Refrigerator Filters

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
sport
Posts: 12084
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Refrigerator Filters

Post by sport »

We bought a Whirlpool fridge about a year ago. Now, Whirlpool is trying to sell us new water filters. Their price is about $50 for a filter. This seems to be expensive. A quick check on Amazon shows generic filters for about $10 each or even less. Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
neilpilot
Posts: 5003
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:46 pm
Location: Memphis area

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by neilpilot »

certainly not 5x better. Possibly the same, but relabelled.
Mako
Posts: 499
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:34 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Mako »

I never had a problem with generic when I had a fridge with a filter.
prd1982
Posts: 1770
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:43 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by prd1982 »

We went with the generics for a Whirlpool. Our water is good to begin with, so we figured the generics should do ok. Of course, we are counting on them being safe, even if not effective.
aquaman
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:13 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by aquaman »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
Depends on the generic filters: https://filteritout.org/wp-content/uplo ... Report.pdf

Also: https://www.consumerreports.org/refrige ... rigerator/
User avatar
iceport
Posts: 6048
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 4:29 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by iceport »

prd1982 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:54 pm We went with the generics for a Whirlpool. Our water is good to begin with, so we figured the generics should do ok. Of course, we are counting on them being safe, even if not effective.
Same here. And I don't change them very often, either... :shock:
"Discipline matters more than allocation.” |—| "In finance, if you’re certain of anything, you’re out of your mind." ─William Bernstein
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8499
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by lthenderson »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
We don't have a whirlpool but the filters in our when we bought generic plugged up a bit quicker but certainly not 80% quicker. Probably like 20% quicker or less.
rebellovw
Posts: 1748
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 4:30 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by rebellovw »

I will NEVER buy the cheap amazon water filters any more - water tastes terrible.

We had a 2010 or so GE fridge - water always tasted good. That and the ice really tasted fine.

I then bought the 3 pack at amazon for much less $$ - and I swear the water tasted awful - noticeably - very distinct change. I started drinking bottled water.

Then my new fridge was installed - and we are back to great tasting water.

I'll never buy a cheapo Amazon water filter. I'll likely pay more to get one from Abt or the manufacturer - I will go out of my way to do this based on my past experience.
Topic Author
sport
Posts: 12084
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by sport »

aquaman wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:30 pm
sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
Depends on the generic filters: https://filteritout.org/wp-content/uplo ... Report.pdf

Also: https://www.consumerreports.org/refrige ... rigerator/
The less expensive filters at Amazon include some made by Filterlogic and ICEPURE. These are labeled with the appropriate certifications. This is an example: https://www.amazon.com/FilterLogic-Repl ... 192&sr=8-5
oldlongbeard
Posts: 242
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 11:07 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by oldlongbeard »

rebellovw wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:42 pm I will NEVER buy the cheap amazon water filters any more - water tastes terrible.

We had a 2010 or so GE fridge - water always tasted good. That and the ice really tasted fine.

I then bought the 3 pack at amazon for much less $$ - and I swear the water tasted awful - noticeably - very distinct change. I started drinking bottled water.

Then my new fridge was installed - and we are back to great tasting water.

I'll never buy a cheapo Amazon water filter. I'll likely pay more to get one from Abt or the manufacturer - I will go out of my way to do this based on my past experience.
Same exact experience. I'll pay the extra for clean water. Like shoes and toilet paper.... there are a few things I don't scrimp on.
rebellovw
Posts: 1748
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 4:30 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by rebellovw »

oldlongbeard wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:20 pm
rebellovw wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:42 pm I will NEVER buy the cheap amazon water filters any more - water tastes terrible.

We had a 2010 or so GE fridge - water always tasted good. That and the ice really tasted fine.

I then bought the 3 pack at amazon for much less $$ - and I swear the water tasted awful - noticeably - very distinct change. I started drinking bottled water.

Then my new fridge was installed - and we are back to great tasting water.

I'll never buy a cheapo Amazon water filter. I'll likely pay more to get one from Abt or the manufacturer - I will go out of my way to do this based on my past experience.
Same exact experience. I'll pay the extra for clean water. Like shoes and toilet paper.... there are a few things I don't scrimp on.
Thank you! - I thought I was going to get the 'it is all in your head' replies.

Few pennies more - heck - I'd live with the good water tasting one long past the light going off saying time for a new one to save a buck (if it was that important to save $$) against buying a cheap one.
Millennial
Posts: 484
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:46 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Millennial »

What are you trying to filter out? A decent portion (though not all) of the tap water in the US won't really be improved by these fridge filters. You should be able to get a water report from your utility (called a CCR) that gives you an idea what's in your water. If it's not worth filtering, the bypass fitting is much cheaper than even generic filters...
oldlongbeard
Posts: 242
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 11:07 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by oldlongbeard »

Millennial wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:32 pm What are you trying to filter out? A decent portion (though not all) of the tap water in the US won't really be improved by these fridge filters. You should be able to get a water report from your utility (called a CCR) that gives you an idea what's in your water. If it's not worth filtering, the bypass fitting is much cheaper than even generic filters...
It is the Chlorination taste. It IS in fact safe before filtering, but my coffee (not to mention water) tastes a WHOLE bunch better without the Chlorine taste added.
DoubleComma
Posts: 2035
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:23 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by DoubleComma »

We have good spring water to begin with, no issues with color, taste, sediment etc. Therefore we bought bypass filter cartridge and simply don’t filter the water in our fridge. Every six months the fridge says we need to change the filter, so we just reset it again and move on with life.
dpc
Posts: 455
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 1:41 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by dpc »

We have experienced problems with the generic filters - mainly plugging up. So I've reverted back to the Whirlpool (or Kenmore) filters. I buy them at our local neighborhood Sears store. Definitely expensive. But my wife can tell the difference in her tea.

The filters help deal with taste and odor issues. It's not a health and safety concern.
"Worrying is like paying interest on a debt that you might never owe" -- Will Rogers
prd1982
Posts: 1770
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:43 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by prd1982 »

Thanks for starting this thread. When we got the Whirlpool, I searched for a bypass, and saw that none was available (as CR article says as well). Just searched again, and it appears the water dispenser works fine if you just don’t install a filter. When the current filter needs to be replaced, I will try running without a filter.
LittleMaggieMae
Posts: 2545
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:06 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

I have a Kenmore (aka Whirlpool) fridge. The "replace water filter" thing is based on fixed amount of time. I don't use water thru door (too slow, too messy, I have no patience. I use a brita pitcher - I know duplicating a thing... I don't care). The only water from the fridge I use is Ice. Lots and lots of ice. I like a "splash" of soda/pop or tea with my ice. I'm not running that much water thru the filter. I tend to let the filter go an extra month or two before replacing (I write the in/out date on a bit masking tape affixed to the filter cover - so I know how long the old filter has been in place. The warning light on the door flashes like clock work when the filters 90 days or whatever are up. I ignore it.

I Buy non Whirlpool filters - they cost $33 dollars each (I buy a 3 pack) versus the $50 something each if I purchased the name brand filters.
I had only one filter that didn't work right "leaked" in the fridge - but that may have been "user error" - as in I messed it up when replacing it. I got the first filter that came with the fridge in OK... and had bought a 3 pack of the not name brand... for some reason I struggled to get the new filter in and I think I messed it up. I cursed, and got the 2nd one in correctly with no leak/drip. I haven't had that problem since (I've had the fridge for 5 years).

I order them online - sometimes from Wal Mart sometimes from some online "filter" store. I've never seen a filter for my fridge priced at $10.00.
Trader Joe
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 6:38 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Trader Joe »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm We bought a Whirlpool fridge about a year ago. Now, Whirlpool is trying to sell us new water filters. Their price is about $50 for a filter. This seems to be expensive. A quick check on Amazon shows generic filters for about $10 each or even less. Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
'
Yes, the Whirlpool brand filters were designed to be compatible with the Whirlpool refrigerator.
Topic Author
sport
Posts: 12084
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by sport »

prd1982 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:15 pm Thanks for starting this thread. When we got the Whirlpool, I searched for a bypass, and saw that none was available (as CR article says as well). Just searched again, and it appears the water dispenser works fine if you just don’t install a filter. When the current filter needs to be replaced, I will try running without a filter.
Our Whirlpool came with a plug that can be used in place of a filter. The installer handed it to us and told us not to lose it. He said replacement plugs cost $25. It is just a piece of plastic.
User avatar
Mlm
Posts: 613
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2016 6:00 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Mlm »

Just a word of caution. A friend of mine bought a highly rated filter on Amazon. She did the replacement same as always but in the morning she woke up to her entire first floor heavily flooded. It was so bad she had several inches of water that had seeped through into her basement.

Everything was destroyed, flooring, carpets, Sheetrock, furniture , draperies. Her insurance company was great but she was out of her house for almost 6 months and I think it ended up costing near 100 K

Buyer beware
Mary
User avatar
Voltaire2.0
Posts: 279
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:12 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Voltaire2.0 »

Mlm wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:21 pm Just a word of caution. A friend of mine bought a highly rated filter on Amazon. She did the replacement same as always but in the morning she woke up to her entire first floor heavily flooded. It was so bad she had several inches of water that had seeped through into her basement.

Everything was destroyed, flooring, carpets, Sheetrock, furniture , draperies. Her insurance company was great but she was out of her house for almost 6 months and I think it ended up costing near 100 K

Buyer beware
Installation error?
aquaman
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:13 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by aquaman »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:15 pm
aquaman wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:30 pm
sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
Depends on the generic filters: https://filteritout.org/wp-content/uplo ... Report.pdf

Also: https://www.consumerreports.org/refrige ... rigerator/
The less expensive filters at Amazon include some made by Filterlogic and ICEPURE. These are labeled with the appropriate certifications. This is an example: https://www.amazon.com/FilterLogic-Repl ... 192&sr=8-5
What do you mean by "appropriate certifications?" The filter that you've linked is only an NSF 42 and 372 filter, which means that it is lead-free and filters aesthetic impurities. OEM filters are also NSF 53 filters, which means that they also remove/reduce a number of contaminants with health effects.

You may or may not care about this difference, but even if the generic filter above isn't counterfeit and the certifications are real, the generic filter that you've linked doesn't carry the same filtration properties. How much this difference means to you is going to be answered differently by different people.

For what it's worth, some generic filters do have both NSF 42 and 53 certifications. They're generally more expensive than just the NSF 42 only generic filters and, of course, you still have to figure out whether these certification claims are trustworthy.
boglegirl
Posts: 629
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:41 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by boglegirl »

This is one of few things that I just wouldn't buy generic, and I also buy from a reputable seller. (Lowe's, Home Depot - or Everydrop website actually has them cheaper)

I don't buy these from Amazon despite being a few dollars cheaper because of the risk of counterfeits. As far as off-brands: Amazon has so many cheap ridiculous off-brands of so many products that are absolute garbage. Search for lanterns just for grins and you'll find Starlight, EZORKAS, Vaunt, LePro, Gold Armor among many others. We were swayed by the thousands of (probably fake) reviews. The worst that happens with poor-quality lanterns is that one won't work straight out of the box, and of the 3 that do work, only one will still be working at the end of your camping trip. :D The worst that happens with a water filter (probably made in the same plant as those cheap lanterns) is - possibly impure water. I only change out the filter 2x/ year; it's not a lot to pay to buy direct from Everydrop.
Last edited by boglegirl on Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
prd1982
Posts: 1770
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:43 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by prd1982 »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:05 pm
prd1982 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:15 pm Thanks for starting this thread. When we got the Whirlpool, I searched for a bypass, and saw that none was available (as CR article says as well). Just searched again, and it appears the water dispenser works fine if you just don’t install a filter. When the current filter needs to be replaced, I will try running without a filter.
Our Whirlpool came with a plug that can be used in place of a filter. The installer handed it to us and told us not to lose it. He said replacement plugs cost $25. It is just a piece of plastic.
I believe it depends on the type of filter your Whirlpool uses. Mine uses a EDR1RXD1 filter. Searching for a plug for this says that one is not needed. I'll be sure to update this thread if it turns out that one is needed.
boglegirl
Posts: 629
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:41 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by boglegirl »

I just did a quick search for the popular EDR1RXD1 and here are the results:

Locally owned Ace Hardware - $50.
Amazon $45 ($43 with S&S)
Lowe's $55
Everydrop $50
Home Depot $50 or $45 if you buy 2

So instead of buying direct from Everydrop, I'll pick one up when I'm at the hardware store.
User avatar
Tubes
Posts: 1881
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2020 6:33 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Tubes »

This has been a good discussion. We use our water dispenser heavily every day and find that the filter is fine for 12 to 15 months. So for $45 or so, it isn't bad.

One thing I didn't consider was counterfeit. It will probably get me to go to a local store next time, although I appear to have gotten correct filters from Amazon (Everydrop for Whirlpool). However, I've had some close calls with counterfeit items on-line. Dull electric razor blades is one thing, but a filter that is actually polluting your water is quite another.
Ramjet
Posts: 1464
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2020 10:45 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Ramjet »

I am guilty of telling the frig I replaced the filter and then sticking the old one back in :|
KlangFool
Posts: 31426
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:35 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by KlangFool »

Folks,

I drink gourmet coffee and tea. The water filter in the refrigerator is not good enough for me. I filter water with Brita water filter before I use it to make my coffee or tea.

KlangFool
30% VWENX | 16% VFWAX/VTIAX | 14.5% VTSAX | 19.5% VBTLX | 10% VSIAX/VTMSX/VSMAX | 10% VSIGX| 30% Wellington 50% 3-funds 20% Mini-Larry
mrsmitt
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by mrsmitt »

$50 for a carbon refrigerator filter is a scam.

Just get under sink RO system and connect it to the fridge. You will get much better drinking water and not only for your fridge.

You will need to replace stage1-3 filters (2 of them are carbon filters) about every six month. Average cost for three branded replacement filters is about $20. The 4th stage filter - to ro membrane needs to be replaced every two years. Expect to pay anywhere from $30-$80 for it.

With RO you will get much better cooking and drinking water with this setup for lower price.

PS I did install a bypass for my original refrigerator carbon filter so water is not going through it.
sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm We bought a Whirlpool fridge about a year ago. Now, Whirlpool is trying to sell us new water filters. Their price is about $50 for a filter. This seems to be expensive. A quick check on Amazon shows generic filters for about $10 each or even less. Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
Last edited by mrsmitt on Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
mrsmitt
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by mrsmitt »

Brita has the carbon filter that can only do so much to catch heavy metals. It will not filter calcium, magnesium or salt used to condition water.

If you really want clean water get RO system. You can actually measure number of particles in it. In our case we use a water softener so our ppm was originally high. RO system is able to reduce ppm from 600 to 10-16 in our case. Starbucks has commercial RO systems that can generate lots of clean water. This is one of their ingredients for a good cup of coffee:)

KlangFool wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:30 am Folks,

I drink gourmet coffee and tea. The water filter in the refrigerator is not good enough for me. I filter water with Brita water filter before I use it to make my coffee or tea.

KlangFool
aquaman
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:13 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by aquaman »

mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:32 am With RO you will get much better cooking and drinking water with this setup for lower price.
Reverse osmosis also wastes a lot of water and also requires electricity. Depending on your location and the exact setup, reverse osmosis won't necessarily save you money.

Reverse osmosis also demineralizes water. There's a debate as to the potential for adverse health effects from long term consumption of demineralized water: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223198/ My understanding is that the matter remains unsettled, and you will find articles on both sides of the debate. Personally, even if the risk is small, I don't see any reason to take it, but reasonable people can and do disagree.
mtn biker
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:55 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by mtn biker »

I didn't read all the comment, sorry if someone mentioned this already.

I played the refrigerator filter game for a while, then I realized it was a racket. Why filter in the fridge with small custom filters? I added a slightly larger filter in the basement under the fridge that is rated to last a whole lot longer than the one in the fridge. I can go with a solid filter and not worry about what fits in the special fridge I purchase. I just installed the bypass in the fridge. Great filtered water at a fraction of the cost.
Gundy
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2020 3:08 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Gundy »

I recently replaced the water filter on my "new" (6-months old) Whirlpool fridge.

I bought a six-pack of generic filters for $52. I can't tell any difference (generic vs the official Whirlpool filter).

And when my filter supply is depleted three years from now, I will insert the little blue bypass plug and be done with this water filter nonsense.
"I look at a hundred deals a day. I pick one." -Gordon Gekko
aquaman
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:13 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by aquaman »

boglegirl wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:50 am I don't buy these from Amazon despite being a few dollars cheaper because of the risk of counterfeits. As far as off-brands: Amazon has so many cheap ridiculous off-brands of so many products that are absolute garbage. Search for lanterns just for grins and you'll find Starlight, EZORKAS, Vaunt, LePro, Gold Armor among many others. We were swayed by the thousands of (probably fake) reviews. The worst that happens with poor-quality lanterns is that one won't work straight out of the box, and of the 3 that do work, only one will still be working at the end of your camping trip. :D The worst that happens with a water filter (probably made in the same plant as those cheap lanterns) is - possibly impure water. I only change out the filter 2x/ year; it's not a lot to pay to buy direct from Everydrop.
Fake online reviews have always been a huge problem, but there's another problem with sites like Amazon that lots of people aren't aware of. People don't realize that on Amazon, the same product page can have different sellers. From Amazon's perspective, this makes sense, as if 10 different sellers are offering the exact same product, people just care about the product and the price rather than about the seller.

The problem is that on Amazon, lots of sellers offer counterfeit products. That's how you end up with real, but highly misleading reviews, as Seller A may've been selling a genuine product, which gathered excellent reviews. Seller B then undercuts Seller A with a counterfeit product, and Amazon's system thinks that it's the same product. So, the product page and the reviews remain exactly the same, and most people don't pay attention to the seller. Hence, they rely on the reviews that say that the product is genuine, but end up with a counterfeit product.

This is the reason that on Amazon, if you aren't paying attention to the seller, even if you always order the same thing from the same product page, you can end up with different products.
Last edited by aquaman on Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Marylander1
Posts: 579
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:18 pm
Location: Baltimore & DC

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Marylander1 »

I used to buy manufacturer-brand filters from Amazon routinely, "ships and sold by Amazon". A couple of years ago, one arrived with the box having been opened and foil seal missing. I returned it for a replacement. The replacement also had the foil seal missing and was scuffed and had clearly seen some kind of use. I returned it for a refund.

After several other counterfeit experiences on Amazon, I don't order any food, medicine, or water filters from Amazon. Their supply chain seems full of holes. https://www.wsj.com/video/series/behind ... DDAA4E7C1B

Marylander1
sixtyforty
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 11:22 am
Location: USA

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by sixtyforty »

I don't skimp on water filters. I did one time and bought a cheaper version off Amazon to save about $30. Then I did a test. After flushing about 3 gallons of water, I could still see "stuff" floating in the glass. If you didn't look close you wouldn't catch it. Repeated with a whirlpool filter and after only 1/2 gallon flush, water was completely clear.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" - Leonardo Da Vinci
prd1982
Posts: 1770
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:43 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by prd1982 »

My problem is that I’m sure Whirlpool is way over-charging for parts. My side-by-side had slots for several more shelves. I bought one small freezer shelf; it cost $100!
mrsmitt
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by mrsmitt »

You need to compare apples to apples. RO system will generate much more and much better quality water than a dummy fridge water filter. Expensive carbon fridge water filters are very high margin product and manufactures capitalize on consumers with lack of knowledge on this topic and play on their fears (genuine vs generic).

Just to give you an example. I can buy two large APEC carbon filters and one sediment filter for RO for about $20 delivered. Tiny fridge carbon filter will cost you $50...

1. This is drinking water, so the waste is not that high in actual gallons. The waste ration is about 1:3 and you can buy a mechanical pump to improve the pressure and reduce waste. A family of 4 that consumes 3 gallons of RO water will “waste” about 270 gallons a month.

2. Under sink RO systems do not require electricity unless you want a high performance system or a commercial system that can generate generate lots of water. You can install a mechanical pump for $50 to catch the energy of the waste water and increase the pressure in the system = better efficiency.

3. Yes, RO removes minerals from the water. You can get add minerals with a separate cartridge for about $20-40. I have a switch that allows me to bypass this cartridge in case I need water for humidifier. BTW RO water will save you tons of money on filters for humidifiers or eliminate white dust = better health.

In general, it is very affordable to run RO system especially compared to $50 fridge filters that do not actually do much. The most important, it is a great investment into your family health as you know that everyone consume clean water all the time.
aqua-man wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:54 am
mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:32 am With RO you will get much better cooking and drinking water with this setup for lower price.
Reverse osmosis also wastes a lot of water and also requires electricity. Depending on your location and the exact setup, reverse osmosis won't necessarily save you money.

Reverse osmosis also demineralizes water. There's a debate as to the potential for adverse health effects from long term consumption of demineralized water: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223198/ My understanding is that the matter remains unsettled, and you will find articles on both sides of the debate. Personally, even if the risk is small, I don't see any reason to take it, but reasonable people can and do disagree.
User avatar
tadamsmar
Posts: 9972
Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 12:33 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by tadamsmar »

I just leave out the water filter. Costs me 0$. Never seems to cause a problem.

We also drink unfiltered city tap water. If you don't have a problem with unfiltered tap water then it seems unnecessary.

I just recently noticed that our fancy grinder coffee maker had a filter that we never replaced.
T4REngineer
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 9:50 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by T4REngineer »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm We bought a Whirlpool fridge about a year ago. Now, Whirlpool is trying to sell us new water filters. Their price is about $50 for a filter. This seems to be expensive. A quick check on Amazon shows generic filters for about $10 each or even less. Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
This is way to hard to answer but in summary

*In the truest sense of Generic, where it meets all the same specifications and requirements as OEM - These are were the value is and it is not uncommon that the Generic comes off the same line/out of the same tank as the name brand.
*Counterfeit is a problem - these are general garbage and could be argued worse than nothing as who know what the filter media is made of
*OEM - Always marked up, just the name of the game - is there value here over a true generic, unlikely but as the consumer we often have limited ability to differentiate between these three.

Short Story: I have worked in both RO and Pesticide manufacturing and have encounter counterfeit products claiming to be OEM and had to tell commercial to relay the bad news "We didn't make that....." often times its Lot#s that don't match, out dated labels but nothing the average consumer would notice.

Personally I by name brand filters but replace them at 3-5x the suggested frequency because A) our water supply is extremely clean and B) we use much less than the average consumer family and the replacement is time-based not usage or pressure drop based - Its just what I have chosen to do and now I have spent more time then I ever should thinking about my fridge filter - I would have no issues by-passing it - Like I said our local water supply is excellent
aquaman
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:13 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by aquaman »

mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:51 am RO system will generate much more and much better quality water than a dummy fridge water filter.
You may want to read the peer reviewed article that I linked above. The question of "better quality" is a controversial one, as there are very real health concerns associated with reverse osmosis.
Expensive carbon fridge water filters are very high margin product and manufactures capitalize on consumers with lack of knowledge on this topic and play on their fears (genuine vs generic).
Have you taken a look at the independent articles that I've linked above, including one from Consumer Reports?
3. Yes, RO removes minerals from the water. You can get add minerals with a separate cartridge for about $20-40.
Take a look at the peer reviewed articles above. Re-mineralized water comes with its own risks.
A family of 4 that consumes 3 gallons of RO water will “waste” about 270 gallons a month.
A family of 4 only using 3 gallons a month is very little. We use significantly more than that. Likewise, "only" wasting 270 gallons a month would alone cost us about $50/year.
In general, it is very affordable to run RO system especially compared to $50 fridge filters that do not actually do much. The most important, it is a great investment into your family health as you know that everyone consume clean water all the time.
Once again, you are significantly overstating the savings (my OEM refrigerator filter only needs to be replaced once a year and costs $55) and glossing over potential health concerns associated with reverse osmosis.
rich126
Posts: 4453
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:56 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by rich126 »

Voltaire2.0 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:48 pm
Mlm wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:21 pm Just a word of caution. A friend of mine bought a highly rated filter on Amazon. She did the replacement same as always but in the morning she woke up to her entire first floor heavily flooded. It was so bad she had several inches of water that had seeped through into her basement.

Everything was destroyed, flooring, carpets, Sheetrock, furniture , draperies. Her insurance company was great but she was out of her house for almost 6 months and I think it ended up costing near 100 K

Buyer beware
Installation error?
That is my guess. I know I once installed one but then saw water on the floor and it turned out I hadn't pushed it in all the way so it was my error.
----------------------------- | If you think something is important and it doesn't involve the health of someone, think again. Life goes too fast, enjoy it and be nice.
acegolfer
Posts: 3029
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:40 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by acegolfer »

boglegirl wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:50 am This is one of few things that I just wouldn't buy generic, and I also buy from a reputable seller. (Lowe's, Home Depot - or Everydrop website actually has them cheaper)

I don't buy these from Amazon despite being a few dollars cheaper because of the risk of counterfeits. As far as off-brands: Amazon has so many cheap ridiculous off-brands of so many products that are absolute garbage. Search for lanterns just for grins and you'll find Starlight, EZORKAS, Vaunt, LePro, Gold Armor among many others. We were swayed by the thousands of (probably fake) reviews. The worst that happens with poor-quality lanterns is that one won't work straight out of the box, and of the 3 that do work, only one will still be working at the end of your camping trip. :D The worst that happens with a water filter (probably made in the same plant as those cheap lanterns) is - possibly impure water. I only change out the filter 2x/ year; it's not a lot to pay to buy direct from Everydrop.
I agree. This is one item that I don't buy generic. I buy Everydrop from local Home Depot (won't buy online). I just checked the price and Home Depot and Everydrop have the same price.
KlangFool
Posts: 31426
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:35 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by KlangFool »

mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:43 am Brita has the carbon filter that can only do so much to catch heavy metals. It will not filter calcium, magnesium or salt used to condition water.

If you really want clean water get RO system. You can actually measure number of particles in it. In our case we use a water softener so our ppm was originally high. RO system is able to reduce ppm from 600 to 10-16 in our case. Starbucks has commercial RO systems that can generate lots of clean water. This is one of their ingredients for a good cup of coffee:)

KlangFool wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:30 am Folks,

I drink gourmet coffee and tea. The water filter in the refrigerator is not good enough for me. I filter water with Brita water filter before I use it to make my coffee or tea.

KlangFool
mrsmitt,


<<Brita has the carbon filter that can only do so much to catch heavy metals. It will not filter calcium, magnesium or salt used to condition water. >>

You are wrong. Standard Brita water filter a lot more than clorine.
https://www.brita.com/why-brita/better-water/

KlangFool
30% VWENX | 16% VFWAX/VTIAX | 14.5% VTSAX | 19.5% VBTLX | 10% VSIAX/VTMSX/VSMAX | 10% VSIGX| 30% Wellington 50% 3-funds 20% Mini-Larry
MDfan
Posts: 1112
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 7:32 am

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by MDfan »

Since I'm only changing the filter 1-2 times a year, I don't mind paying for the Whirlpool filters.
mrsmitt
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by mrsmitt »

I didn't say anything about chlorine in my post, so I am not sure how I can be wrong about it...

Here is a comparison between Brita (carbon filter) and RO.
https://www.watersmartsystems.com/brita ... comparison

Brita will not remove important things like arsenic for example. Carbon filters do not completely remove heavy metals that are very harmful to humans. Carbon filters will not remove salt that is used by water softener systems or calcium that makes your coffee or tea taste no so great.

Brita and fridge filters are carbon filters that use the same filtering medium and principle. Some of them might be slightly better than others, but all of them use activated charcoal as a filtering medium. Water passes activated charcoal that catches SOME of the bad stuff that you do not want in your body. RO is very different. It uses a membrane that can only allow pure water to pass through.
KlangFool wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:02 am
mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:43 am Brita has the carbon filter that can only do so much to catch heavy metals. It will not filter calcium, magnesium or salt used to condition water.

If you really want clean water get RO system. You can actually measure number of particles in it. In our case we use a water softener so our ppm was originally high. RO system is able to reduce ppm from 600 to 10-16 in our case. Starbucks has commercial RO systems that can generate lots of clean water. This is one of their ingredients for a good cup of coffee:)
mrsmitt,


<<Brita has the carbon filter that can only do so much to catch heavy metals. It will not filter calcium, magnesium or salt used to condition water. >>

You are wrong. Standard Brita water filter a lot more than clorine.
https://www.brita.com/why-brita/better-water/

KlangFool
aquaman
Posts: 335
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:13 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by aquaman »

mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:43 amHere is a comparison between Brita (carbon filter) and RO.
https://www.watersmartsystems.com/brita ... comparison
Your link is to a Canadian plumbing company, which, among other things, sells reverse osmosis systems. Just like your posts, this plumbing company significantly overstates the RO benefits and downplays its downsides and its risks. I've linked a scientific, peer reviewed article above that explains some of the potential risks.

By the way, Brita makes a number of different filters with different filtration properties. Contrary to the so-called comparison above, which suggests that they are all the same, a number of them are NSF 53 certified.
User avatar
Toons
Posts: 14459
Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Hills of Tennessee

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by Toons »

Never replaced One
I'm Still "Here"


:wink:
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
User avatar
vitaflo
Posts: 1905
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:02 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by vitaflo »

sport wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:21 pm A quick check on Amazon shows generic filters for about $10 each or even less. Is there any reason to believe that the Whirlpool brand filters are any better than the generic ones?
One rule of mine is to never buy anything from Amazon that you can put in or on your body. A water filter fits that description. Amazon has way too many problems with counterfeit products to risk it, even if it looks to be name-brand.
mrsmitt
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 1:14 pm

Re: Refrigerator Filters

Post by mrsmitt »

I did my research many years ago on this topic and built a system that we use for so many years now.

Fridge water filters can usually filter about 200 gallons before they need to be replaced and manufacturers recommend replacing them every 6 months. It is about 25 cents a gallon of somewhat filtered water with arsenic, calcium, and salt in it. RO in our household generates about 3 gallons daily or 540 gallons every 6 months. This is 3.7 cents a gallon for 1-3 stage filters + 2.3 cents for a membrane that needs to be replaced every two years. The system actually guarantees to remove ALL heavy metals and other bad chemicals a regular carbon filter will not remove. So again, it is much cheaper and the most important better water for the whole household.

Health concerns? Well, your $55 carbon filter will not filter arsenic, calcium, or salt. It will not eliminate ALL heavy metals like lead that are extremely harmful to the human body. There is a clear link between the intake of heavy metals, arsenic etc and various health conditions.

Again, if you are worried about the demineralization issue get the cartridge to re-mineralize the water. Keep in mind that this technology was used for many decades with no proof that there is harm to human health. You can clearly add "might" or "concern" to any statement to make it true. Also, look at large RO desalination plants all over the world that supply clean RO water to large communities. There is no factual data that show that there is an issue that is related to the lack of minerals in the water.

>A family of 4 only using 3 gallons a month is very little. We use significantly more than that. Likewise, "only" wasting 270 gallons a month would alone cost us about $50/year.
3 gallons per day not per month... the ratio is 1:3.

I am shocked to see some of the frugal Bogleheads who are buying overpriced branded filters for their fridges or Brita filters. If you want really clean water go with RO. If you are OK with water treated with carbon filters get a whole-house three-stage filtering system (sediment - carbon filter - carbon filter), install it under the sink, and connect it to the fridge. Additionally, you can install a second faucet to use this water for cooking. You will get much better results than a dummy 1 stage fridge or a pitcher water filter for a fraction of the cost.

aquaman wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:23 am
mrsmitt wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:51 am RO system will generate much more and much better quality water than a dummy fridge water filter.
You may want to read the peer reviewed article that I linked above. The question of "better quality" is a controversial one, as there are very real health concerns associated with reverse osmosis.
Expensive carbon fridge water filters are very high margin product and manufactures capitalize on consumers with lack of knowledge on this topic and play on their fears (genuine vs generic).
Have you taken a look at the independent articles that I've linked above, including one from Consumer Reports?
3. Yes, RO removes minerals from the water. You can get add minerals with a separate cartridge for about $20-40.
Take a look at the peer reviewed articles above. Re-mineralized water comes with its own risks.
A family of 4 that consumes 3 gallons of RO water will “waste” about 270 gallons a month.
A family of 4 only using 3 gallons a month is very little. We use significantly more than that. Likewise, "only" wasting 270 gallons a month would alone cost us about $50/year.
In general, it is very affordable to run RO system especially compared to $50 fridge filters that do not actually do much. The most important, it is a great investment into your family health as you know that everyone consume clean water all the time.
Once again, you are significantly overstating the savings (my OEM refrigerator filter only needs to be replaced once a year and costs $55) and glossing over potential health concerns associated with reverse osmosis.
Post Reply