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GE (General Electric) is a household name when it comes to home appliances. Their portfolio stretches from washing machines and coffee grinders to the water softeners we will review in this article.
Before we delve into this GE water softener review, we should clarify that GE water softeners are manufactured by GE Appliances, which used to be General Electric’s appliance division but is now a subsidiary of the Haier Group from 2016 when they acquired it.
The brand is still a trademark of the General Electric Company, so Haier Group manufactures GE water softeners under a trademark license from General Electric.
The quality and production standards have been maintained as they were at general electric. You will find these water softeners are efficient and cost-effective. Each unit is covered by a warranty as a show of confidence. Their system has been designed to provide soft water with the least effort. We shall focus on three GE water softener models meant for different sizes of households:
- GE GXSF30V standard flow water softener- 30,000 grain
- GE GXSH40V high flow water softener- 40,000 grain
- GE GXSH45V high flow water softener- 45,000 grain
What Difference Does the Gain Count in Water Softeners Make?
This clarification is essential for the rest of the review to make sense. You will use the information for all other GE water softener reviews you may bump into. Grain count measures the maximum number of grains of water hardness a water softening unit can remove before it has to regenerate.
Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon (gpg), a single grain equivalent to 1/7,000 pounds of rock. The common units applied in this measurement include milligrams (mg), liters (L), or parts per million (ppm). For example, one grain per gallon is the equivalent of 17.1mg/L or 17.1ppm.
Water with a high gpg like well water will saturate the resins of a water softener faster, creating the need to regenerate. In addition, the more gallons of water passing through the water softener system, the more hardness grains are captured, which will also saturate the resins to the point of another regeneration cycle.
Therefore, the appropriate grain capacity will be influenced by a combination of the state of the hard water coming into the home and the amount of water required by the household. A system with high grain count features has a higher water softening capacity.
The local authorities usually know the hardness level of city water, and it is accessible public information from the water department. You can also get a testing kit and measure the hardness of your home water source yourself.
Common Advantages of GE Water Softeners
We will begin this GE water softener review by discussing common features of all GE water softeners. These features make them worthy of reviews before going into the individual softeners from our selection.
Electronic Controls
These are upfront GE water softeners features that make them easy to use and set up. They allow you to program the unit and set time and regeneration cycles without much hassle. They have a self-diagnostic function that determines when the system needs service or any additional resources.
Demand-Initiated Regeneration
Their systems are designed to regenerate based on your water consumption; they use a preset meter, depending on the hardness of the water to regenerate after a certain quantity of hard water passes through the softener. As a result, there will be no unnecessary triggering when the water has not been used.
Indicators
GE water softeners display their status; you can tell at a glance if they are on, have been bypassed, are regenerating, or the system has a problem. They also come with a combination of low salt levels and days to empty indicators which eliminates the guessing game from determining when to refill the salt tank, enabling you to plan ahead, budget, and make time.
Aesthetic Appeal
All GE water softener units are well sculpted with sleek designs, so they can be fitted anywhere in the home without becoming eyesores. Moreover, it is a relief when you don’t need to hide the unit behind appliances because softeners are nowadays permanent fixtures in most homes.
Audible Alarms
These are features of all GE water softeners to support the other indicators in those instances where you may not have noticed them. They will alert you when the water softener requires service, when the salt levels in the tank are low, and occasionally if their system has not registered that there is salt in the brine tank.
Warranty
All GE Appliance softeners are covered by a warranty. This is a great source of comfort for most buyers going by numerous reviews, especially when dealing with established brands.
GE Water Softener Reviews
1. GXSF30V: The 30,000 Grain GE Water Softener
- Electronic controls - Easy to use up-front electronic controls with status light indicator
- Grain capacity - 30,400
- GE exclusive days to empty - Makes sure you never have to guess when to refill the salt tank
- Water usage - Uses up to 20% less water (based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- Plumbing connections - Plumbing connection up to 1"
This is a 30,400-grain water softener. It is ideal for a household with no more than three regular users for a water source with an average gpg of hardness minerals.
It features 0.834 cubic feet of resin housed in a 9 by 35 feet tank, allowing a decent water service flow rate of 7.5 gallons per minute. One or two people can share this, but it needs patience as the number of users increases, especially if they are demanding water simultaneously. Keep in mind the flow rate is subject to a 15 psi pressure drop from friction with the equipment. It has a standard flow valve type.
This flow rate gives the water sufficient contact time with the resin to remove most of the hardness. Consequently, this GE water softener has a softening capacity of up to 95 grains per gallon. This water softener’s efficiency rating is 4,800 grains per pound of salt. It also has a ferrous iron reduction capacity of 7 parts per million.
It effectively saves water because demand-initiated regeneration is scheduled according to the volume of water used, minimizing unnecessary flushing of resins while they are still active. Its meter will tell when there is a need to regenerate. This system uses less water; the estimated water savings from earlier GE water softener models are up to 20%. The regeneration process takes 104 minutes from brining, brine rinse, backwash to fast rinse.
This water softener has a salt capacity of 200 pounds which is adequate and can afford you peace of mind during regeneration.
It is designed to connect with up to 1-inch plumbing pipes, so it is compatible with many household plumbing systems.
It comes with a limited 1-year warranty for the entire appliance, a 10-year warranty for the brine and resin tank, and a 3-year warranty for the electronic monitor.
2. GXSH40V: The 40,000 Grain GE Water Softener
- GE exclusive custom select blending valve - Allows you to select how soft you want your water
- GE exclusive salt saver - Helps reduce salt consumption and uses up to 34% less salt (Based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- GE exclusive days to empty - Makes sure you never have to guess when to refill the salt tank
- Water usage - Uses up to 35% less water (based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- Sediment filtration - Self-cleaning sediment filter protects your home’s plumbing
The grain capacity makes this salt-based water softener suitable for households with 3 to 4 people comfortably if the hardness is not extreme (10 grains per gallon or less). In addition, it is featured in many GE water softener reviews due to its universal utility.
It features GE’s exclusive custom select blending valve with which you can adjust how soft the resultant water will be using a knob. It works by diverting some hard water from the softener, blending it with the softened water, and allowing it through to the house. This way, you can retain some of the minerals in the water.
It has a GE salt saver that enhances salt efficiency, reducing its consumption, estimated by up to 34% compared to earlier GE water softeners produced before 2009. There is a button to turn it on and a light showing when it’s on. This process also requires less water consumption. Coupled with demand-initiated regeneration, this GE water softener saves more than one-third of water consumption by previous models. The efficiency sees you use less salt and water.
It comes with a self-cleaning sediment filter to protect your home’s plumbing from sediments like dirt and sand, minimizing blockages and accelerated wear and tear.
This GE water softener has a resin capacity of 1.107 cubic feet inside a 9- by 40-inch resin tank. The larger resin tank facilitates easy water flow through the resin, evidenced by the higher service flow rate of 9.5 GPM (still subject to a psi drop of 15). It can fit on larger pipes of up to 1.25 inches which is necessary for a high flow water softener.
Hardness removal has not been sacrificed in the process. Water is sufficiently softened with a removal capacity of 125 grains per gallon. Its efficiency rating is 5090 grains per pound of salt. It tops this up with a clear water iron reduction capacity of 8 parts per million.
It regenerates in approximately 123 minutes, and the salt capacity is 230 lbs., adequate for this volume.
It comes with similar warranty periods to the GE 30,000.
3. GXSH45V: The 45,000 Grain GE Water Softener
- GE exclusive custom select blending valve - Allows you to select how soft you want your water
- GE exclusive salt saver - Helps reduce salt consumption and uses up to 34% less salt (Based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- GE exclusive days to empty - Makes sure you never have to guess when to refill the salt tank
- Water usage - Uses up to 35% less water (based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- Sediment filtration - Self-cleaning sediment filter protects your home’s plumbing
The precise grain capacity for this model is 45,100, which makes it adequate for soft water needs of households with even more than four users under standard water usage conditions.
It also has GE’s custom select blending valve for customizing water hardness and a self-cleaning sediment filter to shield your plumbing.
Salt consumption can be regulated using a GE salt saver, which will also contribute to water regulation; you can save both salt and water. It comes with a salt saver button and a light that indicated when this option is engaged. This adds value for money on top of its reasonable price.
It has a plumbing allowance to connect with pipes of up to 1.25 inches. This means it is adaptable to most plumbing systems without the need for extreme modifications, making it easy to install.
Its electronic demand-initiated regeneration requires approximately 132 minutes, a longer wait than the other models, but then it has a larger capacity; it stores up to 230 lbs. of salt for this purpose.
Its hardness removal capacity is 160 grains per gallon through 1.25 cubic feet of resin resting on a 10 by 40-inch tank. This allows a service flow rate of up to 9.5 gallons per minute aided by a high flow valve. Every pound of salt handles 5,080 grains of hardness, and it can reduce clear water iron by 12 parts per million.
Which Is the Best GE Water Softener Model?
The main difference between the salt-based models in this GE water softener review is the capacity which manifests in various ways. The grain count is the most evident as it shows point-blank the hardness removal capacity.
You should also consider the salt consumption per grain of hardness and the time it takes to regenerate versus how many times it will need to regenerate. The best water softener will be subject to household needs.
A large capacity GE water softener will take slightly longer to complete regenerating, but it has a longer regeneration cycle. You might not need this capacity if you are the only occupant of your household. The best GE water softener for you is whichever serves your current needs with the least amount of trouble and is within your price range.
GE SmartSoft Technology
This is the latest technology being applied in GE softeners which enables them to learn the household’s water usage patterns to anticipate and make provisions. The SmartSoft technology enables you to save energy and use less salt by maximizing salt efficiency.
The latest GE softeners like the GXSHC40N GE Smart 40,000-grain water softener GXSHC40N come equipped with SmartSoft Technology, so GE softener reviews cannot be complete without mentioning this technology.
Each unit among the GE water softeners mentioned here is equally capable of providing you the best water for those shiny kitchen and bathroom surfaces without hard water problems like limescale and the soft skin, hair, and nails we associate with soft water.
It all boils down to how hard the water is, to begin with, and how much water you need for your household. You may also opt to try out later models with the intelligent SmartSoft technology for a more hands-free approach. Your specific situation will dictate which is the best water softener for you. The price is also a key consideration.
Here’s a recap of our top 3 GE water softeners:
- Electronic controls - Easy to use up-front electronic controls with status light indicator
- Grain capacity - 30,400
- GE exclusive days to empty - Makes sure you never have to guess when to refill the salt tank
- Water usage - Uses up to 20% less water (based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- Plumbing connections - Plumbing connection up to 1"
- GE exclusive custom select blending valve - Allows you to select how soft you want your water
- GE exclusive salt saver - Helps reduce salt consumption and uses up to 34% less salt (Based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- GE exclusive days to empty - Makes sure you never have to guess when to refill the salt tank
- Water usage - Uses up to 35% less water (based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- Sediment filtration - Self-cleaning sediment filter protects your home’s plumbing
- GE exclusive custom select blending valve - Allows you to select how soft you want your water
- GE exclusive salt saver - Helps reduce salt consumption and uses up to 34% less salt (Based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- GE exclusive days to empty - Makes sure you never have to guess when to refill the salt tank
- Water usage - Uses up to 35% less water (based on internal analysis verses GE water softeners manufactured prior to 2009)
- Sediment filtration - Self-cleaning sediment filter protects your home’s plumbing
