Salt-free water conditioners?

About to have our existing salt-based water softener retired. I'm curious if anyone has replaced theirs with a salt-free water conditioner, and what did you think?
Does it help with scaling and hard-water spots equally as well as a softener?
Does it affect the taste of the water in your home?

I don't have the numbers in front of me... our water has a fair amount of minerals - but doesn't smell bad, or taste bad (IMO). We also have a septic system, so I'm curious if a salt-free conditioner would prolong the life of our septic/drain field as well (eliminate the brine rinse from water softener).

We moved into our new home last July. We have a Nuvo system. It is citrus based. We have the filter and softner. We change both cylinders twice a year. Our water is extremely hard and there are some spots left on chrome. I wipe down our shower glass with a wash cloth after showering and there are no spots on glass. Our water system is one of the worst in the county. The residents in our subdivision have learned the water company is getting fined every day for being out of compliance. So with all the problems with our water supplier, I am happy with the results. I would hope if our water company ever gets their act together, results will improve.

You'll still have buildup with the salt free system

So I have a culligan system in my house. Nh has a ton of iron and minerals in our water hence the granite state. This unit has a few tanks that filter the water and heavy elements settle out. It is automated and will purge itself. I love it because it is maintenance free.