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Fleck 5600SXT Water Softener Review
The Fleck 5600SXT water softener is a metered, salt-based system built on Pentair's Fleck 5600SXT valve, sold by Quality Water Treatment in 24,000 to 64,000 grains from $1,189 as of October 2026.
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
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Verdict
The appeal here is the valve: Pentair's Fleck 5600SXT, with an on-demand digital meter, a backlit display, and pre-programmed settings from the dealer. Quality Water Treatment packages it with 10% crosslink resin for city water. It ranks #2 in our best water softeners list, behind the SoftPro Elite on efficiency and warranty.
5600SXT verdict
Worth buying if
You are on hard city water, want a brand-name Fleck valve rather than a private-label control, and want a DIY install that takes an afternoon.
Look elsewhere if
Salt efficiency is your top priority, you have iron or sulfur on a well, or you want warranty coverage longer than 5 years on the valve.
Specifications
Facts below come from QWT's 5600SXT listing. QWT shows peak-flow figures only inside an image, not in text, so we leave flow rate out of the table.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sizes sold | 24K, 32K, 40K, 48K and 64K grains |
| Valve | Fleck 5600SXT (Pentair), on-demand digital meter with paddle-wheel meter |
| Display / backup | Backlit LCD; 48-hour capacitor keeps time in an outage |
| Resin | 10% cross-linked ("more chlorine resistant"); optional SST-60 upgrade |
| Bypass | 3/4" plastic |
| Water per regeneration | about 12 gallons (QWT figure) |
| Iron / manganese limits | Not published |
| Certification | Not published (QWT describes itself as an authorized Fleck and Pentair dealer) |
| Warranty | Valve 5 years; tanks 10 years (manufacturer) |
| Price | from $1,189 |
How it works
The 5600SXT is a downflow, metered valve. A paddle wheel counts gallons; when the programmed capacity is nearly used, the valve schedules regeneration, usually overnight. During regeneration it backwashes the resin, draws brine from the salt tank, rinses, and refills the brine tank. Our softener basics guide explains each step.
QWT ships the valve pre-programmed, so setup is mostly entering hardness and confirming time of day. QWT says install takes about 2 hours for a handy homeowner, with phone, email and text support plus video guides. The included list covers the valve, a mineral tank pre-loaded with resin (QWT's wording is "up to 48,000 grain capacity"), a brine tank with brine line, safety float and brine well, the bypass, and install items. Check how the 64,000-grain size ships before you plan the job.
On efficiency, QWT is candid. Its page claims salt savings of up to 40% against outdated systems, then concedes it uses more salt than high-efficiency upflow softeners do. Its own in-house review lists "Not the most efficient system out there" as a drawback. QWT also states each regeneration uses about 12 gallons of water. The optional SST-60 resin is pitched as saving up to 40% on salt and 60% on waste water, a QWT claim we cannot verify.
The 10% crosslink resin is the right choice on chlorinated municipal water, which wears standard resin faster. A carbon pre-filter still helps if chlorine or chloramine is high.
Sizing and models
This URL once covered only the 48,000 and 64,000-grain units. QWT now sells five sizes, so pick by daily load: people × about 75 gallons × hardness (gpg), then choose a size that cycles roughly every seven days on a lean salt dose.
| Size | Typical fit at about 10 gpg | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 24,000 grains | 1–2 people, moderate hardness | $1,189.00 |
| 32,000 grains | 1–2 people, or 3 on softer water | $1,265.73 |
| 40,000 grains | 3–4 people | $1,327.55 |
| 48,000 grains | 3–4 people on harder water, or 5 | $1,373.15 |
| 64,000 grains | 5–6 people, or very hard water | $1,523.96 |
Move up a size for very hard water or dissolved iron (add about 4 to 5 gpg per 1 ppm of ferrous iron). Large homes with many bathrooms should confirm flow capacity with QWT, since a published gpm figure is not available in text. Our sizing guide has a worksheet.
For well water with iron, the Fleck 2510SXT package with fine mesh resin is the better Fleck choice; it ranks #2 for well water.
Price and warranty
As of October 2026 QWT prices the 5600SXT from $1,189.00 (24,000 grains) to $1,523.96 (64,000 grains). Free shipping is tagged on the listing, and QWT says orders are processed within 1 day. A free quick-connect hose kit (3/4", not for PVC) is offered if you tick the upgrade box, while supplies last. Budget separately for a plumber if you won't do it yourself; our cost guide covers typical install pricing.
Manufacturer coverage runs 5 years for the Fleck 5600SXT control valve and a decade for the tanks. QWT adds its store-wide 6-month money-back guarantee, and it sells a separate $195 lifetime warranty extension, covered in our Quality Water Treatment review.
See the 5600SXT at QWT (a store we own)
Pros and cons
5600SXT pros and cons
Pro: brand-name Fleck valve
Pentair's 5600SXT meter valve, shipped pre-programmed by an authorized dealer.
Pro: five sizes
24,000 to 64,000 grains, so small and large homes both fit.
Pro: chlorine-resistant resin
10% crosslink suits treated city water.
Con: not the most efficient
By QWT's own account it burns more salt than HE upflow designs.
Con: shorter warranty
A 5-year valve term trails the lifetime valve terms some rivals offer.
Con: no published text flow rate
Peak flow appears only in an image on the listing.
How it compares
Compared with the SoftPro Elite (city), the 5600SXT costs a little less at most sizes and uses a familiar valve, while the Elite adds upflow brining, a larger salt-saving claim and a limited lifetime valve warranty.
Against other brands:
- GE GXSH45W: a 45,000-grain smart unit rated at 9.5 gpm (15 psi drop), 165 gpg max hardness, 3 ppm clear-water iron, Wi-Fi leak detection and remote-shutoff support, $799 as of October 2026. GE publishes grains-per-pound efficiency on every model page. Full breakdown in Fleck vs GE and our GE review.
- Rheem Preferred RHS32: 32,000 grains, 8 gpm service flow and 105 gpg max hardness, listed at Home Depot for $489, with a 10-year tank warranty.
- US Water Systems Matrixx: sizes up to a 70,000-grain maximum, Bluetooth monitoring, and a decade of valve-and-electronics coverage; it starts at $1,295.95.
Common questions
Is the Fleck 5600SXT good for city water?
Yes. QWT positions this package for city water and fills it with 10% crosslink resin, which resists chlorine better than standard resin. On chloraminated supplies, a carbon pre-filter further protects the resin.
Which 5600SXT size is right for a family?
Multiply people by about 75 gallons and by your hardness in gpg to get daily grains, then pick a size that lasts roughly a week. At 10 gpg, a family of four usually lands on the 40,000 or 48,000-grain unit.
Is the 48,000-grain 5600SXT still sold?
Yes. QWT lists it at $1,373.15 as of October 2026, alongside 24,000, 32,000, 40,000 and 64,000-grain sizes.
What warranty does the 5600SXT have?
Fleck covers the valve for 5 years and the tanks for 10. On top of that, the store gives six months to return it for a refund and sells an optional $195 lifetime warranty extension.
Does the 5600SXT remove iron?
QWT publishes no iron or manganese limits for this package. For well water with iron, look at an iron filter ahead of the softener or a well-specific package with fine mesh resin.
Related guides
Best picksBest whole-house water softeners
GuidesWhen softener resin needs replacing
GuidesStep-by-step softener installation
Our pick
Fleck 5600SXT
Check current sizes and prices at Quality Water Treatment.
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