Water distillers are compact filtration devices able to destroy most contaminants in your water.
They’re cheap, require no installation or setup, and to operate them, you simply fill them with water and press the “On” switch.
However, if you don’t know much about distillation devices, you probably don’t know which model to pick. That’s where this article comes in. Let’s review the best water distillers on the market and find the perfect one for your needs.
- Price: $369
- Capacity: 1 gallon
- Speed: 0.25 gallons per hour
- Price: $289
- Capacity: 1 gallon
- Speed: 0.2 gallons per hour
- Price: $149.99
- Capacity: 1 gallon
- Speed: 0.3 gallons per hour
- Price: $107.23
- Capacity: 2.25 gallons
- Speed: 0.25 gallons per hour
Waterwise 4000 Countertop Distiller – Best Premium
- Price: $369
- Capacity: 1 gallon
- Speed: 0.25 gallons per hour
- Comes with an automatic switch-off function
- Ergonomic handle with a non-slick grip
- Both the distiller and the collection bottle are made out of durable materials
- The most expensive unit on our list
The Waterwise 4000 offers a great way to purify your drinking water and get rid of contaminants. The device is compact but has a long cord, so it’s a perfect fit for any kitchen counter. You can place it just about anywhere without worrying about space.
As for the performance, this model distills a gallon of water every 4 hours, while both the tank and the collection bottle hold up to a gallon of purified water each. The collection bottle also features an ergonomic handle covered with rugged material and small bumps on the outside for a better grip.
The system is straightforward to operate. Plug the dispenser into a power socket, fill it with tap water, and turn it on. This unit runs on 800 watts of power, and the distillation process automatically stops once a gallon of water has been collected.
This automatic feature allows you to leave the Waterwise 4000 on while not in the room without worrying about the collection bottle getting overfilled or spilling out.
The 316-grade stainless steel the unit is made of makes it resistant to damage and protects it against corrosion. The water collection bottle is made of borosilicate glass, which may not survive a drop from a few feet of height, but it’s still relatively durable.
The one downside of the Waterwise 4000 is that it’s a bit more expensive than the other models on our list. However, you’re paying for a quality item, and around $300 isn’t a lot of money for access to impeccably clean drinking water, so the device is worth it, in our opinion.
Megahome Countertop Water Distiller – Best All-Rounder
- Price: $289
- Capacity: 1 gallon
- Speed: 0.2 gallons per hour
- Underwriters Laboratory approved
- The entire unit is made of stainless steel
- Comes with six activated carbon satchels that should last you for half a year
- Slow distillation speed
Both the unit itself and the water collection bottle on the Megahome are made from durable materials tested and approved by Underwriters Laboratory. This lab is an independent global quality assurance agency that guarantees certain products meet safety regulations. Since the UL has approved this model, we trust its quality entirely.
The 304 stainless steel distiller connects to the glass water collection bottle via the porcelain-lined nozzle. Aside from those components, the boil chamber, upper steam dome, and condensing coils are all stainless steel.
The Megahome also uses activated charcoal satchels during the purification process to stop unpleasant tastes and odors missed during the boiling process. You get six satchels when purchasing this device, which should last approximately six months.
At a distillation rate of one gallon per 5.5 hours, this is the slowest filtration unit on our list and one of the slowest water boilers on the market. But, in fairness, the distilling process combined with the activated charcoal satchels removes many distinct contaminants.
On top of that, the boiling water process is effective at removing contaminants, but it’s by no means quick, so you’ll have to wait a few hours for a gallon of water, regardless of which device you choose. For context, the other models on our list purify 0.25 or 0.3 gallons per hour, while Megahome purifies 0.2 gallons per hour.
The device comes with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor, covering defects and malfunctions during normal usage.
CO-Z 1 Gallon Water Distiller – Best Distillation Speed
- Price: $149.99
- Capacity: 1 gallon
- Speed: 0.3 gallons per hour
- Purifies a gallon of water every three and a half hours
- Comes with an automatic shut-off feature once 302 ℉ is reached
- Has an activated carbon filter
- The water collection bottle is made out of regular glass
If you’re looking for a fast water distillation unit, the CO-Z 1 is the model for you. The 0.3-gallon speed might not seem like much of an improvement on the 0.2 or 0.25-gallon rate of other units, but this capacity translates to half an hour, which is very impressive for distillation.
With the CO-Z 1, you should be able to get a gallon of clean water in about three and a half hours.
This CO-Z 1 also comes with an activated carbon filter through which water passes once boiled and condensed. This additional filter removes any odors, tastes, and chemical contaminants that the distillation process might not have removed.
The device uses 750 watts and has an automatic shut-off feature turning off the device when it reaches a temperature of 302℉. This prevents it from overheating and preserves the heating coil for a long time.
Furthermore, the CO-Z 1 is made of 304 stainless steel, while the water collection container is made of regular glass. Both have a 1-gallon water capacity.
While the fact the bottle is glass might seem like a good thing, it’s the unit’s biggest issue. The bottle is made of regular glass, meaning it’s not food-grade, borosilicate, or shatter-proof glass, so its durability is unremarkable.
What’s more, getting a replacement bottle that fits the CO-Z 1 perfectly can be a hassle, so ideally, you should look for a model with a durable bottle.
VKP Brands Stainless Steel Water Distiller – Best Capacity
- Price: $107.23
- Capacity: 2.25 gallons
- Speed: 0.25 gallons per hour
- You can distill large quantities of water at once
- Decent distillation speed
- 5-year warranty
- The three bowls take up a lot of space on the kitchen counter
The VKP features a much larger capacity than all the other distillers on the market. In fairness, some large commercial models may beat the VKP’s capacity, but when it comes to domestic models, it’s as big as you can get.
The 2.25-gallon capacity makes it more than twice the size of any of the other models on our list, which means it purifies much more water simultaneously.
At a distillation speed of 0.25 gallons per hour, you should have a gallon of water in 4 hours with the VKP. So if you want to fill the entire collection bowl, it would take 9 hours to distill the water and fill the 2.25-gallon capacity.
This unit is made of three bowls stacked together. The bottom bowl is filled with tap water and is placed on the stove. The middle bowl is where purified water collects, and it has a hose. It’s designed to be placed on top of the bottom bowl after turning on the heat. The top bowl is then placed on top of the collection bowl and filled with cold tap water to speed up the condensation process.
The downside to the device is its size, as it will take up a lot of space in your kitchen.
On the bright side, the 5-year warranty is an excellent guarantee against damage.
What is a Water Distiller
Water distillers are filtration units that remove contaminants from your drinking water by boiling it.
Since hydrogen and oxygen ions (making up water) are lighter than most contaminants, they turn to vapor. The impurities, on the other hand, remain at the bottom of the device and get removed.
How Does a Water Distiller Work?
Water distillers look like wide flasks or large pitchers. They house a heating element in a coil that goes around the top of the unit. The heating element raises the temperature inside the device until the water boils and turns to vapor.
The vapor rises and condenses at the top of the distiller. This condensed water is then channeled through a funnel and poured inside a water container. At this point, the water is purified and ready to drink.
Water distillation units run on electricity, so you must plug them into a power socket near the kitchen counter. Some models have batteries, but those also need to be charged, so you’ll still need access to an electrical plug.
Advantages of Water Distillers
Water distillers are very compact devices. As we’ve mentioned, they’re essentially the size of a standard water pitcher or a larger, more robust water flask. Because of this, they take up virtually no space, and both the unit and the water collection bottle can easily fit on any countertop or other kitchen surface.
These devices are also remarkably affordable. Most water filtration methods go up to several thousand dollars. Yet, distillers don’t even reach the $500 mark, and you’ll be able to get most domestic models on the market for somewhere between $100 and $400.
The distillation process itself is thorough. It removes the most common water contaminants like sodium, chlorine, and heavy metals, all while removing the need for large, cumbersome filtration systems.
Disadvantages of Water Distillers
We can say many good things about distillers, but speed isn’t one of their strong points. Getting just a gallon of clean drinking water from these devices takes several hours. Typically, you’ll need to let these devices run for the entire night to get one gallon of water in the morning, which is less than ideal if you drink a lot of water during the day.
The distillation process itself also isn’t perfect. It removes or reduces many water contaminants, but only the ones with a higher boiling point than water. If you have organic or inorganic pollutants in the water that turn to vapor when heated, they’ll get a free ride to the water collection bottle.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the following section, we answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding water distillers.
The cheapest unit on our list and the market is the VKP, with a price tag of only $107.23.
While you might be able to find a model that’s even more cost-effective than this, it’s doubtful that it’ll have the same capacity.
We believe the VKP is the best deal on the market, not only because it’s reasonably priced but also because you’re getting a sizeable water tank for that price.
The average price of domestic distillation units runs somewhere between $100 and $400.
Cheaper units can remove the same contaminants as more expensive ones. Still, the higher price reflects the units’ durability and capacity to remove strange odors and tastes thanks to the added filters, such as activated carbon.
Water distillers are great for removing organic compounds and chemicals like viruses, bacteria, pesticides, and herbicides. The boiling process also eliminates sediment particles, sodium, chlorine, and heavy metals. Additionally, the distillation process also gets rid of heavy water, so it essentially doubles as a water softener as well.
However, these devices can’t remove organic or inorganic materials that weigh about as much as water molecules. These contaminants get turned into vapor along with the hydrogen and oxygen molecules and stay in the water.
Conclusion
The Waterwise 4000 Countertop Distiller costs more than the other units, but it comes with an automatic switch-off function, is made from durable stainless steel materials, and both its filtration speed and water capacity are suitable for most people.
The Megahome Countertop model is made of UL-tested materials, making it durable. In addition, it comes with activated carbon filters, so it gets our vote for the best overall distillation unit on our list.
The CO-Z 1 Gallon Water Distiller is the best option for anyone that wants to reduce the lengthy distillation period.
The VKP Brands Stainless Steel Water Distiller can purify more than twice the amount of water as most other distillation units, making it an ideal choice for anyone who wants to prepare their whole day’s worth of drinking water in one batch.
