The water cone looks like a great product used in the right environment.
The draw back would be in the city setting using tap water that has chlorination, and other chemicals added to the water. Without a charcoal filter these chemicals would still be in the water.
"The test results document I was sent shows no chlorine or fluoride. I was not aware that chlorine was added to drinking water, though maybe it is in other countries. But NOT in the UK as far as I am aware."
Maybe not where you live, but according to this, the UK does chlorinate the water.
"Consequently, all public drinking water in the UK is disinfected before supply, usually by the addition of a chemical oxidant such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide or ozone and increasingly through the use of physical disinfectants such as UV light. Although oxidants can react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in the water to form a range of by-products, these will be present at low levels. Water suppliers make every effort to minimise such reactions and to maintain concentrations of any by-products that are formed at levels well below WHO guidelines for drinking water quality and below levels set in European or UK standards. These levels are set on the basis of safety and are considered to be highly conservative.
The most commonly used disinfectant is chlorine because it is effective and easy to control. Chlorination and its safety has been the subject of a huge amount of research, probably more than any other single water-related topic. The consensus from all authorities is that research has not provided adequate evidence that chlorination of drinking water has adverse effects on health. In spite of this, the authorities, in conjunction with the water supply industry, take a precautionary approach to minimising any theoretical risks from chlorination." http://tinyurl.com/6b7ucg
"As an example, this table top still
uses a valve to release the chlorine gas, in much the same way as the cone would through its open base"
I think you have mis-read the how the cone works. According to what I see, and read, the bottom isn't open. Looks like the cone is sealed by being in the water of the pan, and then the condesation is collected on the inside of the cone to collect in the inner rim that sits above the water. At any rate, it looks like a nice unit that would have a place in certain situations.
Also I found this chart that shows that distillation alone just partially gets rid of chlorine, and a few other chemicals, where the distiller with the carbon filter does much better. http://tinyurl.com/5wp9gr Scroll down
My concern with good distilled water is that in addition to fasting, I also make my own Colloidal Silver. It is critical that you have water that is pure, or otherwise you could have problems.
I use this to test the distilled water. http://tinyurl.com/6otqp4
Should read below 1 PPM. I have an electric distiller with charcoal filter, that the final product test with this meter at 1.5. Store bought distilled water tests at .05, so I don't use the distiller anymore. I can buy the distilled water for about .72 cents per gallon. To make it at todays energy prices wouldn't be much different, and it heats up the house in the summer.
Also of interest is the fact that distilled water acts like a magnet, attracting anything out of it's environment. That's one reason that it's popular for fasting. Don't want to leave an open vessel of it out without a lid.