Water Conditioners (e.g. Aquabion / Fernox / Flomasta)

[vaderag]

Anyone used any of the above?
Having an accumulator put in and tempted to get one of these at the same time - we only really want softening for ease of cleaning so these 'seem' to do the job but frankly I'm a pessimist and a lot of it seems like snake oil...

Our plumber said he'd fitted an Aquabion and the client was happy, but they're ~£500 and very coy about their science

What I can work out however is that they use Zinc, which seems to be what the other significantly cheaper alternatives seem to do as well...

Anyone any experience?

Aquabion:
https://www.aquabion-uk.com/water-conditions-systems/

Reference alternatives:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-electrolytic-compression-fit-connection-scale-inhibitor-22mm/5705K
https://www.wolseley.co.uk/product/center-brand-complete-electrolytic-scale-reducer-22mm/

 

[polesapart]

As placebos they work.

The more expensive they are the better they work - one of the interesting facets of the placebo effect.

You will however struggle to find any independently-funded studies indicating that they are anything but snake oil unproven to have any effect in the real world.

 

[vaderag]

As placebos they work.

The more expensive they are the better they work - one of the interesting facets of the placebo effect.

You will however struggle to find any independently-funded studies indicating that they are anything but snake oil unproven to have any effect in the real world.

That's kinda how I imagined...
That said, there do seem to be a lot of positive reviews around which surely can't all be due to placebo effect...can they!?