It’s important to think about the big picture.  Rather than wasting money (and storage space) on bottled water or an under counter sink filter, the easiest way to have great-tasting drinking water for your entire home is with a whole house water filtration system.  If your main concern is hard water, salt-free water conditioning can dramatically reduce mineral residue and won’t make your water feel slippery or taste like salt.  Unlike conventional water softeners, a salt-free conditioning system doesn’t add salt or potassium to your water, so your water stays potable and delicious.  

Over 95% of cities in the United States use chlorine and ammonia to disinfect tap water. When these two chemicals mix, they create a new chemical you may have heard of: chloramines.  The United States started using chloramines to disinfect city water in the 1930s.  Chloramines last longer than chlorine in water - guaranteeing better disinfection as water travels miles from the treatment plant to homes across the city.  On the downside, this means that you are more likely to taste and smell these chemicals in your water.  Because chlorine and chloramines are bleaching chemicals, they can also dry out your hair, irritate the skin and over time even fade bright colors in the wash.  It's no wonder why so many people feel like their tap water is a constant ordeal.  

Rather than spending money on bottled drinking water, shower head filters and fancy detergent, filter tap water before it enters your home.   When you remove the chlorine and chloramines, you’ll notice an instant improvement in the taste and smell of your water.  A whole house water filtration system fills your home with filtered water that tastes great, is gentle on your body and won’t damage your clothes.

Water softeners "soften" your water by replacing the natural minerals in your water with salt or potassium ions. This process is called "ion exchange."  Water with an excess of calcium and magnesium minerals can leave white residue on your fixtures, which can damage water appliances or pipes.  The downsides of a water softener are that they add a bunch of salt to your water and deplete the water of all its beneficial minerals.  In a 2006 report, the World Health Organization credited water as an important source of your daily mineral intake.  Completely removing minerals from water can also tilt the water pH level into the acidic end of the scale. The more acidic your water, the harder it is for your body to absorb.  

On a personal note, water softeners also need a lot of maintenance.  Every month, water softener brine tanks need to be replenished with fresh salt. Salt makes your tap water less potable and taste like salt.  To have good water for drinking and cooking, you'll need to install an under the counter reverse osmosis system to remove the salt from the water softener.  Not to mention the monthly cost of salt bags and the hassle of maintaining cumbersome brine tanks. 

If you’re still gung-ho about installing a water softener, just be aware that even after removing minerals from your water, your skin and hair may still end up feeling itchy and dry because of the remaining chlorine, chloramines and dirt in your water.