Best Northstar Water Softeners for 2020
North Star produces innovative and advanced water softener designs to meet the demands of modern living. This progressive company was founded in 1925 and is owned today by Ecowater and Marmon Group of Companies. These two business entities are branch companies of Berkshire Hathaway. North Star created and sold the very first water softener systems.
Water softener designs from North Star are well-suited for home and business use. They can be installed wherever water treatment is needed. Since their parts are compatible with the majority of modern plumbing systems in use today, these products are quite easy to install. These streamlined models fit well in homes and company facilities of all sizes.
North Star water softeners stand out when compared to competing brands and products. This is due to the advanced technology used by their operating systems. Advanced technological features used in these products include the following items:
- Double-lined and Reinforced Mineral Tanks
- High Capacity Resin
- Resin Bed Agitators
- 24-Volt Electrical Systems
- High Impact Salt Storage Tanks
- Brine Valve Assembly
Additional Specialized Features of North Star Water Softeners
Other innovative features of the different water softener designs from North Star include the following:
1. Counter-Current Regeneration. This specialized feature was created by North Star experts. It channels the water at the bottom of the resin tanks. This improves the quality of the regeneration process taking place in the water softening device.
2. No-Worry Setting. The sophisticated technology of North Star water softener models only regenerates soft water when it is needed. This enables you to take a short weekend excursion or go away on an extended vacation trip without setting your device on vacation mode.
3. Super Cap Time Keeper. North Star water softeners have the capacity to sustain accurate timing for as long as 72 hours (3 days). These advanced designs never resume their default settings following a partial power shortage or local blackout. When power is restored, you can input the current time, and the unit's system will resume operations according to its pre-arranged settings.
4. Environseal Circuitry Protection. This unique feature safeguards the circuitry and wiring of the water softener system from salt corrosion. Even when these systems are operating in extremely humid climates, they will not be easily damaged or caused to malfunction. This feature will also prolong the lifetime of your water softener.
The water softening process utilized by these specialized products is saltwater-based. It removes hard water ions and replaces them with soft water ions. This improves the water quality and reduces the harshness that hard water often has on hair and skin, leaving them dry and dull.
In the reviews of five top-rated products that follow, we provide details concerning the outstanding features, specifications and benefits of each one. These five North Star models were chosen for review due to their high levels of efficiency and effectiveness. They also win praise for their easy installation, lack of maintenance required, warranty terms and reasonable pricing.
Reviews of the Top Five North Star Water Softener Models
The following reviews of leading North Star water softeners include each product's grain rating, installation ease, degree of durability and efficiency rate.
After careful consideration, our recommendation for the best overall North Star water softener design currently available is the NSC40UD1 Ultra Demand Water Softener. Our second choice is the NSC30UD1 Ultra Cabinet Water Softener. Our decision is based on product analysis and the personal product use experiences of some of our research experts. Reasons for our choices are the following:
Our Top Pick for 2020
1. NSC40UD1 Ultra Demand
The Northstar NSC40UD1 has all of the top advanced features and functions available in the current North Star models. Its sophisticated LCD display is also an ideal feature for monitoring the details of the system. This enables you to maintain excellent operations for your device. This unit is also praised for its high levels of efficiency and its top-caliber, reliable performance.
2nd Pick
NSC30UD1 Ultra Cabinet Water Softener. This model also offers the top-rated features and functionality that is expected from leading North Star water softener designs. This product retains as much as 72 hours of data, which is impressive and helpful to users. This prevents you from losing all of your control settings if a power failure should occur.
Best Northstar Water Softeners
1. North Star NSC40UDI:
The top-rated North Star NSC40UDI Ultra Demand Water Softener offers a 39,000-grain capacity and a streamlined design. This is an ideal choice for households with low-level water consumption. The advanced technology and superior operation of the ultra demand valve system provide optimal efficiency. This unit has a flow rate of 10 gallons per minute (GPM).
This water softener model offers easy setup. Simply enter data for the time and the hardness level of your home's water supply.
This sophisticated cabinet model from North Star will take over from there. To lower the amounts of water and salt required for regeneration, simply change the automated regeneration cycle to an on-demand option.
The most outstanding feature of this water softener unit is its efficiency mode. It enables you to select the degree of efficiency at which you want the unit to operate. This model also offers easy adjustment of the hard water processing capacities to satisfy the preferences and needs of your entire household.
The company provides a warranty for this product covering the period of one year from the date of purchase. It ensures protection against the unit's failure to function. The dimensions of this model are 152 x 20 x 20 inches. This high-functioning water softener offers simple, easy installation. It is especially well-suited to homes or business facilities with limited installation space.
This model has the capacity to remove iron deposits equaling as much as 5 PPM at the same time it removes 5,100 grains per each pound of salt, which is a feature of all of the cabinet water softeners. This product is also equipped with an LCD screen that keeps you updated on all of the details of ensuring smooth, effective operation.
2. NST70UD1 Ultra Demand
As a highly efficient water softener, this North Star NST70UD1 Ultra Demand model has a filtering capacity equaling 70,000 grains. This product is flow-rated and supplies as much as 100 gallons per minute. It is designed to accommodate high levels of water consumption. For this reason, if you have a large family or many frequent visitors, this model is well equipped to meet your needs.
The backlit LCD included with this water softener design displays all the essential data. This information includes time, the number of grains filtered per gallon and the rate of flow.
Your household's average and daily water use levels are also shown. To program this unit, just input the time of day and the degree of hardness of your home water supply.
A regeneration cycle is initiated by the unit's control head at a time that is preset. This ensures that your home has a regular and constant soft water supply. This water softener model also includes "Look Ahead" technology. This feature can monitor your household water usage and initiate a regeneration operation whenever needed. As this system recognizes your home's water use habits and patterns, it reserves salt and water for use in this regeneration process.
This model is sold with a Super Cap Time Keeper, which saves all settings for up to 72 hours. This prevents the loss of your settings if your locale experiences a power outage. Even if your area has a lengthy power loss, you can simply enter the current time to get the system up and running again. It will continue to function in compliance with the prior settings.
3. NSC15ED Electronic Demand
The NSC15ED Electronic Demand Water Softener from North Star is a Cabinet Model. It is the ideal water softener solution for small homes, apartments or condos. This product offers a capacity equaling 15,800 grains and a flow rate of 15 gallons per minute (GPM). It is designed to prevent corrosion and the accumulation of mineral deposits. It measures 8.8 x 11.5 x 32 inches.
Multiple advanced features of this unit make it the perfect reliable and intuitive water softener for use in your busy home. This model detects a lack of water usage. This enables you to go away without the need to remember to turn off the water softener.
Regeneration cycles for this unit start when water is being used in your household. This avoids water and salt wastage.
If your home power system malfunctions, this will not affect the water softener. All settings made for this unit will be saved for as long as 72 hours. After this period of time has elapsed, the unit will turn off automatically, having saved your settings. The next time that you turn this model on, it will begin functioning as usual after you input the time.
This water softener unit introduces the specialized North Star methodology for regeneration. This involves brine water being drawn into the resin tank. This activity enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of the water softener as it improves regeneration. High-capacity resin is used by all North Star models. This fine quality resin endures for years to support longer lapses in regeneration.
This unit can extract iron content in water for up to 4 PPM as it effectively removes 4,160 grains from each pound of softener salt. If you are shopping for a small size water softener that offers high levels of efficiency for long-term use, this is your ideal selection. It is designed to last for at least 20 years of steady use.
4. NST45UD1 Ultra Demand
The North Star NST45UD1 Ultra Demand Water Softener is ideal for use in medium size to large homes. This two-tank unit design is composed of fiberglass resin. It provides high levels of effectiveness, efficiency and durability for regular use over the long-term. Weighing 118 pounds, this model's size equals 14 x 14 x 51 inches.
If there are five or six people in your household, this water softener design is well-suited for use in your home. This product has an optimal grain capacity of 45,400 grains and a flow rating equaling 11 GPM. It also offers unique controller technology for tracking water use.
When the beads of resin attain their top tiers of effectiveness, the system initiates regeneration automatically. If you prefer, you can set the system controls to regenerate on demand. You will find this unit simple and easy to install. You can accomplish a self-installation of this water softener model with the use of the instruction manual included.
If you like, you can have your plumber install it. Either way, you should have your unit operating smoothly with little effort. After your product is installed, simply enter the date and the approximate degree of hardness of your water supply. The system will handle everything else for you.
Because this water softener uses "Look Ahead" technology, you can look forward to ultimate quality functionality from this model with little wasting of water and salt. This two-tank model can extract 12 PPM of iron from your water supply while removing 5,120 grains per each pound of salt.
5. NST30UD Ultra Demand
The NST30UD Ultra Demand Two-Tank Water Softener from North Star is an innovative, advanced-design. It detects and responds to the user's water use habits and patterns. This highly efficient and effectual design has the grain size of 30,200. The "Look Ahead" technology of this water softener conserves both salt and water by evaluating the water quantity that your household consumes.
To conserve the water and salt, the control valve of this unit regulates the regeneration activity as needed. You can also control the efficiency level of this product, adjusting it to align with the demands of your family members.
Just move the efficiency control to the degree of efficiency preferred or needed.
This water softener model is equipped with a convenient diagnose function. This enables you to monitor the operational processes previously performed by this unit's system. You can also determine operating statistics and the total usage levels. This handy diagnose function helps you troubleshoot any functional problems that occur.
As a cabinet water softener, this unit can extract iron deposits in water for up to 8 PPM. In addition, it can remove as much as 5,120 grains per every pound of salt. This design has a standardized valve connection measuring one inch to facilitate installation. This product has a flow rating equal to 7.4 GPM. It weighs 160 pounds and has measurements of 18 x 11.5 x 48.8 inches.
Although the installation process is not difficult, this unit requires strength to handle. Since this water softener model is quite heavy, you will need assistance to install it. This unit also requires a fairly large space for installation as a high-efficiency, two-tank model.
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning North Star Water Softeners
Questions that customers frequently ask about these innovative North Star water softeners include the following:
How Much Do High Quality Water Softeners Cost?
North Star water softener products are all quite reasonably priced. The cost of different models ranges from $400 to $1,500. Whatever model and price of these designs that you choose, you can be sure that you are buying a durable product of excellent quality. North Star is among the most respected brands of water softener systems currently on the consumer market.
How Do North Star Water Softeners Compare with Competing Brands?
Although the North Star brand of water softeners may not have quite the level of popularity that some other brands have, this company is well established and reputable. This brand is rated in the industry as a noted and worthy competitor. This is mainly due to the fact that this company's water softener designs are frequently listed among the top 10 brands on the market. North Star is definitely moving upward, closer to top rankings in this product category and industry.
Are Customer Comments About North Star Water Softeners Favorable?
Many customers report very favorable experiences with their use of North Star water softeners. Many users are delighted with the fact that using these water softeners on a regular basis helps prevent drain clogging issues at home. Others are impressed with how quickly they receive great results from using these products. They praise the high levels of efficiency and effectiveness that these water softener models offer on a consistent, ongoing basis.
Some consumers are pleasantly surprised to discover that their North Star water softeners require no maintenance. Others applaud the easy operation and innovative features of these products. The "Look Ahead" technology receives high praise, and many users are very pleased with the easy-to-use control panel and settings of these models.
Tips From the Experts for Purchasing Your Ideal North Star Model
The water softener needs of every household are different based on the type of water and the level of water consumption required to meet daily needs. Some savvy tips and helpful guidance from the experts concerning how to select the best model to meet your home's needs are the following:
• Hardness of Your Water Supply. The degree of hardness of your home water supply is calculated according to grain rating. This rating reveals the number of mineral grains contained in a gallon of your water. A water softener design that has high grain capacity usually costs more than others. Yet it can be well worth the price since it lowers your expenditures for water and salt. This is due to the fact that its high grain capacity reduces the frequent flushing of the filtering material with salt water that models with lower grain capacities require.
• Water Softener Flow Rate. The flow rate is equal to the number of gallons of water that a water softener supplies each minute. The softener requires some time to treat the water. For this reason, the outward flow from the supply line slows while entering the softener. You should purchase a model that has a flow rate of two gallons of water per minute or more for each household member. This will prevent your water softener from lowering your home's water pressure significantly.
• Additional Factors to Consider. Remember that your area of the country may have water qualities that call for special water softener features and functions. Your city or locale may add chlorine and chloramines to your water supply to eliminate bacteria and germs. Yet these chemicals can dry your hair and skin tissues. If you use well water for your home, your water supply may contain excessive amounts of sulfur, iron or manganese.
There even may be some traces of herbicides or pesticides in your water supply. To transform water containing such substances into healthy water for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing dishes and clothes, you need a water softener that is designed to filter out these substances. You can also purchase a separate filter for this purpose.
Conclusion
As we discussed above, there are a number of different aspects to be considered when selecting a North Star water softener for use in your home. After comparing the innovative features and functions of different models, you must consider the number of people in your household and your collective water consumption needs. If the water supply in your city, town or rural area contains chlorine or high levels of minerals, you want to choose the ideal water softener to filter out these substances.
Of course, the final purchasing decision for a new North Star Water Softener is up to you. It is entirely your own choice. We hope that our input, tips and suggestions are helpful to you in making your final purchasing choice. Select your favorite model, install it in your home and enjoy its many unique and innovative benefits.
Final Notes on Electronic Water Descalers
Electronic water descalers are great for keeping your pipes, appliances and even your tubs and sinks safe from nasty buildup. But, they do not actually make hard water soften like a water softener will. This is because the electronic descaler only prevents build ups and it does not remove the minerals from the water.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for something to protect plumbing and fixtures in the long term, the electronic water descaler is the option for you