Refrigerator water filter is a small device that either gets attached to the back of the refrigerator or inserted in a dedicated slot inside the fridge. Its purpose is to filter specific contaminants from the water used by the refrigerator for the built-in ice or water dispenser.
The best refrigerator water filter for 2023 is the Clearly filtered universal inline fridge filter which offers 365 gallons filter life, 0.75GPM flow rate, and removes more than 232+ contaminants including heavy metals, pollutants and chemicals.
Refrigerator Water Filter Comparison Chart
- Filter Life – 365 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 200+
- Filter Life – 3,000 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – Chlorine
- Filter Life – 200 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 23
Best Fridge Water Filters
- Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter
- GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water Filter
- Culligan IC 1 EZ-Change Refrigerator Filter
- Everydrop by Whirlpool Water Refrigerator Filter
- ICEPURE UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter
Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter
- Filter Life – 365 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 232+
- The three-stage filtration process reduces more than 232 different contaminants
- The filter life is above average
- Uses a universal fitting that can be attached to any refrigerator
- The most expensive model on the market
The Clearly Filtered refrigerator filter is the best choice if you’re looking to filter a wide range of contaminants. While refrigerator filters aren’t known for their high filtration capacity, this model bucks that trend by reducing more than 232 contaminants including pollutants like dirt, chlorine, and lead, as well as less common but still very problematic substances like viruses, fluoride, and PFAS/PFOA. The filtration process works in 3-stages, which is a combination of activated carbon media, a heavy metal media, and a fluoride media.
The clearly filtered refrigerator has a filter life of 365 gallons, which serves 6 – 7 months of use before needing replacement. As a universal fit, this filter is versatile and compatible with all refrigerator brands with a standard 1/4” water line.
GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water Filter
- Filter Life – 300 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 50+
- Price – $52.48
- Comes with a decent 300-gallon capacity
- Can remove a large number of common contaminants
- Very easy to install in compatible refrigerators
- Only compatible with GE Appliances refrigerators
Although the GE RPWFE refrigerator filter is quite similar to the Clearly filtered fridge filter in terms of filter capacity, it is only compatible with GE refrigerator appliances, which could be a drawback for many. But regardless, it’s one of the best fridge filter choices especially if you have a GE refrigerator.
The GE RPWFE filter has a 300-gallon life capacity which serves about 6 months of regular use. In fact, depending on how often you use the ice maker, you may be able to squeeze 8 – 9 months out of it before it needs replacement.
Another benefit is its contaminant removal capacity of 50+ contaminants such as chlorine and lead, as well as more dangerous substances like trace pharmaceuticals, PFOS, PFAS, cysts.
Culligan IC 1 EZ-Change Refrigerator Filter
- Filter Life – 3,000 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – Chlorine
- Price – $25.33
- The filter purifies 10 times more water than most other models on the market
- It’s very reasonably priced
- NSF certified
- Removes only chlorine
The Culligan IC fridge filter has the most long-lasting filter we could find. It serves 3,000 gallons of filtered water before needing replacement. However, the company surprisingly claims it will last for just a year.
While One-year life expectancy is excellent for a fridge filter, most refrigerator filters with 300-gallons capacity typically lasts around 6-months. So, its not clear if Culligan is selling their product short, or it uses a different formula to calculate its capacity. A 3,000 gallons filter should last 5 – 10 years and not 1 year as claimed.
Although we’re confident this product lasts well beyond a year if the 3k gallon capacity is accurate, we suggest using it for a year without replacing it and monitoring it closely after the recommended replacement date has expired. Use the product until you notice any change to the smell or the taste of the water, and switch it out only when you’re sure the filter can’t properly purify the water anymore.
Since this unit has such a long filter life, the fact that it only costs $25 makes it a bargain. Not only is the price low, but you also don’t need to replace it for at least a year, which is very beneficial when you consider that other refrigerator filters might have a low initial cost but needs to be replaced 2 or 3 times a year.
However, while the capacity and price of the Culligan IC are both excellent, it falls short when it comes to its contaminant removal capacity. The Culligan IC only reduces chlorine. While this also removes unpleasant odors and tastes from your water, it also means the unit isn’t a great choice if your water contains other common contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, etc.
On the bright side, chlorine is a widespread contaminant in water found virtually everywhere around the US, so this is still a great pick if that’s what you need the filter for.
Everydrop by Whirlpool Water Refrigerator Filter
- Filter Life – 200 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 23
- Is very effective at removing lead
- Compatible with five different refrigerator brands
- Comes with a 0.75 GPM flow rate
- May take you a few tries to learn how to install it
The Everydrop by Whirlpool fridge filter is one of the most versatile filters we reviewed, only second to the clearly filtered universal inline fridge filter. This unit has a 200-gallon filter which serves 4 – 5 months of use. However, if you don’t use the ice dispenser very often, you can extend its life by at least a few weeks or even a month. With frequent use, you’ll need to replace the filter 2 – 3 times a year.
The Everydrop filter successfully reduces 23 contaminants, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and waterborne parasites. The coconut shell carbon media is also very good at removing lead with 99% efficiency. It’s a major advantage of this model, considering that lead is one of the most common pollutants in water.
ICEPURE UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter
- Filter Life – 300 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 20+
- The most cost-effective model on the market
- Removes a decent amount of contaminants
- Good filter life
- Compatible only with Whirlpool, Everydrop, and Maytag appliances
While the average price of refrigerator filters ranges from around $20 to $50, the ICEPURE UKF8001 comes with a low price tag of $14. Its affordability applies not only to the product’s initial cost but also to the average yearly cost for its replacements.
Speaking of replacements, the 300-gallon filter capacity lasts around 6 months, so you’ll only have to replace it twice a year. This frequency puts its overall yearly price at $28. In other words, you’ll get two for the price of one Culligan IC model, which is the second most cost-effective refrigerator filter we reviewed.
While a low price is usually associated with low quality, this isn’t the case for this unit. The ICEPURE still effectively removes more than 20 contaminants like chlorine, lead, sediment particles, and other common water pollutants.
The only downside we observed is that is is only compatible with Whirlpool, Everydrop, and Maytag appliances.
How Does a Refrigerator Water Filter Work?
Refrigerator water filters have cylinders through which the water passes. The filter is attached to the water line that feeds into your refrigerator, and the water automatically passes through them.
The inside of the filter contains filtration media, and its effectiveness depends entirely on the filtration media type. While the filtration media is designed to adsorb pollutants to remove them from the water that passes through it, there’s a limit to how much it absorbs before it needs to be replaced. So after some time, the media won’t be able to absorb any more contaminants.
While other water filtration systems have cartridges or removable filters, refrigerator filters don’t. This means that it’s time to get a new filter once the media is past its prime.
Advantages of Refrigerator Water Filters
Refrigerator water filters are incredibly easy to install and replace. It doesn’t matter if you’re attaching them to the refrigerator water line or putting them in the dedicated filter slot on your refrigerator, the entire process shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes.
These filters are also significantly cheaper than most other water filtration units like reverse osmosis filters or whole-house filtration systems.
Disadvantages of Refrigerator Water Filters
Due to their small size, these filters don’t have as much capacity as larger models. While some models remove many contaminants, extremely polluted water will clog them fast and cut their life expectancy in half.
In other words, they can’t replace whole-house units, and if you live in an area with highly polluted water, you’ll need a more powerful unit than a refrigerator water filter.
Frequently Asked Questions
People have many questions about refrigerator water filters. In the following section, we’ll answer some of them.
The most affordable refrigerator filter (as far as we could find) is the ICEPURE UKF8001, at $13.99.
Refrigerator water filters usually cost between $20 and $50, with the more expensive models coming in at $60 – $70. The one exception to this is the Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter with its high $165 price tag.
Easy installation is one of the biggest selling points of refrigerator water filters, so the whole process should take 5 – 10 minutes tops. When replacing the filter, locate the current filter and turn off the refrigerator for a bit. Unscrew the current filter and remove it. Screw in the new filter and turn the power back on before the fridge defrosts. That’s all it takes.
If you have an older model with an ice maker but no filter, you’re still able to use a water filter, but it requires more effort to install.
The first thing that you need to do is locate the water line that goes to your fridge. It’s going to be somewhere in the back and close to the ice maker, so you’ll need to slightly rotate your fridge to find it. Once you’ve found it, turn off your refrigerator for a second to ensure that water isn’t running through the line. Once the fridge is off, remove the water line from it and attach it to the water filter. Once that’s done, attach the other side of the water filter to the ice maker.
Once the filter is attached, we recommend using zip ties or strings to keep it suspended to something behind the fridge. You can also let it hang there, but the weight of the filter may put too much pressure on the connecting line and cause it to fall over time.
Once the filter is in place, push the refrigerator to its original position and turn it back on to finish the installation.
Conclusion
The Clearly Filtered Universal Inline is a splurge, but it’s the obvious pick if you’re looking to reduce a lot of contaminants.
The Everydrop by Whirlpool offers a balance of high flow rate, contaminants removed, filter life, and overall price.
The GE RPWFE is a better filter than the Everydrop. But, you can only use it with GE Appliances refrigerators, so its use is pretty limited unless you have a fridge from that brand.
The Culligan IC 1 EZ-Change Refrigerator Filter is the best choice if you want a durable filter that removes chlorine.
The ICEPURE UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter is a great overall filter that costs low, but can only be used on Whirlpool, Everydrop, and Maytag appliances.
