"What's the BEST water ionizer?" I hear that question more than any other. I've tested a number of "top models" and have identified the top 3 picks as the Jupiter Athena, the Tyent 7070 and the KYK 7-Plate Genesis.

I've performed numerous tests on these 3 models and found they all produce comparable water without the need to add minerals or "enhancer solutions." All three of these units produce water at pH and ORP levels very close to those you get from Enagic's SD501 when you use their enhancer solution.

When it comes to choosing the "best" water ionizer - you can't go wrong with a Jupiter Athena, Tyent 7070 or 7-Plate Genesis - the main differences in these units is style, available functions and price.

To help you decide I've outlined these three units and their key differences here along with the results of my personal tests of each unit. I've been very impressed with them all - here's a closer look at the differences in style and fuction...

Jupiter Athena

I wasn't expecting to like this unit as much as I do. With smaller plates than most top of the line models and lower wattage too, I just wasn't expecting the performance I got when I tested this unit.

Using straight, unfiltered tap water in St. Petersburg, Florida this unit produced water with a high pH of 10.7 and an ORP of -760. That's without adding any minerals - The Athena has a mineral port where you can add mineral pellets to boost performance.
The Athena has 9 presets - 4 alkaline, 4 acid and one neutral setting with a voice announcement when the unit starts letting you know the level of water that is being produced. The unit defaults to your last setting - so whatever water you're getting when you turn it off will be the same water you'll get when you turn it back on.

Of these three top of the line models, the Jupiter Athena produced the strongest acid water - something to consider if you are looking for stronger acid water - however the lowest pH I was able to achieve myself with this unit was between 4.0 and 4.5. The strongest acid water came from the acid drain hose when the unit was set to produce the strongest alkaline water.

Jupiter products are known to be some of the best for handling hard water - rated to effectively handle water hardness as high as 14ppm. The DARC cleaning system in the Jupiter is one of the best for preventing buildup on the plates after long term use which can prolong the effectiveness of the unit.

The Athena will set you back $2,095 and replacement filter cost will be between $160 and $220 a year - depending on the grade of filters you choose to purchase. You can expect to change the filters in your Athena about every 6 months.

Tyent 7070 and TURBO 7070

I have many, many happy Tyent 7070 customers! They like the style options available - white with silver face, white with black face or stainless steel - and the fact that the unit is so thin taking up less depth on the counter. To me the black face looks a little like a flat panel TV sitting on the counter.

The Tyent 7070 has 6 presets: 3 alkaline, two acid and one neutral - all you really need.

The thing I personally like best about the Tyent 7070 is the way the advanced touch-screen control panel works. Once you are satisfied with your initial power settings, you never have to toggle between the acid/alkaline levels. You just touch the button for the level of water you want and that's what you get.

Other units will default to the last setting or the last "safe for drinking" setting and if you want to produce water at a different level you have to press the alkaline or acid button to get to the desired level. The Tyent 7070 is ready to produce the water you want with one touch - just touch the button for the level of water you want - no turning the unit on, no moving from the last setting to what you want this time - TRUE "one touch" operation.

For the record, Tyent was the first company to go beyond the sales pitch about their product and actually send me a unit at their cost, putting their money where their mouth was about how the 7070 performed.

When I tested the Tyent 7070 I got a high pH of 10.5 with an ORP of -750. This was using my unfiltered tap water here in St. Petersburg, Florida and without using any enhancer solution OR making any adjustments to the power settings. The Tyent 7070 offers you the option to adjust the power settings at each level to adjust for any source water issues.

Even better - the Tyent TURBO 7070

The Tyent TURBO 7070 has the highest available wattage of any water ionizer on the market today. The lower wattage is sufficient for regular use but the TURBO function boosts the power to as much as 285 watts. This increased wattage being delivered to the plates allows the unit to produce water that reaches the extreme pH levels. You enter the TURBO mode with the touch of your finger and can get stronger alkaline or acid water WITHOUT the use of sodium chloride or other chemical or mineral additives.

I tested the Tyent TURBO 7070 and was able to get alkaline water as high as 12.0 and acid water - from the dispenser hose, not the acid drain hose - as low as 3.5 with the unit in TURBO mode. Results will always vary based on your source water.With the unit in TURBO mode set to produce strong alkaline water, the water from the acid drain hose tested at 2.5.Another thing I like about the Tyent products is the availability of an adapter kit to connect the unit directly to the cold water line below your sink. The unit itself will still sit on your countertop but instead of tying up your faucet with the adapter you can have a 1/4" input line providing a constant supply of water to the unit so it's always ready when you are.

This alternate installation is easy to do and doesn't require a plumber. It took me about 20 minutes the first time I did this type of installation - now that I've done it a few times it takes me about 10. You will need to have a place for the 1/4" hose to come up through from under the sink. Some people remove their sink sprayer and use that opening, others put a 1/4" hole in their countertop which hides behind the unit itself. You need to request the adapter for this alternate installation method when you place your order but Water Ionizer Authority provides these through Tyent USA at no additional charge.

The Tyent 7070 will set you back $1,995 for the black or silver faced models or $2,245 for the stainless steel model and you'll spend about $170 a year in replacement filter cost. Most customers find that a set of filters lasts about 6 months.

KYK's 7-Plate Genesis

Another popular choice of Water Ionizer Authority customers is KYK's 7-Plate Genesis. The two things customers seem to like most about this unit are the pH & ORP display options on the LCD screen and the price.

The display screen on the Genesis can be set to show you the approximate pH or ORP level of the water you are producing at each setting. I say "approximate" because pH and ORP meters need to be recalibrated regularly for accuracy and there is just no way to get inside the unit to do the cleaning & calibration on a monthly basis. Still, many people prefer to see a "number" for pH or ORP rather than just know that they are on level 1, 2, 3 or 4.

My personal test of this unit here in St. Petersburg, Florida using unfiltered tap water and no mineral additives or enhancer solution showed a high pH of 10.6 with an ORP of -760. This was a "straight out of the box" test without making any adjustments to the power levels. Like the Tyent 7070, the KYK Genesis offers you the option to adjust the power at each of the preset levels to address any issues you may have with your source water.

When using the 1st, 2nd or 3rd alkaline settings the unit will default to these settings the next time you use it. As a safety measure, when you select the highest alkaline setting or any of the acid settings the unit will default back to the 2nd alkaline setting (9.0) the next time you turn the unit on.

Every KYK Genesis is shipped with the adapter piece required to connect the unit directly to the cold water line below the sink along with instructions for the installation. Again, most people find that they can do this alternate installation themselved in 30 minutes or less. They also appreciate having their faucet free of the adapter and hose and the convenience of having a constant supply of water to the unit.

You'll pay $1,695 for your 7-Plate KYK Genesis and spend around $160 a year on replacement filters. The filters for the Genesis are more expensive than what you'd pay for filters for your Tyent 7070 or Jupiter Athena but they last longer. You'll replace your first filter at around 9 months and the 2nd at 12 months.

Performance-wise you can't go wrong with any of these three units - from my personal testing and daily use of all three of these water ionizers I can tell you that they will produce comparable water which should give you comparable results - both long and short term. It really just comes down to function and styling.

For more information on these "Top Picks" please visit the store pages for each of these models or call (866) 649-4380 - custom packages are available.