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Brondell Replacement filters
- Under-sink
- Point of use
- City water
- Well water
- Replacement element
- Listed
$79.99as of 2026-09-12
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Brand officialRetailer listing
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Our verdict on the Brondell Replacement filters
Brondell's RF-20 is the OEM sediment-and-carbon-block replacement set for the Circle RC100 reverse-osmosis system, rated for 475 gallons or six months (whichever comes first) as of 2026-09-12; WQA's own listing credits it only for aesthetic chlorine, taste-and-odor, and VOC reduction, with its certified VOC capacity limited to 180 gallons — well short of the 475-gallon field-replacement point.[1][2][3][4]
Best for
- Existing Brondell Circle RC100 owners due for their scheduled 6-month/475-gallon sediment-and-carbon change who want the OEM part WQA lists for RC100.
Not for
- Buyers hoping RF-20 alone covers RC100's lead, arsenic, or other metal/TDS reduction claims — WQA credits those to the separate RF-40 membrane, not RF-20.
- Owners who wait for the LED indicator or the full 6 months on high-VOC water: WQA's own capacity rating for VOC (as chloroform) reduction is only 180 gallons, well below the 475-gallon practical trigger.
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listingManufacturer datasheet
Which models the Brondell Replacement filters fits
The Brondell Replacement filters fits the one model listed below, verified 2026-09-12.[1]
| Model | Notes |
|---|---|
| RC100 Circle Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System | No note |
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Brand official
Certification check: Brondell Replacement filters
Listed by WQA under NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI 53, checked in the certifier directories as of 2026-09-12.
- WQA
- NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53
IAPMO R&T and WQA certify products against the same NSF/ANSI standards as NSF, so a listing from either one is an equivalent third-party certification, not a lesser one.
| Directory | Result | Listing |
|---|---|---|
| NSF | No listing found (checked 2026-09-12) | View listing |
| IAPMO R&T | No listing found (checked 2026-09-12) | No URL recorded |
| WQA | Listing found (checked 2026-09-12) | View listing |
Claimed vs. certified: Brondell Replacement filters
| Contaminant | Status | Third-party listing | What the brand says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64 contaminants (whole Circle RC100 system, not RF-20 alone) | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| rust, sand, and particulates | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| VOCs, chlorine, and soluble contaminants | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| VOCs, lingering contaminants, and chlorine taste and odor | Marketed only | No entry |
|
| aesthetic chlorine | Certified only |
| No entry |
| taste and odor | Certified only |
| No entry |
| volatile organic compounds | Certified only |
| No entry |
How long the Brondell Replacement filters lasts, and what it costs a year
The Brondell Replacement filters is rated for 475 gallons or 6 months, verified 2026-09-12. Replacing it on that schedule costs $159.98 a year, verified 2026-09-12.
Cost per year
| Element | Replace | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| RF-20 | every 6 months, or every 475 gallons | $159.98 |
| Total per year | $159.98 | |
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheetBrand official
What the Brondell Replacement filters does not do
RF-20 replaces only the sediment, pre-carbon, and post-carbon filters in the Circle RC100; it does not include or replace the RF-40 reverse-osmosis membrane, which Brondell schedules separately at 24 months and sells as a separate part. The Brondell Replacement filters's recorded operating limits are Filter service capacity up to 475 gallons, Filter service interval up to 6 months, Certified VOC (as chloroform) reduction capacity up to 180 gallons, Certified aesthetic-chlorine reduction capacity up to 6,500 gallons, verified 2026-09-12.
RF-20 replaces only the sediment, pre-carbon, and post-carbon filters in the Circle RC100; it does not include or replace the RF-40 reverse-osmosis membrane, which Brondell schedules separately at 24 months and sells as a separate part.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet
WQA's own per-element certification splits credit by part: RF-20 is listed only for aesthetic chlorine, taste-and-odor, and VOC (as chloroform) reduction. The arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, cyst, fluoride, lead, radium, selenium, and TDS reductions Brondell advertises for the Circle system are credited on WQA's listing to the RF-40 membrane, not to RF-20.[1][2][3]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listing
WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing rates RF-20's certified VOC-reduction capacity at only 180 gallons, well below the 475-gallon or 6-month practical replacement point Brondell's own LED indicator uses; a filter run to that indicator on high-VOC water may already be past its certified VOC capacity.[1][2]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listingManufacturer datasheet
Operating limits
| Parameter | Limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Filter service capacity | up to 475 gallons[1] | Replace at 475 gallons or six months, whichever comes first (manufacturer's field-replacement trigger). Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet |
| Filter service interval | up to 6 months[1] | Replace at six months or 475 gallons, whichever comes first. Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet |
| Certified VOC (as chloroform) reduction capacity | up to 180 gallons[1] | WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 rated capacity for RF-20, well below the 475-gallon field-replacement trigger. Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listing |
| Certified aesthetic-chlorine reduction capacity | up to 6,500 gallons[1] | WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 rated capacity for RF-20. Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listing |
Do not buy it for these situations
Well waterDo not use with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the system.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Brand official
Water pressureThe host RC100 system must operate within its published 40-120 psi range for this filter set to perform as rated.[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet
How the Brondell Replacement filters works
The Brondell Replacement filters treats water in three stages: Sediment filtration, then Activated carbon, then Activated carbon, verified 2026-09-12.[1]
| Stage | Method | Media | Micron rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sediment filtration | Sediment Filter | Not recorded |
| 2 | Activated carbon | Pre-Carbon Plus Filter | Not recorded |
| 4 | Activated carbon | Post Carbon Block Filter | Not recorded |
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet
Fit and sizing: Brondell Replacement filters
The Brondell Replacement filters is a under-sink unit installed at the point of use, for city water and well water. It is rated for 0.07 gpm of service flow, verified 2026-09-12.
| Form factor | Under-sink |
|---|---|
| Installed at | Point of use (one fixture) |
| Water source | City water and Well water |
| Service flow | 0.07 gpm[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listing |
| Dimensions | 11 in H × 2.5 in W × 2.5 in D[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Brand official |
| Operating pressure | 40–120 psi[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet |
| Operating temperature | 41–95 °F[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet |
| Needs electricity | No[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet |
| Needs a drain | Yes[1] Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet |
What the Brondell Replacement filters really costs
The Brondell Replacement filters costs $79.99 as of 2026-09-12. Over ten years, including installation and replacement elements, the recorded total is $1,599.80.
DIY install[1]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Brand official
Replacement schedule
| Element | Replace | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| RF-20 | every 6 months, or every 475 gallons | $159.98 |
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheetBrand official
Ten-year cost of ownership
| Purchase price (as of 2026-09-12) | $79.99 |
|---|---|
| Replacement elements, 10 × $159.98/year | $1,599.80 |
| Sum of the lines above (as of 2026-09-12) | $1,679.79 |
| Recorded ten-year total | $1,599.80 |
Installing the Brondell Replacement filters
Installing the Brondell Replacement filters is an easy job. DIY install, verified 2026-09-12.
Manufacturer documentation
Ongoing maintenance
- Replace the RF-20 3-filter set (sediment, pre-carbon, post-carbon) at 475 gallons or six months, whichever comes first. — every 6 months
- Replace the faucet's CR2032 filter-change-indicator battery with each RF-20 change. — every 6 months
- Replace the separately-sold RF-40 reverse-osmosis membrane at 24 months. — every 24 months
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Manufacturer datasheet
Track record: Brondell Replacement filters
Brondell shows 4.8 out of 5 from 253 reviews as of 2026-09-12; Amazon shows 4.6 out of 5 from 1,789 reviews as of 2026-09-12.
What owners praise
Amazon's AI-generated review summary for the exact RF-20 listing says customers find installation easy (71 mentions, 68 positive) and report that water taste improves after replacement (40 mentions, 33 positive).[1]
Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Amazon review
What owners complain about
Amazon's review summary reports mixed-to-negative sentiment on value for money (58 mentions, 38 negative) and on filter life and water flow after replacement, with some owners reporting the filters lasting closer to three months than the rated six, and reduced flow over time.[1]
Secondary sourceVerified 2026-09-12Amazon review
The Brondell Replacement filters against its family and its rivals
The Brondell Replacement filters has one sibling in its family: RF-40.
The rest of the family
| Model | What differs |
|---|---|
| RF-40 | The reverse-osmosis membrane element for the same RC100 host, replaced every 24 months rather than every 6, and separately credited by WQA for reduction of arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, cyst, fluoride, lead, radium, selenium, and TDS. |
The Brondell Replacement filters and cartridges sold as compatible
WQA's live NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI 53 listings for the RC100 host name RF-20 as the Replacement Element credited for aesthetic chlorine, taste-and-odor, and VOC (as chloroform) reduction, while the separate NSF/ANSI 58 listing names RF-40, not RF-20, as the Replacement Element credited for the metals and TDS reductions. This record makes no certification claim for third-party cartridges marketed as compatible with RC100.[1][2][3]
Primary sourceVerified 2026-09-12WQA listing
Brondell Replacement filters questions, answered
How often should I replace Brondell Circle RF-20 filters?
Replace the RF-20 sediment-and-carbon set every 6 months or after 475 gallons, whichever comes first — Brondell's own manual gives that exact trigger for the faucet's LED filter-change indicator.
Sources: [1]
Does the Brondell RF-20 filter remove lead or arsenic?
Verified health claim
No. WQA's own per-element listings credit RF-20 only for aesthetic chlorine, taste-and-odor, and VOC (as chloroform) reduction; the lead, arsenic, barium, and other metal/TDS reductions on the Circle system are credited to the separate RF-40 reverse-osmosis membrane, not to RF-20.
What is the difference between Brondell RF-20 and RF-40?
RF-20 is the 3-piece sediment/pre-carbon/post-carbon set replaced every 6 months or 475 gallons; RF-40 is the reverse-osmosis membrane replaced every 24 months. Both fit the same Circle RC100 system but are sold, scheduled, and WQA-listed separately.
Sources: [1]
Do I need tools to replace the Brondell RF-20 filter?
Is the Brondell RF-20 filter certified?
Verified health claim
Yes for two standards: WQA's live NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI 53 listings name RF-20 as the Circle RC100's replacement element for aesthetic chlorine, taste-and-odor, and VOC reduction, checked 2026-09-12. Dated NSF and IAPMO R&T searches on the same date returned no drinking-water-treatment listing for RF-20 or the RC100.
Sources and data report: Brondell Replacement filters
Every figure above is taken from the highest-trust source that carries it and re-derived from that source by a separate check. How we verify product data.
What we could not establish, and why
| Field | Why it is blank |
|---|---|
| certified.certIndexKey | Our own certification-index corpus (data/certifications/by-brand/brondell-inc.json) indexes this family under host model RC100 with no RF-20 model_id or alias; RF-20 is not searchable as its own key in the local corpus, and this null is a statement about our corpus, not about certification. |
| fit.bathroomsServed | Brondell's RF-20 product page, the RC100 manual, and the performance data sheet size this point-of-use element by tank, flow, and daily production rather than bathroom count. |
| fit.householdSize | Brondell's RF-20 product page, the RC100 manual, and the performance data sheet publish no household-size rating for this element. |
| fit.roOutputGpd | RF-20 is the sediment/carbon set, not the RO membrane; Brondell's RF-20 sources publish no daily RO production figure for this element (that figure belongs to the RF-40 membrane and the RC100 system as a whole). |
| fit.roTankCapacity | RF-20 is a filter cartridge set, not the RC100's storage tank; no tank capacity applies to this element specifically. |
| fit.connectionSize | RF-20 cartridges twist-and-seal directly into the Circle RC100 housing; no threaded plumbing connection size applies to the element itself. |
| install.estimatedHours | The current product page and manual describe the twist-and-seal procedure as quick and easy but publish no exact time estimate. |
| install.video | No official Brondell video specifically demonstrating the RF-20 filter change was found; Brondell's own Circle video (used on the RC100 system record) covers full-system installation, not the periodic RF-20 filter swap, so it was not cited here as if it were element-specific. |
| cost.msrp | Brondell's current RF-20 product page shows only a single “Current Price” with no separate, higher list price displayed alongside it. |
| cost.wasteRatio | RF-20 is the sediment/carbon set, not the RO membrane; no drain-to-product waste ratio applies to this element (that ratio belongs to the whole RC100 system). |
| cost.warranty | Brondell's warranty-terms page (help.brondell.com) returned a Cloudflare bot-verification wall on every attempt during this research pass and never rendered content; Amazon's catalog field (“Limited lifetime - manufacturer”) is an unreliable, ambiguous retailer-supplied value for a consumable filter and was not used per the trust-order rule against treating retailer specs as performance/warranty evidence. |
| cost.moneyBackGuarantee | Brondell's return-policy page (help.brondell.com) returned the same Cloudflare bot-verification wall on every attempt during this research pass and never rendered content, so no dated guarantee terms could be independently confirmed for this record. |
| seo.verification | This field is intentionally left null for the independent verification loop to populate after research. |
Every source behind this page
- Brand officialaccessed: 2026-09-12https://www.brondell.com/circle-reverse-osmosis-replacment-filter-rf20/
- Brondell's live RF-20 product page showed the item in stock and ready to ship at $79.99 on 2026-09-12.
- The current product page says the RF-20 filter replacement set is designed for use with the Circle Reverse Osmosis Under Sink Water Filtration System, and Amazon's item specifics list “Fits this device: Brondell Circle RC”.
- The current product page's Specs & Documents section lists “Filter Life 6 months” for RF-20.
- The RF-20 product page's Certifications & Notices section carries the microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water warning.
- The Specs & Documents table gives each of the three RF-20 filters as 11 inches (H) by 2.5 inches diameter, weighing 0.40 lbs.
- Brondell's current product page displays “Current Price: $79.99” for RF-20.
- The product page describes “easy twist-and-seal filter changes” with no tools needed.
- The current price of $79.99 supports the arithmetic of two sets per year, or $159.98 annually.
- The product page describes the RF-20 filter change as “designed for easy installation” with “easy ‘twist-and-seal’ filter changes”, but the page publishes no installation time estimate.
- The product page markets “easy twist-and-seal filter changes”.
- Retailer listingaccessed: 2026-09-12https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012UT5V66
- Amazon's exact B012UT5V66 listing showed the item In Stock at $79.99 on 2026-09-12.
- The exact B012UT5V66 Amazon listing showed $79.99, In Stock, on 2026-09-12.
- Amazon's review-topic summary for B012UT5V66 characterizes “Easy to use” and “Water taste” as majority-positive themes.
- Amazon's review-topic summary for B012UT5V66 characterizes “Value for money” (38 negative of 58), “Filter life” (15 negative of 23), and “Water flow” (15 negative of 18) as majority-negative themes.
- Manufacturer datasheetaccessed: 2026-09-12https://store-mpfo2gcqca.mybigcommerce.com/content/Brondell_Drink_Circle%20RC100%20Reverse%20Osmosis%20Water%20Filtration%20Sysem_User%20Manual_020625_1581663757.pdf
- The current RC100 owner's manual states the faucet's LED filter-change indicator tracks time and flow and switches to red “When 6 months time or 475 gallons of water has been filtered through the system (whichever comes first)”, which is the field trigger for replacing the RF-20 set.
- The manual's Filter Replacement Cycle table gives RF-20's three filters (Sediment, Pre-Carbon Plus, Post Carbon Block) a 6-month usable period, and its replacement-cycle steps direct replacing the RF-20 set at 6, 12, and 18 months.
- The manual gives the 475-gallon/6-month field-replacement trigger for RF-20 and the separate 24-month schedule for RF-40.
- The manual's Filter Replacement Cycle table and step-by-step replacement-cycle notes give RF-20 a 6-month schedule and RF-40 a separate 24-month schedule.
- The manual's LED indicator trigger is 6 months or 475 gallons, whichever comes first.
- The manual's Filter Replacement Cycle table rates all three RF-20 filters for a 6-month usable period.
- The manual describes the Circle's design as delivering constant flow rates and rapid refill “without the use of pumps or electricity.”
- The installation section directs drilling a hole for and attaching the provided drain clamp and drain tubing.
- The manual schedules RF-20 replacement every 6 months or 475 gallons.
- The Filter Replacement steps describe turning each filter a quarter-turn to unlock and a quarter-turn to lock, with no tool listed in the procedure.
- Current RC100 owner's manual with the RF-20 filter-replacement procedure, 475-gallon/6-month trigger, and battery-reset steps.
- The manual's replacement cycle notes: “a new battery is always included with the RF-20 filter replacement set” and schedules RF-40 at 24 months.
- The manual specifies the 475-gallon/6-month LED indicator trigger for the RF-20 set.
- The manual's Filter Replacement Cycle table lists RF-20's three filters at 6 months and RF-40 at 24 months.
- The Filter Replacement steps describe a quarter-turn unlock and quarter-turn lock with no tool named.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-09-12https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/brondell_inc/sid/1
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing names RF-20 as the Replacement Element for RC100, rated for 6,500 gallons for aesthetic chlorine and taste-and-odor reduction.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing credits RF-20 for aesthetic chlorine and taste-and-odor only.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing rates RF-20 at 6,500 gallons for aesthetic-chlorine reduction.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing reports a 0.07 gpm rated flow for the RC100/RF-20 configuration.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing names RF-20 as the Replacement Element for RC100.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 42 listing names RF-20 for RC100.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-09-12https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/brondell_inc/sid/3
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing names RF-20 as the Replacement Element for RC100 credited for VOC (as chloroform) reduction, rated for a capacity of only 180 gallons.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing credits RF-20 for VOC (as chloroform) only.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing gives RF-20 a 180-gallon capacity for VOC (as chloroform) reduction.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing rates RF-20 at 180 gallons for VOC (as chloroform) reduction.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing names RF-20 as the Replacement Element for RC100.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 53 listing names RF-20 for RC100.
- WQA listingaccessed: 2026-09-12https://find.wqa.org/find-products/ctl/detail/mid/1054/cid/brondell_inc/sid/5
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 58 listing names RF-40, not RF-20, as the Replacement Element credited for arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, cyst, fluoride, lead, radium, selenium, and TDS reduction on RC100.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 58 listing credits the metals/TDS reductions to RF-40, not RF-20.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 58 listing names RF-40, not RF-20, as the Replacement Element for RC100's metals and TDS reductions.
- WQA's NSF/ANSI 58 listing credits the metals/TDS reductions to RF-40.
- Manufacturer datasheetaccessed: 2026-09-12https://store-mpfo2gcqca.mybigcommerce.com/content/Brondell_Drink_Circle%20RC100%20Reverse%20Osmosis%20Water%20Filtration%20System_PDS_020625_1580665846.pdf
- The performance data sheet's Filter Replacement Cycle table names RF-20's three filters as Sediment Filter, Pre-Carbon Plus Filter, and Post Carbon Block Filter, with the RO Membrane Filter (RF-40) as the fourth, separately-scheduled stage.
- The performance data sheet gives the same 180-gallon VOC-reduction rated capacity alongside a 6,500-gallon aesthetic-chlorine rated capacity.
- The performance data sheet specifies a 40-120 psi operating-pressure range for the RC100/RF-20 configuration.
- The performance data sheet specifies a 40-120 psi operating-pressure range.
- The performance data sheet specifies a 41-95°F operating-temperature range.
- Government agencyaccessed: 2026-09-12https://www.cpsc.gov/search?search_api_fulltext=Brondell%20RF-20
- The CPSC search for Brondell RF-20 returned no results on 2026-09-12.
- Unverifiedaccessed: 2026-09-12https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=%22Brondell%22+%22RF-20%22+recall+OR+lawsuit+OR+litigation
- A Bing News search for the exact product name with recall, lawsuit, and litigation terms returned no results on 2026-09-12.
- NSF listingaccessed: 2026-09-12https://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/listings.asp?CompanyName=Brondell&submit1=Search
- The dated NSF company search for Brondell returned no matching products; a Culligan control run against the same URL form returned live results, confirming the query form itself is valid.
Cite this page
TapWaterData Editorial. "Brondell RF-20 Replacement Filter: Cert Check & Cost." TapWaterData, verified 2026-09-12. https://www.tapwaterdata.com/filters/brand/brondell/replacement-filters
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