Watermaker Comparison 2026
The watermaker that comes complete — not as a price, plus extras.
LEDI vs Rainman, Schenker, SeawaterPro, Spectra and the DIY route — compared honestly, with verified Australian pricing, by the engineers who build watermakers on the Gold Coast.
Shop the Scout Get sizing advice
🇦🇺 Australian-madeThe sticker price is the whole systemPanel, TDS & flow built inAutoflush included on ModularLocal warranty & sparesNo US freight or duties
The 10-second verdict
- The cheapest complete DC watermaker from any established brand in Australia — the sticker price is the finished, working system.
- The only one a normal solar setup can actually feed — 16–18 A runs off panels most boats already carry.
- The only one where the factory answers the phone — built, warranted and spared from the Gold Coast.
The trick every watermaker buyer learns too late
The advertised price is almost never the working price — imports add freight and GST, and nearly everyone sells the control panel, autoflush and monitoring as extras. LEDI’s price is the finished, working system: Scout is all-in-one, Nomad has the panel, TDS and flow meter built in, and Modular includes the remote panel and autoflush. And it’s cheapest because you buy from the factory — no dealer margin, no add-on price list, no overseas freight.
The full field, side by side
| LEDI | Rainman | Schenker | SeawaterPro | Spectra / Cruise RO | DIY self-source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price (AUD) | $4,699–$11,299 complete — nothing extra to buy | DC portables $7,697 at AU dealer* — panel & autoflush extra | Est. $10,000+ via dealer† | Est. $7,000+ landed† | Est. $15,000+† / AC budget | $3,000–$5,000 in parts + your weeks |
| Replacement membrane (2.5″×21″) | $370, off the shelf — industry-standard size, no lock-in | $711 at AU dealer* | Dealer part | US import + freight | Via agent / import | Market price |
| Panel, TDS & flow meter | Built in as standard — Scout all-in-one; Nomad integrated panel; Modular incl. remote panel | ✗ Paid add-ons (≈$1,450*); full auto panel ≈$6,150*, not offered on 12/24 V | Built in | Basic manual controls | Built in | Source & wire it yourself |
| Autoflush | ✓ Included on Modular kits; flush-ready on Scout & Nomad | ✗ Paid add-on ($449+ in parts at AU dealer*) | Included | Manual flush | Included (premium) | Build it yourself |
| Origin & support | Australia (Gold Coast) — direct from the makers | Australia (Sydney) + dealers | Italy — via dealers | USA — ships from Florida | USA — via agents | You are the support |
| DC (genset-free) models | ✓ 12 / 24 / 48 V across the range, sized to run on solar | 12 / 24 / 48 V line — higher draw per unit | 12–24 V | One 12 V model — ~600 W draw | Spectra 12/24 V | Your choice |
| Portable, zero install | ✓ Scout: one case, drinking water in 5 minutes, UV built in | Portable format (two cases) | Mostly installed | Benchtop / semi-portable | Installed systems | Rarely |
| Energy recovery | Not needed — LEDI’s draw already fits a solar day, with nothing proprietary to fail | No | Yes — low draw via proprietary module | No | Yes (proprietary Clark pump) | Rarely |
| Named components | Pumptec 107SS · Cat Pumps 2SFSEEL · WSD / Vontron membranes · 316SS DEFLOK fittings | Honda · General Pump · FilmTec | Proprietary pump module | Commodity parts | Proprietary (Clark pump) | Whatever you pick |
| Serviceable by you | ✓ Standard parts, full spares store, no proprietary traps | Mostly | ✗ Dealer-serviced | Partly | ✗ Agent-serviced | ✓ Entirely |
| Freight & duties to AU | None — ships from the Gold Coast | None (AU stock) | ✗ Import via dealer | ✗ US freight + GST + duties | ✗ US freight + GST + duties | Often US freight + duties |
| Warranty | 1 yr + 1 free on registration — handled by the people who built it | Local (AU) | Via dealer | Overseas | Via agent | None |
*Rainman AUD prices incl GST at Australian dealer list, July 2026 (Riggtech: Portable-12VDC-34L and Portable-24VDC-55L $7,697; FilmTec 2.5″×21″ membrane $711; autoflush timer $328 + motor valve $121; cross-check Quadrant Marine: AC-140L $8,299 excl freight). Panel figures (≈$1,450 manual panel with autoflush, ≈$6,150 fully automatic panel) are converted from Rainman’s US-region list (US$951 / US$4,049) as AU panel pricing wasn’t published at the dealers we checked — confirm with a Rainman dealer. Rainman 12VDC power figures per rainmandesal.com published specifications (410 W / ~30 A, ±10%). †Import estimates are ours: overseas list price converted to AUD plus typical freight, GST and import costs — actual landed cost varies. All competitor details from published manufacturer/dealer information, July 2026; verify before purchase.
★★★★★
“Most options I looked at were either far too large, power-hungry, or significantly more expensive than the LEDI Scout… Component quality gives me confidence: the Pumptec 107SS high-pressure pump — ceramic plunger, stainless body, brushless, oil-free, fully serviceable — is particularly reassuring.”
Jade — solo cruiser, SY Naijin (Van de Stadt 40)Head-to-head: the matchups people actually ask about
Small DC: Scout vs Rainman 12VDC vs SeawaterPro 12V
| LEDI Scout 10 / 20 | Rainman 12VDC-34 | SeawaterPro 12V DC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price as delivered (AUD) | $4,899 / $5,799 — complete, UV steriliser and everything included | $7,697 at AU dealer*; ≈$9,150 with panel & autoflush | Est. $7,000+ landed† |
| Output (published) | 10 / 20 L/h — sized so solar can sustain it all day | 26–37 L/h — if your bank can feed ~30 A | ~64 L/h — at ~50 A, beyond most solar banks |
| Current draw @ 12 V | 16–18 A typical — runs off a modest solar bank | 410 W / ~30 A (published) — nearly double the Scout | ~50 A — a serious battery bank, or the litres don’t happen |
| Carry & setup | One case, zero install, making water in 5 minutes | Two cases, panel/flush wiring extra | Modular benchtop, manual everything |
| Support | Direct from the factory, Gold Coast | AU dealers | US freight, overseas warranty |
Bottom line: optioned to match a Scout, a Rainman 12VDC runs ≈$9,150 — over $3,300 more than a complete Scout 20 — and still draws nearly double the amps. On solar, amps decide your daily litres. The Scout is the cheapest complete DC watermaker here, and the only one sized for the panels most boats actually carry.
Bigger DC: Nomad vs Rainman 24VDC vs Schenker Zen
| LEDI Nomad 40 / 60 / 80 | Rainman 24VDC-55 | Schenker Zen 30 / 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price as delivered (AUD) | $8,299 / $9,799 / $11,299 complete — built-in panel, TDS & flow | $7,697 at AU dealer* + ≈$1,450 panel & autoflush ≈ $9,150 | Est. $10,000+ via dealer†, plus install |
| Output (published) | 40 / 60 / 80 L/h — the biggest DC output here | 45–61 L/h | 30 / 50 L/h |
| Power options | 12 / 24 / 48 V DC or 240 V mains — the only one offering all four | 24 V DC only in this class | 12–24 V, 110–240 W (energy recovery) |
| Monitoring & control | Control panel, TDS monitor & flow meter built in, standard | Panel + autoflush are paid add-ons; full auto panel (≈$6,150*) not offered on 24 V | Included |
| Servicing | Standard serviceable parts — you, or any decent tech, anywhere | Dealer network | Proprietary module, dealer-only |
Bottom line: an optioned Rainman 24VDC-55 (≈$9,150) costs more than a Nomad 40 and nearly a Nomad 60 — with the automation still bolted on, not built in. Schenker sips power but charges more for less water, behind dealer-only servicing. The Nomad is the most complete high-output DC watermaker in Australia — and the only one here with native 48 V.
The rest of the field — and when they’d beat LEDI
Rainman
The short version
A proven machine with an add-on pricing model — $7,697 at Australian dealers before the panel, autoflush and automation.
Pick it over LEDI only if
You’re happy running a petrol generator for water (their AC units make fast litres — plus noise, fuel and servicing), or you need maximum L/h from one DC unit at ≈$9,150 optioned.
Schenker
The short version
Very low amp draw — at a premium price, behind a proprietary module and dealer-only servicing.
Pick it over LEDI only if
Shaving the last few amps matters more than price, output or servicing it yourself — a Scout’s 16–18 A already fits a normal solar day.
SeawaterPro
The short version
Sharp US sticker, big output — but ~50 A at 12 V, manual controls, no UV, and the price gap closes once it lands in Australia.
Pick it over LEDI only if
You can feed 50 A and you’re happy being your own service department for a US import.
Spectra & Cruise RO
The short version
Spectra: prestige prices and proprietary servicing. Cruise RO: AC-only litres for genset boats. Both imports.
Pick them over LEDI only if
You’re running a superyacht budget (Spectra) or a generator (Cruise RO).
The DIY route — and why we respect it
If you have the skills, self-sourcing can be the cheapest path — we built our first units that way. The catch: component matching, US freight on the good pumps, and no warranty at 2am offshore. So we sell the DIY route properly — matched, bench-tested kits with Pumptec and Cat Pumps, genuine membranes and 316 stainless fittings, in Australian stock, with advice from people who actually build these. Browse DIY parts.
The LEDI line-up
Scout 10 & Scout 20 — from $4,899 complete
10 or 20 L/h · 12 V DC, 16–18 A typical · Pumptec 107SS · built-in UV steriliser · one case, zero install.
See the Scout
Nomad 40 / 60 / 80 — from $8,299 complete
40, 60 or 80 L/h · 12/24/48 V DC or 240 V · Cat Pumps 2SFSEEL · panel, TDS & flow meter built in.
See the NomadModular kits — from $4,699 with remote panel & autoflush included
The build-in option — and unlike the competition, the remote control panel and autoflush come included, not as add-ons.
See the Modular kitsTalk to a builder, not a call centre
We’ll size it honestly for your boat, rig or property — even if the answer is a smaller unit or a DIY kit.
Request a quote Ask a questionComparison compiled 2 July 2026 from publicly available manufacturer and dealer information (riggtech.com.au, Quadrant Marine, rainmandesal.com, schenkerwatermakers.com, seawaterpro.com, spectrawatermakers.com). Output figures are manufacturer/dealer-published ratings and vary with water temperature and salinity. Figures marked “est.” or “≈” are LEDI estimates or currency conversions — actual costs vary. Chart bars are indicative of the figures shown. Brand names belong to their respective owners and are used for factual comparison only. LEDI prices in AUD inc. GST. Competitor pricing changes — confirm current pricing with each manufacturer or dealer before purchase. If you are a manufacturer listed here and believe any detail is out of date, contact us and we’ll review it promptly.