Should You Buy OEM Refrigerator Water Filters from Your Fridge Manufacturer?

Is an OEM Water Filter Necessary?

Before answering whether an OEM water filter is necessary, let's first discuss what it is, to begin with. OEM is an abbreviation that stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. In short, OEM water filters are those that are the same company behind your refrigerator manufactures.

So, is it necessary? It's necessary to change your water filter, but it does not mean that you should get it from the same manufacturer as your refrigerator. Fridge manufacturers will sell you the idea that their OEM filter is your best choice, but there are other compatible options out there that are more affordable and of the same quality.

Will Replacement Offer the Same Quality?

Quality-wise, there are replacement filters that are the same quality as OEM water filters. In some cases, alternatives like Glacier Fresh Water Filter exceed the quality of OEM water files.

Glacier Fresh Water Filter uses Sri Lankan coconut shell for their carbon block filter, which has a 0.5 pore size. This is effective in filtering out tiny particles. At the same time, it also has a high chlorine absorption rate, so there's no funky taste or bad odor in your fridge.

In addition, the Glacier Fresh Water filter also holds an NSF 43 certification, ensuring that industry standards are strictly followed. Their products are also laboratory tested to ensure that their claims are backed by science.

The Pros And Cons of OEM Refrigerator Water Filter Alternatives

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives for OEM refrigerator water filters will help you decide which one is the best option for you. In that case, here are the advantages of OEM refrigerator water filter alternatives:

• Affordable cost

OEM refrigerator water filter replacements are more expensive than the alternatives. One of the main reasons behind this is because of the brand association, which makes it appear like the "premium" choice. However, just because it's more expensive does not mean that it's better.

Besides, opting for a more affordable option allows you to change the filter more often without breaking the bank. This is a good practice because filters have a set lifespan, and not replacing them on time because they are expensive is counter-intuitive to its function.

• Accessible

This is one of the major benefits of buying non-OEM refrigerator water filters is that it's readily available. You can order them from the brand's website and ship them to your doorsteps. This is contrary to OEM, which requires you to contact customer care to know where or how to purchase the product, which can be quite a hassle.

• Equal quality

A non-OEM refrigerator filter doesn’t necessarily translate to substandard quality. In fact, you can find a lot of non-OEM filters on the market that have even better performance compared to their OEM counterparts.

This is mostly the case with companies who specialize in refrigerator water filters since they focus only on developing the filters and make sure that they perform well. Meanwhile, refrigerator manufacturers don’t really specialize in making filters that much as their main focus is to build a high-performing fridge.

Disadvantage

Of course, non-OEM alternatives also come with their fair share of disadvantages. These include:

• Not alternatives are good quality

Not all brands have good quality filters in the same way that not all OEM options are the best. Because of this, it's highly recommended to only buy from reputable brands.

Reputable refrigerator water filter brands are those that are transparent about their products. You can also claim whether their claims are true by checking third-party reviews about the performance of their filters.

• Compatibility 

If you are not careful, you might end up buying a water refrigerator filter that is not compatible with your unit. This is why it's important to know your unit model and carefully check whether it's compatible with the non-OEM filter you are planning to buy.

Brands that are transparent with the compatibility of their water filters deserve a green flag. But, if they don't include it in their listings or they don't answer your questions about it, then you can consider them dodgy, which is a red flag. It's highly recommended to look for other brands instead.

Final Words

Buying an OEM refrigerator water filter from your fridge manufacturer is fine. The advantage of it is that you are sure to get a compatible filter that has the same performance as your previous one.

However, it's not always the best choice. This is because there are tons of alternative brands that have the same performance as OEM refrigerator water filters. Some of them are even better because they have better filtering capability and a longer life span.

Moreover, non-OEM water filters have a long list of benefits. Its most notable ones are that it is more affordable, accessible, and can have good performance. You just have to make sure that you are buying from a reputable brand to get all of these benefits.

By the end of the day, the choice is up to you. If you don't mind paying extra, going for an OEM refrigerator could be a good choice. But, if you want more value for your money, check out non-OEM options.

Are you on the hunt for high-quality water filters? In that case, check out Glacier Fresh Water Filter for reasonably priced filters.