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Water Ionizer Comparisons

cathleen-68-alkalinewaterplus.pngFor 25 years water ionizers have been my favorite way to stay healthy and young. That's why I'm so passionate about them and about sharing accurate information about them. Alkaline Water Plus provides you with water ionizer comparisons and answers to every question about alkaline water machines in a compact, easy-to-use format, so that you can find the information you need about water ionizers readily and in one location. My goal has always been to give very thorough and honest information, so customers have real and tested facts to use when choosing the best water ionizer for them.

When you scroll through the enormous chart, below, you can find the details that are important to you in choosing which water ionizer is right for you. Use this page and others on my site to learn about the tremendous benefits of alkaline water ionizers. The information you need to make an informed decision is all here.


There are 42 categories of water ionizer comparisons on this chart. Pull and drag the chart left & right [left-click & hold the mouse- button while dragging] to see all of the water ionizer information.


Water Ionizer Reviews & Comparisons

Accurate and honest water ionizer comparison information is still difficult to find after 12 years of searching. I post my own reviews on my water ionizer reviews page. I also expose many of the most blatantly dishonest sites (who pretend to have impartial water ionizer machine reviews) on that page too. With anything you buy today, you have to learn how to watch out for sales gimmicks, and so it goes with alkaline water ionizers reviews.

I make it a point to offer several brands, all of which I have tested against the other brands and am very confident have the highest quality in machine construction, reliability, overall performance, and water ionization capability.

The way I compare water ionizers is to carefully research, discover and share really useful details about water ionizers. My definition of careful research is to LOOK, compare and test machines. I don't get into the gimmick of breaking open machines to talk about my theories of why this machine is so good or bad. [A few companies do this without even testing the machine.] Intead, I use many SIDE-BY-SIDE TESTS and give you relevant facts that help you to compare water ionizers as objectively as possible.

Why Buy a Water Ionizer?

I purchased my first water ionizer 25 years ago, and it was so life-changing for myself and my family that, after retiring as teacher/principal in '07, I decided to build an online store (Alkaline Water Plus). With the AlkalineWaterPlus website, I educate the public about water ionizers, hydrogen machines, and filtered water. 

Watch this 10-minute video to learn the most important and compelling reasons for you to buy a water ionizer. 

What is a Water Ionizer?

A water ionizer is an electric-powered appliance that is usually attached to a standard faucet, although they can often be direct-plumbed. The device first filters the water, then ionizes the water by passing it through charged electrodes. The electrodes used in water ionizers are quite expensive, because the electrode plates are coated with platinum. 



Types of Water Ionizers

There are two types of water ionizers: electric water ionizers and naturally ionizing alkaline water filters and pitchers

Hydrogen water machines and hydrogen gas machines (with a tube funneling the hydrogen into any liquid to make it hydrogen-rich) can be considered to be water ionizers in the sense that the resulting water contains negatively-charged ions, but these machines do not micro-cluster the water the way an actual water ionizer will.

This page is mostly focused on electric water ionizer comparisons and what you should know about purchasing the best water ionizer for you. 



Which water ionizer is best?

I suggest you read this entire page and chart, as well as the product page of the water ionizer you're considering. Then, to make sure you get all the data, you should read my water ionizer reviews page, and then make up your mind as to which water ionizer is best for you. I’ve tested and studied most of the water ionizers myself, and my reviews and data are based on first-hand observation and testing. The first thing you need to look at with any water ionizer is the quality of the water cell and plates. After that I suggest to look at the filtration quality.

The Quality of the Water Cells and Plates - The Most Important Measure of Quality

A water ionizer cleans itself with either acid-washes or with an advanced, automatic, continuous-cleaning method. The water ionizers which use the advanced continuous-cleaning methods will naturally last longer and get better results than a water ionizer with only the normal automatic cleaning. The use of acid-washes is a basic, simple design that was invented in the early 90's, and most water ionizer companies use even today. The advanced continuous-cleaning methods are patented, special methods invented by the top water ionizer researchers in Japan about 15 years ago. These systems have been further refined since then, but very few water ionizer companies have the engineering expertise to develop continuous-cleaning systems.


To find the best water ionizer, one of the first things you should compare is the water ionizer's automatic internal plate-cleaning systems. You can find this at #13 in the chart, "Cleaning Type & Quality". A good cleaning system is the only way your machine will continue to produce the best ionized water in years and decades to come. Read more about the water cells within the water ionizers and how important they are.

The electrodes are the heart of the water ionizer, and the machine will cease to ionize well if the plates aren’t kept clean. What happens with the ordinary automatic cleaning systems is that the the electrodes develop a calcium film over time, because they're not cleaned constantly. A calcium film on the plates will reduce the water ionizer’s capacity to ionize water [pH & ORP]. However, if the electrodes are kept pristine clean and free of calcium, then your water ionizer will continue to be able to produce the best high-pH, low-ORP [high antioxidant], water as if it was brand-new out of the box

Another reason to examine the water ionizer’s plate cleaning process is convenience. Intermittent automatic cleaning, otherwise known as acid washes, requires that you have to wait for the acid wash to finish. Sometimes this can occur at the beginning or end of every use and at other times it happens periodically throughout the day. Acid washes result in wasted water and reduced filter life. Enagic/Kangen, Tyent, Venus, Chanson, Nexus X-Blue, Lifeionizers, Bawell, Alive/Aqua Ionizer Deluxe, Ayana Vitality and most other water ionizers use intermittent acid washes.

Water ionizers which have automatic, continual cleaning not only clean your water ionizer plates 200% more thoroughly, but they also have NO inconvenience, wasted water or wasted filter-life. The H2 water ionizers, Classic Athena water ionizer and Smart water ionizers all use automatic continuous-cleaning.

Platinum Plating Process and Types of Plates

The plating process [#28 in the chart, above] and the type of plates [#27] are very important features to look at when comparing water ionizers. There are various techniques used for creating the plates that function as electrodes in a water ionizer. No matter what type of plate is used, the method of applying platinum to the plate is crucial to the life of the water ionizer. Plating methods vary from company to company. The only safe and effective method of coating the plates with platinum is to use an advanced scientific method of electroplate-coating the plates. The companies that use advanced electroplating methods are the ones with the larger R&D (research & development scientists and engineers) teams. The point of advanced electroplating is to ensure the platinum covers 100% of the plate and that it will never erode.


Notice that in the image, above, it shows binding material between each layer of platinum. That is done only by the most expert of the water ionizer R&D engineers, to ensure the layers of platinum stick permanently. Layers of metal will not stay bonded to a surface for more than just a few years unless a bonding material is applied. Without the bonding material the platinum will erode over time. Platinum is necessary to the ionization process. It catalyzes it. Without platinum your ability to get good results for ionization diminishes. So, you don't want platinum to ever erode.

Here's an example to illustrate the importance of this. You can buy the best paint, guaranteed for 25 or even 50 years, and in a year it has been known to start peeling off when it wasn't applied to the surface properly. Peeling after a year would have nothing to do with the quality of paint. It would be due to the amateur preparation methods used. Part of the preparation process for painting is to use a primer. A primer is a binding material which allows the coat of paint to stick permanently and resist peeling and erosion. And so it goes with coating a titanium plate with layers of platinum.

The majority of water ionizer manufactures use a dipping & baking process, which dips the plate in platinum, bakes, dips again, bakes, etc. This is an amateur way to coat plates with platinum, and unless the proper binding material is used, both initially and between each layer, the platinum will not be bonded permanently.

Solid Plates: Solid plates are the most usual way a water ionizer plate is made. The amount of surface area for electrolysis is only equal to the size of the electrode, unless the plate is coated with an electroplating process. Electroplating can be expertly used to increase the surface area of a solid plate up to 200%.

Increasing the size of a solid plate is often used as a method to increase ionization. This is not a is smart way to increase ionization, because the amount of electricity required for ionization increases with the size of the plate. The use of very large plates actually reduces ionization capability unless you compensate by using more watts of electricity.

There is another way of improving the performance of a solid plate that is sometimes used. That is to implement an advanced electrical distribution (usually in a grid form) which delivers bursts of electricity unevenly around the plate to excite greater ionization than would otherwise be possible from that plate. 

The Mesh Plate Design: Mesh plates allow for a greater surface area for ionization, and are a good idea if they are correctly matched with a water ionizer that uses continuous-cleaning. The Athena Classic uses the mesh plate correctly. Mesh plates can be a disaster, though, if they are mis-matched to a water ionizer that uses acid-washes and not continuous-cleaning. Lifeionizers uses mis-matched mesh plates. The problem with mis-matched mesh plates is they are a very bad trap for calcium scaling.

The way mesh plates are coated with platinum is another issue. Just like any other plate, they can be either dipped or electroplated scientifically. The Classic Athena mesh plates are scientifically electroplated, and the Lifeionizers are dipped.

I only advocate the use of mesh plates with water ionizers that use continuous-cleaning and provided the plates are coated using scientific electroplating of the platinum. 

Dipped Plates: When “dipping” is used, the surface area for electrolysis will be equal to the size of the plates. There is a caution about dipping methods of plating, because without proper scientific application of the platinum to the plates air bubbles are inevitable and erosion is also likely. Some manufacturers get around this by dipping and baking and re-dipping/baking several times, which may eliminate the air bubble, but the multiple coats of platinum aren't guaranteed to stick to the plates forever, so over the course of years the platinum can erode off the plates. This is why using plates (water cells) made by a manufacturer with the most expert engineers in the field is a very important thing to consider when buying a water ionizer you want to last.

Electroplating: Electroplating uses electricity to coat the electrode plates with platinum. Generally this process is the only 100%-thorough method of coating the plates, and it produces a greater surface area for better electrolysis, which improves ORP and hydrogen-antioxidants. The Jupiter and Nexus alkaline water machine manufacturers both import their plates (water cells) from the same advanced R&D source in Japan, Emco Tech. Emco uses patented electroplating techniques to coat their plates for 100%-perfect platinum bonding. The electroplating process used also creates an irregular surface area composed of micro-peaks and valleys, increasing surface area to 200% for more efficient electrolysis. Greater surface area plus no increase in mass equals less power and a better product of electrolysis. The AlkaViva water ionizers also use advanced scientific methods of electroplating the platinum onto the plates.

Size of Plates: Companies which use dipping methods of plating tend to use larger plates and many more plates to make up for the inefficiency of the design. Large plates require much more energy to generate electrolysis. Excessive use of electricity with electrolysis plates is risky, because these plates will tend to experience more wear and tear over the years. Larger plates with more watts is not a better plate design. Large plate ionizers usually require a fast flow rate to keep them cool, which means that the filtration with the large plate ionizers will not be as thorough as their competitors’ ionizers. Large, dipped plates are used by Enagic, Tyent, and Life water ionizer companies.

Filtration Quality

One of the most important features of a water ionizer to consider is the filtration quality.


The best type of filtration ever developed is UltraWater filtration. Learn more about UltraWater filtration and why it's multiple times better than any other water filtration.




Changing your filter properly at recommended intervals is an important part of getting good filtration. A filter counter can help remind you when it’s time to change filters. The only water ionizer brand in the chart above that doesn’t have a filter counter is the Enagic. The quality of water source can drastically impact filter life. For this reason, most water ionizer companies report the filter life conservatively.


What is Molecular Hydrogen and why does it matter?

Molecular Hydrogen is a molecule created by a light bond between two Hydrogen atoms. It's considered to be "free hydrogen" in this state. Ordinary water contains hydrogen, but not free hydrogen.  When hydrogen is free it can fight free radicals; ordinary water cannot. Molecular hydrogen is proven to be very beneficial to the body, and I invite you to visit my special page all about these scientific studies using molecular hydrogen. Molecular hydrogen has been proven to have no toxic effect whatsoever. It is able to prevent and even repair free radical damage. Molecular hydrogen is important, and is capable of acting far more powerfully than any antioxidant. Read more about the benefits of Molecular Hydrogen.

Finding a Superior Water Ionizer can be simplified by concentrating on the most important factor first. Many people consider that the amount of molecular hydrogen a water ionizer produces is the most important feature,when judging the quality of a water ionizer. Molecular hydrogen levels improve the healthiness of the ionized drinking water exponentially.

In the chart, points #15, 18 and 18a, these results are all related to the molecular hydrogen levels found in ionized water from each water ionizer tested. I did this comparison using level 3 [or that water ionizer’s 9.5 pH level] to demonstrate the ORP results for the most popular and common drinking level of ionized water. 

I haven't done nearly as much testing of molecular hydrogen levels, because the testing methods haven't been perfected yet. Molecular-hydrogen-levels testing for water ionizers and hydrogen machines is a fairly new and somewhat crude science right now.  

The H2 Water Ionizers and Smart Water Ionizers so far test the best in Molecular Hydrogen. 

Note: No matter what type of ORP or molecular hydrogen tester or solution you buy, there is no guarantee as to what results customers will get when they test. There are too many variables with ORP and Molecular Hydrogen testing to guarantee these results.

Comparing Hydrogen Water Machines: There are many ways to produce hydrogen water. Here is an example showing some comparison testing of water ionizers I've done. You can find more testing by searching my blog.  

How is the Alkaline Water Plus Water Ionizer Comparison Chart different than the reviews on other water ionizer sites?

You can count on the details of my water ionizer comparisons as well as my reviews to be accurate. It took me years to compile and I work on it regularly to keep it up-to-date.

I do something that no other company which compares water ionizers does. I do hands-on video demonstrations and side-by-side comparisons of water ionizers. My aim is to share knowledge with consumers to help you make an educated choice when purchasing a water ionizer. The water ionizers on the above chart are rated for overall performance on point # 15.

Another unique thing we do at Alkaline Water Plus is give you the straight facts about the best and/or most popular alkaline water machines [water ionizers]. We sell a wide range of hand-picked exceptional alkaline water machines. We’ve compared the most popular and the best water ionizers in every conceivable way on this comprehensive water ionizer comparison page and also on our alkaline water ionizer reviews page. Alkaline Water Plus has taken the time to effectively and completely compare alkaline water machines and report the information we’ve discovered about the following water ionizers: Jupiter Athena, Athena H2 water ionizer, Vesta H2 water ionizer, Delphi H2 Undersink water ionizer, Smart 7P and 9P water ionizers, Enagic water ionizers (SD501 and K8 Kangen water machines), Melody II water ionizer, Chanson Miracle Max, Nexus X-Blue water ionizer, Alive Real Spirit Aqua Ionizer Deluxe, Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 9.5, Excel IE-900, Excel MX-99, Chanson Royale Undersink water ionizer, Tyent ACE-13 water ionizer, Tyent Turbo MMP-9090 Turbo Extreme water ionizer, and UCE 11 undersink water ionizers, Lifeionizer MXL-15 water ionizer, Ayana Vitality Varunizer, Bawell Platinum water ionizer, and the Alkaline Ionizer Purifier Energizer by AOK Health.

How are Alkaline Water Machines Compared?


I understand that not everyone has the time and patience to individually test every single water ionizer on the market. This chart is my effort to leverage my 2 decades of experience with water ionizers to provide consumers with a simple comparison chart to find the machine that best matches their criteria. Short of testing every single feature, there is a good rule of thumb regarding the quality of water alkalizers - the higher quality machines have the better cleaning systems, better filtration and produce the highest levels of molecular hydrogen. That is why I described these features first on this water ionizer comparison page.

How does an electric water ionizer compare to a hydrogen machine?

When hydrogen machines first came out, I tested them against water ionizers and found them to be very comparable for their ability to produce hydrogen (antioxidants). Hydrogen machines are fairly new on the market (within the last 5 years), and their warranties are not nearly as good as water ionizers. Usually you can get a good hydrogen machine for less initial cost than a water ionizer. 

Water ionizers have been around for 30 years. I got my very first water ionizer in the mid-90's. That very first water ionizer was not as good by any means than the newer ones I sell today, but even so it changed my life. Here's my testimonial.

So, which is better: hydrogen machine or water ionizer?

My personal preference is the water ionizer and here are my main reasons why.

  • With a water ionizer I virtually got rid of all my allergies, and this was a big deal for me. It changed my health and my life. I don't even get colds any more (and this has been consistent over the past 20+ years.) The dentist even noticed that I never got cavities any more.
  • Then I moved up to a better water ionizer in 2014, the Athena Classic. With the new water ionizer I noticed my spider veins went away. From this I supposed that the antioxidants produced by the new machine were better than the older water ionizer I had used for 16 years prior. So, I tested the two machines and found this to be true.
  • About a year ago I decided to switch to a hydrogen machine, because it produced equal antioxidants to the water ionizer I was using (or maybe even a bit more). At the time I theorized that perhaps it was the hydrogen that was responsible for all of the benefits I've received from drinking ionized water over the years. At least I wanted to test this theory. However, after about 4 months of drinking almost exclusively hydrogen water (from a hydrogen machine) I started getting some of my old allergies back. My spider veins didn't come back though...just the allergies. 
  • I believe allergies are a sign of the body's pH balance being off causing the body to be unable to rid the body of toxins.
  • So, I went back to using my water ionizer, for the most part, although I still like my various hydrogen machines and use them sometimes. I've stabilized my body pH back to being balanced and so, again, all allergies are gone.

Hydrogen water machines give you the antioxidant benefits, but not all of the health benefits that ionized water can give you.

One cautionary note about hydrogen machines: Only the hydrogen water machines and hydrogen gas machines which use DuPont's SPE/PEM membrane are safe. Therefore we do not sell any hydrogen water or hydrogen gas machines which do not use the DuPont SPE/PEM membrane. The reason is that this membrane removes toxic oxides, ozone, and chlorine from the hydrogen water produced, and so makes it safe to drink. Our Hydrogen Water Machines page has some comparisons between the various hydrogen water generators we sell. 

What is pH and what does it measure?



As the body ages, the pH balance within it becomes more acidic. Many people theorize that it is this acidity that accelerates disease and aging. A water ionizer contributes to helping the body regain its youthful balance, by providing the body with many alkaline buffers with each sip of ionized water you consume. The alkalinity in ionized water isn't disruptive of the stomach, because it contains no calories and so just passes quickly through the stomach on its way to your cells.

PH is easy to measure with pH reagent solution or pH test strips. You can test your own body's pH by testing your saliva with pH test strips.  Request a free pH test strips kit now.

What is ORP and why does it matter?

“ORP” stands for “Oxidation Reduction Potential,” and in simple terms it prevents deterioration within the cells caused by oxidation. Oxidation is like rust, and a negative ORP prevents or reverses that kind of thing happening in the body. 

You can see the ORP comparisons at point #18 in the chart, above.

Testing and Comparing pH and ORP

A very important factor to consider when comparing water ionizers is the pH and ORP [antioxidant] levels for each machine at the appropriate settings for frequent drinking. It is both through testing and looking at the whole design of the water ionizer that will help make this comparison. You can find this in the chart at point #18. The ionizer with the best overall design will allow that water ionizer to get better ORP per unit of pH in comparison tests. The only way to do this is through side-by-side comparisons,


Is Water Ionization the Same for All Alkaline Water Machines?

Not all alkaline water machines are the same. Some water ionizers perform better than others. I've summarized all this in the above chart. Ionized water with a very high pH but low ORP (oxidation reduction potential) wouldn't be good, simply because you can get better than that. It's good to be able to get a variety of pH, and with it get an abundance of molecular hydrogen to fight free-radicals throughout every cell of your body. 

I don't recommend alkaline water machines which use a lot of power (watts), because over time this can damage plates.

Companies that attempt to persuade you that their water ionizer is better because of plate sizehigh watts or other superficial reasons should be able to show you testing that proves their water can give you better results, but they can't. These companies, such as Tyent and Life, don't show side-by-side comparisons, because their water ionizers do not compare well. 

Kangen water is chemically the same as alkaline ionized water, and can be tested for pH and ORP like any other. Occasionally I'll hear hype about this, but ionized water is ionized water. The differences that make one water ionizer better than another one can all be found and explained thoroughly on this page.  

Customer Service Considerations when Purchasing a Water Ionizer


Water Ionizer Power Requirements


Water Ionizer Price Considerations







Which Water Ionizers Allow You to Use Sodium in the Electrolysis Process?

Some water ionizers are better for allowing you to use sodium in the electrolysis process. When you add sodium it strengthens ionization, so you can get a higher pH (for cleaning & de-greasing) and a lower pH (acidic water for disinfecting and sanitizing). The water ionizers that allow using sodium in the electrolysis process are listed in column 42, in the chart above.

Watch out for Fake Water Ionizer Comparisons, Which Come in Many Forms

  1. The biggest water ionizer comparisons scam is when the company puts up a review site, pretending it is independent and non-biased, when it isn't. I've written a lot about this in my Water Ionizer Reviews page.
  2. Beware “water ionizer comparisons” that show only the highest or strongest pH/ORP for that water ionizer and/or doesn’t show you their testing. This practice can be misleading because you don’t drink at the highest alkaline level, so the ORP for that level is irrelevant.
  3. What you should really be interested in is the hydrogen (H2) levels or ORP for the pH level you will be drinking.
  4. Unless the water ionizers are being compared side-by-side in the same location, at the same time, using an ORP meter or Trustlex hydrogen tester that is cleaned and calibrated prior to each test, the comparisons are potentially false readings.
  5. I am unique in that I share extensive testing and comparing of water ionizers on YouTube. When I do this it adds to the general knowledge about various water ionizers and also shows that water ionizers perform differently in different water sources.
  6. Another fake water ionizer comparison trick is to make claims based on saying their ionizer is the only medical device available. No water ionizers are considered medical devices in the US. The KFDA [the Korean equivalent of FDA] and the Ministry of Health of Japan both recognize water ionizers as medically useful devices, and so will certify them.
  7. One, more recent trick is to make claims that ionized water is not natural, because it’s not found in nature. The claims are being made by people who want you to buy their products [usually filtering-only devices] instead of water ionizers. But, the idea that ionized water is somehow not natural is simply misguided. It can be tested and found to be water [two hydrogens to every oxygen]. There are normal, healthy minerals in ionized water, such as calcium. There are also many more benefits of ionized water.


With Alkaline Water Plus Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed

Because we are so sure the water ionizers we sell are the very best you can buy, we stand behind every sale. Alkaline Water Plus charges only 5% re-stocking fees to the customer (and we pay the rest of the manufacturer's restocking fees) in the event of a return within the 60-day trial period.


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