fridge water filter

There are numerous available alternatives to branded and expensive filters. However, only a handful measure up.

If you have tried replacing your fridge water filter, you know that it’s expensive. While some cost $60 each replacement, it can be more costly than that. Plus, if you sum up all the $60s you need to pay every six months, the cost can add up fast.

With this, it’s no longer surprising for people to look for less costly alternatives, just like how they look for printer ink replacements. The problem here, however, is you have no way of finding out if these alternatives work.

If you want to use a fridge water filter but also want to seek for more affordable options, here are a few tips and warnings you should consider.

A fair warning, though, there are some certification standards and testing organization terms that you might encounter and endure.

Water Filter Standards

Currently, there are three standards applicable to water filters, and these standards were set by an American National Standards Institute organization called NSF International. These standards are NSF 42, NSF 53, and NSF 401. Here are the descriptions of each of them:
  • NSF 42: This standard is related to material safety, a feature that guarantees that the water filter won’t leak harmful and hazardous contaminants like arsenic into ice and water. This is the same standard one should look to remove odors, taste, and chlorine.
  • NSF 53: This particular standard is related to a plethora of health-related hazards and contaminants like asbestos, parasites, and so on.
  • NSF 401: This standard covers issues related to chemicals and other trace pharmaceuticals like deet, BPA, ibuprofen, and so on.
If identifying an excellent alternative means to check these certifications out, it would be a cinch. The problem is it’s not. 

Testing Organizations

Aside from these standards, there are also testing organizations which certify these filters and allow the specific manufacturer to label and pack their filters with issued certification badges. These organizations include NSF, IAPMO or International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, and WQA or the Water Quality Association. 

On top of all of these, seeing a badge like NSF certified doesn’t automatically mean that the filter meets all the standards of the said certification. Some manufacturers can just slap badges on their water filters so that customers might assume that they meet the standard, only to find out that they satisfied the basic ones but skipped on those that matter. Plus, there are also counterfeit filters that may bear fake badges.

What you should do in this case is to check the certification records of the water filter brand by searching the database of the certification giving body like NSF, IAPMO, and WQA.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of checking and re-checking if the water filter you bought is safe and of great quality, it’s best to choose a reliable service provider like Filter For Fridge, they have been in the industry for quite some time now and have built a great reputation premised on trust, reliability, and quality.

Say goodbye to stressful checking and trust the experts. You and your family’s safety should never be compromised.