Morton Water Softener Review (Models Compared)
Quick answer: Morton sells five one-piece cabinet softeners, from 20,000 to 45,000 grains, mostly through Menards. They’re certified to NSF/ANSI 44 for hardness reduction and efficiency, with rated efficiencies of 4,567 to 5,070 grains per pound of salt, close to the best we’ve seen. The weak spot is the warranty: the four smaller models cover parts for one year (the tanks for ten), shorter than Whirlpool’s two years of parts and labor or A. O. Smith’s three years on parts. For most homes the 34,000-grain Elite (M34) is the pick; the 45,000-grain Demand Control (M45C) suits larger homes and very hard water.
Our picks:
- Best Morton for most homes: Morton Elite (M34)
- Best for big households or very hard water: Morton Demand Control with Wi-Fi (M45C)
- Best for one or two people: Morton Select (M20) or Ultra (M27)
- Consider instead: Whirlpool WHES48 for a longer warranty, or an AFWFilters Fleck 48,000-grain system for standard, repairable parts
How we reviewed: we haven’t installed or tested these softeners ourselves. We compared Morton’s product pages and installation manuals, including the NSF-certified performance ratings and warranties, and checked where Morton says each model is sold.
Who makes Morton water softeners?
Morton is the salt company; its softeners are made for it. Morton’s manuals say each softener is “manufactured for Morton” at a post office box in Woodbury, Minnesota, without naming the factory. The parts lists give a clue: 32 of the part numbers in the M45C manual also appear in Whirlpool’s 2023 WHES48 manual, including the valve body, rotor and seal kit, nozzle and venturi, resin tank and bypass valve. Whirlpool’s softeners are made by Water Channel Partners, also in Woodbury.
You’ll also see the name System Saver: the M20 to M34 manual is titled “Morton System Saver Installation & Operation Manual,” and Morton’s System Saver II pellets are the salt it recommended for them. Morton’s product pages mention free technical support at 1-888-64-WATER.
Morton water softener models compared
| Model | Max rated capacity | Best efficiency | Service flow | Max hardness / iron | Sold at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select (M20) | 21,500 grains at 9.7 lb salt | 5,000 grains/lb | 6.5 gpm | 95 gpg / 6 ppm | Menards |
| Ultra (M27) | 28,200 grains at 11.7 lb | 5,040 grains/lb | 6.5 gpm | 95 gpg / 7 ppm | Menards, Walmart |
| Premium (M30) | 30,000 grains at 13.1 lb | 4,567 grains/lb | 7.0 gpm | 95 gpg / 7 ppm | EcoPure |
| Elite (M34) | 34,900 grains at 14.5 lb | 5,060 grains/lb | 7.8 gpm | 110 gpg / 9 ppm | Menards |
| Demand Control with Wi-Fi (M45C) | 45,400 grains at 17.2 lb | 5,070 grains/lb | 10.0 gpm | 120 gpg / 12 ppm | Menards |
From Morton’s M20–M34 manual (7351428, rev. B) and M45C manual (7381229, rev. B, 2020), both certified to NSF/ANSI 44; product names and stores from Morton’s product and where-to-buy pages. Efficiency is rated at the lowest salt dose (1.8 to 2.9 lb). Iron is clear-water (dissolved) iron. The manual rates the M30 and MC30 together.
- Resin: 0.61 cu ft (M20), 0.73 (M27), 0.82 (M30), 0.91 (M34) and 1.26 (M45C).
- Size: the manuals’ drawings show the M20 to M34 cabinet at about 43 inches tall and the M45C at 48 inches.
- Water and pressure: all run on 20 to 125 psi and water from 40 to 120°F, and need at least 3 gpm of supply.
- Demand regeneration: each model regenerates only when needed and chooses its salt dose at regeneration time. Morton calls its usage forecasting “Look-Ahead.”
- Extras: the M34 has a low-salt light. The M45C connects to Wi-Fi through the iQua app, and Morton’s page lists a built-in self-cleaning sediment filter on the Demand Control.
Service flow matters for bigger homes. EPA puts a conventional showerhead at 2.5 gpm and a faucet at 2.2 gpm, so two showers and a faucet together use about 7.2 gpm, more than the Select’s and Ultra’s 6.5 gpm rating.
Which Morton fits your home?
Enter your household and water test results to see the smallest Morton model that fits.
Enter your numbers to see which model fits.
How it works: daily use is 75 gallons per person, as in our size calculator. Hardness gets 5 gpg added per ppm of iron, Morton’s own rule. The pick is the smallest model that lasts at least 7 days between regenerations using 75% of its rated capacity, and whose hardness and iron limits cover your water.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Certified ratings. Every model is certified by NSF International to NSF/ANSI 44 for hardness reduction and efficiency.
- Efficient. Four of the five are rated at 5,000 grains per pound of salt or more; Whirlpool’s WHES48, the highest we’ve found, is rated at 5,090.
- Handles hard water and some iron. Up to 95 to 120 gpg and 6 to 12 ppm of clear-water iron, depending on model.
- Parts in common with Whirlpool. Many M45C part numbers, from the valve rotor and seals to the resin tank, match Whirlpool’s WHES48.
Weaknesses
- Short parts warranty. One year on parts for the M20 to M34, with no labor; the M45C adds labor for a year and three years on the control board.
- Limited availability. Morton lists Menards for four models; only the Ultra is also at Walmart, and the Premium is sold through EcoPure.
- Small capacities. The largest is 45,400 grains. Big households with very hard water may need a bigger softener.
- Lower flow on the small models. 6.5 gpm on the Select and Ultra.
Morton water softener warranty
| Tanks | Control board | Other parts | Labor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morton M20, M27, M30, M34 | 10 years | 1 year | 1 year | Not covered |
| Morton M45C | 10 years | 3 years | 1 year | 1 year |
| Whirlpool WHES48 | 10 years | 3 years | 2 years (10 with its cleaner) | 2 years (10 with its cleaner) |
| A. O. Smith 350C/400T/450T | 10 years | 3 years | 3 years | Not stated |
From each softener’s manual. Morton ships warranty parts to your home free; its M20–M34 warranty excludes labor. Whirlpool extends its two-year full warranty to ten if you use its WHE-WSC cleaner every four months. A. O. Smith’s covers mechanical and electronic parts for three years and the tank and brine cabinet for ten, and doesn’t mention labor.
Where to buy a Morton water softener
Morton’s where-to-buy page lists Menards for the Select, Ultra, Elite and Demand Control, Walmart for the Ultra, and EcoPure’s website for the Premium. Morton asks buyers to contact the retailer to confirm availability. In our search, Amazon sold Morton salt but not Morton softeners.
Our picks
Morton Elite (M34)
The largest of Morton’s standard models, with the best flow and iron rating of the four and an efficiency rating of 5,060 grains per pound. Morton suggests it for households of one to six or more.
- Capacity: up to 34,900 grains (0.91 cu ft of resin)
- Limits: 110 gpg hardness, 9 ppm clear-water iron; 7.8 gpm service flow
- Extras: low-salt light
Good to know: sold at Menards. One year on parts, ten on the tanks.
See it at MortonMorton Demand Control with Wi-Fi (M45C)
Morton’s biggest softener and the only one with Wi-Fi: the iQua app sets the clock and connects it to your phone. It has the best limits in the range and a better warranty than the smaller models.
- Capacity: up to 45,400 grains (1.26 cu ft of resin); 5,070 grains per pound
- Limits: 120 gpg hardness, 12 ppm clear-water iron; 10.0 gpm service flow
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor, 3 years control board, 10 years tanks
Good to know: 48 inches tall, so measure your space. Morton also sells a motorized shut-off valve made for the M45C.
See it at MortonMorton Select (M20) or Ultra (M27)
The two smallest models. Morton suggests the 20,000-grain Select for one or two people and the 27,000-grain Ultra for one to four. Both are efficiency-rated at about 5,000 grains per pound.
- Select: up to 21,500 grains; 6 ppm iron
- Ultra: up to 28,200 grains; 7 ppm iron; also sold at Walmart
Good to know: both are rated at 6.5 gpm, which can feel tight if two showers run at once.
See the Ultra at MortonWhirlpool WHES48
Whirlpool’s 48,000-grain one-piece cabinet softener, with many parts in common with Morton’s M45C and the highest efficiency rating we’ve found, 5,090 grains per pound. Its two-year full warranty extends to ten years if you use Whirlpool’s cleaner every four months. See our high-efficiency guide.
See it at WhirlpoolAFWFilters Fleck 5600SXT 48,000-grain
A two-tank system on Pentair’s Fleck 5600SXT valve, whose seals and pistons are widely sold. It suits do-it-yourselfers who want standard parts and more capacity than Morton offers.
- Tank: 10 × 54 inches, 1.5 cu ft of resin (listing)
- Flow: 12 gpm (listing)
Owning a Morton softener
- Settings: the M45C’s hardness setting defaults to 25. Set it to your water’s hardness, adding 5 for each ppm of clear-water iron, as Morton’s manual says. Our settings guide explains how.
- Salt: the M45C manual recommends Morton’s Clean and Protect pellets. See our cleaners guide for what they do.
- California: Morton says the Salt Efficiency setting must be turned on in California, which keeps the softener at 4,000 grains per pound or better.
- Parts: Morton ships warranty parts to your home. Out of warranty, the shared Whirlpool part numbers help: for example, the 7112963 distributor O-ring kit is listed in the M45C manual, and a compatible kit is sold on Amazon by a third party.
Frequently asked questions
Are Morton water softeners good?
On paper, yes: they’re certified to NSF/ANSI 44 and among the most salt-efficient softeners we’ve compared. The trade-offs are a short parts warranty on the smaller models and availability mostly at Menards.
What is the Morton System Saver?
System Saver is the name on Morton’s softener manuals and on its System Saver II salt pellets. The M20, M27, M30 and M34 manual is titled “Morton System Saver Installation & Operation Manual.”
What is the warranty on a Morton water softener?
For the M20 to M34, ten years on the salt and resin tanks and one year on other parts, with no labor. The M45C adds one year of labor and three years on the control board.
Why is my Morton water softener full of water?
Usually because it isn’t drawing brine. GE and Whirlpool list a kinked or raised drain hose and a dirty nozzle and venturi as common causes. Morton’s manual includes a step-by-step check of the fill and brine draw. See our brine tank guide.
Does the Morton M45C work with an app?
Yes. The M45C manual has you download the iQua app from the App Store or Google Play to connect the softener to Wi-Fi.
Related guides
- Best water softeners
- Best water softener brands
- What size water softener do I need?
- Best high-efficiency water softeners
Sources
- Morton Salt product pages: Select, Ultra, Premium, Elite and Demand Control; Where to Buy Morton Water Softeners; Morton Water Softener Manuals.
- Morton, Models M20, M27, M30, M34 & MC30 installation and operation manual (7351428, rev. B): specifications, warranty and parts.
- Morton, Model M45C installation and operation manual (7381229, rev. B, 2020; hosted by InspectApedia): specifications, Wi-Fi, warranty and parts.
- Whirlpool, WHES48 installation and operation manual (2023): warranty and parts list.
- A. O. Smith, AO-WH-SOFT-350C/400T/450T owner’s manual: warranty.
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, Showerheads and Bathroom Faucets.
- Amazon listings for the AFWFilters system and O-ring kit, checked October 2026.