How Much Does a Kinetico Water Softener Cost in 2024?

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Considering buying a Kinetico water softener? Don’t part with your money until you’ve read this guide.

I’ll be sharing the estimated costs of a Kinetico water softener and giving my opinion on whether Kinetico softeners are worth the money.

Key Takeaways

  • Kinetico water softeners cost $500 to $5,000
  • There is no pricelist available to the public
  • The only way to get a price is with an in-home consultation
  • You can expect the representative to try to upsell you on additional equipment
  • Total cost varies based on the model type, size, and price set by your local Kinetico dealer

🤔 Why Are Kinetico Water Softener Prices Not Available Online?

Kinetico water softener prices aren’t available online because the company’s prices are proprietary.

📌 What does this mean? Pricing depends on a range of factors, including your local dealer’s rates, the features that you choose for your water softener, the size and capacity of the water softener, and more.

There is no official Kinetico price list available to the public. If you want to know how much a Kinetico water softener costs, you can’t just do a quick Google search.

You’d need to reach out to your local Kinetico dealer and arrange for an in-home evaluation. Only then, after a lengthy chat about your needs, your dealer will tally up your “required” features and give you a total cost.

The idea is that going to this level of effort (and likely being persuaded by a skilled salesperson) increases the likelihood that you’ll buy a Kinetico softener, even if the prices are higher than the prices of similar – and better – softeners online.

Your dealer will convince you that your water softener has been precisely tailored to suit your exact softening requirements. This is likely true, but keep in mind that you could still get a perfectly suitable water softener for less, from shopping online.

Cant find prices online

🔎 How to Get An Official Quote From Kinetico

To get an official quote from Kinetico, you can do one of two things: click “Get a Quote” or “Schedule a Free Water Test“. Both of these options will eventually result in a dealer contacting you with a price for a water softener, but let’s look at the differences between the two.

If you choose the “Get a Quote” option, you’ll be taken to a form that asks you to fill in a few personal details, including your address, your water type, and your contact details.

You can check the water problems that you’re dealing with, such as “hard water” and “odors in water”. You can also check which Kinetico products you’re interested in (you can check them all if you don’t know).

Once you’ve filled in this form, a dealer will contact you regarding a free quote. Your dealer may suggest testing your water, or arrange for a home visit, at this point.

Getting a free quote from kinetico

If you choose the “Schedule a Free Water Test” option, you’ll need to fill out a different form that lists your contact details, your address, and your water type.

Once you’ve submitted the form, a dealer will get in touch to discuss a free water test.

In both scenarios, you’re not tied into anything. You can get right to the point of purchase and drop out if you decide you’re not interested. But by providing such a personalized service, Kinetico dealers can be pretty convincing. Many people buy a Kinetico softener once they’ve been through the full process of getting their water tested and receiving a quote.

If you just want to look at your local options, you can visit the “Find Your Water Expert” page, which lets you enter your zip code and search for a Kinetico dealer near you.

Scheduling a water test from kinetico

❔ What is the Kinetico Quote Based On?

The quote you receive for a Kinetico water softener is based on:

  • The information you provide to your dealer about your water quality and your water softening needs. This includes whether you mention other water quality issues that may need to be addressed with additional water treatment systems (Kinetico also offers water filtration systems).
  • The data from Kinetico’s water testing. Your test data will provide more information about your water quality and help your dealer decide whether you need a basic water softener or a system with additional features.
  • The dealer’s personal pricing (as in, the amount of money that the dealer wants to be paid on top of the cost of the water softener).
What kinetico's quotes are based on

Kinetico dealers don’t just pull quotes from thin air. Your dealer will use your test data and your own stated requirements to put together a quote, with reasoning for any upgrades and additional features they suggest.

Does this mean you’ll get the best value for money from a Kinetico softener? Probably not – but the quotes are usually still fair.

📝 Potential Factors Affecting Kinetico Water Softener Cost

Some of the factors affecting the cost of a Kinetico water softener are:

System Type

Kinetico has three separate ranges of water softeners: the Premier Series, the Signature Series, and the Essential Series.

The Premier Series features Kinetico’s best-selling water softeners for homes of all sizes, while the Signature Series is the classic, or typical, water softener range for medium-to-large homes. The Essential Series features water softeners that are suitable for people who want soft water without compromising on water flow, but don’t have a lot of space.

Within these softener ranges, Kinetico offers various options including single-tank, twin-tank, and multi-tank systems, efficiency features, and 5-10-year warranties.

Each Kinetico water softener is priced based on its capacity, efficiency, durability, warranty length (systems with a 10-year warranty cost more upfront than those with a 5-year warranty), construction, and more.

📌 Kinetico’s water softeners aren’t priced online, but you can expect to pay anything from $500 to $5,000 upfront, depending on the system you need.

Kinetico water softener series
Source: kinetico.com

System Size

The price you pay will also be determined by the size of the water softener you need.

For instance, the Essential Series softeners combine resin beads and the brine tank within a single unit, at a lower cost. The Signature Series is intended for large homes, so you can expect to pay more for these systems due to their bigger capacity and flow rate. The Premier Series is the mid-range softener series with mid-range pricing.

Why do bigger water softeners cost more? Because bigger units need extra materials and extra resin, and offer a more powerful performance, ensuring that homes with multiple bathrooms can still benefit from a continuous supply of soft water.

Installation

To the average homeowner, the thought of installing a water softener upstream of their water heater is pretty daunting. There’s the brine tank and the resin tank to hook up, the drain line to connect for the regeneration process, and the prospect of cutting into your water line and potentially doing some soldering.

📌 So, knowing that Kinetico will arrange for your water softener to be installed by an expert is undoubtedly a good thing – although of course, it means you’ll be paying extra upfront for the installation. It doesn’t seem that you can simply opt out of this add-on, either, even if you’re up for the DIY installation.

The cost of hiring a plumber to install your water softener is about $150-$300, depending on the complexity of the job. You can expect to pay a similar price through Kinetico for your water softener installation.

Whole house filter installation

Additional Water Treatment Upsells

From the moment you’re asked to share your water quality problems with Kinetico, you’re setting yourself up for an upsell.

You might have it in your mind that you only want to deal with water hardness problems in your home. But your Kinetico dealer may convince you that you need a water filtration system to tackle other problems that you’ve mentioned, or that have shown up in your test data.

The next thing you know, you’re buying a water softener alongside a drinking water reverse osmosis system that you now suddenly think that you couldn’t live without.

Of course, you can always say no to a Kinetico upsell. And your dealer shouldn’t lie to you about needing something if you don’t. You’ll probably genuinely benefit from the additional equipment on offer – but can you afford it?

📌 You can expect to pay an extra $1,000-$1,500 alongside your water softener if you choose to go along with a Kinetico upsell. In many cases, this upsell may prove to be well worth it, especially if it extends the lifespan of your water softener by a few years.

👨‍⚖️ Should you Get a Kinetico Water Softener?

There are a few potential benefits of Kinetico water softeners, but I don’t think you should buy a softener from this brand. Here’s why.

Let’s start with the benefits first.

There are perks of buying from a local dealer who’s an expert in the industry and knows your region’s water quality. Your dealer will be able to recommend a water softener that’s ideal for your needs, with all the best features for the job.

Kinetico will also install your ion exchange water softener for you, so you won’t need to pay extra to hire a plumber or attempt to do the install yourself – it’s all included in the upfront cost.

Now, onto the setbacks.

Your Kinetico dealer will never force you into buying anything, but they’ll use persuasive sales techniques that make you think that you need a specific feature or upgrade, even if it’s just an optional extra. This is one of the reasons why you’ll probably end up spending more than necessary on a soft water system.

Also, your dealer can charge whatever they want (within reason, of course), depending on the cut they want to take. This is another way you’ll end up over-spending on a water softener.

You’re more likely to buy a water softener from Kinetico because of the lengthy process of receiving a home visit from your dealer and getting a personalized quote based on your “needs”. This makes it harder to shop around and consider multiple options, which you can usually do if you shop online.

Kinetico water softeners are an ideal solution for people who want everything about their water softening experience to be dealt with for them.

Are they the best value for money? Not usually.

And are they the best water softeners available today? No.

But Kinetico promises good customer service, and by paying a bit more than you probably should, you can enjoy a tailored, hands-off service without having to put in the effort of research and installation yourself. Some people prefer this option.

📝 Alternative Options to Consider

I personally don’t recommend Kinetico to my readers, simply because you can get so much more from shopping around online.

Kinetico offers free testing as a big perk, and it is – but there’s nothing stopping you from testing your water yourself at home.

If you just want to roughly know your water hardness, buy an at-home test kit (they cost less than $10 online). Or, to know exactly how much calcium and magnesium your water contains, arrange for a laboratory test of a water sample taken from your faucet.

water testing with tap score

Your test data will give you important information about your water hardness compared to national averages on the water hardness scale. You can use this information to search for a suitable water softener system to properly address your hard water issues.

There are plenty of soft water solutions online, including traditional ion exchange water softeners, salt-free water conditioners, dual-tank softeners, electromagnetic descalers, non-electric water softeners, and water softeners combined with other water treatment systems, like an iron filter or a reverse osmosis system.

📌 What does this mean? You don’t have to go to Kinetico if you want a personalized selection of water softeners. Shopping online will give you even more choice – you’ll just need to put in the hard work yourself.

Will you save money by testing your own water and buying a water softener online, rather than getting your water tested and buying a softener through Kinetico? Perhaps – especially if you look for deals on the best water softeners available today.

If you prefer to have complete control over your water softener cost from start to finish, I recommend looking beyond Kinetico to your complete range of options online.

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  • Brian Campbell
    President & CEO, CWS, CWR

    Brian Campbell, a WQA Certified Water Specialist (CWS) and Certified Water Treatment Representative (CWR) with 5+ years of experience, helps homeowners navigate the world of water treatment. After honing his skills at Hach Company, he founded his business to empower homeowners with the knowledge and tools to achieve safe, healthy water. Brian's tested countless devices, from simple pitchers to complex systems, helping his readers find the perfect fit for their unique needs.

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