Best Water Distillers in 2024 | Reviews & Buying Guide

Distillation is the most effective and ancient way to clean water. Despite the technological advancements and availability of modern devices, it still is the top choice for most individuals.

Distillation is the process that separates the impurities from the water by turning the water into vapor and then condensing it, so the impurities are left behind. The water produced by this method is the purest form of water.

It is the most healthy choice for drinking and cooking because it is free from minerals, microorganisms like bacteria and viruses, and the unhealthy chemicals you find in tap water.

If you are looking to get one for yourself and don’t know where to begin, then this is the perfect place. In this article, we have listed down the best water distillers in the market, including their pros and cons, and the detailed buying guide to help you determine the right distiller for your needs.

Best Water Distillers

1. Megahome MH943SBSGBOT Countertop Water Distiller

This is a powerful and durable water distiller that can even distill seawater. The stainless steel construction of the whole unit ensures that the water doesn’t get contaminated again after the distillation. The boiling chamber, the upper steam dome, and the condensing coils are also made out of stainless steel.

During the whole distillation process, the water doesn’t come in contact with the plastic. Also, the nozzle to collect the water is made out of durable porcelain. And the collection bottle, which is made from glass to store the water, ensures the best quality of the water.

Other than that, the distiller has the ability to distill 1 gallon of water every 5.5 hours. The temperature at which the water is distilled is 212 F degrees, and it is the best temperature if you want to remove unwanted toxins or contaminants.

On top of that, to stretch the distillation process one extra mile, it comes with an additional 6 high-quality charcoal filters. These filters are there to remove the VOCs like toxins and chlorine or other toxins that may have a lower boiling point and get vaporized with the water and are present in the distilled water.

Moving on, this distiller is UL certified, which means that the product follows stringent safety standards, and the noteworthy point is Megahome distillers are the only UL-approved water distillers in the market.

Along with the best purification capability, this distiller offers 1 year of the manufacturer’s warranty. The service and support you will get from the company are of top quality. Besides, the company is in the market for almost 22 years and its distillers are one of the top sellers in the world.

2. Pure Water 46998 120V Countertop Water Distiller

This water distiller is compact and has a nice design. The first advantage would be its fully assembled arrival, you just have to fill the water in the stainless steel container that comes with it, and the unit starts distillation right away.

It is the best solution for a small apartment and also to carry along in your car when you travel, this is possible due to its compact design. It is small in size but produces an ample amount of pure water, which is enough to cover all the demands of a small household.

It is extremely easy to use and you can even leave it after turning on the unit and forget about it because the automatic timer will keep an eye on it for you. It will turn off the unit after distillation is done; just don’t forget to fill the water container and fill it up to the marked level.

That being said, this little fellow can produce approximately 3 liters of water in 3.5 hours, and of course, to store this water, the distiller is accompanied by a glass jar.

Moreover, to prevent accidental burns, the unit features a double metal-clad construction, which means that the hot pot will stay behind the front door, so no one comes in contact with it.

In the end, the company puts its full faith in the construction material they used by providing you with 15 years of warranty and also 2 years of warranty on all the electrical parts.

3. CO-Z DWD-ZB01-00 Countertop Water Distiller

This countertop distiller from the CO-Z is constructed out of grade 304 stainless steel to ensure the best quality. Not only the steam chamber but also the dome and condensing coils are also constructed out of the same quality stainless steel.

On the other hand, the water pot is made out of premium glass. Besides, occasionally used plastic parts are also of food-grade quality and BPA-free.

This unit is capable of fulfilling all the daily needs of purified water thanks to its ability to produce 6 gallons of purest water per day by removing the bacterias, dissolved solids, VOCs, and most of the contaminants present.

Moving on, this is the most convenient and simplest water distiller on the market. You can start it with just the press of a single button. Considering the easy access for cleaning of a tank and the storage and no need for replacement of the dirty cartridges, this unit provides value for the money.

If you are still not convinced, then this distiller has survived a rigorous testing procedure to ensure the full safety of the household and the unit itself. It is also equipped with reinforced condenser cooling fans, which make the noise next to nothing, and don’t forget the thermostatically controlled automatic shut-off protection. If the temperature exceeds more than 300F, then the distiller will shut itself off.

Along with the extremely pure water, this distiller offers 1 year of manufacturer’s warranty, and if the item is defective, then you will get a free exchange too.

4. H2OLabs Stainless Steel Water Distiller

With the use of grade 304 stainless steel for the construction of an entire steam chamber, dome, full length of a condensing coil, and as well as for the bottom and sides too, this distiller offers the safest and pure water in its best form.

Besides having a steel construction, the nozzle has a porcelain insert, which diminishes the possibility of recontamination due to contact of the water with the plastic. Moreover, the plastics used are of food-grade quality and are BPA-free.

Moving on, the operation of the distiller is also extremely easy; just pour in the water in the boiling chamber, set the water collecting jar and push the start button, and all set. The use of a 565-watt heating element will produce extremely pure water free from almost all contaminants.

If so happens and the contaminants like VOCs manage to go along with the vapor and claim their place in the distilled water, they won’t be there when the water comes out of the nozzle. This is because the H2O labs supply their exclusive Activated carbon pods, which will effectively remove all the foreign contaminants from the distilled water.

Note that 6 packs of activated carbon pods will come with the order, which is enough supply to pass a year while drinking the safest water. Also, these pods will last twice as regular pods and contain 3 times the filtering media.

The biggest advantage of this purchase is everything comes with the package to generate the healthiest and safest water. It comes with the “Easy-Lift” glass carafe, a large jar of non-toxic cleaning crystals, which is useful for a hard water scale, and also a 1 years supply of activated carbon pods. On top of that, you will receive the easy-to-understand instruction manual and, along with it 1 year of manufacturer’s warranty.

5. ROVSUN 4L Countertop Water Distiller

This water distiller from the ROVSUN, which has a white baked-enamel-baked body and is constructed out of 304-grade stainless steel, produces the purest water.

The stainless steel construction is not limited to the boiling chamber, but it stretches all the way to the inner cap, water outlet, and water inlet also. The container is made out of food-grade quality plastic, which is also BPA free, and the container can hold a maximum of 4 liters of distilled water. To prevent leakage, this unit comes with a soft catheter.

Moreover, the use of this distiller is like a walk in the park, filling the boiling tank, push the button, and forgetting about it. It will turn itself off when it is done, thanks to its auto-off feature.

Furthermore, the assembly of the unit is also easy, and so is the cleaning, all thanks to the large opening of the container as well as the boiling chamber.

It also requires minimal maintenance because there will be no need to replace the dirty filter cartridges. Plus, the aluminum fan generates the lowest noise, which means you can keep it running overnight.

That being said, you can easily carry it with you on vacation owing to its portable design, and it is suitable for homes, offices, hospitals, and labs.

To harness the purest water, it uses a 750W heating element, which can distill the 6 gallons of water per day by effectively removing most of the contaminants. On top of that, the unit features a built-in thermostat that will turn off the unit if the temperature exceeds a certain limit.

6. ROVSUN 750W Countertop Water Distiller Machine

This is the perfect distiller to get the purest water. The whole unit is made out of stainless steel, and the materials used to fabricate it are of food-grade quality. Also, the water won’t come in contact with the plastic during the boiling process, not even inside a nozzle because a glass insert is provided there. So, all the possibility of recontamination of the water is eliminated.

Moving on, the 750W heating element produces distilled water at a rate of 1 liter per hour, offering the purest water possible. Also, it is very easy to use the distiller; just fill the container with tap water and push the button and the distillation process will be initiated. With this distiller at home, you can say your goodbyes to the bottled water for good.

On top of that, it makes very less noise when working, so you can leave it on overnight without worrying about anything. The shut-off feature will stop it when the distillation process is done.

The assembly and cleaning of the unit and containers are extremely easy, thanks to the large opening provided on the top. Besides, the 4-liter storing container is made out of top-quality shockproof glass and the attached handle.

What’s more, this water distiller also comes with an additional 3 activated charcoal sachets. If any contaminants remain in the water even after distillation, then they will be removed effectively. To prevent leakage, it is provided with a soft catheter, and a chamber cleaning powder is also provided for proper cleaning.

With this highest quality product, the manufacturers offer a 1 year of warranty. If you encounter any problems in this period, then their experienced team of professionals will help you out in no time.

What is a Water Distiller?

A water distiller is a simple electrical machine that provides pure water, free from most contaminants like dissolved metals, harmful chemicals, cysts, and viruses by boiling it and then condensing the vapor into the water.

There is a possibility that tap water may contain many foreign elements and microorganisms that shouldn’t enter the human body. It may even create problems in the long run, so to make the water free from these unhealthy materials, water distillers are used.

It looks almost the same as that a coffee pot in terms of size and shape. The usual construction of the water distiller will have a heater, a thermal baffle, a cooling system, an activated carbon filter, and a storage tank. Any typical water distiller should be able to remove 95% of the contaminants from the water.

Moreover, this is an electrical appliance, which means you will need to keep it close to the electrical supply. Once it is started, it will turn itself off on its own when all the water is distilled because most water distillers come with an auto shut-off feature.

How Do Water Distillers Work?

The working of a water distiller is simple; the water is purified based on the concept of the natural distillation process.

The main components of any water distiller will be a boiling chamber, a condenser with a cooling fan, a storage container, and at last, the filters. As the heating element starts transferring heat to the water, it starts boiling and generates vapor, which then flows upward and passes through the condenser.

When the water boils, most of the contaminants are left behind in the boiling chamber because their boiling point will be higher than the water, or some are incapable of boiling like microorganisms like bacteria viruses and other impurities as well, but some contaminants like VOCs have less boiling point than the water, and they manage to accompany the water steam up to the condenser.

The water is cooled and condensed in the form of water droplets inside the water condenser with the help of a cooling fan. After traveling through the condenser, vapor will be condensed into water droplets, which will then pass through the carbon filters.

The carbon filter is there to provide the purest water by removing the impurities like VOCs and any sediments that made it through the boiling process. Now, the water will be extremely pure, which is collected in the storage container from the nozzle of the distiller.

What is Distilled Water Used For?

Distilled water has tons of uses; a few of which we will discuss here.

For Drinking

The most common and most beneficial use of distilled water is for drinking. The distiller removes up to 99% of the contaminants from the water, which makes it perfect for consumption because it won’t have any bacteria, viruses, or any of the dissolved metals present in the water.

But, the distillation process also removes the beneficial minerals from the water. To address this issue, many water distillers are equipped with a demineralization filter in the last stage.

In Automobile Engines

Another use of distilled water is in vehicles as a coolant. The distilled water doesn’t contain any minerals, so it won’t create problems like a build-up on the system or the much worse corrosion problem that the normal water does. This mineral-free water is safer for the car and also for the battery. Yes, you can use distilled water to hydrate the vehicle’s battery and ensure its long life.

For Sterilization

Distilled water in the medical industry is known as sterile water. It is used to sterilize the equipment which is used to perform the surgery on humans. The reason is the absence of minerals in the water, which won’t leave any deposits, reducing the chances of infection. Surgeons also use it to wash their hands or the cleaning of the wound.

Dentists use sterilized water for their patients to rinse their mouths and for them to clean the equipment.

In Cosmetic Products

For cosmetic products to effectively stay on your face, they use distilled water because distilled water is free from minerals and bacteria, which will reduce the risk of infection. That’s why distilled water is the best choice.

To Make Baby Formulas

The immune system of small babies will be in a developing stage, which means they will be more susceptible to contaminants. And normal tap water contains bacteria, arsenic, lead, and other impurities as well. That’s why distilled water is the best option to use for making different formula mixes.

For Cooking and Baking

Distilled water is a better choice for baking than tap water because it will absorb more flour than tap water, so this will result in smoothly textured food when baked. Also, the distilled water won’t cause discoloration of vegetables when they are boiled in it, on top of that, it boils at a slightly lower temperature than the standard tap water which will save you time and energy costs as well.

Moreover, to preserve the test and the color of the canned vegetables, distilled water is used.

Factors to Consider While Buying a Water Distiller

Before making a purchase consider these factors and then make the decision based on your needs.

Boiling Chamber Size

Before buying the water distiller, it is important that you have a general idea about your daily need for distilled water. If you live alone, then the small distiller will do the job, but it won’t fulfill the water needs of the small family.

A boiling chamber is a place where the water which is to be distilled is stored. If you purchase the distiller with a boiling chamber that is much bigger than your needs, then it will consume more energy and will need more space due to the large size of the chamber.

So, it is important that you know how much water you will need in a day and then choose the water distiller with the suitable capacity.

Speed of Distillation

Another vital factor to consider before buying the distiller is its distillation speed. The speed will determine its ability to provide a specific amount of distilled water in a specific time period. Also, the distillation process is slow itself, but with few modifications, modern distillers can supply pure water faster than some other distillers.

Few water distillers can generate a gallon of pure water in just 2.5 hours, while some of them can take up to 4 to 5 hours to generate the same amount of water. Moreover, a distiller with a fast rate will need frequent refills because their storage tanks store less amount of water, about 4 liters. So choose the distiller with the distillation speed which meets your needs.

Filtration Process

The distiller removes most of the contaminants from the water and gives pure water, but there may exist some contaminants that won’t be removed during the distillation. They will pass through the boiling process and will be there in distilled water.

But, to remove this contaminant, some distillers use carbon filters, which are very effective in removing them. So, we recommend that you buy the distiller that comes with the charcoal filters to further ensure the purity of the water.

Besides, the minerals are also removed from the water during the distillation process, and this makes the water taste flat. Still, in some distillers, these minerals are introduced back to improve their taste in the last stage. So, if the water’s taste is important to you, then choose the one which reintroduces the minerals in the water.

Energy Consumption

Distillers run on electricity which means many people will be running them 24/7. This means if the consumption of the distiller is high, then you may see a hefty electricity bill. But if the water distiller is of little less wattage, then it will consume less power, and it will reflect on your energy bills saving you a significant amount of sum.

So, it is advisable if your distiller is going to work extensively, then it will be good to choose the one with the lowest energy consumption or energy star rating.

Materials Used

Generally, the materials used to manufacture the distillers will be stainless steel or glass because they won’t leach chemicals in the water when it is boiling at a high temperature. Also, the use of these materials makes cleaning easier.

Also, make sure that the container to store the purified water is made out of appropriate quality material. Many brands provide plastic containers to store the water, so ensure that the plastic used to manufacture them is of food-grade quality and BPA-free. The plastic with the BPA will leach the chemicals into the water.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Water Distiller

If you want to purify the water using a water distiller, you must be well aware of all its advantages and disadvantages, which we have listed down.

Advantages

Portability

You see, most of the purifiers like under-sink filters, whole house filters, or RO systems are big in size. You can’t carry them with you, and they are designed to be placed in one place and do their job. On the other hand, these water distillers are compact in size and designed to fit on top of the countertop and in small spaces.

Their small construction makes them more portable, and they are quite ideal if you have a small space. You can even bring it along when you are on a trip or vacation.

Ease of Use

The operation and the use of these portable water distillers are very easy, what you have to do is just push a start button after filling the water tank, and it will start the distillation right away. On top of that, they are very easy to maintain as well since most of the units will have a large opening for the billing chamber as well as for the storage container.

The cleaning process will become even easier if you have a unit that comes with the self-sterilizing property.

Also, these water distillers are very safe to use. Almost all distillers in the market are equipped with safety switches that automatically turn off the unit when all water is distilled and the tank is empty.

Moreover, some of them also come with overheating and over-surging protection. Not only does this prolong the life of a device, but it also prevents potential accidents from happening.

Constant Availability Of Pure Water

If you have a water distiller, it means you have a constant supply of the purest water, and drinking distilled water has lots of health benefits.

When you purify the water with the distillation process, you get the water in its purest form because the water is filtered with the process, which is the same as the natural distillation process, just artificially induced.

Here you won’t have to worry about the re-contaminants of the water because in most of the distillers, purified water doesn’t touch the plastic, and even if it does, then the plastic used will be of food-grade quality and BPA-free.

Furthermore, the water distiller ensures your overall health because the purified water will be free from microorganisms, sediments, VOCs, and impurities found in the water supply.

Disadvantages

Purifying Time

The main drawback of water distillers is their low rate of filtering. They take too much time to filter the small amount of water, and this means if you need water in more volume, you will have to store the distilled water and start the purifying process again, or you can keep refilling the tank with as the water gets filtered.

Also, to get a few gallons of pure water, you will have to keep it running overnight.

Energy Use

Another disadvantage of the water distiller is its energy consumption. They use up a whole lot of electricity. So, you may notice an increase in your utility bills.

Common Myths About Distilled Water

Here we have listed down the myths circulating among consumers, and we have also provided a scientific explanation of their credibility.

Cooking Food in Distilled Water Reduces Minerals and Lowers Their Nutrient Value

This one is untrue. The nutrient value of the vegetables is going to be decreased no matter what type of water you use for cooking them; even if you use tap water, the nutrient value will decrease. The reason behind the lower nutrient value is the heat, not the type of water used, and heat is capable of altering the nutrient value.

If you don’t want the minerals of your food to drain out, then prefer steaming them. The food will be less contaminated if you use distilled water.

Distilled Water Causes Mineral Deficiencies

I accept this one is true. The distilled water lacks the minerals which the general tap water contains but it won’t create a mineral deficiency. This myth is quite an exaggerated version of the actual reality. The truth is we don’t depend on water for our daily mineral needs. You will get just about 15% of the total minerals from the water if you drink eight glasses of tap water. Most of the body’s mineral requirement is fulfilled by the vegetables and fruits we consume.

Distilled Water is Bad for Your Teeth

This is a big fat lie invented by water-filter salespeople to increase their sales rate. It is true that the distillers indeed remove the fluoride and other chemical and dissolved metals, but from the water, not from the teeth. So you won’t have to worry about the discoloration of the teeth. Moreover, your toothpaste already contains enough fluoride to keep your teeth healthy.

Distilled Water is Tasteless

This is true. During the distillation, most of the minerals, dissolved metals, and chemicals are removed. Most of the people always drink water with all these things in it, so their taste buds got used to it. But when they taste the distilled water for the first time, it almost feels funny because it has a flat taste. It takes a couple of days to get used to the distilled water, and when they do get used to drinking the contaminants-free water, the tap water with those chemicals will feel different.

Distillation Does Not Remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Well, yes, distillation doesn’t remove the VOCs, but the charcoal filters at the last stage do. The VOCs are chemicals like pesticides and herbicides and they have a low boiling point than that of water, so they will be present in the distilled water after the condensation is done. But to remedy this problem, most of the filters have the charcoal filter at the end, which will remove any contaminant, including the VOCs who might have made their way through the boiling process.

Producing Distilled Water is Expensive

Water Distiller uses electricity to produce pure water, but it isn’t expensive, because producing a gallon of water uses a minor amount of electricity, which will cost you about 30-40 pennies, I think it is much cheaper than bottled water.

Distilled Water Vs. Reverse Osmosis

To fulfill our daily needs for purified water, the distiller or the reverse osmosis filter system can be used. Both of them have the same goal of producing contaminant-free water, and they do a very good job at that. But the main difference between them is their working mechanism.

Reverse osmosis uses the semipermeable membrane, through which the contaminated water is filtered.

The filtered water will be on one side and the tap water on the other side; the pressure is maintained on the tap waterside, so it passes through the membrane.

When the tap water passes through very small holes in this membrane, it leaves behind all the contaminants like sediments, dissolved metals, microbes, etc., and fresh and clean water comes out on the other side.

On the other hand, the water is purified by the boiling process in the distiller. When water vaporizes, it leaves behind all the contaminants which can’t be vaporized, and after condensation and filtration, this vapor turns into the purest and the healthiest water.

In the RO system, the removed minerals during the filtration are added back, which improves the taste of the water, but in the distilled water, they are left behind, so it doesn’t taste as good as the RO filtered water.

Once you install the RO at the office or home, it will keep supplying enough pure water, and you will just need to replace the cartridges at regular intervals. While the distiller will need to be cleaned very often, and you will also need to refill the water tank.

Distilled Water Vs. Filtered Water

If we consider the main difference between distilled water and filtered water, then it would be the presence of the minerals in the water at the end of the process. The filtered water will contain the necessary minerals, while these minerals in the water from the distiller are removed.

The process of removing unwanted foreign contaminants like bacteria, salt, and metals from the water is known as filtration. The difference between filtered water and purified water is the water that is gone through a more stringent water filtration process, which is even more intense than the standards set by the EPA.

The distiller and the filters will provide the cleanest water, but the distilled water will be much purer than the filtered water. If you are on a balanced diet, consider filtered water, and if you want to drink water with minerals, then filtered water is for you.

FAQs

How Long Can I Store My Distilled Water For?

Distilled water can last for one or two years if you store them properly. This long life for the stored water is possible if you have store-bought distilled water, which is kept in an airtight container and opened once or twice a year. On the other hand, if you have distilled the water yourself, then it will go stale in one or two weeks.

By the taste and the weird smell of the water, you will realize that the water has gone stale. The bad taste is generally related to the storage container than the age of the water. The stale water will still be safe but won’t be pleasant to drink.

How Often Should I Clean My Water Distiller?

When using a water distiller, you will notice a build-up in the boiling chamber due to the presence of magnesium and calcium in the tap water. If it is left there for a longer period, it will be harder to remove them, so it is important that you schedule regular cleaning using warm water and lemon juice.

Also, the cleaning of the unit will depend on the quality of water coming out of your kitchen tap because the concentration of the contaminants may vary based on the area you are living in. If the contaminant level is more then there will be more leftover, so the build-up will be fast and it will need more frequent cleaning than usual.

Is Bottled Water Distilled?

If we talk about bottled water in general, the process through which the water passes is filtration because the water which you get in the bottle tastes good. So it means they contain the minerals, which would have been removed with other impurities if the water would have been distilled. However, some brands choose to distill the water, but at the end of the process, they tend to introduce the minerals back into the liquid.

Will Distilled Water Leach Minerals?

It is a common myth that many people also believe to be true, but there is no scientific evidence that water leaches the minerals from the body, which it has lost in the distillation process. A pure form of water doesn’t contain any minerals, and it is something that is picked along the way. So rest assured, it won’t leach the minerals from your body.

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