Home Water Softeners Comparison

Be sure to consider how much water people in your home regularly use — a household with 5-6 people will require a higher grain capacity model than one with 2-3 people. More people in a home leads to higher water and salt usage. You can use salt more efficiently with a softener that is designed to match the number of people in your home. If you’re unsure how many people will be using your water softener, it’s better to overestimate than underestimate your grain capacity needs — otherwise your equipment might not meet your performance expectations.

It’s important to take your water’s existing hardness into account when choosing a softener. In the table above, pay close attention to the maximum hardness for each softening system. This figure is measured in grains per gallon (gpg). One grain per gallon is the equivalent of one grain of calcium carbonate dissolved in one US gallon of water. Water hardness levels of 7 gpg or more are considered hard, with levels of 10.5 gpg or more being considered very hard. If you are unsure whether your water can be considered hard or not, request a free water hardness test kit to learn your exact water hardness level.

Every salt-based water softener requires regeneration to remove impurities such as mineral particles in the resin tank. Most water softeners schedule this regeneration process for a set time of day, with a predetermined amount of salt used for the process. Smart regeneration reduces the amount of salt used during regeneration cycles and limits the number of cycles that take place. Both of our water softener brands feature exclusive smart regeneration technology.

EcoPure Variable Salt Dosage

This exclusive feature automatically uses a predictive algorithm to calculate the amount of salt and water necessary to regenerate the system. The technology senses the hardness level of the water it collects in order to calculate regeneration requirements. It only uses what is necessary, resulting in a significant reduction in salt and water usage.

Whirlpool Demand Initiated Regeneration

This technology learns and predicts your daily water usage patterns. It makes adjustments based on these patterns and regenerates only when you need it. Demand Initiated Regeneration automatically calculates how much salt to use as opposed to using a fixed amount.

Both of these features are an ideal way to save salt and water if you’re away for an extended period of time.

Water softeners are used to remove calcium and magnesium, while central water filtration systems are used to remove sediment, chlorine, taste and odor. A non-hybrid water softener can prevent spotty dishes, dry skin and appliance stains, but it will not address many of the water contaminants that can lead to health issues. On the other hand, the best whole house water filtration and softener systems provide an all-in-one solution in a single unit.

If you already have a whole home filtration system in place, there is no need to install a hybrid softener. In these situations, a standard EcoPure or Whirlpool water softener can be integrated into your existing setup.

The rated capacity of a softener is the maximum number of hard water grains the unit can remove prior to regeneration. These figures vary depending on the amount of salt you’re using and a home’s water hardness level. For this reason, the same product may regenerate more frequently in a different household with higher water softening demands.