Product review (4 stars): Water Sentinel WSS-2 Filter vs Samsung DA29-00020B
In the 11 months we've owned our&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Samsung-RF4287HARS-28-cu-ft-4-Door-French-Door-Refrigerator-Stainless-Steel/dp/B003M5L284/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Samsung RF4287HARS 28 cu. ft. 4-Door French Door Refrigerator - Stainless Steel</a>&nbsp;I've now had the opportunity to replace several water filters. The first time around I choose the Samsung DA29-00020B which back in April ran almost $33 and as of today is running at $35. The Samsung replacement filter is pretty much a no-brainer as it is designed and manufactured by Samsung so there was no doubt of it's reliability and quality.

This time around I decided to take a chance on an aftermarket replacement filter manufactured by Water Sentinel which I purchased last month for $21.89 and today is selling for $22.38. Obviously >56% is a significant savings compared with the Samsung filter.

After removing the Water Sentinel WSS-2 filter from the box the first thing I noticed is it's size. It is definitely thinner (smaller diameter) than the Samsung (see my detailed pics above), however overall length is about the same. The connection port or fitting has the same physical design and O-ring appears the same as Samsung's too.

The smaller diameter body may be a manufacturing/marketing cost reduction strategy rather than product inferiority. By making a smaller housing this one unit may fit multiple refrigerator models which helps reduce costs that Water Sentinel chooses to pass onto their customers. Or, they deliberately make their filters smaller knowing it will trigger refrigerators to signal owners and replace filters more frequently. Since it's only a theory and haven't owned it long enough I'm unable to say with any certainty. The closest analogy is gasohol, you pay less for the product but buy more frequently due to reduced energy content (lower mpg).

The installation process for these filters is similar so I will skip this part and mention only relevant differences. While I didn't do a timed water flow comparison, flow rate through the door appears slightly faster with Water Sentinel WSS-2 filter compared with the Samsung. If water flowing through filtering media is faster, it may mean there is less filter media inside the cartridge. Or it might indicate the old Samsung filter may be saturated with dissolved solids and is no longer effectively filtering. Since our refrigerator is connected to a reverse osmosis system it's hard to believe the old filter has become unusable. At this point I'll call it a draw and give Water Sentinel the benefit of the doubt.

It's important to keep in mind these filters do not typically filter to ultra-fine levels. In fact, all refrigerator filters primarily contain compressed carbon which is designed "to remove and/or reduce impurities and sediment that may be present in your drinking water." The carbon filters absorb certain elements and allow others to pass through. It also has the ability to "chemically breakdown" some impurities but not to a very high degree.

So what does all this mean? If you are looking to filter out bad taste; chlorine and slight odors from your drinking water and ice cubes these should all work fine. But if your concern for water safety justifiably greater you need to look at a reverse osmosis system which not only reduces chlorine taste and odor but arsenic, lead, perchlorate, cysts, cryptosporidium, giardia, entamoeba and others. From my own personal experience owning an RO system for almost 20 years you would be amazed how visibly contaminated (brown) the filters including these&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Purenex-1M-4PK-1-Micron-Sediment-Water-Filter-Cartridge-4-Pack/dp/B000AOL0M8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Purenex 1M-4PK 1-Micron Sediment Water Filter Cartridge, 4-Pack</a>&nbsp;become after only 6 months from a certified city municipal water supply. And that's from contaminants that are visible. But we'll leave that for another review...

Today many appliances, devices and products are sold at or near cost, think printers (toner & ink cartridges); razors (blades); even Amazon's Kindles (books, movies & products) in order to sell consumables. While refrigerators are definitely not inexpensive the same business model applies to water filters. The cost to manufacture these cartridges are really not high, but the profit potential is. So it's wise to understand where and how filter cost reduction (by manufacturers) may adversely affect you. For example, some non-OEM ink jet cartridges can detrimentally effect your printer if they leak by ruining the printer and voiding the warranty. To their credit Water Sentinel does provide an "unconditional 90 day money back guarantee" and is good for 6 months or 300 gallons.

While there is always the remote possibility a defective filter could leak and damage your refrigerator, I believe the probability is very low. What most of us are looking for is quality, reliability and value.

I wish I could say unequivocally the Water Sentinel WSS-2 is a vastly superior filter to the Samsung, it's not. That said, for the Water Sentinel WSS-2 to be a better filter, it need only perform equal to the Samsung and with an appreciable cost advantage... based on that criteria I believe it is a good filter.

BTW, I've read a number of reviews where ppl have complained about noises after replacing their filters. Naturally I can't say with certainty but one possible problem may be air in the line. After installing any new filter it's important to purge all air from the line. Simply run a few large glasses of water through the door's water dispenser until the flow is smooth (no air bubbles). It's also helpful in eliminating any course particles or carbon dust trapped inside during manufacture, for most this will take care of any noises...