Short review:
No method of water treatment is perfect for every situation but for people who will be drinking relatively clean and colorless municipal, well, spring, or bottled water that merely requires disinfection to render microorganisms harmless, the SteriPEN is ideal.
Long Review:
This Classic set is the basic SteriPEN model with all the accessories included. All of the SteriPENs have the same basic mechanism with differences being in form, weight, type of battery, and expected battery life. Some of the models also have LCD readouts. They are sold in different colors and with or without batteries, a storage pouch, filters, etc. The primary difference is between the heavier ones that use four AA batteries and the ones that use two CR123 batteries.
The SteriPEN website provides charts that compare some of the models to each other, a very extensive FAQ, and user manuals. It is well worth spending some time there before choosing a particular model.
Ultraviolet or UV radiation is invisible but the lamp on the SteriPEN also emits energy in the visible spectrum which appears as bluish light. UV must penetrate the water and reach the microorganism and then go through the cell membrane and body to disrupt the DNA molecules and prevent reproduction. UV does not remove the microorganisms or any particulate matter in the water and it does not affect the way water tastes or smells. UV radiation has only been used in the U.S. to disinfect water since 1916 but sunlight was known to disinfect water in ancient Greece and India and UV is now commonly used in municipal water purification plants.
There are four basic methods of portable water treatment: chemicals, filtration, heat, and ultraviolet radiation. A full comparison is beyond the scope of this review but some of the advantages of the SteriPEN are ease of use, moderate weight, and ability to disable viruses that cause hepatitis, gastroenteritis, polio, SARS, etc. in addition to bacteria and protozoa. It is also easy to use and fast at ninety seconds for a liter and under a minute for a half liter. Ingesting added chemicals is avoided.
Some of the disadvantages with a SteriPEN are that the water needs to be clear and colorless because UV cannot penetrate particles and so it may be necessary to pre-filter. Some water, such as that with heavy coloring of tannic acid from leaves, is unsuitable for this method of treatment. The water must be agitated or stirred while the UV is working. It can only effectively treat up to one liter at a time. The battery cap must be aligned properly for the device to work but it will seal in other positions to prevent accidental activation. The batteries may not work very well at low temperatures or may be depleted and the particular batteries (lithium or NiMH, not alkaline) may be hard to find locally or expensive. The unit may be damaged if dropped. UV may not be effective against parasites. There is no residual effect from the treatment as there is with chemicals.
No method of water treatment is perfect for every situation but for people who will be drinking relatively clean and colorless municipal, well, spring, or bottled water that merely requires disinfection to render microorganisms harmless, the SteriPEN is ideal.
This jar arrived pretty quickly and to my surprise the school emblem on the front wasn''t a flat decal but a nice raised logo. Almost like a coin. Very nice looking ( pic on Amazon does it no justice ). Its a great conversation piece for my desk, that people always ask about.
