Written by: Alexandra Uta // Last Updated:
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Hard water is a common problem. Apart from unsightly spotting, calcium and other hardness minerals can leave deposits in your plumbing system and home appliances, and cause major leaks if the accumulation keeps on building.
Water hardness can also give your hair and skin a hard time. And while this isn’t necessarily a serious health issue, it can be particularly frustrating.
Installing a water softener is usually the only solution. How to find the best water softener system? Well, you came to the right place. You’ll find a collection of our top picks below and learn everything you need to know before making the final buying decision.
On This Page You Will…
Systems | Details | |
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![]() Best Water Softener: SpringWell SS | Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$$ Type: Ion Exchange Water For: Up to 6+ People (11-20 gpm) Grain Capacity: 32,000-80,000 Warranty: Lifetime Read Review: Click |
![]() The Runner-Up: Crystal Quest Whole House Water Softener with Pre/Post Filtration | Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$$ Type: Ion Exchange Water For: Up to 3-4+ People (9-13 gpm) Grain Capacity: 48,000-60,000 Warranty: Lifetime Read Review: Click |
![]() Best for Salt-Free Water Softening: SpringWell FutureSoft | Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$$ Type: TAC Water For: Up to 6+ People (12-20 gpm) Grain Capacity: – Warranty: 1 Year Read Review: Click |
![]() Best Budget Pick (Salt-Free): Evo Water Systems E-2000 | Get 5% Off! Use Code: |
Price: $$ Type: TAC Water For: Up to 6 People (15 gpm) Grain Capacity: – Warranty: Lifetime Read Review: Click |
Review Order
In our opinion, the best water softener in 2023 is the SpringWell SS. To be more precise, it’s the SpringWell SS salt-based water softener series which includes the SpringWell SS1, the SS4, and the SS+. The only difference between the models is their size and consequently flow rate. The SS1 is perfect for any household with 1-3 bathrooms, the SS4 for 4-6 bathrooms, and the SS+ for 7 or more bathrooms.
All three reduce water hardness by removing minerals, most importantly calcium, in an ion-exchange process for little to no scale buildup in your plumbing, home appliances, and fixtures. This results in increased efficiency and lifespan, lower maintenance, and fewer repairs. Healthier skin and hair as well as softer laundry are nice side effects.
But that’s not why SpringWell water softeners are our favorites. They’re our number one because they use long-lasting 10% crosslink resin (more chlorine-resistant), because they combine state-of-the-art digital metered regeneration with a Vortech plate mineral tank for the highest backwashing efficiency saving salt and water during regeneration, a Bluetooth compatible control head for easy programming and monitoring, a 6-month money-back guarantee, lifetime system warranty, reliable customer support by real tech experts… 5 stars!
![]() SpringWell SS Water Softener | |
System Price: | $$$ |
Process: | Ion Exchange |
Water for: | Up to 6+ People |
Tank Size: | 32,000 or 48,000 or 80,000 Grains |
Metered Regen: | |
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The SpringWell SS is best for people who want a salt-based water softener that’s easy to install and service, and highly effective.
→ Read Our Full SpringWell SS Softener Series Review Here
Our runner-up water softener is the Crystal Quest whole house system which comes with additional pre- and post-filtration. So apart from reducing water hardness to prevent limescale buildup in your home’s entire water system expanding the lifespan of pipes, your water heater, washing machine, etc., the setup also removes sediment and all kinds of chemicals and organic contaminants – think pesticides.
This improves the taste and smell of the water, its purity, and it protects the water softener itself from clogging so that the resin inside the mineral tank is likely to last a few extra years (provided that your water contains a lot of sediment). 4.5 stars!
![]() Crystal Quest Whole House Water Softener | |
System Price: | $$$ |
Process: | Ion Exchange |
Water for: | Up to 3-4+ People |
Tank Size: | 48,000-60,000 Grains |
Metered Regen: | |
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The Crystal Quest is the best alternative to the SpringWell SS and suited for small to large homes.
In our opinion, the #1 salt-free water softener a.k.a. water conditioner in 2023 is the SpringWell FutureSoft. That’s because it comes with all the extras that each SpringWell water treatment system provides (6 months satisfaction guarantee + lifetime warranty + professional support), and because FutureSoft water conditioners apply Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC).
Simply put, TAC is based on catalytic bead media that crystallizes hard water minerals. In their crystal form, those minerals don’t adhere to surfaces. In other words, your water won’t actually be softened, it still contains the same amount of calcium and magnesium, but the hardness is rendered harmless so to speak.
On the one hand, this protects your plumbing system, water heater, showers, and all water-using appliances from scaling (99.6% prevention) – and even cleans existing scale deposits when installed in an older home – extending their lives.
On the other hand, the conditioned water is gentler to hair, skin, and clothes while not feeling slippery like “properly” softened water does. And there are so many other benefits (check below).
All in all, a great alternative to traditional salt-based water softeners. 5 stars!
![]() SpringWell FutureSoft Salt-Free Water Softener | |
System Price: | $$$ |
Process: | Template Assisted Crystallization |
Water for: | Up to 6+ People |
Tank Size: | – |
Metered Regen: | No Need |
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Pros
Cons
Best for
The SpringWell FutureSoft is best for people who want a saltless water softener.
Looking for a more affordable alternative to SpringWell? Definitely check out the E-2000 by Evo Water Systems. It’s our top choice when it comes to budget-friendly water softeners.
As a salt-free system, the E-2000 applies Template Assisted Crystallization to transform hard water ions into microscopic crystals. This keeps them suspended in the water so that they won’t stick to surfaces causing scaling. Plus, already existing scale deposits will gradually dissolve. Most importantly, this greatly extends the life of pipes, and appliances, and fixtures.
Why choose Evo Water Systems over SpringWell? Again, Evo water softeners are much more affordable. And they are cartridge-based in case you don’t have the space to accommodate a more bulky tank-based unit.
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Best for
The Evo E-2000 is best for people looking for an affordable yet high-quality water softener.
Up next: The SoftPro Elite high-efficiency city water softener. The salt-based system is sold by the guys from Quality Water Treatment who have been in business for more than 30 years.
As the name suggests, it’s highly water and salt efficient – when regenerating. There’re multiple reasons for this. One is the upflow design which allows for a more precise recharge of the softening resin. Basically, only the resin that has actually depleted will be regenerated. Secondly, the water softener only backwashes every fifth regen cycle which saves a lot of water. And there are more features… 4 stars.
![]() SoftPro Elite High-Efficiency City Water Softener | |
System Price: | $$ |
Process: | Ion Exchange System |
Water for: | Up to 6+ People |
Tank Size: | 32,000-110,000 Grains |
Metered Regen: | |
Our Rating |
Pros
Cons
Best for
The SoftPro Elite is best for people on city water living in extremely large homes with many, many bathrooms.
In our opinion, the #1 portable water softener in 2023 is the On The Go. You can use it to get softened water in your RV and anywhere else away from home. Thereby the On The Go is small enough to be stored comfortably, yet it has the power to handle all your water needs while being on the road and makes an incredible difference.
Easy to use? You bet! However, you have to regenerate manually, obviously. But don’t worry, it’s a quick process. You just need common table salt or rock salt. 4.5 stars!
On The Go Portable Water Softener – Double Standard | |
System Price: | $ |
Process: | Ion Exchange |
Water for: | Up to 2 People |
Tank Size: | 16,000 Grains |
Metered Regen: | |
Our Rating |
Pros
Cons
Best for
The On The Go is best for people who need portable water softening.
Price-wise, Tier 1 water softeners are about as cheap as it gets. Designed for the mass market, they’re promoted as a “no-frills option” which still gets the job done – they’re regular whole house water softening systems after all that will reduce calcium and other hardness minerals in water for little to not scaling.
That said, there’re a few trade-offs that you must accept when you buy a product in this price range (details below).
Which Tier1 water softener do we recommend? For one, there’s the Everyday or Essential Series (see picture) with 3 different system sizes. They’re by far the most affordable and most popular. And there is the Advanced or Certified Series which costs a tad more but therefore you get NSF certifications and a few other extras. Personally, we prefer the latter mainly due to the bypass valve which doesn’t disrupt water service during regeneration (Tier1 Everyday water softeners shut off water supply for about 2 hours during each cycle). All in all, 4 stars!
![]() Tier1 Essential Series 48,000-Grain Water Softener System | |
System Price: | $ |
Process: | Ion Exchange |
Water for: | Up to 3-4 People |
Tank Size: | 48,000 Grains |
Metered Regen: | |
Our Rating |
Pros
Cons
Best for
Tier1 systems are best for people on a very tight budget.
Personally, we think the number one electronic water descaler in 2023 is the Eddy Electronic. Water descaler? Yes, it uses electromagnetic waves to reduce the scaling effects of hard water. The technology was tested in the same study that also tested the effectiveness of Template Assisted Crystallization applied by the SpringWell FutureSoft reviewed at the top. Result: Electromagnetic treatment reduces scale by approximately 50 percent – not bad! What’s more, the study showed that the remaining scale formation was “soft” and could be easily removed by brushing. 4.5 stars!
Eddy Electronic Water Softener | |
System Price: | $ |
Type of Water Softener: | Electromagnetic |
Water for: | Small to Large Homes |
Our Rating |
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Eddy Electronic is best for people who like the idea of electronic water descaling.
→ Read Our Full Eddy Electronic Water Descaler Review Here
You simply cannot create a water softener reviews guide without including the Fleck 5600SXT control valve. It isn’t exactly new, far from it, but it’s still really popular – probably because it has proven itself over the years. 3.5 stars.
On a side note, the brand Fleck is owned by Pentair.
Fleck 5600SXT Water Softener | |
System Price: | $$ |
Process: | Ion Exchange |
Water for: | Up to 6+ People |
Tank Size: | 24,000-80,000 Grains |
Metered Regen: | |
Our Rating |
Pros
Cons
Best for
The Fleck 5600SXT is best for people looking for a time-proven water softener made in USA.
→ Read Detailed Fleck 5600SXT Review Here
How do the best water softeners on the market compare to each other?
(Mobile Hint: Swipe to Scroll)
Systems | Price | Salt Based | GPM | Grains | Metered Regeneration | Additional Info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SpringWell SS Salt-Based Water Softener | $$$ | Yes | 11-20 | 32,000-80,000 | Yes | Best Overall, Can Remove Iron But Low Levels Only (Unlike Iron Pro 2 Water Softener for Iron Removal) |
Crystal Quest Whole House Water Softener (with Filtration System) | $$$ | Yes | 9-13 | 48,000-60,000 | Yes | Includes Whole House Filtration (i.e. Carbon Filter) |
SpringWell FutureSoft Salt-Free Softener | $$$ | No | 12-20 | – | – | Whole Home System Comes with Sediment Pre-Filter |
Evo E-2000 Salt-Free Softener | $$ | No | 15 | – | – | |
SoftPro Elite Digital Water Softener | $$ | Yes | ? | 24,000-110,000 | Yes | Digital Water Softener Comes with Touchpad Controls, Easy to Install |
On The Go Portable Salt Water Softener | $ | Yes | ? | 8,000-10,000 | – | Low-Capacity Water Softener Uses Single Tank |
Tier1 Essential Series Salt-Based Water Softener | $ | Yes | 10-11.2 | 32,000-64,000 | Yes | Whole Home System Comes with Manual Bypass Valve Depending on System Version, Up to 64,000-Grain |
Eddy Electronic Water Softener | $ | No | – | – | – | |
Fleck Water Softener | $$ | Yes | Up to 15 | 24,000-80,000 | Yes | Uses Fleck 5600SXT Digital Control Head, Up to 80,000-Grain |
Fleck Iron Pro 2 Combination Water Softener-Iron Filter | $$ | Yes | 16 | 64,000 | Yes | Fleck Iron Pro 2 Combination Water Softener-Iron Filter Uses Fine-Mesh Resin for Up to 8 ppm of Iron Removal |
The following are things worth considering before you go out and buy a water softener. These are also the very same criteria we focused on when picking our top products for this guide.
When people talk about residential water softeners they usually mean traditional salt-based softening systems that rely on a process called “ion exchange” to replace hard minerals in the water (mainly calcium and magnesium) with potassium or sodium ions.
If you’re worried about the extra salt dose, especially if you have to limit sodium intake in your diet, you might want to consider a salt-free water softener a.k.a. water conditioner.
These types apply a variety of technologies such as Template Assisted Crystallization or magnetism (great for small budgets) to alter the adhesive nature of hard water ions and thus prevent scale build-up and other hard water issues. However, most if not all of them will not actually remove anything from your water.
All in all, ion exchange water softening systems are considered the industry standard and are still the preferred choice for the majority of home owners due to their unmatched performance. However, salt-free softeners are becoming more and more popular with increasing effectiveness.
How much a water softener costs depends on its type, size, brand, and extra features.
Simply put, you can spend anywhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars on a standard ion exchange system. Water conditioners are usually a bit cheaper.
Also, don’t forget to take into account expenses for installation and operation (salt, water, sewer, and so on).
We know, this sounds like a lot right now, but remember that a water softener will pay for itself down the road – when in 10 or 15 years your home appliances and pipes are still in great condition.
Water hardness is measured in parts per million (ppm) or grains per gallon (gpg). The latter is more common. If your water reads 10 gpg and your family uses 400 gallons of water per day on average, then your new water softener needs to remove 10 x 400 = 4,000 grains of hardness per day.
But after hours of operation a salt-based water softener needs to regenerate. This involves washing out and draining away all the hard water minerals that have accumulated and also replenishing the resin.
Now, the amount of hardness grains that a water softener can remove between two regeneration cycles equals its capacity. Depending on which system size you choose, capacities start at 8,000 and go all the way up to 80,000 grains and even higher if need be.
If, for example, you don’t want to regenerate more than one time per week which is considered the optimum, your hypothetical water softener has to have a minimum grain capacity of 7 days x 4,000 grains/day = 28,000 grains (assuming there’s no iron or manganese present).
In other words: You need to buy a large enough system that’s capable of handling your hardness level and water consumption. But don’t go over the top, because bigger means more expensive.
As a general rule, the lower the grain capacity, the more often a water softener has to regenerate and the lower its salt efficiency which means higher cost.
Flow rate is measured in gallons per minute (gpm) and determines how many soft water outlets you can use at the same time without losing water pressure.
Obviously, if you live in a larger home you want to buy a water softener with a high flow rate (trust us, a trickle of a shower is the last thing you want).
A low flow rate can cause hard water to bleed through the system at times of peak usage.
For a larger family with 2 or more bathrooms we recommend a minimum flow rate of 11-12 gpm. Single households shouldn’t go below 7 gpm.
There are 3 methods for how water softeners (used to) regenerate:
Although not mandatory, look out for NSF/ANSI certifications that substantiate a manufacturer’s performance claims.
Standard 44 was established for cation exchange water softener systems and covers things like:
Basically, a Standard 44 certification gives you peace of mind that your system is quality and safe. Another certification to look out for is the WQA Gold Seal.
Buying online gives you the largest selection of products and at the best prices.
However, if you prefer to buy local make sure to get quotes from more than one company.
In addition, beware of sellers trying to urge you into making a rushed decision. You want someone reputable and accredited with good feedback. Local water professionals should also know what the water is like in your area and be able to tell you what works and what doesn’t.
Lastly, pay attention to warranties – some companies provide separate warranties for different system components – and other after-sale services. A money-back guarantee wouldn’t hurt either, but not every seller is going to offer you one.
Check if your local authority has banned the use of salt-based systems. If so, consider other water treatment solutions.
More on Water Softeners
In a nutshell, hard water is water with elevated calcium levels – the more calcium the water contains, the harder it is. Let’s quantify that:
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) classifies water as “soft“, “moderately hard“, “hard”, or “very hard” by measuring calcium carbonate concentrations usually in parts per million (ppm) or grains per gallon (gpg). 17.118 ppm = 1 gpg.
Classification | CaCO3 in parts per million | CaCO3 in grains per gallon |
---|---|---|
Soft water | 0 – 60 | 0 – 3.5 |
Moderately hard water | 61 – 120 | 3.56 – 7.01 |
Hard water | 121 – 180 | 7.06 – 10.51 |
Very hard water | >180 | >10.51 |
(Source)
Like we said, if you want to determine your water hardness level all you need to do is measure its calcium levels. You can do this yourself using a hard water test kit (available online and at your local hardware store) or you can send a sample to a professional lab.
The easiest way to finding your hard water level, however, is to check the latest Water Quality Report for your water supply. Yes, someone already did the testing for you! And even better: Public suppliers have to provide a yearly report for free. You are on a private well? That’s bad luck since private well operators aren’t legally bound to publish reports.
Why do you need a water softener and what are common hard water issues?
According to the USGS, most American homes receive moderately hard water or worse. And it’s not just well water. Softening water on a large scale is too costly for suppliers so that city water is equally affected.
That said, installing a whole house softener or not is a matter of personal preference. It’s not required by law but it certainly has many benefits as you’re about to learn soon. But first, let’s talk about hard water problems and their signs.
Hard water can cause scaling which is by far its biggest issue. This is because scale deposits can clog pipes, filters, valves, fittings, and entire water systems.
Over time, water flow rates and water pressure decrease which results in even more scaling. Eventually, pipes will wear out and might even break, your dishwasher starts leaking, and the overall lifespan of your water-using appliances decreases by a couple of years.
Tip: The easiest way to identify scale is to look for mineral deposits in your kettle and coffee maker.
Mixed with soap, hard water leaves unsightly stains on all surfaces it touches like sinks, toilets, bathtubs, shower doors, glasses, and tableware.
Hard water gives you a hard time getting a nice lather in the shower. What you get instead is soap scum.
All clothes, bed linen, and towels fade with time. However, hard water accelerates the process and gives fabric a scratchy and unpleasant feel.
Many people that shower in hard water complain about dry skin and brittle hair prone to tangling.
A traditional salt-based water softener is a relatively large device that makes hard water soft. It has 3 main components:
Let’s briefly discuss how the different types of water softeners work.
With regular softeners, hard water flows into the resin tank where it gets in contact with the small, sodium-supersaturated resin beads. This is where the actual softening takes place: Calcium and other positively charged hard water minerals substitute sodium ions (also positively charged, but much weaker) attached to the beads which carry a negative charge and thus act like a magnet. This process is called “ion exchange” and it’s by far the most common method for softening household water.
As a result, all hardness minerals are removed from the water and the sodium goes into solution. By the time the water reaches the bottom of the tank, it’s soft. From there it enters a tube, flows out of the system, and gets distributed throughout your whole house.
By the way, instead of sodium, you can also charge your water softener resin bed with potassium, for example if you’re on a salt-restricted diet.
After operating for a couple of days, the majority of resin beads are covered with hardness ions, thus unable to soften any more water. This is when a water softener needs to regenerate.
This includes flushing out all accumulated hardness minerals and recharging the resin bed’s softening or grain capacity.
Here the brine tank comes into play. It’s basically a salt storage. Mixed with water, the salt forms a highly concentrated brine solution which is directed into the main tank. The brine washes over the resin bed releasing all hardness ions and replacing them with a fresh layer of sodium.
As a last step, the bed is rinsed to remove any remaining water hardness minerals and brine.
A dual tank water softener uses two resin tanks. This has the benefit that while one tank is regenerating, the other tank can fill in. We haven’t mentioned this before, but a water softener cannot provide any soft water while in regeneration mode. This is also why regeneration cycles are usually scheduled to happen at night – no need for that, though, if you’re using a dual tank unit.
Salt-free water softeners also known as water conditioners include any type of water treatment system that reduces the scaling effects of hard water. What they all have in common is that they don’t actually remove hard minerals from the water.
One prominent example for a saltless water conditioner is the SpringWell FutureSoft which relies on Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC). TAC makes use of catalytic bead media that crystallizes hard water minerals. Because in their crystal form, they don’t stick to surfaces. Scale prevention: Up to 99.6%.
Other methods to condition water include the use of citric acid or polyphosphate as chelating agents. They bind hard water ions so they remain soluble.
Electronic and magnetic water descalers reduce scaling by inducing electromagnetic waves into the water. This is done with the help of simple magnets or coils which wrap around the water pipe. Effectiveness: 50% scale reduction in the best-case scenario, plus the remaining scale formation is soft and can be removed much more easily.
The general consensus among experts is that water softeners work best: They are more effective than water conditioners at reducing scale. Furthermore, they work with almost all waters – the effectiveness of many water conditioners is highly dependent on factors such as water pH – and they’re more effective at a higher water hardness level.
Still, water conditioners have their right of existence. Their advantages include:
Here are the benefits of using a water softener from most to least important:
The best place to install a water softener is in the basement or garage close to where the main water line enters your house. If you want to do the setup yourself, here is a list of tools and supplies that you need:
Generally speaking, a water softener is simple to maintain. Adding new salt into the brine tank is certainly the most important task. But you can do more to ensure that your system runs smoothly and at peak performance for years.
The following are popular and lesser-known water softener companies/brands and manufacturers.
The CEO of SpringWell Blake Gratton told us that his company is growing like wildfire. We’re excited to see what the future has in store for these guys! We consider SpringWell water softeners to be the best water softeners on the market.
Fleck owned by Pentair is the go-to home water softener brand for many. Fleck metered control valves are among the best selling on the market.
GE Appliances is a trademark of the General Electric Company. The Haier Group manufactures GE appliances under a trademark license. The GE salt-based softeners we reviewed were all pretty solid.
Culligan provides water treatment products for homes, offices, commercial places, and industrial applications. This includes a filtered bottled water delivery service.
The company works with a franchise business model. Local experts help potential new customers conduct a water test and come up with treatment solutions. For water softeners, the service also includes system installation, setup, maintenance and repair.
WaterBoss, Inc. is another supplier of water softening and water filtration equipment. The company currently offers 3 different water softener models for residential use. They are not our favorites, though.
Genesis softeners are sold by Discount Water Softeners, Inc. The actual manufacturer remains unknown due to proprietary reasons. What we do know is that all salt-based systems are engineered and assembled in the U.S., and their performance is decent.
Kenmore does refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves, dryers, and many more types of home appliances. All products are sold by Sears, the owner of the Kenmore brand.
All in all, Kenmore salt-based softeners are good, but not phenomenal.
Back in 1848 when Morton Salt, Inc. was founded, the company focused on selling seasoning salt. Only since 2002 does Morton sell their own salt-based water softeners. But, again, they are not our favorites.
Other salt water softener companies/manufacturers include
Examples for manufacturers of salt-free systems are
Questions about the best water softeners? Ask Away!
And make sure to come back to this guide from time to time as we are going to add new water softener reviews occasionally.