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.
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& 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
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Looking for a thoughtful Christmas gift in 2024? Finding great gift ideas can be tough. If you have an eco-friendly, health-conscious loved one who appreciates pure, fresh water, a water filter system might be the perfect choice. Our Choosing a Water Filter Christmas gift guide is here to help. They’re easy to install, require no plumber, and are simple to maintain with an annual filter change.
Do inline water filters remove fluoride?
Did you know fluoride in tap water is intentionally left there to protect your teeth? Water filtration is essential for improving the taste and quality of drinking water. But do inline water filters remove fluoride? The short answer is no. Our filters are designed to remove harmful chemicals while retaining fluoride, ensuring your water is both safe and beneficial for dental health.