Have you ever wondered why bottled water labels tell you the water’s pH level? Does it really matter when it comes to water? Did you wonder what is the pH level of the water in your home? Tap water and bottled water rarely have the same levels of pH. One of the reasons is that your tap water is filled with a lot of contaminants and has not been ionized. A number of studies have been done on the health benefits which alkaline water really has on our bodies. That means it’s definitely better to have the best water ionizer in your home to improve the quality of your water. Why shouldn’t your family enjoy healthier water?
But how do you find the best one? Hopefully, after reading our water ionizer reviews and buying guide. We’ve tried some water ionizers and reviewed them to help you understand the products better and make your choice.
See The Quick Comparison Chart
What Does Water Ionization Mean?
The process that occurs in water ionizers is not as complicated as it sounds. In nature, water gets its alkaline minerals from rocks, while in your home, it happens through a water ionizer. The machines use electrolysis to convert bicarbonate minerals from the water into hydrate minerals. This makes the water easily absorbed by the body.
The water ionizers are installed on the main kitchen water supply, and the water can be used for cooking and cleaning, not only drinking.
Who Needs a Water Ionizer?
Everyone who wants to have a healthier lifestyle and include better water in their life can buy a water ionizer for their home. But who will benefit the most from drinking alkaline water:
- Pregnant women – some of the problems that pregnant women experience like constipation, heartburn, morning sickness, and others can also be relieved by drinking more alkaline than acidic water.
- Athletes who need fast hydration after workouts and training should also drink alkaline water.
- People with more acidic bodies – people who experience symptoms like lethargy, often get colds, have acne, joint pain, bloating, heartburn, and more. More alkaline better will help restore the body’s pH levels and help with such problems.
These are simply some of the alleged health benefits that alkaline water gives us. If you are in any of these categories, you should talk to your doctor before making such a purchase and start drinking alkaline water.
Why You Should Consider Buying a Water Ionizer
Ionized water has its positives and negatives. In recent years, water ionizers have become widely popular because it’s been talked a lot about the benefits of alkaline water and water ionizers are the way to have such water straight from your faucet. However, it’s important to know both sides of such a unit and to make a water ionizer comparison so you can make an informed decision whether you need it or not.
Benefits of Water Ionizers
- Changes in the pH of the water and the alkaline water can have many health benefits. Including helping with heartburn, help with weight loss, and detoxifies the body. You may want to learn a bit more about home water test kits so that you can get one and check the water for yourself.
- It allows you to choose the pH levels of your water. You can just drink water with a neutral pH.
- You can use more acidic water, which helps with treating wounds.
- Water ionizers have built-in filters that remove some water contaminants.
Drawbacks of Water Ionizers
- Excessive alkalinity in your body may lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract and your skin.
- A side effect of alkalizing your body may be that excessive consumption can ruin the natural acids of your stomach and kill the good bacteria that it needs.
Best Water Ionizers Comparison Chart
| PRODUCT | DETAILS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bawell Platinum Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine |
| View On Amazon | |
 | Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 9.0 Water Ionizer |
| View On Amazon | |
 | Aqua Ionizer Deluxe Water Ionizer |
| View On Amazon | |
 | AquaGreen Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine AG7.0 |
| View On Amazon | |
 | Pure Hydration Next Generation |
| View On Amazon | |
 | aQuasafe Home Water Ionizer |
| View On Amazon |
Best Water Ionizer Reviews – Top Picks
We hope our reviews help you, the products are not in any special order. Here they are:
1. Bawell Platinum Alkaline Water Ionizer
We tried the Bawell Platinum Alkaline Water Ionizer, which comes at a somewhat affordable rate. The instructions say it can be installed in 30 min. However, it takes more time to complete the installation when you’re not a pro at it. This water ionizer has two filters, one to filter minerals and other solids, and another to filter bacteria.
It is super simple to use. Keep in mind that this water ionizer machine is 110V but there is also a version that is 220V. However, this model is not suitable for under the sink. The filter’s durability is not bad, two years, or at 1320 gallons of use, whichever is first.
The machine isn’t huge, and it fits and looks nice on the countertop. It even has the option to hang on the back of the counter, so it doesn’t take up space on the countertop. The product is good value for money, considering that it’s not made from medical-grade steel, it gets the job done.
Pros:
- Filters fluoride, additionally to ionizing the water.
- It has a filter replacement indicator.
- It’s a self-cleaning machine.
Cons:
- Trying to run water through the diverter might cause squirting.
- Customer service isn’t the best on the phone.
- Might show ERR 1 a lot in the beginning. It indicates water pressure issues, even if your water pressure is ok.
2. Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 9.0 Water Ionizer
The Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 9.0 Aqua-Ionizer Pro needs a simple installation and takes no more than twenty minutes. When it’s set up correctly, the water flow is strong and steady. If it’s not, then you’ll need to readjust it. The tap adapter can be a bit annoying to put, but make sure it’s the right size.
It’s a great little filtration and ionizing system that makes the water taste better and be healthier. Even though you cannot feel the health benefits right away. This product has seven water settings and a wide range of water pH levels to choose from 3.0 to 11.5.
The product can also remove some fluoride, depending on its concentration in the water. The filter capacity is around 1300 gallons, which is the standard. This product is also self-cleaning, which is a good feature to have so you don’t have to deal with that.
There’s, of course, the option to use your regular tap water, without it going through the ionizer. It’s a nicely designed, efficient product at a reasonable price.
Pros:
- Quick and adequate customer service, also very helpful.
- The highly alkaline water can be used to clean stains from upholstered furniture.
- Has a filter change indicator.
Cons:
- The under-sink mounting kit is sold separately.
3. Aqua Ionizer Deluxe
This product is also not the most expensive one. It has the standard features, and it’s not a worse product than the others from our list. It will save you money and will give you alkaline water as it should. Installing it is easy, you’ll have everything you’ll need to install. It suits standard faucets, so if yours isn’t, don’t bother with different attachments.
Keep in mind that this is also for mounting on the countertop. The under the sink attachment is sold separately. A bit confusing about this product are the icons on the machine. They are not very intuitive and can be hard to understand.
The Aqua Ionizer Deluxe comes with a filter that can last up to 1500 gallons of water, which depending on the usage, can last up to a whole year. But when the time comes to change it, the process is easy, and the filters won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Pros:
- The health effects can be felt quickly by people with stomach acid.
- Customer service is excellent.
- The water flow is excellent and doesn’t slow down after a while.
Cons:
- After testing it, it doesn’t reach ORP -600mV as advertised.
- It doesn’t work with well water.
4. AquaGreen Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine AG7.0
The AquaGreen Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine AG7.0 fits comfortably on the countertop as it is quite small and doesn’t draw your eye to it. The package includes the necessary adapters and parts for its installation. It took us no more than 15 minutes to install. It’s a great choice if you have limited space around the sink.
The product plays quiet music while it works. You need to read the instruction on how to turn that off because it doesn’t have a specific button just for the music. But on the other hand, it doesn’t make any annoying noises or causes the pipes to make noises.
This product’s maintenance is simple and easy, and it has a self-cleaning mode. The filter needs to be changed approximately every six months of usage. The replacement filters are cheap and easy to change.
The AquaGreen Alkaline Water Ionizer looks good and works as well as more expensive ones.
Pros:
- If you get a defective product, the return process is easy.
- The product works with well water, and you only need a standard connector to use it.
- The seller answers customer questions promptly. The communication is easy.
Cons:
- The product doesn’t have an on/off button, it’s always on.
5. Pure Hydration Next Generation
This water ionizer comes with a diverter valve, as most other products do. However, this one has the option to purchase a faucet kit for under-sink installation. It is a great option to consider because the product itself, while made very stylish and convenient to use, is rather bulky for the countertop.
Putting it under the sink will save you a lot of counter space. The filters can be changed very easily when the indicator lights up. As it doesn’t require electricity to work, so it doesn’t reflect your energy bill. But it requires you to buy not only replacement filters but also batteries.
The sensor on/off button the Pure Hydration Next Generation can be a bit tricky when it’s on the counter. You should carefully make movements near as you may accidentally activate it without intending to use it. On the other hand, it looks good next to your coffee maker.
Pros:
- It uses minerals to ionize the water.
- The manufacturer sells a kit that allows you to install this product to the refrigerator line.
- It’s independently tested to an NSF standard and certified. Meaning it removes over 220 contaminants and produces alkaline, antioxidant-rich water.
Cons:
- This product doesn’t filter fluoride.
6. aQuasafe Home Water Ionizer
This is the most stylish product on our list, with its elegant black color and simple design. The aQuasafe Home Water Ionizer can be installed on the countertop or mounted on the wall close to the faucet. It has a filter with the most extended life from our list, with a capacity of more than 2000 gallons.
What makes this product different than the rest on our list is that it has 11 titanium plates, where the rest have around five or six. This means that the product might be more durable and will efficiently complete the electrolysis process to give you healthy alkaline water.
The installation is easy, but if it comes with one long hose instead of two, it’s recommended to cut it into two pieces so you can use it effectively. Overall, the product has a lot of useful features and is competitively priced. It’s worth considering the investment.
Pros:
- The water ionizer has over-current protection for its and your safety.
- Some of the stainless parts, including the spout, are from Japan and are of very high-quality.
- Excellent and easy communication with the seller – acts quickly when addressing missing or broken parts.
Cons:
- Some parts are made in China, which some people dislike.
7. Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 7.0
The Aqua Ionizer Deluxe 7.0 is one of the most cost-efficient products on our list. The ionizer itself and the replacement filters are more affordable than the other products on our list and the market in general. So this might be ideal if you’re on a tight budget.
It’s designed to be attached to a water source, where the water already suitable for human consumption. It has a carbon filter whose job is to improve the taste.
The product has the option to be installed on and under the sink. It conveniently offers ionized, non-ionized but purified water, and acidic water. Or you can turn the device off and have the water as it is. You can pick and choose based on what you need it for – pets, plants, cooking, coffee, drinking. It’s great for big households.
Pros:
- The company has incredible customer service, they always answer and resolve issues promptly.
- There are additional parts you can buy to mount it under the sink and to use the ionizer on hot and cold water.
Cons:
- If you install this product under the sink, you would have to check if it’s in the cleaning mode every time before using it.
- It doesn’t remove chlorine.
8. Water Ionizer Alkaline Machines and Water Purifier
This product is great for people who don’t have much counter space and are looking for a smaller water ionizer. This one is compact and can also be mounted on the wall for even more free space. Its faucet can rotate, and it is very convenient to use it.
The installation is basic, and it comes with instructions and all the necessary parts. If you have difficulties understanding what to do, there’s a very helpful video on Amazon about how to install it. Keep in mind that it is to be used only with 110V.
For a reasonable price, you can have a home water ionizer that will purify your tap water and ionize it. It’s a very lightweight ionizer that you can set up in ten minutes and have alkaline water right away. This water ionizer offers a water pH range between 3.5 and 10.5, with up to -500mV ORP.
Pros:
- The product has passed the WQA Certification & NSF Certification.
- This water ionizer uses advanced electroplate technology.
- The built-in, high-tech active carbon filter filters over 1,585 gallons of water.
Cons:
- The product is made in China, which some people avoid.
How Do Home Water Ionizers Work?
The home water ionizers you can buy for your usage use electromagnetism to separate the positive from negatively charged ions in the tap water. The products have special plates which are charged differently and act like magnets that attract their respectively opposite to the charged ions. Then the ions pass through a special membrane that holds up all other types of particles.
This process creates both alkaline and acidic waters and holds them in different chambers inside of the machine. Keep in mind that a water ionizer is not a reliable water filtration system and the other way around. If you’re interested in different types of reliable water filtration solutions, such as refrigerator water filters, you should check some out.
Types of Water Ionizers
The difference in water ionizers mostly comes from the different plates that they are made with. They are an essential part of the entire machine and do the actual ionization of the water. So here we will talk about the different types of plates in water ionizers.
The ideal case is to have a water ionizer with platinum-coated titanium plates. Titanium is safe, strong, and has the ability to resist erosion. Platinum exceeds most other metals in the ability to speed up electrolysis. It is absolutely essential for the electrolysis process in water ionizers.
Now the types of slates can be the following:
Solid Plates
These are the most common type of plate for water ionizers. With such plates, the electricity concentrates in certain parts of the plate and doesn’t make them the most effective ones.
Mesh Plates
These are the most efficient plates to use in water ionization. They have the most direction of electric flow and allow more surface area to come into contact with the water.
Slotted Plates
They are a bit better than solid plates, they give the electric current a direction and do a more efficient ionization.
Holed Plates
This type has a handful of holes in it and allows for the direction of the electric flow.
Read our reviews on top-rated portable water filters for clean water at all times!
How to Choose the Best Water Ionizer
When you’re looking for the best home water ionizer, there are some key features you should be on the lookout for. Here they are:
Number of Plates
The higher the number of plates in the ionizer, the bigger the pH range it has. As you will notice from our reviews, some of the more affordable products have five plates, and the more expensive ones have eleven. Also, since the plates are the ones that ionize the water and come in contact with it, you should look for a product whose plates are made from high-quality material. Keep in mind that the higher the number of plates, the more power they will require.
pH Range
It’s only logical that the higher the range, the better the product. Again, you can see from our reviews that the different machines offer different levels/settings of pH levels. You can choose from acidic, neutral, and alkaline water, and they each have different uses and benefits. The pH levels of water are important, and it’s important that you know and choose what your water’s pH level is.
ORP Range
This stands for oxidation-reduction potential. Water ionizers change the ORP of the water, and you should look for a product that offers a range between -200 and -400mV. The tap water Oxidation-Reduction Potential range is usually between +200 and -600mV, and it can be improved by the water ionizer. The lower the range, the better the water.
Built-in Water Filter
Most water ionizers include some sort of additional built-in filter. Usually, it’s a carbon filter that can remove some common water contaminants and improve the taste. If your water pressure is high, you should look for a more powerful one. Also, check the cost of the replacement filter for each ionizer that you like. Their prices vary, and you might be unpleasantly surprised by a costly replacement filter.
Installation
Is it a countertop or under-counter unit? Under the counter, water ionizers might require you to set up an additional faucet, but the entire unit is hidden and doesn’t take up counter space. Their installation is more difficult and a bit time-consuming. The countertop unit doesn’t require a second faucet, but takes up space and can be turned on accidentally. These ionizers are installed very easily and in under 15 minutes.
Warranty
Compare warranties and return policies when you’re looking for a water ionizer. These products require a considerable investment, and you need excellent protection for it. Check for the longevity of the warranty and what it covers. Most manufacturers offer standard warranties and have easy return policies.
What not to worry so much about is the cleaning of your water ionizer, since most of the units are self-cleaning. But still, when you make a water ionizer comparison, keep an eye out for the cleaning information.
In case water hardness is your problem rather than its alkalinity, you may want to check our water softener reviews as well.
FAQ About Water Ionizers
Will I sense a difference right away?
No. You won’t sense a difference in your health very soon after purchasing a water ionizer. If the product has additional filters or features that change the water in any other way, you may feel a change in its taste.
How much alkaline water should I drink in one day?
The healthy recommended amount of daily water intake is between 1.5 and 2 liters. However, if you’re not much of a water drinker, do not push yourself from the beginning. Start with one liter a day and increase the amount gradually.
Is alkaline water safe for children and pregnant women?
Yes, it is suitable for pregnant women and children. Alkaline water can be more beneficial to pregnant women and help with some issues that they may experience during their pregnancy.
What pH level should I choose on my water ionizer when I start?
If you think you’ve been drinking more acidic water until this moment, you may want to start with pH 7. This is the neutral pH level and up the levels slowly after a week. You can go up to 9.5 pH but do it gradually. Keep in mind that people who are more acidic, or suspect that highly alkaline water might not be good for them shouldn’t go over 8.5 – 9 pH. Everything after that is not suitable for daily use.
Should I drink alkaline water with meals?
No, it is not recommended to drink any water while you’re having a meal. It’s best to drink water 30 min before eating and at least 30 minutes after having a meal to drink water. Alkaline water is no exception.
Can I use alkaline water to take medication?
No. Highly alkaline water is not ok to use for taking medication because it might interfere with the absorption of your medication. But you can use your water ionizer for drinking water with neutral pH levels (7) when you need to take medication.
Wrap Up
While there are still some health benefits of drinking alkaline water that remain to be proven, at least we know it doesn’t harm us. Of course, it’s always better to drink water from a natural source and not from the tap, but that’s not possible. There isn’t a single water source that doesn’t need some type of filtration or purification, or both, to make it safe to drink by humans. In case you are interested in instantly purifying your water, you may want to check our top-notch water purification tablets list.
That’s why we’re lucky enough to have home water ionizers that we can attach to our faucets and enjoy healthier water.
Hopefully, our guidelines and water ionizer reviews helped you understand the products better. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below.
We hope you have an easy shopping experience for the best water ionizer for your home. You might be interested in reading faucet water filter reviews and decide to use a couple of filtration systems in your home or check our water cooler reviews for more fun products!