There are two main types of water softeners: salt-based and salt-free water softeners.
While both water softeners are effective at eliminating hard water minerals, salt-based water softeners remove minerals from water whereas salt-free water softeners condition the minerals to reduce their negative effects. Still, the good thing about salt-free softeners is that they require less maintenance than salt-based ones.
So, how do you know which type you need and which model is best? We’ve put together this list based on strict criteria and hands-on experience with each softener to help you decide.
Our choice for the best salt-based softener is the SpringWell SS1. Its high flow rate of 11 to 20 GPM and its grain capacity of 32,000, make it ideal for larger homes. Plus, it’s efficient at softening both well and city water, which makes it a very versatile system.
An affordable salt-free system on our list is the Kind Water E-2000 — it has outstanding softening capabilities and it’s easy to install and maintain.
Top Rated Water Softeners
- Type: Ion Exchange
- Grain Capacity: 32,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 11 – 20 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Type: Template Assisted Crystallization
- Grain Capacity: Unknown
- Flow Rate: 15 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Type: Ion Exchange
- Grain Capacity: 40,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 8.5 GPM
- Warranty: 5 years
1. SpringWell SS1 Salt-Based Whole House Water Softener
- Type: Ion Exchange
- Grain Capacity: 32,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 11 – 20 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
The SpringWell SS1, with its large grain capacity, quality components, and high flow rate is our top pick for best overall salt-based water softener. This system works with both city and well water, and it also tops our list of best well water softener systems.
So, if you’re looking for a salt-based softener that can handle any type of water, including well water, we couldn’t recommend this system highly enough.
Effective Softening Capabilities and High Grain Capacity
The SpringWell SS1 decreases the use of detergent by a staggering 40% in washing machines! Fruits and veggies washed with water coming out of this water softener are much cleaner and taste better. Plus, it improves skin and hair health because it removes the calcium and magnesium minerals that make the skin look dull. Simply put, it’s really well-rounded and probably the only softener you’ll need for the entire house.
The SpringWell SS1 has a 32,000-grain capacity, which is ideal for houses with 1-3 bathrooms. However, sizing options for this model reach up to 80,000 grains capacity, which can easily provide for large homes with 7+ bathrooms.
App Connectivity
One of the standout features is the Salt System head, which connects to the SpringWell app on your phone via Bluetooth. This feature ensures easy tracking and control by allowing the user to monitor the overall condition of the system and manage critical settings like salt usage and regeneration frequency.
Low Maintenance
Maintaining the SpringWell salt-based water softener is easy. The only regular maintenance requirement is to add salt to the brine tank once or twice a year. The brine tank holds up to 200lbs of salt and consumes roughly 40lbs of salt every 1-2 months.
In addition, the regeneration process is seamless. It’s automatic and usually occurs in the late evenings or early mornings without causing any disruption to the unit’s main function. The process takes roughly 30-60 minutes, which is faster than many other water softeners.
Easy To Install
For a large salt-based tank, it’s surprisingly easy to install for both professionals and DIYers with no plumbing experience. The average installation time is 1-3 hours for DIY installation, thanks to the precise installation manual that comes with the system. There’s also a step-by-step installation video on YouTube.
2. Kind Water E-2000
- Type: Template Assisted Crystallization
- Grain Capacity: Unknown
- Flow Rate: 15 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
The Kind Water E-2000 is the best salt-free water softener on our list. It uses template-assisted crystallization to crystallize the minerals found in hard water, which prevents limescale buildup and other issues associated with hard water.
It’s one of the easiest-to-install water softeners we’ve ever tested and it has a high flow rate of 15 GPM, which makes it ideal for both small and large homes.
Little Maintenance Required
As it’s a salt-free softener, you don’t need to worry about replacing the salt as you do with the SS1. This means there’s virtually no maintenance required. Once we installed it, we just left it running until the filters needed replacing. When that time came, replacing them was an absolute breeze. All we had to do was unscrew the filter housing and place a new filter inside!
Straightforward Installation
Some softeners require complex installation and it can take hours to connect all the different parts to your plumbing. This wasn’t an issue at all with the E-2000. It features an in-line design with only two connections so we had it installed in no time, and saved the money on hiring plumbers.
High Flow Rate and Zero Waste
We were equally impressed with the high 15 GPM flow rate. This means the E-2000 can provide water to homes with up to six bathrooms without causing any pressure drops. Plus, the system is able to soften water without wasting any of it, so it’s more eco-friendly than plenty of other units.
3. SpringWell FS1 Salt-Free Home Water Softener
- Type: Template Assisted Crystallization
- Grain Capacity: 35,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 15 GPM
- Warranty: Lifetime
The FutureSoft FS1 Salt-Free model doesn’t release any salt brine into the environment and reduces water waste to a great extent. It also does a great job of prolonging the lifespan of clothes and kitchen appliances and improving hair and skin health. Despite its other many benefits, it’s easy to install and take care of, too! This is a low-maintenance, eco-friendly water softener that improves water quality.
Key Features:
- High flow rate: Similar to the SpringWell SS1 above, this salt-free model offers a minimum of 12 GPM flow rate capacity which is ideal for 1-3 bathroom households. With upgrades, it can also reach up to 20 GPM for large abodes with 7+ bathrooms.
- Long-term savings: It’s a bit pricier than other water softeners, but the high cost is justified by the fact that it doesn’t require salt. It’s also a completely electric-free system, proving more economical in the long run.
- No pressure drops: Additionally, the ActivFlo Technology won’t let the water pressure drop no matter the active water flow rate. Compared to similar products in the market, that comes across as a standout feature for the SpringWell Salt-Free.
- Easy to install and maintain: Installation and maintenance requirements are very minimal. Installation time takes roughly 2 hours and can be done with minimal plumbing experience. There’s almost no required maintenance except for the occasional micron pre-filter replacement every 6 to 9 months.
4. Whirlpool WHES40E
- Type: Ion Exchange
- Grain Capacity: 40,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 8.5 GPM
- Warranty: 5 years
What really sets the Whirlpool WHES40E apart from many other water softeners is its ability to remove iron contaminants from water while softening it. It also features on-demand regeneration, NSF certification, and a low-salt warning indicator.
Its iron removal capabilities makes it a great option for homes supplied with well water, and it has a self-cleaning sediment filter which means it requires little maintenance.
Key Features:
- Contaminant removal: Aside from softening hard water, we love the fact this unit can also remove iron, magnesium, and calcium up to 10 ppm.
- Low salt usage: Although it’s not a salt-free softener, the WHES40E uses up to 75% less salt than other models. This should save you money in the long term.
- Digital display: The digital control panel made it really easy for us to tell when the salt needed to be topped up. This feature isn’t present in many other systems which makes salt replacement a bit of a guessing game.
- Low maintenance: The sediment filter is self-cleaning, which means there’s almost no maintenance involved once the unit is installed, apart from replacing the salt.
- High grain capacity: Its 40,000-grain capacity means it’s ideal for larger homes that have multiple bathrooms. We tested its ability to soften water in a home with three bathrooms and it was up to the task.
5. On-The-Go Portable RV Water Softener
- Type: Ion Exchange (Salt or potassium)
- Grain Capacity: 16,000 grains
- Flow Rate: 5 GPM (varies based on water supply)
- Warranty: 1 year
Sometimes, one of the biggest problems when driving around the countryside in your RV can be the quality of the water. The On The Go water softener is the solution to that problem. Once it’s hooked to the plumbing system of an RV, it’ll improve the water quality while also prolonging the lifespan of the plumbing system itself.
Key Features:
- Portable: Its weight of 32 pounds might be a problem for some, but its easy-carry handle further fortifies its status as the best portable option.
- High flow rate: The flow rate depends on the water source of the RV, but it’s always at least 5 GPM, which is more than enough for an RV. The grain capacity of 16,000 also means it’s capable of handling an RV’s water demands.
- Little salt required: With just two boxes of table salt, it’s able to provide softened and tasty drinking water for more than 40 days and at a capacity of up to 1,600 gallons.
- Quick process: The entire water softening process should never take more than an hour, and once you know how to do it, it usually takes about only 30-40 minutes to complete.
- Very affordable: The unit costs less than $300. While there are cheaper alternatives on the market, they are usually less effective and won’t last as long.
- Durability: The On The Go Double Standard model has a high-grade, premium resin bed, and its tank is made of durable metals, so it’s more than capable of handling long-term wear and tear.
- Easy maintenance and installation: The installation process is quite simple, so you’ll likely be able to install it yourself with the help of a manual. The water softener actually doesn’t require any tools or electricity to set up and get running. It’s also low-maintenance and only requires sanitization after about two years of use.
What To Know About Water Softeners
Here are some of the most important water softeners features/terminologies to know:
Flow Rate:
The flow rate of a water softener is calculated by gallons per minute (GPM). Various aspects play into the flow rate of a softener, including the bypass valve, control valve, mineral tank, and distribution system. The volume and type of ion exchange softening resin will also play a factor in determining the number.
If the flow rate of a softener isn’t enough to meet your water consumption needs, then you may experience low water pressure once your softener is installed. The ions may slip through as well, making your water slightly harder than it should be.
The higher the flow rate, the better the water softener will work. However, for smaller homes with little running water, an oversized softener will be an unnecessary purchase. More often than not, a decent softener with a flow rate of 12 GPM will be enough to provide for a regular house that has 1-3 bathrooms.
Water Softeners (Best to Worst) | Flow Rate |
SpringWell Salt-Based | 11-20 GPM |
Kind Water E-2000 | 15 GPM |
SpringWell Salt-Free | 15 GPM |
Whirlpool WHES40E | 8.5 GPM |
On the Go Portable | 5 GPM |
Grain Capacity (Grains)
Grain capacity is a common term to describe the quality of a water softener. Grain capacity is the amount of hardness that a water softener can remove. There are two factors that play a role in determining the grain capacity: the resin inside the tank of the softener and the sodium coat over that resin.
As the number of calcium and magnesium ions it can trap in the resin gets higher, the grain capacity of a softening system will also increase. This process depends on the amount and the quality of the resin. Similarly, the amount and quality of the sodium or potassium coat over the resin determines whether it can trap a good number of harmful minerals.
When looking at grain capacity, it’s helpful to know how many grains will be removed per pound of salt. This piece of information gives you an idea about the capacity and efficiency of the water softener system.
Water Softeners (Best to Worst) | Grain Capacity |
Whirlpool WHES40E | 40,000 |
SpringWell Salt-Free | 35,000 |
SpringWell Salt-Based | 32,000 |
On the Go Portable | 16,000 |
Kind Water E-2000 | Unknown |
Maintenance Requirements
Like most household appliances, a water softener has some maintenance requirements to ensure it functions properly. An essential part of maintenance is the initial setup, where you choose the settings for the regeneration cycle frequency, length, time, and salt dosage for every cycle.
Some products on the market have more flexible settings, making it easy to control and regulate the water softener, and some might need you to keep the instruction manual close by.
Unsurprisingly, you also must clean the water softener system components every so often. Some components only need to be cleaned every few years, while others will require a lot more attention, as will be specified in the manual. If you tend to forget or neglect your housekeeping, you’ll want to opt for a water softener with little and infrequent maintenance.
Price
The price of a water softener ranges from $500 to $6,000, depending on the capacity, quality, and purpose. Of course, a small product designed for RVs and a huge double-tank one designed for large industries cannot share the same price. However, the prices of the products on our list range from $300 to $2,000, which is reasonable.
Popular Questions About Water Softeners
Below are common questions concerning water-softening systems in homes:
What is the average price of a water softener system?
The average cost of softener systems for residential houses is about $1,500. Size and capacity are the main factors that influence the price of a water softener.
Where should a water softening system be installed?
The best place to install it is at the earliest possible point in your plumbing. It’s recommended that you place it right before your water heater. Placing it after the water heater may allow some of the hard water to flow to certain taps and faucets around the building, which may reduce its efficiency.
What does water softener installation require?
Water softener installation requires an electric outlet with at least 120-volt capacity, a sink or drain to discharge the backwash, and a plumbing loop (water softener loop) or some space between the water inlet and the softener.
If you do not have all three of these things, you will need to put in more work and money to set up the system.
Those who have some plumbing experience can easily install one on their own, especially if the instruction manual is simple. However, professional installation isn’t too expensive either, and it might be worth it to ensure that there will be no problems later on.
What is the average lifespan of a water softener?
The average lifespan of a water-softening system is about 12 years. However, it depends on the quality of the materials, how well it’s maintained, and how frequently it is used.
What are the most popular water softener brands?
SpringWell, Fleck, and Kind Water are some of the most popular brands on the market.
Other popular water softener brands include:
- Rheem water softener
- AO Smith water softener
- Kinetico water softener
- Rainsoft water softener
- Sterling water softener
- Culligan water softener
- Waterboss water softener
- Clack water softener
- Kenmore water softener
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
In conclusion, we recommend the SpringWell SS1 for mid to large households. Get it if you’re looking for a salt-based ion exchange system to eliminate of hard water.
If you want a salt-free solution, we recommend the Kind Water E-2000 or the SpringWell FS1, which has a similar capacity to the SpringWell SS1 but doesn’t require salt.
If you need a water softener to take with you on your travels, then we’d highly recommend the On The Go model. It’s perfectly designed to fit comfortably inside your RV and you won’t need to store a bunch of extra salt!