Whirlpool Brand Refrigerator Water Filters NLA?

[rp2813]

I buzzed over to Lowe's yesterday to get a replacement water filter for my KA refrigerator.  I replace it yearly instead of every six months.  There are only two of us here.

 

Lowe's has always stocked the familiar Whirlpool brand blue boxes containing the filter my fridge uses, but yesterday all I found was Frigidaire and GE filters, and a large empty area where I presume Whirlpool boxes would have been.

 

Next stop, Home Depot.  At first I thought I had encountered the same situation there, but then noticed a similar looking filter made by HDX.  I checked the package for replacement compatibility and it listed the Whirlpool filter number I needed.  It was priced just under $30, which is significantly cheaper than the Whirlpool part.  I bought it, but haven't yet installed it.

 

This morning I took it out of its packaging (the annoying seamed plastic you have to cut with scissors -- points off for that) and noticed the recommendation to replace every six months or 400 gallons.  So, considering I use a quart per day for coffee and not much more, and the daily ice maker production is negligible, does this mean the filter could last me about four years?  I never saw any reference to number of gallons on literature that came with the Whirlpool filters; just the instructions to replace every six months.

 

I'm also wondering if Whirlpool has licensed HDX to produce their filters going forward, or if they simply stopped distributing them to big box outlets and that perhaps they might only be available at appliance and parts dealers now.

 

Has anyone else run into this situation or have experience with HDX filters that they can share?

 

[yogitunes]

not sure about HDX filters......but have bought original and generic ones from ebay, massively cheaper....

the only thing I don't like, is the so called timer built into the fridge, making me replace it, whether it needs it or not......theres not enough use of this fridge to warrant a new filter every 6 months....

I got the point, and found out, if you leave the filter out, it still works.....and glad it does...just not a fan, nor do I see a difference of having one....but that's me

I know some machines had a by-pass piece you had to install in to re-route the water supply....

 

[murando531]

I'm not entirely familiar with the subject specifically, but I believe Whirlpool's water filtration for refrigerators and standalone is now under the "EveryDrop" name. It's still Whirlpool, but they may finally be going through the transition period and could explain why they've disappeared from stores temporarily.

As for HDX branded filters, I can't speak from personal experience, but in the time I worked at HD, they seemed to get praising reviews. We use a brand that we order from Amazon for our Samsung fridge (that I'm fully expecting to either die or catch fire soon -_-), and they're made in the same city as the HDX branded ones, so I'm assuming they come from the same factory.

http://https//everydropwater.com/

 

[rp2813]

Ah, it looks like they're waiting for the "Every Drop" stock to arrive.

 

Until yesterday, I didn't even know it was possible to buy any other filter besides Whirlpool's own brand.  If this HDX works out, I'll continue to purchase that brand because it's so much cheaper than Whirlpool.  I wonder if when the "Every Drop" filters arrive, an even higher price will appear along with them.

 

I use a filter because there's a definite chlorine smell to the water if I don't.  On our fridge, there's a filter button on the dispenser panel to (supposedly) check the % of filtering capability remaining.  It lights up with a blue ring around it when depressed.  When the internal clock thinks its time to replace, the ring lights up orange (and stays lit) when life expectancy is almost reached, then changes to red when it's at 0%.  If you push and hold the button, it resets the clock, so that's all I do when I'm not ready to replace the filter.

 

 

 

[kb0nes]

I'd bypass the filter in the fridge and use a large under counter filter for all drinking/cooking water. These use common non-proprietary cartridges making for a far better value overall. I think it is a silly gimmick to put a filter into appliance in the first place, I'd much rather have my drinking water faucet at the sink anyhow.

You probably shouldn't length the chance interval too long even if your total usage is low. Filters can have stuff grow inside them so changing them yearly isn't a bad idea

 

[combo52]

Refs With Built-In Water Filters

Are a terrible idea, the ref manufacturers make a killing selling you over priced water filters, and the filter systems often lead to EXPENSIVE REPAIRS and sometimes leaks and floods and other performance issues with the IMs and water dispensers.

 

We always recommend that if customers want filtered water to install an inline filter which can also supply a tap at the sink for drinking and cooking as well as any other IMs or instant-hots etc in the house.

 

I totally agree with my brother Phil and we always encourage our customers when getting a refrigerator to bypass the filter system.

 

On most WP systems if you just remove the filter it bypasses automatically, on other brands you use the supplied by-pass cap.