Top 7 Benefits of Refrigerator Water Filters

Refrigerator filters are an easy and affordable way to improve the taste and general cleanliness of the drinking water in your kitchen and home.

Your water may taste ok now but there are many benefits aside from potentially tastier water. Here are seven specific benefits to using a refrigerator water filter in your home.

Cleaner and fresher-tasting water

Nearly all refrigerator filters contain one key ingredient, or active component that does the filtration: activated carbon. One of the basic chemical elements of the physical world, carbon is one of the fundamental building blocks of all living things on Earth. “Activated carbon” is simply charcoal from burnt carbonaceous materials (such as coconut husks) that has been superheated with steam to expand the charcoal’s surface area. Contaminants such as chlorine, VOCs, pesticides, and PFAs, chemically stick to the activated carbon in a process called ‘adsorption.’

The use of carbon to clean water and improve its taste has been around since the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians, and it works as well now as it ever did for getting bad tastes, nitrates, turbidity, and other unwanted flavor-imparting agents to our water. Carbon is a cheap, effective, and renewable resource that does more to improve the aesthetics (taste and odor) of water than any other filtration media.

Removal of contaminants and disinfectants like chlorine

Carbon filters are also excellent at removing chlorine from water. If you are on city water, then there is most likely chlorine in your water. While some water treatment plants have moved to newer disinfection methods such as ozonation, chlorination remains the most widely used mass water disinfection method in the United States. In the tiny amounts it is present in our drinking water, chlorine is not harmful, but it doesn’t taste good, and is generally better not to imbibe.

Carbon is also one of the best filters in the world for contaminants dissolved in water in both gaseous and liquid form. A wide variety of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs can be found in water, some innocuous, some quite dangerous. These chemicals can be inhaled from our glasses and bathtubs as they off-gas from our water. Carbon is one of the best media around for reducing the presence of VOCs.

Improved odor reduction

Have you ever noticed an odd smell coming from your water, even if it tastes ok? Water is known as the “universal solvent,” and it picks up trace amounts of nearly everything it comes into contact with, organic or inorganic. Rubber, gasoline, pet waste, batteries, pesticides, limestone, concrete, tar, and so on, all get picked up in trace amounts by stormwater runoff, and transported into the waterways.

Healthier hydration

Aesthetics aside, the benefit of a carbon filter is obvious: it reduces the amount of undesirable pollutants, impurities, and chemicals in your drinking water. It isn’t guaranteed protection against anything that may come your way, but rather a basic line of defense against unwanted elements in what you drink. Note, however, that if there are serious issues with the water in your area, or a specific known problem, such as lead leaching, or high protozoa or microbial contamination, then you will likely need to look at a more aggressive filtration solution. Fridge filters are not medical-grade devices, nor should they be trusted on their own in cases of extreme or known risk.

Reduction of plastic bottle waste

A side benefit of drinking more water from your own home is that you can spend less money on bottled water, and thus contribute less plastic waste to the world. Plastic pollution is a growing problem that even ends up affecting the quality of our drinking water, as water around the world is now full of tiny plastic particulates called “microplastics.”

Cleaner Ice

We don’t often think about ice being “clean” or “dirty,” but if you freeze dirty water, you get dirty ice. To get fully transparent ice, you need a specialized approach, as that requires a complete TDS (total dissolved solids) strip, but even a small refrigerator filter will help your icemaker to make clearer, cleaner ice.

Cost-effective long-term solution

Water is, by its very nature, an excellent vector for spreading nearly any and all physical substances, so water filtration is a need that isn’t going away anytime soon. Depending on your situation, and the current status of your water, a refrigerator filter could be the ideal addition to your home. If your water is pretty good already, but has some undesirable characteristics, and to get some peace of mind, consider adding this small but mighty cylinder to your kitchen line-up.

Where can I buy replacement refrigerator water filters?

AllFilters is a great choice for all of your filtration needs; the company offers low prices, a wide selection, and customer-friendly shipping terms and options. From refrigerator and other inline cartridge filters all the way up to reverse osmosis systems and water softeners, All Filters can help you with your water.

What is a refrigerator water filter?

A refrigerator water filter is typically cylindrical in shape, and roughly 2.5” wide by 8-10” long. Only refrigerators with water and ice delivery systems require a dedicated water filter. There are a wide variety of brands, with each manufacturer typically offering a proprietary filter, and various aftermarket options.

How often should I change my refrigerator water filter?

The answer to that depends in part on your local water conditions, but generally every 2 to 4 months.

The Bottom Line 

Refrigerator water filters are inexpensive, easy-to-install, and can give you better-tasting water at home and a degree of protection against impurities that may be lurking in your water. They are not a cure-all, and they may be insufficient if you live in an area with problematic water. They can work in concert with other filtration systems in your home very well, such as a water softener or other whole-house system. Even if your water is already in good shape, having a carbon filter right before the water is dispensed is the best recipe for good taste and odor in every glass.

Similar Stories