The Kangen Water SD 501 is maufactured by Enagic, a Japanese company.  Their international distributor is LevelLuk.  The SD 501 retails for $3980.  It is a seven platinized-titanium plate system with standard (transformer based) electrical system.  It runs on 230 W, the KYK Harmony runs on 200 W. This machine is more commonly known as the Kangen water machine. "Kangen" is a Japanese word meaning "return to origin."  There is nothing different between Kangen water and ionized water or "electrolyzed" water or even "micro clustered" or "reduced" water. All of these marketing terms describe the same thing.

Enagic has been known to say that only its machine can produce water with a negative ORP of -250 to -800, which makes it Kangen water. This is totally untrue.  The KYK Harmony can produce water between a -250 and -800 range, just like Jupiter Water Ionizers, , Life Ionizers ... and many others. 

Enagic also says that they've been around for 30 years and are the only company approved by the Japanese Health Ministry as a medical device.  Not true.  Enagic hasn't been around that long as Enagic.  They've been versions of Toyo Metal before, maybe this spans back 30 years.  Also, the KYK Harmony and Jupiter water ionizers are approved as medical devices by the KFDA and Japanese Health Ministry.  Enagic certainly isn't the only one.

With those important points out of the way, let's examine the differences between the KYK Harmony and SD 501.  First, the SD-501 uses seven platinized titanium plates, while the KYK Harmony uses five.  This means that the SD-501 is a slightly stronger water ionizer than the KYK Harmony.  When we tested the SD-501 side by side with the KYK Harmony, the SD-501 created a 9.5 pH and a -849 ORP out of Rockville, MD municipal water.  The KYK Harmony created a 10pH -777 ORP out of the same water.  So there isn't much difference in performance. 

The SD 501 does have an enhanced strong acid function.  First it reduces the water flow to .6 liters a minute and then adds saline solution to the water to increase the electrolysis (salt conducts electricity).  Exposing the titanium plates to salt will surely corrode them faster.  They do mention an "industry best cleaning system" but the details of this system were not included on their Enagic USA website.  While the KYK Harmony does not have this saline solution option, it can make acid water around a 3.0-4.0 pH depending on your water, and you can lower this pH by simply adding a spoonful of powdered citric acid to your water, available cheap in bulk on Ebay.  

The Enagic SD-501 Kangen Water Ionizer also does nothing to solve the problem of inconsistent water like both the KYK Harmony and Jupiter Aquarius/Orion do.  This means that they use a transformer based electrical system that cannot adjust its ionization like the KYK Harmony, and they don't have any system to control the water flow.  So, you are going to get different water each time you turn it on because your tap water is constantly changing.  It may be a 9.3 one day, a 9.8 the next ... etc.  

Bells and Whistles:

For being such a powerful water ionizer, the Enagic Kangen SD-501 is quite short on features.  In fact, the Enagic Kangen SD-501 water ionizer only offers six different pH levels water to choose from.  Compare that to as many as sixty four levels with the KYK Harmony.  It also does not offer pH and ORP measurement, its LCD screen is not colored, and it only comes with one type of installation method to your faucet (KYK gives you an undersink option as well).  It also doesn't offer a water flow control valve like the KYK Harmony -- you have to do it all with your faucet!  It does offer voice alert, which may or may not be good depending on your personal taste.       

Filtration:

There is no information on the Enagic USA website about the filter they use.  We assume it is an activated carbon filter like KYK, Jupiter, Life Ionizers, and Aquablue use.  It is most likely a .1 or .01 micron filter.  We don't know if it adds calcium.  It is very surprising that they don't include this information.    

Problems with the Enagic business structure:

The reason why the Enagic SD 501 is such an expensive water ionizer is not because it uses better materials, or more materials, or the technicians that make it are more qualified, or more certified, or the business is more established -- none of that.  It is only because Enagic has decided to market the SD 501 as an MLM company.  This means that there are eight different levels of dealers between manufacturer and consumer, and each level has to get paid.   Compare that to Water for Life USA's affiliate program, which only has two levels between manufacturer and consumer, and Water for Life USA is also a wholesale provider for established businesses. We pride ourselves in keeping the KYK Harmony's price low -- $300 less than Jupiter's similar Aquarius and Orion models. With an MLM structure, many dealers make money, but the consumer ultimately pays too much.

We hope this clears up any confusion.  Please call us if you have any questions.  Thanks.

 

 

  

    

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Alkaline ionized water is an effective tool to help your body achieve balance and right now with the KYK Harmony, the technology is better than ever.