3M Aqua-Pure FF101 Replacement Water Filter Cartridge for Aqua-Pure System 3M FF100, Reduces Lead, Microplastics, Chlorine Taste and Odor, Cysts, Select VOCs

Excellent water filter. The filtered water tastes just like bottled water. I can say this because after installation we did a blind taste-test. My wife only drinks bottled water because she hates the taste of tap water, and she thought the water from the filter was the bottled water. Now we don't need to buy bottled water anymore. The filter is NSF certified so performance and specifications can be trusted. As expected, water flow from the sink faucet was reduced a bit since water is now going thru a filter, but it was not reduced significantly from 1.7 to 1.4 gal/min. The water flow is fine. The replacement filter cartridge uses a 1/4-turn quick-connect mechanism so it will be easy to replace in 1 yr (or 6,000 Gal).IMPORTANT INSTALLATION GUIDANCE: The filter is very easy to install. However, DO NOT install it as shown in the Installation Instructions that come with the filter or the 3M video that is found online. They both show Polyethylene Tube (i.e. Plastic Tube) being used to make the water connections, and we initially installed it that way but learned that there are several reasons not to use the tubing:1) The main reason not to use the plastic tubing is the risk of a major water flood situation. This is because the coupling of the tubes into the compression fittings can be flaky since the tube is just pushed in and compressed. In our installation, one of the tubes popped out after 48 hours. Fortunately we were near the kitchen so we heard the water flow, and were able to quickly shut-off the water. In just a short amount of time, we had water all over the floors. If we hadn't been home, it would have been a major and expensive flooding disaster.2) Other reasons are that there is a safer, cheaper, and easier way to install the filter. This installation uses standard braided water supply lines connected directly to the filter (see pictures). This is safer because all water connections are screwed-in so they cannot pop out. The installation is cheaper and easier because there are less parts and less connection points. A description of two filter installations with the list of parts required follows.1st Installation to Faucet (Pictures 1 thru 3):---------------------------------------------------The first filter was installed to feed a kitchen faucet. Parts required were purchased at HomeDepot:• Qty 2 of Everbilt Lead-Free Compression Adapter 3/8" OD x 3/8" MIP (Model #800669) $4.43/ea(Note: These fittings are used to connect the water supply lines to the filter. The MIP side of the fitting screws into filter head; one for the input and one for the output. You will unscrew and not use the pieces in the 3/8" OD side of the fitting because the supply lines will connect directly to the male end left after unscrewing the pieces).• Qty 1 of Oatey Fast Tape 1/2 in. x 260 in. PTFE Thread Seal Tape (Model #306212) $2.97(Note: This is the teflon PTFE tape to wrap the 3/8" MIP end of the fitting that screws into filter head to make it leak proof. We wrapped it using 5 loops around. If the MIP connection develops a slow leak, the thing to do is to unscrew it and rewrap it with new PTFE tape and perhaps add one or more loops of tape. Trying to over tighten the fitting connection doesn't fix the leak. If you use the white PTFE tape that is very thin instead of this Oatey tape, you may not be able to stop the leak. We experienced this with one side of the filter, and wasted lots of time redoing it over and over. Online we read about people fixing leaks with higher-quality, thicker PTFE tape. We got the Oatey tape and wrapped it 5 times around the fitting, and it immediately fixed the leak. This tape is color grey).• Qty 1 of BrassCraft 3/8" Comp x 3/8" Comp x 20" Braided Polymer Dishwasher Connector (Model #B1-20DW F) $4.58(Note: This is the water supply line to connect the filter to the incoming water valve at the wall. Only one water line is needed if you already had a line going from wall to faucet. That existing line will now go from the output of the filter to the faucet).2nd Installation to Faucet & Ice Maker (Picture 4 with brass Tee-connector):--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We liked the filter so much that we got a second one. This one was installed to feed a faucet and an ice machine so the water needed to be diverted with a tee-connection. The ice machine was far from the sink so had to route a long water line on the back of the cabinets behind the drawers. In addition to the parts and installation done in the first two bullets of the 1st installation above, the following parts were ordered from Amazon:• Qty 1 of BrassCraft GIDDS-131737 Female Compression Tee, 3/8" Od x 3/8" Od x 1/4" Od, Lead Free $5.98(Note: The 3/8" OD female side of this fitting was connected directly to the Everbilt compression adapter that is screwed to the filter head as described in the first bullet of the 1st installation above (see pic 4). The 3/8" OD male is connected to the water line going to the faucet. The 1/4" OD male is connected to the water line going to the ice maker. Since the two fittings attached together extend a pretty good amount from the filter head, the existing water line going to the faucet was creating strain. We got a longer and more flexible line to eliminate the unwanted strain; see below Fluidmaster B1F30)• Qty 1 of Certified Appliance IM180SS Braided Stainless Steel Ice Maker Connector (15-foot) $13.43(Note: The ice maker line has 1/4" female compression fittings on both ends. One end hooks to the 1/4" OD in the compression tee, and the other end connects to the ice machine. There are other lengths in the Amazon listing).• Qty 1 of Fluidmaster B6F16 Faucet Connector, Braided Stainless Steel - 3/8" Female Compression Thread x 3/8" Female Compression Thread, 16" Length $4.29(Note: This is the water supply line to connect the filter to the incoming water valve at the wall. There are other lengths in the Amazon listing. Only one water line is needed if you already had a line going from wall to faucet. That existing line will now go from the output of the filter to the faucet).• Qty 1 of Fluidmaster B1F30 Faucet Connector, Braided Stainless Steel - 3/8" Female Compression Thread x 1/2" I.P. Female Straight Thread, 30" Length $7.51(Note: New longer line going to faucet to replace existing line).

Excellent upgrade to my apartment. Very happy with this unit. Highly recommend!!

Full disclosure - I worked for 3M Company who makes this product for 37 years, which makes me biased.But that also makes me knowledgeable. In this case this filter will attach to the cold water line under your sink and provide full flow (2.5 gpm) filtered water for drinking and cooking. This is SO much better than installing a “shepherds crook” faucet on top of your counter that filters well but takes forever to even fill a glass. You can also use the same water line to feed your ice maker.It removes all the bad stuff you would worry about and makes the water taste great too.I believe the life of the filter is about 10,000 gallons or so. I replace mine every year. The replacement is very easy - a twist off/twist on process.Have recommended to all my friends and everyone that tries it loves it. Replacement cartridges are expensive but the ease and utility makes it worthwhile for us.

(Changed to 5 star rating as it works as advertised. July 4 2016)Would have given 5 stars without so much comment if installation kit was available. Sure, everyone's faucet is different, but why not add one in for most people to use it? We have to buy it anyway. Many filter companies do so nowadays.Installation advice:You need to go to your nearest ACE hardware, and get some advice on how to fit this in. bring along the head unit (not the heavy filter), and also snap a photo of the kitchen sink underneath, so that you don't mix up male and female socket. Best is to close the water valve, unscrew the valve to the faucet, snap a photo with your smartphone of how it looks like from inside, bring that photo along. That way you don't have to go back and forth like I almost did.After installation:Okay here on is 5 STAR rating.NO MORE taste of chlorine. I hate smelling or drinking chlorine, to me drinking chlorine water is like eating McDonalds burgers with the wrapper that comes along it. Can't emphasise how much it is to kill germs in water along the way to the household, but definitely not meant for our body. Lots of filter out there, but it is the ONLY NSF certified, lead and chemical reducing, high speed undersink filter there is for under $200 in the market (I mean... Amazon... haha). It doesn't reduce your ppm much if it your tap water hovers around 150 ppm like mine (it does reduces to 130 ppm- TDS reading), so you gotta really trust what is going on inside is really reduced in lead, and those particulates are harmless minerals that is neutral (even good, in the case of calcium) for the body. That is where the NSF certification comes handy to drink with confidence. High flow speed... well I don't plan to run all 6000 gallon in a month so I put the flow rate kinda slow, but I plan to replace it every six month and use water to wash my dishes, drink from tap, cook food, power my sodastream, and do everything I wanted to do with unlimited amount of bottled water.That, my friends, is called good quality of life.

I purchased this product to replace a faucet attached pur filter system when I replaced my new kitchen faucet and sink. I thought this product would work great. I had it professionally installed last weekend and it did not work. This product is complete garbage and now I'm out $240. When a licensed plumber couldn't make it work, you know it's trash. It leaked a gooey sticky residue and would not allow water to pass through.Save yourself the time money and frustration. Do not buy. The worst part is due to timing I'm eating the cost of this since I am beyond my return window. Very unhappy costumer.