Customer Reviews

PUR MineralClear Faucet Refill RF-9999, 6 Pack

5 star:		(243)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I have been using these for about 8 years now and moved to the 3 stage when they came out. I use them primarily for drinking water and cooking. They typically last about 3 months for me. I go through a LOT of drinking water and probably less than average for cooking.

Based on using them on two different water systems, I also believe the quality of the water going in makes a huge difference in the life of the filter... but then that really is just common sense isn't it? For instance, using it the week after a city wide fire hydrant flushing will use one up very quickly. I can't speak to what that means to anyone else, but it tells me it is WORKING!

As another reviewer mentioned... ONE HOT WATER EPISODE WILL KILL A FILTER! It is a shame it is this way, but I have on two occasions had someone turn on hot water and let it run through the filter for a while. The filter would stop flowing within a day after that. The instructions warn against this, but accidents happen.

On the other hand, I had one that would not flow at all right out of the box. I called the 800 number on the box, told them what happened and that I had put in a different filter, which worked, and then tried this one again... showing that I had done my due diligence, and I had a replacement in the mail within a week, no cost, without having to return the failed one.

Also, if you buy the 6 pack, they are under $10 each.

It absolutely DOES make the water taste and smell better than plain tap water.

I've been using these filters since 2005, and I have been ordering them online in 6 packs from this site since 2009.

I'm not sure what is going on, but after the second filter change in this most recent purchase, I've come to the conclusion that these filters have been "changed" such that their performance has dramatically declined. Simply put, my water now tastes POORLY.

The first thing I noticed upon receipt of this latest 6-pack, is that the outer wrapping of the individual filters is not shrink/vacuum--packed. In all previous orders these filters where vacuum-packed. Secondly, there is no product labeling on the same wrappers, which was not the case in previous orders for they were labeled. Third, the filters feel "less heavy" and feel similar to salt shakers, in that one can tell there are loose granules inside (some of which appear loosely leaked inside the packaging--white round granules), which I never noticed before. Finally, the best and most important indicator that something has been altered is the taste of the hard (and very same) water for which I've been using these since 2005...it tastes poorly (bitter, chemical-like taste) compared to the "neutral" clean taste of said filtered-water previously, and there is a slight residue/cloudiness visible in appearance in the water, whereas it was clear with previous filters. Another indicator is the increased left-over deposits in my coffee maker (also the coffee now tastes bad). These filters are obviously NOT filtering/cleaning my water as in previous years.

Finally, along with the change in package appearance of the 6-pack box, I noticed that these are also (now?) "Made in Mexico" which I don't recall was the case of my previous orders...can't say for sure, but the product was consistent in performance (and appearance) since 2005...(I'll also say that I was using the Pur 2 stage water filters successfully for 5 years previously).

I haven't contacted the manufacturer, which I will do so in order to get their response to the above-mentioned issues. I shall update when I do so.

Until then, I can NO LONGER recommend this product, which was so wonderfully working for me for the last few years. (I haven't checked local stores for comparison, and will do so).

Until I find some answers to what happened, I don't recommend these filters. I will return with an update when I get one.


IMMEDIATE UPDATE: I just called Pur at 800-787-5463 and spoke with a CS rep. His response included the following: thanking me for calling and reporting my complaints, asking me for the lot number of the filter(s) which are performing poorly, stating he would report my complaints to the appropriate department, reminding me that Pur consistently performs quality assurance tests to avoid issues (duh!), and stating that he would send me a "Buy One Get One Free" coupon which I can expect to receive within the next 2-3 weeks after I give him my address/phone number. There were communication difficulties...the CS rep had a pronounced foreign accent and admitted he was having problems hearing me. So we will see...I do intend to follow-up this call with an email.

UPDATE: Decided to contact Amazon via phone for advice with very poor results. I DO NOT recommend trying to get much resolved via phone...unless, perhaps it's Kindle-related. However, after my 3rd attempt at contacting Amazon by email, I received a reply stating they are sending me a new 6 pack via overnight mail and are requesting a return of my remaining defective product. Very nice response this time...will follow up soon. It remains to be seen whether the 6 pack I previously ordered was a bad lot or that Pur's filter quality has dramatically declined.

5/14/11 UPDATE: Amazon quickly sent me replacement pack and asked that remaining "old" filters be returned. The quality of water tastes somewhat improved, but it seems that Pur changed this product for the worse. After I run through the remaining 4 filters, I shall no longer buy this product. 2 STARS.

UPDATE:
A few months after I posted this, PUR finally contacted me with an intelligent response.

They apologized (again) and explained that their RF-9999 DOES in fact contain ion-exchange resin.

I don't know whether or not I should be surprised that it took them this long to come up with a response. Perhaps they assume that most people will have no idea what ion-exchange resin is and will therefore not ask about it or look for indication of it on the packaging.

Also, other people have responded to my review with useful comments. Check them out. For instance, one commenter explains this product's certifications.



My original review:
I own a PUR faucet attachment that takes the RF-9999 filter replacement cartridge. Out of concern for my baby girl's health, I wanted to make sure that the water we mix in her formula is free of lead and other heavy metals. The copper pipes that carry water in your house have enough lead content (to make them flexible) that water sitting in the lines for a few hours can build up unhealthy levels of lead that can cause all manner of developmental problems in children. For your health and that of your children, it's best to be sure to flush your water lines before consuming tap water. Take a shower in the morning and run your faucets a little before you make coffee and mix formula. (Save the flush water in old milk jugs for watering your plants.) As added protection, it's also a good idea to use a water filter with ion-exchange resin that will filter out residual heavy metals.

I noticed that the product description of the RF-9999 on Amazon.com mentioned that it includes ion-exchange resin. But when I looked at the filter's packaging and the PUR web site, there was no mention of it, although the product does claim certain certifications regarding reduction of various heavy metals, including lead. According to PUR, the RF-9999 filter contains something to trap sediment, activated carbon that they claim also reduces lead, and some minerals. I spoke with a hydrologist from the U.S. Geological Survey about this, and he explained that activated carbon is largely ineffective at trapping heavy metals and that none of the other components of the filter would have any effect either; only a filter with ion-exchange resin would be able to significantly reduce the lead content.

Thus, I contacted PUR to inquire as to whether or not the RF-9999 contained ion-exchange resin, and if not, I wanted to know how it filtered lead and to inform them that Amazon.com's description might be inaccurate. First, I got an automated response that seemed to have nothing to do with my question, so in accordance with their instructions, I replied, explaining that my question had not been answered. The reply to this was that they were sorry I was having trouble with their product (I had not reported any problems), and that they'd be happy to answer any questions I had. So, apparently, they lost my question. So I replied to that, repeating my question. The next respond quoted my previous email (with the question in it), and again apologized for the trouble I was having with their product, and told me that they'd be happy to answer any questions I had. I responded again, heading my email with another copy of my question. This time, I finally got something resembling an answer, but it was a brief and vague statement that the information on their web site was accurate. They said nothing to reassure me that there was anything in their product that could account for their claim of being able to reduce lead in the water.

Perhaps the people at PUR I was corresponding with were just incompetent. I can't expect the customer service contact to know anything about chemistry or hydrology, but it irks me when they don't take my question seriously enough to inquire internally to get me a proper answer, especially when I'm trying to take steps to safeguard my family's health. Besides Amazon.com making inaccurate statements about this product (probably told to them by someone at PUR), PUR's web site and packaging make claims that do not appear to stand up to basic scientific scrutiny. As far as I can determine, there's absolutely nothing in the RF-9999 that would be able to reduce lead content in water by any appreciable margin.

If you are buying water filter products, then you're probably doing it not just to improve the taste of the water, but because you have a clue that there are things in your city or well tap water that you might not want to drink. Be fully informed about these things, and never trust your health to product claims that you haven't verified.

Don't let the price scare you away (it's actually a good deal). My local water has a displeasing taste/smell & this filter takes that water & turns it into .. well .. great tasting water. This filter will work on any of PUR's faucet mounts.

It seems two reviewers below have major malfunctions in the operation of their filters; saying they only last a week or so, or do not work as advertised. It could be improper installation of the filter, or running a hundred gallons of water through them in two weeks.

I have been using these filters for years with no problems.

I've had this PUR 3-stage filtration system for 4 months now and have gone through a 6pk of filters. So I'm averaging about 1 filter every 2-3 weeks. At first I was upset because the filters are expensive and were advertised for 2-3 months of usage. But our filtered water tastes MUCH better than the normal tap water (and the strong chlorine smell was filtered away) so it seems as though the filters were doing their job. Recently, I received a notice from our town water utility describing the local water system. Apparently none of the town water is filtered, it comes straight from the NYC aqueduct and gets chlorinated, but that's it. The town we live in is fairly old so I imagine the water pipes are quite old. Also, our house is over 100 years old so I suspect that the combination of unfiltered town water + old water pipes is allowing a lot of sediment to clog our PUR filter. I would much rather spend some extra money on filters to ensure clean water than to worry about whether the filters lasts a long time. If a filter lasts a really long time, it seems to me that maybe it's too porous and allows more sediment and chemicals through into the drinking water. I'm no expert but this is my thinking on this issue.

I looked around at several sites and Amazon had the best price on these replacement filters. We really like our Pur filter. It is a good alternative to constantly buying bottled water, especially for making baby formula.

The water tastes better, the cartridges last longer, and it is a fairly cheap way to get good water.

This is my first water filter. The quality is there. Keep it chilled in the fridge and it's some of the best tasting water I've had. It's well worth the money, everyone should have one of these. The taste and gallon/price ratio makes it worth it alone. Also, who knows what is leaking into your city/well water. Makes coffee taste great too.

Here's a trick that they probably don't want you to know about.. When your filter stops working, it isn't because the filter itself stopped working. It's because the mechanism inside the filter housing has clicked all the way over and stopped the water flow. If you think your water still tastes good and it probably did right before it stopped flowing on you.. Simply remove the filter like you were going to install a new one.. and the mechanism in the housing resets, then reinstall the filter.

Now you can extend the filter until you wish to replace it. I would recommend replacing it eventually though.

Admittedly I don't drink a lot of tap water, but this 6-pack of Pur replacement filters has lasted me a full 17 months. They're pretty easy to install and once they're in you'll know that they work by the green LED light that flashes (once they need replacing the light turns red). I purchase directly from Amazon as their price is the very lowest I have seen (online and in stores). These are made by Proctor & Gamble (who warrants this product for a year) and work with both the standard Pur faucet mounts as well as the Pur flavor sensations faucet attachments.