7 Things You Must Know Before Buying Hydrogen Water Bottle

One of the most frequently asked questions!

If you have come to this page, you are already aware of the many benefits of Molecular Hydrogen: better hydration, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-tumor properties and more.

In this article I want to focus only on the technical side of choosing a hydrogen water  generator.

Since hydrogen tablets are based on magnesium and have many possible medication interactions and negative effects associated with them, I decided to only look at on-demand hydrogen water generators.

Here are the features which I find the most important when it comes to buying a hydrogen water bottle.

I’m sure it will be similar to you.

1. I  want a hydrogen water bottle which is well built with high performance and will last a long time so I can get the best return of my investment.

2. I need to be sure the device is safe based on the materials used and the mechanics behind the electrolysis process.

3. It has to be easy to operate and to clean/ maintain.

4. I’m looking for clear, extensive instructions, ideally from an American company so I can get fast response and shipping times in case I need support for my device.

5. And finally I will consider the design and the packaging.

Let’s begin.

BUILD, PERFORMANCE & LONGEVITY

It’s obvious that all devices are made in China these days, yet it’s the company which orders it that controls the quality.

On the outside, the main materials used are glass or plastic for the bottle (aka container), stainless steel or plastics for the body.

On the inside we have platinum plated titanium electrodes, proton exchange membrane (PEM), plastics and silicone gaskets.

What’s most interesting for me is what is the water that I will be drinking in contact with.

Obviously the container, the electrodes and the membrane are the parts that i will be researching the most and will pay close attention to.

GLASS VS TRITAN PLASTIC CONTAINER

There are two main types of hydrogen water bottles on the market. Those that deliver below 1.6ppm and those that deliver above 1.6ppm.

Why this matters is because hydrogen gas under normal atmospheric pressure dissolves at a maximum of 1.6ppm. To achieve higher concentrations, you need to increase the internal pressure.

For these higher pressures you need thick borosilicate glass or plastic containers.
Glass of course is ideal for those like me who try to avoid plastics as much as possible.

But It’s always a trade off: glass can break but it’s not toxic. Plastics pollute and age but are light and support higher pressures.

I would still go for the glass. Anyways, let’s continue.

CONTAINER CAPACITY

How much hydrogen water should you drink a day?
This is one of the most asked questions about a hydrogen water bottle and can determine how big of a container we should be looking for in a hydrogen water bottle.

I admit, I need to be reminded all the time that I have to drink more water. 

Lucky for me, hydrogen water offers better hydration on a cellular level and it’s based on the concentration of hydrogen.

Remember the water just serves as a medium to transport the dissolved hydrogen gas.

The more hydrogen is dissolved, the less water I need to drink.

With the 2.8 ppm from OCEMIDA for example I only need to drink 22oz (650 ml) to get my daily intake.
This means I drink one in the morning and one after work and that’s it. 

I don’t need to think about it anymore. The hydrogen will work in my body for the next 24h.

If you get some of the cheapest models which deliver 1.6 and below, you need to drink 5-6 bottles a day to get the same amount. I don’t know about you but I really don’t have the patience and the discipline to do that. Excuse me a second, I need to go pee, again 🙂

MEMBRANE

A Proton-Exchange Membrane also known as Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) is a semipermeable membrane generally made from ionomers and designed to conduct protons while acting as an electronic insulator and reactant barrier.

This is what’s most important in a device. It will determine the level of performance and the longevity of the unit.

There are 4 types of membranes available based on where they are manufactured:
DuPont – USA
China, Korea, Japan

This is one of the expensive parts in these devices. A small 1.5” circle of  Nafion from DuPont for example costs about $30 USD but it’s the safest and most studied.

COST

It’s time to talk about money. Let’s add to the best performing membrane above a set of platinum plated titanium electrodes, a lithium ion battery, electronics, packaging, and the profit of the merchant and you can understand why it’s impossible to buy a decent hydrogen water bottle below $100.

Next time I see a hydrogen water bottle at $79 with all the shiny claims and reviews, i know in its core there is a dubious Chinese membrane which leaks god knows what to my drinking water. Yukes! No thank you.

CHAMBERS

PEM has one important purpose, to separate oxygen from hydrogen and to avoid the formation of Chlorine and Ozone in the water.

This is where a double chamber is used. One chamber for the hydrogen, which bubbles through the water and another which contains the oxygen , which is then expelled outside.

This is another way manufacturers save money. They use a membrane but do not expel the toxic byproducts outside. This allows them to advertise the use of PEM and many fail for the trap, on to notice later the bad taste and smell and the terrible headaches.

IONBOTTLES BRAND EXAMPLE

ELECTRODES

There are some devices below $50 which use stainless steel electrodes which can leak heavy metals and can be very dangerous for your health. Fortunately these are rare to find.
All the reputable brands are using platinum plated electrodes.

EASY TO CLEAN

PEM requires to be soaked in water to operate. Constant moisture can grow mould. So it’s very important the device can be easy to clean daily.

Here is another trade off:
Many users complain of leaks. This is because easy to clean devices have large openings on both sides of the bottle, which require big gaskets.

If the gasket is not positioned properly or the container not tightened, you end up with a leak and frustration.

My opinion? Since I clean this bottle daily, I just learn to close it properly. I chose the big opening vs the mold.

SELF-CLEANING BOTTLES !!!

Hydrogen water generators usually use these cleaning methods:

• UV or near UV light
• Ozone

The first method uses a blue light while working to disinfect the membrane and the electrodes while the ozone is generated by reversing the polarity of the electrodes.

The difference is that the ozone method requires interruption of the work of the device so you can change the water. The ozone water on the other hand can be used for rinsing your mouth or to disinfect surfaces around the house.

Note: You still need to rinse daily and clean the hydrogen bottle from time to time with distilled vinegar.

Advise: Keep your bottle closed at all times to avoid mould spores contaminating it.
If you drink directly from the bottle, always wash it after and rinse the inside with warm water.

Example of “impossible to clean” from LevelUp vs “be careful, it might leak” from OCEMIDA

LevelUpWay vs OCEMIDA

Look at those small openings from a LevelUp Model and the sharp corners inside the bottle.
Very hard to clean. Even a dishwasher can’t help.
BTW do not wash the Tritan or plastic containers in the dishwasher. The container or its thread might deform.

ACCESSORIES

Some Hydrogen water bottles come with accessories. Others don’t even include a charger.
Let’s learn what’s important to have and what’s just a marketing trick.

Inhalation adapter

Some bottles come with an inhalation adapter and a nasal cannula. At first this looks like a valuable accessory to have but the more we research it the more that value fades away.

For starters, the cannula provided is transparent. These are designed for oxygen, a much bigger molecule than hydrogen. When we performed a test by simply putting the end of the cannula in water we can see that hardly any hydrogen reaches the end. No bubbles. Most of the hydrogen escapes through the wall of the tube.
The gas flow required to have a meaningful impact via inhalation just cannot be reached from a small device like this.

Conclusion: inhalation adapters only increase the price of the device and deceive the user of its value. If you want to take advantage of the h2 inhalation, buy a device designed specifically for that.

Bottle adapters

Some brands offer an adapter which allows the use of a 330ml bottled water.
This is a nice addition in case you have no way to get filtered water at work or while travelling. Since i’m avoiding plastic bottles, I would still buy water in a glass bottle and then pour it in my glass hydrogen water bottle to hydrogenate.

Protective Sleeve

If you go to the gym or take your bottle with you to work or while travelling, it’s always a good idea to have a neoprene carrier. It provides protection from dust and damage and keeps your water cool for longer.

Hydrogen Reagent Drops

Companies will often make claims about the hydrogen concentrations yet users have no way of measuring it unless they spend additional $25 for the blue drops.
Fortunately some brands include them in their package.

Compressed beauty masks

Hydrogen water can be applied externally and has the same anti-oxidant and hydration properties on your skin. It can reduce some fine wrinkles and protect from the damaging effect of the sun.

LET’S SEE 3 OF OUR MOST COMPARED HYDROGEN WATER BOTTLES SIDE-BY-SIDE

BRAND	ionbottles	H2 MAXX	OCEMIDA
CONTAINER SIZE	14 OZ	14 OZ	12 OZ
MAX PPM	1.2	1.6	2.8
EASY TO CLEAN	YES	YES	YES
ACCESSORIES	NO	INHALER, BOTTLE ADAPTER	CARRIER, BOTTLE ADAPTER, BEAUTY MASKS, H2 REAGENT
SELF-CLEANING	NO	OZONE	NEAR UV
DUPONT MEMBRANE	NO	YES	YES
VALUE FOR MONEY	2/5	3/5	5/5