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"Absolutely outstanding service. These folks really do know how to do an amazing job. I honestly am so delighted with everything they have done. The kit is superb, water tastes wonderful. They always send the filters quickly and have answered many questions I had when fitting the system and the replacement filters. I highly recommend them. Such lovely staff, always so helpful and easy to contact when you need advice. So very glad I went with them and so grateful to them for such a high quality service. 🤩 great work 🤩"
Kelly - June 2025
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Product Description
Salt Water Softeners
Salt softeners are the traditional method of removing scale from your house and softening the water.
Softened water is "slippery" and requires much less soap / detergent to wash things.
How Do They Work?
Salt softeners work by running your water over a "resin bed".
The salt is used to clean the resin via a regular process known as "flushing" aka backwashing.
This process uses up the salt - so you need to add salt into your softener regularly.
Benefits / Pros of Salt Softeners
- They definitely work. The water is "slippery" / soft to the touch - and no scale forms
- Good for whole of house treatment
- Reduces heating bills by ensuring your boiler and pipes work properly
- Your kitchen and other appliances will last longer
- Save money on soaps / detergents
Disadvantages of Salt Softeners
- High initial cost
- Can be very expensive. There's a lot of advantage taken of "consumer ignorance". Units worth £500 are sold for £1,000 plus
- Requires high maintenance (regular addition of salt - heavy bags ! )
- Ongoing cost of salt and some replacement filters
- Should not drink the softened water (need a spare tap for non softened water by UK law).
- Not very eco-friendly. Besides issues with ongoing use of salt and electricity, the salted water causes issues after it leaves your home.
How Long Do They Last ?
Ten to twenty years, depending on the quality of the brand.
Ours should last for 20 years plus.
Do They Remove Pre-Existing Scale?
(Meaning will they clear scale that has already built up in your plumbing / pipes). Yes, usually.
Are There Different Types - What Should I Be Looking Out For?
The basis of softening water with salt is the same regardless of the type or make of softener.
As with anything there are good brands. But as we've seen with other appliances such as washing machines, hoovers and dishwashers, because so many things are now made in China, a good brand name no longer guarantee high quality.
Be aware that anyone with a garden shed and access to a parts catalogue could make their own softener - and some people do. The problem with these is that they are unlikely to be high enough quality - if they fail the resulting water damage to your home could be significant.
Even a cheap washer or other small part can lead to failure.
A good rule is not to buy too cheap OR too expensive. (This applies to many things).
The following are the main variations to be aware of:
Size
The amount of water softened per hour depends on the size of the softener.
(Note: The "litre sizes" below refer to the resin's softening capacity - not to how much salt is used).
The most common domestic sizes are:
10 Litres
10L units will produce 0.5 cubic litres an hour. This is 500 litres per hour - suitable for a small to average sized house or flat.
15 Litres
15 L units give you around 0.7 cubic litres an hour, ie 700 litres per hour - suitable for a larger house or flat.Larger capacity softeners are available eg for commercial buildings like B&Bs or hotels, factories and so on. (If you need a bigger size please contact us)
Backwashing
This is the process of "regenerating" the resin by washing it with salted water. (The salt water left over from this process is what goes into your water supply - and makes the water unsuitable to drink).
(The resin is what actually softens the water - it changes the chemical composition of the calcium carbonate so it doesn't stick to your pipes).
Regenerating needs to be done regularly. There are 2 main ways of doing this.
1) Timed / Clock
You set a timer / clock control on your softener to regenerate at a certain time of day, typically in the dead of night when no one's using the water.
2) Metered
The amount of water used before regenerating is pre-determined. When that limit is reached the softener starts the backwashing / regenerating process automatically.
This type of softener is more expensive to buy. But over time less salt will be used so it's the better alternative in the long run.
Both the above require electricity. If you have an issue with connecting your softener to an electric supply, there are mechanical / clockwork type timers available - though these are more expensive. Please contact us.
How Much do Softeners Cost?
A good water softener should only cost between £500 to £700.
Unfortunately some suppliers take advantage of customers who can end up paying £1000 or more. We have heard of people paying £3000 - particularly to direct sales operations ie people who knock on your door.
Buyer beware !
Our Recommended Best Buys
We have carefully researched the market to bring you the best value salt water softeners and have found the following.
These softeners are high quality units made in the UK - though some parts are made overseas and assembled in the UK.
Best Buy Metered Softeners
10 litre Cabinet Softener Unit, incl. 10 x 17 Mineral Tank, 1” Metered Softener Valve, 10 litres Cation Softener resin, and bsp adaptor kit. Plus brine well and float assembly.
On sale now Only £727
Made in Britain
5 Year Manufacturers Warranty
ORDER ANYTIME Day or Night 24/7 for NEXT DAY DELIVERY
Salt softeners are the traditional method of removing scale from your house and softening the water.
Softened water is "slippery" and requires much less soap / detergent to wash things.
How Do They Work?
Salt softeners work by running your water over a "resin bed".
The salt is used to clean the resin via a regular process known as "flushing" aka backwashing.
This process uses up the salt - so you need to add salt into your softener regularly.
Benefits / Pros of Salt Softeners
- They definitely work. The water is "slippery" / soft to the touch - and no scale forms
- Good for whole of house treatment
- Reduces heating bills by ensuring your boiler and pipes work properly
- Your kitchen and other appliances will last longer
- Save money on soaps / detergents
Disadvantages of Salt Softeners
- High initial cost
- Can be very expensive. There's a lot of advantage taken of "consumer ignorance". Units worth £500 are sold for £1,000 plus
- Requires high maintenance (regular addition of salt - heavy bags ! )
- Ongoing cost of salt and some replacement filters
- Should not drink the softened water (need a spare tap for non softened water by UK law).
- Not very eco-friendly. Besides issues with ongoing use of salt and electricity, the salted water causes issues after it leaves your home.
How Long Do They Last ?
Ten to twenty years, depending on the quality of the brand.
Ours should last for 20 years plus.
Do They Remove Pre-Existing Scale?
(Meaning will they clear scale that has already built up in your plumbing / pipes). Yes, usually.
Are There Different Types - What Should I Be Looking Out For?
The basis of softening water with salt is the same regardless of the type or make of softener.
As with anything there are good brands. But as we've seen with other appliances such as washing machines, hoovers and dishwashers, because so many things are now made in China, a good brand name no longer guarantee high quality.
Be aware that anyone with a garden shed and access to a parts catalogue could make their own softener - and some people do. The problem with these is that they are unlikely to be high enough quality - if they fail the resulting water damage to your home could be significant.
Even a cheap washer or other small part can lead to failure.
A good rule is not to buy too cheap OR too expensive. (This applies to many things).
The following are the main variations to be aware of:
Size
The amount of water softened per hour depends on the size of the softener.
(Note: The "litre sizes" below refer to the resin's softening capacity - not to how much salt is used).
The most common domestic sizes are:
10 Litres
10L units will produce 0.5 cubic litres an hour. This is 500 litres per hour - suitable for a small to average sized house or flat.
15 Litres
15 L units give you around 0.7 cubic litres an hour, ie 700 litres per hour - suitable for a larger house or flat.Larger capacity softeners are available eg for commercial buildings like B&Bs or hotels, factories and so on. (If you need a bigger size please contact us)
Backwashing
This is the process of "regenerating" the resin by washing it with salted water. (The salt water left over from this process is what goes into your water supply - and makes the water unsuitable to drink).
(The resin is what actually softens the water - it changes the chemical composition of the calcium carbonate so it doesn't stick to your pipes).
Regenerating needs to be done regularly. There are 2 main ways of doing this.
1) Timed / Clock
You set a timer / clock control on your softener to regenerate at a certain time of day, typically in the dead of night when no one's using the water.
2) Metered
The amount of water used before regenerating is pre-determined. When that limit is reached the softener starts the backwashing / regenerating process automatically.
This type of softener is more expensive to buy. But over time less salt will be used so it's the better alternative in the long run.
Both the above require electricity. If you have an issue with connecting your softener to an electric supply, there are mechanical / clockwork type timers available - though these are more expensive. Please contact us.
How Much do Softeners Cost?
A good water softener should only cost between £500 to £700.
Unfortunately some suppliers take advantage of customers who can end up paying £1000 or more. We have heard of people paying £3000 - particularly to direct sales operations ie people who knock on your door.
Buyer beware !
Our Recommended Best Buys
We have carefully researched the market to bring you the best value salt water softeners and have found the following.
These softeners are high quality units made in the UK - though some parts are made overseas and assembled in the UK.
Best Buy Metered Softeners
10 litre Cabinet Softener Unit, incl. 10 x 17 Mineral Tank, 1” Metered Softener Valve, 10 litres Cation Softener resin, and bsp adaptor kit. Plus brine well and float assembly.
On sale now Only £727
Made in Britain
5 Year Manufacturers Warranty
ORDER ANYTIME Day or Night 24/7 for NEXT DAY DELIVERY
The amount of water softened per hour depends on the size of the softener. (Note: The "litre sizes" below refer to the resin's softening capacity - not to how much salt is used). The most common domestic sizes are:
10 Litres
10L units will produce 0.5 cubic litres an hour. This is 500 litres per hour - suitable for a small to average sized house or flat.
15 Litres
15 L units give you around 0.7 cubic litres an hour, ie 700 litres per hour - suitable for a larger house or flat. Larger capacity softeners are available eg for commercial buildings like B&Bs or hotels, factories and so on. (If you need a bigger size please contact us)
Backwashing
This is the process of "regenerating" the resin by washing it with salted water. (The salt water left over from this process is what goes into your water supply - and makes the water unsuitable to drink). (The resin is what actually softens the water - it changes the chemical composition of the calcium carbonate so it doesn't stick to your pipes). Regenerating needs to be done regularly. There are 2 main ways of doing this
ORDER ANYTIME Day or Night 24/7 for NEXT DAY DELIVERY
... and our Money Back Guarantee should help reassure you that we are an honest firm who will give you a first class, long term service.
How to get help
Call our help line on 020 8761 6611 at any time during UK office hours ie 9 am to 6 pm
Or email us for a rapid response.
Our policy is always to get back to you within an hour - or one working day at most.
Returns
In addition to your 3 Year Warranty, if for any reason you change your mind about your purchase within 90 days of receiving the goods, you can return your product for a full and complete refund *
PLUS we will pay for your return postage(UK only)
*This applies to individuals/ consumers using the products in domestic settings. Businesses please see our terms and conditions
Delivery Times
Order before 3 pm on any working day and we guarantee your order will be sent out the same day (not on weekends)
(To be honest we often manage to send them even after 3pm. But we can't promise that).
All prices on the website include delivery charges and VAT except where stated otherwise.
Delivery Charges
Your Standard "Free Delivery Included" is Second Class
This usually takes between 3 to 5 working days ie does not count weekends or Bank Holidays
Pay Extra for First Class
You also have the option at checkout to pay extra for First Class.
This should result in next day working delivery to mainland UK.
BUT please note while 95% do arrive next day this is not guaranteed.
However arrival within two working days is almost certain.
You can see your delivery costs at the checkout stage before you buy.
We are a family run business who value our customers. We've been trading for over twenty five years. So we won't be "here today gone tomorrow". Your Money Back Guarantees and Warranties will be safe.
Fully Accredited
Members of Safebuy the leading Consumer Assurance Scheme for online retailers approved under the Trading Standards Institute's Consumer Codes Approval Scheme.
Repeat Customers
Many of our clients have been buying filters from us for several years. Over 95% keep coming back to renew their filter because we offer a friendly, helpful service and great value prices. Checkout our TrustPilot reviews.
We’re Trustworthy
We have a huge number of great independent testimonials. For example on the Approved Consumer Code Directory for the Trading Standards Institute and on Google Certified Shops.
Such an improvement over unfiltered water. Losing microplastics, scale, chlorine and all the other nasties that can work their way in is just a bit of piece of mind for me in relation to my kids.
– Nick Love
I've had the filter installed for 1 month now and the water tastes loads better and no more smell of chemicals, just clean fresh filtered water I'd say it's the best water I've ever had.
– Neil Bradfield
“My filter fits easy and I am happy. We weigh the old filter when it is removed, filled with gunge which never got into our bodies with this filter. It’s quite frightening. My filter is worth every penny!
– Kathleen Gibson
Such an improvement over unfiltered water. Losing microplastics, scale, chlorine and all the other nasties that can work their way in is just a bit of piece of mind for me in relation to my kids.
– Nick Love
I've had the filter installed for 1 month now and the water tastes loads better and no more smell of chemicals, just clean fresh filtered water I'd say it's the best water I've ever had.
– Neil Bradfield
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