Block Salt – Regular and Curve

A Smarter Way to Soften Your Water

Back in the 1990s, while working as a dealer for Kinetico water softeners, Harvey Bowden invented block salt - taking the idea from animal salt licks!  Block salt for water softeners was a game-changing alternative to the heavy, messy bags of granular salt that were commonly used at the time. It was a simple idea with a big impact: make water softeners cleaner, easier to maintain, and better for the customer.

That innovation was so successful that just a few years later, Harvey Bowden founded Harvey Water Softeners - now Europe’s leading softener manufacturer and the only British manufacturer of its kind. Today, they’re the company behind the Minimax range we proudly supply.

Block salt has since become the gold standard for domestic softeners. Why? Because it’s lightweight, clean, and convenient, and it produces a pure brine that helps your softener last longer with fewer servicing issues.

As someone who’s been in the softening industry for over 25 years working directly with Harvey, I’ve seen this evolution first-hand. And I can tell you with confidence: not all salt is created equal.

Two Options. One Standard of Quality.

• Traditional Block Salt

  Used in the Minimax M3, as well as earlier models including Kinetico softeners, these are 4kg rectangular blocks, packed in easy-to-handle 8kg bags (two blocks per pack). A huge improvement over bulky 25kg sacks.
  
  

• Curve Block Salt

  Exclusive to the 5th-generation softeners like the Minimax Innova, mini-curve salt is patented, premium, and guaranteed to meet British Standards. Each recyclable pack contains two curved blocks (2.15kg each), making top-ups easier and safer - especially for those who prefer not to lift heavy loads.
  
  With mini-curve block salt, purity is assured—and your softener’s warranty is fully protected.
  
  

Real-World Usage:

Manufacturers often estimate one block per person per month (based on the traditional larger block), but in practice, we find most customers in hard water areas use around ¾ of a block per person per month. That’s just £2–£3 per person monthly - a small price for long-term protection of your home and appliances.

And years down the line? It’s not unusual to open the salt tank and find it as clean as the day it was installed. That’s the power of high-purity block salt.

You can see how much salt you are likely to use in our Learning Hub.