There are many ways to treat and sterilize water. There are high tech ways, low tech ways, and lots of in-between ways. One isn’t necessarily better than the other but redundancy is important. Remember the old military saying: “Two is One and One is None”. You have to have more than one way to do stuff, especially something as important as sterilizing your drinking water. Today we are going to review one of the high-tech ways to sterilize water: The SteriPen.
SteriPEN Description
The SteriPEN is a compact, lightweight, battery-operated devise that purifies water by emitting Ultra-Violet (UV) light. There are about a half-dozen models to choose from, but all of them kill 99.9% of all bacteria, viruses and protozoa that is present in the water.
Using UV light to sterilize water is nothing new: there is a low-tech way called the SODIS method that uses the suns rays to do the same thing. SODIS though requires 6 hours of sunlight for a liter of water. The SteriPEN takes only 90 seconds for 1 liter.
Here is a quick video showing the SteriPEN in action:
What will the UV Light Kill?
The UV light in a SteriPEN will kill just about every biological contaminate that infects water. It kills:
- Bacteria
- Campylobacter
- Cholera
- Cryptosporidium
- Escherichia coli
- Hepatitis
- Protozoan parasite
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Viruses
SteriPEN Model Comparisons
SteriPEN Journey LCD
Description: The Journey is the top of the line SteriPEN for disinfecting water in the outdoors. It has a LCD screen that displays your choice of how much water you want to purify (1/2 or 1 liter), battery status and a countdown timer to tell you when the process is complete and your water is safe to drink.
Price: $99.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 128 grams (4.5 ounces)
Batteries: Two CR123 (included)
Treatments: 8000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
SteriPEN Classic
Description: This simple and ultralight purifier provides safe drinking water with a minimum of fuss. The SteriPEN Classic uses ultraviolet light to destroy viruses, bacteria and protozoa. There are no chemicals that leave an aftertaste in the water. It’s a perfect choice for backpacking, hiking or traveling.
Price: $69.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 162 grams (5.7 ounces)
Batteries: Uses four AA Lithium Batteries (not included)
Treatments: 8000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
Description: Enjoy the Freedom to go anywhere with SteriPEN’s smallest,lightest and first rechargeable UV water purifier.
Price: $119.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 74 grams (2.6 ounces)
Batteries: Internal Lithium
Treatments: 8000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
SteriPEN Adventurer Opti
Description: The AdventurerOpti, uses a revolutionary optical eye to sense the water. The patent-pending technology ensures safe use and provides purification in even the coldest of waters.
Price: $89.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 108 grams (3.8 ounces)
Batteries: Uses 2 CR123 Batteries (included)
Treatments: 8000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
SteriPEN Traveler
Description: The Traveler is designed with travelers in mind. It fits perfectly in commercial water bottles. It has a tapered neck and a 16oz or 32 oz size selection.
Price: $49.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 162 grams (5.7 ounces)
Batteries: Uses four AA Lithium Batteries (not included)
Treatments: 3000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
SteriPEN Emergency
Description: This is a good water purifier for the average prepper. It’s small enough to fit in almost any size emergency kit. It has a tapered end to disinfect water in various containers.
Price: $49.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 162 grams (5.7 ounces)
Batteries: Uses four AA Lithium Batteries (not included)
Treatments: 3000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
SteriPEN Sidewinder
Description: This is a hand-powered, battery and chemical-free ultraviolet water purification system. Crank it up! Comes with a BPA-free water bottle and a pre-filter.
Price: $99.95 (Suggested Retail)
Weight: 471 grams (16.6 ounces)
Batteries: No batteries needed
Treatments: 8000 x .5 liter (16 oz.)
The Sidewinder is unique in that it doesn’t require batteries. It has a hand-crank that generates the electricity for the UV bulb.
Here is a video showing the Sidewinder in action:
Conclusion
The SteriPEN gives users the ability to sterilize their drinking water at the touch of a button. The units are lightweight, durable, easy to use, and much more convenient than lugging around a large supply of water. They offer a tasteless, chemical free way of disinfecting water on the go. There are plenty of models to choose from, their main differences being differences in the capacities of the batteries, their size, and their weight. One of the great benefits of any SteriPEN is it’s ability to kill viruses, such as the viruses that cause hepatitis. I feel that no matter what model of the SteriPEN you happen to choose, it will be an important addition to your First Aid and Emergency Kits.
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