SteriPEN Traveler Handheld Water Purifier

Designed to go along on business trips, vacations, or anywhere safe drinking water is not assured, this handheld water purifier destroys viruses, bacteria, and common protozoa. It weighs just 3.6 ounces with two non-rechargeable, disposable batteries (included) and purifies 16 ounces of water in 48 seconds. The purifier employs ultraviolet light (UV) to destroy the DNA of microorganisms, making them unable to reproduce and cause illness. It's effective against outdoor microbes like giardia and cryptosporidium; pathogens that cause diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, and Legionnaire's Disease; household germs such as bird flu, E. coli, and salmonella; staph and strep; and natural-disaster risks like botulism, cholera, smallpox, and typhoid.

No pumping, no chemicals, no test strips, no timekeeping, no lubricating, and no replacement filters are required. All that is required is to push the water purifier's button, place the pen-like lamp in a glass of clear water, and stir until an indicator light turns green. Water has no aftertaste after being purified. Measuring 6.1 inches long, the purifier comes with a nylon case and a user's guide. It exceeds U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for testing microbiological water purifiers.

SteriPEN is located on the coast of Maine in the town of Blue Hill. SteriPEN employees greet each day by arriving to work in a spacious barn. The atmosphere is very relaxed where employees are welcome to grow a vegetable or herb garden. Miles Maiden is Hydro-Photons founder and inventor of the SteriPEN. Hydro-Photon, Inc. was founded with a simple purpose: to develop ultraviolet technology, as is used in municipal water treatment plants, for use in a personal, portable device that would provide the user with safe drinking water anywhere. Hydro-Photon received its first SteriPEN patent in 1999, followed by patents in 2000 and 2003. It kills viruses, bacteria and protozoaincluding Giardia and Cryptosporidiumin seconds. SteriPEN is easy to use. SteriPEN provides a system pack which includes a SteriPEN, Pre-Filter and 1 Liter BottleSteriPEN. The Classic UV Light Water Purifier SteriPEN is the only portable batch water purifier that uses Ultraviolet (UV) light to destroy waterborne microbes.

I've gone thru 2 of these steri pens now (purchased at REI). The first one never worked out of the box, the second one worked for 2 weeks then also stopped working. When the second one purchased at REI broke, i just returned this one because i figure eventually it would also break.