Consumer Buying Guide and Checklist

Below are some main questions you should have an answer to before deciding on your water ionizer purchase. This is an important decision, and whether you decide to go with AlkaViva or another brand, we want you to be fully aware of what you are investing in.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us by phone, by using the "Chat with Us" box or by email (see our "Contact Page")..
There will be no buying pressure exerted. The below details are accurate to the best of AlkaViva`s knowledge.

Personal Considerations

1) What is your main reason for wanting to drink ionized water?

2) Do you understand alkalinity? "Scientific Article on Water"

3) Do you understand the potential health risks associated with drinking bottled water, R.O. or distilled water?
"Dangers of Distilled Water"

Installation Considerations

1) What is the quality of your source water?

• Are you on well water or do you have unusually hard water?
  (Please see our Professional Water Testing service in "other Products").

2) What type of installation would you prefer?

• Countertop - sits next to your sink and connects to faucet with a diverter. Installation is easy.
• Countertop plumbed into the water main and usually sits close to sink but needs no tap diverter. To control the water flow you simply turn a knob on the front of your ionizer. Installation by plumber or handyman recommended.
• Undersink with no countertop clutter. Above counter there is only a special dedicated faucet. Installation by plumber or handyman recommended.
  
• Model that can be adapted to meet changing future needs (can it be converted from counter top to undersink).

3) Ease of installation

• Fittings - does the manufacturer provide a complete set of high quality fittings that will handle most situations?
• Instructions / Manuals - are there clear instructions for installation and a manual explaining the use of your ionizer? Are they in English and well translated? Some recent imports made for Chinese /Taiwan markets are not fully US market ready in either the collateral materials they provide or quality control. Do they provide an instruction/ installation DVD as well as a good manual?
• Live support - can you get a qualified technician on the phone to help?

Product Considerations

1) Manufacturing standards - Is the ionizer manufactured to ISO and USA UL standards?
ISO is the International Organization for Standardization and is a network of the National Standards Institutes from 153 countries. Certification to UL standards means that your ionizer has been tested in the USA and approved as an electrical device to use with water.
ISO and UL certification represents a considerable investment in time and money.
A lot of companies talk about quality but have they spent the money and time to have their manufacturing plant certified?

2) Technology - all cars utilize an internal combustion engine; all engines are not created equal. This same analogy applies to ionizers.

• Filters: ALL ionizers have them and they are critical to the quality of the output. Look for activated carbon with .1 micron filtration at a minimum. Anything above will not filter Cryptosporidium and Guardia. Can they filter out chlorine AND chloramines?
• Electrolysis chamber: again ALL ionizers have them and they are critical. Look for platinum coated titanium electrodes, preferably using polymer ion separation technology. Some manufacturers are employing larger electrodes and claiming they are superior. They hope to fool the consumer into thinking "bigger is better". With electronics generally speaking, quite the opposite is true. The larger electrodes draw 3-4 times more power decreasing the electrode life with no additional benefit to the output. For durability plates should be electroplated rather than just dipped.
• Cleaning: ALL ionizers have a cleaning functionality, essentially reversing the polarity on the electrodes. Where products differ is in what triggers the cleaning cycle (at startup, certain amount of output, certain amount of time etc...). Look for an auto cleaning process that has minimal impact on machine use. The most advanced ionizers always clean in the background and you never have to wait while they clean.
• Control Panel: Look for ease of use (not too many buttons and knobs) yet true functionality. LED displays are intuitive to use and very durable.
• Parts: look for FDA approved food-grade plastic hoses and stainless steel output hoses and fittings.

3) Size (personal preference)
4) Quality of design (personal preference)
5) Reliability - how well it performs. Does the product/manufacturer have a solid reputation and track record?
6) Durability - how long it performs. Again, look for a solid reputation and track record.

Service Considerations

1) How long has the company been in business selling the same ionizer brand? Look for an established company who will be around to provide service, filters etc...
2) What type of warranty do they offer?
3) Where is the warranty service provided and by whom?
4) What type of money-back guarantee do they offer?
5) How easy is it to get live help?
6) Do they have an A+ ranking with the Better Business Bureau?

Value Considerations

1) How important is high quality, healthful and safe water? What is the net value of your purchase all things considered (quality of output, features, reliability, service etc...)?

2) What are the on-going filter replacement costs?
For other comments and helpful advice, please Click Here

3) Size (personal preference)
4) Quality of design (personal preference)
5) Reliability - how well it performs. Does the product/manufacturer have a solid reputation and track record?
6) Durability - how long it performs. Again, look for a solid reputation and track record.

While these are a compiled list of checkpoints, we feel that we carry the strongest product in the industry with the best satisfaction policy, customer service, value, and history as a company both in the USA and globally. Good luck and best wishes for your health and happiness!

• Newest IonLife Model
• The Emco Tech Advantage