What are electric water ionizers and hydrogen makers, and how are they different? 

This post will give you practical answers to these questions. My main intention is to give you information you need to make an informed decision in a way that it's easy to assimilate. Each category, below, compares these water ionizing devices in its own unique way. 

Free-Hydrogen Antioxidants

From over 500 research studies since 2007, one can surmise that the antioxidant that comes out best in clinical trials is free-hydrogen (known to the scientific community as molecular hydrogen). This is written, "H2" for chemists. All of the ionizing devises, pictured above, provide these antioxidants (although the pitcher will give less than the other machines). 

• Electric water ionizers have the capability of being the best at this, and can produce about 1.3 to 1.5 ppm of molecular hydrogen. But it does vary by pH-level, flow-rate, and type/brand of water ionizer.
• Hydrogen machines are very close in H2-production, and some do just as well as electric ionizers. 
• The pitcher can produce about .3 ppm of hydrogen antioxidants, which is less than the other two methods, but still pretty good.

Note: There are other kinds of antioxidants in ionized water, but for the purposes of the clinical trials it was considered that molecular hydrogen was the most medically beneficial. So, in almost all of the trials the researchers tested the levels of molecular hydrogen they were giving their patients, and the minimum levels of H2 antioxidants used in these trials was typically .5 ppm.

Price Variations Between Water Ionizing Devices

All of the above pictured water ionizers and hydrogen water machines are very cost effective, although from first glance you may think otherwise.  If you consider that people pay up to $2.00 per quart for bottled water (which has no antioxidants) and then look at the price per quart for all of the water ionizers below, you can see a drastic difference in price. 

Electric Water Ionizers:  Only 15 - 30 Cents Per Quart!

The electric water ionizers have lifetime warranties, but after 5 years the consumer has to chip in to the expense of repairs. For this reason, I calculated based on 5 years of use for 10000 quarts of ionized water per year. That's a lot of ionized water (plenty for the whole family or small office). All use after the initial 5 years is likely to be a lot less cost per quart. I also calculated into the price per quart the cost of filter replacements.

Molecular Hydrogen Machines: A Ridiculously Low 5 Cents per Quart!

The price of most hydrogen water machines works out to almost nothing... 5 cents per quart.

Water Ionizing Pitcher: Only 7 Cents per Quart!

Water Filtration 

In the area of water filtration, electric water ionizers have by far the best filtration; the portable ionizing pitcher has good filtration. The Hydrogen Machines (mini water ionizers) don't usually filter the water, although there are 2 hydrogen water makers that provide some filtration to my knowledge: the Hendy Machine and the High-Rich Machine.

For removal of fluoride, chlorine, chloramine, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, chromium 6, nitrates, nitrites and other contaminants, the electric water ionizer is far superior. Even among electric water ionizers there is a wide range of water quality capabilities. If water filtration is very important to you I suggest you visit my water ionizer comparisons page to see which water ionizers are best in that area.

PH

One of thebenefits of an electric water ionizer over the other types of molecular hydrogen machines or filters is that continuous-flow water ionizers split the water into two streams. This is significant for a few reasons: 1) Many of the acidic contaminants in water (such as chlorine and fluoride) will tend to be diverted out the acidic stream, and so removed from the drinking water. 2) The strength of ionization for drinking water can be set to different levels. This allows one to get used to alkaline water in stages, so as not to shock the body. Adding alkaline water to one's diet is beneficial to the cells, because in many cases people's daily diets are far too acidic. The body needs balance in many ways. PH is one of them. 

Twenty years of laboratory testing has shown conclusively that diseases, such as cancer, cannot thrive in an alkaline environment.  So, switching your water to an alkaline pH might be something you seriously consider.

Electric water ionizers are far superior, without a doubt, for giving you complete control of the pH of your water. Water ionizer filtering devices and pitchers are the second-best choice for raising pH. Hydrogen machines in most cases don't alter the pH of your water. So, if your water is already alkaline there is no problem with that, but if your water is acidic, then I would advise either an electric water ionizer or pitcher for you. 

Water Waste

In some cases one might be concerned with wasting water. Other than the splitting of water into two streams, which happens with electric water ionizers, there is no waste of water. The acidic water that is produced by a water ionizer is useful for many things, though, for instance, beauty-water. Plants also like acidic water.

Convenience

My last category is convenience, because as a consumer you really should get the water ionizer (hydrogen water machine) that you will be most comfortably and conveniently able to use. Perhaps you work most of the time and are rarely home. In that case the portable mini water ionizers would be the choice I would make in your shoes. You can throw it in your purse or briefcase and it will be handy to use whenever you want some water (which is hopefully 8 cups per day). If you want to provide ionized water for your whole family or small office, then of course the best (and possibly only) choice would be an electric water ionizer. One of the most fantastic things about electric water ionizers is the fact that they are continuous-flow water machines. There is no waiting and they are usually easy enough for a child to use.