Cheap vs Expensive water filters. Do I really need to buy the expensive one?

Why are some water filters so much more expensive than others? We compare the best selling, recommended, expensive refrigerator water filter to a cheap generic filter. Is the expensive one worth the price? Link to the NSF testing site: info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/
Amazon Associate links
PUR
Everydrop Filter 1: amzn.to/2SnYZ9I
Everydrop Filter 2: amzn.to/3oMpi5N
Everydrop Filter 3: amzn.to/3oKob6w
Everydrop Filter 4: amzn.to/3oJdhxO
Everydrop Filter 5: amzn.to/2SoEFoZ
Generics
Filter 1: amzn.to/3xDzosC - 3 pack
Filter 2: amzn.to/34dS1qM - 3 pack
Filter 3: amzn.to/3fflsPq - 3 pack
Filter 4: amzn.to/2QNz2Af - 3 pack
Filter 5: amzn.to/3yCHiE0 - 3 pack
Disclaimer: I've not opened all these filters, just the two in the video. Be sure to read the product description and any reviews for the products you are considering.

[@mark52111]

Great topic and video! Thanks for sharing. Tough choice on filters. Right now, the manufacturer recommended filter for my refrigerator is going for $60 each, which is crazy. I'm ready to go back to Brita pitchers at that cost. Brita filters are $7 each and good for 40 gallons, which is $.18/gallon. A new "everydrop" filter is $60 each and good for 200 gallons, which is $.30/gallon. It's nickel and dime at this level but when you look at cost over long run, you'll double cost of refrigerator in 8-10 years [$60 x 2 per year x 8 years = $960].

[@Monica111960]

Thank you for this reality check on the cost of the Whirpool Everydrop filter, which is ridiculous 😣! I have to replace mine and I am shocked that even on Amazon they are almost $60. I am tempted to buy a Brita, but do you think it filters the same amount of contaminants? Are all carbon filters made the same? I am not sure, that's why I am watching these videos trying to find an answer. For me the quality of water boils down to health, not only taste. I live in Atlanta and despite what they say in those wonderful water reports that they send us yearly, the water in North Fulton county containes Bromodichloromethane, Chloroform, Chromium, Dibromochloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, trihalomethanes, trichloroacetic acid. All of these, 3rd party tested in levels that exceed health guidelines, which is pretty disgusting. The water tastes bad, period. We should held counties and municipalities accountable for allowing these chemicals to end up in our glasses endangering our health. These chemicals cause cancer.

[@eddwiggins4383]

My issue with the AMAZON cheaper filters is that the O rings leak. Flooding my kitchen wasn't worth the $30 I thought I'd saved.

[@Killobyte]

That sux! I've not had an issue with that but it's something to keep an eye on.

[@TheRosswise]

Actually I had more problems with official filters and O-rings. Ive paid $60 and gotten filters from Maytag that had missing O-rings. Since I switched to cheaper filters off Ebay I havent had missing O-rings.

[@dlloyd6300]

The thing that always worries me about these 3rd party filters is that none of the brands seem to exist past a year or so. I see no reliable long term 3rd party brands. They all seem to be Chinese knock off brands. I just feel that it seems they close up shop and open as another business to avoid any sort of litigation and that seems scary to me.

[@davetaylor2449]

My cheaper filters tend to leak

[@scottfrost7178]

Interesting. I'm probably more likely to pay the extra knowing it has NSF approval, not particularly the membrane.

[@Frillik]

What's really interesting is that in industrial water filtration buying the materials is actually rather cheap. There's 1 material that's rather expensive at 30-80$ per square meter. If you also look at how the certain compound is made in a lab / Manufactured setting its absolutely crazy how we can feed the worlds need of water because of greed, and wanting to make sure other countries are relied on us instead of sustainability.

[@genekerr8064]

Very interesting. Everydrop = Terrible taste! We replaced a water filter in our Whirlpool frig 3 weeks ago with Everydrop; now, our water taste so terrible we can't drink the water. We have now ordered a different brand water filter.

[@devonswindell9735]

That's weird. I really like every drop compared to others.

[@krishaley5502]

which did you switch to, and do you now like that one better?

[@TheTF01]

I’ve tried both those brands in my whirlpool. The filtering was fine on both, as long as I could get the filter installed without leaking. The everydrop fitd perfect every time, but the other one is about 50/50 leaking.

[@mark52111]

Are you sure you purchased a legit "everydrop" filter? There are tons of counterfeit ones out there. If you paid less than $60 per filter, you probably purchased a counterfeit one.

[@Machria23]

@@mark52111 And you left out: if you paid the $60, you were RIPPED OFF!

[@johnnymathematics6216]

Water filters seem like a scam. Mains water is pure and treated here in the UK, there are no significant contaminants. Also like many households we have a water softening system. I’ve just fitted my American style Samsung and bypassed the filter, it’s a built in unit and no way it’s coming out every 6 months: I’d forget to do it, it’s heavy and I risk scratching the floor. Oh and they cost £15 a pop ! 10 years £300………..

[@aaronjs2981]

What? By the time that messy shelf had your confused boxes switching places and you calling them by wrong names. I watched 3 times and feel more dumb than before. But thanks for the attempt!