The 7 Best Water Distillers
Updated by · How we research
Seven home water distillers compared on output, glass or plastic carafes and upkeep, from a stovetop still to the Megahome MH943SBS, our stainless pick. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A countertop distiller makes about a gallon every four to six hours, so it fits people who need a few gallons a day for drinking, a CPAP machine, a humidifier or a fish tank. Boiling leaves minerals, metals and most germs behind, but some chemicals boil off with the steam, which is why a carbon filter matters.
Editor's Notes
October 27, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Megahome MH943SBS now leads, the stainless version of the Megahome that headed this list before, because it keeps water in steel and glass and has the longest record of the units still sold. Seven of the ten earlier picks had to go. The Vevor Digital, Waterwise 9000, Waterwise WW1600 and Durastill 30J have disappeared from sale, while the Pure Water Mini-Classic CT is now sold only by its maker, so it moved to the special honors. We dropped the Durastill 4696, a floor-standing unit that costs thousands, and the Beamnova Moonshine Spirits Kit, because distilling spirits at home without a federal permit is illegal.
The H2oLabs 300SS and Waterwise 3200 stay. New picks cover a cheap starter, a big-batch machine, an easy-fill model and the Kitchen Crop Little Creek, a stovetop still that needs no power. For evidence we read the makers' spec pages and manuals, the federal alcohol bureau's rules on home stills, and the recall records, where the only distiller recall we found dates to 1999. We also weighed owner reports of boiler scale, plastic taste and leaks.
Earlier notes
October 21, 2020, by Fred Naumann:
The majority of home distillers offered for drinking water purification are electric, but we wanted to include some options that can be used on a wood-burning stove or camping cooker, for those interested in having clean water even while off the grid. To that end, we added the Waterwise WW1600, a lightweight and travel-friendly choice that uses a multistage steel collection assembly, and the Beamnova Moonshine Spirits Kit, which can also be used to distill alcohol for homemade cocktails.
The other new addition is the H2olabs 300SS, which we picked for its durable construction and the inclusion of long-lasting filter inserts to help ensure purity. We removed the Rovsun 4L, a similar but flimsier model, due to a substantial number of complaints that it broke or began leaking within a few months of purchase.
We also pushed the Pure Water Mini-Classic CT a bit higher up the list, due to its considerable speed and solid construction. The only significant drawback for this machine is the price, but we felt it was well worthy of consideration for those in the market for a high-end option.
If you're unsure about whether you really need a water purifier, consider trying one of the home water testing kits we've reviewed. Or, for safer drinking water on the go, check out these filtered water bottles.
January 31, 2019, by Brett Dvoretz:
First and foremost, we did our best to only include models where you water has limited, if any, exposure to plastic while undergoing the distillation process. This also means selection as many options as possible that had a steel, glass, or porcelain-lined nozzle. After that, we made sure to choose units with built-in safety features and that would suit a range of different consumption requirements.
Special Honors
Pure Water Mini-Classic CT Pure Water builds its countertop and automatic distillers in the U.S., with an all-stainless boiler, a glass jar and a 15-year warranty on the stainless parts. The Mini-Classic CT now sells through the maker rather than on Amazon, and it costs well above any pick here. purewaterinc.com
Waterwise 4000 The Waterwise 4000 swaps the 3200's plastic carafe for a glass collector and makes about a gallon in four to four and a half hours. The maker sells it directly, and it was back-ordered at the time of this update. waterwise.com
What Distilling Removes, And What It Doesn't
That's why it's the standard fill for CPAP machines, humidifiers, steam irons and car batteries.
A distiller boils water, cools the steam in a coil and catches the drips. Minerals, metals, salts, nitrate and most bacteria and viruses stay behind in the boiler as scale, and the result usually reads under one part per million of dissolved solids (Wikipedia: Distilled water). That's why it's the standard fill for CPAP machines, humidifiers, steam irons and car batteries.
It isn't perfect. Chemicals that boil at a lower temperature than water, such as some solvents and chlorine by-products, can ride along with the steam. Better machines vent those gases at the top and finish with an activated carbon filter (Waterwise). H2oLabs adds that a heater that's too strong can splash boiling water into the coil and carry dissolved matter with it (H2oLabs). Both are makers' claims, but the advice is sound: if your tap water is chlorinated or has a solvent problem, keep fresh carbon in the spout.
Distilled water is safe to drink, but it hasn't been shown to be healthier than ordinary tap water, and it has none of the calcium or magnesium that hard water carries. It also tastes flat. A normal diet covers the minerals.
Steel And Glass, Or Plastic, And How Much You Need
What the finished water touches is the biggest split between models. The Megahome and H2oLabs 300SS use a stainless boiler and coil, a glass carafe and a porcelain-lined spout. The budget white machines from Vevor and Co-Z use a stainless pot but collect in a plastic pitcher, and the Waterwise 3200 uses a clear Tritan carafe. Plastic pitchers are BPA-free, but if the point is water that never sits in plastic, pay for glass.
Speed is the second split. Most home units make about a gallon in four to six hours, and the makers rate them at four to six gallons a day if you keep refilling. Waterwise puts the power draw at about 3.2 kilowatt-hours per gallon (Waterwise 4000), so check your power bill's rate before you replace bottled water for a big family. A stovetop still makes about a quart an hour and needs someone nearby.
Readers searching for the Waterwise 1600 or 9000 will find both are gone; the 3200 and 4000 replace them. Automatic floor units from Durastill or Pure Water that fill a reserve tank cost several thousand dollars and suit offices and clinics more than kitchens (Pure Water).
Cleaning, Safety And The Alcohol Question
Scale is the chore. Hard water leaves a crust in the boiler after every run, and most makers suggest a citric acid or vinegar soak about once a month, more often with very hard water. Carbon filters need replacing every two to three months, or after about 60 to 80 gallons (Waterwise 4000). Pour out the first batch or two from a new machine.
The dome, boiler and steam vent get hot. Run the machine on a hard surface with a few inches of clearance, keep it away from cabinets that trap steam, and let it cool before moving it. Every electric pick here shuts off when the boiler runs dry. A U.S. electrical safety listing such as UL or ETL means more than the CE or FDA marks some budget machines show. We found no recalls for any brand on this list in the CPSC SaferProducts records; the last distiller recall we found was in 1999.
A water distiller is not an alcohol still. Federal law bars making distilled spirits at home, even for personal use, and an unregistered still can bring felony charges (TTB). Some budget listings mention wine or alcohol; don't take that as permission.
How we researched this
We compared 18 countertop, stovetop and floor-standing water distillers, read the makers' spec pages and manuals for the 7 picks, analyzed owner feedback on scale, leaks and taste, checked every brand against the CPSC recall database, and read the federal rules on home stills. We found no independent lab tests of home water distillers. Updated October 27, 2026 by Ezvid Wiki Editors.
Sources (9)
Frequently asked questions
Are water distillers worth the money?
They are if you use a few gallons of mineral-free water a week, for a CPAP machine, humidifier, iron or aquarium, or if you want to stop buying jugs for drinking water. They're slow and use power, and the boiler needs descaling, so they don't suit a household that needs many gallons a day.
Does a distiller remove everything from water?
No. It leaves minerals, metals and most germs behind, but some chemicals with a low boiling point can travel with the steam. A vent and an activated carbon filter in the spout catch most of those, so keep the filter fresh.
How long does it take to make a gallon of distilled water?
Most countertop machines need four to six hours per gallon. A stovetop still makes about a quart an hour.
Is it safe to drink distilled water every day?
Yes. It simply has no minerals and no proven health advantage over ordinary tap water, and it tastes flat. A normal diet supplies the minerals.
Can I use a water distiller to make alcohol?
No. Federal law forbids making distilled spirits at home without a permit, and the TTB treats an unregistered still as a felony. A water distiller is meant for water only.
How often should I clean a water distiller?
Descale the boiler with citric acid or vinegar about once a month, more often with hard water, and replace the carbon filter every two to three months.
