Replacement water filters are a dime a dozen on the internet.  You simply need to do a search and you easily find what you need.  However, is it the best for you and at the best price? Cheaper isn’t always bad and expensive isn’t always the best.  There is a difference between being just cheap and being inexpensive.  Inexpensive is just a good way to say that you are buying a good product at a low price; Cheap replacement water filters are when they use poor quality components just to make a filter. What really matters is what you need and what filters will do that job.  Filters easily from $1 to $100 and each have its own specialty.  There are key elements that make filters well worth the price which makes them a good buy and we can help you weed out those nasty cheap filters.

There are many replacement filters that are coming overseas now.  Many are from Mexico, Taiwan or Thailand has high quality control most likely you will never have to worry about the quality of the filter cartridge. Now, we have water filter cartridges coming from China and many people are concerned with quality of the product.  Is the concern valid? Yes and no.  We do see that there are some companies who create cheap filters that fall apart but we also see companies who create very inexpensive filters with good quality.  A good filter typically be made of coconut shell carbon and pass many inspections.  The last thing you need is a filter that leeches lead in the water making your water worse than it originally was. 

Always check to see if the filters have passed all the lead laws that make them compliant to be sold in the state you reside in. The caps on the filters themselves need to be securely sealed on the filter in order to prevent any water leakage and cross contamination.   An indication of a bad filter is if it peels or leaves a lot of fines in the water.  Fines are the small loose pieces of the media that come off.  Hence the name “carbon fines” which looks like black dust or “alumina fines” which is a cloudy white water.  It’s very normal to have fines in the water but not normal to have weeks of fines in the water unless the media is water washed carbon.

Always check the reviews of the replacement water filters you are buying and even if there are none – don’t be alarmed.  Most WQA (water quality association) dealers are well aware of what good water quality means will never tarnish the name of their company.  If you have any questions, always contact your water dealer for more information on water filter products.