When we talk about some best, top-rated water softeners then there are hundreds of softening units. However, after researching and analyzing consumer reports of water softeners some best water softeners for hard water are these: (Best Overall) Fleck 5600SXT Digital Metered Water Softener, (Best Salt-Based) Whirlpool WHES40E Water Softener, (Best For Home) Water2Buy W2B800 Water Softener and (Best for Well Water) Fleck Iron Pro 2 Combination Water Softener. We selected these top-rated water softeners based on the type, quality of the water softener, and installation costs.