“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 9090 and the KYK 7-Plate Genesis, now replaced on this website by the Genesis Platinum.

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 9090 or Genesis Platinum – 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 TURBO 7070

I have many, many happy Tyent customers! They like the style options available – white with silver face or black & stainless steel – and the fact that the unit is so thin taking up less depth on the counter.

The Tyent TURBO 7070 has 8 presets: 4 alkaline, 3 acid and one neutral – all you really need.

The thing I personally like best about the Tyent products 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. Tyent watear ionizers are 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.  Since that time I’ve been impressed again and again as they’ve produced upgraded models like their TURBO 7070 and their latest, the MMP-9090 TURBO Extreme.

When I tested the original Tyent MMP-7070 I got a high pH of 11.5 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.  All Tyent models offer the option to adjust the power settings at each level to adjust for any source water issues.

Even Better – the Tyent TURBO 9090

The Tyent TURBO 9090 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 375 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 9090 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 2.0 with the unit in TURBO mode. Results will always vary based on your source water. 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 9090 will set you back $2,995  and comes in either black or white with stainless steel face.  You’ll spend about $170 a year in replacement filter cost. Most customers find that a set of filters lasts 6 to 8 months.

KYK’s 7-Plate Genesis – Now the KYK Generation II

Another popular choice of Water Ionizer Authority customers has been KYK’s 7-Plate Genesis which has been relaunched as the KYK Generation II. The things customers seem to like most about this unit are the pH & ORP display options on the LCD screen and the price.

The original KYK Genesis is no longer available. This model has been replaced on this by the Generation II. It is the same water ionizer, same internal components, operations, functions. The Genesis Platinum has a new look with silver face and now operates on 250 watts at the highest settings.

The display screen on the Generation II 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 using unfiltered tap water and no mineral additives or enhancer solution showed a high pH of 11.6 with an ORP of -780. This was a “straight out of the box” test without making any adjustments to the power levels. Like the Tyent water ionizers, the Gen2 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 or 3rdalkaline setting (whichever was last selected for drinking) the next time you turn the unit on.

The Generation II can be connected directly to the cold water line below the sink – Water Ionizer Authority offers this T-adapter at no charge when you request it at the time of purchase and installation is simple.  Again, most people find that they can do this alternate installation themselves 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 $1,795 for your Generation II but check the  store page for bonus packs.  These bonus packs include extras that will save you money down the road, address “ionized water to go” needs or protect your unit against scale build-up.  Replacement filters for the Generation II cost around $120 for the set of two.

Performance-wise you can’t go wrong with any of these 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.