Best Water Softeners for 2024 | Reviews

The most common problem with well water and even with tap water is its hardness. The Well water contains so many hard minerals that it becomes necessary to remove them. Hard water isn’t especially bad for health, but they create many other problems.

If you see a film on the dishes after washing them, scale build-up on the showerhead and the faucets, and dry hair and skin, they are symptoms of dry water, which suggest that you should now install a water softener.

Water softeners have many benefits; they improve the life of your kitchen appliances that use water. They remove heavy minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium from the water. They can also improve skin and hair health.

Different water softeners work in different methods. They either remove the hard minerals from the water or neutralizes them, which remain in the water. Both methods are effective and provide you with very soft water.

To prevent all the problems created by hard water, it is necessary to have a water softener installed. To help you choose the best water softeners, we have compiled a list of top water softeners in the market.

Best Water Softeners

1. AFWFilters Iron Pro 2 Whole House Water Softener

This unit doesn’t just remove the hardness of the water, but it also removes the ferrous iron when water passes through the inbuilt filter, and in the process, the calcium and magnesium will get caught in the resin.

The quality of any water softener is defined by its resin, and in this model, Fleck uses the mesh resin of the finest quality, which can treat the water with ferrous iron ranging from 0.5 ppm to 6 ppm.

Iron Pro 2 can remove the hardness of 64,00 grains from the incoming water. This means the water softener will supply 300 gallons of soft water every day and will only require regeneration every 10 to 12 days.

That being said, this water softener has a flow rate of 16 GPM, which is enough to produce an ample supply of water, and you will get a 5 GPM of flow rate for the double backwashing.

The unit is highly efficient, and it monitors water usage and recharges only when it is necessary. This efficient recharging operation ensures savings on salt and wastewater. Moreover, you can also program the digital controller to run the regeneration cycle when you want.

There is one more impressive feature of this water softener, which is its memory backup. You see, when the light goes out, most of the generator loses its data, like usage level and the regeneration timings, which makes it necessary to restart the machine, but not with this Iron Pro 2. This device comes with a 48-hour smart memory backup, which will store all your settings and will restore them once the electricity comes back.

Other than that, the system also comes with a 5-year limited warranty on the control meter, and the 10-year warranty on the tank ensures the promising performance of the unit.

Read the full review of AFWFilters Iron Pro 2 5600SXT Whole House Water Softener

2. AFWFilters Fleck 5600sxt 48,000 Grain Water Softener

Fleck has a prominent position in the market, and with 50 years of experience, they offer the best quality water softeners. If you are looking for a product that will last, then Fleck will be the safest bet. One more noteworthy thing is the design and builds quality, which is optimized to fit into any kitchen or household.

Coming to the main point, the culprits of the water hardness are calcium and magnesium. They are efficiently removed from the water, thanks to the high-capacity resin, which uses the ion exchange process to complete this task. Also, frequent change of the resin won’t require due to its long life; once changed, you can practically forget about it.

One of the most highlighted features of this unit is its SXT controller, which lets you customize different parameters with the help of a backlit LCD. It has a touchpad control, an internal battery, and a simple interface for easy access and proper functioning.

Not only that, but this unit also comes with a memory backup system, which will save all the usage data if there is a power cut. This data will be stored for 48 hours, which means the reset won’t be required if the electricity is back within 48 hours.

What sets this unit apart from other water softeners is its innovative regeneration system. The controller measures the amount of water used; based on that, the regeneration cycle will start only when it is needed. This feature makes the unit very efficient, and it also saves the costs on salt and water. Moreover, You can also set the regeneration cycle based on your personal preferences.

That being said, this water softener comes with a 5-year warranty, which should boost your confidence.

Read the full review of AFWFilters 5600SXT 48000-Grain Water Softener

3. Whirlpool WHES40E 40,000 Grain Water Softener

The Whirlpool WHES40E is a water softener that is designed, engineered, and assembled in the US and is ideal for a household of 4 to 6 people. The soft water provided by this unit reduces the mineral stains along with the detergent consumption while also increasing the lifespan of the water-using devices by removing the hard water minerals.

That being said, the unit is NSF certified for efficiently removing the hard water minerals up to 125 GPG along with the ferrous iron up to 10 ppm.

When it comes to regeneration, most of the units are not equipped with smart controls, so they waste much more salt and water over the year. But that’s not the case with this water softener because it features demand-initiated regeneration.

The regeneration only takes place when it is necessary, which in turn saves the cost of salt and water.

On top of that, it automatically calculates the amount of water and salt required for the next regeneration cycle, so you won’t have to worry about the quantity utilized.

The design of the tank is transparent, which lets you see the salt level, so you will know when you need to add the salt and water, making the maintenance easier.

Moreover, whirlpool offers a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty on the parts and a 3-year warranty on the labor while also offering a 10-year warranty on the tank. If you purchase 3 bottles of water softener cleanser in the first year of ownership, then the warranty period will be extended by two more years.

5. Whirlpool WHES30E Whole House Water Softener

The unit has a compact build, and a well-thought design, which makes it more suitable to fit in small spaces, and the material used is robust enough to give it a long lifetime.

What I really liked about this product is its easy installation procedure. The unit comes with all the necessary things, you will just need the basic tools, and if you know how to use them, then the installation is like a walk in the park.

When it is done, just put the salt in, and you are good to go. After that, it requires very minimal maintenance, you will just have to change the salt periodically, and it will keep working as the years pass by.

The water softening capacity of the unit is somewhat less than the other units available, and it can clean 30,000 grains of hard water minerals. The small capacity makes it suitable for a small family with a daily water need of up to 300 to 330 gallons.

It won’t make you pay the hefty bills on salt and water because of its smart regeneration capability. The controller will calculate the amount of salt and water required, and it will use only that amount for the regeneration cycle, saving you many bucks annually.

With the use of ion exchange technology and the flow rate of 7 GPM, it is capable of removing ferrous iron up to 8 ppm and also the red water and bacteria from the water. But if you want to ensure its proper working, then the pressure requirement of 20 to 25 psi should be fulfilled.

This NSF-certified water softener from whirlpool comes with a 1 years of warranty on the parts, and if you want to extend the warranty period, then purchase the 3 bottles of Whirlpool WHEWSC water softener cleanser. If you do this in a period of a year, the warranty on the product will increase by 2 years.

6. Aquasure AS-WHF48D Whole House Water Filtration Bundle

This complete package from Aquasure is the one-stop solution for all your water filtration needs. It comes with all the necessary units, which will filter the water, soften it, and also purifies it for drinking. It is perfectly adequate to fulfill all the refined water needs of a household with 4 to 5 members.

The kit consists of a whole-house pre-filter, a whole-house water softener, and an under-counter RO system. You will get the safest and the purest water for your family when all these systems work together.

AS-F110SCP Sediment & GAC Dual Purpose Whole House Water Filter will be the first filtration stage through which the water will pass. The main function of this unit is to remove the majority of large and suspended particles like dirt, sand, silts, etc., from the water. It does that well, but along with that, the unit’s inner carbon core also absorbs the chlorine and removes the bad taste and odor.

With this filter at the front, a maximum of 50,000 gallons of water can be treated before the cartridge needs a replacement. The unit works flawlessly and effectively thanks to its unique radial flow design, which provides a higher flow rate and less pressure drop.

After that, the water will flow through the AS-HS48D Whole House Water Softener, which will provide soft and scale-free water in enough quantity to satisfy the whole house’s needs. The unit demonstrates excellent performance in removing up to 48,000 grains of hard minerals. It is the best choice for a household with 3 to 4 bathrooms and 4 people.

The soft water is then processed through an AS-PR75A Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System, which provides clean and healthy drinking water with a crisp taste.

Like the other two products, this best-in-quality RO system filters the drinking water at the production rate of 75 GPD with the best performance in contaminants rejection. The filter removes the bacterias, dissolved metals, viruses, and many more impurities, giving you 99% contaminant-free drinking water.

7. Aquasure AS-SE1500A Whole House Water Treatment System

With this package in the market, you won’t need to purchase different units separately because it has everything to offer to produce clean and pure water. Once the connection of all 4 units of this system is made, the water will pass through 4 stages, providing you with the purest and healthiest water.

The first point of contact with the incoming water will be the AS-F120PS 20” Sediment Filter, which removes all the large particles as well as suspended particles like dirt, rust, sand, etc. Its unique pleated sediment filter has an increased capacity to hold dirt, which is why it provides 100,000 gallons of clean water before replacement is required.

This clean water then flows through an AS-FP1500 Whole House Water Conditioner, which will supply the safest water by removing a wide range of harmful chemicals present in the water. To remove these foreign materials like Chloramine, chlorine, and dangerous VOCs, the conditioner is loaded with the GAC media.

Not only that, but the unit also has KDF55 media to ensure that bacteria and algae aren’t developed in the unit. For a household with 4-6 bathrooms, this unit offers a 1,500,000-gallon capacity.

The water, which is free from all harmful chemicals, will now pass through an AS-HS64D Water softener, and it gives scale-free and soft water for the entire house.

With the capacity to remove the 64,000 grains of hard minerals like calcium and magnesium from the water, it demonstrates excellent performance ability. The unit is ideal for a household with 4 to 6 bathrooms and up to 7 people using the water.

Another product that is included in this kit is the AS-PR75A Reverse Osmosis water purifier. It provides pure, healthy, and crisp tasting drinking water. The unit can produce up to 75 gallons of pure water per day.

The purifier does exceptional work in removing up to 99% of water contaminants, including fluoride, arsenic, lead, bacteria, virus, and many more. The unit is easy to use, simple to install and requires minimal maintenance.

What is Hard Water?

When the water contains a large number of minerals like calcium or magnesium, then it is referred to as ”Hard Water.” The high concentration of these minerals is not dangerous to your health, but it creates many other issues. For instance, the presence of these minerals will create scales and build-ups on the faucets and the pipes.

The hardness of the water is generally measured in GPG. But, it can also be expressed in terms of parts per million(ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/L).

If the GPG of the water is more than 7 GPG, then it is known as hard water, which will also be responsible for dry hair and irritation of the skin.

Issues of Hard Water

Hard water isn’t particularly dangerous to your health, but it may create some issues with hair and skin. If the concentration of hard minerals is high in the water, then it will cause the hair dye to fade faster and can also alter the dye color. Your hair will give out an unpleasant metallic smell if the water has a high concentration of iron and sulfur.

Hard water can clog the pores on the skin resulting in a condition like eczema and acne, and it can also make your skin dry, which can result in irritation.

One of the major problems that hard water poses is the limescale deposit. Calcium carbonate in the water creates a deposit on the surface when the water is evaporated, which is known as a limescale deposit.

The main characteristic of the limescale is its stubbornness, and once it is developed on the surface, you are stuck with it. It can be cleaned from easily accessible areas, but it may not be that easy for the deep places.

Besides spoiling the beauty of your faucets, there is a more serious problem of damage to the plumbing. The scales won’t be just on the kitchen and bathroom, but they will be inside the pipe as well, which will reduce the water flow and increase the maintenance cost.

You may have noticed at some places that you can’t even take a sip of water due to its awful smell. The reason behind the smell is the presence of an extra amount of hydrogen sulfide in the water. By drinking that water, you won’t get sick, but you won’t also be able to drink it in the first place.

Also, the hard water buildup will reduce the efficiency of the kitchen appliances and as well as the water heater. On top of that, you will need to use twice the detergent to properly do the laundry.

Why Do You Need a Water Softener?

If you notice scale build-ups on the sinks, bathtubs, and faucets, then the reason is hard water. As long as you are using hard water, the build-up will keep coming back no matter how many times you clean them, and it will be there in a few weeks.

This problem can only be solved if the water is free of calcium carbonate, which is responsible for these stains and deposits.

Also, if your hair stays dry and you experience frequent irritation of the skin, then that is a symptom of hard water. If you see your clothes and bedsheets feel rough and scratchy and also the color is faded, then the culprit is the hard water. If you constantly need to maintain your plumbing, then this is also due to the underlying problem of the hard water.

The effective solution to all this problem is to boycott the use of hard water and use soft water. To remove the minerals from the hard water, so all the problems are avoided, you need a water softener.

Benefits of Water Softening System

The use of a water softener eliminates all the problems created by the hard water by removing all the responsible minerals.

Clean Pipes

The calcium carbonate in the water creates limescale in the pipes, which will clog the pipe over the long run, and the frequent damages to the pipes are also due to the build-ups.

But with the use of the softener, these minerals are effectively removed, which brings an end to the limescale problem.

Smooth Hair and Skin

The hard water creates dry hair and clogs the skin, but with the use of a water softener, the hair is washed with soft water, which maintains its moisture and keeps it silky smooth. Also, soft water balances the pH of the hair. For the same kind of reasons, it is beneficial for the skin as well. The bath with soft water won’t clog the pores.

Better Cleaning of The Clothes

The benefit of using soft water for the laundry is that it makes the clothes and the towels smoother. The problem of stains will be taken care of, and you won’t encounter them anymore. Also, the fabrics won’t fade that easily.

Since the soap and detergent dissolve very easily in the soft water, their use will decrease, which is another benefit of using soft water.

Improved Appliance Efficiency

When it comes to heating the water, the problem of the deposit on the heating element won’t be there if you use soft water, which will, in turn,l improve the efficiency of the water heater.

The water softener removes most of the hardness minerals from the water, so the general problem of hard water in water-using appliances is eliminated. Because of this, the cleaning frequency of appliances will be reduced.

Stain-Free Surfaces

The visual beauty of the kitchen and bathrooms is destroyed by the limescale deposits. The hard water leaves stains on the sink, bathtubs, and faucets, which is not a great sight to see if you ask me. The soft water use won’t create any limescale on the surface that will save you many hours of scrubbing work.

Pre-Purchase Considerations

It is important that you are well aware of all the related things to the water softeners before making a purchase, and we have listed down a few things here which will help you make a better decision.

 

Capacity

The capacity of the water softener denotes the ability to clean the water before the regeneration process needs to be done. The water hardness is measured in GPG, which means the grains per gallon, where one grain is defined as 0.002 ounces of calcium carbonate dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

Now, if the water has a 0 to 3 GPG, then the water is considered soft water, and for the range of 3.5 to 7, it is considered moderate water. But, if the GPG rating increases beyond 7.5, then we call it hard water that needs to be treated with a water softener.

Water softeners are available in various capacities, and you can get a water softener whose capacity can be anywhere from 16,000 to 100,000 GPG based on the hardness of the water and the daily water requirement.

Also, note that the hardness of the water determines the working period of the softener before the next regeneration. If we use a 64,000-grain system with 10 GPG water instead of 3 GPG, then we will need to replenish the resin early compared to if we would have used it with 3 GPG water.

Available Area

Before buying a water softener, make sure you have enough space to install them because the softeners come in different sizes and types. If you are thinking about buying those dual tank systems, which are also accompanied by a large brine tank, then you may need a significant amount of space to properly keep them.

In general, most of household can accommodate iron tanks and brine tanks, which comes with the capacity to supply water to small to medium households. Once you choose the model, please find out the specific dimensions and make sure it fits in your allotted space.

Regeneration Cycle

When the water softeners can’t soften the water enough, the resin inside the unit will need to be replenished with the salt content, and this process of replenishment is known as regeneration. This regeneration cycle depends on the capacity of the unit and the hardness of the incoming water.

Some water softeners come with a metered regeneration system. These water softeners will measure the amount of water that has passed through the system, and when it reaches a certain point, the regeneration process will be initiated. This is particularly useful if you use the softeners occasionally in a farmhouse or vacation home.

Another system for regeneration is time-based regeneration. In the units equipped with this regeneration system, the salt inside the softener will be replenished when a certain time has elapsed.

This system gives you more control over the regeneration process, but if the time period is too less then unnecessary salt and water will be wasted, and if the time period is too long, then you may find hard water inside your pipes.

Technology Type

There are different water softeners available in the market, and many of them differ from each other in terms of their water-softening technology. There is no one universal technique to soften the water, but you can do this by many methods.

Consider this; if the water coming to your house is of high hardness, then it is very likely that you may want to remove all hardness minerals from the water. To do that, you might want to use a salt-based water softener. But if you don’t want to remove those ions but just want to neutralize them or change their form to prevent the lime buildup, then the salt-free water softeners are the best for the job.

Bypass Valve

Most of the water softeners in the market come with a bypass valve, and the main use of the bypass valve is to divert the water away from the water softener and provide it with an alternative path to flow. The advantage of the bypass valve is that it will keep the water flowing through the pipes of your home when the water softener is under maintenance.

The bypass valve is also useful to divert the water away when the water softener is in the regeneration cycle. It is a must for salt-based water softeners. If your softener didn’t come with one, then it will be a good idea to purchase one that fits on the pipes.

Types of Water Softeners

There are various kinds of water softeners available in the market, and we have explained them here.

Salt-Based Water Softeners

Salt-based water softeners are the classic device to reduce the hardness of the water. Due to their working phenomenon, they are also known as ion-exchange water filters. The hardness of the water is due to the hard minerals present in the water, like calcium and magnesium, and if you want the water to be soft, those minerals need to be removed.

The tank through which water passes contains the resin beads that hold the sodium ions. When the hard water passes over that resin, hardness minerals get caught in it. Those minerals are removed, and the water is softened, no doubt, but the sodium ions are added to the water from the resin beads, which will increase the concentration of the sodium. It will be a problem if you are limiting your sodium intake.

But this problem can be easily eliminated if you add the RO water filtration system, which will not only remove the sodium but the cysts, viruses, bacteria, and sediments as well.

Compared to other types of water softeners, this is the most affordable solution to get soft water. Now, the resin won’t keep softening water for the rest of its life. After some period, the resin will run out of charge, and it will need to be recharged with sodium ions.

First, the hard water minerals are washed away by a backwash cycle then the regeneration process begins in which the sodium ions are restored to the resin.

Read More: Salt Vs Salt-Free Water Softener

Salt-Free Water Softeners

The name says salt-free, which means you won’t have to replenish the media with the salt contents frequently because there is no salt used to remove the hard minerals from the water. If I speak freely, then this is not even a water softener; it is actually a water conditioner that doesn’t remove anything from the water, and the minerals stay where they were.

The question is, if the hardness minerals are still present, then how is the water softened? The water is softened because the media used in this conditioner effectively neutralizes the hard minerals so that it can’t create scales on the surfaces and the faucets.

In general, you can call then scale preventers if you like, because that’s what they will do, prevent the deposits. The main drawback of them is their inability to treat the well water because it contains iron and manganese, which neutralizes the media, so the minerals aren’t converted into crystals and stay in the water.

If you are tired of frequent maintenance of your plumbing system, this will be a good choice because it requires very little maintenance; just insert the media, and it will work for 3 to 4 years.

Dual-Tank Water Softeners

As the name suggests, this type of water softener features dual tanks for water softening compared to single-tank water softeners. The single-tank water softeners will be out of service when the regeneration cycle is in process, and during this period, you won’t get the soft water. That is the reason most households do the regeneration during the night because at night, there is generally no need for soft water.

But if you need water at night too for large households and industrial purposes then, the single-tank water softeners won’t be suitable instead the dual-tank water softeners will be a great choice.

Dual tank water softeners consist of two resin tanks and one brined tank too. When one water tank is in the regeneration cycle, the delivery of the soft water won’t stop, and you will keep getting the soft water through the other resin tank. This alternate use of the tanks gives them the ability to supply soft water ceaselessly.

Compared to single-tank water softeners, this tank has one extra tank, which adds to its cost, but if you need continuous soft water without any interruption then, this is going to be the best investment.

Magnetic Water Softeners

Magnetic water softeners are not so popular but they are still somewhat effective in reducing the hardness of minerals. In all the types we have seen so far, there were chemicals associated with the water’s softening. But the magnetic water softener offers chemical-free water softening process.

This electric water softener doesn’t remove the hard minerals from the water, but it changes the form of those ions so that they don’t build up scales on the surface. Besides, they also let the minerals stay in the water, keeping it healthy.

Compared to the other water softeners, it has a very simple installation process, and you won’t have to alter the plumbing or even need to stop the water flow. Also, there won’t be any kind of involvement of valves.

It will have some wires which will need to be wound around the main water line, and when it’s done, plug in the device and the magnetic field generated will ensure the soft water.

How to Install Your Water Softener?

The installation process of the water softeners is relatively simple, just a few steps need to be performed, and you will have access to the soft water.

1. First and foremost, decide the place where you want to install the water softener. The ideal place is just after the water inlet valve and before the water heater. This will prevent the scale build-up inside the water heater.
2. Turn off the water to the house and drain the remaining water in the pipes.
3. When it’s done, you will need two elbow fittings; attach them to the water softener’s inlet and outlet. Now, cut the main water line and connect it to the inlet of the water softener, then connect the outlet to the T fitting from where one line will go to the water heater and another line of cold soft water to the household.
4. When it’s done, install the bypass valve and also connect the drain tube to the drain valve provided on the unit.
5. For the regeneration process, you will need to connect the overflow tube to the brine tank, which will be generally provided with the unit.
6. Now, when everything is in place, and all the connections are made, let the water flow through the bypass valve. So it gets properly cleaned, then turn the valve to its previous position.
7. Now backwash the water softener by letting in the water in small intervals. When the backwash is complete, flush your system with the manufacturer’s instructions. Now the unit is ready to supply the soft water.

FAQs

Q. How is the Water Bill Affected After the Installation of The Water Softener?

The resin accumulates the hard minerals from the water over a period of time, so to keep it working, those minerals need to be flushed out from the resin, which requires the use of water. If the water which needs to soften has more hard minerals, then the backwash will require quite often because the resin will be used up fast and will reduce its ability to remove the hard minerals.

So, the installation of the water softener will increase the water bill, but it won’t be a significant change.

Q. What is the Ideal Position to Install the Water Softener?

You can store the water softeners where you won’t have to worry about the water freezing or other problems posed by harsh weather. So, you can install them in the garage or the basement of your house.

Also, it should be the first appliance through which the water should pass so that all the appliances work perfectly without any build-ups, especially tankless water heaters.

If the hard water enters the water heater, then the scale build-up will damage the internal components of the water heater.

Q. Is it Possible to Soften the Water with The Use of Potassium Chloride Instead of Salt?

The main important component in salt is sodium ion, which removes the hard minerals from the water. The potassium chloride will have the potassium ion, which is equivalent to the sodium ion, and removes the hardness minerals in the same way as the sodium ion does.

It is a good alternative to salt, but one thing you must keep in mind is that potassium will not be able to remove the same amount of hardness minerals which that sodium can, so it will be better to use more solutions of potassium chloride for the water of the same hardness.

Q. How are a Water Softener and A Descaler Different from Each Other?

If we talk about the water softener, then it uses the sodium ion in the resin that removes the hard materials from the water, making it soft.

But the descaler isn’t the same, it doesn’t remove the hard minerals, but it neutralizes them so that they can’t create deposits on the surfaces. Here, they are not effectively removed from the water, so they will be in the water.

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