WhyFi My buddy tested my basement bathroom tap and as expected, it tested 411 ppm or very hard. The hot tap in the same sink was less than 25 ppm or pretty soft. Obviously, my contractor hooked in to my outside faucet line which doesn't pass through the water softener. No problem, but it explains a lot.
We checked Costco Kirkland water which I'm now using and it tested below 25 ppm, too.