Springwell vs Culligan: Which is Better in 2023?

SpringWell and Culligan are two of the most well-known water treatment brands, and thousands of customers use their products day by day.

Here, you’ll learn whether SpringWell or Culligan performs better across different areas of water treatment, and why – as well as which water treatment brand is the best overall choice, based on our findings.

🏠 Whole House Water Filtration Systems

SpringWell

SpringWell has a single whole house water filtration system series for municipal water that comes in three different sizes:

Model	Flow Rate (GPM)	# of Bathrooms
CF1	9	1-3
CF4	12	4-6
CF+	20	7+

We’ll be reviewing the CF1, as it’s the most popular system for most homes in the US.

SpringWell also has a well water filter available in two different sizes:

Model	Flow Rate	# of Bathrooms
WS1	12	1-4
WS4	20	4+

Culligan

Culligan has a single whole house water filter for city water:

• The Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter, which has a flow rate of around 5.9 GPM.

Culligan has a huge selection of whole home well water filters:

• The High-Efficiency Whole House Well Water Filtration System
• The Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter
• The Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Sulfur-OX3® Water Filter
• The Aquasential™ Smart High-Efficiency Water Filter
• The Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Iron-Cleer® Water Filter
• The Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-Cleer® Water Filters
• The High Efficiency Iron-Cleer Whole House Iron Water Filter
• The Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Sulfur-Cleer® Water Filter
• The High Efficiency Sulfur-Cleer Whole House Sulfur Water Filter
• The Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Arsenic Reduction Water Filter
• The Arsenic Reduction Whole House Water Filter

You might personally enjoy having lots of choice, but we think all these options are confusing. It’d be better if Culligan had a single product page for each of its types of filters (i.e. a single page for iron filters, a single page for sulfur filters, and so on), with dropdown options to choose between smart and standard options, and to choose specific configurations.

We’ll be reviewing the Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter in this guide, but keep in mind that there are other specific options for iron, sulfur, and arsenic removal too.

⚖️ Comparison Chart

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💡 Media Comparison

SpringWell CF1 (For City Water)

The SpringWell CF1 uses a combination of catalytic carbon and KDF media.

Both of these media have a reputation for success in treating some of the most common contaminants in city water, including chlorine, chloramine, pesticides, herbicides, and PFOAs. There’s also a sediment filter that can reduce sediment down to 5 microns in size.

We felt confident that the CF1’s media was thoroughly filtering our water, and the media’s 4-stage proprietary design allows for a longer contact time with water and eliminates channeling.

SpringWell Well Water Filter System

The SpringWell Well Water Filter System uses air injection oxidation, consisting of a media bed and an air pocket, which sits at the top of the tank.

When water flows through the air pocket, dissolved oxygen is added to water, and contaminants like iron are oxidized. These oxidized contaminants then stick to the media and are removed from the water supply.

Also included with the SpringWell AIO system is a spin-down sediment filter with a 100-micron mesh screen.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter

The Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter (we’ll call it the Culligan AS for short) uses three different filter media inside a single tank:

• Filtr-Cleer® Filter, targeting sediment
• Cullar® Water Filter, made from activated carbon media
• Cullneu Water Filter, which alters pH

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter

The Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter (which we’ll call the Culligan Iron-OX5 for short) uses the natural, chemical-free process of oxidation to remove iron from water.

The process exposes water to an “airhead” at the bottom of the tank, which oxidizes iron, which is then retained by the birm filter media. The iron is removed from the media when the system periodically backwashes.

🧫 What Contaminants Do They Remove?

SpringWell CF1 (For City Water)

The SpringWell CF1 targets different selections of contaminants with each filter stage:

• The KDF media addresses chlorine, heavy metals, and harmful chemicals
• The catalytic carbon media removes organic contaminants like VOCs, chlorine, chloramine, pesticides, and herbicides
• The sediment filter reduces sand, silt, and clay

Read the full review 👉 SpringWell Whole House Water Filter System Review

SpringWell Well Water Filter System

The SpringWell Well Water Filter System removes up to 8 PPM of hydrogen sulfide, up to 7 PPM of iron, and up to 1 PPM of manganese. The system provides targeted contaminant removal, and we recommend it to anyone who specifically has problems with water’s taste and smell, and the aesthetic issues related to sulfur, iron, and manganese.

This filtration system also removes large chunks of sediment with a 100-micron spin-down sediment filter.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter

The Culligan AS has been tested to NSF Standard 42 to remove chlorine tastes and odors, and sediment like clay, silt, and dirt, down to 15 microns in size. The filter also neutralizes acidic water.

Our water looked cleaner and tasted better after installing the AS, but we think this system could do a lot more than simply altering pH and removing sediment (which aren’t common issues with city water anyway), and removing chlorine.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter

The Iron-OX5 removes up to 5 PPM of ferrous (or dissolved) iron. It can also remove low levels of ferric iron, but it isn’t designed to treat high ferric iron levels or iron bacteria. There’s also no mention that the Iron-OX5 can reduce manganese or sulfur, so this is purely an iron removal solution for low-to-moderate iron levels.

The Culligan Iron-OX5 has been tested and certified by WQA to reduce iron up to 500 gallons, according to NSF Standard 372.

🚦 Performance Comparison

SpringWell CF1 (For City Water)

The SpringWell CF1 offers an exceptional performance, both in terms of speed of filtration and contaminant removal.

SpringWell’s systems have a significantly higher flow rate than most whole house water filter systems. The CF1 has a 9 GPM flow rate, and we didn’t notice a drop in water pressure after installing this whole house filtration system.

SpringWell Well Water Filter System

The SpringWell Well Water Filter System is another fast-flow system, with the standard 1-4 bathroom unit providing a 12 GPM flow rate – even better than SpringWell’s city water filter. Our water pressure remained consistent after installing the unit.

In terms of contaminant removal, we like that the SpringWell Well Water Filter System removes high levels of both iron and manganese – most well water filtration systems are designed to target one or the other.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter

The Culligan AS has a flow rate of about 5.9 GPM, although it’s unclear whether this is the flow rate that the filter was tested with, or the actual flow rate. Most homes require a flow rate of at least 6.0 GPM, so 5.9 is pretty slow.

Still, the overall performance of the AS is good, and there are several features that make the system unique from its competitors. The Culligan Soft-Minder® Meter monitors your water every day and routinely checks the system, and the control valve does a good job at optimizing water pressure.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter

The Iron-OX5 uses the tried-and-trusted method of air injection oxidation to reduce iron in water. The unit’s performance is reliable (and backed by testing to NSF Standards) but we feel it doesn’t match up compared to SpringWell’s well water offering, especially as it doesn’t target manganese or sulfur.

The normal flow rate of the Iron-OX5 is 4 GPM, and the maximum flow rate is 6 GPM. Again, this seems a bit low compared to other whole house water filters.

💲 Models & Upfront Cost

SpringWell CF Systems

The CF systems are cheaper than some of the top competitors, with a starting price of just under $900.

SpringWell Well Water Filter System

The SpringWell Well Water Filter Systems start at around $2,200. This is slightly higher than average for an air injection system, but the value for money is still there.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter

The Culligan AS doesn’t have any sizing or product information available online. You’ll need to contact your local Culligan dealer to learn more about the system.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter

The Culligan Iron-OX5 seems to come in a single 10-inch tank size, but the pricing for this system isn’t available online.

📆 Filter Lifespan & Replacement Costs

SpringWell CF1 (For City Water)

The SpringWell CF media lasts for 10 years, or 1 million gallons, so this isn’t a system that needs frequent, extensive maintenance. The sediment filter has a 6-9 month lifespan.

SpringWell’s sediment filters aren’t cheap – a 10-inch filter starts at around $80. Still, that’s the only maintenance you’ll need to do until you replace the media, which costs around $335.

SpringWell Well Water Filter System

The SpringWell Well Water Filter System uses greensand filter media, which automatically backwashes when needed and lasts for 18 to 25 years – no maintenance needed.

You’ll just need to remember to replace the spin-down filter, which costs just over $100 – although it isn’t clear how long this filter lasts.

Read the full review 👉 SpringWell Whole House Well Water Filter System Review

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter

You’ll need to speak to a Culligan rep about how often the filter media needs to be replaced. Your Culligan rep will handle all the servicing needed for the system. This is useful if you prefer not to bother with system maintenance yourself, but you’ll still need to remember when it’s time to replace the filter media.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter

There’s no information on specifically how long Culligan’s birm media lasts, but the average lifespan of this type of media is 8-10 years. A Culligan rep will be able to give you more information about the filter lifespan.

💬 Customer Reviews & Complaints

SpringWell CF1 (For City Water)

Most customers were happy with the easy installation and the noticeable benefits of the SpringWell CF1.

One customer wrote that their home’s city water looked brown or beige in every faucet before installing the SpringWell CF1. They were pleased with the easy installation of the system and noticed an immediate change in the look, taste and smell of their water.

Some customers said that installation was “a hassle”, so prepare to pay for professional installation if you’re not the DIY type.

SpringWell Well Water Filter System

The SpringWell Well Water Filter System has nearly 200 reviews, and the majority are positive.

One customer wrote that the SpringWell Whole House Well Water Filter System appeared to be doing a great job three weeks after installation, noting that the staining in their sink, toilet and shower had greatly decreased. They also mentioned that laundry staining and sulfur-smelling water no longer occurred, and the filter had exceeded their expectations.

Some customers weren’t impressed with the frequency of backwashing, but this apparently depends on water usage.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Series™ and Select Plus Series™ Whole House Water Filter

There are no reviews on the Culligan site for any of its products, including the AS. We think this is a shame. The only place to find reviews is on sites like Yelp, but in this case, people are reviewing the service, not the product.

Culligan Aquasential™ Select Plus Series™ Iron-OX5® Water Filter

Again, the Culligan Iron-OX5® doesn’t have any dedicated customer reviews, so we can’t see how this filter lives up to customer expectations on the whole.

☑️ Pros and Cons

🚿 Water Softeners & Conditioners

SpringWell

SpringWell offers several water softeners and conditioners:

• The SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System
• The SpringWell FutureSoft® Salt-Free Water Softener

Culligan

Culligan also offers several water softeners and a water conditioner:

• The Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener
• The Culligan High Efficiency 1-Inch Water Softener
• The Aquasential™ Select Series™ Water Softeners
• The Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner

Again, it would be less confusing for customers if Culligan just offered a single water softener, considering we’re all looking for the same thing: a system that can treat and remove as much hardness as possible. We’ll be reviewing the Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener in this guide, as it’s Culligan’s top recommended softener.

⚖️ Comparison Chart

🚦 Performance Comparison

SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System

The SpringWell SS Salt Based Water Softener System is the top salt-based softener in our best water softeners review because our testing found that it offered the most reliable performance compared to the other top water softeners available today.

The SpringWell SS uses ion exchange to soften more than 99.9% of hard water. If you want to completely eliminate water hardness, the SS is as close as it gets. The system uses automatic regeneration, which means it only regenerates when it absolutely needs to.

Read the full review 👉 Springwell Salt Based Water Softener System Review

SpringWell FutureSoft Salt-Free Water Softener

The SpringWell FutureSoft uses the best salt-free conditioning technique, called template-assisted crystallization (TAC), to prevent up to 99.6% of scale build-up. No other whole home water conditioner that we’ve tested matches up to the FutureSoft in scale prevention and system efficiency.

TAC crystallizes hardness minerals so they’re unable to form scale. This process means you can still enjoy healthy minerals in your water without them contributing to hardness.

Culligan Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener

The Culligan Aquasential Smart High Efficiency Water Softener (which we’ll call the Culligan Smart Softener for now) uses the traditional ion exchange process to soften hard water in small-to-medium homes.

Like the SpringWell SS, the Culligan Smart Softener has several features that improve the efficiency of its performance. According to Culligan, the system can decrease operating costs by 46%, optimizing electricity, salt, and water usage. There’s also a salt monitor that makes it easy to keep track of salt usage, and you can take advantage of Culligan’s salt delivery programs so you’re always topped up.

Culligan Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner

The Culligan Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner uses Culligan’s own CullACT media, a TAC media that changes the physical structure of hardness minerals and makes them resistant to scale formation. The system has a decent 8-20 GPM flow rate, depending on the size purchased.

Like the SpringWell Futuresoft, the Culligan Salt-Free Conditioner retains hardness minerals in water, but prevents these minerals from leaving deposits in your pipes and plumbing. The obvious performance benefit of this conditioner is its reduced carbon footprint – it uses less electricity and water compared to a traditional water softener.

💲 Models & Upfront Cost

SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System

The SpringWell SS comes in three different sizes, ranging from around $1,400 to around $1,800.

SpringWell FutureSoft® Salt-Free Water Softener

The SpringWell FutureSoft also comes in three different sizes, ranging from around $1,500 to around $2,600.

Culligan Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener

The Culligan Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener doesn’t have cost information online, but there are a variety of sizes to choose from, from 9-inch tanks to 14-inch tanks.

Culligan Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner

The Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner comes in five different sizes, for use in condos right up to commercial properties. There’s no pricing available for the Culligan Salt-Free Conditioner.

📆 Resin Lifespan & Replacement Costs

SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System

The SpringWell SS unit and resin both last for 8 years, so once this time has passed, it seems that you’ll need to buy a whole new system. SpringWell doesn’t offer replacement resin on its website, but if your unit is still in good condition, you can consider buying resin elsewhere.

SpringWell FutureSoft® Salt-Free Water Softener

The SpringWell FutureSoft media lasts up to 1 million gallons, equalling about 6 years. SpringWell doesn’t currently have its TAC media available online, so we can’t check the price. It’s worth reaching out to SpringWell if you’re wondering how much it’ll cost to replace the media.

Read the full review 👉 SpringWell Futuresoft Salt-free Water Softener Review

Culligan Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener

The Culligan Smart Water Softener uses Culligan’s own resin, known as Cullex resin. This resin has a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years, so it beats the SpringWell SS in this category. If you want to buy new resin, you’ll need to reach out to a Culligan representative.

Culligan Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner

The life expectancy of the CullACT media is 3-5 years. There’s no information available about the cost of replacing the media – you’ll need to contact your local Culligan dealer to arrange for a service.

💬 Customer Reviews & Complaints

SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System

Customers love the SpringWell SS Water Softener. Most reviews were positive, and the only negative reviews related to installation (if your existing plumbing system is tricky to install at, you’ll probably need to hire a professional handyman).

One customer on the SpringWell website provided an update 30 days after installing their softener, saying that installation was straightforward, although they’d had to adapt the system to their home’s 3/4 inch piping. The customer enjoyed the convenience of using the Bluetooth head and app.

SpringWell FutureSoft® Salt-Free Water Softener

Customers were generally happy (and some surprised) with the SpringWell FutureSoft’s ability to reduce scale in their homes.

One customer with “extremely hard water” wrote that they were skeptical about salt-free softeners and how effective they’d be, but they had noticed that the SpringWell FutureSoft had reduced their scale buildup. The customer was impressed with their results so far and said that they’d recommend the softener to other customers.

As for complaints, some customers said that the install kit didn’t meet their local plumbing regulations, so watch out for that. Some customers also said that they didn’t notice a major difference after installing the system.

Culligan Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener

The Culligan Smart Softener doesn’t have any customer reviews online. It’s best to reach out to Culligan if you’re looking to hear about other peoples’ experiences with any Culligan product.

Culligan Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner

Again, there are no customer reviews for the Culligan Aquasential™ Salt-Free Conditioner available online.

☑️ Pros and Cons

⚗️ Reverse Osmosis Systems

SpringWell

SpringWell offers one reverse osmosis system:

• The SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System

Culligan

Culligan has three reverse osmosis systems:

• The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System
• The Culligan Aquasential Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System
• The Culligan Aquasential Tankless RO Drinking Water System

Again, Culligan can’t help offering three different systems with different names, that look virtually the same. We tested the most popular product, the Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System.

⚖️ Comparison Chart

🧫 Contaminants Removed

SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System

The SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System removes hundreds of contaminants, including lead, fluoride, arsenic, mercury, aluminum, iron, chloramine, chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and disinfectant byproducts.

We noticed an instant improvement in water taste and smell after using the SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System. It’s a shame that SpringWell doesn’t have a datasheet online that outlines exactly which contaminants, and how many, are removed by its system.

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System removes a similar range of impurities, including sediment, chlorine taste and odor, VOCs, mercury, lead, cysts, and 99.9% of all other contaminants.

🚦 Efficiency Ration & Performance

SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System

The SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System has a great flow rate of 75 gallons per day. Considering the average household uses about 5-10 gallons of water from their kitchen faucet, this is plenty more water than you’d need! We didn’t experience a slowdown in water flow when using this system, and the storage tank supplied us with water whenever we needed it.

The overall performance of the SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System is exceptional, proving why SpringWell is one of the best all-round water treatment manufacturers. The RO filtration system combines sediment filtration, carbon filtration, a semi-permeable membrane, and a final carbon filtration stage to thoroughly treat water. The system’s performance is consistently reliable, and our TDS levels dropped considerably after installing the system.

There’s no official information about the SpringWell’s water waste ratio, but the user manual says the RO membrane’s efficiency rating is 23.16%.

TDS levels above 500 mg/L, water hardness, low water pressure, and temperatures lower than 77°F can all impact the performance of the SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System, so make sure your water parameters are correct to get the most out of this system.

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System uses several filtration stages, including a sediment filter, carbon filter, and RO membrane. A mineral boost filter can also be used to add healthy minerals back into the water.

We were pleased with the overall performance of the Aquasential RO system. The system is tank-based, so it provides instant access to pre-filtered water, with a daily production rate of 75 GPG. The Aquasential’s performance matches the performance of the SpringWell.

Again, there’s no information on how much water the Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System wastes per gallon of filtered water produced.

💲 Models & Upfront Cost

SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System

The SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System is bang-on average price for an under-sink reverse osmosis filter. Considering the system’s reliable performance, the value for money is there.

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

The Culligan Aquasential RO filtration systems don’t have an official cost. The price varies depending on your local region.

Model	Cost
SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System	$396.13
Culligan Aquasential® Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System	Price unavailable
Culligan Aquasential® Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System	Price unavailable
Culligan Aquasential® Tankless RO Drinking Water Filtration System	Price unavailable

📆 Filter Capacity & Replacement Costs

SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System

The SpringWell RO membrane costs around $100, while the sediment filter costs around $20, and the carbon block filter costs around $30. These are good prices considering how long the filters last: the RO membrane has a 2-year lifespan; the sediment filter has a 6-month lifespan; and the carbon block filters also last for 6 months. This brings the total annual maintenance cost to $160-$260.

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

The Culligan filter replacements aren’t listed online – you can only contact your local Culligan dealer to find out pricing (we find this really annoying). The RO membrane has a lifespan of 2-3 years, while the sediment pre-filter lasts 1-2 years, the specialty defense filter lasts for 1-2 years, and the post-filter lasts for 1-2 years.

Model	Annual Filter & Media Replacement Cost
SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System	$160-$260
Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System	Price unavailable

💬 Customer Reviews & Complaints

SpringWell Reverse Osmosis Drinking System

Customers were satisfied with the SpringWell RO system, with one customer writing that the system “really filters” their water, bringing their TDS levels from 179 ppm to 16 ppm. They mentioned that installation instructions could be clearer, though.

Some customers complained that the system made a ‘gurgling’ sound several times a day, but all reviewers were pleased with the quality of their filtered water.

The Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

There are no customer reviews on the Culligan website for its RO filtration system.

☑️ Pros and Cons

❔ Springwell vs Culligan: Who Wins?

After reviewing SpringWell and Culligan across the board, the obvious winner in all categories is SpringWell.

We found that SpringWell’s products produced the best overall results. Researching and buying SpringWell’s products is much easier than buying Culligan’s products through a local dealer. It’s frustrating that so little information is available online for Culligan’s products, and rather than being able to learn about a water treatment yourself, you’re expected to learn everything through a company rep (i.e.. salesman)

We preferred the experience of installing and using SpringWell’s products, and the customer service was excellent. Culligan’s water filtration systems and softeners are still good, but they don’t compare to SpringWell’s, and Culligan’s customer service needs improvement.