A water softener is not, by any means, an inexpensive investment. Generally speaking, an average water softener cost is between one thousand and sixteen hundred dollars, including installation. Some of the more popular, automatic softeners can be even more than this, costing as much as two thousand dollars with installation.

For those with excessively hard water, this is a cost that is well justified. Hard water is water with exaggerated amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, or iron. Excess calcium or magnesium in the water will leave a scummy residue on dishes and shower stalls, and will eventually clog fixtures and damage appliances. Iron can also damage appliances such as coffee makers and dishwashers, and can leave orange or brown rust stains on water fixtures and other plumbing, and in extreme circumstances, can discolor items like cups, plates, and even hair.

However, there is more to water softener cost than the upfront cost of purchasing and installation. The use of water softeners necessitates regular regeneration, or replacing or the softener crystals that are in the water softener unit itself. Additionally, the use of water softeners is associated with higher water pumping cost, and a slightly higher water bills for those on metered water.

Water softener cost depends on both the size and sophistication of the system, and what degree of after purchase customer care is required. For a moderate fee, many companies will offer regular regeneration services wherein a technician does the work of exchanging the depleted softener crystals for new ones. The larger, more technologically advanced softeners will usually cost more than smaller, standard level units.

Basic water softeners will be the cheapest. This would usually be a unit intended only for occasional use that requires manual operation to perform processes such as brining, rinsing, and backwashing. Higher level water softeners, the more expensive variety, perform these operations completely automatically, and can even come with water hardness sensors, water meters, and time clocks to run on a pre-set schedule. If an automatic water softener is purchased with a regeneration service plan, the water softener cost will be increased, but there will be virtually no inconvenience at all.