Here's a new thing - water softeners!

[HeatedCatFurniture]

Sorry, sorry, sorry, done a zillion times before I know.

Having new kitchen fitted. Qooker or similar boiling water tap will live under the sink. Apparently this means we can't have the fitting-around-the-plumbing drawers there that I'd set me heart on - BUT having them meant ruling out a water softener, so this is now back on the table.

I have read loads of threads on here about them, I promise. But I have two main questions.

1. Everyone (builder, plumber etc) I've mentioned this to says you can't drink the water. But I know some on here including the wonderful Piglet John beg to differ, and we eat a fuckton of salt anyway so I'm not bothered about that - but does it make the water taste mank? We're in London (SE if that makes any difference) and the water tastes pretty mank as it is.

1. Pressure. We have a combi boiler and apparently our mains flow is good (according to the guy from Thames Water). But if it will make the shower pressure less strong that would put me off quite a lot.

Any thoughts?

It makes the water taste seriously mank. Sorry. We got a Brita tap so the straight mains water goes to the little Brita lever, and the softened water goes to the other lever.

When I fill my bedtime water, I go down to the kitchen to use the Brita side rather than fill using softened bathroom water, it tastes that gross to me.

Also don't forget to get your garden tap on straight mains water as softened water is not good for plants.