Best Portable Water Softeners | Expert's Choice (End of 2020)

Have you ever been travelling and been left feeling unimpressed by the quality of the water supply where you are staying? This is where a portable water softener comes in and can truly make a difference to your camping trip or where you park up your RV.

We’ve put together a list of the top 6 that we have reviewed, along with some helpful information about what these products are, how they work and why you may want to get one.

Contents

Our Top Picks
Best Portable Water Softeners of 2020:
Portable Water Softeners that are worth mentioning:
Summary

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Best Value

Best Budget Friendly

Mobile-Soft-Water Portable 16,000 Grain (tm) Unit with Tank, Tank Head, Lead Free NSF 61 Male GHC Tank Connections, Distributor, Resin and Instructions. Used in Rv & Car Wash Applications.

On The Go Portable 16,000 Grain RV Water Softener

Watts Water Quality Flow-Pur RV-Pro Water Softener

Mobile-Soft-Water Portable 16,000 Grain Water Softener

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Best Overall

On The Go Portable 16,000 Grain RV Water Softener

Check Price

Best Value

Watts Water Quality Flow-Pur RV-Pro Water Softener

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Best Budget Friendly

Mobile-Soft-Water Portable 16,000 Grain Water Softener

Check Price

Best Portable Water Softeners of 2020:

Best Choice

Runner-up

Also Good

Name

On The Go Portable 16,000 Grain RV Water Softener

Watts Water Quality Flow-Pur RV-Pro Water Softener

Mobile-Soft-Water Portable 16,000 Grain Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

Best Choice

Name

On The Go Portable 16,000 Grain RV Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

Runner-up

Name

Watts Water Quality Flow-Pur RV-Pro Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

Also Good

Name

Mobile-Soft-Water Portable 16,000 Grain Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

Portable Water Softeners that are worth mentioning:

On The Go OTG3NTP1DS Double STD Water Softener

Name

On The Go OTG3NTP3M Portable Water Softener

On The Go OTG3NTP1DS Double STD Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

Name

On The Go OTG3NTP3M Portable Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

Name

On The Go OTG3NTP1DS Double STD Water Softener

Our Rating

Amazon Rating

Number Of Reviews

Check Price

There are some fantastic portable water softeners on the market right now and we have reviewed the best ones out there, to help you make an informed decision. We’ve included the top features, pros and cons for each one.

1. On The Go Portable 16,000 Grain RV Water Softener

We start our review of the top 6 portable water softeners with this model from On The Go, a fantastic product that does its job well and is one of the best for its price range.

Once installed, this unit has a 16,000-grain capacity, which is enough for approximately 40 days of soft water. That is more than enough for most trips and even multiple trips, so you don’t need to worry about running out halfway through a journey.

This unit is very easy to install and you won’t need any special tools as it relies on a standard garden hose union. Once set up, you will be able to enjoy soft water in moments. They have even thrown in some water testing strips, to help you check the water supply before/after, to make sure it is working as expected.

Pros	Cons
High capacity of 16,000-grain Easy to install and use It uses a high-grade premium resin	It may be more than necessary if you only take the odd short trip

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2. Watts Water Quality Flow-Pur RV-Pro Water Softener

Next on our list is this portable water softener from Watts and whilst it is slightly smaller than the first entry, it still does a superb job. With a capacity of 10,000 grain and only weighing 9lbs, it truly is a portable unit.

One of the most impressive features of this unit is that it uses common table salt, making it very easy and affordable to regenerate when required. Another nice feature is that thanks to its design, you don’t need to disconnect the unit to regenerate it, saving a lot of hassle and frustration.

An easy to install unit that offers great performance at a budget price. However, do take note that customers have reported some leakage if you have higher water pressures, above 4 GPM.

Pros	Cons
Fantastic performance at a low price It requires common table salt Easy installation and maintenance	If you have a water pressure rate of over 4 GPM, this unit could start to leak

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3. Mobile-Soft-Water Portable 16,000 Grain Water Softener

Another impressive portable system makes it onto our list, with a 16,000-grain capacity and works with water flow rates of up to 5 GPM. This is important to note because some of the smaller models will struggle with higher flow rates and be prone to leaking.

Whilst it does need some extra parts to install properly, it is a relatively easy process and once set up, you will be ready to go. You can enjoy clean, soft water for showing, drinks or washing dishes and at up to 5 gallons per minute, it will certainly be enough for almost all users.

From our research, we would expect you to regenerate this portable water softener every 10 days or a few times a month, depending on the hardness of the original water and how much you use. This is more than reasonable for people on holiday for a week or two.

Pros	Cons
A large capacity of 16,000-grain Works well up to a flow rate of 5 GPM Easy to install and use	They don’t provide all of the items you need to install it properly

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4. On The Go OTG3NTP3M Portable Water Softener

This manufacturer is one of the leading brands for water filtration and softening systems and we can see why. With an 8000-grain capacity, impressive 18lbs weight and effective softening system, you can’t go wrong with this model.

You will get approximately a week’s worth of soft, clean water from a single box or ordinary iodized salt, based on using 2000 gallons. This obviously depends on the hardness of the water and how heavy your usage is.

What we also liked about this model is first, that they provide test strips to check your water supply and secondly, once you’ve added the salt and started the regeneration process, you will only have to wait up to 30 minutes before it’s ready to use again.

Perhaps the only word of caution here is that it is designed for shorter journeys or single users, so if you’re going away as a couple or family, then you may need a bigger size or multiple units.

Pros	Cons
Small and easy to carry, weighing only 18lbs. Regeneration only takes up to 30 minutes An efficient unit that is very cost-effective.	Ideal for a single person or a couple of shorter trips

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5. On The Go OTG3NTP3M Portable Water Softener

We’ve put this one of our list of the best portable water softeners because it offers the performance of the previous On The Go model but has double the capacity. This makes it perfect for those longer trips or families who are travelling together.

With a grain capacity of 16,000, it will last two adults on average, around 40 days, more than enough for most journeys. The manufacturer has used high-grade resin and quality materials, making it a reliable and hardwearing system that regenerates quickly.

Thankfully, you will only need to use ordinary table salt, so replacement salt is relatively inexpensive and easily available. One note of caution is that if you want to store it outside in colder temperatures, make sure you get additional insulation to protect it.

Pros	Cons
A large capacity of 16,000 grain Made with high-grade resin Uses ordinary table salt	A larger unit and so maybe more than necessary for shorter journeys or individual travellers.

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6. PuRite 15 Stage Shower Filter Water Softener

We finish our list of the best portable water softeners with a different type of system from PuRite. It is a shower filter that fits to the faucet, as opposed to providing some kind of water softener tank.

Whilst it isn’t exactly designed for use in an RV, it is perfectly adapted for it. You won’t need any special tools or connectors and as it weighs under 2 pounds, you won’t notice much of a difference when showering.

This system doesn’t require regeneration as it uses an innovative 15 stage filtration system that purifies the water and also adds in healthy minerals such as vitamin C. Each filter lasts around 6 months, making it a fantastic investment.

Pros	Cons
No regeneration required An innovative 15 stage filtration system, with each filter lasting 6 months Very easy installation, requiring no tools or connectors	Works on a specific showerhead and not multiple faucets

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Summary

We hope you’ve found our article on the top 6 best portable water softeners on the market right now. You don’t need to suffer from hard water whilst travelling any more and there are some fantastic systems out there that will really make a difference. No more dry skin, damaged hair or harmful water thanks to these incredible water softening systems.

How does a water softener system work?

In essence, water softeners will remove as much hardness from the water supply as possible and this is normally done through the use of salt.

Saltwater softeners are one of the best systems for this process and what happens is the original water is passed through a mineral tank, which contains sodium ion charged resin beads, that absorb elements in the water.

The magnesium and calcium ions found in the water are replaced with these sodium ions, which are softer and as a result, you get softer water at your faucet. You must then replenish the softener, in a process called regeneration.

Do I need one when I’m travelling?

It is very likely that at some point you have been travelling outdoors, either camping, hiking or staying in an RV and have had to use some old faucet or water supply.

The magnesium and calcium in the water supplies, among other contaminants, are what causes these faucets to become damaged, rust or smell bad. Whilst this is not necessarily life-threatening, it can have an impact on your health and the taste of the water.

Choosing to carry with you a portable water softener will not only protect you from some of the problems but allow you to enjoy nicer tasting water.

How hard is my water?

This is easy to find out, thanks to the cheap, easy to use testing kits that are available to buy. When you test your water supply, the hardness is traditionally measured in grains per gallon (GPG) and you can also speak to your utility provider who can sometimes help with the hardness level.

For those that are travelling, it is obviously more important to be able to test the water yourself and get an immediate response, so the home test strips are the best way to go.

To help you understand how hard your water is, this table should make things a little clearer:

Soft water – less than 1 GPG

Slightly hard – 1 to 3.5 GPG

Moderately hard – 3.5 to 7 GPG

Hard – 7 to 10 GPG

Very hard – Over 10 GPG

Maintenance Tips

There are some simple things you can do, to help maintain your portable water softener. This will both help its performance levels and also keep it in working order for longer, safeguarding your investment.

Firstly, always follow the instructions regarding installation and regeneration. This will mean that you do everything as the manufacturer advises and don’t risk doing anything in the wrong order, or using the wrong type of salt.

Secondly, perform regular tests of your water, using home test strips. This helps you understand the water hardness, how it’s affecting your portable system and whether it is working as expected.

Another tip is to consider the water pressure you’re using in your RV or remote location, as the higher the water pressure will mean reduced effectiveness of the portable water softener.

The final piece of advice we have is don’t be tempted to install these in your home, as they are not geared towards regular use over a long period of time, or at such a high rate as you would need in your home. This will both cause problems with the system and cost a lot to regenerate.