- No installation required, does not take a lot of space, and easy to operate.
- It is safe and reliable with its auto power off system.
- It can produce 100% pure distilled water anywhere, anytime, and with any kind of water.
- A variety of safety certifications that are recognizable internationally, which guarantees our product safety.
- The MegaHome distiller is higly portable and produces approximately 1 U.S. gallon (3.785L) every 6 hours.
First, I need to point out the not-so-obvious fact that this is the stainless steel version of the "Water Distiller, Countertop, White Enamel" product sold by MegaHome/NutriTeam.
To make a long story short, I got this product last night and this morning I woke up to perfectly tasting distilled water.
For the long story...I read all the reviews for the white color version and decided this was worth a try. I placed my order by noon Friday and received the distiller just last night (Tuesday). I was anxious to test this distiller for myself because it might save me quite a bit of money if I could stop buying bottled water. The only negative reviews I''d read seemed to focus on the plastic or metallic flavor of the distilled water. The manufacturer suggests it can happen when new bottles smell like plastic. As soon as I opened the box, I searched for the plastic bottle to smell it. There was no distinct plastic smell that I could detect. One of the reviewers pointed out that your geographical location affects the mineral content in the water and thus can strongly affect its flavor. Living north of Philadelphia, water has a fairly neutral flavor and there''s no high mineral content that I know about. Still, I filled the bottle with water filtered through a regular Brita filter I have connected to my faucet. Filling the bottle to the very top is exactly the amount of water required to fill the distiller container right to the fill line. Followed the simple instructions and started the distiller. It wasn''t as noisy as I expected, however it''s loud enough that you might not want to run it during a dinner party. (Makes good white noise if you need it.) It''s supposed to take 4-6 hrs to distil one gallon of water. Warm water may shorten the process. Since I ran it overnight, with cold water, I have no idea of how long it took. That will be an experiment for the weekend. Come morning, the distiller was done and the water was surprisingly fresh and good tasting.
For those concerned about whether distilled water draws minerals from your body, therefore raising acidity levels, read about the benefits of adding pH Drops before drinking. Cheers!
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November 27, 2006 Update:
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I use this distiller almost daily and I''m still very happy with my purchase and very glad I got it. Water tastes perfect, whether I pre-filtered it or not. I was surprised another reviewer had problems with leaks, since I''ve none whatsoever. The unit makes a very useful white noise, which is better for reading than for conversation though it doesn''t bother me (I usually run the unit at night). I have not noticed much difference in distilling time, whether I use hot or cold water. I do get a lot of mineral deposits left over. However, I can remove them easily with a sponge or with the solvent that was provided.
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We enjoyed our distiller for 2 years. We used it about twice a week. Recently, the machine stopped after distilling water in the middle of a cycle. It did this several times before I took the top off, removed the screws, and cleaned it (but it wasn''t very dusty at all). It still shut off shortly after starting the cycle. I then took a closer look at the base unit. When I lifted it, I was surprised to find that it was so heavy. When I tipped the base, water poured out of the outlet for the plug--not a good sign. I looked at the bottom of the stainless steel (?), and found dimples at the welds. There was evidence of rust around one of the welds, and a pinhole crack. I''m disappointed that we didn''t get more use out of this machine.
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This distiller has worked as I expected, although I think the "5-hour" estimate of how long it takes to distill one gallon is a little optimistic. Not a problem for me I turn it on and let it go.
It produces a lot of heat in the house (can''t be avoided). In cold weather, it''s great because it helps warm up the house, but in the summer, it''s an air-conditioning nightmare (I live in Florida). So in the heat of the summer, I will probably have to move it outside.
I don''t like the plastic container. I''d rather have glass, and you can get the glass jugs but they''re expensive. I''d rather see the spout a little further out so that I could fit a standard glass jug underneath it. But for the money, I can''t find another one that has this capability.
I tested the water with a Sprite water tester and the conductivity was around 1uS/cm (microsiemens per centimeter a standard measure of water impurity), which is comparable to distilled water from Zepherhills (rain water off my dirty roof is around 9uS/cm and my ordinary Florida tap water is around 2500uS/cm not bad, and probably cleaner than other places filtered tap water goes up to 2700uS/cm which is even worse, so filters don''t do dooddily-squat). When I used the charcoal filter, the conductivity went up to around 9uS/cm, so the filter adds (probably harmless) impurities, but I use it to help capture other chemical impurities that won''t distill out.
The inside of the container gets caked-over after a single distilling. It doesn''t come off, easily. I haven''t used the chemical remover yet (I''ve only had this about a month or so), but I use a copper kitchen scrubber on it once in a while and that keeps the buildup down to a manageable level. The leftover water (a little bit at the bottom) stinks after one use (a testament to the impurity of my tap water), so it has to be rinsed out after each use (and occasionally scrubbed).
I don''t like the way the top cord connects to the bottom. I have to unplug it to take the top off and put new water in. If there was a small, built-in connector that comes loose when you take the top off, that would be ideal. Also, there should be a better way to remove the top. You have to wrap your hands around it to get it off, and if it''s hot, you''re in for a steam burn (so I don''t touch it for at least two hours after it''s done).
Finally, the only serious problem I have is that the "Reset" button is also the safety shutoff. There should be one of each. If the Reset button ever fails, there needs to be a back-up emergency switch that engages, and it should be plain for the customer/user to see. Otherwise, it could be a potential fire hazard (in other words, don''t leave the house or go to sleep with this thing on). So I run it only when I''m going to be home and able to be near it for the duration.
My previous calculations of cost to distill one gallon of water (about 26 cents energy to vaporize one gallon of water is about 8.5MJ (MegaJoules), which is about 2.4kWh (kilowatt-hours), which costs around 26 cents), may be off, since I did not include the cost of running a fan to cool the condenser, and if you cool the air with an air conditioner, multiply that number by 4 (minimum more if your air conditioner is inefficient) to get your total expense for one gallon of distilled water.
Don''t overfill the canister or you will have a pond on your kitchen cabinet.
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I have had this distiller for about a month now. We normally make 2 gallons of distilled water a day. A couple weekends ago, we had a lot of company, and made 3 to 4 gallons a day over the holiday weekend.
I thought it might be a little bit of a hassle to always be making water, but it really hasn''t been a problem. I start it before going to bed, and there is 1 gallon waiting when I wake. Part of that gallon is used to make coffee, and the rest goes in the ''fridge. I usually restart it in the morning before heading to work for our second gallon.
I had read reviews, either here or elsewhere complaining about the task of cleaning out this style of distiller. I have had no issues with buildup that is hard to remove. I normally rince out the chamber after each use. Once a week, I will use the included cleaner to remove any residue that has formed over the week. Honestly, there is almost nothing. I could probably go a month before having anything significant there. I guess that just means my source water is fairly clean. I do have a under cabinet filter for my kitchen faucet, so most sediment is already removed. To clean it, it''s just a matter of filling the boiling chamber with water, adding a couple scoops of the cleaner, and turning the machine on without the top on it for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, you just dump it out and rince it. Any residue that had developed on the bottom is gone. By "residue" mine has only shown what looks to be a slight stain or discoloration. No rock formations for crusty growths.
There is no strange taste as I have read on a few reviews. Other than myself, there have been about 15 different people that have been here and drank some of this water since I started using this machine. No one detected anything strange with the taste. The comments from others saying the water had a metalic taste must be isolated issues.
My wife did not like using the plastic jug. The water coming out of the distiller was 105 to 110 degrees. Not exactly HOT, but still fairly warm. We did not detect any "plastic" smell or taste from any of the water that came out of the plastic jug. The material the jug is made from is supposed to be low in the "biphenol whatevers" but we choose not to use it just to be safer.
The glass jugs are VERY expensive, IMO. $100 for a jug seems overboard. I found a 1 gallon glass "cookie jar" at Wal*Mart for about $7. It had a metal screw on lid, similar to a lid on a Mason Jar. We tossed that lid, though. The edge sides of this jar are straight up, so it fits well under the spout from the distiller. If you have a jar with a "bottle shape", the opening of the jar will not align under the spout from the distiller. Right now, we are using a piece of tape to hold the filter to the outlet, since this jug will not hold the filter in place. I plan on using some of my woodworking skills to make my own lid that will cover the jug while making water and be able to hold the filter. The distiller needs to sit on something about 1" tall, though to accomodate this jug, otherwise you need to make slightly less than 1 gallon of water, otherwise my filter will stick into the water when it makes a full gallon. Easy fix. For that little "problem" it is well worth the trouble to save the $100 and use this cookie jar.
We also bought 2 glass water bottles from Wal*Mart that each hold about half a gallon. So, we have 1 gallon of cold water available in the fridge while another gallon is being made.
The fan on the top of the distiller makes a "hum" although it is not excessively loud. The microwave and dishwasher are definitely louder than the fan on the distiller. I really do not notice the hum from it anymore. The noise from the distiller was really my biggest concern before I got one. I was worried it was going to sound like the blender for 5 hours while making the water.
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There are many different distillers on the market and most are very expensive, so I did a lot of homework before making this purchase. As I needed only 1-2 gallons of water per day, it came down to this unit or the Waterwise 4000. Referring to schematics of both units, it appeared that they were virtually identical in design. With that said, although the Waterwise may cost $100 more than the Megahome distiller, I cannot imagine it uses significantly better materials. I want to address that right off the bat for anyone trying to decide between the two. I cannot comment on the build quality of the Waterwise, but you will not be disappointed with the construction of the Megahome. This appliance is made to last a VERY long time. Think of how long the thin plastic/glass coffee maker at work has lasted. In contrast, this distiller is made of industrial grade stainless steel, and what plastic there is on the unit/collector flask is thick and durable. There is only one moving part, (the fan motor), and this too seems very well built. It''s also replaceable. Have you ever tried to replace a part of your coffee maker? Good luck with that. Basically, this unit is a tank. On that note, don''t expect to tuck it away in some tiny corner of your counter. Although it will fit under a standard upper cabinet, combined with the collection flask it will require about the same square footage as a toaster oven.
One more note on the fan; the noise is not a big deal. If you have kids, a dog & a doorbell, or a dishwasher, you will not even notice it. Other appliances that make as much noise as the Megahome distiller; the ice maker in your freezer, a convection oven, the kitchen faucet.
So how well does it work? I see a lot of comments regarding water flavor. This may depend on the water you are starting with, although in theory it should all turn out the same. For me personally, the water comes out crystal clear, and tastes like snow melt when cold. In my book, that''s about as good as it gets. Perhaps a better indicator of how well it works can be seen in the bottom of the pot at the end of a cycle. In addition to all the mineral salts left behind, I am left with about a tablespoon/gallon of nasty tan liquid.
It''s a pity more people are not aware of the direct impact water quality has on their health. You don''t have to be a ''wacko anti-fluoridation conspiracy theorist'' to appreciate home distilled water. Buy a distiller and I bet you will effect a positive health change in a friend simply by doing two things;
1) give them a cold glass of distiller water you have made
2) show them the sludge left behind in the distiller from only 1 gallon of public drinking water
If cost is the issue, consider that an average weight adult should be consuming approximately 1 gallon of water per day, which is easy to do once you get into the habit. And don ''t forget the ice cubes! Unless you/your family drink a lot of milk, soda, or fruit juices, this distiller will pay for itself in just a few months. If not, you don''t need a distiller.
****3 years later***
This is still one of the appliances I rely on most in my house. I''ve certainly gotten my money''s worth out of it and would not hesitate to replace it if it stopped working. The only problem I''ve had is that the start button broke off about a year ago. This is more or less a cosmetic issue as the actuator behind the button is still accessible. One reviewer mentioned rust inside the unit at the weld sites. I have noticed this too but the rust spots are very small and localized, and can easily be removed by gentle rubbing with a very small piece of fine steel wool. If I do this for a few seconds, the problem won''t reoccur for a very long time. This only seems to occur when I''ve left the distiller idle for several days after a cycle, (i.e. with moisture trapped inside), which is asking for trouble. Finally, others have commented about hard water build up. The simplest and gentlest solution is to fill the unit up with hot water, add a cup of vinegar, then turn the unit on with the fan assembly removed until the hard water deposits dissolve, (approx. 15 minutes).
My mother wouldn''t part with her Old Friend slippers even though it was time, so I finally told her we could get free shipping if we both ordered a pair and she went for that! She feels great in her new pair and I love mine even more than I expected. They are warm, cozy, easy to slip in and out of and the velcro strap is wonderful for adjusting the fit. I wear them around the house all the time. And we received our order in 2 days! Win! Win!
