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Morton m27 Water Softener Review
Our Review
- Efficient softening system - 4.5
- Reduces salt and water usage - 4
- Space-saving design - 3.5
Pros
- Easy to maintain
- Remembers your setting during a power outage
- Simple installation
- Softens water with a hardness level up to 95 gpg
- Demand initiated regeneration reduces salt and water usage
Cons
- Difficult warranty process
- Short warranty of one year on parts and ten years on the tank
- Possible leaks
Overall Rating – 4.0
If you’re researching the Morton M27 and have landed here, you’re in the right place for a detailed review.
Morton makes some of the best water softeners you can get. They have a long company history, giving you peace of mind when it comes to their quality.
And if you have hard water, you’re noticing spots on your dishes, or experiencing crunchy laundry, you could really benefit from a softener.
In this post, we tell you why the Morton M27 is a good option and give you the information you need to decide whether it is the correct whole-home softener for you.
Morton M27 27,000 Grain Water Softener Reviewed
The Morton M27 27,000 grain water softener is a whole-home, ion exchange system. It softens water with a hardness level of 95 gpg. It’s an excellent choice for both city or well water supplies.
This is an efficient softening system that reduces salt consumption using Look Ahead technology to learn your water usage and smartly initiate regeneration.
Regenerating on demand increases the salt efficiency, using up to 50% less to regenerate than other models.
The Morton System Saver M27 also reduces the mineral content in your water supply as well. This can eliminate spots on your dishes and stains in your sink. It also reduces the crunchiness of your freshly washed laundry.
If you notice red streaking on your dishes, this softener can help by removing up to 7 ppm of the clear water iron from your water.
Pros
- Easy to maintain
- Remembers your setting during a power outage
- Simple installation
- Softens water with a hardness level up to 95 gpg
- Demand initiated regeneration reduces salt and water usage
- NSF certified
- Very low priced
Cons
- Difficult warranty process
- Short warranty of one year on parts and ten years on the tank
- Possible leaks
- Limited to a maximum of about four people the home
The space saving design of the Morton System Saver softener takes up less floor space than many trashcans.
Despite the small size, it cleans enough water for up to four people, with its flow rate of up to 6.5 gpm.
The all-in-one design has a salt tank capacity of up to 175 lbs. That means you won’t need to constantly top off the tank.
But this review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about some of the complaints that others have had with the Morton softener.
Many Morton M27 water softener reviews complain that the manual doesn’t detail the installation process as well as it should.
While we don’t find this to be the issue, it is important you know this before you buy.
Some customers have problems with leaks from their Morton softeners. This is not common, but if it happens then you may run into the next issue.
The customer service for Morton, according to some reviewers, is severely lacking. According to several reports, they make filing a warranty claim difficult. Others don’t have this problem, so your experience may vary.
What’s Included?
Your Morton System Saver comes with almost everything you’ll need to install the system. You’ll get all of the following with it:
- Bypass valve
- Drain hose
- Clips
- Hose clamps
- Adapter elbow
- Grommet
Morton M27 Installation
The Morton M27 is easy to install, making it DIY-friendly if you’re handy with tools and have done a little work around the house in the past.
Contact a plumber if you lack the skills to complete the job or if you’re unsure.
The installation steps are detailed in the manual, but are basically the steps below.
- Shut off the water supply coming into your home.
- Turn off your water heater. Make sure to shut off the gas or disconnect the heater’s power supply from the electrical outlet.
- Open the faucets throughout your home to allow the pipes to drain.
- Remove the cover and lid from your softener.
- Lift the brine valve from the brine tank. Verify the float stem is parallel to the stand tube, then place the brine valve back into the brine tank and reinstall the cover.
- Place the softener in place, verifying the location is level and solid.
- Remove any debris from the inlet and outlet ports on the unit.
- Remove the two large plastic clips.
- Check that the turbine spins freely in the bypass valve.
- Coat the O-rings with silicone grease.
- Push the valve into the unit and snap the two clips you removed earlier into place to secure it.
- Connect the home’s water pipe to the unit. This may require cutting into the main inlet pipe to place connections running to and from the valve.
- Many homes use their plumbing system for grounding. Because of this, you may need to run a copper wire across the location you spliced into your plumbing to guarantee proper grounding is maintained.
- Trim the included drain hose to the required length for your location.
- Connect the hose to the softener drain fitting and secure it in place with a hose clamp.
- Run the drain hose to a floor drain, then secure it in place.
- Install the overflow hose to the tank overflow elbow and secure it in place with a provided hose clamp.
- Run the hose to the floor drain.
- Fully open two cold water faucets in your home.
- Place the bypass valve into “bypass” position.
- Turn your home water supply on and let the water run through the open faucets for a few minutes to work the air bubbles out of your pipes.
- Move the bypass valve into the “service” position, pausing a few times along the way to let the unit fill with water.
- After around three minutes, open a hot water faucet in your home and let water flow until the air bubbles work out of the system.
- Close all open faucets.
- Check for leaks around your softener and plumbing.
- Add three gallons of clean water into the salt storage tank of your system.
- Fill the storage tank with softener.
- Attach your Morton water softener to a power outlet.
- Install the top cover and lid.
- Use the control panel to program the time, water hardness, and the time of day you’d like the system to schedule your regeneration time..
- Pour 3 ounces of household bleach into the brine tank.
- Start a recharge by pressing the “recharge” button for three seconds.
- After recharging is completed, open a cold faucet in your home for about 20 minutes.
- Restart your water heater and turn on its gas or reconnect the electricity to it.
The only common maintenance you’ll face is refilling the salt. The manual explains how to easily remedy the occasional salt bridge you may encounter.
Morton M27 vs. the Competition
Before you decide to buy, you should compare the M27 to the top competitors. We’ll look at the Quality Water SoftPro Elite and the Fleck 5600 SXT.
All three of these systems are salt-based water softeners, and there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Let’s take a look at a couple of these.
M27 Advantages
- The Morton Softener is much cheaper than the other two, coming in at less than half the price.
- Reduces water hardness up to 95 gpg, a bit higher than the other two.
Disadvantages of the M27
- Both the SoftPro Elite and the Fleck system come with a lifetime warranty, while the M27 System Saver has one year on the parts and ten years on the tank.
- The other units have more and better options available.
These three units have a similar flow rate and demand regeneration system, and all three reduce calcium and magnesium in your water.
The main benefit of buying the Morton system is the price. But you’ll have to put up with the short warranty and a possibly difficult warranty process to get that lower price.
All three are great options, and Morton is still a good choice for those with very hard water, but if you want the best of the best salt based water softener we recommend checking out Springwell’s softener or the Soft Pro Elite.
In Conclusion
The Morton M27 is a perfect choice for those looking for a low-cost softener that can handle their entire home. It can handle a family of up to four people, which is enough for many homes.
While the M27 is a great choice, check our list of best softeners before you decide to buy so you’re sure you make the right decision.
AUTHOR
David Trinh
David is an expert in all things plumbing, heating, cooling, and water treatment. He got his start in the plumbing business working on fixing all types of home improvement issues including water leaks, broken toilets, appliance installation, and more. Over time, he learned a ton about installing and choosing the correct water treatment products for homeowners.
