Water Softener
 

Not really a "how to" question, but it seemed appropriate here.

I need a new water softener. Should I buy the old pain-in-the-ass, fill-with-salt kind for $200-$300, or should I get one of those fancy-pants salt-free ones for over $600?

http://www.no-salt.com/

I live in a place that has HARD water. It's so hard it practically crunches when you bite down on it. What are your thoughts, my soft-water enlightened friends?

We have a water softener....the salt is cheap, and the only downside is that soap is hard to get off your hands. and it's fairly cheap, only 3 dollars for a 20 lbs bag of salt.

I have become very cynical when it comes to the lies and half-truths of the advertizing world. I would beware of such catch-phrases as <i> AMPLIFIED CATALYTIC POWER®</i> and <i>"never uses salt or electricity and never needs backwashing and <b>practically</b> lasts a lifetime</i>.

Advertizers who use fancy sounding catch-phrases instead of explanations of <b>how</b> the product actually works are usually selling snake oil, IMO.

After all - I could be selling paper hand fans, and advertizing them as "Salinated hydro-oxygenic molecular phase-shifting, thermo-reduction devices" - it won't change the fact that it cools you off by evaporating your sweat.

I'd stick with the reliable, CHEM 101-proven salt water softeners.

As far as prices go, I don't think you'll find an adequate softener for $200. Plan on spending $400 or more, depending on the peak water usage at your home. You might find one for $200, but I would doubt its productivity, and you might be out there twice a week adding salt.