What's Better than Kangen Water? Comparing Enagic's Kangen Machine and SpringAqua's Water Filter
What’s the best water filter in the world? Depends on whom you ask. It took me years to find a water filter that really impressed me because I’m just super picky about water quality. And throughout those years, I’ve been approached countless times by Kangen representatives claiming that their alkalizing ionizing filters produce the best water.
But, my research showed something very different, so I always turned them down, knowing there must be a better option out there. My preference has always been to harvest raw, wild, living springwater directly from the Earth. But I know that’s not always accessible for everyone, so, finally, I discovered an option that can bring springwater to those folks, too.
And today, in honor of the hundreds of Kangen affiliates who have approached me over the years, I want to offer a comparison between Enagic’s Kangen water and SpringAqua water, for anyone out ther trying to decide the best way to hydrate themselves and their family. There’s a lot of conflicting information about water and I hope that this can provide some guidance and clarity, and at least a jumping off point for you to do your own research.
We will compare the two systems according to their filtration, structure, ions and electrolytes, ORP, hydrogen content, pH, pricing, warranty, Commissions, and then zoom out and take a broad stroke general overview. And I want to honor your time, so if you’re watching this on YouTube, you can navigate using the timestamps for each topic below. And if you stick around to the end, I have a special coupon code for you.
Filtration
First, filtration.
If your home is piped with tap water, you need a filter. No question. Either you get a filter, or your body will become the filter.
Kangen
The Kangen water filters produced by Enagic are granulated activated carbon (called GAC) with much large pores that allow more things to get trough. It really only removes debris and solid impurities. But things like heavy metals, fluoride, chlorine, chloramine, THMs, DBPs, and other compounds, all make it through into the water.
In other words, if your tap water contains toxic heavy metals, then your Kangen Water will still contain toxic heavy metals. According to Enagic the Kangen machine’s manufacturer, under filter specifications (buried in the fine print on on the page) it says: “Elements not removable – Metallic ions and/or salinity present in the original tap water.”
In water, heavy metals such as mercury and lead show up as metallic ions. If you live in an older home with lead in the pipes, and own a Kangen machine, you need to get the additional heavy metal filters for it.
And well-water hardness or salt in the water is not only removed, but can be additionally concerning, because the ionization process turns salt (sodium chloride) into chlorine! And if you purchase Enagic’s additional electrolysis enhancer, which is a chemical salt solution used to make stronger Kangen water, it further increases the salt, chlorine, and calcium residue that build up in the machine and in the water. For this reason, Kangen recommends buying separate citric acid cleansing cartridges to remove the buildup.
So, in short, Kangen machines by themselves are not effective filters, which is why most Kangen sales reps suggest investing in a pre-filter, which is a separate tool you have to purchase in addition to the already overpriced Kangen, to filter the water even before it gets to the Kangen filter.
SpringAqua
Now, let’s look at SpringAqua’s filtration:
It has a complete filtration system that removes all heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, iron, lead, mercury, fluoride, nitrites, residual chlorine, THMs, mold, yeast and more. In short, it’s a full-spectrum, high-quality filter that removes anything you don’t want in the water.
Its 14 layer filter was designed based on studying and replicating the geology of mother nature‘s underground filtration at sacred Spring sites like in Lourdes France, which produces some of the most clean and healing water on Earth. This is why the SpringAqua is called an ecosystem in a box, because its design is based on biomimicry, or replicating the Earth’s processes.
Structure
Now, let’s look at water structure and crystallinity.
The structure of water is really important, it’s what gives the water its capacity to not only quench thirst, but moreover to facilitate life! You can think of water structure as similar to carbon structure. If I have unstructured carbon in my left hand unstructured carbon in my right hand, I’m holding a lump of black coal on the left, and a perfectly crystalline diamond on the right.
They are both just carbon, but these allotropes behave very differently. The same is true of structured and unstructured water. It may appear as a clear liquid either way, but it’s effects in your body are as different as the appearance of coal and diamonds. as different as the appearance of coal and diamonds.
Kangen
Many Kangen representatives claim that their water is structured because it has an ionic charge.
But the fact is, ionic charge does NOT equal molecular structure.
Water crystallography is all about the strength of the hydrogen bonds. And the whole process of electrolysis breaks apart those hydrogen bonds, separating the hydrogen. So, by definition, it couldn’t possibly be structuring the water! It literally rips the structure apart as it separates the molecules.
Dr. Marcel Vogel, an IBM scientist and one of the most renown and prolific water crystallographers, had this to say about it:
"Ionization of water can either occur through structuring the water…or by electrical hydrolysis… When the water is electrically ionized…the existing bonds in the water are torn apart… This process of ionization…creates water with an electrical charge, but with no structural charge. It does not have the structural information.” And Dr. Carly Nuday talks about this phenomenon a bit as well.
In other words, structured water may have a negative charge. And alkalized ionized water may have a negative charge. But this does not mean that the ionized water is structured. Make sense? The electrical current DOES cause water molecules to all align in the direction of the electric current, but there’s no cohesion and connection, so the overall degree of structure in the water is reduced, even though there’s alignment.
Many representatives are aware that the water is not structured. And so they recommend getting a water structurer to use after the Kangen machine. Again, another separate product to buy in addition to the machine itself to do what the machine can’t do.
SpringAqua
The Spring Aqua structures water via a proprietary method involving vortexing, crystals, and nonelectrical near and far broad-spectrum frequencies, all very similar to the way that spring water is structured. It performs beautifully in UV spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance or NMR imaging tests, which are both used as measurements of crystallinity.
The prototypes for this unique structuring method were developed by Dr. Henry, a professor of quantum physics with two PhD‘s in physics and optometric sciences. And the crystalline coherence of the water lasts for three months after it’s poured.
Ionization & Electrolytes
Now let’s take a look at ionization. In nature, ionization happens via water’s structure, its charged electrolytes, a.k.a. conductive minerals dissolved in the water, proximity to geomagnetic rock formations, rushing waterflow such as waterfalls and crashing waves, as well as shifting temperature and density gradients, such as those that cause water to rise to the surface of a spring. Ionization is another way of referring to the water’s electrical charge, or how much energy it’s conducting.
Kangen
Kangen machines ionize water through an electrolysis process that basically electrocutes the water. Whereas nature uses dissolved minerals and weak electromagnetic fields such as geomagnetism for its ionization, such as geomagnetism, the Kangen uses strong manmade AC electrical currents. But unfortunately this ionization method isn’t very stable, in other words the water doesn’t hold its charge for more than a few hours.
Not only does Kangen not remineralize the water, but depending on the TDS or total dissolved solids of the source water going into the machine, any alkaline minerals that enter it end up as hydroxides attached to the OH negative ion. The body doesn’t recognize these compounds. So if your kidneys are functioning well, you will just pee them out. But if not, they could end up as arterial plaque or as mineral deposits in joints and tissues.
SpringAqua
With spring aqua, the highly structured water doubles as an ionic mineral supplement. It uses the Maifan Stone, a medical stone, often called a “sun stone,” or “mystery stone” in the japanese culture, or “life stone” in the Americas. And it’s used to amplify the energetic conductivity of the water, and to dissolve around 26 ionically charged electrolytes and trace minerals including quartz, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, selenium, copper, zinc, etc.
Ionized electrolytes are crucial because 90% of Americans are deficient in trace minerals - and that can set our bodies up for failing health. In fact, trace minerals are often the missing link in healing. Nature has designed ecosystems such that natural water provides doses of minerals and electrolytes necessary for our survival.
Wild spring water has beautifully balanced and buffered mineral profiles. But the domesticated, treated, denatured, processed, tap water that most folks drink is sadly totally devoid of them. Restoring water, and our own bloodstream, back to full health has to include ionized electrolytes.
ORP
Now let’s compare ORP, or Oxidative Reductive capacity, which is a measurement of the water’s antioxidant potential. Personally, I don’t think this is a super important factor of water quality as it relates to hydration and health, but that’s just my opinion and some folks really value it, so I wanted to include it here for them.
Kangen
So, the ORP of Kangen water is -400 milivolts , plus or minus 100 depending on the water.
SpringAqua
The ORP of SpringAqua is -750 mv, plus or minus 100.
So the SpringAqua has anywhere from 150-550mv more oxidative reductive capacity.
Hydrogen
Now let’s compare their hydrogen content and quality.
This is where the biggest healing benefits come from, with both options.
Your body is about 62% hydrogen, and the more hydrogen is in your water, the more hydrating it is. In fact, Nobel laureate Albert Szent-Gyorgi said that “hydrogen is the fuel of life”. And it’s true! Your body converts it into hydroelectric energy and ATP. And there have been thousands of studies showing its healing benefits for around 150 human disease ranging for everything from cancer to allergies to metabolic conditions and more!
But the quality, source, and isotope of the hydrogen are really important.
Kangen
The Kangen machine suffuses water with hydrogen at a concentration of .4 to .9 miligrams/L or parts per million. I’ve read some sources that say the concentration in ERW is up to 1ppm.
And because the method it uses it electrolysis, the hydrogen is very unstable and evaporates quickly. So you have to drink the water quickly after pouring, to get the therapeutic effects.
The TDS of source water is an important consideration with Kangen in general, because if the water is too hard it clogs the machine rather quickly, causing it to produce far less hydrogen.
Whereas, if the source water is too soft, there’s not enough reaction for it to create the right doses of hydrogen. The tap water going into the machine has to have a TDS of at least 100ppm to facilitate enough hydrogen in the final water for it to have any beneficial effect.
As a quick sidenote, there’s more than one kind of Hydrogen. Deuterium is a heavy isotope of hydrogen, which (because it has an extra neutron) isn’t as easily converted into cellular energy as light protium hydrogen, which only has 1 neutron.
So, because the Kangen method uses electrolysis, it can sometimes result in water that’s heavy in deuterium hydrogen, depending on the quality of the cathodes, and on the ratio of the deuterium content of the source water. Because the ionization process frees the hydrogen that’s already in the water, so it would maintain its proportions if the cathodes are in good shape, or donate extra neutrons and increase the deuterium if they’re not. Tap water generally has a deuterium content of around 150-157 parts per million.
SpringAqua
The SpringAqua’s Wet7 model suffuses water with a concentration of 1.4-1.6 parts per million.
So, if you’re doing the math, that’s anywhere between .4 to 1.2 parts per million more hydrogen than the Kangen.
The Wet3 model doesn’t add hydrogen, although it’s a great filter and structurer. But this is why I mostly only recommend the Wet7 model.
And because it adds hydrogen through the alchemy of dissolved magnesium in the water, the hydrogen is far more stable and evaporates much more slowly.
According to Tyler LeBarron, of the Molecular Hydrogen Institute, the world’s leading Hydrogen research center, the SpringAqua produces 100% protium hydrogen. It doesn’t alter the deuterium content of the source water, but it does shift the ratio by adding so much denovo protium hydrogen to it.
Ph
Now let’s compare their Ph… Again, this is another water measurement that I don’t personally pay much attention to, but many people value it so I wanted to include it here so we can be thorough.
Kangen
Kangen offers a broad range of Ph options along a scale from 2.7 to 11.
This versatility is one area where Kangen shines, because the unnaturally strong acidic and alkaline waters on the far end of its spectrum of options are good for cleaning and cosmetics.
But when it comes to the health effects of drinking alkaline water, most experts agree that it doesn’t really matter.
Even the president of the Korean Water Society, who conducted a number of studies in the 90s showing the effectiveness of alkaline ionized water against things like diabetes and cancer, also showed that when the hydrogen gas was removed, the water was no longer healing. So it’s really not the Ph that is healing, it’s the hydrogen.
And Dr. Hidemitsu Hayashi, a cardiac surgeon and Director of the Water Institute Japan, ALSO determined that the benefits of alkaline ionized water were only due to hydrogen in the water, a nd not its alkalinity. He had been one of the most pioneering researchers and proponents of alkalizing ionizer machines decades ago, but eventually he abandoned it water and devoted his efforts towards hydrogen rich water instead. It wasn’t until around 2007 that it was discovered that Kangen’s medicinal benefits were derived totally from the hydrogen and not from the Ph. By then, the company already had a strong hold on the market with their alkaline-based approach.
The body is designed to thrive in balance, and it’s really hard to change the body’s Ph through outside influence, so the claim that drinking unbuffered high Ph water will counterract acidosis is just unfounded. You can learn more about the science behind this is another video I made a few years ago, I’ll link it below.
SpringAqua
The Ph of SpringAqua water ranges between 7.4 to 9.5, depending on which handle you pour the water with.
Pricing
Ok, time to look at the price differences.
- There are several available models of Enagic machines ranging from 2000 to 6000.
- There are 3 available models of SpringAqua ranging from 1900 to 4200.
- So for the smallest models, only a $100 difference. For the best model, the Springaqua is $1800 cheaper.
- These numbers are not including, of course, the extra prefilters and electrolysis enhancers and citric acid cleansers that you have to buy for Kangen machines.
- Whereas the SpringAqua is all-inclusive, except for shipping and installation.
- Both Kangen and the SpringAqua offer financing to pay it off over time.
- And with both options, it’s best to replace the filter about once a year.
Warranty
- Enagic’s warranty for the kangen machines is up to 5 years.
- SPRINGAQUA offers a warranty up to 15 years.
Comissions
Kang en is an MLM or multi-level marketing, aka direct-sales style business, where people join hierarchical team structures where most of their income can be earned through recruiting other salespeople and receiving comissions that funnel up through the generations and branches of their downline.
The benefit of this is that the shared sense of community, co-creation, and the nearly tribal feeling of sharing your visions and goals with other people who are pursuing health and wealth can be a really attractive experience for some people, helping them feel like they’re part of something meaningful.
The downside is that it can sometimes breed people who view others only as sales prospects, and who know very little about real water science. Of course there are countless amazing people with pure hearts, sincere intentions and compassionate natures who are involved in the company as well, who have been told that Kangen water is the best water, and they just want to help people.
But many have made it into an off-putting cultish phenomenon, and honestly there are a lot of drawbacks to mlm-style businesses in general, that I won’t get into here. It’s a subjective thing. But, my own experiences aside, let’s just get back to comparing the facts:
SpringAqua also offers generous affiliate comissions for each unit sold, but it’s not an MLM style business. It’s a traditional business structure with a collaborative 3 generation model, so the focus is not on building big teams and recruiting salespeople. The focus is just on the water. So you can still work together with your friends if you want, but only 3 generations. And you can still earn a really good income, but not mostly off the backs of other peoples’ work.
There aren’t sprawling webs of up and down lines, and there are no ranks to hit, you don’t move up some kind of structure like you do with mlms. And you know that when you buy a machine, your money isn’t going straight to the commissions of an upline of a hundred people whom you’ve never met.
This is how SpringAqua keeps their prices so much lower, despite having a higher quality product. They just keep the affiliate side of things really simple. They also have a nice hands-off option available for any folks who want to share, but don’t consider themselves salespeople, where the springaqua customer service team will get engaged to chat with and educate your leads directly, which just saves you time and streamlines the process.
Final Thoughts
Kangen
I have some other concerns about Kangen water that I feel it’s important to express here. Because their marketing is so strong, it often fills the field with only one perspective. But balance is necessary, so that people can make more informed choices for their health. From what I’ve seen since I first started studying water in 2009, I feel I have an ethical obligation to raise awareness about the possible dangers of drinking unnatural, electrocuted water.
And there have been three separate studies showing that drinking alkaline ionized water in the long term water could cause cell death (necrosis), fibrosis, and other complications in heart muscles in rats... You can check the waterislife.love blog article accompanying this video for direct links to those studies.
I’ve known several people who, after many years of drinking the water, develop intense bloating. I spoke with a nurse practitioner who has seen multiple patients with a preponderance of H. Pilori and ulcers, because they had been diluting the hydrocholoric acid in their stomach and depleting their acidophilus (which, in Latin, means “acid loving bacteria”).
And I met a naturopath who specializes in live blood analysis, who said she can always discern the blood of someone who’s been a long-term drinker of ionized water, because they have more ruptured cells (which makes sense now, in the context of the cell necrosis study I mentioned before). Of course the majority of people probably won’t suffer these issues, and if they do arise they don’t happen in the short term! In fact, it’s common for people to have really beautiful healing experiences drinking the water.
That’s because 1) if you drop a few grand on a machine, you’re going to be drinking more water, and more water is usually better, regardless of the type. and 2) they’re getting more molecular hydrogen. But, again, there are more natural ways of getting hydrogen without electrocuting the water with unnatural manmade voltages and sending it into extreme imbalance that is not seen in nature.
All the same health benefits one receives from ionized electrolyzed reduced water can be received from healthy natural molecular hydrogen-enriched, ionic electrolyte-rich water.
To be fair... Am I always 100% anti-electrolysis? No, I’ve seen some contexts in which it’s used responsibly, such as in applications like browns gas, hydroxy gas, and plasma machines, but usually the hydrogen gas is rerouted to a second glass of un-ionized water, and one doesn’t directly drink the original ionized water, just the second dissolved hydrogen water. But those are all another topic for another video, and they are still not my preferred daily drinking water, personally.
SpringAqua
It uses no electricity, so it’s not a machine. It’s not another transhumanist feat of electro-masturbatory techno-nonsense.
It’s an ode to nature’s perfection. The inventors studied the hydrology of some of the most perfectly healing water irn the world, found at Bernadette’s Grotto in Lourdes, France. Since 1860, around 200 million people have visited this spring to partake of its healing water. There have been over 7000 documented unexplained cures from the water, 69 of which are officially recognized as miracles by the Catholic church.
SpringAqua was created to mirror the 14 layers of unique Lourdes geology and the spring’s hydrogen composition. It mimics real mature springwater as well as humans are currently capable of doing on this scale. Of course I don’t think that miracles can be measured, and there’s something of the unnameable divine mystery in Lourdes water that can’t be quantified or replicated.
Maybe that’s why Spring Aqua brought on board the quantum physicist Dr. Henry to design the prototypes for the water structuring and energizing designs that bless the water with something of the mysterious or miraculous. Hands down, I’d still rather drink straight from Bernadette’s Grotto again. But in the meantime, I’ll happily have a nature-based little ecosystem under my sink and drink from Spring Aqua.
Now, as promised at the beginning of the video, here’s your discount code...
If you go to bit.ly/SpringAqua to learn more and use coupon code WATERISLIFE, you’ll receive a free shower filter (worth $104) with your purchase.
TL;DR Overview
Where Kangen outshines SpringAqua:
Creating water for cleaning, household uses, like washing veggies, cosmetic uses, etc.
If you want to spend thousands just for a fancy cleaning appliance, knock yourself out.
Where SpringAqua outshines Kangen:
In literally every category we explored today - filtration, structure, electrolytes, ionization, hydrogen, the pricetag, warranty, and overall nature-guided biomimicry.
Conclusion
In conclusion, returning to the question I asked at the very beginning of this video… What’s the absolute best water filter?
Honestly,
Neither one of these. The earth is the best water filter! The earths geology and hydrological cycles are the ideal way of filtering, structuring, energizing, aerating, enlivening, and maturing water. But without a doubt, the SpringAqua comes the closest to mirroring natures wisdom compared to anything on the market.
My hero, ~~1, lived by the maxim, “Comprehend and copy nature.”
Let’s learn from nature. Let’s mimic nature. Let’s turn towards nature’s wisdom. And when we don’t have cess to fresh raw, wild-harvested natural spring water, which is ideal, then let’s do our best to ennoble our drinking water back to its spring-quality state through more gentle methods that mirror a healthy ecosystem.
Because what we do to water, we do to ourselves..