SteriPen Ultra

7.6
7.6 score
[Editors rating (7.6)] = (Gearweare.net) score (7.6)/10

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Editor rating: 7.6 / 10
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SteriPen Ultra Review Facts

For dependable, clean, safe water wherever you go in a very portable form, try the SteriPen Ultra. There is no need to lug around drinking water any longer when you travel. This simple device can destroy more than 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa in water supplies that can make you ill. It does this with an ultraviolet light filter that fits in almost any type of containers such as bottles, canteens, mugs, and cups.

SteriPen Ultra is one of Amazon’s best-selling water purifiers which will treat 15,000 liters of water with one device. This translates to using it 8,000 times, after which the company will give you a brand new SteriPen Ultra for free. It is a rechargeable product that comes with its own USB cable, instructions, and carrying case.

Treat 50 liter of water with just one charge. It works fast with an output of 32 ounces in only 90 seconds. Usable for still water, tap water, and bottled water, it is quite valuable on trips to foreign countries and for adventures in the wild outdoors. Keep reading to learn more about this incredible and portable product; you can use it for clean safe drinking water. For more info on the topic, check our guide on the best water purification tablets.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

Eliminates the need to store or carry drinking water

UV light is not harmful to your skin or eyes

Treat 15,000 liters of water with one device

Fits in all bottles, canteens, mugs, and cups

Output of 32 ounces of water in 90 seconds

#6 best seller on Amazon for water purifiers

Use for still water, tap water, and bottled water

Indicator for low power

Shuts off by itself when done

Cons

Did not work longer than a few weeks for some buyers

Breaks easily if dropped

Several people had to charge a lot to get it to work

Key Features

-Electronic parts are protected with a watertight seal
-Destroys 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa in water supplies
-Kills protozoa of Cryptosporidium and Giardia
-Protects from typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and botulism
-Treats 50 liters with one charge; use 8,000 times
-Weighs only 4.8 ounces
-Dimensions are 7.3 x 1.3 x 1.6 inches
-Ultraviolet filter; can use in combination with water filters
-Comes with a carrying case, instructions, and USB cable

Comfort

A sterilization device can bring you comfort in the form of the freedom of ever having to carry drinking water again in your travels. With this SteriPen Ultra, you are free from the burden of searching for drinkable water when abroad or just away from home and from drinking questionable water without any kind of purification.

This device has an ultraviolet filter to purify clear water amounts but is not harmful to your skin or eyes. Another point of comfort for recent customers was the customer service people of this manufacturer. They are great and quick in answering buyers’ questions concerning the product. The incredible warranty is wonderful too, which we discuss further down in this review.

Durability

The electronic parts of the SteriPen are protected with a watertight seal. This allows you to put the mechanism in water without it harming it. You can handle it securely, even in wet conditions. This is because this item has grips of rubber for hand traction. A couple of people learned the hard way that the UV bulb inside this device will break. If you drop it on hard surfaces, it will most likely break so be careful with it.

Protection

This terrific product is all about protecting you and keeping you from becoming ill from questionable water supplies. It uses rays of ultraviolet (UV-C) light to sterilize water that is clear safely. The pen destroys more than 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa in water supplies that can make you ill.

The protozoa that it kills are Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The UV light does this to disable the ability of germs to replicator and render you sick. It is most likely not effective for algae blooms that can be in the water as it has a toxin that is dangerous and not removable by this pen. It will protect the user from problems of typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and botulism among others that can be found in some sources of water.

Responsiveness

Made to fit well in bottles of water that are purchased from stores, almost any type of container will do such as canteens, mugs, or cups.For treatment in a water bottle, just put the pen in the water, turn the container upside down, and then the water is treated in seconds. If interested more in which water bottles are chosen among the best ten for hiking, click here.

You can effectively treat 15,000 liters of water with one device. Basically, you can use it as many as 8,000 times. Some issues that customers had with their SteriPens were that it did not work longer than a few weeks, and the bulb went out when trying to use it.

You will know when it is not working or will not work because the LED screen will show a frowning face meaning the UV light is not operating. A smiley face on this screen means that it is working, and all systems are working well.

How fast does it work?

Just how fast does this purifier work? Do you have to wait long for clean water? If you are using just 16 ounces of water, then you will be drinking clean safe water in under a minute. This works for cold or hot water. The output is 32 ounces of water in only 90 seconds, and the product treats 50 liters of water with just one charge. Using it could not be any easier than it is. Just activate the button, stir the water with the pen, and let it go to work. Fast, effective, and efficient!

Stability

To give you a sense of stability and security with this product, the manufacturer says that it will send a new pen after you have used your current device 8,000 times, thus killing the UV light. It will take a while for you to use up the UV unless there is nonstop use. They call this the lamp life of the SteriPen Ultra.

Something you could do to be sure that you are getting the cleanest water possible is to use this product with a water filter. The filter is used to clear the water and then the pen kills the harmful virus substances. The filter, a solar panel, and this pen together are terrific for being prepared for a clean water supply anywhere and anytime. You can take the matter of clean drinking water into your own hands with this easy-to-use product. If you want to check other related products, maybe our review on Sawyer Squeeze is the best place to go.

Style

The SteriPen Ultra is the #6 best seller on Amazon in the water purifier category. It has an okay rating of approval from buyers. They found it is only usable on the water that is clear for the best effectiveness. Do not waste it on water that is cloudy or that you feel is not the best that you can obtain. The weight of it is just 4.8 ounces with the dimensions of 7.3 x 1.3 x 1.6 inches.This means that it is perfect for bags, backpacks, and pockets to be ready when you need clean safe water to drink. Plus one of the rules for hiking in hot weather is staying hydrated. Read our blog to find out the other 9 rules when Hiking in Hot Weather.

Support

This product has the support of several agencies who stand behind it for effectiveness and performance. The SteriPen has been certified and tested by the Water Quality Association (WQA) using the US EPA standard for Microbiological Water Purifiers. It meets the standards for purifiers of microbiological water with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).In addition, it has been tested independently by the universities of Maine and Arizona and the Oregon Health Sciences University. With all of this credible backing, the SteriPen Ultra is dependable travel gear.

Use

So, exactly where and what kind of water can you use this device safely? We found many unique uses and places where customers have successfully enjoyed the use of this product. You can travel and hike wherever you want without worry, especially to other countries that have questionable water supplies, such as Africa, Thailand, Columbia, India, Mexico, to name a few.

It works equally well on tap water, bottled water, mall and airport bathroom water, and still water in ponds and pool of clear water. This just goes to show that people are not using the SteriPen just for backpacking and camping purposes to prevent illness from untreated water.
In the aftermath of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, is another vital place for water purification.

After disasters, there is usually no electricity to boil water and clean water supplies can be contaminated. One buyer used this product instead of purchasing distilled water or boiling water for his sinus condition and nasal irrigation treatments. Water filters do not remove viruses from water, but this item does. Use it after you filter water to ensure the cleanest drinking water possible. This process has been used for years by bottling companies and municipal water facilities, and now it is available to you in a very portable form.

Accessories

Since this device is rechargeable, it comes with its own USB cable for charging and battery. You also get a carrying case and instruction booklet with the purchase. There is nothing extra to buy before you can use it.

It can be recharged with USB from a solar panel, wall, or computer to reboot its energy supply. You are completely free of any electrical outlets if you have a solar panel since this can be used successfully wherever you are with sunlight. Combined with a water filter that can be used on the water in question first, you will have the cleanest water.

Ease of Use

Once the water you want to drink or use is purified, you can put it in a Hydroflask for drinking later. However, it would be best to not put your mouth on the container when drinking to prevent contamination by mouth. Let the water drip or flow into your mouth for the best purification practices.

Using the SteriPen Ultra is quite easy! Just place the bulb in the water and wait for the LED panel to show a happy face. Then the water is drinkable. View the LED display on the item for all information including lamp, treatment, and battery status.

The best way to keep up with this pen is to clip it to a belt for easy usage and carrying. Just be careful not to drop it anywhere or the bulb can break. Due to its small size, it can be stowed anywhere in pockets, bags, and backpacks without causing any concerns of weight or space.

Power Source

You will save battery life after using the SteriPen Ultra because it shuts off by itself when the water treatment is finished. The battery life equals 50 treatments in a single charge and 300 cycles of charge. It has an indicator for low power, so you always know when it is time to power up.

The polymer lithium battery needed for functioning comes with the product. Most customers will agree that this battery lasts a long time before you need to charge it again. A couple of people had to power it up several times before they could get it to work correctly.

Most of the time, once charged, the battery will last the entire trip you take. This, of course, depends on how often you use it.

Bottom Line

If you travel a lot to other countries or remote locations that have unstable sources of water for drinking, then you truly need a portable water sterilizer that can quickly remove the harmful substances. Issues that customers have run into are that it breaks easily if dropped and it did not work but a few weeks for some people.

The approval rating is not great, so this was a problem that many people had. Since the SteriPen Ultra can filter out viruses which water filters cannot, it is worth a try just for peace of mind. The SteriPen Ultra is easy to use, fast, effective, and safe to ensure you have clean water for drinking purposes without having to carry water supplies.