How often you should replace a coffee machine water filter can, like a fridge water filter or just a typical tap water filter, depend on a number of things. The primary one being: how often have you been using the filter.
If you drink multiple cups of coffee per day, or several people are using the coffee machine daily, then you will need to replace the machine’s water filter more often than if your machine is seldom used. A typical filter will have a life cycle mostly dependent on how much actual water has flowed through it and needed filtering. This may vary however if the water you are feeding into the filter is much cleaner or dirtier than usual.
To know how often you should change your coffee machine water filter, check with the manual from the original manufacturer. Often you can make a filter last a little bit longer than you are told on the specifications sheet, however, you don’t want to use the filter until it is completely clogged up with gunk, because then you might be actually drinking dirtier water than standard. If bacteria grow out of control on the old, dirty filter, or if water starts to flow through unfiltered and pushes through some of the previously captured contaminants with it, this could actually happen.
Typically, when you purchase a filter from any of the main suppliers of coffee machine water filters such as Brita, Krups, Claris, or Everpure, they will provide you with a manual with specific instructions on how often you should change your filters. The time between changes varies based on how much coffee you’ve been making, how dirty your water is before getting filtered, and how big and efficient the filter is.
If you’ve lost or misplaced your manual, find out what type of water filter your coffee machine uses and look online to find the correct instructions. If you can’t find them online, contact the manufacturer or a coffee machine water filter supplier for information specific to that brand
Even if your filter hasn’t expired, if the water coming through it tastes strange or smells unusual, check to make sure it is working properly. If everything seems like it’s working but your water still doesn’t taste or smell right, it might be worth replacing the filter regardless. If you have only recently purchased it, send it back to the manufacturer to check, and you may be able to get it replaced under warranty
It’s not worth risking the safety of the people around you by drinking water that may be contaminated. Don’t take any risk, especially if you run a commercial operation, you don’t want to be selling coffee in dirty water to customers. If someone gets sick from your coffee, it could bring a lot of trouble to your business!
Finally, if you’re unsure of how old your coffee machine water filter is, get it checked out ASAP to make sure you’re not running dirty water through an old, clogged up, bacteria/mold harboring filter, that should have been switched out years ago.
