MH943TWS 4L Countertop Water Distiller with Polypropylene Collection Bottle

I use it once a day to fill 2 of my air humidifiers

We've had this little puppy for just over six weeks now, and my wife and I have used it daily since its arrival. We really love this distiller, and feel it's perfect for our needs. We simply set it up on our kitchen counter and let it run until the automatic shut-off pops (which works every time, and shuts off the instant the last drop of water has been distilled / evaporated). We purchased the unit to supplement an under-sink filter we installed that removes chlorine and other contaminants, yet leaves dissolved solids in the water. Only a distiller or Reverse Osmosis unit can do a good job of eliminating the solids (something that became important to me after I had a kidney stone, which is an adventure I do not want to repeat). After doing a great deal of research (that is, looking at other models' specifications and reading numerous online reviews) we settled on this model of counter-top distiller, and we couldn't be happier. It makes great tasting water, and in our case we don't even use the optional charcoal filter. Admittedly the use of pre-filtered water may be the reason we don't need to use the charcoal to (as some say) "polish the water" and improve the taste. In any event, the distilled water we get from the unit tastes great. We went with an under-sink filter (purchased separately) and distiller combination in place of a Reverse Osmosis (R/O) unit we had been using in our old home for the past 10 years as a better option for the apartment we recently moved into. On the whole we felt it would be too much of a production to hook up the R/O unit in the apartment, and we kinda missed distilled water anyway (which we used to drink over a decade ago when we had a bulkier, less "modern" unit). We're using a filter because (in our view) there are some contaminants that filters (good ones) are a little better at removing (oddly enough). The last distiller we had was a monster in size, and was a nightmare to clean due to its exposed heating coils (the coils sat in the water at the bottom of the tank). I love the fact this unit is as small as it is (it couldn't be any smaller and still hold one gallon of water), and that it is so easy to clean compared with the exposed coil type we used to have. We clean the unit's stainless steel chamber after each use by pouring in a small amount of vinegar and letting it soak for an hour or so. A quick brushing with a dish brush followed by a rinse, and it's ready to go again. You don't have to clean the unit after each use if you want to immediately make another gallon -- we just choose to do it that way to avoid any significant build-ups of solids. As for the noise of the fan, we don't find it too loud at all. To us it's no louder than our dishwasher, and we hardly notice it. If it was an issue we'd simply run it in our laundry room by setting it on top of our dryer (which is where we store it if we're not using it to avoid taking up kitchen cabinet space). The glass collection container is great (you really don't want to place distilled water, which is also called "hungry water" because it has no dissolved solids in it and will rapidly leach chemicals from plastic containers as a result) in anything other than glass or stainless steel. If you do store distilled water in plastic you'll find the water quickly tastes like the plastic it has been stored in -- which means you're drinking the chemicals leached from the plastic, a known health hazard. So as you can tell, we're delighted with the unit, and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants an easy, fool-proof way to make high-quality distilled water right at home. If you've ever had kidney stones, then distilled water (in my view) is definitely the way to go. Some evidence has shown the tap water can add to the mineral composition of kidney stones and/or increase the risk of susceptible individuals developing kidney stones. Many practitioners recommend distilled water (which is water in its purest form with no dissolved solids) as both a treatment and a preventive measure. In my view, you really can't go wrong with this little device. It's quick, easy, and simple to set up and use -- and at this point we'd rather not drink anything else. We're so hooked on the great, clean taste of the water that we take it with us (in stainless steel bottles we also bought on Amazon.com) wherever we go -- even to restaurants, which generally serve city (tap) water with all its usual contaminants. If you do purchase one of these units, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Easy to use, simple to clean, lets see how long it lasts

[+] THE REVIEW: I like this distiller and would recommend buying it. The only flaw is the plastic cap on the pitcher. They were smart enough to make a glass insert in the spout so the hot water would not pick up chemicals from the plastic and then they went ahead and made a plastic cap for the pitcher. All during the distillation process, the water collecting in the pitcher is hot enough that steam rises up and collects on the plastic cap and then falls back down into the pitcher. The fix was simple. I went to a glass company and for about $5 I had them cut a 6"x6"x1/8" plate. I use that to cover the top of the pitcher while I am using the distiller. I still like this pitcher better (even with the flaw) because it has a wide mouth for easy cleaning if needed. Buying the glass didn't break the bank and it was an easy fix. It makes a gallon in about 5 1/2 hours. I use a timer to shut the distiller off at 5 hours 20 minutes which leaves about 8 oz of water in the chamber. This 8 oz contains condensed impurities. Better to throw it out than to boil it further. It also makes cleaning easier. I had a distiller a while back, and the noise from the fan is a little quieter than the other one (but not by much). I am able to distill water down to less than 0.2 ppm. I use a PWT (pure water tester) instead of a traditional TDS meter. The difference is that it is more precise in the lower ranges (0.0 - 99.9). Traditional TDS meters do not read in the tenths. Just a note that the end result does fluctuate up to 0.4 ppm, which I am assuming has to do with other variables (i.e., water, how clean the chamber is before use, etc.) Also, I filter my water with a zerowater pitcher before distilling (I do not use tap water in the distiller). I am going to try a few experiments to see if I can distill down to 0.0 ppm. I'll let you know if I succeed. [update] I did get it down to 0.0 ppm once, but for the most part I could only get down to 0.2 on a consistent bases. It was all just to see if I could do it because the difference of 0.2 ppm is so negligible that it is irrelevant. I'm guessing that the distillation of 0.0 ppm happened because all the variables happened to be perfectly aligned. [+] A NOTE ABOUT DISTILLED WATER & MINERALS: There is no down-side to adding liquid minerals to the distilled water. I add vitamin-c, magnesium and calcium to mine. I am not a doctor; however, this notion that drinking distilled water leaches minerals from the body has just got to stop. You do not (repeat - do not) get enough minerals from regular water to supply nutrition to the body. If you were fasting and you drank distilled water, then your body would start to deplete itself of minerals since nothing is being consumed. Guess what, the same thing would happen if you fasted and drank regular water. Water just does not hold enough minerals to make a difference on a grand scale. As far as trace minerals, you could add liquid minerals or better yet you should get them from consuming sea salt in your diet. Trace minerals are minerals the body utilizes in very, very small amounts. As a side note, most bottled water and tap water do not contain trace minerals. I hope that clears things up. I'm not a doctor - only someone with common sense. [+] DRINKING DISTILLED WATER FOR HYDRATION: Drinking sea water actually dehydrates a person, which is the opposite of what one might think. How can drinking any water make a person become more dehydrated? The answer lies in how water acts across a porous membrane when each side of the membrane has a different saturation of salt. When the levels are different, that forms what's called a gradient. Water always flows toward the "higher" saturated end of the gradient. So, in the example of being out to sea and drinking sea water that has a high content of salt, the water actually flows out of the body into the GI tract because the GI tract is filled with a high saturation of salt in the sea water. This is why drinking salty sea water dehydrates a person. Now let's reverse that. If you drink distilled water, there is no saturation of salt. Therefore, the water (in this case the distilled water) flows from the GI tract into your body, which has a higher saturation of salt, that being saline solution in the blood stream. In reality, you can hydrate yourself faster with distilled water because of this gradient effect. The water molecules enter into your body faster and supply the much needed water for your body to function. Again, minerals in water are insignificant as a dietary source. I hope this helps! [+] USING DISTILLED WATER TO ADD YOUR OWN MINERALS: (added June 2018) Distilled water is the best water to use if you want to add your own minerals, and here's why. Water cannot hold an unlimited about of minerals. At some point the water becomes saturated and the minerals just fall and collect on the bottom. You can try this by adding a small amount of minerals to water to see it absorb until the water is clear. Then, as you add more and more minerals the water stays cloudy, and if you let the water sit for a moment the minerals drop and collect on the bottom. So, knowing this, it is clear to see (no pun intended) that to absorb the most minerals of your choosing it is better to start out with water that lacks all minerals, hence, distilled water. I add powdered calcium, magnesium and Vitamin C to my distilled water. If I were to add these to regular tap water (i.e., tap water that already contains "other" possibly not-so-good stuff), then the water has less ability to absorb minerals because the water is already partially saturated with this other stuff. If your a person that does add certain vitamins and minerals to your water like I do, then distilled water is really the far superior water for this purpose. If interested, I add 1/4 teaspoon (1058mg) of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), 1/4 teaspoon (831mg) of Magnesium Citrate, and 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon (394-789mg) of Calcium Citrate depending on how much other calcium sources I have during the day. Here are the products I use to supplement with powder: BulkSupplements Pure Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Powder (250 grams) BulkSupplements Pure Magnesium Citrate Powder (250 grams) BulkSupplements Pure Calcium Citrate Powder (250 grams) [+] ANSWER TO Just a Guy's Question: 2017 Just a Guy wanted to know a little bit more about the timer I used. Here is my response: => "Just a guy - You asked, "can you point us to the timer you use?" The timer I used is currently unavailable. It is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018G86I08/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I found a similar timer that looks identical to mine. It is: https://www.amazon.com/Programmable-Digital-Switch-3-prong-Appliances/dp/B0191ZGELS/ref=pd_sim_60_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0191ZGELS&pd_rd_r=Y9TJG6A11AZ4TJ76Q5E7&pd_rd_w=QUjP4&pd_rd_wg=EtPOH&psc=1&refRID=Y9TJG6A11AZ4TJ76Q5E7" Here's a link for your reference: 7-day Programmable Plug-in Digital Light Timer Switch with 3-prong Outlet, 15A/1800W (1 Pack) [+] ANSWER TO Janica's Question: 2018 Janica wanted to know a little more details about the glass top I used. Here is my response to her: => "Hi Janica, in reference to the glass top I bought. I measured the diameter of the container opening using a foot ruler, and I left enough room for a little overhang because I didn't want to have to futz with positioning it. Then I went down to my local glass company and asked them if they could cut the glass in the thinnest glass possible. He recommended 1/8". He also rounded the edges at no extra charge so the edges were smooth to the touch. It took all of 10 minutes and about $5. The glass balanced perfectly blocking out anything that otherwise would fall into the freshly distilled water. I did not bring the distiller with me. I only brought the measurements and explained my situation. Then I crossed my fingers. But I thought, what the heck, if it doesn't work it's only five bucks. In this case, it worked as expected." [+] COMMENT ADDED BY healthierme: (updated 7/12/2018) healthierme posted a comment about distillers boiling dry. Here is my response to her comment: => "Hi healthierme, I never knew there was a distiller that had an auto shut off feature to prevent boiling dry - and here I thought I created something new, haha. You will find that once you use the timer a few times to get the precise length of time down, it works like a charm. It is little more crude than having it built in, but nonetheless, works flawlessly every time. One advantage that even the Waterwise doesn't have over using an external timer is that you can set both the start time and end time. For example, you can set up your distiller the night before and then let it start and finish distilling while you are at work. Set it and forget it! Thanks for the post!"

Pour deux raisons, l'eau distillé et la rendre potable