The SpringWell FutureSoft is our top choice for the best overall salt-free water conditioning system.
Table of Contents
🧾 Overview
The SpringWell Futuresoft Salt-free Water Softener is a whole house water conditioner and descaler. It removes existing scale from pipes and appliances while preventing new scale from forming. Ultimately, the SpringWell Futuresoft promises to lengthen the lifespan of your appliances by preventing hard water corrosion.
As an environmentally-friendly alternative to many salt-based softeners, the Futuresoft is self-adjusting to water hardness, enabling all households to get the most out of the system’s conditioning abilities. It requires no electricity to run and doesn’t waste water in the softening process.
The SpringWell Futuresoft is virtually maintenance-free, as you won’t need to worry about salt top-ups or regular cleaning.
📌 Our Take
The SpringWell whole home filtration and softener systems are some of the best available on today’s market, and the SpringWell Futuresoft is no exception. While this conditioning system is slightly more expensive than similar models, its quality of performance still makes it a great value for money. The pre-filter is affordable to replace, and aside from that, there’s virtually no maintenance to think about.
If you’re looking for a salt-free conditioner that will help you save time and money, the SpringWell Futuresoft is a solid choice. As a salt-free softener, this system is much better for the environment, and eliminates the need for the ongoing cost of salt.
The SpringWell FutureSoft is one of the best-performing saltless softeners on the market, and is ideal for anyone whose primary purpose is to eliminate scale. If you’re keen to filter your water as well as eliminating scale, I recommend looking into the SpringWell Whole House Water Filter & Softener Combo System, which offers a two-in-one softening and filtering system at an exceptional value for money.
🏷️ Springwell Discount Code
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📝 Specifications
- Bathrooms: 1 – 7+
- Tank width: 6 – 13 inches
- Tank height: 35 inches (39 inches with head) – 54 inches (58 inches with head)
- Flow rate: 12 – 20 GPM
- Flow direction: Upflow
- Required operating temperature: 34 – 120 F
- Operating pressure: 20 – 80 PSI
- pH range: 7.0 – 9.5
- Maximum hardness (in GPG): 81
💡 Features
Conditioning Tank
The SpringWell uses a single conditioning tank that performs Template Assisted Crystallization to condition water by altering the make-up of hard water causing minerals.
Installation Instructions
If you plan to install the Futuresoft yourself, there are instructions included, as well as an online video, for at home DIY setup.
Sediment Pre-filter
The sediment pre-filter removes large particles of sediment, preventing them from clogging the conditioning media.
High Water Pressure
You won’t notice a drop in water pressure when you use the SpringWell Futuresoft. The system comes in three configurations based on the number of bathrooms in your home, with water pressures of 12, 15 or 20 GPM.
Lifetime Warranty
Both the tank and the valves are backed by SpringWell’s lifetime warranty, and the system comes with a 6-month money-back guarantee.
🚦 Performance
As a salt-free water softener, the SpringWell Futuresoft is designed to work a lot more efficiently in conditioning water. It uses Template Assisted Crystallization, a newer technique of water softening that changes hardness causing minerals from their ionic form to a crystalline form, which doesn’t leave limescale deposits.
You can expect an efficient performance from this system, as you don’t need salt or electricity to keep it running.
Providing you use the Futuresoft for homes or businesses with the recommended number of bathrooms (1 to 3), your water pressure won’t drop during use.
As well as being efficient in itself, the Futuresoft can improve the efficiency of your home’s appliances by removing scale and eliminating the hard water cause. Many customers have reported seeing immediate improvements in deposits on showerheads and glass shower screens.
🔧 Installation & Maintenance
If you’re into DIY, you’ll be able to install the SpringWell Futuresoft yourself by following the written instruction manual and online video. Because it doesn’t need to be connected to a drain or a source of electricity, the system is fairly easy to set up.
The Futuresoft comes with an instruction manual and an online video for guidance. SpringWell offers 24/7 customer service for product enquiries, which can be useful if you find a certain aspect of installation confusing.
Some people prefer to hire a plumber or a handyman to install their water conditioners. Most plumbers are familiar with a range of water softening systems and will be able to carry out the job in a matter of minutes.
📝 System Info
The SpringWell Futuresoft is available in three configurations: FS1, FS4 and FS+. The biggest difference between these models is their flow rates, and therefore the number of bathrooms they’re intended for.
- The FS1 has the smallest tank and lowest flow rate of 12 GPM. Most people will probably do just fine with the FS1, as it’s intended for use in homes with three bathrooms.
- If you have between 4 and 6 bathrooms in your property, the FS4 is best. It has a flow rate of 15 GPM.
- The FS+ is the biggest SpringWell Futuresoft configuration available. It has a flow rate of 20 GPM and is intended for properties with more than 7 bathrooms.
Regardless of the system you buy, the Futuresoft works best with water that has a pH range of 7.0-9.5, and a temperature of 34-120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The performance of the SpringWell water conditioner is also mirrored across all three configurations. The system uses a salt free media tank that performs a process known as fluidization.
This converts hard water minerals into crystals that won’t stick to surfaces as limescale deposits. As the SpringWell Futuresoft is simply neutralizing water, it doesn’t actually remove the calcium and magnesium hard water ions, so you can still enjoy the health and taste benefits of these minerals.
🕖 Media Longevity & Replacement
The longevity of a softening system’s media is how many gallons of water it can treat before it can no longer perform effectively. The SpringWell FutureSoft media lasts up to 1 million gallons, or approximately 6 years. After this, you’ll need to replace the media with a fresh batch.
You can use the data from your water bill to determine how many gallons of water have passed through the media, and when it needs replacing. If this seems like too much fuss, the best rule of thumb is to replace the media after 6 years. You can buy replacement media directly from the SpringWell website.
The sediment pre-filter needs changing more frequently – every 6 to 9 months. It’s important to replace the sediment filter, as it prevents large particles of sediment, rust and dust from clogging the media and shortening its lifespan.
🔔 Pros & Cons
👍 What I Like
- Much cheaper to run than salt-based water softeners, with no water wastage and no electricity usage.
- Uses a salt-free conditioning process that works well for people on low-sodium diets.
- Doesn’t remove calcium and magnesium minerals, so you can still benefit from these nutrients in your drinking water.
- Far simpler to install than salt-based alternatives.
- Very little maintenance is required in the long run.
- Doesn’t alter a household’s water pressure when used in homes with 1 to 3 bathrooms.
👎 What I Don’t Like
- Doesn’t actually remove hard water causing minerals, which some people may prefer to eliminate from water entirely for ultimate effectiveness.
- Doesn’t soften water; just reduces scale. You’ll still see hardness in the water, but won’t experience limescale build-up on your appliances.
- You’ll eventually need to change the tank’s resin, which will require some maintenance.
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