Water purifying Ultraviolet (UV) Pens
We review below ultraviolet pens which purify your drinking water whilst travelling abroad using uv light. UV light has been used for many years to treat water and make it safe to drink. These uv pens purify your water quickly and ensure that any harmful microscopic organisms are dealt with effectively and make your water safe to drink. The ultraviolet light damages the reproducing capability of bacteria, viruses and protozoa so that they are thus unable to cause illness.
The great thing about this type of water purifying equipment is that there are no chemicals involved, nor do you have to boil the water. It is a simple case of gently stirring the pens in the water you wish to drink for generally less than a minute to make it safe. Please note that these pens do not filter water and are not appropriate for murky or discoloured water.
the SteriPEN traveler
The SteriPEN Traveler is a very handy pocket sized device which produces uv light to purify your water as you travel. It is small and light making it very easy to carry as part of your travel gear. It's automatic timer lets you know when the water should be safe to drink. Water purification using the UV light of this pen normally takes less than a minute.
It is particularly useful for use in countries with known problems with microscopic organisms in their water. Good for hotels, restaurants, on the road, in fact anywhere where you get clear water. The pen is powered by two rechargeable batteries, which can be recharged also on the road using the solar charger as described below.
SteriPEN solar charger
The SteriPEN solar charger will charge the two batteries required for the SteriPEN Traveler (above) and SteriPEN Adventurer (below) series using solar power which is very useful if you are travelling on the road and do not have access to mains power. The kit does come with a mains adaptor too. The batteries are normally fully recharged after between 2 and 4 days depending on the solar conditions.
the SteriPEN Adventurer
The SteriPEN Adventurer is again just like the SteriPEN Traveler in that it is a pocket-sized water purifier which is easy to carry and use, to give yourself access to water that is safe to drink. It requires less than a minute to purify a half litre glass of water which just involves switching the pen on and stirring the water gently. It is powered by two rechargeable batteries which can be recharged using the solar charger described above.
the SteriPEN Classic
The SteriPEN Classic is a proven method of purifying water whilst travelling. It works in the same way as the SteriPEN Traveler and Adventurer and purifies half a litre of in less than a minute. It is a little larger than the other two models and requries 4 AA batteries, but is usually a little cheaper too. An LED light indicates when your water should be safe to drink.
This pen has been used by many hikers and climbers to give them access to safe drinking water whilst on the move. Signifcantly faster to treat water in this way than using chemicals, plus there is no chemical aftertaste!
If you have used any of the uv water purifying pens listed on this page and would be happy to give us your view, please contact us telling us your experiences. Thanks!