Weddell Duo Shower Filter:
Unlike many shower filters, this Weddell filter is actually documented to work on removing many contaminants in your shower filter. It will make your skin and hair healthier.

Jaspr Air Filter:
The Jaspr filters the air in your home significantly better than most air filters. The filter designers figured out how to moves a lot of air through without making much noise. It also monitors air quality in real-time, and removes the air contaminants as soon as they are detected.

Venta Air Washer Humidifier:
This device combines good humidification and mild air purification for cleaner indoor air. Good if you have dry air in winter.

AquaTru Countertop Water Purifier or AquaTru Carafe Alkaline Mineral Boost Countertop Water Purifier:
These water purifiers use advanced multi-stage filtration to deliver pure water while the Alkaline Mineral Boost adds essential minerals.

Luxe Bidet Neo 185:
This bidet attachment stands out with a self-cleaning nozzle and easy installation for enhanced hygiene.

Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro:
This frying pan stands out with a titanium nonstick surface that you don’t have worry about scratching.

Waterpik Cordless 2.0 Water Flosser:
This water flosser is clinically proven to remove up to 99.9% of plaque.

Philips Sonicare 9900 Electric Toothbrush:
This toothbrush stands out with AI-powered SenseIQ technology that adapts to your brushing style. Good for protecting your enamel.

Miele Classic C1 Bagged Canister Vacuum:
Renowned for its powerful suction and durability. Made in Germany.

Panda 3200 rpm Portable Spin Dryer:
This spin dryer offers efficient, gentle drying at high speeds. Spin drying is much more energy efficient than electric tumble drying. Spinning is also faster — it takes two to three minutes to get clothes to a “barely damp” state.

Sylvania LED TruWave Natural Series BR40 Light Bulb, Twilight Bulb, Koze Bulb, Hooga Red Sleep Light Bulb:
These bulbs are designed for health and wellness, offering natural light spectrums or sleep-enhancing red wavelengths.

ASUS HDR Monitor 4K:
This monitor stands out with 4K resolution and eye-protection technology for comfortable viewing.

Sttoke Leakproof Lid Shatterproof Tumbler:
These drink tumblers offer leakproof lids and shatterproof construction.

State Cashmere Throw Blanket:
This blanket is crafted from premium cashmere for luxurious softness and warmth.

Safavieh Natura Collection & nuLOOM Flat Weave Solid Tassel Area Rug:
These wool rugs stand out for their softness, durability, and eco-friendly, natural materials.

Naturepedic Organic Adjustable Latex Pillow:
This pillow offers adjustable latex fill and organic cotton cover for customizable, non-toxic comfort.

Shepherd’s Dream comforter:
Made from pure wool and organic cotton, this comforter stands out for its breathability and natural temperature regulation.

Redecker Tampico Fiber Exfoliating Massage Brush:
This brush uses natural tampico fibers for gentle exfoliation and improved circulation.

All Natural Latex Pillow With Organic Cotton Outer Covering:
This pillow stands out for its natural materials and hypoallergenic design, promoting restful sleep.

Yoloha XL Unity Cork Yoga Mat:
This thick, eco-friendly yoga mat is made from cork and latex for superior grip and comfort.

Thrive Bodyshield SPF 50 or Thinksport SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen:
These sunscreens use mineral-based ingredients for broad-spectrum protection without harsh chemicals.

The post A Curated List Of Healthy Home Products appeared first on Reactual.

The total filtering life is 6 to 9 months for a 2-person household. It can filter 15,000 gallons (750 ten-minute showers).

It uses the following mediums for filtration: Copper and Zinc Oxidation Media (KDF), GAC Carbon, and Far Infrared Balls.

This system has been tested (PDF) according to NSF/ANSI 177 for the reduction of free available chlorine by the KDF Fluid Treatment Laboratory.

It has a 1-Year Warranty and a 90-day Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee. 

Here’s the manual for the shower filter.

The filter is made by Pelican Water, which is based in Florida. In 2019, Pentair, a water treatment company, acquired Pelican Water Systems for $120 million. 

More Details On Chloramine Reduction

Lab tests using NSF 177 standards have been performed on this filter. The results show that total dechlorination is still about 90% even after 15,000 gallons of filtration (approx. 80% reduction after 30,000 gallons).

NSF/ANSI 177 is a standard specifying requirements for shower filtration systems’ performance, safety, and reliability. Certification to this standard assures that shower filters meet minimum criteria to function effectively and reduce contaminants as claimed.

Pentair also says that the PSF-1 will take care of some of the chloramine + disinfection byproducts that may be present in your water but do not provide any test data as proof.

Gretchen Freise, a certified trichologist at BosleyMD, recommends this filter because, as she explains, it “reduces chlorine and chloramines along with other synthetic chemicals,” which in the long run will “soften hair and skin while reducing dryness and flakiness.” She thinks this filter could be especially beneficial for “those with dandruff or eczema.” And to top it off, she adds that it will keep your hair color looking vibrant for longer and eliminate any odors your water may have.

How Does This Shower Filter Work?

This shower filter employs a three-stage filtration process to ensure the removal of chloramines and other contaminants from your shower water. The stages include:

1. Stage One: The first stage utilizes a granulated activated carbon media. This stage is designed to filter out chlorine and its byproducts.
2. Stage Two: The second stage features a combination of KDF-55 and KDF-85 media. These media are designed to remove heavy metals like lead and mercury and control the growth of bacteria and scale.
3. Stage Three: The third stage uses far-infrared balls that are designed to energize the water, reduce water clustering, and create softer-feeling water.

Why Filter Your Shower Water?

It is estimated that the steam from showering in your bathroom contains up to 100 times the amount of chlorine in the water. This is because chlorine evaporates from the water at a relatively low temperature. If you bathe or shower in unfiltered tap water, you inhale and absorb chlorine into your body.

Alternative Shower Filters That Remove Chloramines

Friends of Water Shower Filter: The chloramine version of this filter is currently out of stock. This shower filter uses a patented process to remove chlorine or significantly reduce chloramines. The replaceable filters last an entire year. Made in USA.

ProOne ProMax Shower Filter – This shower filter is designed to remove chloramines but is not certified. The home page for this filter can be found here. The lab results can be found here.

The post A Shower Filter That Removes 90% Chloramines and Free Chlorine appeared first on Reactual.

The SimPure Y7P-BW Water Filter

SimPure Y7P-BW UV is a reverse osmosis filter that can be purchased for under $300. 

This filter is certified by SGS which is a reputable European testing organization. However, note that SGS has a broad scope and does not specialize in water testing.

• Tested and certified by SGS against NSF/ANSI 58, EPA 537 Standards – see the SGS Test Report (PDF)
• Speedy: You make a cup of purified water in about 15 seconds
• Low waste: 4:1 pure to drain ratio (very good)

Certified Filtration Data

This SimPure filter uses a pre-filter for large particles and rust, a carbon block filter for chlorine, a reverse osmosis filter for inorganic compounds (like heavy metals), and a VOC filter for organic compounds.

Here is the filtration data:

• TDS (Total dissolved solids): >98.64% filtered
• PFOS/PFOA: >98.30%
• Chlorine: >99.45% 
• Lead: >98.46%
• Nitrates: >96.26%
• Fluoride: >97.28%
• Chromium>99.2%

What is SGS?

SGS, formerly known as Société Générale de Surveillance, is a Swiss multinational company headquartered in Geneva that provides inspection, verification, testing, and certification services. 

What is SGS certification?

While SGS certification provides some assurance of the water filter’s quality, safety, and performance, it may not be as specialized or focused on water treatment products as certifications from organizations like NSF, WQA, or IAPMO. However, an SGS certification can still be an indication of the product’s quality and compliance with relevant standards and regulations.

What is NSF/ANSI 58 Standard?

NSF/ANSI 58 is an American National Standard for point-of-use (POU) reverse osmosis (RO) systems. It is used to certify water treatment systems employing reverse osmosis technology. To be certified under this standard, a system must meet several requirements, including:

1. Material safety: Ensuring that the materials used in the system are safe and do not introduce contaminants into the water.
2. Structural integrity: Ensuring that the system is structurally sound and can withstand normal use without leaking or breaking.
3. Contaminant reduction performance: The system effectively reduces specific contaminants in drinking water, such as nitrate, nitrite, and heavy metals like lead, copper, and mercury.

What is EPA Method 537 Standard?

EPA Method 537 is a standardized analytical method developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine selected per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.

The post A Fast Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filter For Under $300 appeared first on Reactual.

• For well water or other problematic water, I recommend Big Berkey drip filters. These filters use a combination of ceramic and carbon block filtration. Overall, they are the least expensive type of filters to maintain.
• If you are only interest in a pitcher filter — this BWT filter will remove most contaminants
• If you are able to spend $1500 to $3000, “whole house” filters are the an inexpensive long terms option. These filters are installed at the pipe where the municipal water pipes enters your home. I recommend the whole house filter by Pure Effect.

The Contaminants You Want To Remove

Typically, you want to remove these contaminants from your water:

• Toxic metals (Lead, Mercury, Aluminium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, etc.)
• Additives (Chlorine, Chloramines, Fluoride)
• Chlorination By-Products (Trihalomethanes or THMs)
• VOCs and other Organic Compounds (Pesticides, Herbicides, Pharmaceuticals, Fuels)
• Bacteria and viruses (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.)
• Radioactive substances (Radon and Uranium, etc.)

If you use municipal water, you will usually find these contaminants:

• Chlorine
• Chloramines
• Fluoride
• THMs (Trihalomethanes)
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

If you use well water, these are the most common contaminants you’ll find:

• Particulate matter (dirt, bits of leaves, etc.)
• Bacteria and viruses
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• Radioactive substances

The Effectiveness Of Different Types Of Water Filters

Pitcher Filters

Pitcher-style filters such as Brita filters are inexpensive units, making them very popular with consumers. However, in the long term, they are actually one of the most expensive option. The filters cartridges require frequent replacement — the cost for 40 gallons is $7-10 each, or $130-$190 for 750 gallons.

Almost all pitcher-style filters use GAC or “granulated activated carbon” as the filtration medium. Typically, GAC is coconut husks that have been heated to a high temperature in the absence of oxygen and then granulated. These filters do remove some chlorine and hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs odor) — but are not effective at removing VOCs, metals, pesticides or fluoride. Overall, they are not very effective water filters.

Faucet Filters

Filters that attach to your kitchen faucet are very similar to Pitcher Filters, but they do filter a little better than the pitcher-style filters. However, they have the same drawbacks — they are expensive to maintain and they do not remove many contaminants. You must replace filters every 100 gallons at $20-$40 each or $140-$180 for 700 gallons.

Colin Ingram, author of the The Drinking Water Book rates all faucet filters no higher than “Acceptable”.

Gravity-Fed Drip Filters

In my opinion, the best water filters are gravity-fed drip water filters. These filters are excellent at removing chlorine, chlorination by-products, fluoride, VOCs, pesticides, particulates and pharmaceuticals. These filters use “candle” type filters, which are widely available and can be customized to your specific filtration needs.

Gravity-fed filters require no electricity to operate — water is filtered as it drips from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. Because the water is filtered slowly, the filtration is much more effective than a faucet-mounted filter. Generally, slow filtration methods tend to be best.

Berkey is best-known drip filter manufacturer. They make good quality filters. You might also consider ProPur filters. Their latest filter, the ProOne G 2.0, will remove fluoride — including hydrofluorosilicic acid (few filters remove this contaminant).

These filters use carbon block filtration, which works by the process of adsorption (different than absorption). In this process, the carbon attracts certain contaminants at the molecular level, and the contaminants become attached to the surface of the carbon. Once the surface of the carbon is full, the filter must be thrown out and replaced. However, the ProPur filters can be periodically scrubbed, and thus reused for years.

These filter are certified to NSF/ANSI standards #42 (test for chlorine, taste, odor and particulates), NSF Standard #53 (tests for Cryptosporidium, Giardia, lead, VOCs and MTBE) and NSF Standard #61 (tests that toxins aren’t leached into water). They are manufactured in England.

Berkey filter are available from Amazon for about $300.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse Osmosis filters use a membrane which removes many contaminants from water. They are usually paired with a Granulated Activated Charcoal filter to remove chlorine. Most reverse osmosis filters are installed under the sink and have a holding tank. The semipermeable membrane separates many contaminates (which usually have a larger particle size that water) from the water and rejects a large amount of water in the process. The result is a waste of several gallons of water for every gallon filtered and many naturally occurring minerals (including calcium and magnesium) are also removed from the water.

However, they are quite effective filters, in terms of removing contaminants. However, they do not reduce VOCs or pesticides (unless a Carbon Block filter is included). They can take up to an hour to filter one gallon of water and the filters need to be replaced regularly.

If you want to go this route, I recommend the iSpring Reverse Osmosis System, which is quite reliable.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Countertop Distillers

Countertop distillers are effective water purifiers, but they take some time to distill water (for example 5 hours to distill 1 gallon). They also require electricity to run, and they give off some heat and the integrated fans make some noise. Also, most distillers do not remove VOCs (like benzene) because they have a lower boiling point that water. So they will vaporize together with the stream, resulting in a contaminated distillate.

Countertop distiller that get a rating of “Excellent” from Colin Ingram in the The Drinking Water Book are: Megahome Countertop Distiller, Waterwise 4000 and Waterwise 8800, Kenmore 34480 and Pure Water Mini-Classic.

Megahome Countertop Water Distiller

This distiller is sold under many brand names — it’s the most widely distributed distiller in the world. It has many quality components despite being inexpensive. It produces 1 gallon of water in 5 hours. The water is passed through a small granular carbon filter. There’s a sealed connections from the distiller to the water collection container, so there is minimal risk of contamination by air. The unit has a stainless steel boiling chamber that is easily accessible for cleaning.

The Megahome Countertop Distiller is available from Amazon for about $150.

Waterwise 4000 Countertop Distiller

This is a more powerful version of the distiller listed above. It has the same features but produces 1 gallon of distilled water in 4 hours. Also received an “Excellent” rating from Colin Ingram in the The Drinking Water Book.

The Waterwise 4000 is available from Amazon for about $320.

Overall Rating: Excellent

The post The Best Water Filters appeared first on Reactual.

If you want to remove both chloramines and chlorine from your shower, I recommend a vitamin-C based shower filter, like the Sonaki In-Line Filter

This combination filter is also available — it incorporates a sediment filter and a Vitamin C filter into one unit.

The Details

Almost all popular shower filters available today only remove 20% – 80% of free chlorine (not total combined chlorine) from your shower. This includes shower filters that are certified by the NSF #177 Standard — unfortunately this standard only indicates that a filter will remove 50% of free chlorine in the water.

Also, many cities now treat water with chloramines instead of chlorine. There are no conventional shower filters that will remove more than a small amount of chloramines from your shower. The only way to remove chloramines is to use a Vitamin-C based shower filter which are only made in Korea and Japan.

Why Filter Your Shower?

Because your skin absorbs substances while showering. Typically, 60% of the chlorine that most people absorb daily comes from showering in chlorinated water. Chlorine damages your hair and skin.

Shower water also contains things like heavy metals and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Ideally, all these things should all be filtered out, but filtering water at the showerhead is problematic, because the water is typically hot and under high pressure, making filtration difficult. Carbon filters, which are normally excellent at remove chlorine, cannot handle the volume and heat of shower water.

Because of these problems, most shower filter makers rely on a metallic medium called KDF. Shower filter vendors typically show impressive charts to demonstrate long-term removal of chlorine. However, if you read the tests carefully, you’ll see that they apply to “free chorine” (chlorine that has not combined with other constituents in water), and the reality is that KDF-filters have little effect on “total chlorine” (combined chlorine). In fact, chlorine is often added at the water plant as a blend with ammonia called “chloramine.” KDF is not effective at removing chloramine or combined chlorine.

Here are the details on my recommended shower filters:

Vitamin C Shower Filters

Vitamin C shower filters are very effective in removing chlorine and chloramines from shower water. Chloramine or NH₂Cl  (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) is now commonly being used in place of chlorine for disinfection, but chloramines are not easily removed from water. Carbon filters are virtually useless in showers, because they do not work when the water is warm, and they also get clogged fairly quickly. KDF filters also don’t perform well in hot water, and they don’t remove chloramines. However, Vitamin C filters can remove chloramines effectively from water. To back this up, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission now states on their website that only Vitamin C can be used to remove chlormaines from municipal water. Here is the quote from the Commission:

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) has recently been included in AWWA Standard (AWWA, 2005b) as one of the methods for dechlorination of disinfected water mains. SFPUC and other utilities have used Vitamin C for dechlorination prior to environmental discharges of chlorinated and chloraminated water. Since ascorbic acid is weakly acidic, the pH of water may decrease slightly (Tikkanen et al., 2001). Ascorbic acid has been used for a long time as one of the dechlorinating agents for preservation of chlorinated or chloraminated water samples for laboratory analysis.

The full document can be found here.

Vitamin C filters are simple in design — they contain a solid block of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and water runs through the filter and comes into contact with the Vitamin C. The Vitamin C neutralizes about 99% of the chlorine and chloramines in the water, and their effectiveness does not diminish until the Vitamin C is completely used up.

My recommendation for a Vitamin C showerhead is the Sonaki In-Line Filter

The filters last about 2-4 months before they need replacing, depending on how many showers you take. The filter is transparent, so you can see when the Vitamin C has run out.

Refills for the Sonaki filters are priced at $37 for 5 filters.

Sprite HOB-CM Brass Shower Filter

If you are just interested in removing free chlorine and sediment from your water, my recommendation is to use a Sprite Shower Filter. This filter is NSF Certified to standard #177 for shower filtration. It removes most free chlorine and some combined chlorine, sediment, hydrogen sulfide, iron oxide. Besides the fact that it does not remove chloramines, this is pretty good filter, and it is constructed with brass instead of the usual plastic.

The filter comes with a one year warranty, it is rated to filter 20,000 gallons or last 12 months, which ever comes first. It should be flipped half-way through the year. If the O-ring on the filter breaks, Sprite will replace it for free.

You can get the Sprite Shower Filter on Amazon for around $48.

See also my review of low-flow shower heads — these shower heads can be used in conjunction with these filters.

The post The Best Shower Filter appeared first on Reactual.

The best portable water filters available today are:

• The Sawyer Products Complete 4-Liter Filtration System. Filters down to 0.1 microns. This includes almost all pathogens, except certain viruses. It costs about $180.
• The Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter. Filters down to 0.2 microns. It costs about $340.

Another reliable method of killing all pathogens in water is using chlorine dioxide tablets, such as Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets.

The Details

Portable filters are designed primarily to remove pathogens from outdoor water. Some units also include carbon filters to reduce VOCs and toxic metals in the water.

These are the three type of pathogens you want to remove from wilderness water:

Protozoan Cysts (Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia)

Size: 1 – 20 microns

Type of filtration needed to remove: Micro-filtration, ozonation or reverse osmosis, UV (ultraviolet light)

Bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Yersinia entercolitica, Leptospira interrogans, etc.)

Size: 0.1 – 10 microns

Type of filtration needed to remove: Micro-filtration needed, ozonation or reverse osmosis, UV (ultraviolet light)

Viruses (hepatitis A, rotavirus, enterovirus, norovirus, Norwalk virus)

Size: 0.025 – 0.1 microns (25 nanometers to 100 nanometers)

Type of filtration needed to remove: Ultra-filtration needed – ozonation or reverse osmosis, UV (ultraviolet light)

Notes On Pathogens

• Pesticides, herbicides and other toxins and pollutants associated with agriculture and urban development do not normally impact water sources found deep in wilderness areas
• Viruses are rarely encountered in North American wilderness waters
• Bacteria (including beneficial bacteria) is naturally present in surface water
• Protozoan cysts and viruses are found in water contaminated by animal or human waste (principally feces)

The Best Portable Water Filter: Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter

The Katadyn is a dependable filter which has been used by back country hikers for many years. The filtration member is rated at 0.2 microns.  The silver-impregnated ceramic element is effective against bacteria and protozoa, and it will filter 50,000 liters (13,000 gallons) before a replacement is needed.

The Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter is available from Amazon for about $340.

Another Alternative: Sawyer Products Complete 4-Liter Filtration System

The Sawyer Filtration System is an excellent kit, that filters down to 0.02 microns, using a hollow fiber membrane. That’s almost on par with the Lifesaver, with it’s 0.015 micron filtration. Thus, the Sawyer can filter out most pathogen, including viruses.

What’s great about this system is that it almost never needs a replacement filter. The manufacturer has a guarantee that it will filter one million gallons before replacement. However, long-time users report the water reservoir bags need replacing after a couple of years.

The Sawyer System is gravity-fed, and allows you to purify 4 liters of water in about 10 minutes.

The Sawyer Products Complete 4-Liter Filtration System is available from Amazon for about $180.

Chlorine Dioxide Tablets

Chlorine dioxide tablets are a good choice for water purification. They will destroy all pathogen in water. Also, they leave no taste in the water (unlike iodine tablets). Like all water treatment tablets, these take 15 minutes to destroy viruses and bacteria, 30 minutes to destroy Giardia, and 4 hours to destroy Cryptosporidium.

I recommend the Katadyn Micropur MP1 Purification Tablets. This is only tablets registered with the EPA.

Boiling Water

You can boil water for one minute to destroy all pathogens. It is a foolproof treatment method. Only one minute of boiling is required. The most heat-resistant pathogen out there is the virus hepatitis A. Even hepatitis is believed to die in less than one minute in water heated to 98°C/208°F. It is because of hepatitis A (or maybe just tradition) that some health organizations and wilderness rangers persist in recommending at least 1 minute of boiling time to purify water, and 3 minutes at higher elevations.

The post The Best Portable Water Filters appeared first on Reactual.

Fluoride is fairly difficult to remove from water. The filters produced by Brita and Pur use activated carbon for filtration. They do not remove any fluoride.

These filtration methods are recommended by the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and the WQA (Water Quality Association):

• Bone Char Filtration
• Ion-Matrix Filtration
• Activated Alumina Filtration
• Reverse Osmosis Filtration
• Distillation

Here is the document (PDF file) that states the WQA (Water Quality Association) recommendations.

Pitcher Filters

This US-made Aquagear filter is said to certified by ISO 17025 accredited labs tests to remove 90% of fluoride in water. However, I have not tested this claim so I cannot fully recommend it.

Distilllers

Distillation is capable of removing just about anything (except volatile compounds) from water. If you have a distiller, you can use it to remove fluoride. However, distillation takes time and lost of electricity, and makes water taste flat and lifeless.

My recommended distiller: the Megahome Distiller, which costs about $200.

Reverse Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis relies on pressure and a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants from water. It can remove around 90% fluoride in your water. Contaminants are trapped by the membrane and flushed away in the waste water. The process requires between 2 and 4 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of clean water.

Like distillation, reverse osmosis removes almost everything from water, and makes the water taste flat.

My recommended filter is the iSpring 75GPD 5-Stage Filter, which costs about $170, plus any installation costs.

Why Remove Fluoride From Your Water?

Fluoride is a toxic substance. It is used in pesticides and rodenticides. The FDA now requires that all fluoride toothpaste sold in the U.S. carry a poison warning that instructs users to contact the poison control center if they swallow it. Excessive fluoride exposure is well known to cause skeletal fluorosis (a painful bone disease) and dental fluorosis (discolored teeth). Excessive fluoride exposure has also been linked to a range of other chronic ailments including arthritis, bone fragility, glucose intolerance, gastrointestinal distress and thyroid disease.

Since 2010, over 70 communities have rejected the water fluoridation, including cities like Calgary, Alberta and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Most developed nations have rejected fluoridation, including 97% of western Europe. According to the British Fluoridation Society, there are more people drinking artificially fluoridated water in the United States than all other countries combined.

You also absorb fluoride when showering and bathing. Unfortunately, there are no shower filters that will remove fluoride. However, you can install a whole house filter. I recommend Pure Effect Whole House Filters. Another option is to capture rainwater and use it instead of municipal water — see the book Rainwater Collection For the Mechanically Challenged for more information.

The post The Best Water Filters For Removing Fluoride appeared first on Reactual.

To use Binchotan, you simply place a piece of the charcoal into a water pitcher, and leave it to sit for 6-8 hours. After this time, the water in the pitcher will be purified and mineralized.

It is recommended that the Binchotan stick be boiled in a shallow pan of water for 10 minutes every month to keep the exterior pores open. After four months, boil the charcoal stick again. If you don’t see a profusion of bubbles circulating around the charcoal stick when it is returned to the pitcher and water is added, the stick has reached its capacity to absorb toxins. At that point it is ready to be composted in the garden or used as an odor absorber in your refrigerator.

You can get Binchotan on Amazon: 1 pound of Binchotan costs about $18. A single pound will last you 3-6 months depending on the amount of water you purify, and the amount of contaminants in your water. You can also get a portable Binchotan bottle for on-the-go filtration.

Binchotan: A Super-Adsorbent Charcoal

Binchō-tan is only made in the forests of Wakayama, a province in southern Japan. The branches of Holm Oak trees are sustainably harvested then slowly fired in traditional kiln ovens over many days.

The very dense wood of a Holm Oak has a multitude of open pores through which the tree breathes, nourishes itself, and redistributes chemicals back into the earth. The microorganisms (which are utterly harmless to humans) that live in these pores efficiently decompose toxic chemicals like chlorine, pesticides and herbicides. This phenomenon of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) ensures that contaminants stick to the active charcoal until it is completely saturated. This is why it is necessary to reactivate the binchotan every three months by soaking it in boiling water.

The fineness and high quality of binchō-tan are attributed to steaming at high temperatures (about 1000 degrees Celsius). Although it is often thought that binchō-tan burns hot, it actually burns at a lower temperature than ordinary charcoal but for a longer period. It does not release smoke or other unpleasant odors. Binchō-tan or white charcoal is harder than black charcoal, and rings with a metallic sound when struck. Wind chimes and a musical instrument, the tankin (“charcoal-xylophone“) have been made from it.

A number of Binchotan-inflused products are now on the market: Binchotan pumice stones. Binchotan body scrubs, Binchotan eye masks and even Binchotan facial soap.

The post Binchotan Charcoal: An Inexpensive Way To Mineralize and Filter Water appeared first on Reactual.