| Fleck 5600sxt (Best Overall)
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| Iron Pro 2 5600SXT (Highest Capacity)
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| Aquasure AS-WHF48D (Best Whole House Filtration/Softener)
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| Whirlpool WHES40E
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| Aquasure AS-SE1500A (Highest Capacity Whole House Filtration/Softener)
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| Whirlpool WHES30E
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| On The Go OTG4-DBLSOFT (Best Portable Softener System for RV)
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Are you worried that your house has hard water? Like yours, the other 85% of houses in the U.S. are facing the same problem.
This hard water can create problems like ashy skin, stained dishes, and dirty laundry. There is only one solution to this problem and that is to use a whole house water softening system. Unlike the old times, today’s water softeners are more efficient, durable, and serve more pure water.
As you may know, there are so many water softeners available on the market, and choosing one of them is very difficult.
Well, to help you solve this problem We have listed the reviews of the best water softening system for your house, an interactive buying guide for your hassle-free purchase, and the FAQ section to answer your questions.
Best Water Softeners
1. Iron Pro 2 5600SXT Whole House Water Softener
Iron Pro 2 water softener is made by the well-renowned company AFW Filters using the parts from fleck and Pentair. Iron Pro 2 water softener not only makes hard water soft but also removes the iron from the water, saving your money on a dedicated iron removal filter.
It has a 64,000-grain capacity that removes chemicals up to 75 GPG (grains per gallon), iron up to 6 to 8 ppm (parts per million), manganese up to 6 ppm, and sulfur up to 2 ppm, and other particles like dust, sediments, etc.
The product is equipped with fine mesh resins that reduce the damages caused by iron, choline, and other particles like sediment, rust, dust, etc. The regeneration process is specifically designed to provide double backwash, one slow and one fast, to improve the efficiency of the regeneration process.
The equipped digital meter smartly measures the water use before regenerating, which reduces water waste. The LCD with the backlight allows you to read even in the absence of light. If the system gets unplugged accidentally or intentionally, then its 48 hours memory backup feature will save the old data for 48 hours.
The system can treat up to 16 GPM of water at a pressure of 300psi, but the company recommends the flow up to 13 GPM. It backwashes the water at the flow rate of 5GPM at an operating pressure range of 20psi. The unit requires approx 30 pounds of salt for every 64,000 grains treated.
The Iron Pro 2 water softener comes with a 5 years limited warranty and a 10 years warranty on the resin tank.
- It comes with a 5 years limited warranty.
- LCD with backlight shows accurate data, and 48 hours memory backup is useful when the system is unplugged.
- The system is capable of removing iron, manganese, sulfur, dust, rust, etc.
- The double backwash improves the regeneration process.
- Installation charges need to be paid extra.
- Expensive than other water softeners.
2. Fleck 5600sxt 48,000-Grain On-demand Water Softener
Fleck, owned by US Water Systems, is the #1 brand in the United States of America. The digital meter we see on water softeners is manufactured by this company, and apart from this, they are also known to make the best water softeners. Fleck 5600sxt on-demand 48,000 grain water softener is one such great product by them.
The Fleck 5600sxt water softener is capable of meeting the water needs of 4 to 6 family members. It can remove the ferrous iron ion up to 2 ppm, but ferric iron won’t be affected so, if your water has red water iron or ferric iron, then you need to purchase another filter specifically for that.
The system applies an ion exchange process that extends the life of water-using appliances. The system can treat up to 12 GPM that is more than enough for multiple bathrooms.
The LCD screen gives full control over settings and allows you to set up easily. The backlight allows you to read the data even at night, and the 48 hours memory backup is very useful during a long power outage.
The double backwash regeneration feature increases the efficiency of the regeneration process. The Fleck 5600sxt system has 4 regeneration processes: 1. Immediate meter regeneration, 2. Delayed meter regeneration, 3. Delayed time clock regeneration, and 4. Day of week regeneration.
The on-demand device measures water usage and runs the process when required, meaning that it reduces wastewater and unnecessary use of salt. Overflow drain in the tank prevents overfilling during the regeneration process.
The 48,000 grains water softener comes with the 5 years limited warranty and 10 years tank warranty.
- It comes with 5 years limited warranty and 10 years tank warranty.
- The system comes with the 4 regeneration process.
- The LCD screen saves the data for 48 hours.
- It is capable of treating 12 GPM that is enough for 4 to 6 people.
- It is very heavy.
- Not suitable for small homes.
3. Whirlpool WHES40E 40,000 Grain Water Softener
Whirlpool, a Michigan-based company, is one of the top-selling brands in the industry. At least once in our lifetime, we must have used the product from the Whirlpool brand.
WHES40E is an NSF certified product from Whirlpool to reduce the hard water and the build-ups on your faucet and other plumbing accessories.
The hi-tech demand regeneration feature only regenerates when needed, thus reduces the volume of wastewater and the excess use of salt. The water softener is capable of removing up to 125 grains of hardness per gallon and 10 ppm of ferrous iron.
The transparent body of the tank allows you to watch the salt and water level whenever you want. For fast water supply, the valve comes with 1 ¼ inch diameter. This product is ideal for 4 – 6 family members.
The product is also ideal for well water but make sure the iron is not more than 10 ppm and does not contain any sediments because, unlike Fleck, this system can only remove ferrous iron. But what this softener can do is remove the stains, keep your cloth brighter and softer, and make your skin & hair softer and healthy.
The WHES40E model increases the efficiency and the life of appliances that use water. The water softener comes with the 1- year manufacturer part warranty, 3 years limited electronic warranty, and 10 years limited warranty on the tank. The best part is you can increase the warranty up to 2 years by purchasing the 3 bottles of WHEWSC water softener cleaner.
- It is NSF certified.
- It removes the iron up to 10 ppm.
- The tank body is transparent, so you can easily check the salt level.
- The on-demand regeneration feature regenerates the water only when needed.
- It is not suitable for a small family.
4. Whirlpool WHES30E 30,000 Grain Water Softener
Whirlpool was founded in 1911 with the mission of innovating home appliances for the betterment of humankind. They have developed the reputation of building durable products and providing excellent services.
The Whirlpool WHES30E is a perfect water softener for a small family of 1-4 people. The 30,000 grains softener processes the hard water up to 95 grains per gallon at the pressure of 20-125 PSI. This small system removes the ferrous iron up to 8 ppm that is enough for a small family.
This NSF-certified softener ensures the reduction in calcium, magnesium, cadmium, and other minerals that makes the water hard and spoils your dishes, water appliances, plumbing, skin, etc.
The regeneration process uses the demand regeneration feature that only regenerates when the water level is low. This helps you prevent the excessive use of salt, resin, and reduces the wastewater generated by the water softener.
The interface is simple, easy to use, and gives you full control of the regeneration cycle.
We agree with you that this product is expensive, but you will fail to find these kinds of features and durability in the cheap products. Not only this, but the on-demand regeneration technology saves your money on salt also.
Whirlpool brand is known to manufacture durable products but, if any problem arises, then it comes with 3 years warranty on electronics, and a 10 years warranty on the tank. The company allows you to extend the warranty up to 2 years simply by purchasing the 3 bottles of WHEWSC water softener cleanser.
- The product comes with a great warranty.
- The interface gives you full control of the regeneration cycle.
- It’s an NSF-certified product.
- It is capable of removing ferrous iron up to 8 ppm.
- Not ideal for a family of more than 4.
5. On The Go OTG4-DBLSOFT 16,000-Grain RV Water Softener
On The Go water softener is specially designed for the RV. The product is lightweight, weighs only 32 pounds, and a built-in handle makes it easy to carry it everywhere. The dimensions of the products are 22 inches in height and 9.5 inches in diameter that fits in small places as well.
On The Go was founded in 2004 in Bloomington, Indiana, and since, then they are providing top-quality water softeners. The double standard can soften the water between 500 gallons to 1600 gallons with a flow pressure of up to 120 PSI before needing another round of regeneration.
For the regeneration process, all you need is 2 boxes of table salt, and it will regenerate in less than 30 seconds, impressive right?
The company provides several hardness strips, so you can run the test anytime, anywhere. This water softener is ideal for RV, marine traveler, camper, etc. due to lightweight nature and its capability of producing 40% more soft water than its competitors.
The 360-degree swivel connection design near the inlet makes it straightforward to connect to the hose, and the big mouth opening allows to add salt quickly.
The option for cap and plug to avoid leaking, the high-grade resin, backflush adaptor for quick reverse connection, and all the above features make the OTG water softener one of a kind.
The product comes with a year limited warranty and 30 days money-back guarantee.
- It does not require any kind of power supply.
- It takes less than 30 minutes for the regeneration process.
- Once regenerated, the product can run up to 40 days or 1600 gallons.
- Lightweight and compact design make it easy to carry.
- It comes with only a year warranty.
- It does not have a sediment filter.
6. Aquasure AS-WHF48D Whole House Water Filtration Bundle
If you regularly read reviews on our site, then chances are you would have come across the Aquasure couple of times. Aquasure was founded 25 years ago by a bunch of people who are passionate about water filtration. They share a simple vision of serving affordable, easy to install, and quality water solutions.
The Aquasure with 48,000 grains producing 12 GPM is enough for 3 to 4 bathrooms and 5 family members. This water softener can provide 50,000 gallons of water every year that is more than enough for a family of 5 members. Filters of the whole house water filtration system need to be replaced every year and resins every 5 years.
This water softener has 8% resins that can remove iron up to 2 ppm. The automatic regeneration process produces less wastewater and only uses the salt when it is necessary.
The filter also comes with the RO system that provides the 75 GPD of pure water. It removes nearly 99% chlorine, virus, bacteria, lead, etc.
This system is for every house that has any of these minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, sediments, chlorine, sulfur, dust, rust, etc. The water tank is made from fiberglass-lined polyethylene that increases the durability of the tank and is corrosion-resistant.
It offers 3 regeneration processes, namely 1. Time Clock Delayed Control, 2. Meter Immediate Control, and 3. Meter Delayed Control. The digital meter made by Fleck is easy to read and provides all the data which is required. The product comes with a 5 years warranty.
- The water softener comes with a 5 years warranty.
- It produces 12GPM, which is enough for 5 family members.
- It comes with 3 types of the regeneration process.
- The backwater cycle is much quieter than other water softeners of this range.
- We weren’t able to find the cons of this.
7. Aquasure Signature Series with water conditioner 64,000 grains
This is the second Aquasure model with a water conditioner in our review. This whole house water filtration is enough for 7 family members with 4 to 6 bathrooms.
The objective of the whole house water system is to provide clean, pure, and odor-free water, and this water softener is excellent at his job. This 64,000 grains water filter can deliver 100,000 gallons of water in a year. The unique pleated sediment filter reduces dirt, rust, and other types of contaminants. This filter is washable up to 3 times.
The second filter with GAC/KDF55 media removes heavy metals, iron, chloramine, sulfur, and other dangerous VOCs. Further, this filter also removes bacteria and algae growth.
The third filter is designed to make the water softer by removing calcium and magnesium from the water. Soft water increases the efficiency of water-based products like washing machines, dishwashers, etc., and also increases the life of plumbing accessories, and more importantly, improves your skin and hair.
Stage four is the RO system that offers tasty, clean, and crispy water at the rate of 75GPD. This filter removes the 99% contaminants like arsenic, chlorine, bacteria, fluoride, lead, virus, and other substances. It is easy to install with a next-gen quick twist cartridge design. The system is equipped with ShokBlok, FlowLok leak prevention system to restrain any kind of leaks.
The digital meter is easy to read and gives real-time accurate data. The tank is made of high strength corrosion resistant fiberglass line polyethylene material. This unit comes with 5 years warranty.
- It comes with a 5 years warranty.
- It’s 3 stage filtration system removes 99% of contaminants.
- It is ideal for a big family.
- It provides 100,000 gallons a year before filters need to change.
- It is not suitable for small houses.
What is Hard water? What problems do you face with hard water?
The water that contains calcium and magnesium more than 7 Grains Per Gallon is considered hard water. There are several ways you can tell that water coming to your house is hard water.
If you need to rinse your hands longer, then chances are your water is hard because when soap reacts with calcium, it forms a soap scum. If your silverware and glasses have spots on them, then it is because of hard water. If you ever noticed that your clothes wear out faster than it is done by again hard water.
The hard water contains a high mineral that fluctuates the pH of the skin and causes various skin problems like dryness, itchiness, clogged pores, hair problems, etc. Hard Water blocks your water pipes and tubes more often and reduces the life and efficiency of a washing machine, dishwashers, etc.
These are some examples through which you can conclude that the water supply to your house is hard water.
What are the benefits of water softeners?
In simple terms, the work of a water softener is to convert hard water into soft water. More than 85% of the water that comes into the houses of the U.S is hard water, and as we discussed the problems of hard water in our lives, now you know the importance of water softener. Here are some more benefits of owning a whole house water softener.
Increases the life of water-using appliances:
Soft water increases the life of water-using appliances like washing machines, coffee makers, dishwashers, water heaters, etc., by preventing calcium and magnesium from accumulating inside the appliances. Mineral buildup happens due to hard water, forces the appliance to work harder than it should to produce the required result for you.
Keep your clothes soft:
You may have noticed that your new branded clothes start losing color after the first wash. Well, shockingly, the detergent is not responsible for this but, your water has something to do with it. Hard water is known to make your clothes wear faster than they should be. It also forces you to use more detergent, thus increases your unnecessary expense. Soft water won’t build up any kind of mineral on your clothes.
Improves skin and hair:
Hard water makes your skin dry by building up minerals as it does on every other thing. The ions and minerals make your skin looks damaged.
Like skin, it also damages the hair even if you use an expensive moisturizer from a well-renowned brand. The only way to keep your skin and hair healthy is by using soft water, and it’s possible through a water softener.
Stain on silverware:
People living in a hard water area know how difficult it is to keep your dishes shiny. As soon as the dishes and glasses get dry, you will find stains on your utensils, which is caused by the hard water. A water softener removes the unwanted minerals before it touches the soap and the dishes and keeps your silverware clean and shiny.
Saves money:
Who doesn’t like to save money and spend on the items we love? Once you install the water softener, it will help you save more dollars every month. Soft water will increase the efficiency and the life of the water-using appliances.
A water softener reduces the mineral buildup on the clothes and saves you approx 50% on the soaps and detergents. The soft water keeps your dishes and glasses stain-free.
Hard water makes your skin look dull and damaged, and so does your hair. The hard water plays with the pH of your skin by depositing minerals like calcium and magnesium into your body, and those minerals are not good for our skin and hair. So, to keep the skin and hair from getting dry, we purchase expensive cream, moisturizers to keep skin healthy. Soft water helps you to reduce all these expenses.
Buying Guide for the Best Water Softeners
If your area is affected by the hard water, then you must consider buying the water softener. If you have skipped the part about the problems caused by hard water, then go check, and you will amaze how it can affect your life. We have developed an in-depth buying guide for you to select the perfect water softener for your house.
What to look for when buying a water softener
There are a few things you need to consider when purchasing a water softener.
No. of family members:
The size of the water softener is highly dependent on how many family members and bathrooms are there in your house. A medium-sized water softener is enough for the family having 3-4 family members. The medium-sized water softener is capable of producing around 12 GPM of water that is more than enough even if you are using multiple faucets at once.
The concept is simple, More Family Members = More Water Required. If you have family members more than 5, then you need to opt-in for a larger sized water softener that can easily serve water at the rate of around 16 GPM.
Grain Capacity:
The size of the water softener and the grain capacity is the same. When we talk about the size of the water softener, we are actually talking about the grain capacity of the water softener. A family member of 3-4 requires a water softener with a capacity of 20,000 to 30,000 grains, and the larger family of 4-6 people needs more than 30,000 grains capacity water softener.
The grain is determined by how hard the water is. The small to medium-sized water softener can remove the 60 GPG (Grains per Gallons), and the medium to large water softener can easily remove the grains at the average of the 75 GPG.
If your water is very hard, then you need to install an additional small filter to remove the additional chemical for pure and quality water.
Before making any kind of purchase, test your water in the lab, or buy a home test kit for accurate results and then make a decision to purchase.
Regeneration style:
As technology is advancing, the regeneration process is becoming more efficient. There are various types of regeneration styles available in the market like Time Clock Delayed Control, Meter Immediate Control, and Meter Delayed Control, and many others, but the above 3 are more common.
You can set the scheduled time for the regeneration processes like every 3 days or every week whether you use it or not, and unused water is considered as wastewater.
Meter immediate or demand initiated regeneration process is triggered when the volume of the soft water reaches some level. This efficiently uses the water and the amount of salt saving you from additional costs of salt.
Some water softeners come with multiple options for the regeneration process, and you can choose the best that suits you, of course, they are more expensive than the unit that comes with a single regeneration style. So choose the best one that suits your style within your budget.
Additional contaminant removal:
Sometimes, what happens is that your water has a special kind of chemical or an excess of iron or magnesium or any other chemical, and this can choke your existing water softener.
To avoid this kind of situation, you need to add a small filter for the particular chemical before the whole house water softener.
Warranty:
The warranty gives us peace of mind that if any fault is there in the softener or in part, then the manufacturer will take care of it. Many big brands like Aquasure and Whirpool come with a 3 to 5 years warranty. There are also many manufacturers that offer only one year warranty but they cost less than the product that comes with a 3-5 years warranty.
FAQ
Q. How to test for the hardness of the water?
You can test the hardness of the water at any reputed lab or simply by purchasing the test kit that costs less than $20. The test kit comes with several strips and a color chart. All you need to do is dip the stick into the water for a few seconds and when the strip changes color, compare it with the color chart to know the hardness of the water.
Q. Does water softener remove chlorine and iron?
Some salt-based water softener removes the iron up to 3 ppm, but you will need to purchase the extra filter if the water contains iron above 3 ppm.
For chlorine, you need to purchase extra activated filters to remove the chlorine.
Q. Where should I install the water softener?
The ideal place to install the water softener is near the main water supply. The reason for this is that if the water softener is installed near the water supply, then the hard water will get converted into soft water before reaching any of the appliances or faucets.
Q. How long do resins last?
The resin can last up to 10 to 15 years. The excess buildup of the chemical can reduce the life of resins. If your water softener is generating less soft water than its capability, then it’s time to inspect the resin.
