If you have a refrigerator with an ice or water dispenser and want to ensure the water it uses is clean and safe to drink, you’ll need to install a refrigerator water filter.
Our reviews list some of the best products on the market, excelling in their category. So, read on to find the perfect addition to your kitchen appliance.
- Filter Life – 200 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 23
- Price – $50.98
- Filter Life – 300 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 50+
- Price – $52.48
- Filter Life – 3,000 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – Chlorine
- Price – $25.33
- Filter Life – 365 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 200+
- Price – $165
- Filter Life – 300 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 20+
- Price – $13.99
Everydrop by Whirlpool Water Refrigerator Filter– Best Overall
- Filter Life – 200 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 23
- Price – $50.98
- 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 is the most versatile unit on our list. Plus, it has amazing product specifications all around and is suitable for most households.
The unit has a 200-gallon lifetime, meaning it would last around 4 – 5 months. However, if you don’t use the ice dispenser often, you can extend its life by at least a few weeks or even a month. With frequent use, you’ll probably need to replace this device 3 times a year.
Concerning its removal capacity, the Everydrop successfully tackles 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.
The 0.75 GPM flow rate is superior to standard refrigerator filters, which typically only have a 0.50 GPM flow rate.
One of the best things about this unit is that it’s approved by the Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid, and Jenn Air brands. In other words, you can use it with various refrigerator brands. Seeing such versatility is refreshing, as many filters on the market are attached to a specific brand.
The one negative remark from customers is that it’s finicky to snap into place. This will vary from person to person, but it’s not uncommon for people to have this issue if they’re not used to switching their refrigerator filters.
Nevertheless, the issue shouldn’t persist after you’ve replaced it a few times.
GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water Filter – Best Runner Up
- 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
The GE RPWFE has a 300-gallon life capacity, meaning it’ll last 6 months with 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 you need to change it.
Another feature we want to talk about is its contaminant removal capacity. The GE RPWFE has the ability to eliminate the most common contaminants like chlorine and lead as well as more dangerous substances like trace pharmaceuticals, PFOS, PFAS, cysts, and so on.
GE RPWFE is a great all-rounder that’s even better than the Everydrop by Whirlpool in some aspects, but it features a limited flow rate.
Its 0.50 GPM flow rate is the standard for most units, so it’s not that the GE RPWFE is slow, but rather, the Everydrop is faster than average. However, this unit makes up for that by having a better capacity.
All things considered, the main reason why we recommend the Everydrop over the GE RPWFE is that the latter is only compatible with refrigerators manufactured by GE Appliances.
While the GE RPWFE model is incredible in so many aspects, the low versatility regarding its compatibility is a real problem. However, if you have a GE Appliances refrigerator, it’s the easy choice. It’s specifically designed for these fridges, so the installation is easy and quick.
Culligan IC 1 EZ-Change Refrigerator Filter – Best Filter Life
- 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 has the most long-lasting filter we could find. You’ll get 3,000 gallons from it before you need to replace it. However, the strange thing is that the company claims it will last a year.
The one-year life expectancy is excellent, but other brands with a 300-gallon capacity claim their products last around 6 months. So, either Culligan is selling their product short, and you’ll be able to use it for 5 years without needing a replacement, or it uses a different formula to calculate its capacity. In that case, its 3,000 gallons capacity would be comparable to the 600-gallon of other filters.
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 almost laughably undervalued. Not only is the price meager, but you also don’t need to replace it for at least a year, which is excellent when you consider that other products might have a low initial cost but need 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 is only capable of removing 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.
Clearly Filtered Universal Inline Fridge Filter – Most Effective Filter
- Filter Life – 365 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 200+
- Price – $165
- The three-stage filtration process reduces more than 200 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 for anyone living in an area with many contaminants in the water. While refrigerator filters aren’t known for their high reduction capacity, this model bucks that trend by reducing more than 200 contaminants.
Some things Clearly Filtered tackles include common pollutants like dirt, chlorine, and lead, as well as less common but still very problematic substances like viruses, fluoride, PFAS/PFOA, and so on.
The unit accomplishes this thanks to its three-stage filtration process. The process in question uses an activated carbon media, a heavy metal media, and a fluoride media to purify your water.
You’ll also be happy to hear that you get a filter life of 365 gallons. It’s a very specific number, giving you more than 6 or 7 months of use before you need to replace it.
Another great feature of this unit is that it uses a universal fit. What this means is that you’re able to attach it to any refrigerator regardless of the brand, giving it a lot more versatility than most other products.
So, what’s the downside if the Clearly Filtered model reduces a long list of contaminants, has a long life, and can be fitted to any refrigerator? The price.
This model costs $165. That’s a high price, especially when you take into account that you’ll need to replace the unit twice a year.
While the unit is excellent, the steep price makes it out of reach for many. We recommend it only for those living in an area teeming with contaminants and needing a powerful filtration unit.
ICEPURE UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter – Best Price
- Filter Life – 300 gallons
- Contaminants Removed – 20+
- Price – $13.99
- 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 prices of refrigerator filters range from around $20 to $50, the ICEPURE UKF8001 comes with a low price tag of $14. Its affordability applies not only to the unit’s initial cost but also to the average yearly cost for its replacements.
Speaking of replacements, the unit’s 300-gallon life capacity should last around 6 months, so you’ll only have to replace it unit 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 product.
While a low price is usually associated with low quality, that’s not the case for this unit. The ICEPURE removes more than 20 contaminants.
Some of the 20 contaminants include chlorine, lead, sediment particles, and other common water pollutants.
The ICEPURE UKF8001 is a great product; its only downside being that it’s only compatible with Whirlpool, Everydrop, and Maytag appliances. It gives it more versatility than products like the GE RPWFE, but it still means that you can only use it in tandem with a few refrigerator brands.
Finally, if the ICEPURE is a match, you’ll be happy to know that it’s an easy-to-install device.
What Is a Refrigerator Water Filter?
A 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.
How Does a Refrigerator Water Filter Work?
These units 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. The effectiveness of the unit and the number of contaminants it removes 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.
The new device is placed in the same place as the old one, and the cycle begins anew.
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 both on our list and on the market in general (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.
The 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 Everydrop by Whirlpool is our pick for the best overall water filter with a great 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 from your water supply.
The Clearly Filtered Universal Inline is a splurge, but it’s the obvious pick if you’re trying to reduce a lot of contaminants from your water supply.
The ICEPURE UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter is a great overall filter that costs virtually nothing but can only be used on Whirlpool, Everydrop, and Maytag appliances.
