I've been using the Homeland filter system for about a year. Really happy with nearly no water hardness.

I was looking at the BWT system from WLL and it adds back magnesium. Should I consider upgrading?

We have a BWT filter system that we're quite satisfied with. My main recommendation should you choose this system for in-line water filtration would be to purchase the smallest sized cartridge unless you're making a ton of drinks every day. The cartridge will expire by age long before it's exhausted by use.

The 1st thing that goes is the biological disinfectant due to age beyond 1-year. Given the temperature of the hot water in either boiler, I don't think that the biological component of the filter is a big factor. Most pathogens would be killed virtually almost on contact.

Your Homeland is a conventional sodium ion exchange resin, which is very different from the WAC resin (hydrogen ion exchange, decarbonizing resin) that is used in the BWT bestmax premium. There are situations where a conventional softener is preferable (BWT sells one of these -- the BWT Bestprotect filter.)

If your water is very hard, as in above 200 mg/L (CaCO3 equivalent) the conventional softener is often recommended. It is far better at reducing the hardness without reducing the alkalinity and acidifying the water to potentially corrosive levels. Especially when the water has significant chloride ion a conventional softener like the Homeland or BWT Bestprotect is a better choice because they will not reduce alkalinity nor acidify the water, which would exacerbate the chloride corrosion risk.

Magnesium in the water is widely touted to somehow enhance flavor. This has never been reliably demonstrated to be true, and a little hard to believe since the ground coffee itself releases 50 times or more the amount of magnesium that you might get from one of these magnesium enriched filters. We've seen one taste experiment that for one particular coffee appeared to favor magnesium over calcium, but it was a very iffy study sponsored by BWT, with uncertain authorship, uncertain statistics, never formally published for review. (see some discussion of that here: Calcium chloride vs. Magnesium sulfate .)

Very helpful and reassuring that I'm Lilly fine with my current set up. My water is very hard. I'll do updated tests and share.

Thank you.