Consumer Reports best water softenersWater softeners come in 4 different types. Consumer reports gives you both the advantages and disadvantages of all four types. They also provide you with the top 5 brands of water softeners. Consumer reports uses actual reviews from consumers who have used these water softeners.Consumer reports can give you a more realistic idea of how a water softener will actually preform than information
provided by the manufacturer.The four types of water softeners are Ion exchange, salt free, reverse osmosis and magnetic. Salt free water softeners are the preferred type by consumers.Salt free uses a filter so no chemicals, potassium or salt is required. This means that the minerals in the water are not effected. The only disadvantage is that they are not recommended for very hard water. Ion exchange softeners exchange the ions in the water with sodium or potassium ions. This removes the ions that cause the hardness in water and can prolong the use of washing machines and dish washers. This type is not recommended for drinking water due to the high sodium levels. Magnetic softeners use magnets in or around water pipes so that the magnetic field will alter the water. The disadvantage is that water will return to a hard stage within 48 hours after leaving the magnetic field.Reverse osmosis softeners use pressure to remove impurities through a semi-permeable membrane. This does remove up to 98% of impurities but it also removes minerals and nutrients at the same time.The top 5 brands chosen by consumers are Culligan, Tapworks AD, Kinetico 2020, Soo-Soft digital water treatment system and The Pelican PSE1800. Tapworks is a reverse osmosis water softener. Soo-soft is a magnetic water softener that is very environmentally safe. Culligan and Kinetico are both Ion exchange type softeners. The Pelican is the highest rated water softener because it provides both filtration and softening. More reference links: health-individual.com www.allwaterpurification.com www.reference.com