5 Best Water Softeners (2023 Guide)

Calcium and magnesium cause hard water, which can decrease the life span of your appliances and clog your pipes. Water softeners work by eliminating these minerals and help make soft water. To help you select a showerhead or whole-house water softener that’s right for you, our Reviews team researched the best water softeners on the market.

Here are our top five recommendations.

Top 5 Water Softeners

• Best Magnetic Softener: YARNA Capacitive Electronic System
• Best Hybrid Softener: Whirlpool WHESFC Pro Series
• Best for Large Households: AFWFilters Iron Pro 2
• Best Shower Filter: MEETYOO 15-Stage Water Softener
• Best Value: iSpring ED2000 System

Best Magnetic Water Softener

Pros and Cons

✔ Installs in 15 minutes
✔ Has a water treatment capacity of up to 3,500 liters per hour
✔ Works with all types of water pipes

✘ More expensive than similar items
✘ Doesn’t have the capacity that’s needed for large homes

What Customers Are Saying

Positive reviews we found of this product said that it worked quickly and noticeably improved their water. However, we did see that unhappy customers said that this water softener didn’t remove calcium deposits from sinks or that it arrived with copper oxidation.

Best Hybrid Water Softener

Pros and Cons

✔ Removes 120 grains per gallon
✔ Cleans its own filter
✔ Is certified by the National Sanitation Federation

✘ Is not recommended for small households
✘ Doesn’t filter out some harmful substances

What Customers Are Saying

We noted that those who left positive reviews for this water softener said that it was easy to install and improved the flavor of their water. They also loved its self-cleaning water filter. However, other reviewers said that it was ineffective as a whole-house water softener, and several customers said that the product arrived damaged.

Best Water Softener for Large Households

Pros and Cons

✔ Has an iron filter
✔ Comes with an install kit, sanitizer, lubricant, and instructions book
✔ Uses based regeneration to reduce water usage

✘ Is heavier than other water softeners
✘ Is less energy-efficient than some other models

What Customers Are Saying

Our team found that customers who left positive reviews for this water softener said that it was installed easily, cleared water quickly, and significantly reduced iron levels. Dissatisfied customers said that its instructions were unclear and that it altered the color of the water.

Best Showerhead Water Softener

Pros and Cons

✔ Removes fluoride, chlorine and metals from your water
✔ Is made of chromed plastic for reusability and durability
✔ Filters enough water for four to six months of showers

✘ Has a bulky look
✘ Could limit water flow in certain shower heads

What Customers Are Saying

Customers who left positive reviews for this product said that it reduced dry skin, smoothed out hair, and prevented stains. Our team did find that those who left negative reviews said that it was cheaply made and that its attachment was difficult to tighten.

Best Value Softener

Pros and Cons

✔ Doesn’t require additional chemicals, salt, or maintenance
✔ Works on any pipes
✔ Doesn’t affect salt-reduced diets

✘ Not usable for hard water of less than 25 grains
✘ Water with high iron content needs to be run through a filter first

What Customers Are Saying

Satisfied customers said that this water descaler worked instantly to reduce residue in their appliances. Those who left negative reviews said that it didn’t work as expected. They also had a hard time communicating with customer service to resolve these issues.

Buying Guide to Water Softeners

Purchasing the right water softener can be challenging, but we found that the following factors can help you determine which model works best for your home.

Capacity

Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon. Water softeners can hold a certain number of grains per week before they need to be replenished. For apartments or small houses, water softeners with grain capacities of up to 32,000 should be sufficient. Medium or large homes need softeners with capacities between 40,000 and 64,000 grains.

Type

Water softeners typically come in the following types.

Ion-Exchange

Ion-exchange, or salt-based water softeners are the most common type of water softener. They replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions.

Salt-Free

Salt-free water softeners don’t use salt to remove minerals. Instead, they crystallize the minerals, making them unable to attach to pipes. Salt-free softeners are typically more expensive than ion-exchange softeners, but they work without using electricity.

Dual-Tank

Dual-tank softeners have two resin tanks. They perform in a similar way to ion-exchange softeners except that one tank operates in a regeneration cycle, while the other provides softened water.

Magnetic

Magnetic softeners don’t require discharge lines or salt replacements. They’re affordable, and they take up little space. However, they’re only recommended for small spaces or mild hard water issues.

Size

Certain water softeners, especially salt-based or dual-tank softeners, can take up a lot of space in your home. If you live in a smaller home, measure the area where you plan on installing the water softener to ensure it will fit.

Pricing

When examining how much a water softener system costs, the amount of water, type of system, and amount of grains all play a factor. Typically, you can expect to pay anywhere from $300–$5,000 for a water softener system, but other softeners that work to only reduce hard water levels in specific areas, such as your shower, will have a less significant cost.

How to Improve Your Home’s Water

Homes that use well water or city water can sometimes have hard water that infiltrates faucets and lessens the quality of drinking water. The water hardness level can also mess with the water’s flow rate and can cause scale buildup. To help ensure your home has only high-quality water, here are some easy ways our team recommends using for testing and improving the water quality in your home.

Water Test Kit

One of the easiest and best ways for you to test your home’s water is to use a DIY water test kit. Water test kits use strips or drops to test water levels for contaminants and hard-water levels. You can use water test kits to test drinking and bathing water in your home or on your pool water to ensure it’s safe for swimming.

Use a Reverse Osmosis System

Reverse osmosis systems can remove dirt and chemicals from your water, making it safer to drink. Reverse osmosis systems are easy to use and also remove metals and other contaminants during the water filtration system.

Bring to Local Testing Lab

While using testing kits at home can be an effective way to test water, you may want to bring the water into a lab for professional testing. Watch the video below for how to collect a water sample to send to a testing site.

Clean Water Aeators

Keeping your water aerators clean can help remove bacteria that could get trapped in them. Cleaning out the aerators regularly can help avoid any buildup of harmful materials.

Maintain Your Septic Tank

When septic tanks leak, harmful bacteria can be released, which can contaminate your water supply. To help ensure your septic tanks don’t overflow, dispose of waste properly and inspect and pump your tank frequently.

Frequently Asked Questions About Water Softeners

What is hard water?

Hard water is water that contains hard minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium, that accumulate over time. Hard water is safe to drink and bathe in, but it could leave your skin feeling dry and itchy and cause damage to appliances. Hard water also causes pipe blockages over time if it’s not treated.

What are some of the signs that I have hard water?

Some tell-tale signs of hard water include:

• Chalky film accumulating on dishes or dishwashers
• Clothes feeling rough after being washed
• Stains forming in tubs or sinks
• Water pressure decreasing
• Water bills are more expensive because your appliances are working harder

What are the negative effects of using a water softener?

Water softeners pose a health risk for people on low-sodium diets, as the ion exchange process used in some water softeners adds 7.5 milligrams of salt per quart of water. Water softeners also eliminate nearly all calcium and magnesium from your water, so you may need dietary supplements to add those minerals back into your diet.

How We Selected the Best Water Softeners

To provide our readers with the best recommendations possible, we rely on several key sources of information to help guide our selection process.

Initial Research: Our research process began by generating a list of water softeners with a significant number of verified-buyer reviews and an average customer review rating of 4–5 stars. We looked at positive and negative reviews alike, focusing on information from both satisfied and critical buyers. 

Expert Insights: Through our years of experience, we’ve learned that listening to what others have to say is key to building accurate, well-rounded articles. To complement our in-house expertise, our team looked at reviews and videos from trusted publications and independent testers, spoke with subject matter experts, and drew insights from reader contributions.

Final Product Selection: We then began fine-tuning our list by replacing older models with the latest versions and eliminating any discontinued models. From there, we pared the list down further by comparing each model’s feature set and selecting the best-in-class options for a variety of buyers, budgets, and scenarios.

Why You Can Trust Us

This Old House has empowered homeowners and DIY-ers for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement advice in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content. 

Our team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content. To date, we’ve published over 1,600 reviews on products in the home improvement space, from ceiling fans and floor coating to doorbell cameras and garage door openers.

Once we conclude our research, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.

Questions or Comments?

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.