Waterside MC350 Reviews

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Waterside MC350
★☆☆☆☆
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Latest Reviews

“Re-occurring Faults”

★★☆☆☆

written by RickyAP on 03/05/2016

We have had the MC350 for around six years. I noticed high water in the unit and excessive salt usage. I called an engineer and they came out and said new washers and seals were needed. We went ahead and at a cost of over £100 assumed that was it. We have now had the same problems again and had to have the same thing done again. I noticed this weeks the problem has re-occurred around a year or 18 months down the line. I'm now wondering whether it's better to bypass the softener and give up. I would purchase a new unit but it seems the problem will continue even with the new units.

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“High Water Bills due to WATERSIDE MC350”

★★☆☆☆

written by MWHR on 14/12/2015

We had a MC350 fitted four years ago, but never linked it to our high water usage since then, we are on a water meter with a long run to the house so thought we had a slow leak in the pipeage. Eventually a Thames Water engineer was called out last week. He told us the excessive use of water is due to the water softner discharging water, and that he had seen similar problems in the past few weeks. It appears that our water softner has been defective for some time and that perhaps we ought to have spotted this much sooner through salt usage and water overflow. I had assumed that the water level in the brine cabinet was meant to be to the top - the handbook does not mention what the optimum water level should be, only the minimum level of 150mm. We have no visual or audible alarms on the screen. Having contacted Waterside, I am told that the nearest engineer is based in Maidenhead, nearly an hour's drive away, and that he will not be available for nearly four weeks. I wait with trepadation and note the comments of others on this web site.

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“Overflowing problem repaired at reasonable cost”

★★★☆☆

written by riccume on 21/01/2014

I've had the machine for 5 years, it always worked well but a few weeks ago it started to fill up, similar problem to what others described here. I contacted BWT (they are the only ones allowed to service this machine) and scheduled a visit from a technician on the following week. I also contacted the marketing manager who has been active on these site, to share my concern that, given the numerous negative feedbacks, it wasn't worth repairing this unit. The advisor was very helpful with the process and the repair was completed on time for a total of £145, including servicing, not cheap but at least it was done. The technician told me that at this point the machine should be OK for several years: on this basis I have no major complains (minor complain: cost of the repair) and in fact I found the advisor exceptionally helpful. Hopefully you won't hear from me again!

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Eliefabs's Response to riccume's Review

Written on: 12/09/2015

Valuable article . I was fascinated by the facts - Does someone know where my assistant could possibly access a fillable 2011 CA MC-350 document to fill in ?

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Julzff's reply to Eliefabs's Comment

Written on: 14/09/2015

Hey, I found a blank " 2011 CA MC-350 document" to fill out

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“Very good bit of kit”

★★★★☆

written by on 09/04/2013

I've had an MC350 for about 7 years now and it has just sat there and done its thing. First fault last month when the O ring between the valve head and the resin cylinder started leaking. Got a set of two O rings form Wrekin Water Softeners, followed their instructions and replaced it no problems. Other than that it's been a good bit of kit and I'd certainly have another one. The secret with this, as with all appliances is not to be afraid of it - its just plumbing after all and easily understood. If yyou understand how it works then you can fix it when it doesn't!

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“Broken down 4 times in 5 years, time to put it in the skip”

★☆☆☆☆

written by CWSC on 08/03/2013

I only wish that I would have read reviews prior to purchasing. Whilst I would not now be without a water softener the MC350 was a poor choice of product. If I add up the cost of the original purchase + 4 service calls in 5 years it was indeed a poor purchase. The last time it was fixed 10 months ago and another £120, engineer had trouble convincing himself, let alone me that it's the norm to have a yearly service on the MC350 given the mechanical nature of the device.. At that time I said no more, time to cut losses and next time it breaks, time to drop it in the skip. The common issue we've had throughout is excessive use of salt along with flooding chamber that will not empty itself. Suggest you either buy the mc350 and Budget an additional £10 a month for service charges or look elsewhere.

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Bwtuk's Response to CWSC's Review

Written on: 20/03/2013

Dear CWSC
I am very disappointed to hear that you have not been satisfied by the performance of your water softener. I have logged your comments onto our complaints register using the unique reference number C0373. Would you be so kind as to email BWT on [email protected] quoting the reference number C0373 along with your contact details, this would enable us to review your water softeners service history prior to contacting you to discuss the nature of the problem and how we could help to resolve the current issue and also offer reassurance that BWT respond to all customer complaints and offer customers a high level of back up and service support.

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Titleist Guy's Response to CWSC's Review

Written on: 09/11/2014

20 months later and guess what?, yep, the chambers filling up with water... again..... No more service charges, no more MC350, it's in the skip... waiting for a replacement to be delivered.. nope nut Culligan,, reading reviews there's much better products out there..

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“Waterside MC350 - Don't waste your money”

★☆☆☆☆

written by goldingggg on 05/03/2013

I thought Culligan was a good make so bought their MC350 water softener about 5 years ago. It has never worked properly, uses lots of salt one month, none the next although our water consumption is stable. It has leaked for the last year, needed a new circuit board after 2 years. The salt alert sound randomly, whether it has salt or not and yesterday the head section blew off from its base, spraying mains water pressure until we isolated the unit. If it had not been located in the garage it would have flooded the house.

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Hello12's Response to goldingggg's Review

Written on: 07/03/2013

Have had the same problems...im about to replace the circuit board again within 5 yrs....usless

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Bwtuk's Response to goldingggg's Review

Written on: 21/03/2013

Dear Goldinggg

I am very disappointed to hear that you have not been satisfied by the performance of your water softener. I have logged your comments onto our complaints register using the unique reference number C0372. Would you be so kind as to email BWT on [email protected] quoting the reference number C0372 along with your contact details, this would enable us to review your water softeners service history prior to contacting you to discuss the nature of the problem and how we could help to resolve the current issue and also offer reassurance that BWT respond to all customer complaints and offer customers a high level of back up and service support.

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“A completely worthless piece of junk.”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 15/10/2012

The general builders who were completely renovating a house for us got this unit fitted in response to our requests for a water softener. Literally 2 weeks after the year's warranty ran out the unit started recycling constantly, it absolutely *age* salt (an entire 25kg bag in one week!) and the salt hopper kept flooding. The manufacturers came out to fix it (a bill of £180!) and fixed it...'up-selling' another year's warranty. The second warranty ran out a week ago...and guess what, the machine has started recycling constantly and yet again the salt hopper is filling with water. So it seems to me that this company is cynically manufacturing this junk with parts that fail a little over the 12-month mark in order to keep you tied in to an expensive annual warranty. I now face getting this joke of a machine ripped out and replaced with something decent. Oh, and I notice that their Marketing Manager is replying to these reviews with a pathetic attempt at spin....my advice mate is don't bother because as a Marketing Manager you're as much use as a fish on a bicycle and people aren't interested in your media statements, they're interested in getting the company to acknowledge and fix a truly shoddy product!

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Mwhitehair's Comment

Written on: 15/10/2012

I have a mc350 hi flo and guess what you are totally right, what a load of rubbish, had it for two years and of course stopped working after a year, service engineer came out and fixed and this lasted 2 weeks and broke again, not been working since and engineer not answering calls. This is not one off stuff as my friend had one fitted at the same time by the same plummer and he has exactly the same problems, you cant keep paying repair bills so only option is to junk. Be warned stay clear of waterside softeners.

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 14/03/2013

Dear Customer
I am very disappointed to hear that you have not been satisfied by the performance of your water softener. I have logged your comments onto our complaints register using the unique reference number C0374. Would you be so kind as to email BWT on [email protected] quoting the reference number C0374 along with your contact details, this would enable us to review your water softeners service history prior to contacting you to discuss the nature of the problem and how we could help to resolve the current issue and also offer reassurance that BWT respond to all customer complaints and offer customers a high level of back up and service support.
Regards
BWT Service

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“THIS IS AN UNRELIABLE MACHINE WHICH BREAKS OFTEN. ”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 02/10/2012

THIS IS AN UNRELIABLE MACHINE WHICH BREAKS OFTEN. Furthermore the manufacturer's guarantee is not worth the paper it is written. I have such a machine installed in my house and broken in less than 2 years, upon calling their service, they are asking for a call out charge and cost of repairs. It has also been using salt in excess in comparison with a previous system I had. Most faults are due to its electrical timer and motor. My older system had a mechanical timer and is still working at my previous house after 20 years. I WILL NOT BUY ONE IF I WERE YOU. I WISHED I HAD ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW BEFORE I BOUGHT MINE.

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“Try installing it somewhere outside”

★☆☆☆☆

written by wiggrat on 04/09/2012

We've had the MC350 for about 6 yrs now. There's been a damp patch below where the overflow exits the building for the last 5 yrs. Constant dripping from the overflow has been the least of our problems though. About 2 yrs ago there was water in the lid area (thankfully dripping into the main salt container through the small drain hole). This was being caused by the PLASTIC!!? blend valve starting to fail: the 'screw-on' black plastic retainer had started to break down & was cracking. Phoned Culligan- the chap was helpful in getting me to isolate the unit IMMEDIATELY as if this 'went' we would have mains water pressure spraying everywhere; he arranged for a new blend valve to be sent to me, which I replaced. Fast forward to yesterday & I get a call from my wife (I am 2500 miles away at work) telling me that there was 2 inches of water in the downstairs of our house. The same poorly designed PLASTIC blend valve had failed; not just in a 'hairline crack in the plastic' kind of way- this time the valve blew off, spraying water everywhere. Carpets ruined, furniture damaged, damp everywhere.

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Wiggrat's Response to wiggrat's Review

Written on: 05/09/2012

I've arrived home now to the mess that has been caused by the MC350. On closer inspection the blend valve (yes, the PLASTIC blend valve- the plumber we called out to isolate the unit was baffled at the "dinky-toy" choice of material for this vital component). If you've got one of these water softeners, GO AND CHECK IT NOW. Look for hairline cracks in the black retaining nut that holds the green blend valve knob in position. If there are any:- isolate the softener straight away! - believe me, the consequences if (when) that thing goes are catastrophic. Because of the saturated carpets the whole house now smells of wet dog; not pleasant, and considering one of my kids suffers from asthma, potentially bad for your health.
----------------------------------------AVOID.-----------------------------------------

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“Waterside MC350 / MC250 Problems?”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 05/03/2012

These countless reviews based upon the Waterside MC350 / MC250 are very interesting and only seem to confirm my own findings based upon my 12 years experience with these machines. I must however be up-front and say that I have been in the water softener industry for many years and have sold and installed many hundreds of different manufacturers machines over the years from North Somerset, through Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Being an independent business gives you the advantage of spec'ing the right machine for the right job or so you hope and not being tied to any specific manufacturers product that you HAVE to sell can therefore allow you the free reign to choose the machine that is best suited for the purpose, with the criteria varying from the size of the space available for installation, the capacity, the flow rate (peak water demand), and the price etc. Over the years I have come across countless (and this is no exaggeration) numbers of consumers who have purchased a Waterside MC250 or currently the Waterside MC350 fully automatic water softener in good faith, (typically recommended by their local plumber) and have ultimately had very disappointing results. We regularly get enquiries asking if we repair them. Although of course we can undertake servicing to most of the Waterside machines, I tend to advise against costly repairs because ultimately the problems with these machines never seem go away and on going repairs always appear necessary. The bottom line to anyone reading this is that the Waterside MC250 / MC350 units are unquestionably unreliable and problematic water softeners and I say this with 'no slant' as the profit margin for us is actually better than many of the other makes we sell! But unfortunately I have witnessed flooded kitchens, overflowing water softeners, excessive manufacturers repair bills and tried too often in vain to repair enough of these machines that simply never seem to work consistently and never deliver consistently softened water as a good quality machine should do. All in all, their are plenty of other machines out there to choose from, depending on your requirements and circumstances. If you need any further independent advice (or have had a Waterside machine that is causing you problems) our contact details can be found on our website - www.watersoftenerinstallers.co.uk

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Guest's Comment

Written on: 06/04/2012

iam a water softner engineer been doing this for 16 years , and i have to say the mc250 and the mc350 are very poor in construction made with a cheap plastic that is brittle a motor that just about good for a toy has no way of shutting off water if in a regeneration and the power goes off it just keeps filling usally over the top then threw the over flow , its very cheap they flooded the market , if you want good softners harveys block eco water just dont buy cheap,

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Willp's Comment

Written on: 21/06/2012

As the first person to review this product (in 2008) on this site and say how badly it performed, I was concerned that I might have got it wrong. Apparently not, and it seems that it has taken the manufacturer (Waterside/Culligan) several years to wake up to the fact that many people have problems with the MC350. Since having the head replaced with a Fleck in 2008 all has been OK but I wish the boiler installer had put in a more reliable softener in the first place. Good luck if you've just bought one. [willp]

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 13/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of the MC range of water softeners, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experiences with BWT and our MC range.

As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we will always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that the MC Range of water softeners have since July 2010 been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.

I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time, and would advise anybody that has experienced a problem with one of our products to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty. We take all customer calls seriously and will ensure any issues are resolved quickly.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“Don't buy this Culligan MS 350 , Faulty Seals”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 25/02/2012

Bought one new in may 2008 . After 15 months constantly overflowing . Spent £180 to fix with one year warrenty , after fault on a seal causing water to ingress into electronic circuit board . 16 months later same fault with water on printed circuit board , seal gone again . Not worth spending any more , and have purchased another make with 7 year warrenty

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 13/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.

In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“Overflowing problems”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 07/11/2011

Same as the alot the other comments, had this water sofener for about 4 years but now overflowing all the time- will have to replace. Though reasonably priced at the time- it was a false economy as having to replace.

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 13/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.

In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. Owners, plumbers and installers can contact our customer service department on 01376 344200 where their call and any issues can be dealt with promptly. We take all customer calls very seriously and encourage customers that feel less than satisfied with the service they receive to ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“This unit is the worst water softener I have come...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 25/02/2011

This unit is the worst water softener I have come across, avoid at all cost. I had another softener for 15 years and never failed, I have had 3 MC350's every one has failed and the suppliers says it needs servicing every year for £180 a go?? Buy another make because this is [email protected]

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 13/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. The MC350 requires no more servicing than other comparable units, but like all similar appliances, it will benefit from regular servicing to ensure that it operates efficiently and effectively.

As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.

I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time. We do encourage feedback from our customers and would advise you to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200 if you feel that there are unresolved issues. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“Bought a Waterside MC350 just over 2 years ago while...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 12/01/2011

Bought a Waterside MC350 just over 2 years ago while extending the house.
Despite spending £12,000 with our plumber he insisted that we buy this direct as he did not want anything to do with it. So we did.
Everything seemed OK until after 13 months it would keep recyling.
Then leaks started from the top, followed by constant overflow (there are 2 overflows piped in) Then the electronic timer display packed up followed by some very bizarre noises and finally a significant flood in the kitchen.
Emails were ignored so have just chucked this £600 pile of junk in the bin.

I will never touch anything from this company again. I wish I had taken the time to read these review before buying this rubbish.

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 14/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience.

As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading free 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.

I hope you can appreciate that no range of domestic appliances can be perfect all of the time, and would advise anybody that experiences a problem with one of our products to contact our customer service team on 01376 334200. Your call will be dealt with promptly and if at the end of the call you are not satisfied with the outcome, please ask for your call to be passed to the senior manager on duty. We take all customer calls seriously and will ensure any issues are resolved quickly.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“Looking at these reviews, I seem to have been really...”

★★★☆☆

written by jlhalstead1 on 04/11/2010

Looking at these reviews, I seem to have been really lucky. Mine lasted about 10 years before it went wrong. I could not get any technical support from Culligan and the answerphone was full and would not take any more messages. I wonder why!

I took the advice I read here and contacted Wrekin Water Softners. Excellent and knowledgable advice and service. I purchased a replacement head and fitted it myself. The cost was £185 inclusive of delivery. I also changed the resin at an extra £60. Parts arrived next day. Clear instructions by email and instant telephone support for the one problem I did have. I am told the new head is much more reliable. Time will tell.

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Bwtuk's Response to jlhalstead1's Review

Written on: 14/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your water softener, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.

Yours Sincerely,

Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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Jlhalstead1's Response to jlhalstead1's Review

Written on: 20/06/2012

Dear Mr Fraser,

Thank you for your contact. Since I fitted the new head, the softener has been fine. In fact I am using much less salt than before because the old one filled the salt resevoir with water from leaking seals. It did this from new, and not knowing any differently, I thought this was normal.

I am glad to hear you have improved your customer service.

I would be happy to recommend the new head to anyone.

Best regards

John Halstead

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“manufactures offer nil support just want to charge...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 14/10/2010

manufactures offer nil support just want to charge call out constantly overflowed found solution myself technical support very unhelpful would never buy another product from them
solution i found for overflowing was to take pump apart and turn o rings over
two in particular one shaped as a figure of 8 and the one on the end of plunger {white plastic bit with spring }

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 14/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your water softener, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“We purchased a MC-350 about six years ago. It was...”

★★☆☆☆

written by Roger Cull on 04/10/2010

We purchased a MC-350 about six years ago. It was expensive for what it is and it has been problematic ever since, where one has to continually reset it and regenerate the system to keep it softening. Its economical on salt because its so inefficient.

I've just phoned Culligan for a servicing quote and I was astounded at their prices. Option 1. £80 + parts + VAT. Option 2. £150 all inclusive! Bloody expensive especially when you compare it to say Dyson Ltd whose charges are aorund £60 inclusive. DON'T BUY A CULLIGAN!!!!

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Bwtuk's Response to Roger Cull's Review

Written on: 14/06/2012

Dear Roger Cull,

As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed and saddened to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and our service team. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“As a previous owner of a MC250 for many years, I...”

★★★☆☆

written by on 26/08/2010

As a previous owner of a MC250 for many years, I upgraded to this softener when the MC250 packed up.
This review is for the MC350 softener, not Culligan as a company (they're awful though Waterside (now Culligan) engineer excellent).

At first it would not regenerate on time and seemed to be missing by about four days for the hardness in our area, so we got hard water for that period. After five engineer visits and lots of spares/upgrades etc. It now works perfectly. This was all done under warranty or as an existing fault.

What's great about it is something called Proportional Brining. This means it only uses enough salt to clean the amount of resin used in the filter. You can therefore turn it right up to say, 800ppm and it will use no more salt than if you had it set correctly (but will use slightly more water).
For a family of four, we use about five bags of salt per year.

Be wary of softener companies over-selling. Most of the time you won't need all the features offered on very expensive softeners. The key is in the quality of the valve and the resin, and not much more.

The very kind Culligan engineer has recommended a Monarch softener (around £500), which has a 5 year parts and labour guarantee. They're also not owned by Culligan.

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 14/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your water softener, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed to hear about your experience. As Europe's leading water technology group, we stand by our products and our service team. We are so confident in our products that since July 2010, the MC350 has been supplied with a no hassle 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour guarantee

With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit but when this isn’t possible, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you feel as though there are unresolved issues, I would advise you to call our customer service team who can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manger

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“I inherited a Waterside 350 water softener with a...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 09/08/2010

I inherited a Waterside 350 water softener with a house move. It has been nothing but trouble and because the manufacturer only allows Culligans to service and repair the item it costs a fortune for repairs. I have spent several hundred pounds over the last few years getting parts replaced. Eventually it again broke down this month with water constantly running down the overflow and it was estimated to cost £400 for repairs. I made Culligans take the damn thing out and I am looking for a more reliable brand. I cannot recommend this product, steer clear !

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 14/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your MC350, we have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that we are disappointed and saddened to hear about your experience. As the largest manufacturer of domestic water softeners in the UK, we always stand by the quality of our products and service team. Our confidence in our products is reflected in the fact that since July 2010, the MC Range of water softeners have been supplied with an industry leading 5 years parts and 2 year on–site labour warranty.

In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When this situation occurs, our dedicated engineers are able to normally solve most issues in a single visit. When this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable, but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team instead, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.

Kind regards,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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“had the mc 350 installed 2 years ago,has been nothing...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 26/07/2010

had the mc 350 installed 2 years ago,has been nothing but trouble since day one.overflowing the main problem.culligan mending in 1st year under warranty.I cannot find an independant company to now srvice it as they cannot get parts from culligan and most of these companies say it is a "rogue machine".going to cut my losses and buy a different make.Definitely not recommended.I wish i had seen this site 2 years ago.

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Bwtuk's Comment

Written on: 15/06/2012

Dear Customer,

As the manufacturer of your MC350, I have read your review and would like to take this opportunity to say that I am disappointed to hear about your experience. As part of Europe’s leading water technology group, we stand firmly by the quality of our products and are so confident in the MC range of water softeners that since July 2010, they have been supplied with a no quibble 5 year parts and 2 year on-site labour warranty.

In the last ten years, we have manufactured over 70,000 water softeners, and unfortunately, from time to time, despite rigorous quality control, an odd few do not perform in the way in which we would like. When and if these situations are brought to our attention, we always aim to act quickly to resolve the issue. With many years of experience, our engineers can normally solve most issues in a single visit. But when this isn’t possible for whatever reason, we always aim to keep you informed as to the reasons why. Our engineers are friendly and approachable but if you would prefer to speak to our Customer service team, then they can be contacted on any working day between 8.30 and 5pm on 01376 334200. At the end of a call or engineers visit, if you feel less than satisfied with the service you have received, please ask to speak to the senior manager on duty who will personally deal with any remaining issues you have.

Yours Sincerely,


Ian Fraser
Marketing Manager

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Was this review helpful? 0 0

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Asked by Pupad on 22nd May 2016 Report this content
What is the range for water hardness, is a higher number (300) harder or softener than 150? Thanks 

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Asked by kakariab on 17th September 2015 Report this content
Where can I get a manual for the Waterside MC350?

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Asked by CharlesDevenish on 10th August 2015 Report this content
Where can I download a copy of the operating manual for the Waterside MC350S?

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