Distilled water can be drunk, and there is nothing unusual about doing so. The question comes up because most people first encounter distilled water in the appliance aisle, next to the steam irons and the humidifier fluid, which makes it look like a product for machines. It is simply water that has been boiled and condensed, with the dissolved solids left behind.
The short answer, and the caveat
It is safe to drink for a healthy adult on an ordinary diet. The only caveats worth stating are taste and diet. It tastes flat, because the minerals and dissolved gases that give water flavor were removed with everything else. And anyone managing a medical condition where mineral or electrolyte intake matters should raise the switch with a clinician rather than reading it off a comparison page.
Why you meet it in the appliance aisle
Appliances want distilled water for the same reason your kettle scales: ordinary water leaves mineral deposits behind when it evaporates. Steam irons, humidifiers, CPAP machines and older lead-acid batteries all last longer on water with nothing dissolved in it. That is an equipment protection argument, not a warning label about drinking, and the two get confused constantly on the shelf.
Bought by the jug or made at home
Store distilled water is produced industrially and sealed, so what you buy is consistent. A countertop distiller makes it from whatever comes out of your tap, in batches, over several hours, and needs the boiling chamber descaled as deposits build. Home production is cheaper per gallon over time and slower in every other respect, which is the trade to weigh if you plan to drink it daily.
If it is going to be your main supply
Work out first what you are trying to escape. Every community water system publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report and the EPA maintains a finder for it, so you can read what your utility measured before deciding to replace your entire drinking supply. If the report shows a specific concern, a plumbed filtration or reverse osmosis system usually solves it with less handling than jugs of distilled water.
Questions people ask about can distilled water be drank
Is drinking distilled water the same as drinking purified water?
Both are treated to remove dissolved substances, but purified is a broader label that also covers reverse osmosis and deionization, not just distillation.
Can I drink the distilled water sold for irons?
Check the label. Some appliance water contains additives or anti-scale agents and is not sold as drinking water, so buy a product labelled for consumption.
Does distilled water hydrate you as well as tap water?
Yes. It is water, and hydration does not depend on the mineral content that distillation removed along with everything else dissolved.