How Much Does a Culligan Water Softener Cost?
Written by: Alexandra Uta // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 25, 2023
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Browsing Culligan’s official website for a price estimate for one of their water softeners or any other water treatment product, you search in vain. It’s the company’s policy to not display any prices upfront.
If you would still like to know about how much money you have to invest to have your water softened by a Culligan residential water softening system, check out the following article.
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Key Takeaways
- The cost for a Culligan water softener can vary greatly. Around $2,000 is a good starting point.
- If the installation is included, it may cost around $500-1,000 more.
- A Culligan water softener rental plan could range from $80 to $155.
Culligan Water Softener Cost – Too Many Factors to Consider?
The reason why Culligan does not want to display prices for their softeners and filters is because “the total cost can vary depending on many different factors“. Two of the factors that the company mentions are what sort of water problems you are experiencing, and what problems you might not even be aware of just yet.
Furthermore, on the website it says that “it’s really hard to say what solution will suit your water best without starting with an in-home evaluation from your local Culligan Man“.
In other words, you will have to make an appointment to get a service person to visit your home and assess which softener would be ideal for you. Then you will be given a price.
Getting an Estimate the Official Way
Ok, so how exactly can you get an estimate?
- First, visit culligan.com and click the button that says Find My Local Dealer. This will direct you to the contact page.
- Here you must enter your personal contact information (name and address).
- Lastly, hit Submit.
Now all you there is to do is wait until a Culligan representative gets in contact with you.
Another option is to enter your zip code in the search bar at the bottom of the page next to where it says Find My Culligan Expert. You will be redirected to a page that lists the contact information of the Culligan store(s) nearest to you. You can then send an email, call, visit the linked website, or fill out the contact form on the right (see above).
Within the next few days, you’ll get a call back and have the chance to schedule an appointment whit a Culligan water expert who will come to your home, assess your situation, and give you a cost estimate.
In-Home Water Test
The first appointment might include a free basic water test. According to Culligan, this is how the test works:
- A sample is taken and tested right there in your kitchen. This supposedly takes less than ten minutes.
- The results will be explained to you.
- The best option for addressing your hard water problems will be discussed with you.
Culligan also offers a professional lab analysis for “harder-to-identify water problems“. Whether or not this test is for free, we do not know. The testing itself will take a couple of days and the results will be shared with you when available.
Further Reading:
- You can find our Culligan water softener reviews here.
- Find our list of best water softeners here.
Our Issues
We have a couple of issues with this price policy:
For one, if you’re on a small budget it would be nice to save the time and effort by not having to go through the whole appointment and testing process. Chances are, you won’t be able to afford a Culligan softener anyway.
Also, once in your home it’s much easier for a service person to upsell you to a more expensive system that you don’t actually want or need. But since you’re a layman, how can you determine what’s good for you and what isn’t?
A word of warning: Don’t let anybody talk you into buying something or signing a contract for a product/service without giving you the chance to think about it.
Culligan Water Softener Price List & Monthly Rental Rates
Finally, it’s time to talk about money! How much does a Culligan water softener cost?
We’ve tried to answer this question by finding out how much other people paid for their systems. This is what we found (information digested from ConsumerAffairs reviews):
- Customer A paid $2,600 for a Culligan softener including installation.
- Person B paid $3,000 for a system that included smart sensor technology.
- Lady C received a quote for a water softener, reverse osmosis system, and sulfur cleaner. All three components would have cost approx. $8,500.
- User D purchased a whole house softener + a reverse osmosis drinking water system for $3,000.
- Someone paid $3,500 for a combination unit that came with a pre-filter.
- Someone else purchased a $1,700 softener.
As for Culligan water softener rental plans, here are some monthly example rates:
- One renter pays $115 per month for a rental system and bimonthly salt delivery.
- Another Culligan customer signed a 3-year contract renting a basic softener and a reverse osmosis filter including service (does not cover filters, salt, and salt delivery) for a total of $5,770.
- Our last reviewer was offered a unit in a rental agreement for $80 per month.
Having reviewed literally dozens of water softeners ourselves up to this point, we can tell that these prices are on the higher end of the spectrum. Also, remember that there are additional costs for operation and maintenance.
That said, maybe most of the reviewers listed above live in very big households so that they need a large enough water softening system to supply their entire home. If that’s the case, some of the prices seem quite appropriate.
Buying, Renting or Financing?
What do you do if you can’t afford to pay this kind of money from petty cash?
Well, as seen above you could rent a system and pay for it on a monthly basis, or you could finance. However, both options are going to be considerably more expensive over time than direct purchase. Please keep that in mind. Even a rent-to-purchase agreement is not a worthwhile option most of the time.
Where and What to Buy Instead
There are so many manufacturers and dealers to be found online that display their product prices openly and clearly without hidden fees.
You could also pickup a system from your local hardware store or somewhere else.
In a Nutshell
One salt-based water softener we like to recommend is the SpringWell SS. Most importantly, it eliminates scaling in your plumbing and home appliances for increased efficiency and lifespan, lower maintenance, and fewer repairs.
We Recommend: SpringWell SS Water Softener
Get 5% Off! Use Code: BOS5OFF
- Our #1 Water Softener for Tap Water + Well Water
- 3 Different Sizes to Fit Your Home
- Excellent Salt and Water Efficiency
- Easy Programming and Maintenance Due to Bluetooth Compatibility – Maximum Convenience!
- 6-Month Money-Back Guarantee and Lifetime Warranty
- → Read Full SpringWell SS Review
If you’re into salt-free water conditioners definitely check out the FutureSoft! In our opinion, it’s by far the best.
Side note: FutureSoft water conditioners apply Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC), a process based on catalytic bead media that crystallizes hardness minerals. Once crystallized, the minerals remain suspended in the water and will leave your plumbing system without causing any harm.
We Recommend: FutureSoft Salt-Free Water Conditioner
Get 5% Off! Use Code: BOS5OFF
- Our Go-to Alternative to Salt-Based Water Softeners
- 99.6% Scale Prevention According to Study Conducted by Arizona State (+ Cleans Existing Scale Deposits)
- Can Handle Extremely Hard Water
- 3 Sizes to Choose From
- Media Lasts Indefinitely. No Need to Regenerate.
- 6-Month Satisfaction Guarantee & Lifetime Warranty
- → Read Full Review
If you have any questions about Culligan water softener prices, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Alexandra Uta
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.