The 10 Best MWF Water Filters
This wiki has been updated 28 times since it was first published in November of 2018. Clean water is essential for your and your family's health, and some General Electric refrigerators use an MWF filter to ensure that what they dispense is free from contaminants, such as lead and mercury. However, when it comes time to replace it, you'll find tons of cheap knockoffs on the market, so we've compiled a list of quality models with a range of prices and filtration levels. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Waterdrop Plus
2. K&J GE VAR
3. General Electric MWF
Editor's Notes
November 25, 2020:
We have removed the AmazonBasics MWF-P3 and Blue Signature GES because they are no longer available. We added the Best GE MWF Compatible as a decent, less expensive alternative to the General Electric MWF. The trade-off is that it is not quite as effective as the brand name filter, because it does not hold the NSF 53 certification, so it may not reduce lead and other heavy metals or volatile organic compounds. The Icepure Pro has been added because it meets many standards in addition to the NSF standards, but one drawback is that it does not remove pharmaceuticals. Glacier Fresh has been added due to its comprehensive filtering capabilities, but it has limited compatibility with General Electric refrigerator models. The Aqua Crest meets many of the standards to filter harmful substances including the especially harmful trihalomethanes (THMs), and the housing is made of safe materials. Be aware that you may need to periodically reset the filter to maintain an acceptable flow rate and this can be a minor inconvenience.
May 30, 2019:
One of the main things to look for when shopping for an MWF water filter is whether it has been certified by the nonprofit National Sanitation Foundation to reduce impurities. Because attaining these certifications can be expensive, some companies opt instead to hire third-party laboratories to test their filters against the NSF standards. The General Electric MWF, for example, is not NSF certified to reduce trace pharmaceuticals, but the manufacturer says testing from an independent laboratory confirmed it still conforms with the nonprofit's standards.
For some consumers, this may lend less credibility to claims that a filter reduces or removes certain contaminants.
Also keep in mind that the NSF issues various types of certifications. An NSF 401 certification means a filter reduces the level of incidental contaminants, such as prescription drugs and pesticides. NSF 53 relates to health-related contaminants, including lead, benzene, and carbofuran. An NSF 42 filter will improve your water's aesthetic, reducing chlorine, foul tastes and funky odors.
Finally, a filter can have an NSF 372 certification, like the Waterdrop Plus, which means it is constructed from lead-free materials.
These certifications were the main factor we considered when ranking these filters, though we also looked at ease of installation, water flow rate and price.
4. Waterspecialist WS613B-3
5. Best GE MWF Compatible
6. Pureline PL-100
7. Icepure Pro
8. Mist CWMF031
9. Glacier Fresh
10. Aqua Crest
Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.