Salt vs Salt‑Free: What Changes (and What Doesn’t)

Salt‑based ion‑exchange softeners physically remove hardness minerals (calcium, magnesium). Water tests soft, soap lathers better, and the “slick” feel appears. Requires salt and a drain; small electricity use.

Salt‑free conditioners use template‑assisted crystallization (TAC) to reduce scale. They do not remove hardness. Your test number in gpg/ppm is unchanged; feel and spotting remain, but scale on pipes and heaters is reduced. Buy for scale control, not soft‑water feel.

Source: TAC explained