Water Softener Review and Comparison

This water softener review and comparison is based on our unbiased expert opinion and decades of experience installing water softening and water treatment systems.

Hague Maximizer 410

£1,740

Overall Rating: 4.6 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: A (72%)
Waste Water: A (2.76%)

Best for Water Quality
Best in class for Salt and water consumption
Compact but not the smallest in its class
Does use electricity

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Salt Type: Standard Block / Tablet
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 1850
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 51
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 900
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.5
Regens/kg: 1.1
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 617
Percentage Efficiency: 72%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 28
Waste Water Percentage: 2.76%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 2056

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 4.6

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Hague Maximizer 7380

£2,580

Overall Rating: 4.3 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: A (73%)
Waste Water: A (2.89%)

Best for flow rate
Best in class for Salt and water consumption
This is a larger machine so don’t expect to slip it under the sink.
Does use electricity

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 3110
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 90
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 1500
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.3
Regens/kg: 0.7
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 622
Percentage Efficiency: 73%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 29
Waste Water Percentage: 2.89%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 2073

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 4.3

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Hague Maximizer 7180

£2,124

Overall Rating: 4.3 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: A (73%)
Waste Water: A (2.76%)

Best for Flow Rate and larger properties
Best in class for Salt and water consumption
Larger machine - won't fit under sink
Does use electricity

Show Details

Salt Type: Tablet
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 2333
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 53
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 1100
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.4
Regens/kg: 0.9
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 623
Percentage Efficiency: 73%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 28
Waste Water Percentage: 2.76%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 2075

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 4.3

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Harveys HV3 Minimax Water Softener

£1,549

Overall Rating: 3.6 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (59%)
Waste Water: B (3.40%)

Very Good metering system
Nice Compact Cabinet
Too many updates and quite temperamental
Not right for mains fed systems

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: 1000
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 500
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 17
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 300
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.0
Regens/kg: 3.3
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 500
Percentage Efficiency: 59%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 34
Waste Water Percentage: 3.40%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1667

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 3.6

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Infinity T4 HE

Overall Rating: 3.3 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: C (44%)
Waste Water: C (4.77%)

No user controls & non-electric
Kinetico under the skin
Not good on Water and Salt consumption
Not using the questionable XP set up

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: 5 disc
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 430
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 20.5
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 340
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.3
Regens/kg: 2.9
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 379
Percentage Efficiency: 44%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 48
Waste Water Percentage: 4.77%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1265

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 3.3

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Ecowater Boost 300

£1,780

Overall Rating: 3.3 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (68%)
Waste Water: B (3.57%)

Clever electronics
Good reliability
37% bigger than the model it replaces
Manufacturer recommends Annual servicing
Questionable water quality on traditional plumbing systems

Show Details

Salt Type: Tablet
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 1933
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 69
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 1000
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.5
Regens/kg: 1.0
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 580
Percentage Efficiency: 68%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 36
Waste Water Percentage: 3.57%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1933

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 3.3

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Ecowater Compact 100

£1,595

Overall Rating: 3.2 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (55%)
Waste Water: B (4.09%)

Clever Electronics
Nice Fail safes built in
Smallest in the range but 3.5% bigger than the model it replaces
Manufacturer recommends Annual servicing
Questionable water quality on traditional plumbing systems

Show Details

Salt Type: Tablet
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 1100
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 45
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 700
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.9
Regens/kg: 1.4
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 471
Percentage Efficiency: 55%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 41
Waste Water Percentage: 4.09%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1571

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 3.2

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Infinity T4 water softener reviews and information

Infinity T4 HF

Overall Rating: 3.1 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: C (40%)
Waste Water: C (5.23%)

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: 5 disc
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 430
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 20.5
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 340
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.6
Regens/kg: 2.9
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 346
Percentage Efficiency: 40%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 52
Waste Water Percentage: 5.23%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1153

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 3.1

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Ecowater Compact 200

£1,635

Overall Rating: 3.0 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (51%)
Waste Water: B (3.34%)

Clever electronics
Good reliability
Manufacturer recommends Annual servicing
Questionable water quality on traditional plumbing systems

Show Details

Salt Type: Tablet
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 1467
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 49
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 1000
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.7
Regens/kg: 1.0
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 440
Percentage Efficiency: 51%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 33
Waste Water Percentage: 3.34%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1467

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 3.0

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Ecowater Boost 400

£1,900

Overall Rating: 2.9 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (67%)
Waste Water: B (3.12%)

None we can think of
Model seems pointless as it is the same size as the Power 500 with lower capacity

Show Details

Salt Type: Tablet
Setting: 300
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 3233
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 101
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 1700
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.3
Regens/kg: 0.6
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 571
Percentage Efficiency: 67%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 31
Waste Water Percentage: 3.12%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1902

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 2.9

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Kinetico Premier Plus

£2,195

Overall Rating: 2.7 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (67%)
Waste Water: B (3.18%)

No user controls & non-electric
Uses Block or Tablet salt
Awkward dimensions
Poor Flow rates for size and cost

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: 305
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 1068
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 34
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 560
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 0.9
Regens/kg: 1.8
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 572
Percentage Efficiency: 67%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 32
Waste Water Percentage: 3.18%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1907

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 2.7

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Kinetico Premier Compact HE XP

£1,695

Overall Rating: 2.6 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: C (46%)
Waste Water: C (4.56%)

Salt window is an improvement but not sure how this will look in 3 years time.
No user controls & non-electric.
6.5% larger than the model it replaces.
Uses more salt than previous model.
Water quality suffers at higher flow rates.

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: K
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 450
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 20.5
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 340
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.2
Regens/kg: 2.9
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 397
Percentage Efficiency: 46%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 46
Waste Water Percentage: 4.56%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l:

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 2.6

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Kinetico Premier Compact HF XP

£1,695

Overall Rating: 2.5 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: C (46%)
Waste Water: C (4.56%)

Salt window is an improvement but not sure how this will look in 3 years time
No user controls & non-electric
HE (High Efficiency)seems pointless as salt and water use is the same as the H.F. High Flow model
Uses more salt than previous model
Reports that salt window isnt watertight when softener overflows

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: K
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 450
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 20.5
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 340
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.2
Regens/kg: 2.9
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 397
Percentage Efficiency: 46%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 46
Waste Water Percentage: 4.56%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1324

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 2.5

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Harveys Arc or Minimax Innova

£1,595

Overall Rating: 2.1 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (53%)
Waste Water: B (3.78%)

Very good metering system
Clever Salt app
Big Claims on environmental credentials not backed up by Salt and Waste water
High Salt use and Patented Salt block only available form Harveys network - no price competition
Small salt bags adding to single use plastic waste whilst sales pitch claims "The First Eco Friendly Water Softener"

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Salt Type: Custom Block
Setting: 900
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 450
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 17
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 300
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.2
Regens/kg: 3.3
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 450
Percentage Efficiency: 53%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 38
Waste Water Percentage: 3.78%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1500

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 2.1

More Information

Kinetico Sumo

Overall Rating: 1.8 (Out of 5)

Efficiency Rating

Salt: B (51%)
Waste Water: C (6.35%)

No User controls
Low cost
Half the softener for half the price
Wasteful on water

Show Details

Salt Type: Standard Block
Setting: 350
Capacity Per Regen Litres: 394
Waste Water Per Regen Litres: 25
Grammes of Salt Required Per Regen: 270
Regens/m3 @ 300mg/l: 2.5
Regens/kg: 3.7
Grammes Capacity/kg of Salt @ 300mg/l: 438
Percentage Efficiency: 51%
Water Wastage Per Cubic Meter: 63
Waste Water Percentage: 6.35%
Softened Water Per kg Salt @ 300mg/l: 1459

Convenience
Size
Suitability for Conventional Systems
Suitability for Mains Fed Systems
Cost to Buy
Running Cost (Salt)
Running Cost (Water)
Running Cost (Servicing)
Reliability
Build Quality
Trust
Overall Score: 1.8

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This water softener review and comparison is based on our unbiased expert opinion and decades of experience installing water softening and water treatment systems.

How we compare water softeners

(This is our opinion and is based on our own experiences)

Convenience: To compare this we have considered the overall size of the unit, space it occupies, frequency of refilling and the salt type required.
Size: This is self explanatory, however consideration has to be given for larger capacity machines which will always be bigger.
Suitability for conventional systems: This is our opinion on how well suited the water softener system is in operation when used with a traditional tank fed plumbing system.
Suitability for mains fed systems: This is our opinion on how well suited the system is in operation when used with a modern mains fed plumbing system e.g. Combi boiler or Megaflo.
Cost to buy: The higher the ratings number the cheaper the machine.
Running cost (salt): This considers the amount and type of salt required for a given amount of softened water.
Running cost (water): All water softeners use some water to regenerate and this is unavoidable. Here we compare the amount of water used per m3 of softened water to the property.
Running cost (servicing): Based on the manufacturer's recommended servicing intervals. Where there is no regular servicing requirement, the maximum 5 stars has been awarded.
Warranty: Here we consider the length and coverage of the water softener warranty, as well as how well the manufacturer's company deals with any claims.
Reliability: This is our experience of the products which have been installed in our customers homes.
Trust: Here we review the claims made by the companies and for the products. We then compare this to the limitations of the physics and the ion exchange process. We also consider how quick and responsive the engineering departments are when faced with technical challenges or advice.
Overall Rating: This gives equal weighting to all the parameters we have chosen to make this water softener comparison and rates the overall package out of 5.