A water softener is the cheapest and simplest way to treat water and is good for equipment such as dishwashers and laundry machines. It adds a slight amount of salt to the water, which greatly reduces the amount of limescale released when water is heated in the machine. However, the water is not suitable for drinking.
I went with a water filter system for my kitchen sink. The water tastes so much better! Below is the link to the one i have. It doesnt prevent the limescale build up on the shower head but this isnt really a problem for me with the tap water going through my pipes.
I have a Culligan RO (reverse osmosis) system and water softener. We had it installed about 3 years ago and while it was expensive, I am glad to not have hard water anymore. Our city water is terrible and leaves spots on our glassware. Now, the plates sparkle and our clothing is brighter.
