Other brands
Aquasana Water Softener Review
Aquasana water softener means the SimplySoft, a salt-based unit IAPMO-certified to NSF/ANSI 44, in 40,000 and 60,000 grains from $1,698 as of October 2026; the salt-free option is a separate conditioner.
Disclosure: watersofteners.reviews is owned by the team behind SoftPro Water Systems and Quality Water Treatment, and we rank their products first. We compare published specifications, certifications, warranties and prices (as of October 2026). We did not lab-test these units. How we rank
On this page
Key takeaways
- The SimplySoft 40,000 Grain is $1,698 and the 60,000 Grain $2,298 as of October 2026; both are salt-based, not salt-free.
- Aquasana states the SimplySoft is IAPMO certified to NSF/ANSI 44 for hardness reduction and to CSA B483.1.
- Its performance data sheet rates the 40K at 4,423 grains per pound of salt, above the 3,350 floor in the EPA WaterSense guide.
- The same sheet lists 200 gpg maximum hardness but only 1 ppm maximum ferrous iron.
- The warranty document explains the 5- and 10-year label: 5 years on the control valve, 10 on the pressure vessel and brine tank.
- The Salt-Free Water Conditioner ($1,758) is meant for water under 15 gpg with iron below 0.3 ppm.
Is the Aquasana water softener any good?
Yes, on paper it is one of the better-documented softeners sold direct: a named NSF/ANSI 44 certification, a published salt-efficiency rating and a full data sheet. The trade-offs are a higher price per grain than our top picks, a 1 ppm iron limit and a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
Many searches for "Aquasana SimplySoft salt-free" mix up two products. The SimplySoft uses salt and removes hardness. The Salt-Free Water Conditioner uses Scale Control Media and leaves hardness in the water.
Who Aquasana fits
Makes sense for
City homes with very hard water that want a certified softener, and buyers who want chlorine filtration and salt-free scale control from one vendor through the Rhino combo.
Less suited to
Well owners with more than 1 ppm of iron, homes over 15 gpg considering the salt-free unit, and buyers chasing the lowest price per grain.
What are the Aquasana water softener specs?
The SimplySoft is a demand-regenerating, single-tank softener with an LCD that shows time, regeneration mode and gallons remaining. The figures below come from Aquasana's product pages and data sheet, read in October 2026.
| Product | Type | Capacity | Flow | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimplySoft 40,000 Grain (WH-SF40) | Salt-based softener, 1 cu ft 8% resin | 40,000 grains | 11.02 gpm service, 15.5 peak | $1,698.00 |
| SimplySoft 60,000 Grain (WH-SF60) | Salt-based softener, 1.5 cu ft 8% resin | 60,000 grains | 11.1 gpm service, 16.6 peak | $2,298.00 |
| Salt-Free Water Conditioner (WH-SFWC-S) | Salt-free, Scale Control Media | 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years | 7.0 gpm rated, 15.3 peak | $1,758.00 |
| Rhino (WH-1000) | Whole-house carbon filter | 1,000,000 gallons or 10 years | 7.0 gpm rated, 14.6 peak | $1,998.00 |
Both SimplySoft sizes hold 230 lb of salt, connect with 1-inch male NPT, and run at 20 to 125 psi, 40 to 100°F and a minimum pH of 6.5. The tanks are 10 by 35 inches (40K) and 12 by 35 inches (60K), with a 15 psi pressure drop at service flow. A sediment pre-filter and a brine safety valve are included; the valve brand is not published.
The data sheet gives the efficiency settings: the 40K delivers 13,269 grains on 3 lb of salt (4,423 grains per pound) and the 60K 20,443 grains on 4.5 lb (4,543 per pound). The certification line on that sheet reads IAPMO R&T, NSF/ANSI 44 for water hardness, NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 and CSA B483.1.
What does Aquasana do well?
Its strengths are certification, efficiency data and clear limits on both products.
A named certification. The SimplySoft's NSF/ANSI 44 certification comes with a named certifier, IAPMO R&T. The EPA guide tells buyers to look for exactly this standard, and it covers hardness reduction for the system rather than a single part.
Published salt efficiency. At 4,423 and 4,543 grains per pound, both sizes clear the voluntary efficiency rating that PNNL's Building America Solution Center describes under NSF/ANSI 44. Aquasana also claims the SimplySoft "Uses 50% less salt and 28% less water than conventional softeners," footnoted as metered operation versus time-based softeners.
High hardness ceiling. The 200 gpg rating covers far harder water than most homes see, and the included pre-filter keeps sediment off the resin.
Plain salt-free limits. The conditioner page says it is "best suited for water with hardness below 15 grains per gallon, alkalinity under 250 mg/L, pH below 8.3, and iron content less than 0.3 ppm," and that it does not reduce hardness, iron or sulfur. That matches how Nebraska Extension describes salt-free scale control: minerals are changed, not removed.
One vendor for city water. Aquasana states the Rhino filter is tested to NSF/ANSI 42 to remove up to 97% of chlorine, with tanks WQA certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61. Adding the conditioner puts filtration and scale control under one 10-year limited warranty.
Where does Aquasana fall short?
Price and well-water limits are the main gaps.
- Price per grain. The 40K at $1,698 costs more than a 40,000-grain SoftPro Elite ($1,387) or Fleck 5600SXT ($1,327.55), and options such as the LM pre-filter (+$300) and Easy Connect Kit (+$100) add to it.
- Low iron limit. The data sheet caps ferrous iron at 1 ppm, and the warranty excludes failures from iron or sediment build-up or chlorine degradation. NDSU Extension notes some softeners handle up to 10 ppm, so well owners should plan an iron filter.
- Shorter valve term. The control valve is covered for 5 years, against a limited lifetime on the SoftPro Elite valve, and the warranty makes the owner responsible for labor and shipping on claims.
- Narrow conditioner window. The salt-free unit is meant for water under 15 gpg, and its rated flow of 7.0 gpm can be tight for larger homes.
- Short guarantee. The satisfaction guarantee is 90 days.
Aquasana numbers worth knowing
- 4,423Grains per pound of salt, SimplySoft 40K at its 3 lb rated settingAquasana performance data sheet
- 200 gpgMaximum compensated hardness for both SimplySoft sizesAquasana performance data sheet
- 1 ppmMaximum ferrous iron reduction listed for the SimplySoftAquasana performance data sheet
- 15 gpgHardness below which the Salt-Free Water Conditioner works bestAquasana
- 3,350Grains per pound of salt, the efficiency floor for softenersU.S. EPA WaterSense
How much does an Aquasana water softener cost?
As of October 2026, Aquasana lists the SimplySoft 40,000 Grain at $1,698.00 and the 60,000 Grain at $2,298.00 in base configuration. The Salt-Free Water Conditioner is $1,758.00. The Rhino whole-house filter is $1,998.00, and adding the conditioner costs $1,548.00 more, $3,546.00 together. Other Rhino options include UV (+$1,598), a bypass kit (+$248) and the LM pre-filter (+$348).
The SimplySoft warranty runs from the purchase date: 5 years on the control valve (wear items such as media, piston, seals and brine valve excluded), 10 years on the pressure vessel and brine tank, and 12 months on the installation kit and filter housings. It covers single-family homes in the US and needs proof of purchase. The conditioner carries 10 years or 1,000,000 gallons, with no registration required. Each product adds a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.
How it compares with our picks
A 40,000-grain SimplySoft is $1,698. The same capacity in our first-ranked SoftPro Elite Smart HE was $1,387 for wells or $1,447 for city water in October 2026, and its largest residential size, 64,000 grains, is $1,477 (well). SoftPro states up to 30% less salt from precision brining and covers the control valve and essential components for life under a limited warranty, with a 6-month money-back guarantee. Aquasana leads on certification: the Elite page shows NSF, WQA and ANSI marks with no standard given, while Aquasana names NSF/ANSI 44 and the certifier. Read our SoftPro Elite review and the full best water softener rankings.
For salt-free, the SoftPro FORTRESS Pro costs $529 and lists a 75 gpg hardness limit and up to 10 gpm service flow, though with a 1-year limited warranty. The SoftPro Elite Salt-Free is $1,299, rated to 17 gpg with a stated 12 gpm flow, and includes a sediment and chlorine pre-filter. See the FORTRESS review, our salt-free roundup, and the plain-English water softener vs conditioner guide.
For city homes weighing the Rhino combo, the SoftPro Elite city build with the Gold Chlorine+ filter starts at $2,447 for 32,000 grains and softens the water rather than conditioning it. Our city water roundup compares both approaches.
Related guides
How we put this page together
This review is based on Aquasana's own product pages for the SimplySoft, Salt-Free Water Conditioner and Rhino, plus the SimplySoft performance data sheet and the SimplySoft and conditioner warranty documents, checked in October 2026. Efficiency, iron and salt-free context comes from EPA WaterSense, PNNL, Nebraska Extension and NDSU. No unit was bench-tested for this page; owner comments, star averages, forum threads and sale banners were excluded.
Common questions
Is Aquasana SimplySoft salt-free?
No. SimplySoft is Aquasana's salt-based ion-exchange softener in 40,000 and 60,000-grain sizes. The salt-free product is the separately sold Salt-Free Water Conditioner.
What standard is the Aquasana softener certified to?
Aquasana states IAPMO R&T certifies the SimplySoft to NSF/ANSI 44 for water hardness, to NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 and to CSA B483.1. The salt-free conditioner page names no certification standard.
How much iron can the Aquasana SimplySoft handle?
The performance data sheet lists 1 ppm of ferrous iron as the maximum. Above that, put an iron filter ahead of the softener.
What does the Aquasana 5- and 10-year warranty cover?
The warranty document gives 5 years on the control valve and 10 years on the pressure vessel and brine tank, plus 12 months on the install kit and filter housings.
How hard can water be for the Aquasana salt-free conditioner?
Aquasana says it is best suited to water below 15 gpg, alkalinity under 250 mg/L, pH below 8.3 and iron under 0.3 ppm. Harder water calls for a salt-based softener.
How much salt does the SimplySoft use per regeneration?
At its rated efficiency setting the 40K uses 3 lb of salt for 13,269 grains and the 60K 4.5 lb for 20,443 grains, per the data sheet. Higher settings give more capacity per cycle.
Does Rhino soften water?
No. Rhino is a carbon filter aimed at chlorine. Adding the Salt-Free Water Conditioner adds scale control, but the water still tests hard.
Comparing options? Start with our best water softeners and reviews.