The Altered Nozzle is a plug-and-play device that fits on your tap to help you use 98% less water. Find out everything you need to know about the Altered Nozzle today in our review.
What is the Altered Nozzle?
The Altered Nozzle claims to be “the world’s most extreme water saving nozzle”. After installing the nozzle on your tap, you can save 98% of your water usage. The device essentially works by turning your water into a mist instead of a steady spray. For applications when you only need a spray of water (like washing dishes) instead of a steady stream, this can help you avoid a significant amount of wasted water.
Why do we need the Altered Nozzle?
In certain parts of the world – like Australia, California, or sub-Saharan Africa, for example – people face water shortages on a regular basis. According to the makers of the Altered:Nozzle, water stress affects one billion people today, and it will affect an estimated 3 billion people by 2020. Water is quickly becoming a valuable resource.
The Altered:Nozzle launched on Kickstarter in 2016, where it successfully achieved its funding target. By December 2016, the Stockholm-based company had sent the nozzle to its backers. Today, the nozzle is available for sale online through the company’s official website.
How Does the Altered Nozzle Work?
The Altered Nozzle works by atomizing your water. In one mode, the Altered:Nozzle uses 98% less water by turning your water into a spray. In another mode, the Altered:Nozzle releases water as a conventional stream, but still uses 75% less water.
Some of the key features of the Altered:Nozzle include:
- Fits onto your existing tap
- Easy installation that takes less than 30 seconds
- Pays for itself in a couple of months
- Multiple finishes and sizes available
- Made from lead-free “eco brass” material
The nozzle is designed to fit on faucets in your bathroom, kitchen, office, boat, RV, vacation home, or anywhere else you want to save water.
The premise is simple: by turning your water into a mist, the Altered:Nozzle helps you avoid wastage. You know how when you wash dishes, some water bounces off the dishes and gets wasted? That’s the kind of wastage Altered Nozzle is attempting to avoid.
The makers of the Altered Nozzle claim that the old solution for reducing water usage is to restrict the flow of water. However, that only works up to a point because “you’re left with only a drizzle”. The company looked at the problem from another perspective. By atomizing the water, they break the stream into millions of tiny droplets.
This creates a high speed, heavy mist shooting from the tap. It has many of the same benefits as a steady stream of running water, but uses 98% less water.
Some of the best times to use the Altered Nozzle include when you’re washing dishes, brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or cleaning vegetables, among other tasks.
Obviously, this mode is not ideal for when you need to fill a glass of water – you can’t fill up a glass of water with 2% of your normal water flow. That’s why the Altered:Nozzle lets you easily switch to a “Saving Mode”, where you save 75% of your water flow compared to an ordinary tap, while still being able to easily fill your container.
How Much Money Can You Save with Altered Nozzle?
One of the premises of the Altered:Nozzle is that it pays for itself in a short period of time. The company claims that its 98% reduction number comes from “the lowest limit of the Water Sense US standard”. When you use less water, that means your water bill is reduced, but it also means less energy and emissions are spent to heat and transport water to your home.
That’s great if you care about the environment – but some people mostly care about the impact on their monthly bill. How much money can you save using the Altered:Nozzle?
The company claims that an average European household is able to save €203 per year, which works out to $255 per year savings in the United States. To get this number, Altered:Nozzle looked at the cost of water per cubic liter in Europe and the United States as well as the average water use.
Altered Nozzle Pricing
The Altered Nozzle is not currently available to order online. The company is accepting preorders through its official website. Final pricing details have not yet been released.
The Kickstarter page sold the Altered:Nozzle for around $50 USD (414 SEK), which was listed as 17% off the retail price. Based on that, the final price should be around $60 USD.
You can choose from five different colors and varieties, including Chrome, Brass, Blue, White, and Gold (Solid 18 Carat). The Gold option costs more.
You can also choose from three different sizes, including European/US Standard, US Junior, and European/US Tom Thumb. Unless you have a unique tap size, the European/US Standard option is the best for you.
Who Makes the Altered Nozzle?
Altered Nozzle was founded by a Swedish team based in Stockholm. The idea for the nozzle came from Professor Kaj Mickos, listed as the inventor and head of R&D. He has worked as a professional inventor for numerous years, and his inventions have led to 14 companies and more than 30 individual patents. Other key members of the team include Johan Nihlén (CEO).
The company first launched in August 2014. By September 2014, the company had created its first-generation prototype. At the start of 2016, the company launched its Kickstarter campaign. By the end of 2016, they had begun to distribute the nozzle around the world. In 2017, according to the company’s timeline, “the world is using 98% less water”.
Should You Buy the Altered Nozzle?
The Altered Nozzle is one of those devices that has the potential to change the world. It uses 98% less water while maintaining the crucial functionality of water. It’s ideal for brushing your teeth, washing dishes, and performing other tasks where you need water – but don’t necessarily need a wasteful, steady stream of water. Instead of just restricting water flow and reducing the amount of water that comes out of your tap, the Altered:Nozzle works by atomizing your water, turning it into a spray. This means you enjoy the benefits of high-pressure water without the wastefulness.
The Altered:Nozzle official website is currently accepting preorders. The final retail price should be between $50 and $70 USD when it’s eventually released.
