can someone explain the insanity of GE XWFE refrigerator filters (how much, appliance)

[DeanJ44]

The number of disasters, problems and mind-boggling dysfunction in the house from hell is endless. One of the smaller things on the very very long list is the puzzling GE refrigerator water filter.

This model apparently is supposed to take a XWFE filter. But when searching for a replacement online, most of the results are for XWF which are about 1/10th the price and - if you believe what GE says - not compatible with XWFE (although XWFE are supposed to be backward compatible and work in place of XWF filters). The XWF filters are everywhere - walmart, amazon, etc...for anywhere from $5 to $15.

But the cheapest I can find the XWFE is around $55.

Is this a joke?

I hate this house. I hate everything about it. (it isn't mine, but it is now my problem) and not a day goes by that there isn't some new nightmare. This GE water filter situation just seems like a total rip-off and a good reason to avoid buying GE refrigerators in my opinion.

[Nodpete]

Why don't you try a XWF filter and see if it works ?

[K'ledgeBldr]

From Waterdrop-

“The only difference between the XWFE and the XWF is a chip on the back of the XWFE filter, which the newer GE refrigerators "use radio frequency identification (RFID) to "talk" to the fridge. The chip is used to detect leaks and let the refrigerator know whether it’s a genuine factory product or not.”

So, the filter won’t talk to the fridge- what’s more important, filtered water, or a filter that can’t “talk”?

[Threerun]

This is why I hate modern appliances.

[JonahWicky]

#FirstWorldProblems

[davebarnes]

As a Sub-Zero owner, $55 sounds normal to me.

[Seguinite]

Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr

From Waterdrop-

“The only difference between the XWFE and the XWF is a chip on the back of the XWFE filter, which the newer GE refrigerators "use radio frequency identification (RFID) to "talk" to the fridge. The chip is used to detect leaks and let the refrigerator know whether it’s a genuine factory product or not.”

So, the filter won’t talk to the fridge- what’s more important, filtered water, or a filter that can’t “talk”?

Yeah... I'd go cheap. I use generic filter on my LG, and it still tells me when I need to replace it. And since it's the only one of all my LG 'smart' appliances that actually does talk to the app, it tells me how much water we've run through it and other 'woo hoo' cool stuff. Don't know what the 'schedule' is... but I know how to reset the reminder light. I replace the fliter a couple times a year.

[tickyul]

Appliance-manufacturers are just following a trend, upscale what should be simple parts and charge
crazy money.

[rabbit33]

I'd question whether the water dispenser/icemaker in your fridge even NEEDS a filter. What do you think it's filtering out?

If you really need to filter this water, install a commercial inline filter in the water line, outside the fridge and in a place where you can conveniently access it. Most of these have replaceable elements. If the fridge requires this superduper filter to work, poke a hole in the one you've got, after you install the commercial inline one. I'd look at Graingers for the inline filter.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by JonahWicky

#FirstWorldProblems

Yes, really, to complain about a filter that's $55 rather than $15 and only gets replaced every 6 months does seem relatively trivial in the big scheme of things.