Hard water is a very common problem in many areas. If your soap does not lather easily, and if your clothes seem not very shining even after a laundry session, then you probably need to treat the hard water from your water.
Water softeners can be used for removing or conditioning these mineral traces like calcium, magnesium and other impurities from water. These water softeners are either salt base water filters or salt-free water filters.
In these articles, we will look at some of the salt-free water softeners. Let’s take a quick look at buying guide.
Best Salt-Free Water Softeners
We have selected some of the best water softeners for you. Let’s review each option in detail.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | KEY FEATURE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Our pick | Our pick |
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Runner-up | Runner-up |
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Upgrade pick | Upgrade pick |
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Budget pick | Budget pick |
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Also great | Also great |
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1 Pelican Water 34 GPM Whole House Water Filtration System
Here is a water filtration system for the whole household. Pelican water filter is a salt-free filtration system that provides salt-free pure water for all kinds of uses. In water softeners consumer reports, this unit gets high ranking.
It’s a must-have item for those households where hard water is a prevalent problem. The best part of this filtration system is that it does not fill the water with extra chlorine that makes it useless and may create several health complications.
The filtration system offers certified performance that has been rigorously tested before reaching you.
It provides a 34 GMP flow which is fine. A common problem with these water softeners is that they reduce the pressure of water flow. This unit ensures a steady flow for all household work.
Its quality work prevents the buildup of mineral and other deposits in pipelines. Which sort of protects your plumbing pipes as well.
It’s easy to install a unit that can be set up both indoor and outdoor conveniently. You can even set it up outside in freezing conditions.
It’s a high capacity unit that allows you to store filtered water for all household chores. The manufacturers have used only high-quality valves and tanks in its production that reduces the maintenance needs after installation.
Overall, it’s one of the best no-salt water conditioners and softeners in the market that you should consider.
Pros
Easy installation.
High capacity.
Salt-free water softener.
Features high-quality valves and tanks.
Durable filter system.
Cons
Too big for a small family.
2 Magna-Soft Salt-Free Water Conditioner Filter
Here is another quality option for those looking for the best saltless water conditioner. The water filter removes many impurities from the water, making it drinkable.
The filter system uses magnetic conditioning system fro removing the water impurities. The system has long been used for treating water.
The filtration system features magnetic modules for purifying process. The magnetic modules pull the water with pressure and remove scale-causing contamination from water. The modules are already installed on the riser tube inside the tank.
The unit is simple to install and comes with all the necessary hardware and instruction manual.
The system is designed for small families and may work well in a house with two bathrooms. Its powerful system removes a range of water impurities,including chlorine, chloramine, herbicides, pesticides, MTBE, and THM.
Its conditioning chamber is positioned on 90 degrees that cause a slight pressure drop. This pressure enhances the unit’s filtration capacity.
The filter uses a reliable valve with an advanced digital controller for operating the system.
Overall, it’s a quality product that can work wonder for providing you with soft water for different chores. It is easy to install and stays in good shape for long. The unit stands prominently in our salt-free water softener reviews.
Pros
Magnetic water conditioning system.
Reliable valves.
Digital control panel.
High capacity.
Easy to install.
Cons
Not good for a large household.
3 Aquios AQFS220 Full House Salt-Free Water Softener and Filter System
This one is a sleek and stylish water filtration system that is equipped with the latest technology for softening water for the whole household.
It’s a powerful system that is designed to remove water hardness. It traps and removes sediments, chlorine, and other mineral traces from water. It can remove calcium, magnesium and other byproducts from water as well. You can rest assured that these minerals do not build up in your pipes and fixtures affecting their performance. Salt-based systems do not remove the hardness from water, and it may create several problems.
The filtration system makes use of a natural technology that is a polyphosphate additive known as Siliphos, which inhibits scale deposits.
The system makes use of both the carbon block filtration system and a commercial-grade water conditioner. The unit can provide soft water for the whole house.
The filter system makes use of the latest technology for the filtration process and does not affect the water pressure. The unit requires no electricity or maintenance that may deter you from using it. It’s a one-time investment that works long. You may need to change its cartridge after a few months.
The system brings its first replacement cartridge along. It’s a sturdy unit and built for long-lasting use. It comes with 20 years of warranty for housing and valves. The warranty reassures its better quality.
The cartridge provides around 40,000 gallons of water which is excellent for almost six months in an average size of the family.
Overall, it’s one of the best salt-free water softeners that provides durability and performance.
Pros
Durable water filter.
It comes with a first replacement cartridge.
One cartridge can last six months.
Prevent scale buildup in pipes.
Sleek and stylish design.
Cons
May reduce water flow.
4 Nuvo H2O Dphb-a Home Water Softener System
Nuvo H20 is a revolutionary water softening system that lowers the pH level of water. The filter system is designed to remove water impurities and prevent mineral and scale buildup in pipes and other plumbing fixtures.
The filter system comes in a very sleek design that does not cover much space. It can easily fit in any corner.
It is designed for a small to a medium home built on 2,000 sq feet. It offers different size of capacity for houses with one or two residents of houses with more than two residents. You can choose the unit according to your family size.
The system comes with one replacement cartridge, so you don’t have to buy the first replacement.
The filter comes with quality cartridges that you don’t need to replace more often. You need to replace the cartridge after 20,000 Gallons of water.
The unit is approved by both FDA and NSF and complies with all their recommendations for water filtration.
Overall, it’s a quality water filtration system that enhances the life span of your water heaters, pipes, fixtures and other plumbing devices.
Pros
Eco-friendly system.
Lowers the pH level of water.
Prevent scale buildup.
Approved by FDA and NFS.
Long-lasting unit.
Cons
It only conditions the water.
May add smell to your water.
5 Iron/Manganese Whole House Water Filter
Here is another water filter system that employs the latest technology for giving you iron-free water. It’s a non-electric system for removing impurities from the water supply.
It offers a five-stage program for treating water and removing impurities. The filtration system removes not only mineral traces but salt from the water and conditions it against hardness.
At different stages, water is treated, and each stage removes a particular type of impurities from the water.
After passing the through these five stages, it ensures the water becomes soft and pure.
The filter system does not reduce water pressure at home. It works fine for a medium to the large size of the family. The unit is also straightforward to install.
Overall, it’s a reasonable option that treats water. The system is safe to be used in septic systems.
Pros
Non-electric system.
Five stagesfiltration system.
It is designed for large houses.
Features rust-free aluminium brackets.
Sleek design.
Cons
Does not come with an extra cartridge.
Buying Guide of Best Salt-Free Water Softeners
Here are a few things that you should consider while selecting a salt-free water softener.
Type of filter
You must consider all options and choose a unit that fits in your situation well.
There are different filter systems available in the market. There are salt-based water filters and salt-free systems. Then they have electronic devices or magnetic-based systems.
So it depends on individual needs and the performance you need. Then you should also consider whether you want a filter just for shower water or need to filter drinking water as well. So the decision should be based on a detailed analysis of your ground realities.
Many types of filters make use of different technology for softening or removing impurities.
Some units use polyphosphate; others use electromagnetic waves and some only use magnets.
Capacity
The capacity is the filter’s ability to treat the amount of water in a minute. It is measured in gallons. Always look for the capacity that suits the size of your house and family members.
The water softeners come with a clear indication of how much water they can provide.
They mention as the number of people the unit is designed for so you can choose the right system. It also indicates how many bathrooms in a house can this unit support.
So capacity is essential, and it should depend on the size of your house, water usage, the number of bathrooms you have and the number of family members.
Pressure
A common problem with these water filters or softeners is that they reduce the pressure of water.
The water pressure means the flow rate you will get. The water is coming not from direct pipelines, but it goes to the filtration system, gets filtered, and then you have it in your taps. Though with an efficient unit, it may take seconds, but you may feel a decrease in the flow rate after installing the system.
So look for the flow rate a brand is offering and then choose one that gives better pressure and flow rate, so you don’t have a problem with the water flow while performing different water base chores.
Filtration Process
Always look for the impurities the water softener is promising to treat. It should remove not only the mineral traces from the water but also rust and other sediments. So look and ask manufacturers what types of impurities the water softener can treat.
Lifespan
The water softeners keep on working for long. You may need to change the filtrations cartridge from time to time, depending on what type of unit you use. The water softeners usually have a lifespan of 15-20 years. So make sure you check how much life span a particular system is offering.
Warranty
Warranty is must if you want a high-quality water softener. They usually come with a warranty for different years. You can choose a unit with a maximum warranty for your peace of mind.
A warranty always assures the customers of the durability of a product. Salt-free water softeners consumer report shows they give good performance and are durable enough for many years to come.
Price
The price depends on the type of filter you are choosing and the technology it is using.
The full water filter systems use the latest technology for removing the hard elements from water. They are priced more than ordinary units. Make sure you don’t settle on a less quality filter system.
A cheap unit will not work properly and may leave some mineral traces in the water, and they will also stop working after sometimes. They cant have the durability of a quality product. So make sure you invest your money on a sound system that lasts long with excellent performance.
FAQ
Do salt-free water softeners work?
Salt-free water softeners work as long as you want to prevent your water-based devices like water heaters, pipes, and other devices from getting clogged with scaling and water buildup. But salt-free water softeners are not filters. They do not remove the mineral deposits from water.
But you can have better laundry, and the water will not leave mineral deposits behind. These are important for saving your water using electronic devices, pipes and fixtures. The scale buildup may render them useless soon and cause them to breakdown faster.
Which is better salt or salt-free water softener?
To get the answer, we have to go to the bottom of the topic. Water softening is a process of removing the calcium, magnesium, and other mineral traces from water. When we talk about the salt-free water softeners, they are more like water conditioners. They condition the water so that mineral scales don’t attach with the surface.
In some areas, the water we receive is laden with lots of impurities. The mineral traces make this hard water. Hard water won’t create a lather of soap as your ordinary shampoo or soap does. It also has an acrid taste and very dangerous to drink.
Water softening is the process of removing mineral traces, sediments, and other impurities from the water.
The water is treated with ion exchange by municipalities. The process involves changing ions on a polymer resin bed which adds sodium particles in the water in exchange of mineral deposits. So that simply means water is purified of metallic traces, but it is given sodium content.
The salt-based water softeners have an electronic metered valve mounted on fibreglass resin tank. In the process of filtration, water is run through the polymer resin bed.
The electric valves flash the water exchange, which traps the mineral traces and other hardness particles and drain them out of water.
In this process, sodium is replenished on the resin bed and may go back to water when water flashes back on its bed.
Salt-free water filters are not water filters, but they are water conditioners. They don’t remove the mineral deposits but change their form, so they do not adhere to the surface.
It uses a catalyst media with a process called the Template Assistant Crystallization (TAC). In this process, hardness traces do not adhere to the surface of the water.
The process does not need any electric valve.
So the salt-free water filter works fine in terms of you will notice the soap will lather easily.
The laundry will also shine. And you don’t have any scaling problem as well. The water won’t clog your pipes and fixtures with mineral buildup. But if you want to soften the water and remove all the mineral deposits, then a salt base unit outperforms the salt-free system.
What happens if there is no salt in a water softener?
In salt base water filters the system works by exchanging the ions of sodium with the minerals.
So if there is no salt in the water softener, it will not work. It will not clean the hard minerals from the water. So the filtration process is useless without the exchange of sodium ions.
Without changing salt ions, the conventional filter system won’t work. The saltless water softeners don’t remove the hard mineral traces from the water. They merely condition them, so they don’t end up gathering in the base of your electric devices or pipes.
Can you drink softened water?
As we said, the filter only softens the mineral deposits in the water. It prevents them from scaling inside your pipes and other devices. But the mineral traces are not removed from the water but remain where they are.
The water you condition with this salt-free water softeners is suitable for washing dishes, shower, or usual household chores. But it is not for drinking.
How long do water softeners last?
The water softener units last many years. If you are choosing a good brand, they come with durable housing and valves. But the filtration cartridge may not last long.
You need to replace the cartridges from time to time. As the water is filtered, they remove the impurities from water.
The filter system recommends the change of cartridge after a fixed period of times. It depends on the type of unit you have selected. Most of the time, you need to replace the cartridge after six months.
Usually, water softeners have a lifespan of 15 years.
Do water softeners need servicing?
Water softeners do not need servicing, exceptions apart. They need cartridge replacement from time to time.
But the right unit won’t need much servicing and maintenance.
Why does soft water feel slippery?
Soft water is treated by the filtration system. The filtering process either condition it or remove the impurities and sediments from the water.
Hard water contains mineral traces and other impurities that make it difficult to lather. You will see your soap won’t create many bubbles, and water also build upscale in your pipes and devices that use water like coffee maker, dishwasher, water heater and others.
A water softener removes or conditions these hard elements from the water, making it more slippery, soft, and light.
Final Words
Hard water is a problem in many areas. The mineral deposits in water, rust and other sediments make water hard. It may create several problems in your daily chores relating to water. It also poses some serious threats to your electronic devices using water.
Hard water will leave mineral deposits behind which buildup over time and may create several problems. Water softeners are an easy and cost-effective way of treating this problem. Make sure you choose a good quality salt-free water softener that suits your needs the most.
