrally charged and has a pH of 7.
Ionized water is popular because of the health benefits it is said to provide. We’ll discuss this in a bit more detail in just a minute.
The 2 types of ionized water you should know about
Ionized water comes in two forms, it can be either acidic or alkaline. Each form has its own use, but only one is beneficial for us to drink. A water ionizer produces both of these types of water, and each has its own uses.
Let’s take a quick look at what pH means before we discuss the 2 types of ionized water more.
Alkaline water is that which has a pH of above 7. A substance that has a pH of 7 is said to be neutral. Anything below 7 is considered an acid.
The pH scale is logarithmic which means that just small numerical changes represent a big change in acidity or alkalinity.
For example, pH 9 is 10 times more alkaline than pH 8.
pH 10 is 100 times (10 x 10) more alkaline than pH 8.
Ionized water is classified according to its pH. Each kind has a very different effect on our bodies. Let’s take a look at what they’re good for:
Ionized Alkaline Water
This is known by scientists as Electrolyzed Reduced Water (ERW). It has been shown to reduce the harmful effects that oxidation can have on the body. In much the same way that we are encouraged to eat antioxidant foods, alkaline water is thought to have the same benefits. We’ll discuss this in more detail further on in the post.
Ionized Acidic Water
This type of ionized water increases oxidation. This makes it particularly useful to us as a cleaner and sanitizer.
A water ionizer makes both of these types of water. The alkaline water is perfect for drinking and cooking, while the acidic water is great for cleaning with.
How can we make ionized water?
Water can be made more alkaline in a variety of ways. Some water filters have the ability to add minerals to water, which in turn makes it more alkaline. Most water filter pitchers, countertop filters, and faucet filters add minerals to drinking water. However, their effect on the pH and overall mineral content of the water is often minimal. Furthermore, you have no control over the pH value. This depends completely on the pH of the original water, and how much mineral content is added by the filter.
The most powerful way to make ionized water is by using an alkaline water ionizer.
What is a water ionizer / alkaline water machine?
A water ionizer or alkaline ionizer is an electronic unit that increases the pH of the water to make it more alkaline.
In doing so, it also makes the Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) of the water more negative. Water with lower values of ORP is said to be better for us, as it prevents the harmful process of oxidation from happening in our bodies. The best alkaline water machines give the lowest ORP values.
Oxidation is bad for us, as it can damage things like body tissue, proteins, and DNA.
How Do Water Ionizers Work?
In the same way that we are encouraged to eat antioxidant foods, antioxidant water is said by many to be healthier for us. It essentially fights the harmful oxidation process. We’ll discuss ORP more in the ‘Buyer’s Guide’ section, a bit further down the page.
Ionizers lower the ORP and make water more alkaline using a process called electrolysis. This technique splits the water into its acidic and alkaline components. The alkalinity of the water can be controlled by the user using buttons and a digital display. The best ionizers will make water with more negative ORP values, which is regarded as being better for our bodies.
The chosen water comes out of the kitchen faucet, while the acidic (or oxidized) water comes out of a separate hose. The acidic water doesn’t have to be wasted though. Its chemical properties actually make it an amazing sterilizing agent. This means its perfect for washing up, cleaning, washing hands, and even treating wounds.
Why should I drink alkaline ionized water?
The important thing to remember is that research into the benefits of alkaline water is ongoing. The area is still very much being investigated, and while some medical studies suggest it can be beneficial to drink this kind of water, some people are still very skeptical.
What the Science Says About the Benefits of Drinking Alkaline Water
Here are some of the reasons why people believe alkaline ionized water is worth drinking. We’ve included links to the scientific studies.
Better for Digestion – This study concluded that alkaline ionized water can improve digestion and reduce indigestion.
It’s an Antioxidant – This scientific research concluded that ionized water helps to fight the harmful oxidation process caused by free radicals in the body. Antioxidants reduce the ability of free radicals to harm DNA and body tissue.
Soothes Acid Reflux – A study showed that alkaline water kills pepsin, which is one of the main causes of acid reflux.
Just remember, these studies are in their infancy and an overall proof that alkaline water is healthier has still not been reached.
Buyer’s Guide: The Key Features You Should Be Looking For in the Best Water Ionizer
Alkaline water ionizers are complicated machines that have many different features. Some of these features can be difficult to understand at first glance.
We’ve compiled a guide to the things you should be looking for. We’ve also broken down the terminology into more understandable terms.
This is our guide to buying an alkaline water ionizer.
1. pH Range
The main selling point of these systems is the degree to which they change the pH or ORP of the water. We’ll deal with ORP next, but first let’s deal with pH.
As we mentioned a bit earlier, the pH scale describes how alkaline or acidic a substance is. It ranges from 1 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline), with 7 being neutral. These machines can produce water with a huge range of pH, with the Tyent UCE-11 giving a range of 1.7 to 12.
Why do you would need such a large range of pH?
Well, each band has a special use. Water that is low in pH is really good for cleaning and disinfecting. Mildly alkaline water is the type that is great for us to drink. Water that is more alkaline is great for cooking with. So, though all of these machines produce water that is of the right pH for us to drink, not all of them give the other options.
Check out our alkaline machine reviews below to see how the pH range differs through the price ranges.
2. ORP Range
The Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) of a substance is a value that represents its ability to oxidize or reduce oxidation in your body. A positive value means a substance is an oxidant, while a negative value means it is an antioxidant. In theory, the lower the ORP value, the better the water is for your body. Let’s discuss this in a bit more detail.
What Else Should You Know About Oxidation and ORP?
Oxidation is the process that turns an apple brown and makes metal rusty. It does this by “stealing” electrons from them. In the human body, oxidation is a destructive process too. It damages things like cells, proteins, and DNA to name a few. Water (and food) that has a high (positive) ORP causes damaging oxidation where things like DNA and body tissues have electrons taken from them. The substance that takes the electrons is called a free radical.
In exactly the same way that we are encouraged to eat antioxidant “super” foods to guard against oxidation in the body, it is thought that drinking water with a negative ORP value does the same thing. This kind of water reduces the ability of free radicals to attack the body. It does this by giving them electrons so that they don’t steal them from things like body tissue.
Look for an alkaline water machine that offers a low ORP value. The lower the ORP, the better its ability to reduce harmful oxidation in the body. Though all water ionizers are able to produce water of the optimum pH for drinking, not all of them have the same power to change the ORP. This is where the machines can really differ. Generally, the more expensive ones produce lower ORP (better) values.
Our ionized water systems reviews make a special mention of the ORP range offered by each system.
3. Number of Plates
The plates are the key components in these systems. They are the parts that come into contact with the water and change it into alkaline, neutral, or acidic water.
Generally speaking, the more plates that a system has, the more powerful it is. This means it is capable of producing water with a larger range of pH, and with a better ORP.
These systems start at 5 plates with the cheaper models and can have as many as 11 (see the Tyent UCE-11). The models with more plates are also more expensive and consume more power.
4. Built-in Water Filter
These systems also come with built-in water filters. Generally the more expensive the unit, the better this water filter is. The cheaper models use carbon-based filters that are great for municipal/city water. If you have a well water supply then you’d be better off with a model that has a more powerful water filter. The Life Ionizers Next Generation M9, Tyent UCE-11, and Bawell Platinum are examples of ionizers that are featured in this guide that have very good built-in water filters.
A point of consideration should be the lifespan and cost of the filter. This will be the main running cost of your alkaline water ionizer machine. The lifespan obviously depends on how much the unit is used, but most systems have filters that last from 6-12 months.
A new trend with the more expensive models is the inclusion of a UV sterilization filter. These can kill any water-borne bacteria or viruses much like chlorine does but without the harmful side effects. Check out the life Ionizers MXL-9 if a UV filter is something that interests you.
5. Countertop Water Ionizers or Under-Counter Alkaline Water Machines?
Most of the models we have included in our ionized water system reviews are countertop systems. These are by far the most popular types available. However, some of them are available as under-counter units too, or come with conversion kits to make them this way. The Tyent UCE-11 is the only under-counter unit we have included. These under-counter units have the ionizer machine-based under the kitchen sink, with the water fed through a special dispenser on the kitchen sink.
Under-counter units are usually more expensive and take up a bit more space. But, the space they take up is out of sight. This leaves more countertop space in the kitchen.
6. Installation
The installation of these devices is actually really easy. Especially for the countertop units. You shouldn’t need any tools, and it can all be finished in a matter of minutes. Life is a bit harder with the under-counter units as you have to replace the kitchen faucet withy a special dispenser. However, even this isn’t complicated.
It just takes a bit longer. The video below shows the installation process for a countertop unit. The process is almost identical for the different manufacturers. You can check out a demonstration of the installation for an under-counter unit here.
7. Warranty
These devices can be expensive, so make sure you get a lifetime warranty. All the models we have included have lifetime warranties. Be careful to check if this includes labor too though, as some are just for parts. Also, remember to engage the warranty!
Bottom Line
That concludes our top 9 water ionizer reviews of the year so far. We hope we’ve covered all the angles, but please get in contact if you have any questions. We promise to reply promptly. We’ll add to this compilation of alkaline water machine reviews as and when we find new models that are worthy of inclusion.
Check back soon as there’s lots more to come from WaterFilterAnswers.com over the coming weeks and months.
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Hi I'm Jamie, teacher and owner/chief contributor at waterfilteranswers.com. We strive to bring you the most informative water filter reviews in the most intuitive and user friendly way. Besides offering advice on the water filter to suit your needs, we also post topical articles on water pollution and the environment.
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Thanks for the opportunity to ask a question. I did appreciate your article rating the top 6 water filters.
I was wondering if you would give me your opinion on the Vollara Living Water Filter, and let me know why you didn’t include it in the top ones. I learned that customer service and warranty periods aren’t that great. But and advantage seems to be that it uses only one plate.
Which of your rated units seem to have the most cost effective filter replacement situation.
Hello,
Thanks for the opportunity to ask a question. I did appreciate your article rating the top 6 water filters.
I was wondering if you would give me your opinion on the Vollara Living Water Filter, and let me know why you didn’t include it in the top ones. I learned that customer service and warranty periods aren’t that great. But and advantage seems to be that it uses only one plate.
Which of your rated units seem to have the most cost effective filter replacement situation.
Thanks,
Nancy Thompson
I would appreciate any of your comments.
Hi again,
Is there much difference between the Air Water Life Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 9.0 and the 7.0? Except for plates/power?
thanks
Nancy