How to Change Kitchen Filter Cartridges

With Undercounter Filters,

  • Have a bucket or bin handy.
  • Change cartridges ONE AT A TIME.  That way you know which cartridge is which.  Cartridges are identified in the wrapper, not on the cartridge itself.
  • Turn off the water flowing to your kitchen sink and turn on the faucet before opening the canisters to drain the water out of the system.
  • Push the blue pressure release button on the top of the canister.
  • Put a bucket under the filter to catch the water inside when you open the canister
  • Open the canisters by unscrewing them counterclockwise (no screws, use the free wrench we sent you.)
  • Observe which filter is in which canister, and which side is up – take out the old and put in the new ones.
  • After opening, pour any excess water from the canister into your bucket.
  • Clean the canisters as needed.

With Countertop Filters

  • Change cartridges ONE AT A TIME.  That way you know which cartridge you have.  They are identified in the wrapper, not on the cartridge itself.
  • Set your filter in your sink to drain the water when you open the canisters.
  • Open the canisters by unscrewing them counterclockwise (no screws, use the free wrench we sent you.)  YOU MAY FIND IT HELPFUL TO PICTURE A LIGHT BULB.  To take out a light bulb out is to turn counter-clockwise.  Turn counter-clockwise to open the canister.  Putting a light bulb in is going clockwise.  To close a canister, turn clockwise.
  • Observe which filter is in which canister, and which side is up – take out the old and put in the new, one by one.
  • Clean the canisters as needed.

Occasionally, especially if you went too long before changing filter cartridges, they can stick and be hard to open. We send a free plastic wrench with every new kitchen canister filter.  It’s like a pickle jar that doesn’t want to open. Once you get it started it will go easily. If you have trouble, you might try a jar gripper, get an extra pair of hands to help you, or if you must – tap on the base of the canister while you try to turn the other way so as to release the seal.

With standard kitchen canister filter configurations, the Wide-Spectrum filter cartridge, with KDF and Carbon, goes last in line.  That is true whether you have a KR101N or KR101A.  Therefore if you have a 2-canister, the other cartridge, fluoride or another, goes first in line.

With all kitchen canister filters that work on Fluoride, the Fluoride Cartridge (either FR-1 Activated Alumina or BC-1 Calcium-Based Carbon) goes just before the last filter.  Therefore, in a 3-canister filter, that puts the Fluoride Cartridge in the middle canister.

Other specialty filter cartridges including for Chloramines, Sediment, Hardness, Arsenic, Nitrates or an extra KR101N go in the first canister as the water flows.

If you have an “extra protection” filter with both a KR101N and a KR101A, the KR101A should go last in line as the water flows.

 

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Friends of Water is a family-owned and family-run business founded in January 2006. We work to save water, filter water and celebrate water.

  • In Business for 19 years
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  • All our products have a 90-day return warranty in addition to manufacturer guarantees. Return any purchase within 90 days for a full refund.
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