51 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
water filter my journey, December 8, 2010
This review is from: Nikken PiMag Aqua Pour Gravity Water System (Kitchen)
I searched for the best water purification technique available primarily because I was shocked at the state of our drinking water and I couldn't just go on blindly dumping chemicals into my body. My criterion was to remove all added chemicals from my drinking water including Fluoride and as an Engineer with a scientific background I needed scientific backing.
Note: The usage of Fluoride in our water systems is controversial, but Ninety-seven percent of western Europe has eliminated fluoride from drinking water. goggle "Fluorosis" and "fluoride side effects", read the article on "about dot com" on "fluoride removal". Read the article on "livestrong dot com" on "side effects of fluoride ingestion". I quote, "Fluoride ingestion has been associated with adverse health effects such as IQ deficits in children, depression, weight gain and heart disease. The "Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics" reports that "high fluoride intake has a damaging effect on intellectual ability," and human studies from China, India, Iran and Mexico found that elevated levels of fluoride in children resulted in reduced performance and impaired development of intelligence. The U.S. National Research Council has also found that fluoride affects normal endocrine function, which may contribute to hypothyroidism, or reduced activity of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism can lead to fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, muscle pains and heart disease.
I started off with on a friends recommendation the Nikken Pi-Mag which i soon rejected because they independent lab results were not available, fluorine was not removed from the water and I could not trust a MLM companies claims' that were not scientifically verifiable.
I looked at Aquasana and Multipure's product line but I became obvious that the life expectancy was about a year and I would deal with leaks, and defective housing. The reviews for the New Wave were 10Stage Filter were promising on amazon and I bought it right away, but soon grew suspicious of their claims as there were no results posted on their website either. I called New Wave customer service which I must add was great and friendly and asked for the independent lab results, which they emailed. After analyzing the results I was disappointed to see that a company that makes water filters provided results from a lab called, Truesdale lab but back in 1995 (15yrs ago!). Surely they can get this tested recently since both regulations and water quality have changed since then and made this readily available to their customers via their website. Anyway the results they provided showed that it was tested for Cyst Removal (based on the 1988 NSF standard), Lead, Choloform and Lindane removal. Fluorine was not removed which for me was not good enough.
I returned the New Wave Environ and finally found the Berkey filter system which has an additinal fluoride filter as well. Although more expensive (about 250 inclusive of a set of flouride filters), the Berkey filters would be cheaper in the long run as they last between 3,400 gallons to 19,500 gallons depending on water quality, unlike the New Wave Filter's 1500 gallons. Furthermore I liked openness and readily accessible lab results by independent labs such as the University of Arizona, LSU and Spectrum labs (google Berkey lab results). Furthermore they are used by emergency organizations like the Redcross and Unicef.
I must add that there is no perfect system, the fluoride filters usually use an activated alumina filter media and Aluminia has been associated with Alzheimers. I was concerned about any aluminum dust residue left in the water and a little more research revealed the residue to me negligible.
Here is a comparison:
Water boiled in an Aluminium pan for 5mins had: 2.791 ppm aluminum
Colgate toothpaste: 52.878 ppm aluminum.
The Berkey flouride filter after 10 cycles had .037 ppm aluminum and after 20 Cycles: .029 ppm aluminum which in my opinion was negligible and safe.
I hope this helps you and saves you time!
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great idea, but I need a little proof..., May 30, 2009
This review is from: Nikken PiMag Aqua Pour Gravity Water System (Kitchen)
I tasted this water at a bookstore, that also sold these devices and became immediately intrigued by taking a more active role in ensuring that I drink the safest water possible. For sure, filtering your own tap water is the most economical and greenest way to go, but very few companies will give you independent test results to let you know exactly what's being filtered and what isn't. After much research, I ended up purchasing the BerkeyLight system to ensure that my water is safe to drink (even in hostile conditions!)and I added the Nikken minerals/magnet "technology" to this system. I think this gives me the best of both worlds at a MUCH more affordable price. I can now make awful tasting San Diego tap water delicious. Also, I got some strips to measure the pH level of the tap water vs. what came out of my Berkey and the alkaline levels seem to change quite a bit. So, I think this Nikken system has some cool ideas worth trying, but I just don't think it's smart to trust my water purification/filtration process to a company that doesn't publish (independent)lab results, when this should be so easy for them to do.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent product from Nikken, July 22, 2008
I purchased this product for my family over two years ago. No more rushing to the store to buy water at 10 pm at night, no more carrying around those 5gal containers; we love this filter...the payback on this products is just a few months so after two years we've saved hundreds of dollars and protected the environment as well; no more bottle water; my kids love drinking the water (you get used to the new fresh flavor in a week or less) and it's very low maintenance; it also looks very attractive on your kitchen cabinet. The filtered water is so high quality that even our new born baby was drinking it in his milk bottles; smart product for smart families; you just have to get used to re-filling the filter with a pitcher and cleaning it once a month; filter replacement is less than 30 bucks and you use about two a year, low maintenenace for unlimited water! Kuddos to Nikken
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