Growing up, many people think the most luxurious thing about a refrigerator is the built-in ice maker and water dispenser. However, these amenities may not be all that great.
       According to TikToker Twin Home experts (@twinhomeexperts), built-in water dispensers are not only cumbersome to maintain, but they may not filter the water as well as you’d like.
       In a viral video that has been viewed more than 305,000 times, he said people would be better off buying a less fancy refrigerator. Instead, when it comes to clean drinking water solutions at home, their money should be invested elsewhere.
       However, the TikToker’s videos have caused some backlash. Some people who responded said that replacing a refrigerator filter is not as expensive as he claimed. Others also said they were able to find a workaround for the refrigerator water dispenser.
       Twin Home Experts begins the video by calling on refrigerator manufacturers to participate in what it calls water filter scams.
       “One of the biggest refrigerator scams is happening right here. Let’s talk about a refrigerator with an ice maker and water dispenser,” said the TikToker. “As you know, these refrigerators have built-in water filters. But it’s a problem, and it’s more of an ongoing revenue problem.”
       “They want you to change and buy a filter every six months,” he continued. “Each filter costs almost $60. The problem is that there is not enough carbon material in these filters to filter out all the impurities.”
       He added in a text overlay that they are only really good at masking “taste” and “smell.” So, while your water may not smell, look or taste, that doesn’t mean it’s completely pure.
       Home life experts say there is a smarter solution for home drinking water. “For less than $400, you can buy an in-line filter for your kitchen sink. Replace it every 6,000 gallons.”
       In-line filters are better at “delivering higher quality water to you and your family,” he said. And save some money. “
       Coway-USA published an article explaining several reasons why people should avoid using water filters in their refrigerators. The blog echoed concerns raised by twin house experts who said the fridge filter was indeed “weak”. In addition, residual contaminants may remain in these filters even after use.
       The site goes on to list some other disadvantages of drinking filtered water from the refrigerator. “The buildup of bacteria, yeast and mold on spouts can make drinking water unsafe even for people with allergies.” However, it’s worth noting that Coway sells a range of its own water filters.
       Many refrigerator models also have the ability to install a line filter directly on the appliance.
       One Reddit user questioned why their device had two types of filters, sparking a debate about the effectiveness of the filters. Commenters who responded to their post discussed the results of their water testing. In their words: The quality of water in a refrigerator filter is not much different from unfiltered water in a sink.
       However, what about built-in filtered water that comes from under the sink? When this bad boy is turned on, tests show that it spits out far fewer water particles.
       While some people praised the built-in filter, there were many commenters on the Twin Home Experts video who disagreed with the TikToker.
       “I’m getting great results. I never drank so much water because we had a refrigerator with built-in water. Our filters are a $30 Samsung refrigerator, 2 of them,” one person said.
       Another wrote: “I haven’t changed the filter since I bought my refrigerator 20 years ago. The water still tastes much better than tap water. So I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.”
       Other commenters suggested that refrigerator owners simply install a bypass filter. This device will allow them to use built-in designs in water dispensers in refrigerators. “It costs about $20 to make a bypass filter. It will never have to be replaced,” said one user.
       Another TikTok user supported the idea: “You can go through this filter twice and install a built-in filter on your refrigerator.”
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       Jack Alban is a Daily Dot freelance writer covering the biggest stories on social media and how real people are reacting to them. He always strives to combine science-based research, current events and facts relevant to these stories to create extraordinary viral posts.