Direct answer: Kinetico sells two current softener families, both non-electric and twin-tank. Premier XP is the higher-flow, 10-year-warranty line: the S150 XP, S250 XP, S250 OD XP, S350 XP, S550 XP, S650 OD XP and S750 XP softeners, plus the Q850 OD XP and Q950 OD XP combination systems, which add whole-house carbon, Chloraban or Sulfaban treatment. Signature Series is the 5-year-warranty line, with two models: the Signature 735 (7” x 35” tanks) and Signature 935 (9” x 35” tanks). Kinetico does not publish flow rates or prices for individual models on its site. Your dealer sizes the system after a water test.
Publisher boundary: Water System Guide is an independent research publisher, not a Kinetico dealer or affiliate. Model lists, specifications and claims come from Kinetico’s website, its Premier XP owner’s manual 16522E (July 2025), its Signature Series owner’s manual 15066C (February 2024) and its residential warranty, reviewed October 15, 2026. Where Kinetico does not publish a number, we leave it blank rather than estimate it.
The two families at a glance
| Premier XP | Signature Series | |
|---|---|---|
| Kinetico’s label | “Best seller - highest rated” | “Classic design - reliable performance” |
| Tanks | “Twin & multi-tank systems” | “Twin tank systems” |
| Power | Non-electric | Non-electric |
| Regeneration control | XP meter with hardness adjustment knob | SmartDisk |
| Kinetico’s positioning | “Highest flow rates,” “most efficient,” “models for all types of homes” | “Efficient operation,” “great for medium to large homes” |
| Warranty | 10 years | 5 years |
| Models in the current manual | 7 softeners, 4 combination systems | 735 and 935 |
Sources: Kinetico water softeners, Premier XP manual, Signature manual.
Both families share the core design. Kinetico says its systems “are powered by the energy of moving water, not electricity,” have “a built-in water meter,” regenerate “on demand,” and use twin tanks so that “when one tank needs to regenerate, service automatically switches to the other tank” (Premier XP manual, PDF page 7).
Premier XP softeners
The Premier XP owner’s manual lists these models and product numbers on its cover (Premier XP manual, PDF page 1):
| Model | Product number | Type | WQA certified? |
|---|---|---|---|
| S150 XP | 16531 | Softener | Yes |
| S250 XP | 16532 | Softener | Yes |
| S250 OD XP | 16533 | Softener, Overdrive | Yes |
| S350 XP | 16534 | Softener | Yes |
| S550 XP | 16535 | Softener | Yes |
| S650 OD XP | 16537 | Softener, Overdrive | Yes |
| S750 XP | 18142 | Softener | No |
The certification column comes from the manual: Premier XP softeners “are tested and certified by WQA against the requirements of NSF/ANSI Standard 44 for softener performance and chemical reduction of barium and radium 226/228,” and NSF/ANSI 372 and CSA B483.1, except that “S750 XP, Q850 OD XP w/Chloraban®, Q850 OD XP with Sulfaban™ and Q950 OD XP are not Tested and Certified by WQA” (PDF page 17).
What “OD” means
OD stands for Overdrive. The manual says Overdrive “directs the flow of water through both tanks of the system simultaneously during service cycles. Water flow is distributed evenly between the tanks, increasing flow, increasing contact time with media and decreasing pressure loss.” During regeneration one tank provides normal service flow, and “when the cycle is complete, both tanks are immediately placed back into service” (PDF page 8). The S250 XP and S250 OD XP are therefore the same size class with different flow paths.
What “XP” means
The manual’s glossary defines XP as “Extra (Xtra) Precise. Used to calibrate system to more exact hardness specifications.” The XP regeneration meter “allows for the adjustment of regeneration frequency based on inlet water hardness,” and “adjustment of the hardness adjustment knob should always be made by an authorized Kinetico service representative” (PDF page 14).
Kinetico’s efficiency claim
Kinetico calls two models the “World’s Most Efficient Water Softeners”: the S650 OD XP and the Q850 OD XP. It says they provide “more soft water from each bag of salt than any other water softener you can buy,” and bases the claim on “independent testing done by the Water Quality Association (WQA) per NSF/ANSI Standard 44, an industry-accepted efficiency rating measuring the amount of hardness removed per pound of salt used” (Premier XP page). Kinetico’s pages do not publish the grains-per-pound figure, so we cannot compare it with other brands here.
Premier XP combination systems
The combination systems add a second treatment in the same multi-tank unit. Kinetico’s glossary describes a combination system as a “duplex combination filter / softener system using four separated media tanks and one control” (PDF page 18).
| Model | Product number | Added media | Purpose, per the manual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q850 OD XP with Activated Carbon | 16539 | Two tanks of activated carbon | Whole-house dechlorination |
| Q850 OD XP with Chloraban | 16540 | Two tanks of Chloraban | Whole-house dechloramination |
| Q850 OD XP with Sulfaban | 17657 | Two tanks of Sulfaban | Lower concentrations of chloramine |
| Q950 OD XP with Activated Carbon | 18134 | Two tanks of activated carbon | Whole-house dechlorination |
Source: Premier XP manual, PDF page 10. The manual notes that “chlorine/chloramine reduction is not part of Standard 44 NSF/ANSI certification.”
The carbon or Chloraban needs periodic replacement: “Expect to replace the carbon/Chloraban every few years as a general rule, although it may last longer if your water supply does not contain high levels of chlorine/chloramine” (PDF page 11).
On chlorinated city water, the combination models also matter for the warranty. Kinetico covers the softener resin on water with oxidizing agents only when “the softener must be a Premier Series Q850 XP or Q850 OD XP … or be preceded by a Kinetico Dechlorination or CRS System” (residential limited warranty). See the Kinetico warranty guide.
Signature Series: 735 and 935
The Signature Series manual covers two models (Signature manual, PDF page 10):
| Signature 735 | Signature 935 | |
|---|---|---|
| Product number | 15063 | 15112 |
| Tank size | 7” x 35” | 9” x 35” |
| Media volume per tank | 0.50 cu ft | 0.75 cu ft |
| Maximum compensated hardness | 40 gpg | 60 gpg |
| Backwash flow rate | 1.4 gpm | 2.0 gpm |
| Operating pressure | 15–125 psi | 15–125 psi |
| Operating temperature | 35–120°F | 35–120°F |
The manual says that “for specific unit operation, please reference the performance data sheet provided by your authorized Kinetico dealer.” Kinetico’s Signature page says “‘Daily Capacity’ is total grains-of-hardness removal capacity based on an average of 3 demand-generated regeneration cycles per day,” but the page does not list the daily capacity figures for either model (Signature Series page).
Signature systems are set with a SmartDisk, “set to accommodate your specific water conditions.” Kinetico describes them as “modeled after our original twin tank, non-electric water softeners,” able to handle “hard water and soluble iron problems” (Signature Series page).
Differences that show up in ownership
- Manual regeneration time. The Premier XP manual says to repeat manual regeneration “after the water flow stops (11 to 90 minutes, depending on the model)” (Premier XP manual, PDF page 14). The Signature manual gives “19 to 30 minutes, depending on the model” (Signature manual, PDF page 7). Our Kinetico regeneration guide compares the two procedures.
- Salt. Both manuals say to refill before water is visible in the brine tank and not to use rock salt. The Signature manual also excludes solar salt and adds: “To minimize the potential for salt bridging, fill the brine tank to the halfway point with regenerant” (Signature manual, PDF page 9).
- By-pass. The Signature manual describes a sliding by-pass with a blending screw for mixing some hard water into the soft water. The Premier XP manual describes a three-position valve: off, by-pass and in service.
- Warranty. 10 years on all parts and tanks for Premier XP; 5 years for Signature.
How to choose
Kinetico’s advice is to let a dealer size the system: “Contact your local, authorized Kinetico Water Specialist to ensure you get the proper model for your home and lifestyle” (Premier XP page). Its sizing FAQ names “the hardness level of your water, the number of people in your household, and how much water you use each day” as the key factors (Kinetico water softeners).
Questions worth asking the dealer, based on what Kinetico does and does not publish:
- Which exact model and product number is being quoted?
- What daily capacity and service flow does the dealer’s performance data sheet give for that model at your hardness?
- Is your water chlorinated or chloraminated? If so, will the resin be under warranty with this configuration?
- Is the model WQA-certified? (S750 XP and three of the four combination systems are not.)
For pricing see the Kinetico water softener cost guide. For brand-level comparisons see Kinetico vs Culligan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Kinetico Premier XP and Signature Series?
Both are non-electric, twin-tank, demand-regenerating softeners. Premier XP is Kinetico’s higher-flow line, with seven softener models, four combination systems and a 10-year warranty. Signature Series has two models, the 735 and 935, with a 5-year warranty.
What does OD mean on a Kinetico softener?
Overdrive. In service, water flows through both tanks at once, which Kinetico says increases flow and contact time and decreases pressure loss. During regeneration, one tank provides service.
Which Kinetico softener is the most efficient?
Kinetico names the S650 OD XP and the Q850 OD XP as the “World’s Most Efficient Water Softeners.” It bases the claim on WQA testing to NSF/ANSI Standard 44, measured as hardness removed per pound of salt.
What is the Kinetico Q850?
A Premier XP combination system: a high-efficiency softener with two added tanks of activated carbon, Chloraban or Sulfaban for whole-house chlorine or chloramine reduction.