The question is no longer to buy a Water Ionizer, but which one to buy?
Are inexpensive water ionizers still OK? How much do I really need to spend? How many electrode plates do I need? What alkaline pH should I be drinking? Can water ionizers really last 10 + years? Are you asking yourself these questions? Lots of folks are! (Click here to understand the benefits of ionized water)

Inexpensive and Impressive	Mid-Range and Powerful	High-End and Super Powerful
The lowest priced water ionizer on the market, this ionizer is GREAT for 1-2 people looking to improve wellness and will last upwards of 10 years.	A mid-priced water ionizer, this unit could handle 3-5 people's ionized water needs daily for a minimum of 15-20 years!	This powerful unit handles a larger family, or a smaller one for more years, and provides the highest pH possible for drinking.
Aquifer EC450	Aquatonic AQ500	Aquatonic AQ700
$735	$1,160	$1,790
Quick Comparison of These Three Gold Fox Water Ionizers by Yi-Shan
Aquifer EC450	Aquatonic AQ500	Aquatonic AQ700
3 Electrodes pH Range 5 to 9.9+** Alkaline ORP Range -100 to -600 Mv** Acidic ORP Range 600 to 800 Mv** 3 Allkaline, 2 Acid & 1 Neutral Settings 190 Adjustable Power Boost Settings** 12"H x 10.5"W x 5.5"D 150 Watts in operation pH & ORP Color Readout Liters per min. on Screen SMPS Power Supply Auxillary Mineral Port Auto Cleaning Alert Hot Water Shutoff Filter Replacement Indicator Replace Filter Annually Filter Choices Available Five Year Warranty - no extra charge Yi-Shan Manufacturer	5 Electrodes pH Range 4 to 10+** Alkaline ORP Range -100 to -800 Mv** Acidic ORP Range 600 to 850 Mv** 4 Alkaline, 2 Acid & 1 Neutral Settings 228 Adjustable Power Boost Settings** 12"H x 10.5"W x 5.5"D 175 Watts in operation pH & ORP Color Readout Liters/min. on Screen SMPS Power Supply Auxillary Mineral Port Auto Cleaning Alert Hot Water Shutoff Filter Replacement Indicator Replace Filter Annually Filter Choices Available Five Year Warranty - no extra charge Yi-Shan Manufacturer	7 Electrodes pH Range 2.5 to 11+** Alkaline ORP Range -100 to -850 Mv** Acidic ORP Range 600 to 900 Mv** 4 Alkaline, 2 Acid & 1 Neutral Settings 228 Adjustable Power Boost Settings* 12.5"H x 10.5"W x 5.5"D 200 Watts in operation pH & ORP Color Readout Liters/min. on Screen SMPS Power Supply Auxillary Mineral Port Auto Cleaning Alert Hot Water Shutoff Filter Replacement Indicator Replace Filter Annually Filter Choices Available Five Year Warranty - no extra charge Yi-Shan Manufacturer
**NOTE: You must remember that the pH and ORP output IS ALWAYS DEPENDENT on the incoming source water and, in the case of municipal water, may vary over time. Different geographical areas around the country have different mineral composition in their municipal water. Well water is a "wild card" as the variables are great. This means the pH you achieve may be different than expected. However, the three models above all have the EXCLUSIVE Electronic pH and ORP Boost, should it be needed, as well as a Calcium port to increase mineral content.
So what should the deciding factors be when purchasing a water ionizer?

The Chemistry of Life is the Chemistry of Water

And, we are mostly water. You and I are very concerned about the quality of water we drink. I'm a staunch advocate of ionized water (read My Story) because of it's respect in the far east (see articles) and these attributes:

Ionized Water provides large amounts of antioxidants by producing both negative ions and free radical scavengers. The opposite, the positive ions and free radicals, damage our DNA and add to our oxidation (our aging). Ionized water's strong negative charge provides it's potent ANTI-oxidant quaility.

Ionized Water provides high alkaline pH water to neutralize acidity in our body every day, all day long. Our body's metabolic wastes are acidic and must be removed daily for optimum health, by drinking suffiicient amounts of ionized water (click to learn how much and when to drink water).as a potent addition to a detox regimen including exercise, diet and of course stress management. In case you didn't know, FAT is acidic - lose the acid and you'll lose weight!

Ionized Water increases available oxygen for super energy and mental clarity, but most importantly, in the 1930s, Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for his discovery that cancer cannot live in an oxygenated environment. Additionally, your body's pH must be alkaline. Nothing fits this "prescription" better than ionized water!

Ionized Water microclusters water molecules, which better hydrate our cells, delivering deeper nutritional benefit from our food while pushing out toxins and detoxifying us on a cellular level. Regular water molecules clump together in larger clumps and cannot get into the finest of capillaries - but ionized water can get there for deep hydration and thorough detoxification. (click to read the science of microclustering)

So, very briefly, in addition to filtering your tap water, water ionizers have four main benefits:

GO TO WATER IONIZERS

High pH alkaline ionized water is a high energy drink that detoxifies you cell by cell, from the inside out,
washing away acidity that leads to fatigue, low immune system response, weight gain,
"old age" illnesses and chronic diseases.

So, here's a list of features to consider when deciding on a water ionizer, with my comments:

Number of Electrodes: You will see 3 -7 electrodes. The number matters along with the square centimeters of the electrode plate. The more surface area, the stronger the ionization. This being said, a 3 plate unit with larger electrodes will give you high-alkaline water in the drinkable range of 9.5 to 10. Above 10 is caustic to the body, although the 6 and 7 electrode models on the market will produce pH 11 or higher, this water tastes bad and is NOT recommended for drinking. This super alkaline water (and the super acidic water) do have disinfectant uses. We Americans tend to think bigger is better and I do offer 7 electrode units, at a lower cost than most, to stay competitive. Yi-Shan brand ionizers offer large, solid, quality platinum-dipped titanium electrodes.

Electrode Material: Most high-quality water ionizers use titanium electrodes coated with platinum, not electroplated with platinum. Some manufacturers are using less expensive Iridium or Ruthenium, both of which are to be avoided, as they are toxic. There are both solid and mesh electrode plates. Read this bog entry for more information on the difference.

Design: Of course this is a personal preference, but you may not realize that DESIGN has driven water ionizer prices up in the past couple of years. It was not long ago that NONE had the "stainless steel" look, or were squarish and more modern! You pay a price for the latest design, and it often doesn't have much to do with superior quality.

Longevity: Any manufacturer worth their salt is offering a five year warranty these days (written 2/08). This should be one of your "must haves'. All the ionizers we carry come with a five year warranty or more, and are expected to last a minimum of 10 years (more likely 15-20 years) with proper care, which includes an annual "deep cleaning".

pH Range: Your skin and hair are about 5.5, and you can drink as high as 10. You can use pH 3-4 as a cleaning disinfectant or for serious wound healing, externally. So what range do I recommend? pH 4 - 10, found in most ionizers, without spending $3,000 or $4,000 (I'm not mentioning any brand names here, but you know the prices if you've looked around).

ORP Range (Oxidation Reduction Potential: This is the negative charge to the alkaline water. You want to drink water with at least a -350 mV (millivoltage) if possible. Tap water generally is a +250 to +350, so the water ionizer you want is able to reduce the millivoltage charge in "average" tap water to -350 or lower. The ORP achieved is always related to the source water. Anything -100 or lower is significantly more beneficial than tap or bottled water! Remember, the ORP achieved is always dependent on your source water.

Filtration: All of the ionizers we sell have at least a 1 micron filter, which my filter experts agree is excellent filtration for tap water. Many ionizers have the option for finer filtration (.01 or 0.1 microns) if you desire. The .01 filter is what is used in kidney dialysis. My sources advise this is overkill for drinking water. One mciron filters are changed every 9-12 months, and the .01 filter is changed every 3-6 months at a greater expense. If you have well water, a 5 micron or less carbon pre-filter is recommended before the water enters your ionizer. Again, I can help you with well water issues, pre-filters and more!

Water Composition: Tap water generally is fine for ionization. Well water is a bit trickier, as some well water is acidic, with less alkaline minerals that allow for ionization. I can help you figure this out. Reverse osmosis (RO)and distilled waters are both acidic and devoid of minerals, therefore not able to ionize. We offer a remineralization filter for RO if you' rather keep yours than sell it on eBay! With the superb filtration offered in all of our ionizers, we feel RO is not needed. Softened water is not suitable for ionization. Please call for help.

Using Bottled Water? This can be done quite successfully with an on-demand pump and five gallon bottles (DO NOT USE BPA POLYCARBONATE BOTTLES - CALL US - WE CAN GET YOU THE NEW, SAFE PLASTIC 5 GALLON BOTTLES). We have this system set up on our farm, as we sometimes have trouble with our well. Of course you want to be certain you are starting with neurtral or alkaline bottled water, either purchased or from a neighbor.

Under or Over the Counter? Countertop units are a snap for anyone to install. There is no plumber needed, and it takes about 10 minutes. They can be installed in your kitchen, bathroom or laundry room sink. For under-the-counter we have two different options. The first is a conversion kit for a counter top model that gets installed under the sink with a dual spigot for both alkaline and acid water on top, but the controls remain underneath (call or email for more information). The second option is a "true" under-counter water ionizer model with a fully functioning dual spigot on top. With this spigot you control all the ionizer functions, plus you get both alkaline and acid water. We offer two different models, one is the Odyssey by Yi-Shan, the other is the Delphi by Jupiter

Power Supply: SMPS versus a transformer - most good water ionizers today use a Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS). It is lighter, more efficient and operates with less heat than a transformer. All the ionizers we sell use SMPS.

LCD Screen Readouts: Ideally you want a screen that tells you how many liters/minute you are getting, as water ionizers must operate at a certain rate to achieve optimum ionization. Without this readout it is a bit harder to judge if your ionizer is running properly. Some ionizers include pH and ORP readouts, which are very convenient and I have found them to be quite accurate. All ionizers should have a filter life indicator on the screen, but there are other ways to tell if the filter should be replaced, such as the return of chlorine taste or the lessening of pH.

Cleaning Method: Some ionizers have a definite cleaning cycle that operates at intervals, alerting you that it is cleaning and not to drink the water. Others clean simultaneously to producing ionized water, but you don't see any evidence of the cleaning. Cleaning is necessary because minerals are deposited on the electrodes with use. During cleaning the electrode polarity is reversed and the mineral buildup is repelled and discharged. An annual deep cleaning (instructions come with your purchase) prolongs the life of the ionizer plates, which are the expensive part of a repair 8-10 years down the road when you notice your ionizer is not working like it used to.

Size of Household: If ionizers are meant to last a minimum of 15 years, obviously this is based on an average use scenario. So, in a smaller household (1-2) people, a 3-electrode ionizer will see its life span, as would a 5 electrode unit. But in a larger household, a 3-electrode unit may not last 15 years because the output quantity is greater. This is logical and the size of your household should be part of your decision making process.

A Word About Price: Please understand there are MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) and Network Marketing companies on the scene, which naturally have to charge more, as everyone in the salesperson's "up-line" makes a profit. Some companies charge more for a larger profit margin. My opinion is that there is very little REAL difference in water ionizers other than the number/size of electrodes, the filtration, a few bells & whistles, and, of course, design. Call to discuss your particular needs!

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