SpringWell WS1 vs iSpring WGB32BM: Tank Iron Filter or Cartridge System?

What each one treats

The WS1 oxidizes iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide with an air pocket in a single tank, traps them in the media and flushes them to drain on an automatic backwash. SpringWell's published limits are iron up to 7 ppm, hydrogen sulfide up to 8 ppm and manganese up to 1 ppm, across pH 6.5 to 10. It is a treatment system for staining and odor, and nothing else: no sediment stage, no carbon, no disinfection.

The WGB32BM is a filtration train. Stage one is a 5-micron polypropylene sediment cartridge, stage two a coconut-shell carbon block for chlorine (up to 99%, a maker claim), taste and odor, and stage three the FM25B cartridge rated for iron up to 3.0 ppm and manganese up to 1.0 ppm (the Amazon listing puts the manganese outcome at down to 0.01 ppm). iSpring says it is specially designed for well water users and it works from pH 6 to 11. The base model makes no hydrogen sulfide claim; iSpring's WGB32B-MKS variant adds one.

So the WS1 handles more than twice the iron and adds sulfur, while the WGB32BM adds sediment and carbon stages the WS1 does not have. On a well with iron over 3 ppm or a rotten-egg smell, only the WS1 is rated for the job.

Flow rate and sizing

The WS1 is rated 12 GPM service flow for one to four bathrooms; the WS4 on the same listing is the larger size. The tank is 10 x 54 in. (64 in. with the head) with a 1 in. connection and 25 to 80 psi operating pressure, shipped at 133 lb.

The WGB32BM is rated 15 GPM peak flow with 1 in. NPT ports, 25 to 80 psi working pressure, on a 24.5 x 8 x 28 in. bracket at 55 lb. Peak and service flow are not the same measure, so treat the two numbers as roughly comparable rather than ranking the iSpring ahead on flow. What does change with flow is cartridge life: the FM25B's 50,000-gallon rating is at 3.0 ppm iron, so a large household near that iron level will be changing it often.

Warranty, certifications and support

SpringWell gives a lifetime warranty against defects on fittings, media, tanks, housings, bypasses, valves and in/out heads, with the electronic head limited to 5 years per the product page (7 per SpringWell's warranty page); returns are accepted within 6 months only for unused, uninstalled items, with a 10% restocking fee. iSpring gives a 1-year manufacturer warranty with lifetime free tech support, and sells paid 3-, 5- and 10-year extended warranties on the product page.

Neither is system-certified. SpringWell's product page states no NSF/ANSI certification and its About page says certified components. iSpring says the stage one and two cartridges are tested by an independent third party to meet NSF/ANSI standards, with no certification stated for the FM25B iron cartridge or the system as a whole. The WS1 has a Bluetooth electronic head; the WGB32BM has no electronics at all.

Price, install and running cost

The WS1 was $2,231.25 at springwellwater.com as of Oct 2026 (sale; regular $2,625.00), plus a required $134.25 well water test and a $58.79 bypass valve. The WGB32BM was $535.99 at ispringfilter.com as of Oct 2026 (regular price), with the WGB32BMF3 bundle including an extra filter set at $649.99 and the exact model in stock on Amazon.

Both are sold as DIY installs with a manual and video. The WS1 needs a drain line and a 120V outlet; the WGB32BM needs neither, which makes it the only option of the two for a location with no drain. Running cost inverts the purchase price: the WS1's media is rated for 10+ years with no scheduled consumable, while the WGB32BM's iron cartridge is rated for 50,000 gallons at 3.0 ppm and the sediment and carbon cartridges for 100,000 gallons or 12 months. On a low-iron well the cartridges are cheap insurance; near 3 ppm they become the dominant cost.