Refrigerator water filter buyer's guide for thirsty singles and busy families

Why should you buy a refrigerator water filter?

If you followed the disturbing news about the quality of water sold in bottles, you might feel a lot more at ease to know that you took extra precaution to protect the life and health of your family, especially your children or relatives with a weak immune system.

A refrigerator filter can reduce a lot of odor and bad taste that comes in your tap water. It is a convenient and less expensive alternative to bottled water. Their filter capacity is bigger than the amount a pitcher filter or faucet-mount filter can handle.

The installation of a filter for your fridge is easy and does not require any costly plumber work. And if your filter needs a replacement the process is also as easy as changing a light bulb.

With this kind of filter you can have chilled fresh tasting water without wasting valuable space for a pitcher in your fridge.

This type of filter is not only more convenient but also less expensive than bottled water.

Which contaminants do they remove?

Most filters use activated charcoal and can remove bad taste and odor as well as rust and sediment. Enhanced filters also reduce lead, mercury and Cryptosporidium & Giardia cysts.

Main  types

When one thinks of the typical  filter for refrigerators it is mostly a push-in filter. This type of filter is part of the refrigerator. It sits in an extra compartment in the fridge and can be changed without any tools like light bulbs with a push and twist.  When buying a replacement one needs to know make and model of the fridge to be able to get a suitable replacement. The downside is that you rely on filters designed for a certain model.

Older fridges did not come with in-build filters and in order to fit them with a water filter, some installation is necessary the first time to get the fittings attached to the incoming water line. The filters used for this kind of installation are the same inline filters used for under the sink systems. You have a wide range of filters to choose from and pick the one that suits your needs and incoming water quality best.

Where to buy?

Original filter are often cheaper when you buy in bulk online at Amazon or other shops.