Soft water has many benefits over hard water, but the water delivered to most of our homes is full of hard minerals. Water softeners exist to solve this problem, but there are several different types to choose from. Though all of these types of water softeners will reduce the mineral content in your water to leave you with beneficial softened water, they do so in different ways.

1. Salt-Based (Ion-Exchange) Water Softeners: Salt-based systems are the traditional type of water softener that most people are accustomed to. They are meant to supply soft water to a whole house and feature high rates of flow. A resin inside attracts calcium and magnesium from your water and replaces them with sodium ions in a process called ion exchange. When your resin runs out of positively charged sodium ions to exchange for the hard minerals in your water, you can regenerate the resin using salt.
2. Salt-Free Water Softeners: Salt-free systems don’t require the same continual upkeep that ion-exchange systems do since they don’t need regeneration or salt. These types of water softeners don’t actually remove the hard minerals from the water. Instead, they neutralize them to prevent them from sticking together and creating the buildup that leads to hard water.
3. Portable Water Softeners: Portable water softeners make it possible to have soft water wherever you go. These are perfect for travelers in RVs or travel trailers. They require no electricity and can go for several weeks between regenerations. When you need to regenerate a portable water softener, all it takes is a bit of regular table salt. Generally, no tools will be necessary to complete the process. They don’t have the same level of water flow that you’ll get from a full-size softener, but they can easily supply water to a single bathroom or drinking water for several people. They’re also much less expensive than their bigger brothers that are designed to supply a whole house.
4. Showerhead Water Softeners: Water softeners can be pretty costly since most are designed to supply an entire house with soft water. For many, this is too great of an investment. However, showerhead softeners make it much more affordable to get many of the benefits of using soft water. Your hair and skin will feel much more hydrated and healthy. You’ll also have no more hard water spots on your shower walls and doors, and you’ll have less soap scum to clean up as well.
5. Reverse Osmosis Water Softeners: Reverse osmosis systems may not be generally thought of as water softeners, but they strip the water of all substances, including hard water causing minerals like calcium and magnesium. These types of water softeners often feature extra steps to re-introduce healthy minerals into the water so you’ll still have them for drinking. Generally built for under-sink installation, these units will often provide their own faucet from which you can have purified. soft water on tap. Reverse osmosis uses high pressure to force the water through an RO membrane that filters down to microscopic levels. The water will also be fed through several other filters on the way to ensure that all impurities are removed.
6. Magnetic Water Softeners: Magnetic water softeners are pretty new on the market. These are advertised as a water softener alternative since they don’t remove the hard minerals. Similar to salt-free systems, magnetic water conditioners neutralize the hard minerals to prevent them from bonding together, keeping them completely soluble. This means you’ll get all of the benefits of soft water, but these systems are much more affordable. They’re also easy to install and you won’t have to cut any pipes or even turn off the water. Instead, you’ll just wrap them around your existing pipes and the magnetic field will condition the water passing through. You may need to wire them into your home’s electricity though, so keep that in mind.