"You can't take it with you." Well, you can but is it really worth it to pack up your countertop water ionizer to take with you on a short trip? And what about while you're at work?

There are a number of "portable water ionizer" options available that are quick and easy solutions for ionized water on the go. These are great for work, the gym or when traveling so you can enjoy alkaline ionized water anywhere you go.

Here's a closer look at our top picks for "Ionized Water To Go."

What we like best about "pitcher" portable ionizes is that it inlcudes filtration - no need to buy bottled water, these "pitcher ionizers" will filter out chlorine and most other contaminants so that you can use regular tap water at the office, hotel or a friends house - and no problems getting it through airport security!

The two pitcher options we have available are the H2Go Portable and the pHresh Pitcher. Of the two I have to say that H2Go wins, hands down, for convenience, ease of use and cost of ownership.

The H2Go Portable requires no assembly - you will need to soak and rinse the filter prior to your first use. I also recommend that you rinse and shake the filter before each use as the filter media can clump which can restrict water flow through the filter.

The filter lasts for around 90 days and replacement filters are sold in 3-packs for $45.95. When not in use you'll store your H2Go in the refrigerator then rinse and shake the filter before your next use.

The pHresh Pitcher was an assembly nightmare for me - the instructions were incomplete and difficult to follow. I do a lot of assemblies here - installing an under the counter water ionizer takes me less time than I spent trying to figure out how to put the pHresh Pitcher together.

While it does filter more water at a time, up to 1.5 liters, there are cotton pads that have to be replaced every 3 to 5 days, an upper mineral cartridge that needs to be replaced every 90 days and then a main and lower mineral cartridge that you'll replace every year. Too much maintenance for my taste. And it is so much larger than the Waterman - while you could pack it in a suitcase, it would take up a lot of room in a carry-on bag if you were flying.

A more "on the fly" portable option are ionizer "drop in's." These are sticks or packets that you can drop in bottled water anywhere.

These "drop in" products are great for the gym, golf course or anywhere you would normally take bottled water for hydration. You just drop the product in a bottle of water, shake and the water is activated.

The Hydrogen Rich Water stick is the best "stick" products I offer - both work best using 25 ounce to 1 liter bottles of water. When not in use you store these products in a bottle of water in the refrigerator.

For more information on portable water ionizer products please visit our "portable ionizers" store page by clicking on the image below.