Refrigerator filter – useful?

Does a refrigerator filter make sense?

Side-by-side water filters were developed in the USA and first launched there. Drinking water in the USA is generally poor and therefore heavily chlorinated. It's only safe to drink when filtered. That's why every SBS refrigerator is equipped with a water filter. But is one needed in Germany, since chlorination is rare or non-existent here?

Our assessment: no, not necessarily. The refrigerator functions just as well without a filter installed. Only suspended solids, chlorine, and organic contaminants are removed. Anyone who still wants a water filter in their refrigerator should opt for an inexpensive, compatible replacement that performs the same as the original. The original refrigerator filters are massively overpriced and don't offer the same benefits. Sure, they remove contaminants, but that doesn't justify the enormous price.

We generally recommend using a good reverse osmosis system, which filters out contaminants as well as limescale. You can then connect an SBS refrigerator and a high-quality coffee machine to this system.

If you don’t have this or don’t want it, you can safely do without the water filter in your refrigerator.