Why I No Longer Recommend Autotrol Softeners (Do NOT Buy!)

Why I NO Longer Recommend Pentair Softeners Like Autotrol.

I have been a huge fan of Pentair softeners like Autotrol for many years but I am no longer recommending them and here are my reasons:

An Autotrol softener does NOT filter. This means that although you get soft water, it will be full of contaminants.

So although Autotrols are very affordable at $1100+ the final costs will be much more. For instance, $1100 does NOT include plumbing costs and installation.

It is rare to find Autotrol softeners with filters and when you do find them, the filters are rubbish. Aquasana whole house systems treat everything including bacteria, chlorine, mercury, viruses, lead, pharmaceuticals and so much more.

If you don’t want to use salt then the newest models of all-in-one softener + filter combinations from brands like Aquasana are now more powerful than ever. They not only effectively treat hard water without salt, their filters are so powerful they can treat lead and mercury.

You will eventually need to find a filter to make the water drinkable. These are extra costs and make the whole process more complex. This is why softener filter combinations are more cost effective overall, even though the upfront costs seem much higher.

Fitting and installing Autotrol softeners by yourself can potentially void your warranty. Meanwhile other brands like Aquasana give you a professional installation kit. This allows you to install it yourself and save you the extra costs and hassle of hiring a plumber.

Do You Even Need A Whole House Water Softener?

You may need an Autotrol softener if you suffer from hard water.

Is the water in your home “hard”?

If you don’t know, go look inside your kettle. If you find white or cream colored stains and flakes then you have hard water.

This also goes for all those difficult to remove white stains on your sink and around your tap faucets. If you’re still unsure use a water test kit.

The only way to treat and remove the hard minerals in your water is a water softener as this will help turn all of your hard water soft.

Benefits of A Whole House Water Softener

The installation of a water softener system in your home offers many benefits including:

The complete elimination of minerals that cause hard water.

Save money on soaps and detergents because soft water helps them lather easier.

Extend the life of appliances because they will no longer be affected by limescale.

Remove any contamination that a filter attached to the faucet can not handle.

Convenience of quality bottled water at no extra cost or bottle waste.

Cleaner and softer laundry because hard water is very very bad for clothes

If you’re thinking about getting a Autotrol water system, read this article to help you make decide if it is right for you.

Autotrol Water Softener

Autotrol is a vertical manufacturer of things like water softeners. They also produce a wide range of custom AC magnet synchronous geared motors and DC geared motors.

The company was founded in 1964. It is well known for its wide range of applications and its knowledge about geared motors.

They claim that their rapid change in assembly lines can easily meet low and high volume requirements. Also their vertical integration will support rapid changes in customer requirements.

You can not buy Autotrol Softener in places like Amazon so you may have to go directly to the company or use an authorized Autotrol dealer.

Autotrol Valves

Did you know that there are only a few companies that make almost all the parts for water softeners?

They include Fleck, Clack and Autotrol (owned by Pentair). Autotrol make a number of 48 000 grain capacity water softeners that use a meter.

They come with meter heads that allow you to control and set the the softener program that enable high efficiency regeneration that minimizes how much salt you use.

Autotrol Water Softener Price

Autotrol water softener prices fit in with the general cost of water softeners as prices typically start upwards of $1100. This is of course for a lower spec and capacity model. A higher-capacity softener or one that has more features will be more expensive.

You should also consider the potential cost of installation if you are not able to do this yourself. Especially as the cost of professional installation is not included in the overall price.

So, Is Autotrol Worth It?

The short answer is yes, if you can afford to get it, this is worth it.

My only complaint is that their water softeners are pretty generic and standard.

However, this may be a good thing when you consider things like finding Autotrol parts and manuals online.

Their water softeners are similar to the Pelican range which is a very good brand of water softener.

However, the good thing about Pelican is that it isn’t just a softener but it also includes a pre-filter and powerful multi-stage filter.

This means you can easily get a softener similar to Autotrol (with a filter) online and delivered in a few days – unlike some other branded softeners.

Online competitors like Pelican offer similar water softening capacity at a higher spec with integrated filtration and lifetime warranty.

This company has been in business for many years and have lots of positive online reviews.

Aquasana Salt Free Softener and Filter System (Conditioner & Filter)	SpringWell Whole House Filter & Salt Softener (Traditional Salt Water Softener & Filter)
- Powerful salt-FREE water softener. - 1,000,000 one million gallon capacity. - Aquasana Rhino exceeds NSF standards. - Treats hard water WITHOUT salt. - Removes chlorine, bacteria, iron, sulfide, manganese, mercury, lead etc. - Includes pre-filter, copper-zinc and carbon filtration stages with standard fittings. - Treats hard water up to 25 ppm WITHOUT needing salt. - 90-Day Pure Satisfaction Guarantee.	- Powerful salt-BASED water softener. - Also includes a multi-stage filter. - Easy installation (inside or outside) - 6 month satisfaction guarantee and limited lifetime warranty. - Sufficient for 1-3 bathrooms (options for more bathrooms available).
Does NOT require electricity or back-flushing.	Requires electricity if using the electronic head monitor.
N/A	Effectively treats: calcium and magnesium.
Control Your System With An App:? NO	Control Your System With An App:? YES
Treats hard water UP TO 25 ppm (low to medium low hard water).	Treats hard water OVER 25 ppm (medium to extremely hard water).
Sale prices automatically applied by clicking this link.
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$$$ Ships to US and CA.	$$$ Ships to US, CA and Puerto Rico.