Are you looking into purchasing a Kinetico water softener? Then you made it to the right place. We have curated a buying guide so you won’t have to.
Kinetico
Kinetico Water Systems Incorporated sells water treatment systems exclusively for residential homes and businesses. In the 1970s, engineers Bill Prior and Jim Kewley founded the brand in Newbury, Ohio.
In 2006, the company was acquired by Axel Johnson Inc. Despite the acquisition, the company still observes the same principles and manufacturing models it was known for all these years.
As the brand’s name suggests, their water softeners utilize a kinetic process to perform soft water regeneration. In simpler terms, the system depends on the neutral motion of water. The brand is widely known to have first produced the twin-tank demand-operated water softener without any electricity requirement. To say that it has been revolutionary is an understatement.
How does it work?
Water softeners from the brand are based on salt and are entirely powered by neutral moving water to aid in removing calcium and magnesium from local tap water. In addition, the local dealers are factory-certified, conveniently offering water tests, consultation appointments, and even your installation needs.
The company sells three softeners: the Essential Series, Signature Series, and Premium Series. For 24/7 soft water availability, opt for the Signature or Premium series. However, note that you should contact a local retailer to learn about the prices since they don’t post any price list on their official website.
On top of that, Kinetico also has water filtration systems such as a reverse osmosis system to remove all the nasty smells and tastes from your water.
How much?
Since the products are proprietary, Kinetico water softeners are pricier. They are tied to local dealers for warranty, service, parts, and repairs. A basic softener costs about $500, while a premium model can get you up to $500. Kinetico K5 was priced at $2100. If you opt for advanced systems like reverse osmosis, you will have to spend more.
Kinetico water softeners
Kinetico Series
Kinetico Series water softeners house all the classic features of the brand’s water softeners. This includes twin tanks, water flow usage rather than electricity, and on-demand regeneration.
Kinetico Premier Series
This series utilizes a fine mesh of resin instead of the usual resin beads to adjust to a higher flow rate for even better efficiency. The Premier series’ target market is homes with higher water needs than usual and those with large pipes. However, experts reveal no significant difference between this series and the Kinetico one regarding efficiency.
Signature Series
The most affordable series is the Signature series, while still housing twin tanks and on-demand regeneration.
Kinetico Essential Series
The Kinetico Essential Series is relatively new. It’s almost the same as the Signature Series except for the fact that this utilizes rapid regeneration, making it more eco-friendly. The rapid regeneration feature means that you’ll always have soft water available since downtime for regeneration is significantly decreased.
Powerline Series
This is the only series that requires the use of electricity. Models in this series house a single tank only. In exchange, this is less expensive. The Powerline series also boasts an integrated iron filter to effectively remove iron deposits from your tap water.
Why you should get a Kinetico
No need for electricity (at least for most models!)
As discussed, Kinetico water softeners utilize the movement of tepid water, so electricity isn’t required. Non-electric softeners are also less prone to needing repairs here and there, and let’s not forget that you don’t need to worry about your monthly electric bills anymore!
Twin tank cylinder design
This design means that your system never stops working, giving you an uninterrupted supply of soft water.
Soft water rinse
It will require less maintenance since these water softeners clean themselves with soft water.
Metered regeneration
Kinetico water softeners house meters that detect the best time for regeneration, so you won’t have to keep guessing. This will overall lead to more savings and less waste. Who doesn’t like that?
Countercurrent regeneration
This means that regeneration takes place from the bottom up. This is a more efficient means to utilize resin beads resulting in less usage of salt, less waste, and a system with longer longevity.
What do people love?
Twin tank feature
The twin tank feature provides soft water 24/7, which is highly praised.
Third-party certification
The Ontario Region of Waterloo in Canada tests the Kinetico water softeners to ensure and uphold top-quality performance. Many brands don’t get external certification making Kinetico on top of the game.
Customer reviews
If you check online platforms, you’ll see that about 70% of the customers are satisfied with the product. If there are any complaints, it mainly points to the price point. But for its quality, people seem pretty happy about it.
Generous warranty
Kinetico offers warranties that can go as long as 10 years on parts, depending on the model. This provides a generous amount of peace of mind too!
What do people dislike?
The price list is not readily available.
Not having a price list upfront is just pure inconvenience, especially at this time when prices of most products are easily seen on the internet.
Price point
We agree that Kinetico holds one of the highest price ranges regarding water softeners. Some retailers even price it higher than others. The prices can also increase as you need some repairs done since the parts are not necessarily cheap.
Other issues
Here are some of the other issues being raised by customers:
- The iron filter is not working well enough to remove unwanted tastes and smells
- Produced water has a salty taste
- The overly technical language utilized by Kinetico representatives
- Issues with the filter membrane and ice quality produced by reverse osmosis models
Recommended alternatives
Aquasana Salt-Free Softener and Filter System
- Treats hard water up to 25 ppm
- 1,000,000 gallon capacity
- Exceeds NSF standards
- No use of salt
- Eradicates bacteria, iron, chlorine, sulfide, mercury, lead, manganese, and others
- It comes with pre-filter, copper-zinc, and carbon filtration stages with no standard fittings
- 90-day PURE SATISFACTION Guarantee
Pelican Whole House Filter & Salt Softener
- Treats hard water even over 25 ppm
- Salt-based
- It comes with a multi-stage filter
- Easy to install
- No electricity or drainage requirement
- No waste water
- Good enough for 1-3 bathrooms
- 90-day satisfaction and 5-year performance guarantee
- Limited lifetime warranty
FAQs
What is the life span of Kinetico water softeners?
Typically, they can last up to 20 years or more.
Do they require maintenance?
Kinetico water softeners are low maintenance due to the non-electric design. All you have to do is add new salt periodically.
What type of salt does the Kinetico water softener use?
These water softeners utilize evaporated salt as pellets, cubes, or blocks. It is the purest type of sodium chloride and is highly recommended compared to other types of salt to keep your system functioning at its best.
Jay
Jay is a health and wellness enthusiast with expertise in water quality and nutrition. As a knowledgeable advocate for holistic well-being, Jay successfully manages Type 2 Diabetes through informed lifestyle choices. Committed to sharing reliable and authoritative insights, Jay combines firsthand experience with a passion for enhancing health."