How Water Distillers Work: A Simple Guide for Australians

Water distillation is one of the oldest and most thorough purification methods available. Here’s how it works, what it removes, and whether it’s the right choice for your Australian home.

See our full Water Distillers Guide or browse our water distiller range.

The Distillation Process

A water distiller works in four stages:

1. Boiling: Water in the boiling chamber is heated to 100°C. Contaminants with a higher boiling point than water — heavy metals, minerals, bacteria, most chemicals — remain in the chamber.
2. Evaporation: Pure water vapour rises from the boiling chamber.
3. Condensation: The vapour passes through a cooling coil or chamber and condenses back into liquid water.
4. Collection: The distilled water collects in a clean container, typically passing through an activated carbon post-filter to remove any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may have evaporated with the steam.

What Distillation Removes

• Fluoride: ✅ Effectively removed — fluoride has a much higher boiling point than water
• Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, mercury): ✅ Effectively removed
• Bacteria and viruses: ✅ Destroyed by boiling
• Nitrates: ✅ Effectively removed
• Dissolved minerals (calcium, magnesium): ✅ Removed — produces very pure, low-TDS water
• Chlorine: ✅ Removed (evaporates, then captured by carbon post-filter)
• VOCs: ⚠️ Partially — the activated carbon post-filter handles most VOCs that evaporate with steam

How Distillation Compares to Other Methods

Distillation produces the purest water of any home filtration method — comparable to reverse osmosis for most contaminants, and superior for some (bacteria, viruses). The key differences: distillers use electricity and produce water slowly (typically 4 litres per cycle); RO systems use mains pressure and produce water continuously but require plumbing. See our Reverse Osmosis Guide for a comparison.

Maintenance for Australian Conditions

The main maintenance task is descaling the boiling chamber — essential in hard water areas like Perth and Adelaide where scale builds up quickly. Descale every 1–4 weeks depending on your water hardness. Use white vinegar or food-safe citric acid. See our guide: How and When to Descale Your Water Distiller.

Replace the activated carbon post-filter every 2–3 months or as recommended by your distiller model. Browse our replacement filter range.

Frequently Asked Questions