Description
The Waterwise 4000 is so compact and versatile that it’s widely used—with excellent results—by people around the world. You, too, can have a supply of fresh homemade distilled water no matter where you are. Since it requires no installation or hookups, the 4000 is an everywhere solution. Simply fill the stainless steel boiler with tap water, press the start button, and soon you will enjoy the most deliciously pure and refreshing water you’ve ever had. Glass collector/storage bottle.
Important information
Wattage
800 watts
Amazon Customer –
Has been a reliable distillerI’ve been using my distiller for a month and I find it easy to use and easy to clean. It puts out some heat because it heats the water during distilling, so I have it set up on my countertop in my laundry room so I can shut the door and keep the heat out of the rest of the house. I like the taste of the water. Most days I use my distiller and always have cold distilled water in the fridge for drinking. Some have complained about the pitcher not fitting tight to the distiller, but I don’t mind the configuration because the water doesn’t splash or leak, it flows just fine from the distiller into the pitcher without any problems. I clean the distiller with white vinegar and wipe dry after each use and the reservoir stays stain free. I am very happy with this purchase.
Grass_Tiger –
Good distiller, poorly designed pitcher.I like this distiller. I use it once or twice a day and have done for 8 months. I use it every day, and it has functioned without fail. Water tastes great. I have sulfur well water and there isn’t a hint of anything in this water, except water of course. Using the solution they give to clean off the scale that builds up inside works well too. I think it might just be citric acid unless there is something in there they didn’t put on the label.So, why only four stars? The glass pitcher!!! It is really terrible! I used one from a different distiller that is awesome, but it broke, so I ended up using this one. I can hardly wait to be able to afford to buy another of the other one I had. This has a big gap in the lid where you pour which means that insects can get inside while it’s distilling. I use this in my garage in the summer because it really heats the house–a couple degrees at least. So I put a wash cloth over the hole, but sometimes it droops and gets soaked and then drips water on the counter. So unnecessary. You have to take the lid off to pour anyway because the spout on this thing doesn’t work. It’s not shaped properly. No matter how slow or fast you poor it, the water just gets all over anyway. So, I’ve just given in to having to wipe up afterwards. But none of that was necessary with the other container.This is the one I used the pitcher from: http://www.amazon.com/Water-Distiller-Countertop-Enamel-Collection/dp/B00026F9F8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408135025&sr=8-1&keywords=water+distillerSo, why didn’t I just buy that distiller again? Because it died on me in only three months!!You can buy the pitcher separately though: http://www.amazon.com/Water-Distiller-Countertop-Enamel-Collection/dp/B00026F9F8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408135025&sr=8-1&keywords=water+distillerI'd recommend buying that if you can and save the one that comes with this distiller as a backup. The handle is on the back which is far easier to use than this one where it’s on the top. Soooo hard to use.So, there you are, it’s a good distiller, but a poorly designed pitcher. If you buy either pitcher, just be careful, they are both real glass and break easily.The only thing else I recommend is that if you depend on distilled water, you might want a back up. Paying expedited shipping on this is not pretty! Guess how I know? LOL Also, if you need a lot of water, you might also want to buy two because these are not commercial grade if you run them more than a time or two a day you will burn them out more quickly. I try to keep it to once a day.And, FYI, it takes five hours to make one gallon.
Dobbin Wynn –
Carafe bands EXTREMELY difficult to put on!I WANT to give this a 5 star rating on performance and it being great quality. But it comes without the bands on the glass carafe and they are EXTREMELY difficult to get on. For the cost of this product surely they could pack it in a box large enough for the carafe to come with the metal bands on it. The product is wonderful!
D. M. Lee –
Saves a trip to store and less plastic use but a tad noisy..Too early to attest to sturdiness but have made several batches of distilled water for our humidifiers, so far so good. I choose this distiller due to the stainless steel interior (any part that water touches) and the glass collection container.Easy to set up, use and clean. So far I am happy with the ease of use.Initially set it up in my kitchen but moved it to the garage due to fan noise of this appliance..I prefer not to listen to this for the 4-5 hours it is running..loud enough to be noticed and may interfere with hearing if you have any deficiencies there.
RJK –
Works fine and it distills!!!I ordered this model, because it was $100 less than the 8800 and it also has a glass carafe. Although it works just fine, I only rated it with 3 stars for a couple of reasons. First off, the proceedure for preparing the post carbon filter is a little cumbersome. You first have to slowly pour some distilled water through the filter. Now this is impossible since I haven’t used my distiller yet, and have to prepare the filter first. Well, there is an alternative; you can used regular water that has been boiled first. But that means a bit of work and patience waiting for it to cool. Well, once you do that, then you have to get out your boiling pot and boil the filter for 5 minuites. Then, once again, the instructions say pour some distilled (or boiled) water through it to clear it out. Well, once all that is done, you can install the filter into the spout of the distiller. The second reason (and somewhat frustration) is that once you have your glass carafe all filled with distilled water, pouring it out is another exercise in patience. You have to very very slowly pour the water out, because if you try to “rush” the process, water spills out all over the place. This initial pouring process is also aggrivated more because this gallon carafe is heavy, and the handle being on top of the carafe makes pouring a strain on the rist. For that reason, I quickly went back on line here on Amazon, and ordered the more expensive 8800. That is due here tomorrow, and hopefully it will make dealing with the carafe easier, and the filter arrangement is different and doesn’t have to be boiled. In fact the manual (which I have already downloaded) says you don’ t even have to use a filter. The other thing I look forward to is also in the actual distiller’s boiler container. It comes (at least the picture seems to indicate this) with its own handle. Now the boiler for the 4000 is just one big round container. That makes a third frustration because handling the 4000 boiler means you use both hands to hold it as you carry it to the sink and back. Also, it has a ‘tail’… the AC cord comes along for the ride. I am hoping all these little annoinces will be eliminated by spending the extra hundred bucks on the fancier unit. So,there you have it… Yes the 4000 is less expensive and works flawlessly, But for me, the bulkiness of the boiler and the awkward top handle and pouring spout were enough to make me order the 8800. Unless there are some hidden frustrations with the 8800, I will be keeping it and sending back the 4000.
Gregory Bell –
Good *IF* you add your own safety switch and pitcher(s)The machine itself works fine, and other reviewers have competently expressed most of what I wanted to say. Like any heating appliance, do not leave it on unattended, especially at the end of a cycle.Three stars instead of more, for the following reasons:1.There should be an independent, simple mains-power toggle switch, in addition to their “reset” button, in case the fancy temperature cut-off malfunctions somehow (as at least 2 reviewers have found eventually happened).Lacking a “true” toggling fail-proof power switch that cuts off mains power, the only way to “safe” the unit is to unplug it or use an outlet cutoff switch/timer. I have done the latter, because I had one lying around. But lacking one I would sooner pull the plug every time rather than chance leaving it to its own devices for any length of time. OK, no big deal since there’s a cheap and safe workaround, as long as you *know* to do it.1.5If you don’t follow the advice in #1, there’s another follow-on issue, which is that once you push the “reset” switch in, it remains “on” until the internal temperature exceeds water boiling. There’s no “cancel” except to unplug. This is annoying if you want to interrupt the cycle or something.2.There have been many back-and-forth reviews and comments about the carafe/pitcher being glass or not, and the lid issues. I thought maybe they were exaggerated, but no: The top of the glass carafe is designed in a truly, honestly awful and useless manner. It is like they designed it at the last moment before shipping, and did not really test it out. Read “Larry B. Hughes” review for a good summary of those issues.Many are concerned about glass vs. plastic from an aesthetic, breakability, or “toxin” perspective. But whether you prefer glass or plastic, the included carafe and top are a *serious detriment* to the usability of the unit.But all is not lost! Fortunately, 1-gallon containers of many materials and designs are plentiful and affordable in the world– just use a different one! You will probably have to raise the distiller a few inches (most gallon jugs are taller than the included one). Don’t skimp on this step, you do NOT want a gallon of boiling water tipping over onto you or your stuff!! OK, so safely raised, just put the tip of the distiller’s filter output right over your container’s pour spout, and you are good to go.This way you can also buy and use several identical containers in a rotation if you like, without paying the exorbitant markup for extra bespoke designed ones (the design of which, as we have seen, is junk).
Rachel E. Ross –
Not as fool proof as expectedOverall the distillar works like it is supposed to, but it’s easy to jostle the carbon filter when removing and replacing the lid. The filter looks like it’s still in place but the distilled water can drip around it. And at least with my water, if I don’t pay attention I’ve lost 4 hours and have a gallon of nasty tasting water for my trouble. When the filter sits like it’s supposed to its great and tastes fantastic. We had a similar distiller when I was growing up and it had replaces carbon filters you put in the drip piece. For this distiller the entire drip piece is what is replaced every 60 days. This uses a lot more plastic this way than I was expecting too.The heat from the distillation process is noticeable. At least on the summer time I’d keep it in a spare bathroom so it doesn’t heat the house as much. In the winter its welcome.I was also surprised to learn how little 1 gallon of water really is. For just myself its fine, but if you have a family you want something much bigger if everyone is going to be drinking it.Over all works like it’s supposed to worth a compact design, but due to the filter issue I wouldn’t buy this specific one again.
Tricia –
Waterwise 4000 DistillerI LOVE the Waterwise 4000 Distiller! I found it super easy to install the filter and to use. It works as described and distills 1 gal of water/4 hours. It is compact and takes up little space on my counter To prevent the glass water container from spilling over when pouring, I pour slowly. Also, to clean the canister, I use a cup of white distilled vinegar with two or more cups of water and let it sit for several hours. For tough residual matter, I scrubbed with a toothbrush. And, like MAGIC the residual matter was completely gone! I DO NOT recommend using a SOS, a steel wool sponge, or any kitchen cleanser as I think this will scratch and damage the canister.
May Bees –
TG but watch for thin areas over the elementsIt was nicely packaged.Ready to use right away.handle the filters carefully as they are not glued but held in place by grooved plastic – before I gained the skill of inserting them I had one that exploded and I had to put back togetherLook for any thin areas around the elements at the bottom because that is where mine is starting to rust a little after 4-5 months of useI used vinegar to clean mine at first. Then got the sulfamic acid Kleenz (sp) one and they do about the same thing… so it is a toss up about whether to use it.Pitcher is heavy when full and takes a strong steady hand to pour slowly so it does not spill into another container.I rinse the glass gallon jars I use with peroxide after its dry before refilling. I don’t bother rinsing the h2o2 out as there is book on using it for health – but only in minute/tiny quantities. When I clean it between filling – because our water leaves an oily, sometimes little curds, and lots of white residue – I use a fresh cloth out of the dryer with a tiny drop of dawn dish soap to clean and rinse it.Doing well on using it – so sad I filter my air and water – such basic things now days….A city near us tried to say no one could take Prozac in the city because it was getting in the water. Good luck with that. Go on a tour of your local water treatment facility. An eye opener!
Jan –
ReviewI love this machine. I rarely write reviews but thought I could add a couple helpful hints to this. I am on my second machine. The first lasted years and years. It eventually burned out. The carafe has changed immensely since the last one. This one pours well and doesn’t dribble half away like the old one. You will need to buy the Kleenwise powder. It does a great job and lasts a long time. When the cycle is done I store the water in half gallon glass containers in the refrigerator. It’s easier than the big carafe. One very helpful hint would be to not let it completely finish the cycle. When it is about an inch from the top, I unplug the machine. Pour off the water into containers and clean the unit. Since you left about an inch of water it doesn’t get as crusty and fused which makes cleaning much easier. I only us the powder about every 5 cycles. Otherwise I just clean it with a long round brush and fresh water while it’s still warm. You don’t need to let it cool down before taking off the lid. It isn’t a pressure cooker! Just aim the lid away from you because it is hot steam. The sooner you clean the tank, the better. I also think that stopping it short of it’s cycle might prolong it’s life. When my old one failed, it was one of the few times I wasn’t around to stop it before it auto shut off. It was dead after that. Maybe coincidence, maybe not!