Where to Safely Buy Real Water Filters Online, Not Fakes or Counterfeits

Answer:

Counterfeit Water Filters Are a Problem

To improve water that is contaminated or unpleasant to drink, water filters (such as those in refrigerators, water filter pitchers, and under the sink filters) rely on proper design, components, and assembly to perform effectively. Counterfeit water filters have been sold online and may not provide the benefits of genuine water filters.

In May 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered and seized 3,940 counterfeit water filters bearing unauthorized National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certification logos, a third-party certification that indicates that a product meets certain filtration standards. When tested, the counterfeit filters failed to remove lead and other chemicals from the water.

According to partial test results published by an industry group (the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) in 2018, many counterfeit refrigerator water filters purchased through popular websites failed to adequately remove lead and live cysts from household water, and some introduced harmful compounds into the water. The products were counterfeit versions of filters from LG, Electrolux, Samsung, Whirlpool, GE Appliances, and Sub-Zero filters.

Also be aware that even genuine water filters can be better than others for filtering certain impurities from water. See ConsumerLab’s tests and reviews of popular water filter pitchers.

Where to Buy Genuine Water Filters Online

It is often difficult to know if an online seller, such as a website, or a seller on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, or other online marketplace, is authorized by the brand to distribute its products. To help, we’ve created the table below showing the registered brand names, store names, and authorized resellers of each brand, as confirmed by us with each brand.

To avoid fake and potentially ineffective or dangerous water filters, keep these tips in mind:

• Shop directly from the brand’s website. This is the best way to avoid purchasing counterfeit products.
• Shop from distributors and retailers authorized by the brand. These are often listed on the brand’s website on a “Where to Buy” page.
• On retail websites like Amazon.com and Walmart.com, shop only from “approved sellers.”
• Examine the listing. Check the product and seller’s reviews and ratings. Compare the brand’s own description, images, and specifications with the listing. Be wary of any unusually low prices or deals.

Discount & Replacement Water Filter Sites

Some websites sell water filters from popular brands at discounted prices, or sell lower-cost replacement filters from their own or other brands. However, we learned that brands may or may not authorize these sites to sell their products. Here is what we’ve heard from the sites and from brands sold on them:

DiscountFilters.com — Told us “Any brands on our site, we have been authorized to sell” but this does not appear to be correct.

• Brands saying the site is an authorized seller: Electrolux
• Brands saying the site is not an authorized seller: Frigidaire, GE, LG, KitchenAid, and Samsung
• Brands not yet responding: Whirlpool

FiltersFast.com — Claims to be the “the top filtration provider online in the United States.” Sells its own FiltersFast.com brand of products and other brands.

• Brands saying the site is an authorized seller: Electrolux, Frigidaire, and ZeroWater
• Brands saying the site is not an authorized seller: GE, LG, KitchenAid, and Samsung (In fact, prices may be higher for these brands on FiltersFast than on the brand's own site or from its authorized sellers.)
• Brands not yet responding: Brita, PUR, Sub-Zero

AllFilters.com — Claims to have “the lowest price on filters every day” and a “one-stop shop for all…filtration needs.”

• Brands saying the site is an authorized seller: Electrolux
• Brands saying the site is not an authorized seller: Frigidaire
• Brands that cannot yet confirm: LG and Samsung

Is Your Water Filter Counterfeit?

Any of the following suggests a counterfeit filter:

• A missing certification mark on the packaging (if the product is known to be certified by a third party). If the product has an NSF certification, confirm it on NSF's website. 
• Incorrect symbols or misspellings on the packaging.
• A lighter weight to the filter than expected. Counterfeit water filters tend to weigh less than real filters.

What to Do if You Receive a Counterfeit Water Filter

If you suspect that a product you received may be counterfeit, don’t use it. If you purchased the filter from Amazon, request a refund or exchange. (Note that third-party sellers may have different return policies than those sold and shipped by Amazon, and some may have a no return policy, so be sure to check return and refund policies before buying.) Also consider posting a comment about the issue further down on this page and consider reporting a fraudulent product on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.