Inline refrigerator water filters are an essential addition to any fridge that dispenses water. The best refrigerator filters removes majority of the common water contaminants, although their efficiency ultimately depends on the product's brand and model.
Our top recommendation, the Clearly Filtered Inline Water Filter offers 365 gallons filter life and removes over 232 contaminants. Other options like the GE RPFWE and Culligan IC EZ are also effective alternatives to choose.
In this article, we'll examine 4 inline water filters for your refrigerator.
- Filter Life – 365 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 232+
1. Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter
- Filter Life – 365 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 232+
The Clearly Filtered refrigerator filter is the best choice if you’re looking to filter a wide range of filtration, as it can remove more than 232 contaminants. It’s also incredibly versatile and can be attached to any fridge, no matter the make or brand. While it is the most expensive unit on our list, we think its amazing features justify the price.
Great Contaminant Removal
While refrigerator filters aren’t known for their high filtration capacity, this model bucks that trend by reducing more than 232 contaminants, including 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 three stages: a combination of activated carbon, heavy metal, and fluoride media. This allows it to remove contaminants with a success rate of up to 99.99%, which we found really impressive.
Long Filter Life
The clearly filtered refrigerator has a filter life of 365 gallons, which serves 6-7 months of use before needing replacement. As is the case with most fridge filters, the whole unit needs to be replaced once the filter reaches its capacity. So, the longer the filter lasts, the better.
Universal Fit
As a universal fit, this filter is versatile and compatible with all refrigerator brands with a standard 1/4” water line. We tested it on several of the most common refrigerator brands in the US and it worked perfectly with all of them. Plus, we found it super easy to install. All we had to do was hook it up to the water line and then mount the unit next to the fridge.
2. GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water Filter
- Filter Life – 300 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 50+
Although the GE RPWFE refrigerator filter is quite similar to the Clearly filtered fridge filter in terms of filter capacity, it’s only compatible with GE refrigerator appliances, which could be a drawback for many. But regardless, it’s the best fridge filter on the market if you have a GE refrigerator.
300-Gallon Filter Capacity
The GE RPWFE filter has a 300-gallon life capacity which gives you 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. As with all filter systems, the life of the filter will depend on the water demands of your household. If you have a large home with 4 or more people it won’t last as long as if you live alone.
Contaminant Removal Capacity
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, and cysts. While this is nowhere near as good as the Clearly Filtered unit, which can remove more than 232, it’s still quite impressive for a fridge filter, as they tend to be less powerful than larger systems.
3. Culligan IC 1 EZ-Change Refrigerator Filter
- Filter Life – 3,000 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – Chlorine
The Culligan inline water filter is ideal if you have high concentrations of chlorine in your water as it’s specifically designed to remove this contaminant. It also has a really long filter life, which will save you money on replacements in the long term.
- Amazing filter longevity: 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. That being said, 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-gallon capacity typically last around 6 months. So, it's not clear if Culligan is selling their product short, or if it uses a different formula to calculate its capacity. A 3,000-gallon filter should last 5–10 years, not 1 year as claimed.
- Very affordable: Since this unit has such a long filter life, its price of $67.23 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 need to be replaced two or three times a year.
- NSF certified: This filter is certified to NSF/ANSI standard 42, which means its ability to remove chlorine has been independently tested in a lab. So, although it’s a one-trick pony, it does the job it’s designed to do really well.
4. Everydrop by Whirlpool Water Refrigerator Filter
- Filter Life – 200 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 23
The Everydrop by Whirlpool fridge filter is one of the most versatile filters we evaluated, only second to the Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter. Although it isn’t compatible with all types of fridges, it’s much cheaper than the Clearly Filtered unit and makes a good alternative as long as you have a compatible refrigerator.
- Fairly long filter life: This unit has a 200-gallon filter, translating into 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.
- Good contaminant removal: The Everydrop filter 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.
- Compatibility: The unit is compatible with 5 major refrigerator brands which are Maytag, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Amana, and Jenn Air. It might not be universally compatible, but it can be installed in fridges from several of the biggest brands in the US.
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 it.
The inside of the filter contains a filtration media, and its effectiveness depends entirely on the type of filtration media. 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 once the media is past its prime, it's time for a new filter.
What Are The 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, such as reverse osmosis filters or whole-house filtration systems.
What Are The 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
What is the cheapest refrigerator water filter?
The cheapest refrigerator filters (as far as we could find) are the GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water Filter and the Everydrop by Whirlpool Water Refrigerator Filter, both of which cost $49.99.
What is the average price of a refrigerator water filter?
Refrigerator water filters typically cost between $20 and $50, with the more expensive models coming in at $60 – $70. The one exception is the Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter, which has costs $148.50.
What does installing/replacing a refrigerator water filter require?
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 can still 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. After the fridge is off, remove the water line and attach it to the water filter. Once that’s done, attach the other side of the water filter to the ice maker.
After 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.
THANK YOU I CAME ACROSS YOUR WEBSITE BECAUSE I REALLY WANT A FILTER THAT IS U.S. MADE AND REALIABLE FOR CONSUMERS & WORTH IT’S PRICE TO THE PUBLIC.