Best Water Softener Reviews | Top 15 Water Softener System of 2024

Despite having its own benefits, hard water can be troublesome for domestic, commercial, and industrial use hence needing the best water softener to make tasks less burdensome. Some of the negative effects of hard water that we strive to avoid by water softening are skin irritations, corrosion of surfaces, and staining of the fabric. We advise that you make a worthwhile investment from the 15 water softeners in our article to cut on costs and maintain all-round safety if you reside in areas with hard water. A few reputable brands are Ge water softener, Kenmore water softener, and Menards water softener.

Until this point, our article has been resourceful and insightful to you. We hope that you consider saving yourself extra costs of staying in an area with hard water. If you are looking for a water softener for sale, you can comb Amazon for possible options that meet all your water softening needs.

FAQs and Buying Guide of Water Softener

Water softening is a chemical process that needs special equipment to reduce the amount of hardness in water making it favorable for use. Hard water despite having some compounds that are beneficial to your health, it has more of the same that are harmful to the human body and other surfaces. Some damages are discoloration of fabric, skin irritation and reactions, corrosion and rust. We have put together this section to give clarity especially on the commonly asked questions that bother potential customers. We hope that upon your satisfaction, you can soberly make a worthy purchase.

How we picked 15 best Water Softener

Our company has avid experts who work round the clock to ensure that they collect vital data that will be used in information compilation. The team took on research. They interviewed homeowners, industrial technicians, people in food and laundry ventures, and shop operators stocking these water softeners. More sources were following conversations on the topic in online groups, fora, and communities to find out what users worldwide are recommending and dissing. The product listing was from Google and Amazon.

How we tested those products

We invest a lot in research and information readying. The company through the procurement department was able to purchase 8 pieces of each of the 32 water softeners that were on the expert team’s recommendation list. We distributed these products to new users who were to take 6 months of usage before sending in their reviews. The testing criteria included a portability test, a power consumption test, a corrosion test, a drop-down test, and a functionality test. All these were to test product efficiency and durability. Only the 15 water softeners emerged the best from our findings thus featuring on our website.

Revolution of Water Softeners

After the discovery by an agriculturalist and a chemist in the mid-1800s that fertilizer passing through a certain type of soil forms a calcium sulphate solution, the report was recorded at the England Royal Agricultural Society. In the early 1900’s Dr. Robert Gans invented the first-ever scale harness remover. Russia proceeded to design the first zeolite water softening system. Equipment manufactured during these times was huge and measured between 30 and 36 inches.

It was unfortunate that only the wealthy afforded the purification systems and had access to softened water. Emmett Culligan in 1924 designed a control valve and he began his water treatment venture. In the early 1930s, people rented water softening tanks that had to be recharged monthly. In 1936, Eric Leighton Holmes and Basil Albert Adams discovered synthetic water softener resins that saw the launching of a demineralization plant.

In the 1940s was when the discovery of the ion exchange mechanism came up making companies use the technology in the 1950s to soften water in huge amounts. The Clean Water Act of 1972 led to shifted concern towards polluted water. This act was to see all Americans receiving clean and safe water for drinking. Still, at about this period, carbon, flocculation, and aeration as processing methods were used to improve the nature of water.

Reverse osmosis was scrutinized and its implementation commenced in the 1980s. There was the introduction of block salt in 1995 to soften water. Further advancements in technology have seen water softeners today being manufactured in compact yet very efficient designs. Some are high capacity while others take up less for domestic use for 1 to 4 persons in a home. Water softener companies began to emerge and grow.

Types of Water Softeners

Saltless Water Softeners

Most people prefer this type since it uses filters only without salt or any additional chemicals. The mineral salts in the water don’t get affected. You might not like it for extremely hard water.

Ion Exchange Softeners

These softeners exchange ions present in water with potassium or sodium ions. This eliminates ions causing hardness in water and doesn’t damage dishwashers and washing machines. Resulting sodium ions are high and aren’t recommended for drinking water.

Magnetic Softeners

Magnetic softeners have magnets around or in water pipes and the magnetic field alters water composition. Water should be used immediately as the past 48 hours, it becomes hard again.

Reverse Osmosis Softeners

These softeners use pressure to eliminate impurities via a semi-permeable membrane. Its effectiveness is at about 98%.

Advantage of Water Softeners

• Money-saving on monthly electricity charges and cost of repairing and servicing appliances.
• Prolongs the life of water appliances like ice makers, coffee makers, hot water jugs, water heaters, dishwashers, and laundry equipment
• Clothes remain softer since there are no hard minerals trapped in the fabric. The fabric laundered in soft water is durable and remains whiter for a long time without minerals causing discoloration.
• You use less shampoo and soap during cleaning since softened water lathers faster than hard water.
• Cleaning is easier as the amount of soap curd is lesser and almost negligible. It saves your energy and time too.
• Clean and softer skin.
• Healthy and smooth hair.
• Silverware, mirrors, glassware, cars, and tiles become shinier. Plumbing features don’t corrode or look dull due to contact with hard water minerals.

Q: What is a Water Softener?

A: A water softener is a special unit used to remove irons and minerals causing water hardening. These minerals are manganese, fluoride, and calcium ions. The unit if sophisticated enough can remove iron ions during the process.

Q: Who should know what a Water Softener is?

A: We address this buyer’s guide to anyone exhausted by consuming hard water and have experienced its negative effects. Those who are looking to relocate to residences with hard water should as well be knowledgeable about this equipment and plan on investing in the best to avoid incurring extra costs and losses. Check the water softener reviews prior to purchasing.

Q: Is Water Softener Safe?

A: Depending on the type of water softener you use, it can be safe for your health or detrimental. For healthy people, the increased sodium levels in soft water don’t cause any harm to their health. The problem comes in if you are a high blood pressure patient and need to consume very low amounts of sodium. Choosing a water softener that is highly effective like the reverse osmosis type will save a great deal on both your health, dishwashers, and washing machine.

Q: How does Water Softener work?

A: Follow below steps

Exchange Process

Most water softeners work through an ion exchange process where the ions remove magnesium and calcium from the water. Hard water gets into the system’s mineral tank and flows through a bed with spherical resin beads. Polystyrene is the material used to make the plastic beads. These beads are charged with sodium ions. They have a negative charge hence called anions. Magnesium and calcium ions, on the other hand, are positively charged thus the name cations. Opposite charges attract during the exchange process as hard water gets in contact with the spherical resin beads. These beads seize the mineral ions in the hard water and the resin column removes all the hardness as water passes through the tank. The resulting flowing water is what you refer to as soft water.

Q: How to install a Water Softener?

A: Follow below steps

Step 1: Read the Manufacturer’s Instructions

Quickly and carefully go through all the manufacturer’s instructions to equip yourself with the dos and don’ts before commencing anything.

Step 2: Prepping

Shut water to the house and switch off power to your hot water heater. Turn on all faucets in the premise to drain all water lines before installing the water softener. On a leveled and dry place, position the water conditioner. Measure the distance between the bypass ports on the softener and the cold water line.

Step 3: Installation

Install the discharge tube using the manufacturer’s instructions on the softener’s head. There is an overflow tube attaching to the side of the conditioner’s tank. Run it and allow it to drain. Place the bypass valve on the head valve of the water conditioner. Connect the tubing delivering water to the valve using a wrench. Attach copper tubing from the conditioner to the water lines.

Step 4: Testing

Turn on the electric heater and water. Plug in the control valve and pour 4 gallons of water in the brine tank. Set the conditioner on backwash and the valve to a service position. Turn on the water supply valve fully. Allow the conditioner to run through the whole backwash cycle. Check for any leaks.

Q: How much does a Water Softener Cost?

A: The cheapest water softener can fall in the $350-$400 range of water softener price. This is for a basic one yet very efficient. However, you don’t have to overwork these gadgets as they will easily break down. Water softening systems for industries and firms can go up to %9000 depending on the size of your premises and if installing it for the whole place. This doesn’t include the installation cost.

Q: How long do water softeners last?

A: On an estimate, averagely a good and well-installed water softener system should last between 10 and 15 years. Some last more years because of frequent servicing and proper care and maintenance. However, the basic stuff can last a year to 3 years if well taken care of before needing replacement.

Q: How to soften water?

A: For DIY lovers, here are a few ways of softening water that can be effective as a home water softener:

• Boiling hard water
• Using a water filter to remove impurities
• Using ion exchange systems in showerheads
• Using baking soda to soften laundry water
• Adding vinegar to laundry water

Q: Do I need a Water Softener?

A: Yes. You need a water softener if residing in a place with a supply of hard water. These systems are effective in health preservation and maintenance, appliance effectiveness, resource-saving, and generally a relief to your bills.

Q: How to Clean Water Softener?

A: Follow below steps

Step 1: Bypass Process

Place the system in a bypass mode following the manufacturer’s instructions. Disconnect all the lines between the tank and softener. Siphon water out of the brine tank and discard all the salt. Remove the brine grid

Step 2: Cleaning

Add dish soap to 1 gallon of water and pour it into the tank and scrub using a brush. Thoroughly rinse the tank to remove all the soap. Pour in bleach water and thoroughly clean after 30 minutes.

Q: What size water softener do I need?

A: You need to count and multiply the number of persons in the home by the number of water gallons they use on a daily basis. Multiply your result by the grains of hardness in the water you consume. This gives the number of grains to eliminate daily in return giving the estimated size of the system to purchase.

Q: How much salt do you need in a Water Softener?

A: For a residential water softener sized correctly, the salt consumption per week is about 10 pounds and 40 to 50 pounds in a month.

Q: How to choose a Water Softener?

A: Follow below steps

Consider the following:

• Size
• Ease of operation
• Type of system
• Portability
• Storage space
• Budget and water softener cost
• Cost of installation and maintenance

Q: What is the Best Water Softener?

A: The best water softener is that that meets all your water softening needs without putting a toll on your resources and isn’t a risk to your health. Preferably one with operation effectiveness of above 96%.

Q: How to soften hard water?

A: You need to purchase and install a proper whole house water softener on the premise in order to soften water. Otherwise, you can try the options below that are still effective:

• Boiling hard water
• Using a water filter to remove impurities
• Using ion exchange systems in showerheads
• Using baking soda to soften laundry water
• Adding vinegar to laundry water

Q: How often should my Water Softener regenerate?

A: Water softener regenerations should be regular like every 2 to 3 days for basic systems. High efficient systems do this daily.

Q: How to add salt to a Water Softener?

A: Follow below steps

Step 1: Prepping the brine tank

Open the brine tank and clean it before adding more salt. In case there is mushing or bridging, break it up before adding more salt.

Step 2: Salt addition

Add the water softener salt to the brine tank and don’t overfill the salt keeper.

Conclusion

We have done our best to make everything clear in the question and answer section and hope that it puts you a step closer to investing in the best water softener system that suits all your needs. There are reputable brands like Culligan water softener, Kinetico water softener, and Fleck water softener that you can check among others on Amazon.

Sources:

1. J N Novoselova, J A Moreva, and EA Meshcherova: Development of Water Softening Method of Intake in Magnitogorsk
2. An extract from Scientific American: How do water softeners work?
3. Sara Heger and Alycia Overbo: Costs and benefits of household water softening
4. Bryan Swistock: Water Softening