With so many different hydrogen bottles now on the market, choosing the right bottle is becoming extremely difficult for consumers. We are often contacted with the questions of "why is this bottle so much cheaper", "why does this bottle produce so much more hydrogen", etc.
This guide breaks it down into simple facts, allowing you to make the best purchasing decision. Although we would like you to buy locally from HydroGenix here in New Zealand, we have tried to keep this guide impartial so you can make the right choice for yourself.
Understanding the 2 types of bottle on the market - Early generation bottles vs late model SPE/PEM bottles
There are still companies out there selling the early generation models bottles. These bottles flooded the market for a while as a cheap alternative. So what are the pros and cons of each, and what do we recommend?
Early Generation bottles
Pros
- Cheaper up front cost - these generally cost around $80 NZD per bottle. Often you will see the seller claiming Was $169, Now $80.
Cons
- Inferior hydrogen production levels (Max out at 1000ppb)
- They do not exhaust potentially harmful Ozone and Chlorine gases
- Tend to use cheap internal parts and have a short life span. ie we often hear stories of these lasting less than 12 months.
Late Model SPE/PEM bottles
Pros
- PEM membranes separate the potentially harmful ozone and chlorine gases from the hydrogen, and exhaust them out the bottom of the bottle
- These bottles produce high levels of hydrogen (1600ppb through to 3000ppb in one cycle)
- Generally manufactured with higher quality components and last a lot longer. Should expect 5-10 years.
Cons
- Late model bottles have a higher upfront cost. You would expect to pay somewhere around $200 NZD for the late model bottles. (However they do last longer so this cost is cheaper in the long run).
Internal workings of an SPE/PEM bottle
Our recommendation
We absolutely recommend you stay away from the early generation bottles. Consuming ozone and chlorine gases without medical advice could lead to long term health issues. Late model bottles are designed to eliminate this issue of the early generation bottles.
Three key ways to identify an early generation bottle:
- The retail price is the first giveaway, if it is selling for around $100 NZD, it isnt a late model bottle (even if its on "special").
- Look for bottles which are SPE/PEM. This is the Proton Exchange Membrane which eliminates the ozone and chlorine gases. (Note we have seen old model bottles falsely claim to be SPE/PEM, so price is still an excellent indicator).
- Old generation bottles struggle to produce over 1000ppb of hydrogen. If the hydrogen production level is under or around 1000ppb, its most likely an old model bottle
The 2 types of SPE/PEM membranes
Now that we have established it is important to purchase a late model SPE/PEM bottle, its important to understand the two different types of membranes, and the pros and cons of each of these. These two different membranes do not technically have names, so for the purpose of this article, lets call one of them the Ferrari membrane (fast and temperamental), and lets call one the Toyota membrane (steady and reliable).
The Ferrari Membrane
Pros
- Produces highest levels of hydrogen. These typically range from 2500ppb to 3000ppb for one production cycle (or double this for two production cycles)
Cons
- Requires the use of demineralised waters such as distilled water or reverse osmosis Water
- Cannot use water any hotter than lukewarm. ie you cant have a cup of tea made from hydrogen water.
- membrane degrades more rapidly
The Toyota Membrane
Pros
- Can use any water that is drinking standard - ie normal chlorinated tap water
- Can be used with water up to 99 degrees Celsius (just under boiling)
- Extremely robust and hardy
Cons
- Lower hydrogen production levels compared to the Ferrari. These membranes produce around 1600-2000 ppb for one production cycle (or double this for 2 production cycles)
Our recommendation
We recommend the "Toyota" membrane for most kiwi users. Easy access to distilled or reverse Osmosis water in New Zealand is difficult and also expensive if you are having to buy it through the bottle. It shouldn't be a chore to use your hydrogen bottle, and most kiwis only have regular access to either tap water, or at best, basic filtered water. These waters should not be used with the Ferrari membrane.
Be careful when you are looking at bottles that produce really high values of hydrogen. Its a classic marketing trick to get you to buy based on the hydrogen level alone, and its not until you receive the bottle that you're made aware you have to use demineralised water.
Buying International vs Local
There is some truly fantastic marketing coming from international sellers. They are up against it when compared to local businesses, so they do have to try and sway the consumer with impressive marketing. You have to give some of them credit, they do an amazing job of hyping their product and offering. Here are a few of the pros and cons of buying from each.
Buying from an International website
Pros
- Having international websites allows the consumer more choice.
- They keep the pricing in check for local businesses
Cons
- They dont need to abide by New Zealand's Fair Trading Act - for example they always claim crazy Was/Now pricing, and often make false or misleading product claims not allowed by the Fair Trading Act. A typical one is Evolv who make so many false claims:
The above statement is false and misleading and not allowed under NZ law.
- They dont need to abide by New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act. You dont have small claims courts to keep them to account when things go wrong.
- Late model SPE/PEM bottles operate under considerable pressure and therefore do have an allowable fault rate. We hear horror stories of people trying to make international returns, particularly around product faults. They can be months without product, pay large return shipping fees, or receive no service at all.
- We have experienced multiple websites close down to void warranty, and then see them reopen under different names. The best way to spot these companies is they sell hydrogen bottles only. They have no other offering. They are typically run by individuals who are marketing experts who run multiple different websites, then close them down when demand drops.
Buying from local companies
Pros
- They cannot make false product claims under the Fair Trading Act (Note HydroGenix do random testing of 2 bottles for every shipment of 500 bottles to ensure product quality remains high).
- As a consumer of New Zealand, you have rights to the product quality and recourse of the small claims court should there be any unresolved issues.
- After sales service, product fault returns and spare parts such as the rubber seals are all easily accessible from a local supplier who carries spare parts.
- Speed of delivery. Make sure you buy from a business that stocks the product here in New Zealand like HydroGenix do.
Cons
- Limited number of suppliers in the New Zealand market, and therefore not all styles of bottle are on offer.
Recommendation
Of course we recommend to buy from a local business, the benefits are considerable. However we cannot offer all styles and this would be a reason why you may purchase offshore.
Every few months we see an angle from International sellers to make their product stand out. The latest 2 marketing tricks are as follows:
- Claiming a hydrogen production level from running two cycles through the bottle. for example 6000ppb. This is a 3000ppb bottle that can produce up to 6000ppb if you run two hydrogen cycles. Most Hydrogen claims are based on 1 cycle of hydrogen production. Bottles can only run up to 2 cycles as the pressure beyond this is too high for the bottle. Its not wrong for them to make claims on hydrogen levels after 2 cycles, but make sure you are comparing apples for apples when looking at the hydrogen levels. Also make sure you remember to find out whether it is the Ferrari or Toyota membrane.
- Claiming that their bottle is tested by H2 Analytics as approved by the IHDA. Sure this organisation exists, but it certainly isnt independant and you cannot even find out who the owners of it are. They have so little information on themselves and are not used by any of the major Hydrogen brands or manufacturers. Any website referring to this company is most likely a fly by night business, trying to gain quick wins rather than a long standing reputation.
Summary
- Make sure you buy a late model SPE/PEM membrane hydrogen bottle. These exhaust potentially harmful Ozone and Chlorine gases.
- The different hydrogen levels are highly dependant on the membrane used. Make sure you understand the membrane on offer. There is no right or wrong here, but if in doubt, ask the question of what water quality the bottle needs to use. Some bottles require extremely high quality Reverse Osmosis or distilled water, which may not be easily accessible to you.
- When buying from offshore, peel back the marketing hype and understand the limitations of after sale service vs a local business. Dont be fooled by whatever the latest marketing hype is, which is currently selling the idea that there is an official testing company they use.