After more than 14 hours of research, our top pick goes to the Icepure Pro UKF8001 NSF as the best refrigerator water filter. It filters your drinking water with NSF/ANSI 53 certification for effective contaminant removal and has a generous six month or 300-gallon service life.
Choosing the best refrigerator water filter could mean the difference between fresh-tasting, clear water, and a cloudy glass of dullness. Our evaluation focused on design, construction, filtration ability, number/type of industry certifications, lifespan, ease of installation, and warranty. Keep reading to learn more about the Icepure ProICEPURE PRO UKF8001 NSF Certified Refrigerator water filter and six others that made the grade.
Top 6 Best Refrigerator Water Filters
#1 ICEPURE PRO UKF8001 Refrigerator Water Filter
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the best water filter for select Whirlpool and Maytag refrigerators, with three NSF/ANSI certifications (42,53,372) for removal of odors/bad taste and contaminants like lead and mercury.
- Three NSF/ANSI certifications
- Filters out 90% of most popular contaminants & BPA-free
- Lifetime warranty & excellent 6-month service life (300 gallons)
- Water flow may be too slow for some people
- Coupling travel length may not fit certain models perfectly
This refrigerator water filter also has a long service life, with replacements recommended every 6 months or 300 gallons. Installation is also a breeze, taking less than 20 seconds using a snap-on mechanism to your refrigerator’s filter cartridge port. While researching, we did notice much clearer and fresher tasting water after installing the refrigerator filter replacement.
Related: We also recommend the best refrigerator thermometers.
This refrigerator water filter has racked up numerous certifications that vouch for its filtration ability, including NSF/ANSI 53, 42, and 372 certifications for 99.6% of lead removal, 90.2% of mercury removal, and 99% of chlorine removal. This refrigerator filter replacement is also WQA, TUV and ROHS-certified, which are European Union-based standards. Think of it as the U.S. equivalent of UL (Underwriter Laboratories), one of the country’s leading product safety organizations. Buying this water filter may be one of the best decisions you have ever made.
#2 EveryDrop by Whirlpool Refrigerator Water Filter
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This refrigerator water filter reduces more than 25 different contaminants, working on select Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid, and JennAir brand model fridges.
- Works with 4+ fridge brands
- NSF 401, 53 and 42 certified
- Six-month service life % replaces 1500 water bottles
- High cost
- May take longer than expected to confirm model number compatibility
- Some users reported initial low water flow
Our favorite feature with this Whirlpool refrigerator water filter (it works with other brands as well per the above) is its triple filtration ability. Different layers of filtration within the filter helps remove particles in order from largest (top) to smallest, from small debris to pesticides. As for the other brands, this refrigerator filter is the only fridge filter approved by KitchenAid, Maytag, Amana, and JennAir. Plus, an indicator to notify when it is time for a replacement is also very helpful.
This best water filter for Kitchenaid refrigerator is NSF 401, 53 and 42 certified, which guarantees 90%+ filtering of emergency contaminants as well as popular ones affecting taste and odor such as lead, mercury, and chlorine. It also saves you the cost of buying 1,500 water bottles (roughly 300 gallons) with a 6-month service life. Installation is very easy, snapping to your refrigerator’s cartridge port in less than five seconds. This makes it a winner in our book.
#3 GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water Filter
Award: BEST FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC
WHY WE LIKE IT: This refrigerator water filter is the best for select GE french-door refrigerators with a focus on eliminating five trace pharmaceuticals, including BPA and progesterone.
- Adheres to NSF 42 and 53 standards
- Filters pharmaceutical traces (e.g.ibuprofen and progesterone)
- Very easy to install
- Integrated RFID chip eliminates the use of generic filters
- Can only be used with select GE refrigerators
Like our #1 pick Icepure Pro UKF8001 Refrigerator Water Filter and #2 pick EveryDrop by Whirlpool Refrigerator Water Filter, this refrigerator filter adheres to NSF 42 and 53 standards for effective filtering of taste, odor, and contaminants with health defects such as lead and mercury. However, its specialty is with pharmaceuticals and chemicals, eliminating traces of BPA, ibuprofen, and progesterone known to create hormonal imbalances in unsafe amounts. Only two other picks on our list work to filter them.
This refrigerator filter uses a mesh and fine mesh system to help eliminate small debris and smaller contaminants that affect taste and odor. It also has a 6 month or 300-gallon service life. This refrigerator filter replacement also works with any fridge that uses GE RPWF or RPWFE filters, and can also be used in selected GE french-door fridges. Installation is also a breeze, simply snapping onto your existing GE refrigerator’s cartridge port, which takes no more than 5 seconds.
#4 Samsung Electronics HAF-CIN Refrigerator Water Filter
Award: REMOVE 99% OF CONTAMINANTS
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the best water filter for Samsung fridge, eliminating odors/bad taste and popular contaminents such as lead and mercury thanks to its NSF 42 and 53 certification.
- Genuine branded filters
- NSF 42 and 53 certified
- Comes in a pack of two
- High cost
- Not NSF 401 certified for protection against herbicides and pesticides
- Some users reported decreased water flow after several months of use
Like all of our previous picks, this refrigerator water filter has NSF 42 and 53 certifications to improve odor (e.g. chlorine filtering) and eliminate 99% of health impacting contaminants like lead and mercury. It also has a 6 month or 200-gallon service life. Our only knock on this unit is that it is not NSF 401 certified for herbicide and pesticide protection, which is a nice to have in rural areas with treated vegetation.
Installing this refrigerator water filter is very easy with a simple “lock in place” mechanism to your refrigerator’s cartridge port. It is also very easy to tell when it’s time to replace the finger by referring to a filter light indicator on your refrigerator’s panel.
#5 MWF Refrigerator Water Filter
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the best MWF water filter for hospitals and medical offices carrying GE and Kenmore refrigerators, with NSF 42 certification and effective filtration of trace pharmaceuticals like ibuprofen.
- Excellent for GE and Kenmore
- 6-month service life (300-gallon capacity)
- Very easy to install
- No NSF 53 certification
- Coupling point could be more durable
This refrigerator water filter is NSF 42 certified, which promises a 97% reduction in chlorine levels, known to severely impact the taste. In total, it removes more than 10+ contaminants at close to 100%, including ibuprofen and progesterone, two of five pharmaceuticals known to cause health defects if ingested improperly.
Thanks to this refrigerator water filter’s six-month (300 gallon) service life, it can remain out of sight and mind for a long time before needing replacement. Installation should also take no more than five seconds with a quick snapping in place to your refrigerator’s cartridge port.
#6 LG LT700P Refrigerator Water Filter
Award: 6 MONTH FILTER LIFE
WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the best water filter for select LG refrigerators, coming in a 2 pack
and NSF/ANSI 372 certified, great for people concerned with high levels of lead content in their water
- NSF/ANSI 372 certified
- Helpful filter life indicator
- Comes in a pack of two for convenience
- High cost
- Doesn’t filter organic compounds as well
This refrigerator water filter is NSF-certified and removes 13 contaminants to improve odor and taste while filtering out chlorine, lead, mercury, and other substances that have been known to cause serious health defects. It is also NSF/ANSI 372 compliant, which focuses primarily on lead reduction by limiting it to no greater than 0.25 percent.
Ths refrigerator water filter also needs to be replaced every 3 months, or after roughly 200 gallons. This service life is about average. Installation also takes less than 5 seconds with a simple snapping in place of the filter to your refrigerator’s cartridge port.
Note: Another water filter for your fridge worth mentioning that is not on our list is the Frigidaire EPTWFU01 Refrigerator Water Filter.
The Frigidaire EPTWFU01 Water Filter filters out 99% of contaminants and reduces odor, chlorine taste, cysts, mercury, lead, insecticides, pesticides, and more. This Frigidaire filter model is also NSF 42, 53 & 401 certified, and can work with Frigidaire fridges including French-door Frigidaire fridges.
How We Decided
In determining the best refrigerator water filter to buy, we explored design, construction, filtration ability, number/type of industry certifications, lifespan, and ease of installation. Design and construction should fit seamlessly to your refrigerator’s cartridge port, using nothing more than a snap-on mechanism that locks in place with no tool required. All of the picks on our list carry this function.
Filtration ability is very important. We recommend refrigerator water filters that can eliminate at least 90% of lead, mercury, and other health defects causing contaminants. NSF/ANSI 53 certified filters are capable of removing a mix of heavy metals, inorganics, and organic substances such as copper, lead, fluoride, and nitrate.
The Number/Type of Certifications are critical. At a minimum, look for refrigerator water filters that are NSF 42 and 53 certified. NSF 42 certification focuses on odor and taste improvement by eliminating chlorine and other affecting chemicals, whereas NSF 53 certification focuses on health defects causing contaminants such as lead and mercury.
Lifespan and ease of installation are pretty consistent with all of these filters. The best water filter usually goes for 6 months or 300 gallons, whichever comes first. Installation usually only requires snapping the filter in place to your refrigerator’s cartridge port, which takes no more than five seconds.
Best Refrigerator Water Filter Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Filtration Ability
We recommend refrigerator water filters with NSF 42 and 53 certification that helps eliminate bad taste and odors as well as health defect causing chemicals. They should be capable of filtering out 90% +of the most popular contaminants, including lead and mercury. - Lifespan
All of the best refrigerator water filters on our list have a 6 month, or 200 to 300 gallon service life, whichever comes first. Kudos go to ones that come in a two pack, leaving you without having to replace it for up to a year. - Number/Type of Certifications
There are many certifications refrigerator water filters are awarded to vouch for their filtration quality. The most common certifications for water treatment products are NSF 42 and 53. NSF 42 focuses on non-health-related contaminants such as taste and odors and NSF 53 focuses on health-related contaminants such as lead and mercury. Others, like NSF 401 certification, focus on effective herbicide and pesticide removal, which may be of interest to people living in rural areas. - Ease of Installation
Installing refrigerator water filters usually takes no more than a few seconds, snapping in place to your refrigerator’s cartridge port. All refrigerator water filters on this list share the same method.
