Best Water Softeners

Posted on the 01 January 1970 by Charlene Farwell

Had enough of the problems associated with hard water? Here are some tier one water softeners you need to check out in order to soften your household water.

Hard water can be really challenging to deal with. It wastes soap because it takes much longer to lather. Hard water is not the best for drinking; well, it’s just too salty to quench one’s thirst. What’s more, hard water causes plug formation, rust, and scaling of appliances.

If you don’t know what that means, then just check through some old water pipe or other plumbing equipment that has been used with hard water for a while.

That said, water filtration systems are equipment designed to help with demineralization of water. That is basically about removing excess calcium and magnesium salts that are actually what causes water hardness.

In this review, we have rounded up some of the best water softeners of all times. We have selected our editorial picks from among the best varieties in the market. Using this shopping guide is, therefore, a surety of getting the very best water softening equipment. If that sounds like something you are seeking, then you can be sure you are in the right place.

Product name Flow Rate Capacity

Fleck 5600 SXT water softener ships 20 GPM 64,000 grain

Fleck iron pro 2 combination water softener 16 GPM 64,000 grain

Triple Action Poly Salt-Free water softener 30 GPM 65,000 grain

Aquios FS-220 Salt-Free water softener 12 GPM 40,000 gallons

ABC Waters Built Fleck 5600 SXT 12 GPM 48,000 gallons

Nuvo H20 DPHB Home water softener system 15 GPM 50,000 gallons

Fleck 9100SXT Dual Tank Water softener 20 GPM 96,000 grain

Eddy Water Descaler electronic water softener 15 GPM 65,000 grain

Tier 1 48,000 Grain Digital Water softener 30 GPM 48,000 grain

Morton System Saver 30,000 Grain water softener 11 GPM 30, 000 grain

What is a water softener?

As the name suggests, a water softener is an equipment that is used to make hard water soft and ideal for household use. Are there many water purifier brands? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Indeed, there are countless brands of water softeners available. That is to say, end consumers have a lot more variety to choose from. And with the variety comes the other challenge of filtering through everything before you get what suits you best. Luckily, we have labored hard to save you from the hassle of having to do it yourself. All you are left to do is read through each product description and elect what matches your taste and preference.

Do you really need a water softener?

Well, considering that you are on this page, my assumption is that you are looking for a good water softener. Basing on that premise, I think you really need a water purifier. On a different perspective, if your household water is sourced from a well, some rivers, or sea, then you know what it means to deal with hard water. From stained utensils to clogged pipes and taps. If any of the above-mentioned options describes your situation in one way or another, then you really need a water purifier.

That’s it for the brief intro. Let’s head straight to the various types of water softeners in this listing. So, we’ll start off with a quick overview of the different water purifier brands. Here’s a table for the same.

Types of water softeners

There are different types of water softeners in the market today. When buying water filters, it is very important to know what you are settling for. The types is often defined by the filtration technique in use. The 4 most common types include:

Salt free

These ones are by far the most popular water softeners. Because they use filters, these water softeners don not require chemical salts like potassium for their operation.

Ion exchange

These one are the exact opposite of salt free water softeners. These water filters exchange all water ions with potassium and sodium ions.

Reverse osmosis

These are the most efficient of water filters. They are capable of removing 99% of all solid and chemical impurities. They use pressure and semi permeable membrane for their filtration function.

Magnetic

These water softeners use strong magnetic fields to attract and eliminate some salts. Their softening is however short-lived because water often return to the hardness form after a 48 hour period.

Best Warranty Coverage

  • Fleck 64K water softener 64,000 Grain Blue

This is by far the most popular hard water filters. If you are looking for good water softening equipment that is both affordable and efficient, this one is worth checking out. I have one by the way. You can, therefore, count on my hands-on experience to give you an idea of what it is like to own and use Fleck 64K water softener.

First of all, it is important to note that every purchase of this product comes with a 5-year warranty for the valve and 10-year warranty for the tanks. In addition, you will also enjoy toll-free tech support for all installations and programming related issues. That said, this softener comes with a number of definitive aspects that make it simply outstanding. For instance, this 64,000-grain water softener comes with an upgraded paddle wheel meter and a standard square brine tank measuring 12” x 48” featuring a safety float.

The installation process is fairly simple. In fact, the package comes with a USB drive with detailed video instructions on how to go about the setup process. It comes with a metered control head and may feature programmable cycles. So you can choose the quantity of water you want and when you want it softened.

Why We Like It:

  • Comes with a 5-year warranty for the valves and a 10-year warranty for the tanks.
  • Features a standard 12” x 48” tank, and a square brine tank with safety float. Overall, this water purifier has a 64000-grain capacity.
  • Simple installation process. There’s an accompanying USB drive with complete video guide on the same.
  • Comes with a digital metered control head and fully programmable cycles.
  • The brine tank is loaded with resin for enhanced softening capacity.

Why We Hate It:

  • Not identified

Best Chlorine Removal Water Softener

  • Fleck iron pro 2 combination water softener

This is another fantastic water filter with very cool features. Worth noting is the fact that it also has an iron filter. The filtration chamber is made of fine mesh resin ideally suited for durability and unmatched iron removal capability. Flex 5600STX has a digital metered valve for enhanced efficiency and ease of use.

For any malfunctions, this water softener comes with 5-year warranty coverage. The efficiency of removal of water hardness is rated at 75 GPG, iron removal at 8 PPM, while manganese is removed at a rate of 6 PPM. Together with these, Fleck iron pro 2 combination water softener also removes rust and other sediments from your water. Installation instructions are very simple and direct. And there’s a user manual complete with instructions. An integrated bypass valve allows for easy changing of the resin filters whenever appropriate.

Why We Like It:

  • Comes with a digital metered valve for efficient water filtration.
  • Every purchase of this water filter comes with a 5-year warranty
  • It supports a 64,000-grain capacity
  • Filtration compartment is made of fine mesh resin designed for efficient iron removal.
  • Effective at eliminative different mineral ions associated with hardness at a capacity of up to 75 GPG.
  • Comes with a user manual complete with all installation instructions.

Why We Hate It:

  • Not identified

Best Salt-free Softener

  • Triple Action Poly Salt-Free water softener

This is the True Salt-free hard water treatment equipment that comes with absolutely no replaceable cartridges. Water softening by this equipment is a catalytic mechanical process unlike what is often the case with other softeners that often use TAC and citric filters. Triple Action Poly Salt-Free water purifier is ideally suited for well and city water that often have a hardness of up to 25 grain. It has a 30 GPM flow rate, which is quite similar to your taps normal flow rate. The catalytic core has a lifetime warranty while the housing parts have a 2-year warranty. What’s more, every purchase also comes with a 90-day customer satisfaction guarantees.

Why We Like It:

  • Comes complete with installation instruction manual and nipples for out of the box setup.
  • Ideally suited for water hardness of up to 25 grain, typical of city and well water hardness.
  • With a flow rate of 30 GPM, this water filter has almost the same flow rate as your normal tap water flow rate.
  • No costly cartridges to replace. Instead, Triple Action Poly Salt-Free water filtration system has a catalytic/ electro-mechanical process technique.
  • Comes with a lifetime warranty for the catalytic core, a 2-year warranty for the housing parts, and a 90-day customer satisfaction guarantee.

Why We Hate It:

  • Not identified

Best Eco-friendly Water Softener

  • Aquios FS-220 Salt-Free water softener

Aquios FS-220 is a full house water softening and water filtration system that is also eco-friendly. If you are looking for a water purifier that is affordable and efficient, this is definitely one option you want to check out. You will have a chance to condition, filter, and eliminate scales & rust without having to lose vital water pressure.

It features a compact maintenance-free design. You don’t even require electricity to operate this. The water softener comes with a 6-month replaceable cartridge together with a commercial strength water conditioning and filtration. What’s more, every purchase comes with a 20-year warranty for free replacements and repairs.

Why We Like It:

  • This hard water filter naturally conditions, filters, and eliminates scale & rust without compromising flow rate pressure.
  • Comes with 20-year warranty coverage.
  • Compact design with no need for electricity, programming, and maintenance.
  • Eco-friendly salt-free design ideal for full house water softening and filtration.

Why We Hate It:

  • No warranty

Quick Installation

  • ABC Waters Built Fleck 5600 SXT

ABC Waters Built Fleck 5600 SXT comes with a digital control valve meter a 48,000-grain high capacity water softening ability. Upgraded 10% cross-linked resin filters help with the entire process of water softening. This equipment has a 12 GPM capacity that is ideal for a household of between 2 – 5 people. What’s more, in case of damages and malfunctions, this water softener has 5-year warranty coverage. Comes with an installation kit that includes a number of accessories such as silicone lube, hardness test strip, installation guide, sanitizer packet, etc. All these inclusions facilitate quick DIY installation procedure.

Why We Like It:

  • Comes with a 10” black mineral tank and a 36” black brine tank, all backed with 10-year warranty coverage.
  • Features an installation kit that includes a brine line, a drain line, install guide, hardness test strip, and a sanitizer for best practice quick installs.
  • Flow rate capacity of 12 GPM best suited for a household of 5 individuals.
  • Utilizes upgraded 10% crosslinked resin filters that are known for durability and superior filtration performance.
  • The Fleck 5600SXT digital valve meter comes with a 5-year warranty.

Why We Hate It:

  • Not identified

Best Chelation Water Softener

  • Nuvo H20 DPHB Home water softener system

If you’ve had the privilege to use any Nuvo H2O product before, you know that user satisfaction and quality are very definitive aspects top in their list of priorities. Now they have an all-new home water filter system. This one uses Nuvo H2O revolutionary technology to lower water PH levels based on the chelation technique. I won’t go deeper than that about the actual chemistry. You want to protect your appliances against scaling and rust? This hard water filter is all that you need. It is eco-friendly and operates absolutely free of electricity. Keep your appliances and plumbing fixtures intact and in good shape with Nuvo H2O Home water softener. On the downside, this water purification system has a small capacity of 50,000 gallons at a flow rate of 15 GPM therefore only fit for use in small households of 1 or 2 residents.

Why We Like It:

  • Eco-friendly designs that stores no waste water, no salt, and also uses no electricity.
  • Will extend the lifespan of your bathroom and kitchen appliances. And this is also true of all plumbing fixtures.
  • It is FDA and NSF certified for quality and performance.
  • Protects your appliances and plumbing fixtures from rust and scale buildup.
  • Ideal for softening all forms of water hardness.
  • Powered by NuvoH2O revolutionary chelation technology.

Why We Hate It:

  • Not the best for big households; suitable for small families of max 2 members.

Best Budget Water Softener

  • Fleck 9100SXT Dual Tank Water softener

This one weighs in at 250 pounds with a flow rate of 20 GPM and softening capacity of 96,000 grain. This water filter system features a dual tank design thus ensures you won’t run out of soft water anywhere anytime. It comes in black and almond color varieties. So you can be sure to choose what appeals most to you. If you are looking for an efficient water softener that is cost-effective and best suited for large families, Fleck 9100STX is all you need. This complete whole house water softener is super easy to install. In fact, the package includes a user manual complete with all the necessary installation instructions.

The tanks are preloaded with up to 3 cubic feet of resin. What’s more, this tank comes with a brine tank with a brine line for direct linking o the main tank. And if any of the tanks malfunction for any reason, you have a 10-year warranty overage to count on.

Why We Like It:

  • Heavy build weighing 250 pounds. Besides, it is very voluminous and will take up substantial storage space.
  • Comes with a dual tank design, all of which have 10-year warranty coverage.
  • All the 2 tanks have a water softening capacity of 96,000-grain capacity.
  • Easy installation procedure. The package even has a user manual complete with all the necessary instruction.
  • Protects all your appliances and plumbing fixtures.

Why We Hate It:

  • Heavy and voluminous hence will require quite some space to install.

Best Dual Tank Water Softener

  • Eddy Water Descaler electronic water softener

Looking for a no-salt water purifier with superior descaling ability? Introducing Eddy Water Descaler electronic water softener. This is super compatible with standard metal or plastic plumbing connections. As such, it is ideal for preventing lime scale buildup within pipes and appliances. And because it is electronic, this water purification system also dissolves existing rust and scale. It has a descaling capacity of up to 20 GPG and is maintenance free.

Eddy Water Descaler works by emulating softened water while retaining all the essential mineral ions. What’s more, every purchase comes with a 12 month 100% money back guarantee if the product fails to meet expectations. In addition, you’ll also be entitled to a lifetime repair or replacement warranty.

Why We Like It:

  • Comes with a pair of 14” x 65” tanks each with up to 3 cubic feet of high capacity resin for descaling and water demineralization.
  • Dual tank design for alternate efficient water treatment and ensuring uninterrupted supply of softened water.
  • Comes with an LCD display and a touchpad for easy setup and control.
  • Has a 96,000-grain capacity and a 20 GPM flow rate.
  • Uses ion exchange technique as well as physical removal of all scale build-up and rust.

Why We Hate It:

  • No product warranty

Best Compact Design Water Purifier

  • Tier 1 48,000 Grain Digital Water softener

The Tier 1 48,000 Grain digital water softener is one of the latest models from Tier 1 company. Like most contemporary water filtration systems, this one features an LCD display screen for better control. It features a dual tank design including a brine tank with up to 1.5 cubic feet of high-grade resin and a mineral tank.

For even better control, this water softener has a manual bypass valve and a 0.75-inch water connection brine line. The installation procedure is very simple. All the mechanical components, brine tubing, and pre-installed water purifier connections easily fit together during setup. Comes with an inbuilt precision meter hence very compact and will save you some 4ft of floor space.

Why We Like It:

  • Compact dual tank design featuring a 10” x 54” mineral tank and 14” x 42” brine tank.
  • Protects all your appliances and plumbing fixtures from scaling, rusting, and other damages associated with hard water.
  • Standard installation process involving simple fixing of pre-installed hard water filter connections. Essentially DIY installation.
  • Comes with a digital meter control valve with manual bypass for efficient water softening.
  • 100% Tier1 money back guarantee and a US limited technical support.

Why We Hate It:

  • Not identified

Best Descaling Water Filtration System

  • Morton System Saver 30,000 Grain water softener

Ideally suited for small households or offices, Morton System 30,000 Grain water softener will provide you with fresh, clean and soft water 24/7. With a 30,000 Grain capacity and an electronic “look ahead” technology, this water purifier helps you regulate and control your water usage. It will only operate when necessary and utilizes 50% less salt than other water softening systems. With Morton system water purifier, your laundry will be brighter and spotless. Your kitchenware will no longer be stained with scum. Your bathroom appliances will be free from scale build-up and rust.

The installation process is very simple and direct. The installation kit features all the necessary tools and equipment necessary for a quick setup. And it is compatible with 0.75-inch copper plumbing fittings. The installation kit includes a bypass valve, copper connectors, washers, and step down conversion nuts.

Why We Like It:

  • Supports easy installation process, thanks to the readily available washer, copper connectors, step down conversion nuts, among other accessories in the installation kit.
  • Compact design that requires just 1.3sq.ft storage space.
  • Comes with an immediate regeneration button that comes in handy during power interruptions.
  • Has a 30,000-grain capacity and uses 50% less salt than ordinary soft water systems.
  • Electronic “look ahead” technology regulates the regeneration process.

Why We Hate It:

  • No product warranty

What to consider when buying a whole house water filter?

There are particular aspects that define a good water softener. Some of these are rather general while others are specific. Here are some definitive elements you need to check out when shopping for an ideal water softener.

  • Type of water softener
  • Size of the water purifier
  • Controls and features
  • Design and aesthetics
  • Affordability

Conclusion

Let me wrap up with a reminder. Compare each of the products in this listing in order to find the very best. Also, check out the Amazon links provided.