Water softener - Kinetico, Harveys or Twintec

[Mr_T25]

I have heard and read about comments from all three. Confusing as hell with each claiming why the others are rubbish compared to theirs.

Can I have some views here please on which are favoured amongst the pro installers? I am looking at the Kinetico 2050 larger model for my size of property and possibly the 2020c for a family member's.

Thx.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Harvey's for me - it is what I have at home.

Took out a perfectly working Tap Works unit, and without prompting (well she didn't know I'd carried out the swap) SWMBO noticed an improvement in the water quality.

 

[Mr_T25]

What do you mean by improvement in the water quality? Taste or something else? What about flow rates?

What is the criteria I should be using to decide on what is best? Some of the sales spiel I am hearing from all three brands include:

- Flow rates
- Regeneration times / wastage of salt
- Twin tank or single
- Electric v mechanical

What would you recommend for a large home with with fewer people, size it to the house or to the number of current people?

 

[Dan Robinson]

I fitted mine as part of the company policy of ours not to install anything not tested to destruction, installed in my house for a while and proven, or dissembled and rebuilt by my own fair hands.


What peaked my interest on the Harvey's was the regeneration volume and the twin cylinder features.

Sizing wise... size to people personally. But with twin cylinder, worst case scenario is you're topping up more often.

 

[Dan Robinson]

By water quality, I mean the "feel" of the water and the residue (or lack of) left on the shower screens.

To get no residue we have to have the tap works set very high and you had a horrible slimy feeling to the water. The Harvey's is factory set, and has been bob on, no residue and no slimy feeling.

SWMBO comes from a country with naturally soft water and so does not tolerate hard water. Her hair goes like a horse's tail and she starts to get itchy skin. I make damn sure I have a good supply of salt at all times.

 

[Mr_T25]

I was quoted about £1550 for supply only of the Kinetic 2050 model and £1050 for the Kinetic 2020C. These prices seem to be tightly controlled no matter where I call around. A plumber told me that Kinetico os over priced and you're paying for the name when the two machines (Harvey's and Kinetico) are almost identical machines. Would you agree with that statement?

The Kinetico guy suggested it is better to go for the larger 2050 model because it will mean less wastage of salt because it will regenerate less often. Is this BS or true?

What is the equivalent model(s) I should be looking at in the Harvey's range?

Thx.

 

[Dan Robinson]

e it will mean less wastage of salt because it will regenerate less often.

Sounds like total boooloks to me. Salt used is salt needed to regenerate the resin. The only time that logic would make sense is if you had a unit that regenerated based solely on time rather than volume drawn.

As for prices, these things cost what they cost. I prefer the Harvey's unit as I know they are technically similar but I have been to the factory and seen the people and the production line.

We have fitted the regular Harvey's unit in houses with 3 or 4 bathrooms and 54 people with no reported complaints.

 

[Mr_T25]

Did you mean to say 54 people??

What models should I be looking at for upto 6 bathrooms +kitchen, of which only a couple would be used. And do you have a soft tap as well as a mains tap in the garden for washing windows or the car with soft water?

 

[Jasdev]

What about the drinking water filter guys? Kinetico aquaguard is 1 microns vs Harvey's 5 microns.

Which is recommended?

 

[Dan Robinson]

I think that falls into the "life's too short" category.

 

[dilalio]

I think that falls into the "life's too short" category.

It's amazing how much research people put into a product, prior to purchase, and then completely forget it all, once they have it!

I'm exactly the same

 

[fezster]

I've had a Tapworks AD11 for a decade. Never had it serviced. It just works - main reason for it was to keep limescale off of shower screens and taps. It's fitted with the high flow kit which they say delivers over 50 litres / min. My incoming supply is close to or exceeds this, so I can confirm it delivers on this. I've never looked into the more expensive brands, but I'm not convinced I'd get something twice as good spending twice as much.

The tapworks does not have the ability to recharge whilst being used, though - mine recharges at night anyway and I've not had an issue with this. I dont see why it's necessary to have a unit which delivers softened water whilst recharging? Is it that much of a big deal if you have a small amount of time where the water is not softened? Maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I've had a Tapworks AD11 for a decade. Never had it serviced. It just works - main reason for it was to keep limescale off of shower screens and taps. It's fitted with the high flow kit which they say delivers over 50 litres / min. My incoming supply is close to or exceeds this, so I can confirm it delivers on this. I've never looked into the more expensive brands, but I'm not convinced I'd get something twice as good spending twice as much.

The tapworks does not have the ability to recharge whilst being used, though - mine recharges at night anyway and I've not had an issue with this. I dont see why it's necessary to have a unit which delivers softened water whilst recharging? Is it that much of a big deal if you have a small amount of time where the water is not softened? Maybe I'm missing something.

Did the Pepsi challenge with SWMBO between the AD11 and the Dualflo... Harvey's won.