Are Costco's EcoWater Water Treatment Systems Worth The Money? Here's What Reviewers Say
If you're seeing signs that your home would benefit from a water softener or are in the market for a more extensive water treatment option and have a Costco membership, you may want to investigate the EcoWater water treatment system. EcoWater is a company that offers water filtration, softener, and purification appliances for installation in your home to treat your water. If you have a Costco membership, you could be buying this type of home product through Costco at a discount.
By going through Costco to purchase your EcoWater system, you receive a Costco Shop Card worth 10% of your qualified EcoWater purchase. The Shop Card works like a gift card for the membership warehouse store. You could also qualify for up to 2% cash back on your purchase if you hold an Executive Membership at Costco, which costs $130 per year. Such discounts may make it tempting to purchase this product through Costco. However, do these savings make it worth purchasing? Most reviewers think not.
EcoWater does not advertise the prices for its products or for installation. When you go through Costco, you're not actually purchasing the equipment at the store and taking it home. Instead, you're agreeing to a free consultation about the EcoWater system at your home, which includes a water test. You may be leery about submitting your contact information until you know more about what you're going to receive. Here's what customers say about the EcoWater brand and the in-home consultation.
What EcoWater customers say about buying a water treatment system
Unlike water softener brands like Aquasure, Rheem, or Whirlpool, which you can buy at hardware stores like Lowe's or Home Depot, EcoWater is sold only through local dealers who install the system for you. It does not advertise its pricing until you agree to a meeting with a representative. This is a process similar to those of other water softener companies such as Culligan and Kinetico.
A commenter on Reddit said they received a price quote from EcoWater through Costco ranging from $6,000 to $10,000, adding that the in-home consultation lasted two hours. EcoWater does not list the amount of time that the consultation should take, but Culligan lists a 30-to-60-minute consultation, though it says the actual time could be outside that range. A Houzz commenter mentioned that the EcoWater consultant who came to their home was "extremely pushy" about trying to get them to sign a contract for purchase, which made them uncomfortable.
Costco's home products for sale certainly provide some good deals and significant discounts on appliances and furniture. However, if you think you're going to save some money by going with Costco for your water softener and purification installation, you'll probably be disappointed. For example, you can buy a Rheem water softener at Home Depot for $499, which comes with instructions for installation, costing you far less than an EcoWater system.
Do EcoWater water treatment systems offer premium quality?
Because EcoWater water softener and treatment systems seem to carry such a high price compared to other brands, you may wonder whether the EcoWater products offer a premium quality that makes them good value. Online reviews tend to downplay the quality of the appliances, especially considering the above-average prices.
As a red flag, Costco does not list reviews of the EcoWater system on its product page as it does with most of its other home products. (Costco does not sell other types of water softeners.) Home Depot also sells EcoWater treatment systems in the same way as Costco, connecting you with a dealer who does an in-home consultation, but only 44% of reviewers would recommend the product to friends and family. One Home Depot reviewer said the EcoWater brand was a significant investment but was well worth it because of the quality it provides. However, another said the in-home consultant made many promises about the system that did not come true.
Reviewers at Yelp have given the EcoWater system an average of only 2.6 stars out of 5. TrustPilot reviewers have given it an average of 2.9 stars. Some online reviewers mentioned confusion over the contract terms and warranty periods for the EcoWater systems. A couple of reviewers on Yelp mentioned that the quality of the EcoWater appliance was below average, causing premature breakdowns. Considering the premium you pay for an EcoWater system at Costco, you would expect more positive reviews about the appliance's quality.