Product review (5 stars): Current replacement for PUR fridge filters
Looks like whatever deal PUR had with whirlpool has ended.  This is the current production Whirlpool / KitchenAide etc. fridge water filter unless you want to pay 30% more for the PUR branded one.  Looks to me to be brand name, top quality, nice retail packaging oem filter not a knock off.  All I can add is that we didn't notice any particular difference between former filter manufacturer and current one.  Old blue brand used to flush a lot of black dusty water into pitcher we used to flush after install.  I don't think new one did that.  That suggests old blue brand has a charcoal component, widely recognized to be effective in reducing certain tastes and odors.  Maybe that's what people are noticing?  Not that the new ones are bad but that the old ones are better at sucking up certain taste and odors perhaps?  Regardless the water down here in AZ is, not awesome to begin with.  This filter helps reduce the visible particulates in the glass and we don't have any odd taste or odors or we're just used to the sorta gross AZ water to begin with.