The problem with fridge water filters
Renovating or redesigning your kitchen? If you tick these boxes the chances are you’ll be updating your appliances too… and finally banishing the old fridge to the garage as an all important ‘drinks fridge’!
A new fridge opens a list of possibilities and these days many fridges come with a built in water filter.
Yay to chilled water straight from the fridge! But just how good are fridge water filters?
And is this really the smartest way to filter water?
According to WFA’s Technical Director, Craig Hannam there are four things to consider if you are thinking of investing in a fridge water filter.
Renovating or redesigning your kitchen? If you tick these boxes the chances are you’ll be updating your appliances too… and finally banishing the old fridge to the garage as an all important ‘drinks fridge’!
A new fridge opens a list of possibilities and these days many fridges come with a built in water filter.
Yay to chilled water straight from the fridge! But just how good are fridge water filters?
And is this really the smartest way to filter water?
According to WFA’s Technical Director, Craig Hannam there are four things to consider if you are thinking of investing in a fridge water filter.
1. Quality
It’s important to check the quality of the filtered water produced by the fridge filter and to look very closely at what the filter actually does. Always check the micron rating, some fridge water filters only filter to 5 microns. What’s a micron? It’s a term used to measure small particles – a micron is one thousandth of a millimetre. To give you an idea, the human eye can’t see anything smaller that 30 microns and a human hair is 75 microns wide.
Generally the smaller the micron rating, the better the fridge water filter as it can remove smaller particles. In order to remove possible ‘nasties’ like cysts you’ll need a water filter that removes particles to 0.5 microns.
Another quality check is to make sure your fridge water filter is WaterMark certified. So what does that mean? WaterMark is a national certification scheme – our Australian standards tick of approval. They independently test and check the performance of the product. And independently certify that the products meet Australian safety plumbing standards.
In a nutshell it’s important to check that if you decide to buy a fridge water filter you are getting the water quality that you expect.
2. Quantity
Typically fridge water filters are used for filling up a glass of filtered water. If you want to use filtered water for cooking it’s very difficult to fit a pot under a fridge filter for your rice or pasta.
The flow rate is usually quite slow too so this in turn changes the way you may use the filter. For example, a large family who like filtered water for more than just a glass of water, like using filtered water for cooking, filling the kettle and washing vegetables may find that this isn’t the best water filter for them.
3. Cost
Typically most fridge water filters are small and only have a capacity to last for 6 months. So when it comes to changing the filter cartridge it is a twice a year cost rather than once every 12 months with a WFA water filter cartridge.
Just as a comparison a WFA water filter produces filtered water at less than 1 cent per litre, compared to an average of $2.75 per litre of unfiltered bottled tap water and an average price of $5.18 per litre for bottled spring and mineral water.
4. Usage
Ask yourself what you are going to use your fridge water filter for? If it’s just for a cold glass of filtered water then great. But if you want to make the switch to filtered water for all your kitchen needs then an inline water filter is a more convenient, cost effective way to go. It’s hard to put a saucepan under a fridge water filter or fill a kettle!
If you are looking to update your kitchen and want to buy a quality water filter look at investing in a WFA Platinum inline water filter for all your kitchen needs.
Or contact our friendly customer service team to discuss your water filtration requirements. We’d love to help!
Read more water filter systems articles.
Buy Water Filter Systems
& Water Filters Online
Inline Water Filter System
$299 - No separate tap or drilling needed
- Connects inline to cold-water hose
- No plumber needed
- 4x faster than traditional systems
- Lasts a family of 4 for 1 year
Bathroom Vanity Filter System
$199 - Compact for en suite bathrooms
- Space required 335mm x 225mm
- Mounts vertically or horizontally
- Works with your existing tap
- Protects tap from limescale build-up
Dedicated Filter Tap System
$329- Ideal if you like a separate filter tap
- Mount filter vertically or horizontally
- Filter lasts 12 months
- Same great taste
Replacement Filter Cartridges
From $60.66- WFA & Everpure cartridges
- Omnifilter cartridges
- Rainwater cartridges
- Fridge cartridges
Water Filters for Your RV
From $149- Easy installation
- Choice of three systems
- Significantly cheaper than bottled water
- Durable & long lasting
- Space saving
Counter Top System & Filter Taps
From $61.74- Ideal solution for people on the move
- No plumbing required
- Chrome plated
- Lever operation
- Suitable for WFA Filter Systems
WFA Replacement Cartridges
From $60.66 - Inhibits lime scale build up in water using appliances
- Environmentally friendly
- Removes particles 75 times smaller than the diameter of a hair
Rain Water Filters
From $35.24 - Ideal screen filter for sediment particles in excess of 80 microns.
- Typically used for filtration before or after a rainwater tank pump
RV & Marine Cartridges
From $60.66- Compact size
- Quick change cartridge – DIY
- Compatible with all Everpure ADC filter installations
Everpure
From $104.74- The Everpure 7CB5-K cartridge filters out particles between 1 and 5 microns in size. By way of comparison, the diameter of human hair is 75 microns.
- Contaminants reduced/removed include sediment, chlorine, bad tastes and odours.
- The filtration process also inhibits limescale build up in water using appliances.
Omnifilter
From $36.93- The 1100R is the half micron ‘quick change’ replacement cartridge and is recommended for use with the Omnifilter CBF2 water filter system.
- Removes/reduces the following contaminants and substances; cysts such as giardia and cryptosporidium, chlorine, bad tastes and odours.
Fridge Filter Cartridges
From $71.72- Contaminants removed include chlorine, bad tastes and odours with some sediment removal/reduction.
- The cartridge inlet and outlet include ¼” ‘push fit’ connection fittings.
- Environmentally friendly, reducing plastic bottle waste.
Specials
From $66.97- A 2 year supply*. Receive a reminder notification to change to your second cartridge.
- Larger quantities purchased receive a larger discount.
Jugs
From $15.74- Simple and easy to use
- Removes/reduces sediment, chlorine, cadmium and mercury
- Filter change every two months
- More economical than bottled water
- Environmentally friendly, reducing plastic bottle landfill waste
News & Articles
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Nothing ruins an outdoor activity like camping or hiking faster than exhaustion, dizziness and a pounding headache—all classic signs that dehydration is probably sneaking up on you. A portable water filtration solution gives you instant access to clean, great-tasting water—without the hassle or waste of carrying plastic bottles or large water containers.
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Scorching heat isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s a real threat to your body. Australian summers are made for fun, but staying safe means more than just wearing sunscreen. How pure water supports your health in extreme heat isn’t just about staying hydrated. Ultimately, filtered water is the best choice as it is free from contaminants that can worsen dehydration.