We have always wanted to have a soft water softener in our apartment, but since we rent we figured that this would not be feasible. One day I happened to read an article about a new system, that was small enough to be used in an apartment, and took less than an hour to install. This also meant that when we finally move to our own condo it will be simple enough to uninstall it and take it with us. The nuvoH2O Studio Salt Free Water Softener is only 14 inches long and uses a small cartridge that softens up to 25,000 gallons of water. This will last a normal family of two people about six months, meaning it only has to be changed twice a year. The cartridges are also relatively inexpensive and for the eco conscious they are recyclable.

Does it use Salt?

• Probably one of the most important features of the nuvoH20 soft water system is that it does not use salt. That had always been a concern for me, that using the old fashioned salt water softeners would affect our drinking water. This system has no chemicals at all and uses only 100% natural ingredients to soften the water. Even our house plants can use this water. In today’s environmentally friendly world this is a perfect water softener solution. Salt water softeners are now starting to be banned by some cities due to the problems they cause to the environment.

What about the price?

• The nuvoH2O water softener cost us less than $500, which was far more economical than other comparable systems that are available on the market today, and we believe that within a couple of years it will actually pay for itself. Although preserving our pipes is not a concern for us, this system will actually help to remove mineral build up from pipes and then keep them mineral free. A great benefit of not using hard water in appliances such as a dishwasher means that our dishes now come out sparkling clean and have no longer have hard water spots on them.

• It also helps to keep appliances that use water, from having mineral buildup, causing the appliances to last longer. The soft water also helps to produce a far more sudsy lather and showers are shorter because of this. Add to that that I can now wash in cold water and still have the clothes come out clean, means that I can save a lot of money by not paying to heat water for the washer all the time. In fact, I’ve never seen our clothes come out so clean, with no dingy grey buildup like we had from using hard water. I also believe that this will help our clothes to last longer, thereby saving us money by not having to replace things due to wear and tear from hard water. Our skin is now much softer from using soft water and my hair looks much cleaner and shinier now that it’s no longer being affected by the hard water.

This system has been FDA approved and can be used with both hot and cold water pipes. The company offers a 120 day money back guarantee and the product itself comes with a lifetime warranty. Replacement cartridges are inexpensive and easy to order. They have a superior customer service department that is always there to answer any questions you may have. Overall, I think this is a terrific product and would recommend it to anyone considering getting one for their home.