It isn’t easy. The reason? It has very little to do with the actual machines; it’s much more to do with the ways they are sold.
Multilevel Marketing
When MLM is involved, we have observed a very obvious reduction in the quality of the information provided.
This is because the vendor (the MLM company) distributes their information to ‘independent distributors’ whose sole qualification in the water ionizer business is that they own one.
Net result: many independent distributors are ‘Chinese Whisperers, only repeating what their upline told them to say – or their version of it. The company has a clear contract that separates them legally from any claims a downline distributor may voice. It means that anything you hear from an MLM ‘representative’ should be seriously fact-checked.
Direct Marketing
Being directly responsible to bodies such as the FTC and TGA, direct vendors are úsually most careful about what they claim. The early days of the electric water ionizer industry have passed and the many myths used earlier have been exposed. These include claims about the purity of the water, the actual alkalinity of the water, the relevance of high ‘ORP’, whether electric ionizers actually microcluster the water.. and more.
By reading directly from the vendor’s website you have the best chance of contacting them directly if what you read disagrees with what you have heard elsewhere.
The Molecular Hydrogen Foundation
The MHF is salvation to electric water ionizer buyers. It is a non-profit website dedicated to communicating correct science related to the water produced by water ionizers. On the site, you will find every scientific study to date.
Types of Electric Ionizers
ELECTROLYSIS
..The most common form of water ionizer, simply because it was the first.
All units consist of an inbuilt water filter, passing the water on to an electrolysis chamber. In the chamber, it is split into acid and Alkaline Water streams. The Alkaline Water stream is used for drinking. The acid water stream is mainly wasted, although some companies suggest its use as a kitchen cleaner.
The ‘alkaline’ water it outputs is not strictly alkaline.* It has a high pH due to the electrolysis process but does not add any alkaline minerals to the water, only concentrating the alkaline mineral content of the inlet water.
Available in benchtop and undersink models.
Pros:
- A long history of manufacture in Korea and Japan.
- Ability to adjust pH at the touch of a button.
- Continuous flow (limited)
Cons:
- Wasted water – up to 50%.
- Need for regular cleaning routine, either auto or manual, also wasting large amounts of water.
- Only creates higher levels of infused H2 with higher levels of alkalinity, making water unpalatable.
- Electricity passing through water.
- Expensive repairs and need for factory check and service.
- Susceptible to calcium in the source water.
- Old technology. Incapable of high H2 output.
*Alkaline water is water with alkaline minerals dissolved in it.
PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE
Uses a relatively new patented technique from Korea.
Water enters the unit and passes through filters and in some cases, a water conditioner. Water then passes through the PEM unit which separates a portion of the water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is infused back into the filtered water, the oxygen is vented off.
Available in benchtop and undersink models.
Pros:
- No wastewater
- With kinetic water conditioner, no known calcium buildup problem.
- Set, repeatable H2 levels.
Cons:
- Cost
- New technology
OZONE HYBRID
Only one model on the market. The BioLux has two outputs: one is hydrogen infused water. One is ozonated water.
The patented technology still has wastewater similar to an electrolysis system and has no filter.
Available in benchtop and undersink versions.
Pros:
- Constant molecular hydrogen infusion.
- Antibacterial ozone water
- High build quality.
Cons:
- H2 water can taste and smell of ozone.
- Has its own automatic cleanse the system.
- Prefilters required
- Cannot be attached to a tap: must be directly plumbed in.
- Size. Hard to fit undersink.
Note: This short article covers many concepts, all of which are important to the buyer’s ability to make a clear choice. We’ve been talking water ionizers for 20 years and are very happy to chat, or to send you more specific answers to anything you are unclear about.
Given the very high cost of old style electrolysis units and the availability of lower cost higher efficiency technologies, it’s not an easy decision.
