If you’re looking for the perfect water softener for your home, you’ve likely come across AO Smith as a recommended brand.
You may wonder, are AO Smith water softeners worth the investment? And how do you know if their units are the right fit for your home?
Our comprehensive guide will answer your most pressing questions about AO Smith water softeners. We’ve reviewed all of the available models, so let’s see if there’s a water softener that meets your household’s specific needs. Spoiler alert – there probably is.
- Type: Ion Exchange
- Grain Capacity: 32,000 – 80,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 11 – 20 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Type: Template Assisted Crystallization
- Grain Capacity: N/A
- Flow Rate: 15 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
Who Makes AO Smith Water Softeners?
AO Smith water softeners are made by the AO Smith company, which was founded back in 1874 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Charles Jeremiah Smith. The company initially made parts for baby carriages.
Over the next century, the company opened factories in many different locations and dabbled in various fields before opening a commercial water heater and boiler plant in Stratford, Ontario, in 1961.
The company has been in this field for more than half a century now and has incorporated Lochinvar and MiM Water Technologies into its range of water purification products.
List of AO Smith Water Softener Systems
AO-WH-SOFT- 350
The AO-WH-SOFT- 350 model is designed for homes with 2 – 4 people. It uses advanced salt-sensing tech to adapt to your home’s water usage, saving energy, water, and salt. Plus, its filter is self-cleaning, which means it requires very little maintenance.
AO-WH-SOFT- 400T
The AO-WH-SOFT- 400T model is an all-rounder with great stats in every category. It’s an ideal choice for 3 – 4 person households. It comes with power loss protection that saves your settings during power outages, and if you’re concerned about maintenance, you’ll be glad to know that its self-cleaning filters never need to be replaced.
AO-WH-SOFT- 450T
The AO-WH-SOFT- 450T model stands out from the others with its notifications features. It alerts you when the salt levels are low by either sending you a message via wifi or through the built-in alarm. The power loss protection feature is a nice bonus as well.
AO-WH-SOFT- PRO-300
The AO-WH-SOFT- PRO-300 model has the smallest grain capacity out of the bunch, but it compensates for it by being the most affordable model. Additionally, it comes with the same 10-year warranty on mechanical and electric parts as all of the other models.
AO-WH-SOFT-PRO-500
The AO-WH-SOFT-PRO-500 is the largest model and it can handle the most GPG, making it ideal for areas with particularly mineral-rich water. Like the 450T, its filters are self-cleaning and it sends notifications when it’s time to replace the salt.
Comparison Table
We’ve compiled the most important information on AO Smith water softeners to help you decide which model best suits your needs.
Water Softeners | Technology | Grain Capacity | Max. Water Hardness | Warranty | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AO-WH-SOFT- 350 | Ion Exchange | 35k | 90 GPG | 3 and 10-year warranties | $439 |
AO-WH-SOFT- 400T | Ion Exchange | 40k | 100 GPG | 3 and 10-year warranties | $549 |
AO-WH-SOFT- 450T | Ion Exchange | 45k | 100 GPG | 5 and 10-year warranties | $649 |
AO-WH-SOFT- PRO-300 | Ion Exchange | 30k | 90 GPG | 5 and 10-year warranties | $849 |
AO-WH-SOFT-PRO-500 | Ion Exchange | 50k | 110 GPG | 5 and 10-year warranties | $797 |
AO Smith Water Softener Reviews: Users Feedback
Before we get into this section, we need to give you a disclaimer. All of the positive reviews of AO Smith’s water softeners come from the company’s own site, as there are currently no reviews available elsewhere. So, we can’t say whether the curation of these reviews is biased or not.
In fairness to AO Smith, there are also a few unsatisfied customers in the review sections, so it doesn’t seem like they’re ignoring or censoring their critics.
From all of the user feedback we’ve read, the AO Smith water softeners seem to be pretty reliable products, with the small 35k and 40k grain capacity models being the most popular due to their compact size.
Users have praised the features, the easy installation, and the fact that these appliances require virtually no maintenance. However, some reviews mention that some models don’t have a high enough max hardness threshold to handle very mineral-rich water. The reviews also mention other issues, which we cover in the cons section below.
Overall, the general consensus on these devices seems positive, and most customers don’t appear to regret buying one.
AO Smith Water Softener Alternatives
Here are 2 high-quality ao smith water softener alternatives you can get instead:
- Springwell SS1 Salt-Based Water Softener (also see Springwell Salt-free Softener)
- Kind Water Systems E-2000 Water Softener
- Type: Ion Exchange
- Grain Capacity: 32,000 – 80,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 11 – 20 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Type: Template Assisted Crystallization
- Grain Capacity: N/A
- Flow Rate: 15 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
AO Smith Water Softener Prices
- AO-WH-SOFT- 350 – $439
- AO-WH-SOFT- 400T – $549
- AO-WH-SOFT- 450T – $649
- AO-WH-SOFT-PRO-500 – $797
- AO-WH-SOFT- PRO-300 – $849
Even by portable water softener standards, these units are fairly priced. You can definitely find water softeners for less money than this, but they’ll either have a shorter warranty or they’ll be too small to perform the task you need them for.
Additionally, the straightforward installation means you’ll save money on plumbers since you can easily install them yourself.
Pros & Cons of AO Smith Softeners
Next, we’ll take you through the biggest selling points and downsides to these products, so that you can make an informed purchasing decision.
PROS
- Price: AO Smith water softeners are reasonably priced even for compact or portable models. While you can find water softeners for as little as $200, they won’t be anywhere near as powerful. They also won’t have half of the tank capacity, and they probably won’t have nearly as many useful features.
- Features: The self-cleaning feature gives these units great longevity, even without replacing the filters. The power loss protection saves your settings in case of a blackout, while the salt-sensing technology adapts to the amount of water you use and adjusts the settings, ensuring you’re not wasting water, power, or salt.
- Compact: Most standard water softeners take up quite a bit of space. The AO Smith models are compact, and it’s super easy to find room for them, even in small apartments.
- Easy to Install: You don’t need to pay an exorbitant sum to get a professional to install these models. You just need to place them near your home’s main water pipe, connect the input and output valves, and start the water back up again.
- Easy to Maintain: The AO Smith water softener models don’t require filter changes like most other models. All you need to do to maintain these devices is slide out the removable part on the sodium tank, check the salt level, and pour in some salt if necessary.
- Warranty: The media tank, the main control valve, and the brine cabinet are covered by a 10-year warranty. Depending on the model, the mechanical and electronic parts are covered by a 3- or 5-year warranty.
CONS
- Limited Tank Size: These water softeners all have decent tank capacities. However, they’re portable models, so the tanks are smaller than permanently installed models. While they’re great for households with 2-4 people, larger households with high water demands may require more frequent regeneration cycles. This is because the resin won’t be able to keep up with the amount of water that’s being softened.
- Not Ideal for All Areas: The largest AO Smith model has a grain capacity of 50k and can handle hardness levels up to 110 GPG, which is great. However, there are certain parts of the country where you’ll need a softener with at least an 80k grain capacity. Smaller models won’t be able to handle the mineral buildup in those areas. So, research the hardness of the water in your area before purchasing a water softener unit.
- Made out of Plastic: Although some plastics can be very durable, these devices are still undeniably damage-prone if they’re put under any amount of pressure or receive significant impacts.
Is AO Smith a Good Water Softener?
The short answer is yes, absolutely.
AO Smith water softeners are ideal for smaller homes and apartments where space is at a premium. They also have plenty of useful features, long warranties, low maintenance requirements, and easy installation. When you consider how affordable they are, too, it’s safe to say they’re excellent water softeners.