SteriPEN

India may not be the most ideal destination to test out a new product – especially one that could mean the difference between a healthy stomach and one filled with microbes. However, on the advice of a couple of people who’d actually used this little item in Asia and India, I gave the SteriPEN a test run earlier this year.

Utilizing ultraviolet (UV) light, the SteriPEN destroys waterborne microbes, destroying bacteria, protozoa and viruses, including the dreaded giardia. To use, simply press a button and partially immerse the unit into a glass of tap or stream water. While gently agitating the unit, you’ll see the light at work for 60-90 seconds (depending on the amount of water) until it automatically shuts off. Voila. You’ve got potable drinking water.

I can attest to its efficacy as I drank tap water in India with no repercussions.

While the SteriPEN is not cheap (generally $100-$130 depending on the model), the benefits far outweigh the cost. If you’re hiking, you won’t need to carry all of your water with you. If you’re traveling, you’ll be saving some cash by not having to buy water and you’ll be saving the environment by keeping all those plastic water bottles out of the trash heap. Buy yours here: SteriPEN Bottle Pack - Water Purifier