Record WT-0030 · Last verified September 2026

Kind Water Systems S-500 Smart Metered Backwashing Carbon Filter

Name: Kind Water Systems S-500 Smart Metered Backwashing Carbon Filter
Brand: Kind Water Systems
SKU: kind-s-500
Price: 1471 USD
Availability: InStock

Whole-house filter (city water) by Kind Water Systems. No system-level certification found at NSF, IAPMO, WQA or CSA.

Overall gradeWeighted from five measures. How grades work

$1,471current price

Estimated 10-year cost$3,359

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We may earn a commission. It never changes a grade.

Scorecard

Measure	Grade	Basis
Certification evidence	D	Maker claims only, no certification or published lab data
10-year cost	B	$3,359 over 10 years
Flow rate	A	12 gpm rated flow
Warranty	B	10 years on main parts
Returns	A	120 days, no restocking fee

What it treats

"Certified" means an independent body (NSF, IAPMO, WQA or CSA) lists this system for that contaminant. "Lab tested" means the maker published a third-party lab report. "Maker claim" means neither.

Contaminant	Evidence
Chlorine	Maker claim	Other systems for Chlorine
Chloramine	Maker claim	Other systems for Chloramine
VOCs	Maker claim	Other systems for VOCs
Sediment	Maker claim	Other systems for Sediment

No claim made for: PFAS, Lead, Iron, Manganese, Hydrogen sulfide, Hardness, Bacteria, Arsenic, Nitrate, Fluoride, Copper, Uranium.

PFAS evidence: No PFAS claim.

Certifications

Standard	Covers	Scope	Certified by
NSF/ANSI 42	chlorine, taste and odor (maker claim for the carbon media)	components	none
NSF/ANSI 61		components	none
NSF/ANSI 372		components	none

What each standard means

Specifications

Type	Whole-house filter (city water)
Technology	Sediment filtration, Catalytic carbon, KDF media
Water source	City water, Private well
Price	$1,471
Rated flow	12 gallons per minute
Sized for	up to 5+ bathrooms
Capacity	600,000 gallons or 5 years, whichever comes first (carbon media)
Media	5-micron pleated polypropylene sediment cartridge (20 in), catalytic carbon, 1.0 cu ft, KDF (listed in the S-500 replacement media kit)
Stages	2
Port size	1 inch
Needs a drain	Yes
Needs power	Yes
DIY install	Yes, with basic plumbing skills
Dimensions	53 x 24 x 15 in (H x W x D, product page); tank 10 x 44 in, 10 x 10 x 53 in space for the tank (manual)
Weight	67 lb
Warranty	Product page and FAQ: limited lifetime warranty on the tanks, 7 years on the electronic heads. Kind's warranty terms for full-size whole-house filters: mineral tank 10 years, proprietary control valves 7 years, other control valves 5 years, accessories and parts 1 year; original purchaser only; no labor. Using a well system on city water (or a city system on well water), or not replacing filters annually, voids the warranty.
Returns	120-day satisfaction guarantee on all products: return within 120 calendar days of order for a 100% refund (return authorization required, original packaging, return must arrive within 21 days of authorization). The returns page says return shipping is the customer's cost; Kind's E-1000 product FAQ says no restocking fee and that Kind covers return shipping. Refused deliveries are charged round-trip shipping and a restocking fee of up to 25%.

10-year cost

Item	Each	Times in 10 years	Cost
System purchase	$1,471	1	$1,471
Installation (assumed, professional)	$500	1	$500
E-100R 5-micron pleated sediment filter, 20 in (FAQ: once a year; stage text: every 6-12 months)	$49	19	$939
S-500R backwashing carbon replacement media kit (1 cu ft catalytic carbon plus KDF), every 600,000 gallons or 5 years	$450	1	$450
Total			$3,359

Install assumption: $500 for whole-house systems, $150 for under-sink units. Installing it yourself brings the total to $2,859. Try your own numbers in the 10-year cost calculator.

Owner reports

No consistent complaint pattern found in public owner reviews.

Kind's tank-based whole-house carbon filter, added as the tank alternative to the E-1000 cartridge unit. Automatic backwash (manual: typically every 4-6 days) through a Bluetooth metered head: needs a drain line (5 GPM backwash) and a 120V outlet; 9V battery backup for the clock is optional. Price is the everyday store price against a $3,197.97 compare-at. Warranty conflict: product page and FAQ promise lifetime on tanks, but Kind's warranty terms give full-size whole-house filters a 10-year tank warranty, so warrantyYears uses 10. The terms also void the warranty when a well system is used on city water, yet the S-500 is sold under Well Systems while its page says it suits city and well homes; check with Kind before installing on city water. KDF is included in types because the S-500 replacement media kit lists catalytic carbon plus KDF; the product page and manual name only catalytic carbon. Page copy repeats E-1000 text (15 GPM sediment stage) while the spec block and manual say 12 GPM service flow. Inputs: iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide must be 0 mg/L; 20-125 psi. 67 lb is the manual's approximate shipping weight. Same unverified NSF 42/61/372 component claims as the E-1000 (no NSF, WQA or IAPMO listing). Only 1 on-site review; Trustpilot has 0 reviews. Affiliate: Awin, 60-day cookie, commission not published.

Alternatives in the same category

System	Grade	Price	10-yr cost	Certified to
SpringWell CF1	B	$1,160	$2,814	None
Aquasana Rhino WH-1000 (Max Flow WH-1010)	B	$999	$6,924	None
Aquasana Rhino Chloramines WH-1011 (Max Flow WH-1021)	B	$1,399	$7,324	None
Aquasana HealthShield WH-HS	C	$2,099	$15,209	NSF/ANSI 53, NSF/ANSI 401, CSA B483.1
SpringWell CSF1	C	$2,321	$3,974	None

Sources

Kind Water Systems S-500 $1,471 Check price