akrauss,

You can choose from a lot of brands; Aqua-rite, Pentair, Jandy, etc. You can find all on the net.

The question is "Why do you want to buy one?"

PRO: water feels soft, chlorine is put in the pool while the pump is running, will lower chemical maintenance slightly.

CON: Chemical testing/maintenance of ph increases, cell needs to be cleaned regularly, cell rarely lasts thru prorated warranty, cell cost is $5-600 to replace.

For those people who run there pools 24/7, they will get max performance from the salt generator. For those who have high energy costs and run the pump for only 2-4 hours per day, you may need to add additional chlorine.

My opinion is that they are over valued for what they provide in terms of long term maintenance.
Good luck.

Thanks golfgeek. The prime reason for wanting one is the feel of the water, altohugh I admit when I first started looking, I thought I might save on Chlorine cost - - which as you know is crazy expensive !! However, as noted, the cost of cell replacement, clearly wipes away any savings. Good points regarding how long you run your pump for. I had not considered that. I did briefly check on cell replacement cost and thought it was closer to $400. Do you know what is the typical cell replacement cycle ? (I know you say it rarely lasts thru prorated warranty period.) Thanks.

Typical cells will last about 4 years.
Various factors contribute to the life of a cell. Good maintenance is very important and can extend the usful life of a cell.

Thanks again golfgeek. 4 years is about what I figured.

Or add an ozonator instead of a salt cell. Aw-oh! I can hear the debate coming already! I lot of pool builders don't like ozone and say it doesn't work. I think it does and my customers can attest to the water quality. Google it or check out brands that work well in your area. Ozone Joe's is worth a look. Otherwise, if you add a salt cell, you also have to add a Power Center if you don't have one. Seal any natural stone around your pool annually to minimize salt damage

Pentair is the brand I would recommend. Very simple to install and use. And if you ever need great customer service.

Thanks muddy water. The Pentair intellichlor is on my short list. I was also considering the Pool Pilot, as I have two friends who installed one in the last 2-4 years and are happy with it.