Is there a cheaper source for replacing fridge water filters

[IDoDis]

First of all, do these REALLY need to be replaced every six months? Our Kenmore has an "order now" light that stays on for a few weeks and then a "replace" light when the filter needs to be changed. It seems like clockwork, the light comes on every six months. Is this just on a timer? We use way more water and ice in the summer, but it still takes 6 months for the light to come on just like in the winter (when it should take longer).

It costs around $50 for a new filter from Sears. I bought 2 on ebay once and got burned. They didn't work and we had water leak all over the kitchen. The seller never responded back to me, so now I'm leary to buy them on ebay. Is there a better place to buy replacement filters that don't cost as much as buying them from Sears? We have a Sears Kenmore which is 2 years old. The filter snaps in and out at the bottom of the fridge.

 

[kehouse]

try to find out who made your fridge, we own a vacuum store and when we need kenmore canister parts, we order panasonic parts, they are always alot cheaper, and the very same thing.hth

 

[LanaJae]

First of all, do these REALLY need to be replaced every six months? Our Kenmore has an "order now" light that stays on for a few weeks and then a "replace" light when the filter needs to be changed. It seems like clockwork, the light comes on every six months. Is this just on a timer? We use way more water and ice in the summer, but it still takes 6 months for the light to come on just like in the winter (when it should take longer).

It costs around $50 for a new filter from Sears. I bought 2 on ebay once and got burned. They didn't work and we had water leak all over the kitchen. The seller never responded back to me, so now I'm leary to buy them on ebay. Is there a better place to buy replacement filters that don't cost as much as buying them from Sears? We have a Sears Kenmore which is 2 years old. The filter snaps in and out at the bottom of the fridge.

I don't know of any other place to get them cheaper besides eBay (we've had good luck), but I do know that the filters we have go exactly 1 year or a certain number of gallons of water on a Maytag. We've never had the light come on shorter than a year, so I push it by about 3 mos.

I imagine you could get a test kit and check the water quality. Another idea would be to put in a cheaper filter before it reaches the refrigerator so it's filtered twice which might double the life of your filter. There was one in our house when we bought it and filters cost about $4 and are replaced every six months. It's a simple looking device, like a big glass jar, I imagine it's fairly standard as we can buy filters almost everywhere for it.

 

[Feralpeg]

OP, we must have the same fridge. My Kenmore does exactly the same thing. The odd thing is that I rarely use the water or the ice. I empty the ice about once a month because it has set to long. We just aren't ice people. Regardless, the stupid replace filter light comes on every six months. It is a real pain and expensive to replace. I won't buy that type of fridge again.

 

[MrsPooh]

Yep, we've got that one too! Drives me crazy. We do use a ton of H20 and ice so it doesn't surprise me when it says to change but I can't believe how expensive it is. We don't care for the taste of our city water so we love having the filter.

We learned one lesson the hard way. Because we were short of funds on time we put off switching the filter. It actually damaged the entire system and the service dept had to come out and replace someting. The repairman said it was because we continued using it even after it said to replace now. Thankfully it was under warranty but now we buy a backup as soon as it hits that middle light.

 

[IDoDis]

I let mine go for 2 extra months when the light went off last December because we hardly used the ice & water. I just had a feeling the thing was on a timer and not some meter that could tell how much water was used. Now, here we are about 6 months to the day and the "order" light comes on. The fridge is made by Whirlpool (it's a Kenmore), so I bought two Whirlpool filters on ebay last year that said it fit that model number for Kenmore, but it was a huge mess. Oh well, I was hoping there'd be some outlet out there that had these things for less $. I've already spent $200 in 2 years on filters, not including the the two I bought that I couldn't use.

 

[WDWAMY]

We have a 2 year old Kenmore as well. When the repairman was out to fix the icemaker motor, he said there was no need to replace the water filter until you notice a decrease in the flow of water. That happened around the 18 month mark on mine. Also, you can reset the light by pressing and holding the button on the front of the door. It will then change to "GOOD" without replacing the filter. And, you'll notice the light will change again six months later. Apparently, the status light is on a timer and not a sensor related to the water filter.

 

[RuthnPaul]

We order online through a site called www.waterfiltersfast.com. We don't have a Kenmore but the site does carry filters for the Kenmore brand. We have found them to be quite a bit cheaper and, as their name implies, they REALLY are fast! Hope this helps...

 

[IDoDis]

We order online through a site called www.waterfiltersfast.com. We don't have a Kenmore but the site does carry filters for the Kenmore brand. We have found them to be quite a bit cheaper and, as their name implies, they REALLY are fast! Hope this helps...

That is the same filter I bought on ebay (whirlpool equivalent for the model we have) and it didn't work. Now I'm afraid to buy that same one again and think I should stick with one that says "Kenmore" but I can't find those at a discount. Thanks for trying to help though.

I had a feeling that the 6 month replacement was something the manufacturer came up with to make more money.

 

[RNMOM]

I know Lowes or Home Depot sells ours. Look on your filter and it will give you a number...it will match a bunch of other brands, I guarantee. I believe probably Whirlpool as they make a number of Kenmore products now. I have a Kitchenaid side by side and my sister has a Whirlpool she bought a few years after mine. She uses the exact same filter. I usually buy online but I know I can also get them at the above places and at Best Buy also.

 

[sherreis]

I guess I'm lucky cause the water in our town tastes so bad that I can tell when my filter needs changing due to the taste of the water. Even when the light comes on, we can usually get another 1-3 months out of it, depending on how much water and ice we're drinking.

 

[RuthnPaul]

That is the same filter I bought on ebay (whirlpool equivalent for the model we have) and it didn't work. Now I'm afraid to buy that same one again and think I should stick with one that says "Kenmore" but I can't find those at a discount. Thanks for trying to help though.

I had a feeling that the 6 month replacement was something the manufacturer came up with to make more money.

Hmmm, we have a Maytag refrigerator and purchase the exact filter # that was included on the original paperwork for the fridge. We've ordered several times and have never had a problem...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have a Whirlpool Gold and have found that if you order multiple filters from Whirlpool the price drops considerably. Last time I ordered five and effectively got one free.

 

[Jeanne B]

I just ordered some recently from www.fridgefilters.com after my jaw dropped at the $50 price tag at Sears (this was my first time replacing the filter). The serial # is different than the Sears brand so I sent an email to them and they assured me it was the correct filter, it's just rebranded or something like that. You can order them from Amazon or directly from fridgefilters. I ordered three for what it would have cost for two at Sears. And if you enter "coupon" in their search function you'll see a few coupons available, I used save5bucks to get $5 off my $100 order.

But it looks like the prices at waterfiltersfast may be slightly cheaper than fridgefilters.

 

[Tina]

Thanks for the tips! I've been staring at that "change filter" light on my GE Profile for weeks. I just ordered from FridgeFilters.com and used the save5bucks coupon as well.

 

[Muushka]

This is my dilemma-du-jour! I just got an LG with the water in the door. It was a floor model, but 'never used'. When they hooked it up, gray sluge came out of the water dispenser. They said to run it until it is clean, which I did. But then I noticed that the water didn't taste all that good. So I went back to Sears and complained. They gave me a brand new filter. We installed it and viola! great tasting water. GROSS ALERT+++++

I tipped the old filter upside-down in a white cup and let it drain. GROSS. Gray, grunge. I was drinking that *&$%()!

So now I know how much the filters cost (the dilemma) . And I just visited the 2 sites that were listed on this thread and they were actually more expensive than Sears. Even when you buy 4! And apparently my refrig does not know when a filter is gross or not, so that puppy will be filtering for 12 months, minimum!

 

[Michelle67]

I would take the old filter with me and go to Lowe's or Home Depot, too. We did that with our under-sink filters for our old house and found compatible ones for about half the price of the manufacturer ones.

Good luck with finding something. It is nice to have filters, but stinks to be raked over the coals for them!

 

[TaraPA]

Isn't there anyone else out there who just ignores the filter light? My Jenn-Air is 2 1/2 years old & we've never once changed the filter. We have well water that tastes great so I have no issues with that. My parents said they have never replaced their filter either (their fridge is 7 years old) so I assumed it was fine.

 

[Muushka]

Isn't there anyone else out there who just ignores the filter light? My Jenn-Air is 2 1/2 years old & we've never once changed the filter. We have well water that tastes great so I have no issues with that. My parents said they have never replaced their filter either (their fridge is 7 years old) so I assumed it was fine.

At 45 bucks a pop, you bet I will ignore it!

 

[decaff38]

We have a Maytag and replace it yearly. At Home Depot they are about 40.00. The one time we did not replace it for 18 months , the new one pushed out this orange slimey strings. Very gross. We have our own well so we do have some minerals and I feel better with the filter in. It also filters the water for the ice cubes. It is a bunch cheaper than bottled water so I can not complain. Oh, our yearly light comes on the week before xmas each year. How fun is that!