Many Mumsnet users recommend them for households, with benefits including saving damage to taps and appliances. And, while they don’t come cheap initially, they can save money on repair costs and heating bills, which will be very welcome news as many families face a hike in bills this year. What is hard and soft water? Do you want a metered water softener?: One of these will monitor your water usage and regenerate only when necessary. If you just want to prevent mineral scale buildup, a conditioning unit is all you need. But for high-quality water, you should consider buying a filter to use alongside your salt-free system for conditioning and filtering benefits. ❔ Frequently Asked Questions What’s the difference between a salt-free water conditioner with tanks and a salt-free water descaler?

If you don’t already know your water hardness, start there. Even if you can see from scale formation that you have a hard water issue, it can be helpful to know exactly what level of hardness you’re dealing with before you buy an electronic descaler. For a meter controlled water softener to calculate when the resin has been exhausted it needs to know the hardness of the water and the amount of water that has been used. Therefore, a water softener set to the exact hardness of the water is going to be more efficient than a softener that uses a pre-set hardness range.

How hard is my water?

All ion-exchange water softeners work on the same exchange principle. However, not all water softeners are the same. Research and development has greatly improved systems over the years, with manufacturers improving upon:

If you are among the estimated 16 million people in the UK who live in a hard water area, our guide to the best water softener might just have the answers you're looking for. From chalky white deposits leaking from your best steam iron to smelly laundry in your washer dryer that even the best laundry detergent can't fix, hard water minerals can wreak havoc in your home and on your appliances. Signs include pesky tidemarks on bathroom fittings, stiff, rough clothes in your tumble dryer, clogged showerheads and smeary glassware. It gets worse: hard water can aggravate and even cause skin conditions such as eczema. The softener itself weighs about 35 pounds, which could be a little heavy for some users to easily carry. Household size isn’t specified, but the company notes that you’ll get about 1,600 gallons of softened water from the tank. Depending on how often you’re using water, that could mean you’ll have as many as 40 days worth of soft water. DIY installation of water softeners is not recommended, you will need a plumber in most cases. Which type of water softener is better? The Ultra HE’s built-in CPP (Customer Protect Programme) detects leaks, learns water usage patterns to reduce salt and water usage during regeneration, and automatically adjusts to BST and GMT time changes.

What is a water softener?

Though the exact household size isn’t specified, Yarna notes it can treat water in large houses or an apartment building with up to 20 units. It can be installed on a variety of water pipes, including steel, PVC, and copper. Installation can easily be done on your own and should only take about 15 minutes. An electronic water softener only works with flowing water, which is why it has to be installed at your home’s waterline. It’s no good using a descaler to treat stagnant water in a container, as it won’t work.

Just like the name implies, water softeners actually “soften” water. Cox explains, “A water softener is a device that removes minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, from the water supply, making it ‘soft’ by reducing the hardness. It does so through a process called ion exchange, where the calcium and magnesium ions are replaced with sodium or potassium ions, effectively softening the water.” When you’re looking for the best electronic water descaler, you’ll likely come across two types: electromagnetic and capacitive electronic. Though these system types are identical in what they do, they have their differences when it comes to design. Electromagnetic Electronic water descalers act as an efficient salt-free softening solution. They’re completely different from what you might think of when you imagine a water softener – they have no tanks, use no salt, and require no regeneration or media changes.Considering the hardness removal capability of a water softener is crucial,” Cox says. “Different softeners have varying efficiency in removing hardness minerals. Look for softeners with a high hardness removal rating to ensure effective water softening.” Water-King is easy to install, requires no plumbing, benefits from a 25 years design life and is completely maintenance free! A timed controlled water softener goes through the regeneration process at specific intervals – it could be daily or weekly. If you want to see the biggest benefits of an electronic water descaler, be sure to install it before your heater so as to improve this appliance’s efficiency and help you save money. The best water softeners you can buy in 2023 1. Water2Buy W2B200: Best water softener for medium-sized households

Will yours use salt?: Most do and those that don’t aren’t technically water softeners – they condition the water to inhibit limescale, as opposed to softening it, and are generally less efficient than their salt-consuming counterparts. Your water usage (a guide is 160 litres per person per day) plus the size of your home will determine which softener is best for you. A water softener with low softening capacity would be suitable for 2-3 people, but a low softening capacity in a home of 4 or more people will be expensive to run and because it will be working harder increase its wear and tear and longevity.A reliable water softener can remove damaging minerals effectively from your water supply. So you'll end up spending less to fix or clean the home appliances you use most often. You’ll see a reduction in limescale, for one. Your hair and skin should be healthier, too. Your water heaters will perform more efficiently and water will travel through your pipes at a faster rate. You won’t notice a difference in the taste or smell of your water. How do I install an electronic descaler system? The twin tank low softening capacity means the softener will be working harder and regenerating frequently. A twin tank softener for a family can be expensive to run and their frequent regenerations can disturb water flow and increase wear and tear. Alternatively, you can try fitting a water filter to your taps, as this makes it easier to get lather from soap. A showerhead filter could also be beneficial, as this filters out contaminants and limits limescale.