Review: Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid Whole House Water Filter and Softener
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Aug 4, 2023
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The Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid Whole House Water Filter and Softener combines traditional salt-based softening with carbon filtration to soften water and remove contaminants from municipal and well water supplies.
The system comes with some nice features, including easy installation, low-effort maintenance, and NSF certifications.
Let’s analyze these features – and also the drawbacks – and see what the Kenmore Elite 520 has to offer.
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Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid Whole House Water Filter and Softener |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Treatment Process: | Ion Exchange Softening + Carbon Filtration |
| Grain Capacity: | 31,000 |
| Filter Life: | 570,000-2,280,000 Gallons |
| Flow Rate: | 8 Gallons Per Minute |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on softening/filtration performance, grain capacity, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid Whole House Water Filter and Softener – All Specs
- Model: 520
- Annual Maintenance Cost: Salt Only
- Treatment Process: Ion Exchange Softening + Activated Carbon Filtration
- Flow Rate: 8 gpm
- Filtering Capacity: 570,000-2,280,000 gal
- Softening Capacity: 31,000 Grains (0.98 cu ft. Resin)
- Max Hardness: 100 gpg
- Rated Salt Efficiency: 4,230 Grains @ 2.6 lbs. Salt
- Water Used During Regeneration @ Minimum Salt Dose: 5 gal Per 1,000 Grains
- Total Water Used Per Regeneration @ Maximum Salt Dose: 54.7 gal
- WxHxD: 17″x48″x21″
- Water Temperature: 40-100 °F
- Water Pressure: 20-125 psi
- Fitting: 1″
- NSF Certifications: Standard 42 (Chlorine Taste and Odor), 44 (Hardness Reduction)
- Other Certifications: CSA B483.1.
- Warranty: 1 to 10 Years
Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid – Key Features
The Kenmore Elite 520 is a 2-in-1 system, meaning it combines water filtration with water softening so you get the best of both worlds. Its most significant features are:
- Singe-tank design: The filter-softener combo has a single-tank design – more on this later.
- Activated carbon: Activated carbon filter media provides your entire home with better-tasting water free from chlorine and large sediments.
- Long filter life: You get a filter life of 570,000 to 2,280,000 gallons depending on your chlorine levels.
- Ion exchange water softening: This is the only genuine type of water softening and it’s also the most effective.
- Hardness reduction level: The Kenmore 520 system can handle even extreme hardness levels up to 100 grains per gallon + 3 parts per million of clear water iron.
- IntelliSoft® technology: This technology keeps track of your water usage and regenerates the softening resin on time, using only the necessary amount of salt and water.
- No replacement required: The system doesn’t require filter replacements, and the resin bed is automatically regenerated when due.
- Display: The Kenmore also features a display board that lets you monitor salt levels, water flow, and even average daily water usage.
- Tank light: The tank light is a convenient feature that provides visibility in the low-lit areas of your system. This light comes on automatically when you open the tank lid.
- Household size: At 31,000-grain capacity and 8 gpm service flow, this Kenmore whole house water filter and softener is suitable for most homes with up to 2-3 bathrooms.
- Warranty: There is a 1 year warranty for parts and labor, 3 years for electronics, and 10 years for the tank.
Kenmore Whole House Water Filter-Softener Pros
The Kenmore 520 Elite Hybrid water softener and filtration system protects your family and home from hard water and few water contaminants.
- The filtration part reduces large sediments, chlorine, and other unpleasant taste and odor improving water aesthetics. Some other chemicals and organics should be removed as well.
- The softening resin binds hard water minerals which are flushed away during regeneration.
So you not only get water that’s much more enjoyable to drink, your pipes and appliances will also be protected from clogging. Plus, no more minerals stains on surfaces and clothes, possibly healthier hair and skin, and reduced soap and detergent use.
Another thing that sets this whole house water treatment system apart is that you’ll never have to worry about replacing filters.
What’s more, the 2-in-1 system design makes installation a whole lot easier. If you have basic plumbing skills, you can install it on your own and save money.
We also want to mention the IntelliSoft® technology one more time. It allows you to program the system to precisely meet your water conditions, thus saving you extra cost, energy, salt, and even water by preventing regeneration that’s too frequent, too long, or too intense.
Finally, the system has been tested and certified by the NSF for the reduction of chlorine taste and odor (standard 42), hardness (standard 44), and salt efficiency (standard 44) among other things. This essentially backs the system and proofs that it works as claimed by the manufacturer.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The Kenmore whole house water filter and softener is designed to remove hardness minerals, filter large sediments out of the water, and eliminate chlorine taste and odor. It’s also NSF certified for the reduction of barium and radium.
The Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid – learn more on Amazon.com
Installation
The installation process for the Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid is pretty simple. Since it’s an all-in-one system design, you don’t need to connect filter and softener separately. Plus, there’s a built-in bypass valve so you don’t have to worry about that.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to installing the system:
- Turn off the main water supply to the house.
- Turn off the gas or electric supply to the water heater.
- Open faucets and let water drain from the pipes. Once drained, close the faucets.
- Detach the top cover.
- Check for foreign materials on the valve inlet and outlet ports and remove any ones you find.
- Remove and set aside the two large plastic clips for later. Then check that the turbine and support are in place.
- Apply a thin layer of silicone grease to the O-rings and slip them onto the bypass valve. Insert the bypass valve firmly into the softener’s valve’s inlet and outlet ports. Then, fix the two large holding clips in place.
- Gently lubricate the O-rings with silicone grease and slip them onto the installation adaptors. Securely place the adaptors into the bypass valve ports, pushing them as far as they can go. Next, fix the two large holding clips in place.
- To assemble the inlet and outlet plumbing, measure, cut (or thread), and assemble all pipes and fittings. Ensure that the incoming water supply pipe is connected to the valve’s inlet side. Note: Do not solder fittings while connected to non-metallic parts. The soldered pipe has to cool down before connection.
- Next, connect the valve drain hose. To do this, take a ⅜” length of inside diameter drain tubing and attach one end to the drain fitting. Hold it in place using a tube clamp (supplied). Place the other end of the tubing into a laundry tub, over a floor drain, or into a standpipe.
- Leave a space of around 1½” between the end of the hose and the drain to serve as an air gap. Next, check the hose for kinks or sharp bends. If there is none, tie or wire the hose in place (ensure that the hose is not pinched or restricted in any way). Direct the drain flow into the drain from the drain line and ensure that the hose is placed lower than the drain fitting.
- Next, connect the salt tank overflow hose. To do this, push the grommet (in the parts bag) into the hole in the salt tank wall, leaving half of it outside. Then put the larger end of the adaptor (also in the parts bag) into the grommet.
- Insert one end of a ⅜” ID tubing (supplied) onto the tube adaptor and hold it in place with a tube clamp. Place the other end of the tubing over the floor drain. Note: Don’t raise the tubing higher than the adaptor, and do not connect the salt tank overflow hose to the valve drain hose you installed earlier.
- After installing the water softener, put the covers on.
- Connect the softener to electrical power. Plug the softener’s water supply to a grounded 120V, 60 Hz outlet (the outlet should always be “live” to avoid accidental shutdown).
- Rinse out the carbon fines (tiny carbon small particles produced during manufacture and shipping) from the system. (Follow the step-by-step process for this in the manual).
- Next, turn on your faucets and check for leaks.
- Turn the gas or electric supply to the heater back on.
Video
The Package (Parts)
- Softener
- Bypass valve
- Drain hose
- O-rings
- Installation adaptors
- Hose clamps
- Adaptor elbow
- Grommet
- Clips
- Written installation guide
Maintenance
This system is in no way more difficult to maintain than most other whole house water filters/softeners.
For one thing, there’s no need to replace or change filter cartridges. And as for the salt regeneration, the softener does that automatically. All you need to do is occasionally add salt to the storage tank. The best type of salt to use here is pellet or nugget water softener salt. Rock salts will introduce dirt and sediments that could stop the softener from working.
To keep your system working at optimal performance, clean the storage tank every 2-3 years.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
https://kenmorewatersolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Kenmore-elite-english.pdf
NSF and Other Certifications
The Kenmore Elite 520 is certified by NSF International against NSF/ANSI Standard 42 chlorine taste and odor reduction. It has also been certified against standard 44, so most importantly it’s effective at removing hardness and salt-efficient.
The system has been equally tested and certified by the Water Quality Association against CSA B483.1.
Earlier Product Versions
There are plenty of older Kenmore water softeners, filters, and softener-filter combos:
- 348600
- 348670
- 383760
- 384200
- 384260
- 385200
- 388400
- 388450
- 388460
- 388480
- 388800
- 388880
The 520 Elite is currently the only whole house filter and softener combo available. Good news is all previous models have the same height (floor to inlet-outlet) and the same 1″ valve size as the Kenmore Elite 520, so you can do a direct replacement if you have one of them.
Kenmore 520 Elite System Cons
Of course, the Kenmore Elite 520 whole house system also has its shortcomings.
- For one, the carbon filter only removes the basic contaminants from water and doesn’t tackle the more dangerous pollutants – don’t expect anything crazy here!
- There’s also the fact that the 31,000-grain softening capacity doesn’t last that long and must regenerate quite often.
- And since it has a flow rate of 8 gpm, this system is not intended for larger homes.
- The single tank design of the system makes it more prone to salt bridging.
- We also did notice a few common complaints among users. Some pointed out that the system often leaked during regeneration, while others noted that it wasn’t a perfect fit for direct replacement of earlier product versions, as stated. However, the most worrying was the several complaints about the product’s delivery and packaging. Many customers complained that their unit arrived damaged/not correctly packaged or with a few parts missing.
Kenmore Elite 520 Hybrid Review: Our Verdict + Best for
The Kenmore 520 series water softener and filter seems like a nice upgrade from earlier versions. The technology and automated features make its use seamless and stress-free.
But although the softening is effective, the system is unsuitable for homes with more serious contamination problems since it only meets basic filtration needs. It’s also not fit for larger homes. And while the 2-in-1 system design saves space, it’s not very effective. Once the carbon filter media has worn out, there’s no easy option for replacement. We prefer the filtration and softening solutions to be separated.
All in all, this Kenmore whole house water filter-softener is suited for small to mid-sized households who want to eliminate hard water scaling and improve water aesthetics while doing so. Still, there are better systems out there.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Overall Performance: 3.5/5.0
- Filtering & Softening Capacity: 3.5/5.0
- Purchase Price: 4.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 5.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Softener and Filtration Systems
We’ll compare the Kenmore Elite 520 to the SpringWell CSS which is another whole house filter-softener combo. But with the SpringWell, filtration and softening take place in separate tanks which could also be used on their own.
SpringWell CSS |
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| Price: | $$$ |
| Treatment Process: | Ion Exchange Softening, 5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon + KDF |
| Grain Capacity: | 32,000-80,000 |
| Filter Life: | 1,000,000 gal |
| Flow Rate: | 9-20 gpm |
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Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on softening/filtration performance, grain capacity, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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Kenmore Elite 520 |
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| Price: | $$ |
| Treatment Process: | Ion Exchange Softening + Carbon Filtration |
| Grain Capacity: | 31,000 |
| Filter Life: | 570,000-2,280,000 gal |
| Flow Rate: | 8 gpm |
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Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on softening/filtration performance, grain capacity, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
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For the filtration part, the SpringWell CSS features a 5-micron sediment filter and a catalytic carbon + KDF media bed. This removes floating particles, chlorine, chloramines, some heavy metals, PFAS, pesticides, VOCs, disinfection by-products, and other organic chemicals. The KDF also hinders the growth of microorganisms in the system. Put simply, filtration is much broader and more effective than with the Kenmore 520.
The softening tank applies ion exchange softening, just like the Kenmore. Although not NSF-certified, it’s highly effective at removing hard water. And the SpringWell head valve has digital controls and can even be connected via Bluetooth for easy monitoring and adjusting settings.
Depending on which unit size you choose, the Springwell CSS also has a much higher flow rate and grain capacity than the Kenmore – ideal for large houses.
Finally, the Springwell CSS is backed by a 6-month satisfaction guarantee and a lifetime warranty (limited).
In direct comparison, the Kenmore removes much fewer contaminants, has lower flow rates, and needs to regenerate more often. On the upside, it’s more affordable!
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This completes our review of the Kenmore 520. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
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