A DIY water softener installation guide (how to install a water softener) can be found here.
The Clearwave salt-free electronic water conditioner is a popular product in the water softener market, but it’s important to realize that when you purchase this product you are not getting a water softener – its a water softener alternative (hence why its called a ‘salt-free water conditioner’)
This is a magnetic based system, which tackles hard water in a different way than traditional water softening systems. You can find out more about magnetic water softening systems, and exactly how they work on this page.
If your main aim in buying a water softener (or an alternative) is to reduce (Not eliminate) the lime-scale build up in your pipes, this machine is a great option. Its super easy to install and even easier to maintain.
Some great reviews, and some not-so-great reviews, but we believe this is due to differing levels of hard water between users. Lets take a look at the Clearwave magnetic salt-free electronic water conditioner and see if its the right choice for you…
Our Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
PROS
- Small & compact size
- Inexpensive
- Can be installed within minutes
- Save's you money in the long run
- You will still get the health benefits of drinking hard water
CONS
- Magnetic system - only 'delays' the effects of hard water (does not eliminate hard water 100%)
- Will not work where your water hardness is above 10 GPG
- Must be installed inside.
Product Specifications
- Magnetic water softener system – Magnetic systems (also known as anti-scale treatment) work in a different way to traditional water softener systems; they do not use brine tanks, salt pellets, or filters of any kind. Instead, wires wrapped around your water supply pipes ‘neutralize’ hard water minerals to stop them from sticking to your pipes.
- Compact size – As usual with magnetic softener systems, they are very small and easy to manage/install. Measures a measly 4 x 14 x 12 inches and weighs 2.6 pounds
- Low power usage – This system will hardly touch your power supply; it uses just 5 watts (as its an 18v system)
- Warranty – Comes with an 18 month warranty from the date of installation
What We Liked About Clearwave Water Softener
Extremely small, lightweight and compact – When compared to traditional water softening systems, The Clearwave conditioner is tiny. This means it will be easy to install, remove, and manage. In fact, once it arrives at your home, you could have it operational within minutes!
Inexpensive – this product will make your wallet smile, as its relatively low cost to purchase (when compared with other systems) and costs virtually nothing to run.
Green option – Since there is no need for Brine tanks, discharging, salt pellets, or anything else you would normally be dealing with with other systems, the Clearwave water softener is a environmentally friendly option. Your doing your part for the earth.
Health benefits – Using a magnetic system means you still get the health benefits of drinking hard water. This system neutralizes hard water minerals in order to prevent them to sticking to surfaces they touch- however its still hard water. Hard water is full of minerals such as magnesium and calcium, so its great to drink. If you were to use a salt-based water softener system, you would have to install a by-pass valve to see these benefits.
What We Didn’t Like About Clearwave Water Softener
Does not eliminate hard water – magnetic based systems don’t eliminate hard water, they only delay its effects, so depending on how hard your water is (and how bad your hard water effects are), this system may not give you ideal results. If you hard water affects are only minimal around your home, this should we ok.
Needs to be installed inside – Its a good idea to check whether you have the ability to install this softener inside as opposed to outside, as it will need weather protection if installed outside to avoid the computer system being rain damaged.
Warranty could be longer – The 18 month warranty is not so bad, but not so great in our opinion (when other companies are offering up to 10 years!). Compare this to the lifetime warranty offered by this similar magnetic systems, so its hard to understand why they don’t offer a longer warranty.
Best Suited For
- Houses where hard water problems are NOT extensive – If you have constant hard water issues, we recommend that you opt for a water softener instead.
- Environmentally conscious
consumers – If you give a darn about mother earth, this choice will help you do your part.
Not So Great For...
- Very large households – We’ll be honest, if your house has more than 3 bathrooms, this won’t work.
- Households that suffer from true hard water issues – you need a real water softener, so visit this page and check out our top choices.
The Verdict
The Clearwave salt-free electronic water conditioner is a great choice if you’re looking for a very low cost system, and you aren’t bothered by very high levels of hard water in your home. In addition to this, if you’re looking for an environmentally friendly option, this is a great choice.
We don’t recommend this product if your house has very high levels of hard water, as it wont solve your problems. If you think you fall into this category, check out some of out other water softener reviews here, for different choices of the top rated water softener systems.
All in all this water softener is very popular due to its price, size and easy of use. A great choice for small households with minor hard water issues.
Our Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Looking for more water softener information or tips? The Water Softener Critic – a water softener information hub.
interested in more water softener reviews? we’ve got you covered on our water softener review page.
If its a water filter that you’re after, this is a great place to start.
How about some helpful articles about hard and soft water? These articles are what you’re looking for!