Waterwise Water Distiller: Model 4000

Who Needs It?

This Waterwise water distiller is for those who want the highest level of water purification at a reasonable price and don't mind the slowness of the process. Distillation, by its very nature is thorough. It involves heating water till it becomes steam and then condensing it back to water, minus all the impurities of the original water. The microorganisms have been boiled to death and the contaminants of all but one kind left behind. The one kind that remains, the volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), which vaporize and condense with the water, are removed by an additional carbon filter used in this model.

Its Claim to Excellence

Colin Ingram, an expert on all aspects of drinking water, in his book, The Drinking Water Book, gives this Waterwise Water Distiller Model 4000 a rating of "Excellent", based on the units effectiveness in eliminating all potential pollutants.. It is the highest of his four categories which run from "acceptable" to "good" to "very good" to "excellent". He says it is a more powerful version (800 watts) of the MegaHome (580 watts), which we have described as "The Best Countertop Distiller".

This does not mean that there are never problems with individual units, but the company stands by their guarantee to replace defective units.

It is certified by CSA (Canada) and CE (European Union)

Its Features/Advantages

• It is an air-cooled, lightweight portable unit.
• It is a manual unit, meaning that it distills water one batch at a time and then you refill it each time.
• It has a one gallon, polycarbonate collecting bottle.
• It distills 1 gallon of water in 4 hours, and is equipped with an automatic shut off.
• It has a stainless steel boiling chamber that is easily accessible for cleaning.
• It has a 100 day 100% guarantee and a 1 year limited warranty.
• It is 15" high, 9" in diameter, and weighs 8.4 pounds.

Disadvantages

There are several disadvantages to this Waterwise water distiller. 1) You must refill the boiler manually each time, 2) The cost per gallon is more costly than most other kinds of filters since distilling takes a lot of electricity. Depending on the cost of your electricity it can cost anywhere from 25 to 45 cents per gallon. 3) The process is slow because it involves boiling water and then condensing it again. Compared with some other kinds of filters, 1 gallon in 4 hours is a far shot from 1 gallon per minute. But you are paying for the thoroughness of removing a broad range of contaminants.

What Contaminants Does It Remove?

Distillers can remove nearly all impurities from water. They remove sodium as well as those compounds that cause hardness in water, namely, calcium and magnesium. They remove other dissolved solids such as iron and manganese. They are one of the few kinds of purifiers that remove nitrates. They destroy microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and cysts. Add to this they remove many organic compounds, heavy metals such as lead, chlorine, chloramines and radionucleides.

Here's a list of just some other contaminants that this distiller removes: Arsenic, Asbestos, Benzine, Fluoride, Mercury, Nitrate, Radium, Radon and Trichloreothylene. It also removes unpleasant tastes, odors and colors from the water. Then too, because of it's carbon filter, it removes a long list of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Cost

• Initial Cost: $240 to $330
• Cost of replacement filters: $5 (for the small granular filter, every 1 or 2 months)
• Cost per gallon: 25¢ to 45¢ a gallon

Where to Purchase?

Amazon.com

At a Glance

For Further Information

To learn more about water distillers go to Waterwise Water Distiller.