Water Ionizer Machine

A water ionizer is a great addition to your home that can improve the taste, quality and health properties of your water. In this post, we’re going to take a look at precisely what ionizing your water means, why it is an important way to look after your family’s health and most importantly, what the best products on the market are so that you can get the benefits quickly and affordably!

This will be your complete buyer’s guide, to explain the ins and outs of ionizing water filters and to help you find the product for the size of your home, the nature of your water and the benefits of you’re looking for!

Is Tap Water Safe?

It’s unlikely that water from your tap is going to make you ill. However, that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily ‘safe’ and it certainly is not particularly healthy or without its various negative aspects.

So just what is the matter with water? How can something so fundamental possibly be bad for you?

The problem is that your water isn’t just water. Rather, it has a lot of unwanted additives in it. Some of these are added intentionally, through misguided attempts to make our water healthier. Others are added unintentionally, as a result of osmosis from pipes, from the ground or from the waste that is thrown into our sewers.

All kinds of different substances make their way into our water and while the quantities might be absolutely microscopic, they can really add up when you start drinking large quantities!

Fluoride

Fluoride has been added to our water since as early as 1940. The aim was to combat tooth decay and thereby help us all to have whiter, stronger teeth. Fluoride is a natural mineral and it is used in a lot of toothpastes etc. and so you might expect that it would be a good idea!

Unfortunately though, studies show that fluoride actually does a lot more than just strengthen teeth. For one, fluoride is a powerful neurotoxin. This can cause you minor brain damage over time and may cause developmental difficulties in young children. What’s more is that it is an endocrine disruptor that can calcify the pineal gland. Also, not good news. If you struggle with brain fog then fluoride in the water might be responsible.

And not only that, but it’s not even wholly good for your teeth: young children can actually develop fluorosis which is characterised by white spots and lines on their teeth.

Chlorine

Chlorine is added to the water again by choice with the aim being to disinfect it and kill off bacteria – in just the same way that it is added to a swimming pool for the same purposes. Unfortunately, chlorine can also be a bad thing if we drink it in large quantities because it bonds with other substances in order to create a poisonous gas that is called hydrochloric acid. That’s why swimming water can become toxic if people urinate in it.

Then there’s lead, there’s arsenic and much more!

What is a Water Ionizer?

A water ionizer is another type of water filter that works a little differently. So, what is this and how does it work? Is it superior to other forms of water filter? Who can benefit from this over a regular carbon filter or a reverse osmosis machine?

The interesting thing about ionizing water is that it isn’t just a filter. That is to say that while it can help to remove unwanted contaminants, it is also about adding health benefits.

First, let’s break down exactly what the term ionized means. Essentially, ionized water is water that has mineral ions in it. Minerals are ‘ionized’ when their gain or lose electrons. So, ionized water is water that has these minerals added to it – much like the water you find in nature (all water in nature has minerals in it!).

Deionized Water

Deionized water meanwhile is water that has all of the minerals removed. This can happen as a result of distilling water (evaporating it and then collecting the steam to create more moisture) or through reverse osmosis (a particularly stringent form of filtering that pushes water through a very dense membrane in order to remove even the most microscopic of particles).

Ionized Water

Ionized alkaline water is also sometimes referred to as electrolyzed reduced water, that’s because it has been shown to minimize the effects of oxidation. In other words, it can reduce the effects of oxidative damage in the body.

This, as we will see shortly, is where the biggest benefits come from. Ionizing water increases a measure that is referred to as ‘ORP’ or ‘Oxidation Reduction Potential’. The higher this number, the better the benefits will be for you.

What’s more, is that ionizing the water will change the pH value in order to make it less acidic and more alkaline. This has a host of other benefits, as highly acidic water can actually damage the skin barrier when you wash in it and cause a number of negative side effects. Alkaline water is also better for the teeth, as if your water is overly acidic, it can actually damage the enamel and thereby expose the sensitive teeth underneath, allowing them to become stained and marked. This ionizing process also helps to remove some of the unwanted contaminants by effectively neutralizing them and preventing them from causing damage.

In short, ionizing water provides a lot of benefits that you just can’t get from any other kind of water filter. And the best part is that many ionizing water filters – including most of the ones we’re going to look at here – also combine the ionizing function with a regular carbon filter. This is the type of filter that can remove chlorine and lead by trapping them inside the activated material.

This more alkaline water is also said to taste better and of course it is also better for your appliances and bathroom fittings because it is less corrosive. Interestingly, it is also better than using a naturally alkaline water which contains minerals such as calcium and magnesium. While these minerals are healthy and beneficial in some ways, they lead to the build-up of deposits known as ‘limescale’ in your systems which can clog machinery and ruin pipes.

The Benefits of Ionized Water

We’ve already seen many benefits of ionized water:

• It reduces oxidation
• It tastes better
• It is better for your teeth
• It is better for your appliances and your fittings

But let’s take a closer look at that first benefit as this is really what most people are most excited about when it comes to their water ionizer.

Essentially, oxidation is what happens when an acidic substance steals electrons from another molecule. In the case of our bodies and our diets, this can happen when unstable molecules collide with the cells in our bodies and then steals electrons. These unstable molecules can be found in our diet and are called ‘free radicals’.

Oxidation actually happens to be what’s responsible for rust and for things turning brown – like apples when they’re exposed to the air.

The thing is that your cells and your body can also be oxidized and acidic water is actually one of the biggest culprits. The water molecules are a type of free radicals and these can then bombard and damage the cell walls. Over a long period of time, this can cause enough damage to the cells that it becomes visible from the outside and this is when we start showing wrinkles, lines, age spots, sun spots etc.

What’s more though, is that over time this damage can penetrate through the cell walls and deep into the nucleus of the cell. If the same molecules continue to bombard this nucleus then they can eventually actually cause damage to the DNA. This is very serious because it can lead to mutations and damage to that DNA. Thus, when the cell splits and reproduces (mitosis), it can end up copying that damage into the new cell and it can spread and spread. This is how cancerous tumors are formed and as such, acidic water can actually trigger and accelerate the growth of cancer in the body – not to mention also being able responsible for some of the visible signs of aging.

This is why we are so often encouraged to consume ‘anti oxidants’ in our diets. We should eat things like vitamin C-containing oranges, apples, vitamin tablets and more because they will neutralize the unwanted free radicals in the body. But if you simple remove one of the biggest sources of this damage by ionizing your water, then you can enjoy many of the benefits without the side effects.

This is not just speculation. There are studies that show drinking ionized water can minimize the damage to the DNA strands. And what’s more, is that alkaline water will also help to neutralize other free radicals, working as a powerful antioxidant in its own right. H2-antioxidants are referred to as molecular hydrogen by scientists and can actually penetrate into the cell walls to do work that no other form of antioxidant can.

Once you start reducing the oxidative damage caused by water and other agents, you will likely find you start to feel healthier, more energetic and generally better all-round. This is something that many people find makes a huge difference to their well-being and evidence suggests that you might start feeling the benefits in as little as 30 days.

On top of all that, the body can also actually utilize the ionized water more efficiently than acidic water. This means that users will actually feel more hydrated as a result and this is another reason that many users will notice themselves feeling full of beans just 30 days after they install the system. This is a big deal as the body really needs water for every single process from the chemical reactions that occur in our brain and help us store memories and focus, to the action of enzymes in the stomach that help us to digest our food and absorb the nutrients. A lack of hydration can cause headaches, brain fog, poor mood, low energy, flaky skin and much more. When water becomes more absorbable, all the opposite benefits are felt.

How is Ionized Water Made?

The water that comes from your tap has two kinds of ions. These are minerals including calcium, magnesium and potassium and bicarbonate ions. The mineral ions have a positive electromagnetic charge, while bicarbonate is dissolved CO2 and has a negative electromagnetic charge.

So what a water ionizer does is to use electromagnetism in order to separate the positively charged minerals from the negatively charged bicarbonate. They do this using charged plates which act a lot like magnets, attracting ions with the opposite charge. The ions will pass through a membrane called a bipolar exchange membrane and this will let ions pass through but not other types of particles.

The ion separation process then results in two different types of water: alkaline and acidic. The membrane has now separated the minerals from the bicarbonate and you have an alkaline chamber and an acidic chamber. Of course, we’re interested in the alkaline chamber and so this is what gets sent into your water tank and fed out of the taps. You can then drink as much of this new alkaline water as you like and start to enjoy the benefits of great tasting, beneficial alkaline water.

The Negatives of Ionized Water

Here at [Website Name], we’re not trying to sell you on any one solution. We’re simply interested in providing you with unbiased, balanced information regarding the various different water treatment solutions so that you can decide what is best for you.

So, with that in mind, are there are any negatives to drinking ionized water? Can it actually be harmful under the wrong circumstances?

Unfortunately, this is where opinions vary. While there are many proven benefits of alkaline water, there are some people who are concerned about potential side effects and negatives.

One issue that has been suggested, is that the body might be confused by the process of water alkalization. When we drink water that is highly alkaline, the body expects this to be mineral rich. Thus, if you are drinking water that has a pH of 9.5, then it might prepare for the intake of minerals. The concern is that this might then confuse the system – although there has not been a compelling case put forward as to why this might be an issue.

Slightly more concerning is the notion that the small intestine could become overly alkaline. The concern is that this can then cause symptoms such as erratic heart rate, hypertension, nervousness and UTIs.

This fear is based on certain studies looking at rats. However, it’s important to note that the rats were consuming proportionally far higher levels of alkaline water and food. The body has natural systems in place to ensure equilibrium and to remove unwanted alkaline substances or acidic substances from the body. In other words, you would have to drink huge amounts of highly alkaline water for this to be a problem. There is very little anecdotal evidence to suggest this is an issue and most people who use water alkaline water have reported that it only makes them feel more energetic and healthy.

In short, the evidence for the benefits is much stronger than the evidence for the downsides and there is little reason to be concerned. Different foods also have different pH values and there is nothing to suggest that eating a very alkaline diet would have any negative effect on you.

In fact, the notion that we can alter the body’s acidity is completely misguided. This is why some diets that recommend eating only alkaline foods in order to reduce the acidity of the blood area also mistaken. The reality is that what you eat has no impact on the overall pH value of the body. This will make it into your stomach and then be broken down into very small amounts. Nutrients will be absorbed and the waste will be voided – there will be no impact on the acidity of the blood or the skin and no change to the health as a result of this process.

The only way that food can alter the pH of your body is in the places where it comes into direct contact: i.e. in the stomach. And in that regard, alkaline water has the benefit of being beneficial because it can help to reduce acidity and thereby prevent heartburn and indigestion.

Of course, this also means that it is misguided to buy a water ionizer with hopes to reduce ‘acidity in the body’. If you have been misled by that advice, then reconsider your purchase.

That said, there are some times when you should avoid alkaline water and this is something that even manufacturers will normally point out. For instance, you shouldn’t have alkaline water with your meals and you shouldn’t drink it when taking medication. That’s because ionized water can increase the uptake of the medicine and thereby alter the pharmacokinetics – potentially resulting the medication acting faster and ‘all in one go’. Drinking alkaline water during meals can cause nausea, diarrhoea and food cravings as it can reduce the body’s ability to break down foods.

And of course, there are other potential downsides to ionizers. There is the fact that an ionizer on its own will leave a lot of unwanted agents in the water. Remember: you need an ionizer that also includes a water filter in order to get that benefit. And likewise, you need to consider that some water is going to be wasted via that acidic chamber.

What to Know Before You Buy

Now you have a comprehensive understanding of water ionizers and how they work and you’re nearly ready to look at some products!

But let’s first just go over some things to keep in mind when making your choice.

Firstly: water ionizers should be self-cleaning and low maintenance whenever possible and you want to look for machines that will keep themselves maintained. Another thing to consider is that you want something that will regulate your water pressure: you don’t want something that requires a higher pressure than your boiler is able to provide of course. And similarly, you don’t want something that will massively impact your water pressure and leave the water to just trickle out of your tap.

It’s also important to consider the type of water you have before you make your purchase. ‘Hard water’ is water that has minerals already included in it and that means that it will already be alkaline to an extent. Softer water will thus make your ionizer actually work harder.

And remember, you also want an ionizer that has a filter built-in if you are interested in removing those unwanted contaminants and toxins!

What is a Non-Electric Ionizer?

Note that the type of water ionizer we have largely discussed here is the electric type that will use electricity in order to break apart molecules. This is actually only one type though and there is one other form of ionizer that will do a similar job and that is the non-electric ‘basic’ ionizer. This will use two to four internal filters and while some of these filters (one or more) will be dedicated to removing the unwanted contaminants, the others will have the job of adding in more minerals.

The downside of this is that you can’t adjust the pH level, you need to replace your mineral filter and the change won’t be as strong.

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best water ionizers on the market.

Water Ionizers

Tyent UCE-11 Under Counter Water Ionizer – Next Generation – Healthy Anti-Oxidant Ionized Water

Introduction

The Tyent UCE-11 is an under-counter water filter from Tyent. This is designed for those that want a comprehensive solution that will offer everything you could want and a top-end, luxury experience.

How it Works and What it Does

This is an electric ionizer that is able to create strongly alkaline or even strongly acidic water as needed. This can be used to create healthy drinking water, or to create sterile water for cleaning and disinfecting.

The system also includes Phi water type purifying filters. These are among the most high performance filters on the market and offer fantastic purifying to remove contaminants.

Features and Extras

This really is an all-singing product that comes packed in with a colour touch-screen interface. This is combined with a voice guide as well to help warn you when the tank is too full, when filters need replacing etc. The machine can manage flow rates and water pressure using a computerized system and it will even self-clean.

Pros and cons

This is a highly comprehensive machine. Not only does it offer a very premium experience thanks to its interface but it also comes packed with additional features and top-grade performance. This can allow you to create the most acidic water or the most alkaline, depending on what you need.

On the downside, this is an expensive solution that offers features many people won’t want. The ability to make extremely acidic or alkaline water is also potentially risky for those that aren’t well-informed. The useful interface and voice guide mitigates this however and this is no different for other options on this list. Likewise, the cost of all items on this list is high and this one at least has features that warrant the asking price.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this is a highly effective water filter that offers an excellent level of filtration and that comes with all the bells and whistles you could possibly want from such a device.

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Tyent ACE-11 Turbo Extreme Water Ionizer with Hydrogen Boost

Introduction and Description

The Tyent ACE-11 is another top-of-the-range and highly capable ionizer from Tyent. This machine looks a lot more commercially friendly than the UCE-11 and rather than living under counter can be placed anywhere thanks to its great look. It has another stunning touch screen display, this time attached to a genuine stainless steel front. It’s slim and highly attractive.

How it Works and What it Does

This machine is an ionizer that like the UCE-11 has the ability to create highly alkaline or acidic water thanks to huge platinum plates. This will offer the highest levels of antioxidants.

Features and Extras

On top of the highly advanced ionizing feature, the ACE-11 also offers some of the best filtration, capable of removing up to 99.9% of contaminants.

Pros and Cons

This device promises to deliver gorgeous hair and looks stunning in any home. It is perfect for top quality kitchens and the touchscreen and the voice guide both help to further improve the whole experience. It is a little more user friendly too than the UCE-11, clearly aimed at families. The hydrogen boost only adds to the appeal.

The only downside is that this is a very premium priced product that includes a lot of features you don’t necessarily need. You can get the same benefits with a more basic build-quality and interface and pay a lot less.

Conclusion

This is one of the most high quality products on the market with a ton of additional features and benefits. It’s certainly also top-end in price, but if you have the money you’ll be hard pressed to find better drinking water with more health benefits.

 

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Tyent 7070 Turbo Water Ionizer (Silver and White)

Introduction and Description

The MMP 7070 Turbo is an effective water ionizer that can live on a desktop. It doesn’t have the premium appearance of the ACE-11 or the massive functionality of either that device or the UCE-11. However, it is still a premium product capable of some advanced features.

How it Works and What it Does

This is a water ionizer that can create water from pH 2-12 and that features Turbo boost for even more antioxidant appeal. This turbo boost gives you pH extremes without chemical additives. Again, it is worth doing your research before using this machine.

Features and Extras

Another feature is the anti-virus system that controls the spread of micro-organisms and helps to keep the ionizer in optimal working condition, creating less work.

Pros and Cons

Unlike the more expensive products from Tyent, this doesn’t feature the stainless steel aesthetic or the color touchscreen. However, it can still create water of all pH levels and has a greater range than you will likely need to use. It also comes with additional self-maintenance features and purifying filters to remove contaminants.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a more basic machine for those that don’t need top-end luxury. It still offers nearly everything the UCE-11 and ACE-11 do in terms of performance though, making it a great choice.

 

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M9 Next Generation Under Counter Water Life Ionizer (2017)

Introduction and Description

The M9 is a ‘next generation’ under counter water ionizer. That means it stays hidden away, which is a benefit of the MP-7070 which can get in the way on your counter-top. It has among the highest antioxidant benefits and comes with additional filters.

How it Works and What it Does

The main benefit of this machine is that it promises to offer the very best antioxidant benefits of all Tyents’ products.

Features and Extras

This comes with a whole host of additional benefits, including customized pre-filters to suite your type of water, automatic heat sensing, a lifetime warranty and more.

Pros and Cons

This is a highly expensive product and so you would expect it to offer some serious advantages. It might come as a surprise to find that this has no color touchscreen then and that it lacks some of the additional features such as self-cleaning. While it claims to offer the highest antioxidant benefits, it’s unsure whether this is worth the considerable hike in price compared with the other offerings from the same company even.

The biggest pro though is that it comes endorsed by doctors and is the only water ionizer listed in Physician’s Desktop Reference.

Conclusion

A very expensive water filter that doesn’t quite stand out above the competition. Certainly very capable at what it sets out to do though.

 

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Life Water Ionizer M13 UC – Under Counter Water Ionizer by Life Ionizers

Introduction and Description

This is an attractive, sleek and black machine that offers dual internal filters, and larger electrolysis chambers. This is actually the world’s first 13 plate home water ionizer and claims to outperform all other brands as a result.

How it Works and What it Does

The thirteen plate design is the main advantage of this machine which allows it to provide the highest antioxidant potential and the best flow rates. It can fill large container fast and offers the best health benefits.

Features and Extras

Other than the key features, this benefits from a protection system utilizing a heat sensor, advanced RADC self-cleaning and an attractive black graphite appearance.

Pros and Cons

Like the M9, this is a particularly powerful ionizer that can offer among the very best quality filtration on the market. However, it is also very expensive and lacks the touchscreen or other premium features of some of the competition.

Conclusion

One of the best ionizers in terms of performance, but do you need that much performance at this price?

 

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Bawell Platinum Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine

Introduction and Description

This ionizer from Bawell is a little more boxy and less premium looking than the options from Tyent and Life Ionizers. However it still offers impressive features and capabilities.

How it Works and What it Does

This is an ionizing filter for the countertop. It can create water from pH 2 to 12 and ORP range from +600 to -800. In other words, it is capable of offering all the benefits you might wish for. This is an electric ionizer, meaning it works by separating the mineral molecules and altering charge.

Features and Extras

This device is light on extra features unlike Tyent’s offerings. It lacks any mention of a regular filter built in to the ionizer.

Pros and Cons

This machine requires a constant water pressure of 20psi and does not manage or regulate flow rates like some others on this list. There is no mention of self cleaning. That said though, the ionizing process itself is comparable to others on this list.

Conclusion

Not the most comprehensive or capable product on this list but one that will do the job for a reasonable asking price.

 

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Life Water Ionizer Next Generation M11 Counter-top

Introduction and Description

Life Ionizers makes powerful and great looking products. This is another machine that offers fantastic alkalizing properties thanks to 11 plates. This is just below the M13 but still up there with the very best for antioxidant benefits.

How it Works and What it Does

Another electric ionizer that is capable of converting water to 2pH all the way up to 12pH with an ORP potential of up to -880mV.

Features and Extras

This is a highly powerful machine that comes with custom configurations for general pre-filtering systems. That means the water is optimized for ionization using features that are added manually to benefit your water type.

Pros and Cons

The key advantage here is getting an 11 plate ionizer at this price. The downside is a lack of additional features, as is often the case with Life Ionizer.

Conclusion

The M11 is one of the most powerful options on the market. It looks gorgeous in black and it has a reasonable asking price. It lacks some additional features such as a touchscreen or self-cleaning but it is great value for money.

 

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NEW Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine with Filter IONtech IT-580 by IntelGadgets. Powerful, Affordable, FREE Filter.

Introduction and Description

This is a product from ItelGadgets that has a very different feel to others on the list in white with green detailing. It is a somewhat clinical looking machine and is also the company’s most basic and  affordable option.

How it Works and What it Does

This uses 5 powerful platinum coated electrolysis plates putting it behind the premium offerings on this site but still giving it the ability to create alkaline water.

Features and Extras

This product also comes with some additional convenient features, such as safety features to switch the machine to alkaline water when the flow is turned off (to prevent accidental consumption of acidic water). It has indicators to tell you when to change filters and an automatic cleaning function. Also comes with active carbon filtering.

Pros and Cons

This is actually a great option for many readers. Not only does this product offer you a very low cost solution but it actually comes with safety features that will make it easier to use. It only has seven levels of pH… but do you need more?

Conclusion

A basic solution that will actually be enough for many people. Highly useable with a great price tag.

IntelGadgets Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine

 

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Air Water Life Aqua-Ionizer Deluxe 7.0 Alkaline Water Ionizer and Alkaline Water Machine

Introduction and Description

This is another more basic model that can produce water from pH4 up to pH11. It also improves antioxidant potential and can offer from +1000 to -800ORP. That’s in-league with some of the more comprehensive products on the market!

How it Works and What it Does

Like all products of this nature, you will enjoy greater hydration, energy and more thanks to the 7 platinum coated electrolysis plates.

Features and Extras

This can handle 4,000 liters per filter. It comes with self-cleaning capabilities and activated carbon filters.

Pros and Cons

This is another more basic model that doesn’t come with the touch screen or other advanced features. Actually though, it again handles most of what you could need from your ionizer and all for a great price.

Conclusion

This is an excellent product in terms of both value-for-money and capability. Easy to use and more than capable of improving the antioxidant benefits from your water.

 

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Summary

And there you have it, a selection of excellent water ionizers from the highly comprehensive and premium Tyent models to the more basic but functional Air Water Life. There are lots to choose from, just make sure you get the amount of alkalinisation you need for your home at the best price and that you consider the factors we discussed to ensure it is a good fit for your home, your lifestyle and your current water condition.