3/6

Best Salt-Free Water Softener

Eddy Electronic Water Descaler

Most water softeners use salt and ionized resin beads to collect minerals from incoming water, but not everyone wants to purify their water this way. Fortunately, there are alternatives—salt-free water softeners. Although there’s ongoing controversy over whether these work, the Eddy Electronic Water Descaler has excellent reviews and costs less than $200.

Like all non-salt softeners, it doesn’t actually remove the minerals from water. Instead, it promises to change the minerals’ form via a complex electromagnetic wave, allowing them to exist in the water without staining or scaling. Basically, it removes the damaging effects of limescale so that it no longer deposits itself on your clean surfaces or inside pipework and appliances.

Pros

• Eco-friendly alternative to salt-based water softeners
• Affordable
• 12-month satisfaction or money-back guarantee
• Lifetime repair or replacement warranty
• Easy DIY installation

Cons

• Not effective on lead pipes
• Outdoor installation requires a weatherproof enclosure (not included)

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4/6

Best Budget-Friendly

Tier1 Essential Series Digital Water Softener

Even the cheapest salt-based water softeners are serious pieces of equipment, so expect to spend at least a few hundred dollars. This Tier 1 unit, priced at less than $500, offers an exceptional value with a 48,000-grain mineral removal capacity, a space-saving design and impressive energy efficiency. Additionally, its LED display makes it easy to monitor and adjust.

Pros

• Complete water softener system that doesn’t break the bank
• Compact design occupies minimal space
• Fully adjustable cycle times
• Easy-to-use LCD showing the time of day, mode and gallons remaining
• Premium-grade resin helps reduce soap scum and limescale

Cons

• Cannot be installed outside
• No low-salt indicator

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5/6

Best Value

Aquasure Harmony Series Whole House Water Softener

While high-quality water softeners are generally not inexpensive, if minerals in your water are a serious problem, it’s worth the investment. That said, it’s important to gauge your water needs and buy accordingly. This Aquasure unit stands out as the best water softener in terms of cost and features.

It’s offered in three models (32,000, 48,000 or 64,000-grain capacity) to allow you to choose the one that best suits your needs based on your home’s size and the number of occupants. Priced affordably compared to similar designs, it comes equipped with features like digital on-demand meter control, two cubic feet of pre-filled resin, a five-foot brine line and a 14-foot drain.

Pros

• Best balance of cost and features
• Automatic digital metered control head for easy monitoring
• Fully programmable display allows for customization based on water usage
• Hassle-free maintenance
• Lifetime of free US-based tech support
• Constructed with a high-strength, corrosion-resistant, fiberglass-lined polyethylene tank
• Includes durable bypass valve and pre-filled premium-grade resin

Cons

• Only a five-year warranty

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