Friday, March 22, 2013

Eddy Electronic Water Descaler Review

I have been on the search for quite some time to find a solution to our hard water.  I have been searching and wondering do saltless water softeners really work.  I had come to know they would not truly soften my water but wondered if there was possibly a product that would get me the same effects without actually "removing" the minerals.  My brother in law lives close by & we both have issues with terrible hard water.  Problems from dishwasher getting clogged with junk, dishes looking foggy & dirty, and the latest was horrible dry skin & hair.  I was sent the Eddy Electronic Water Descaler to Review & couldn't wait to try it - but little did I know my husband had purchased me a water softener!  With my brother in law living in the same city I figured this was the perfect opportunity to test this product against my water softener to see the difference.

Water Softener Alternative


ABOUT THE PRODUCT
The Eddy Electronic Descaler is a low cost eco-friendly alternative to a Water Softener.  It has a LIFETIME Warranty against breakdown & a 12 month satisfaction guarantee.  The product used electromagnetic waves to reduce the effects of the calcium, magnesium and manganese ions in hard water but does not alter the chemical hardness of the water.  the beneficial effects of the calcium and other particulates is retained while the damaging and problematic effects are greatly reduced. 
It is FCC Certified as interference free.  Features easy DIY installation (no plumbing) and is maintenance free!
This is not an actual softener - it doesn't remove the calcium & magnesium in hard water - instead, it prevents and removes hard water scaling in pipes.  The Eddy changes the properties of the water to prevent it from forming scale in the pipes and on your appliances.  



THE DIRTY TRUTH
After a few months of having the Eddy installed in my brother in laws home & my new water softener in mine I compared.  My water is soft water now, and while his is not (he is just descaling it with the Electronic Eddy Descaler) you can notice a difference.  The film on his dishes has been greatly reduced as has the "soap scum" build up in the bathroom and around faucets & the hard water ring in the toilet has started to diminish.  However, although there is a difference in the amount of build up you can still tell a big difference between the complete lack of film on my dishes, no soap scum or hard water marks, and my toilet rings are completely gone.  We installed the systems about the same time (3 months ago) and my results have been measurably better.  It is also worth noting they have not noticed any difference in their hair, skin, etc.  While that is one of the main reasons I wanted a water softener.
On the bright side the Eddy was much easier to install than our water softener & one of the great things about the Eddy is it does not add sodium to the water.  My husband has high blood pressure already so this has been one downfall for us & we need to get a reverse osmosis system for the kitchen faucet ASAP which will add on another $100 - $200 to our total cost.
Overall, The Eddy helps - will it completely remove all of your problems with hard water?  Probably not if you have extremely hard water like we do (over 20 gpg).  If your water is not as hard you may have better results.  My brother in law is happy with the Eddy & is happy to see any results.  Although the results in my opinion are not nearly as good as my water softener it is worth noting as well my Water Softener cost around $700 where as Eddy costs less than 1/3 of that price.

Summary
Pros:
  • Easy Install (No extra plumbing, much quicker & easier than installing a water softener)
  • Lower Cost than Water Softener
  • Helps Reduce Film on Dishes & Soap Scum
  • No Maintenance (money savings with no need to buy salt every month)
  • Does not add Sodium to water (no need for Reverse Osmosis Kitchen Filter)
  • 12 month satisfaction guarantee (if you are unhappy with it anytime within the first 12 months you can return the product for a refund).
  • Easier to clean up the build up that is left behind.  Not sure why, but where as the toilet rings, etc use to be near impossible to remove they do come off a bit easier than before installing Eddy.
Cons: 
  • Results not as good as a water softener, still have some soap scum, film on dishes, etc.
  • Did not notice any results for hair/skin improvement (however, my husband says he kind of feels like he cannot completely rinse the soap off with our softener so maybe this is not necessarily a bad thing that the hair/skin differences with Eddy were not noticed).
Do We Recommend It?
If your water is hard but not extremely hard I think this could possibly give you the results you are looking for. Our water is very hard & I think that may be part of the reason the results were not quite as great as I had hoped.  Also, it could be the scale buildup is so thick in the pipes that it will take longer for the full effects of Eddy to kick in.  I am still happy we have our water softener but if you don't have $700 - $1000 in your budget for a hard water solution you may want to give Eddy a try.  One thing I love about this company is the fact that they have a Risk Free 12 Month Money Back Guarantee.  If you are not happy with the Eddy you can ship it back to them for a refund.  They state they will require proof of purchase to process your refund so make sure to file your receipt once you purchase it.

So Yes, with the 12 month money back Guarantee I would Recommend Eddy - it did offer some relief from our horrible water out here & at a much lower price.  To have a noticeable difference makes me assume there is less hard water effects on the appliances as well which means they will hopefully last longer than they would without the Eddy so it should pay for itself over time.  Plus, where as I paid over 3 times the cost of Eddy for my system I am not finished with the costs - I still have to purchase salt every month & will also need to get a reverse osmosis filter for health reasons.  So I can definitely see where Eddy has it's benefits.  Compared against the water softener I would take the softener.  Compared against my old hard water I would take the Eddy.  If you have money to blow I suggest getting an actual water softener but if you want some relief at a small fraction of the cost then Eddy is probably the choice for you!

You can Purchase the Eddy Electronic Descaler on Amazon.com for $189.99 (and is has free 2 day shipping for Prime Members).

31 comments:

Unknown November 3, 2013 at 9:26 PM  

How is the Descaler working after ~1/2 a year of use compared to the softener?

Ashly November 25, 2013 at 10:19 PM  

It is still working just as good (probably even a little better). In my opinion it still probably isn't as good as a water softener for some people but for the $500+ cost difference I would say it is very worth it. My husband actually says he would prefer the Eddy Descaler over the softener due to the fact he doesn't like the slimy feeling after showering that he gets from the softener and because he has high blood pressure so all that added sodium to our water is not really good for him & now we are looking into spending another $100 or so to get a reverse osmosis system to remove the sodium from the water for him to drink it!

Unknown December 3, 2013 at 8:45 AM  

I have an Eddy coming tomorrow via Amazon for our home in Dandridge,TN. Based on what the folks at the water department are telling me, this Eddy product should work very well in this area.

Unknown January 6, 2014 at 4:22 AM  

I hear the longer you leave them in, (Eddy type devices)the better result you get. It is not an overnight thing though.
I also hear that eventually they remove scale that has been in water system for years. Which sounds like a good thing to me. west London UK also has a hard water problem.

Unknown January 6, 2014 at 4:22 AM  

I hear the longer you leave them in, (Eddy type devices)the better result you get. It is not an overnight thing though.
I also hear that eventually they remove scale that has been in water system for years. Which sounds like a good thing to me. west London UK also has a hard water problem.

Unknown April 28, 2014 at 5:27 PM  

Thanks for the helpful review. We just had all the old metal water lines in our home replaced with pvc/pex and installed a tankless water heater. The plumber told me if we didn't get some kind of water softener that we would have to descale the water heater every few months. I am hopeful that this device will do the trick. Just ordered it from Amazon and should have it installed in a week or so.

Ashly July 23, 2014 at 11:34 PM  

It's been a few months Darren - just wondering how the Eddy is working out for you? Hope it's doing the trick - having to descale a water heater every few months doesn't sound like a very fun task!

StribArt September 26, 2014 at 9:13 PM  

Installed my Eddy Descaler last April. My well water is medium hardness. My wife noticed a difference within two months. Probably took 6 months to see maximum effect. There is a little hard water effect left, but the unit was well worth the $200, and we don't have to worry about salt in the water.
To new installers - don't expect results right away-be patient.

John C. April 22, 2015 at 7:27 AM  

For hair and skin, a shower filter will make the difference.
Reverse Osmosis still is recommended for drinking water.

Bob June 20, 2016 at 11:03 AM  

While looking into the Eddy I ran across your post. Thanks for all the information provided it was very helpful.

I also ran across information regarding the Vulcan 3000 and Calmat units.

Not sure if you or any of your readers have experience with these units and can compare them against the Eddy.

Are you still happy with the Eddy?
Do you have any experience or heard of these other units?

I am currently trying to decide between the Eddy and the Calmat. The Vulcan was out of my budget.

Home Depot has the Calmat for $350 USD. A bit more than I wanted to spend after looking at the Eddy and Scale Blaster units however the reviews seem to be bit more positive. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Calmat-Electronic-Anti-Scale-and-Rust-Water-Treatment-System-1-6004-000/206266883

Unknown October 27, 2016 at 6:11 PM  

That slimy feeling is not soap. It is actually your natural oils in you skin. Soft water washes away all the soap on your skin and you naturals oils can actually come through. That is why your skin doesn't feel as dry as when you have hard water.

Unknown January 1, 2017 at 10:27 PM  

Hi Bob,
I ran into your post while researching descalers and have the same question you did. Wondering if the Calmat is worth the extra $150. Do you mind sharing what you went with and if you are happy?

Bullrider February 10, 2017 at 7:29 PM  

So if you're concerned with the sodium level in your drinking water and the high salt usage, why not just install a softener on the line feeding your water heater? You'll still get the benefit of softened water anywhere you're using hot water--the dishwasher, clothes washer on hot or warm water loads, and in your shower. You won't have to worry about the health effects of drinking softened water, and if your outdoor faucets aren't upstream of the softener, you won't have to worry about wasting soft water washing your car, watering your garden, etc.

Anil March 15, 2017 at 7:51 AM  

Hi, am sure it's been while you both are using them. Would be great if you could re review it. Thanks

unknown June 2, 2017 at 2:17 PM  

Anyone decided on the Calmat instead of this? Trying to figure out best one to install at my house.

Unknown July 19, 2017 at 5:00 AM  

Eddy Electronic water descaler is very simple to add. It needs no plumbing changes, needs no salt and requires a conventional water softener. Eddy makes a complex electromagnetic wave that is set on the two coils around your water supply pipe. So water is subjected to an ever-changing magnetic field because it goes through the coils.http://www.ewaterpurifier.com/eddy-electronic-water-descaler-review/

Unknown December 15, 2017 at 1:36 AM  

My parents have been visited by a sales company who made initial contact through a phone call during the day. Next a visit and pressure to sign up for a Little Magic Box hot water system. Basically a new boiler and box with a panel outside which will make their hot water – and cost the same as a new car!!I have called and cancelled any orders – at which they tried to offer me a further discount!! This is just high pressure sales at its worst.

https://www.magicboxinternational.com/

Swan Smith March 10, 2018 at 12:32 PM  

Thanks for the nice work I have gone through the article and it is really impressing and stunning work.

KD Plumbing Auckland

Unknown April 6, 2018 at 7:48 PM  

Thanks for this info, i just bought my tankless water heater today and a descaler.... I've notice way to much salt with my softener and my appliances, hair, skin and such are corroded, brittle and dried out. So I figured updating to a new system might be beneficial... this post has helped with the next step, taking out the old and putting in the new system... again thanks

Gospace May 2, 2018 at 7:00 PM  

FYI if you have no measurable iron in your incoming raw water you can use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. More expensive. But, I use it. My wife's doctor had to reduce her blood pressure medication dosage after I switched.

AlBlog May 9, 2018 at 10:50 AM  

I spent a little bit more for the Calmat, and I'm in love with it. My water is decently hard but the Calmat removed most of the limescale that was already there and prevents from future build up. I was told Calmat also works with a softener but I decided to use it by itself to keep the minerals in the water.

Anonymous,  May 11, 2018 at 10:04 AM  

Thanks for the nice blog. It was very useful for me. I'm happy I found this blog. Thank you for sharing with us,I too always learn something new from your post.showerhead filter for hard water

Unknown July 14, 2018 at 5:11 AM  

Eddy is good but I would rather suggest to go for H2O Elite Labs Hard Water Descaler Model EWC Max-i for homes or EWC 150 for commercial places.

The reason is that they are also No-Salt Water Conditioners along with maintenance free and cheaper.

Specially Max-i is for Indoor use only and handles upto 35 gpg (grains per gallon) or 598 ppm of Calcium hardness. It works on Copper, PVC, PEX upto 1.25"" diameter pipe. It can also cover Upto 5,000 sq ft Home. And Comes with 3 years satisfaction warranty. Therefore you should install this one in your home and get relax for years.

http://www.h2oelitelabs.com/product-category/residential/

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