Best Marine Water Softener Reviews

It’s going to get hot as you boat, you’ll dehydrate and crave for a refill. But if you didn’t bring bottled water with you, chances are you will need another source. The sad part is, there’s hard water all over the place, and unless you soften and purify it, you aren’t drinking water in its purest form.

Don’t get me wrong.

There’s nothing wrong with drinking hard water during your boating adventure. In fact, drinking hard water won’t kill you. But the calcium, magnesium bicarbonate, sulfates, and chlorides create a nasty smell. Also, think about your teeth staining from months of drinking hard water and you get what I mean.

So we need the best marine water softener. They help to get rid of these toxic chemicals, deliver water in its soft and purest form, and every sip you take is a lot pure than the hard water.

The following are the best marine water softeners to get if you engage in frequent boating adventure. 

4 Best Marine Water Softener Reviews

1. Watts M7002 Pro Water Softener

Although marketed as a unit for RVers, the Watts M7002 Pro water softener also fits those who are looking for a model that can soften water in the marine environment.

It’s not as feature packed as many high-end models, but it’s functional enough and comes at a price that’s simply a bargain.

Loaded with 0.33 cubic feet of pre-treated resin beads with a capacity of 10,000 grains, Watts M7002 Pro is the type of water softener you can connect to your water supply without the need for salt.

The 10,000 grains are sufficient for boaters who need constant supply of water for drinking while enjoying the outdoors. Watts M7002 Pro stands out from other water softeners in that, instead of strictly requiring you to use a certain type of salt, you’re free to use any type of table salt you wish.

Given that the system requires only two pounds of salt for every regeneration, you’re going to spend less money to run it.

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Pros

• Watts  M7002 Pro is compact and portable
• You’ll like it because it uses the usual table salt for regeneration
• An economical system that requires less maintenance
• The built-in valve promotes easy and efficient regeneration
• Simple set up and generally very easy to use 

Cons

• There’s no quick workaround to attach the stationary inlet hose connector to the feed hose
• We wish the  Y valve were made of metal as the plastic can easily break if not handled with care 

2. Mobile-Soft-Water Portable Water Softener

Mobile-Sift-Water portable water softener is one of the most affordable option on the market. So if you’re on a tight budget and you want to enjoy the taste of pure water when out boating, you should consider getting this one.

Going for under $250, and given that it is NSF61 approved for water connection and for being lead-free, you can’t afford to think twice about this one.

This brand gives you the option to use salt or potassium chloride, although the latter tends to be somewhat expensive for some people. Like Aqua Pro RV water softener, this one also regenerates after about six weeks and often delivers clean, soft, and tasty water to drink.

To regenerate this water softener, soak salt for at least 20 minutes and run the filter backwards.

The brand clearly states that you must not get a bleach into the filter of the unit because it can easily kill the resin, which in turn makes it difficult to collect iron. Mobile-Soft-Water uses softeners as particulate filters, but they can only remove particles that are at least 50 microns large.

The flow rate isn’t that bad, because you can treat about five grains per minute without losing pressure. However, keep in mind that this softener will create a pressure at five grains per minute, so expect a lower pressure for the treated water if you’re using a low-pressure pump.

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Pros

• Regenerates after 45 days
• Gives you clean, soft, and tasty water to drink

Cons

• The unit may be heavy for some users
• Tends to heat up easily if exposed to direct sunlight

3. Aqua Pro Portable RV Water Softener

Aqua Pro Portable Water Softener isn’t just for dedicated RVers. It’s also suitable for the occasional boaters who like to enjoy occasional water sport adventure and want to drink pure water while at it.

It makes water so soft and pure that you can even use it to make a meal in the boat if you wish to. 

From a design standpoint, it’s clear that Aqua Pro invests in the best approach to make the softener not only sturdy but also useful. To be precise, the inner shell is made of premium grade polyethylene and a fiberglass reinforcement. Inside the inner shell is food-grade resin certified by NSF.

The 3/4” garden hose with a hire flow rate includes a riser rube as well as a bottom and top distributor. Several initial tests and continuous application confirms that this water softener doesn’t disappoint. With smelly iron removed and chlorine completely ripped off to the tune of 99.6%, the water tastes better than advertised.

With Aqua Pro, you can purify up to 2,000 gallons of water within 6 weeks, which is a lot of purified water for a softener that looks this small.

Even if you came boating with a couple of friends, the water softened by this unit should be more than enough to last you four to five weeks thereof.

Pros

• Easy to install and doesn’t require a connector for installation
• Gives you cleaner and tastier water
• Made of high quality, NSF certified materials for strength, durability, and high performance
• Can soften up to 2,000 gallons of water and regenerate in about 6 weeks

Cons

• The main opening of this water softener is stripped plastic

4. On The Go OTG4-DBLSOFT Portable Water Softener

OTG4-DBLSOFT by On The Go is one of the best portable marine water softeners that effectively reduces milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter in water in parts per million (ppm).

Even if water hardness in your area is as high as 250 ppm or between 60 and 120 ppm, OTG4-DBLSOFT should be able to soften it easily.

The advantages of investing in OTG4-DBLSOFT water softener are clearly visible. You drink water to a great taste, you can wash your hands and maintain your soft skin, and doing dishes in your outdoor adventure is easy.

OTG4-DBLSOFT includes a garden hose for connecting to the water source. And it features a wide opening for pouring salt. And it needs at least two boxes of salt to regenerate water.

With this water softener, you can remove hardness from up to 1,600 gallons of water. Not to mention that it works well on its own without the need for electricity.

OTG4-DBLSOFT isn’t a lightweight water softener, and I doubt if there’s one that isn’t heavy out there. The premium materials, which prevent potential leakages, well explain the weight.

But as heavy as it is, the handle at the top makes it easy to lift and on load and off load to and from the boat. 

Pros

• Removes hardness and bad smell from water
• Works without electricity
• Can purify up to 1,600 gallons of water within 40 days
• Takes less than hour to soften hard water

Cons

• Some people may find it somewhat heavy

Boating gets better when you drink healthy, tasty and soft water. So even if the water in you region is hard to 200+ parts per minute, our recommendation of the best marine water softeners should help you get water in the best flavor.