What You Get for the Money – $900 and Under

When it comes to water ionizer pricing, there are basically three categories:   The most expensive, the most common, and the scariest.

Yes.  You can get a water ionizer that is priced for under $900, but this is the scariest price range out there.  Buyer beware or today’s savings could turn into buyer’s remorse.  Let’s take a look at what you get – and what you don’t – for the money in the $900 and under price range.

First, a red flag warning.  If you find a five or seven plate water ionizer for under $900 or under, take a harder look at the company offering it. How long have they been in business?  Where are these products made?  How do they offer something for so much less than companies that have been in the business for over a decade?  What’s missing?

Be a smart consumer – when shopping for any other home appliance you don’t find a $500 difference between comparable products.  If you’re paying less you’re getting less.  Either in warranty, performance or the quality of the components used.  Why would you think that the water ionizer appliance industry is any different?

Throughout this series you’ve read “if a deal looks too good to be true it probably is.”  That holds doubly true for five and seven plate water ionizers under $900.  Given the cost to import these units from Asia, ship them to the company’s distribution center in the US, the cost to operate and maintain a sales office and repair facility and the overall cost of advertising and doing business, how can there possibly be any money left to go into the components used inside the machine?

If you’re looking to spend less than $900 or $1,000 on a water ionizer, then you’re probably going to be looking for a non-electric water ionizer. The only exception would be Watershed’s AQ300 water ionizer – which is a basic single filter, three-plate water ionizer, and we only recommend units with two filters and at least 5 plates (although, once in awhile you will see a higher priced ionizer on sale for around $1,000, which can be okay if it’s from a reputable company and has the following: a decent warranty, at least 5 plates and 2 filters. And if you can find one with an SMPS Plus system, then it’s a real find).

Non-electrics will produce alkaline water for drinking but you won’t find options for “neutral” water for having with meals or taking prescription medications.  And you won’t have options for acidic water.  Non-electric   “water ionizers” are basically water filtration systems with minerals and magnetic elements.  The minerals add alkalinity to the water and the water is “ionized” by the electromagnetic reaction between the minerals and the magnet elements inside the system. We do not recommend non-electric units.

A good water ionizer should be able to give you alkaline and acidic water at multiple settings for multiple uses.  It should also be able to give you plain filtered tap water that you can drink with meals, use for mixing baby formula or when taking prescription medication – eliminating the need to buy bottled water.  It is not recommended to drink alkaline, ionized water with meals or used for taking prescription medications.

In today’s economy, the fact is that many people are limited by budget.  Be realistic about your expectations when it comes to what you can get for a limited budget.

Remember, a water ionizer is not just a water filter.  It is an investment in your long-term health.  It is a kitchen appliance that can be used for cooking, household cleaning, treating skin conditions, first aid for cuts, scrapes and minor burns.  Ionized water has a history of improving the tone and texture of skin and hair, treating recurring mouth ulcers and improving the health of gums and reducing bleeding when brushing your teeth.

Do your homework – it won’t take much research to find the average prices in the industry.  If your water ionizer purchase is limited by your budget, just be realistic – don’t buy into hype – don’t buy into “too good to be true” deals.  Don’t expect to get the same quality or long-term performance from a five or seven plate water ionizer priced under $900 that you’d get from trusted, more established name brands.