Does your refrigerator filter remove lead?
Most original fridge filters carry a lead claim on a certifier's listing, and most cheaper copies don't. What EPA says to look for, and how to check yours.
TapBuffUpdated 3 min read
The short answer
Most original fridge filters do. EveryDrop's, Frigidaire's, Electrolux's and GE's refrigerator filters, most of Kenmore's, and Samsung's HAF-CIN and HAF-QIN carry a lead claim under NSF/ANSI 53, with the Class I particulate claim EPA looks for alongside it. Most cheaper copies are certified only for chlorine taste and odor. Look up the model number on your filter: LG's LT1000P and LT700P, Samsung's HAFCU1 and Kenmore's 9690 have no certifier listing that TapBuff could find.
EPA's guide to choosing a lead filter covers filters "inserted into refrigerators for water and ice dispensers," and it looks for two claims on the same filter's certification. This guide applies that test to every refrigerator filter TapBuff tracks, using each certifier's own listing: NSF, IAPMO or WQA. A claim on the box or the maker's site doesn't count until a listing shows it. TapBuff has not tested these filters.
What EPA says to look for
- A lead reduction claim under NSF/ANSI 53. EPA describes it as reducing lead to 5 parts per billion or less.
- A Class I particulate claim under NSF/ANSI 42. EPA looks for it as well, and CDC says a filter's certification should show both.
NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 on a box doesn't count. It means the product's own parts meet the lead-free limit, not that it removes lead from water.
Brand by brand
EveryDrop, Whirlpool's brand for Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Amana and JennAir refrigerators and some Kenmore models: all seven filters TapBuff tracks, 1 through 6 and A, carry both claims on NSF's listings.
GE: the MWF, XWFE, RPWFE, GSWF and MSWF carry both claims on IAPMO's listings. The filter for GE's Auto Fill Pitcher, AFPWF, is listed under NSF/ANSI 42 only. GE's specifications say NSF/ANSI 53, but its listing doesn't.
Frigidaire and Electrolux: all nine filters TapBuff tracks, from the PureSource and PurePour lines and Electrolux's PureAdvantage, carry both claims on IAPMO's listings.
Samsung: the HAF-CIN and HAF-QIN carry both claims on NSF's listings. Samsung says its water filters meet NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, but TapBuff found no listing for the HAFCU1 on October 9, 2026.
LG: the LT600P and LT800P carry both claims on NSF's listings. The LT500P is listed under NSF/ANSI 42 only. LG says the LT1000P and LT700P are certified to NSF/ANSI 53, but TapBuff found no NSF, IAPMO or WQA listing for either, under any of their part numbers.
Kenmore, whose filters are sold through Sears PartsDirect: the 9081, 9082 and 9083 and the Elite 9490 carry both claims on NSF's listings, and the 9911 and 9999 on IAPMO's. Kenmore says its 9690 is certified by NSF, but TapBuff found no NSF, IAPMO or WQA listing for it, or for the 9980 or 9002. For some older numbers, Sears PartsDirect now sends another maker's filter: EveryDrop's Filter 4, 5 and 6 for Kenmore's 9084, 9085 and 9915, and Frigidaire's PureSource Ultra for the 9999.
Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau: TapBuff found no listing for any of their refrigerator filters. Bosch says its UltraClarity Pro received NSF certification, but no listing names it.
No listing doesn't mean a filter can't reduce lead. It means no certifier lists that it does, so the claim can't be checked.
Refrigerator filters with a lead claim on their listing
| Filter | Listing | Class I particulate | Five years |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE GSWF Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for GE, GE Profile, Monogram | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $450 |
| GE MSWF Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for GE, GE Profile | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $450 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter 6 (EDR6D1)Original for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | NSF 53 | Yes | $500 |
| Frigidaire PureSource 2 NGFC-2000 (WF2CB)Original for Frigidaire | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $500 |
| GE MWF SmartWater Refrigerator Water Filter (MWFP)Original for GE, GE Profile, Crosley, Monogram | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $500 |
| Samsung HAF-CIN Refrigerator Water Filter (HAF-CIN/EXP, DA29-00020B)Original for Samsung | NSF 53 | Yes | $500 |
| Samsung HAF-QIN Refrigerator Water Filter (HAF-QIN/EXP, DA97-17376B)Original for Samsung | NSF 53 | Yes | $500 |
| Kenmore 9911 Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for Kenmore, Kenmore Elite | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $511 |
| Frigidaire PureSource 3 (WF3CB)Original for Frigidaire | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $530 |
| GE RPWFE Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for GE, GE Profile, Monogram, Café | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $550 |
| GE XWFE Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for GE, GE Profile, Crosley, Monogram, Café | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $550 |
| LG LT600P Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for LG | NSF 53 | Yes | $550 |
| LG LT800P Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for LG | NSF 53 | Yes | $550 |
| Electrolux PureAdvantage NGFC-2000 (EWF01)Original for Electrolux | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $590 |
| Electrolux PureAdvantage Ultra (EWF02)Original for Electrolux | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $590 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter 1 (EDR1RXD1)Original for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool, Crosley | NSF 53 | Yes | $600 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter 2 (EDR2RXD1)Original for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | NSF 53 | Yes | $600 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter 3 (EDR3RXD1)Original for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | NSF 53 | Yes | $600 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter 4 (EDR4RXD1)Original for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | NSF 53 | Yes | $600 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter 5 (EDR5RXD1)Original for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | NSF 53 | Yes | $600 |
| EveryDrop Refrigerator Ice & Water Filter A (EDRARXD1)Original for KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool, Crosley | NSF 53 | Yes | $600 |
| Frigidaire PurePour Connect PWF-2 (FPPWFU02)Original for Frigidaire | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $600 |
| Frigidaire PurePour PWF-1 (FPPWFU01)Original for Frigidaire | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $600 |
| Frigidaire PureSource Ultra (ULTRAWF)Original for Frigidaire | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $600 |
| Frigidaire PureSource Ultra II (EPTWFU01)Original for Frigidaire | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $600 |
| Electrolux PureAdvantage PWF-1 (EPPWFU01)Original for Electrolux | IAPMO 53 | Yes | $670 |
| Kenmore 9083 Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for Kenmore | NSF 53 | Yes | $729 |
| Kenmore 9081 Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for Kenmore, Kenmore Elite | NSF 53 | Yes | $729 |
| Kenmore 9082 Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for Kenmore | NSF 53 | Yes | $830 |
| Kenmore Elite 9490 Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for Kenmore, Kenmore Elite | NSF 53 | Yes | $997 |
| Kenmore 9999 Refrigerator Water FilterOriginal for Kenmore | IAPMO 53 | Yes | No price |
| Waterdrop WDS-F27 (WDS-DA2900020B)Copy for Samsung | NSF 53 | No | $150 |
| Waterdrop WDP-F07 (WDP-UKF8001)Copy for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | NSF 53 | No | $240 |
| Swift Green SGF-BO90Copy for Bosch, Thermador, Gaggenau | IAPMO 53 | No | $293 |
| Swift Green SGF-DA20BCopy for Samsung | IAPMO 53 | No | $293 |
| Swift Green SGF-DSB30Copy for Samsung | IAPMO 53 | No | $293 |
| Swift Green SGF-G9Copy for GE, GE Profile, Crosley, Monogram | IAPMO 53 | No | $293 |
| Swift Green SGF-M9Copy for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | IAPMO 53 | No | $293 |
| Instapure REF-IPL-4Copy for LG, Kenmore, Kenmore Elite | IAPMO 53 | No | $390 |
| Instapure REF-IPG-1Copy for GE, GE Profile, Crosley, Monogram | IAPMO 53 | No | $420 |
| Instapure REF-IPL-3Copy for LG, Kenmore, Kenmore Elite | IAPMO 53 | No | $420 |
| Instapure REF-IPM-2Copy for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | IAPMO 53 | No | $420 |
| Instapure REF-IPS-1Copy for Samsung | IAPMO 53 | No | $420 |
| Instapure REF-IPS-2Copy for Samsung | IAPMO 53 | No | $420 |
| Instapure REF-IPS-4Copy for Samsung | IAPMO 53 | No | $420 |
| Instapure REF-IPL-5Copy for LG, Kenmore, Kenmore Elite | IAPMO 53 | No | $440 |
| Instapure REF-IPW-5Copy for Amana, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool | IAPMO 53 | No | $470 |
| Instapure REF-IPF-8Copy for Frigidaire, Electrolux | IAPMO 53 | No | $500 |
| Ranked by whether it also carries an NSF/ANSI 42 Class I particulate claim, then five-year cost: filters replaced on each maker’s interval at its list price. “No price” means the maker publishes no price or no interval. Listings checked between Oct. 9, 2026 and Oct. 10, 2026. | |||
Cheaper copies
Of the 58 certified copies TapBuff tracks, 17 carry a lead claim: Instapure's, Swift Green's, and Waterdrop's WDP-F07 and WDS-F27. None of them carries the Class I particulate claim EPA pairs with it. The rest are certified for chlorine taste and odor only.
The least to own of the copies with a lead claim is Waterdrop's WDS-F27, a copy of Samsung's HAF-CIN: $150 over five years at Waterdrop's list price, against $500 for Samsung's. Are off-brand fridge filters as good as the originals? compares them filter by filter.
A fridge filter covers the fridge, not the faucet
A refrigerator filter treats the water going to the dispenser and the ice maker. Water from the kitchen faucet, including water for cooking and baby formula, doesn't pass through it. EPA names lead service lines, lead solder and brass faucets and fittings as the usual sources of lead, so if you're concerned about lead, start with what to do about lead in your water. For the tap itself, see the best water filters for lead.
Replace it on time
EPA says a cartridge used after it expires can be less effective at removing lead. Nearly every original fridge filter is rated for six months or a set number of gallons, whichever comes first, and some are rated for as little as 125 gallons: about two-thirds of a gallon a day over six months. How often to change a refrigerator water filter lists each one.
Check yours
Find the model number printed on the filter cartridge, then look it up on TapBuff's refrigerator filter pages, where each filter links its listings, or on NSF's listings search. You can also search there by your refrigerator's model number to find the filter it takes.
To see your utility's lead results:
What’s in your water?
Questions people ask
- Does a GE refrigerator filter remove lead?
- GE's MWF, XWFE, RPWFE, GSWF and MSWF carry a lead claim under NSF/ANSI 53 and a Class I particulate claim under NSF/ANSI 42 on IAPMO's listings. The filter for GE's Auto Fill Pitcher, AFPWF, is listed under NSF/ANSI 42 only, with no lead claim.
- Does a Whirlpool or EveryDrop filter remove lead?
- All seven EveryDrop filters TapBuff tracks, 1 through 6 and A, carry a lead claim under NSF/ANSI 53 and a Class I particulate claim under NSF/ANSI 42 on NSF's listings. EveryDrop is Whirlpool's brand, for Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Amana and JennAir refrigerators and some Kenmore models.
- Does a Samsung refrigerator filter remove lead?
- The HAF-CIN and HAF-QIN carry a lead claim under NSF/ANSI 53 and a Class I particulate claim under NSF/ANSI 42 on NSF's listings. Samsung says the HAFCU1 meets NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401, but TapBuff found no NSF, IAPMO or WQA listing for it on October 9, 2026.
- Does an LG refrigerator filter remove lead?
- The LT600P and LT800P carry a lead claim under NSF/ANSI 53 on NSF's listings. The LT500P is listed under NSF/ANSI 42 only. LG says the LT1000P and LT700P are certified to NSF/ANSI 53, but TapBuff found no NSF, IAPMO or WQA listing for either on October 9, 2026.
- Does a Kenmore refrigerator filter remove lead?
- Kenmore's 9081, 9082, 9083 and Elite 9490 carry a lead claim under NSF/ANSI 53 and a Class I particulate claim under NSF/ANSI 42 on NSF's listings, and the 9911 and 9999 carry both on IAPMO's. Kenmore says its 9690 is certified by NSF, but TapBuff found no NSF, IAPMO or WQA listing for it on October 10, 2026. Some Kenmore refrigerators take an EveryDrop filter instead, and all seven EveryDrop filters carry both claims.
- Does my fridge filter clean the water from my kitchen faucet?
- No. A refrigerator filter treats the water going to the fridge's dispenser and ice maker. Water from the kitchen faucet, including water for cooking, doesn't pass through it.
Sources
- Consumer Tool for Identifying Point-of-Use and Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water (EPA/600/F-24/143, June 2024), U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 10, 2026.
- Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water (updated June 18, 2026), U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 8, 2026.
- Will my filter remove lead? (updated October 7, 2026), U.S. EPA. Checked Oct. 8, 2026.
- About Lead in Drinking Water (August 20, 2025), CDC. Checked Oct. 8, 2026.
- NSF listing for EveryDrop Filter 1 (EDR1RXD1), NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for EveryDrop Filter 2 (EDR2RXD1), NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for EveryDrop Filter 3 (EDR3RXD1), NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for EveryDrop Filter 4 (EDR4RXD1), NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- IAPMO certificate for GE refrigerator filters, NSF/ANSI 42, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- IAPMO certificate for GE refrigerator filters, NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- IAPMO certificate for Frigidaire and Electrolux refrigerator filters, NSF/ANSI 42, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- IAPMO certificate for Frigidaire and Electrolux refrigerator filters, NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for Samsung HAF-CIN/EXP, NSF/ANSI 53, NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for Samsung DA97-17376B (HAF-QIN), NSF/ANSI 53, NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for LG LT600P, NSF/ANSI 53, NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for LG LT800P, NSF/ANSI 53, NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for LG LT500P, NSF/ANSI 42, NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listings for Sears Brands Management (Kenmore 9081, 9082, 9083 and 9490), NSF. Checked Oct. 10, 2026.
- IAPMO certificate for Kenmore 9911 and 9999, NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 10, 2026.
- Kenmore 9690 200 gal. Water Filter, Kenmore. Checked Oct. 10, 2026.
- Official water filters for Kenmore refrigerators, Sears PartsDirect. Checked Oct. 10, 2026.
- LG LT1000P Refrigerator Water Filter, LG. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- LG LT700P Refrigerator Water Filter, LG. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- HAFCU1 Water Filter, Samsung. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- UltraClarity Pro water filter 11032531, Bosch. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- NSF listing for Waterdrop WDS-DA2900020B, NSF/ANSI 53, NSF. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- IAPMO certificate for Instapure refrigerator filters, NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
- IAPMO listing for Swift Green Filters, NSF/ANSI 53, IAPMO. Checked Oct. 9, 2026.
Published · Last reviewed . Where every figure comes from and how it is checked: the methodology.
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Write to info@tapbuff.com.
How TapBuff checks this
Limits come from EPA, standards from NSF’s own documents, and certifications from the certifier’s listing, never the box. Every source is dated.
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Read next
- Are off-brand fridge filters as good as the originals?Most aren't certified to do as much. Nearly every original fridge filter with a certifier listing carries a lead claim, while most copies are certified only for chlorine taste and odor. A few copies, from Instapure, Swift Green and two Waterdrop models, carry lead claims too and cost less over five years. Check the listing for the exact model number before you buy.Read the guide
- How often should you change your fridge filter?Every six months, for every original fridge filter TapBuff tracks with a published interval, or sooner if its gallon rating runs out first. Most are rated for 125 to 300 gallons, so a household drawing more than about a gallon a day from the fridge, ice included, runs a 170- or 200-gallon filter out before six months. EPA says a filter used past its life can be less effective at removing lead.Read the guide
- Lead in your water: what to do nowUse only cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula, run the tap when water has sat for hours, and get your own tap tested, because your plumbing decides your lead level. Ask your utility what your service line is made of. If you filter, use one certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead, and replace the cartridge on time. Boiling does not remove lead.Read the guide