The consumption of ionized water has for a long time been held to be beneficial to human health. It is, as an antioxidant, claimed to reduce the ageing process and cure, or at least help prevent a number of diseases, including certain types of cancer.
How To Choose A Water Ionizer
Choosing a water ionizer is a very personal decision. Although they all work mostly on the same principle, they can vary greatly in the final product – a glass of water. It is a very subjective decision in many cases; what may be a pleasant and refreshing flavour to one person becomes an unbearable chemical taste for another person. It is with this in mind that we decided to review three water ionizer products, all of them great products and all in the running to be nominated ‘best in class’ and assess them for palatability and effectiveness.
Jupiter Science Venus Water Ionizer JP107
This is the most expensive of the three products retailing for just under $1,300 in stores & online. Replacement filters for this ionizer cost around $100. In tests it produces very palatable water which meets all the ideal specifications. This should come as no surprise because the Venus utilizes the same Bio-stone filters that the higher-priced Jupiter models use.
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The only product feature that is missing from this, less costly, model is a system of continually cleaning the filter with a reverse flow action. It does however have a reverse flush system which kicks in after every 20 liters processed, which seems to do the job just as well.
If this ionizer has a weakness it is in the diverter valve which is difficult to use and has a tendency to stick out and has to be pushed back in manually. It is however, not unique in this.
Aqua-Ionizer Deluxe 7.0 Water Ionizer
In terms of cost, the Aqua-Ionizer Deluxe (when bought at a discount – see link below) comes in the middle of the three machines tested. A distinct benefit is that the replacement filters cost just $40 under half the cost of filters for the Jupiter. These last for 1586 gallons compared with just 1000 gallons for the Jupiter.
>> Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 7 Plate Alkaline Water Machine by Air Water Life
In terms of filter cleaning this model reverses its polarity every time it’s used and automatically back flushes after 10.5 gallons (or 45 liters) which is half the frequency of the Jupiter.
If there is a down side to this machine it is that if you place it in a cupboard or under the kitchen worktop, there is a risk that you may try to use the unit during its cleaning cycle (when it plays fairly low volume music). If you fail to hear the musical warning there is a risk of consuming the cleaning water. The solution is to mount it on the counter top where you can monitor the unit before use.
Vitalizer Plus Hexagonal Oxygen Water
This product is different from the first two we tested in that it claims to produce so-called ‘hexagonal water’. Hexagonal water, it is claimed is comprised of six water molecules arranged in a specific lattice, or crystalline, structure. The belief in the benefits of this six molecule structure originate in its likeness to the structure of snowflakes.
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Moving on to the characteristics of the product itself, it is the cheapest of the models tested, at $495. Rather than filters, it relies on the use of mineral cubes which cost around $72 a pair. The unit works by swirling water around the mineral cubes in a magnetic field and subjected to infra-red rays. The swirling claims to add oxygen and the result – after 10 minutes you have a jug of health giving hexagonal water.
This is a product which will find favor with believers. When it comes to hard facts, there is no solid science which can be called to support this product, the way it works or the claims its manufacturers make.
Conclusion
In summary, we reviewed three water purification products. Two of these were bona fide ionization machines with some sort of scientific basis underpinning their claims, while the third model has something of a marketing scam surrounding it. As a result of this, we discount the Vitalizer Plus – it’s half the price of the others and if you believe in the benefits of hexagonal water then it probably won’t do you any harm, even if it does have conclusive proof of doing good.
In more objective terms, of the two top end models, the Jupiter Venus and the Aqua-Ionizer Deluxe, the Aqua-Ionizer Deluxe takes the leading position by reason of its running costs (for filters) and water quality and purity which is comparable with the most expensive models. In addition, it is the cheaper of the two so we judge it to be the best water ionizer.