ULTRAWF vs ULTRWF (2026): Which Should You Buy?
You typed your filter model into a search bar and two spellings came back: ULTRAWF and ULTRWF. One letter different. Your fridge’s filter light is on, you want to order tonight, and you have no patience for guessing — because the wrong cartridge means water dribbling out of the filter housing or a filter that never locks in. Which spelling is the real product?
Here is the short answer: only one of them is real. ULTRAWF is Frigidaire’s genuine PureSource Ultra cartridge, with an official Performance Data Sheet and named third-party certification behind it. ULTRWF is not a Frigidaire model at all — it is a common misspelling with the A dropped, and nothing behind that spelling has published certification data. We researched and compared the official Frigidaire materials against what the misspelled listings sell, so you can see why the typo costs people money — and how to make sure the cartridge you buy is genuine.
The misspelling
“ULTRWF” Listings
~$10–25
No Frigidaire model, no data sheet, no named certifier — listings built on this typo range from keyword-stuffed compatibles to uncertified bait.
The genuine PureSource Ultra
Frigidaire ULTRAWF
~$40–55
The only real cartridge — its published Performance Data Sheet states IAPMO R&T certification against NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401; rated 200 gallons, 6 months.
The bottom line: buy the ULTRAWF — spelled with the A. That is the only Frigidaire PureSource Ultra cartridge: rated at 200 gallons (6 months), with a published Performance Data Sheet stating certification by IAPMO R&T against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401. There is no ULTRWF product. A listing using that spelling is either an honest typo on a compatible-filter listing or typo-bait aimed at skimming your search. Either way, judge the cartridge by its certification paperwork, not by the spelling in the title.
Verdict: ULTRAWF is the real filter. ULTRWF is a spelling error — and a warning sign when it shows up on packaging.
Prices checked at time of writing; they change often — see the live price before you buy.
Table of Contents
Side-by-side comparison
The table below compares what the two spellings actually lead to — the genuine cartridge versus the typical “ULTRWF” listing. The ULTRAWF column comes from Frigidaire’s official Performance Data Sheet. The ULTRWF column reflects what those listings publish — which is the whole problem: there is no ULTRWF data sheet anywhere.
| Frigidaire ULTRAWF (PureSource Ultra) ★ Winner | “ULTRWF” listings | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Frigidaire’s PureSource Ultra refrigerator cartridge | A misspelling of ULTRAWF — no such Frigidaire model exists |
| Official part number | ULTRAWF | None |
| Performance Data Sheet | Published by Frigidaire | None exists |
| Rated capacity | 200 gallons (757 L) | Not published |
| Change interval | Every 6 months | Not published |
| Certifying body (per sheet) | IAPMO R&T | None named for the spelling itself |
| Standards certified against | NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401; CSA B483.1; NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 | None verifiable |
| Service flow rate | 0.65 gpm max | Not published |
| Street price each (estimate) | ~$40–55 | Often far cheaper in multipacks — price is the bait (estimate) |
The one check that matters: do not trust a listing title that mangles the model name — sellers stuff misspellings into titles for search visibility, and that tells you about their SEO, not about the cartridge in the box. Read the part number on your old cartridge or in your fridge’s use and care manual, and match it exactly.
If your manual names a different Frigidaire cartridge entirely — the WF3CB, for instance — do not assume the ULTRAWF fits in its place: the two are different cartridges that do not fit the same housings, covered in our WF3CB vs ULTRAWF comparison. Cross-shopping brands? The Samsung DA29-00020B replacement guide applies the same part-number discipline.
Frigidaire ULTRAWF — the genuine PureSource Ultra
Why the genuine ULTRAWF wins
- It is the only real product. Frigidaire publishes a Performance Data Sheet for ULTRAWF, substance by substance — no equivalent document exists for the ULTRWF spelling.
- Certified paperwork. The sheet states certification by IAPMO R&T against NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 — checkable against a named certifier.
- A real fit check exists. Your fridge manual and Frigidaire’s filter finder name ULTRAWF by part number, so fit is verifiable before you pay.
Price checked at time of writing; it changes often — see the live price before you buy.
“ULTRWF” listings — what to check
What to check on an “ULTRWF” listing
- A named certifier. Some legitimate compatible brands carry the typo in their keywords while the product itself names a certifier — a different situation from a bare typo with no paperwork.
- Full part numbers. A serious listing cross-references real numbers (ULTRAWF, 46-9999, 242017800/801), not just the misspelling.
- Easy returns. If the cartridge does not seat and lock, you need a seller who takes it back — verify that before installing, not after a leak.
Certifications
This section is why the spelling matters. The genuine ULTRAWF’s Performance Data Sheet states certification by IAPMO R&T — an ANSI-accredited third-party certifier — against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401, plus CSA B483.1 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372. One honest caveat: we could not verify the listing in the public NSF database at info.nsf.org during research, so check the database yourself if certification proof matters to you. Vague “tested to NSF standards” language without a named certifier is not the same thing.
Here is what the ULTRAWF’s Performance Data Sheet lists — a certification covers only the substances on its sheet:
| Substance | Certified reduction claim (per sheet) | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Chlorine taste & odor | ≥50% reduction | NSF/ANSI 42 |
| Nominal particulate (Class I), turbidity | ≥85% / ≤0.5 NTU | 42 / 53 |
| Lead (pH 6.5 and 8.5) | Reduced to ≤5 ug/L from 150 ug/L challenge | NSF/ANSI 53 |
| Mercury (pH 6.5 and 8.5) | Reduced to ≤2 ug/L | NSF/ANSI 53 |
| Cysts | ≥99.95% reduction | NSF/ANSI 53 |
| Asbestos | ≥99% reduction | NSF/ANSI 53 |
| Benzene, VOCs, pesticides (atrazine, endrin, lindane, toxaphene, etc.) | Reduced below specified maximums | NSF/ANSI 53 |
| Atenolol, ibuprofen, trimethoprim | Reduced below specified maximums | NSF/ANSI 401 |
Against that paperwork, the “ULTRWF” side has nothing: no Frigidaire data sheet, no certifier, no published substance table. Some compatible listings that contain the typo do name their own certifier — one coconut-carbon compatible at a major Canadian retailer, for example, states IAPMO R&T certification to NSF/ANSI 42 only: taste and odor, a much narrower claim than the genuine cartridge’s 42/53/401 set. That is the gap the typo hides. If your concern is lead, mercury, or cysts, that difference is the whole purchase.
Self-check any cartridge in two minutes: search the model number in the public NSF listings at info.nsf.org, or see filteritout.org — the appliance manufacturers’ association’s guide to spotting counterfeit filters. A claim you cannot look up is a claim you should not pay for.
Cost per year
Fridge filters are a subscription you pay in cartridges, so compare yearly totals, not sticker prices. The genuine ULTRAWF is rated for 200 gallons or 6 months, whichever comes first — two changes a year under normal use.
| Item | Genuine ULTRAWF | Typical “ULTRWF”-spelled compatible |
|---|---|---|
| Rated capacity | 200 gallons / 6 months | Often claims 200 gallons / 6 months (unverified) |
| Cartridges per year | ~2 | ~2, if the claim holds |
| Street price per cartridge (estimate) | ~$40–55 | ~$10–25 in multipacks (estimate) |
| Estimated yearly cost | ~$80–110 | ~$20–50 (estimate) |
| Certification behind the price | IAPMO R&T per the data sheet | Usually none named, or NSF/ANSI 42 only |
The savings are real — roughly $40–80 a year — and so is what you give up: the Standard 53 and 401 reductions that only exist on paper for the genuine cartridge. Industry testing summarized by GE Appliances found counterfeit filters often fail to meet the standards they claim and can damage the fridge’s filtration system or leak — a service call costs more than a year of genuine cartridges. Figures are estimates and move with sales.
The genuine-versus-cheap math is the same across brands — our GE RPWFE replacement guide and LG LT1000P replacement guide run the same yearly numbers for those cartridges.
Owner voices
We researched and compared owner feedback across major retail listings for the genuine ULTRAWF and for the typo-spelled listings around it. The recurring themes:
The typo follows owners home. Shoppers describe ordering from listings with mangled spellings and receiving cartridges that fit — many are keyword-stuffed compatibles, not counterfeits — alongside a smaller set of reports of cartridges that would not seat or seal. The spelling alone did not predict the outcome; whether the seller named a certifier did.
Even the genuine cartridge needs a proper purge. Owners of the real ULTRAWF report the first glasses running cloudy and slow flow until the new cartridge is fully flushed, and slower dispensing again as the filter nears the end of its 6 months. Normal carbon-cartridge behavior — budget a few minutes of purging after every swap.
Packaging is the tell owners trust. In reporting on counterfeit fridge filters, buyers described suspect purchases arriving in sloppy shrink wrap with water spots, and a holographic sticker present on earlier genuine purchases suddenly missing. Frigidaire owners are a specific target — mailers posing as Electrolux/Frigidaire have pushed “genuine” filters that turned out counterfeit — so comparing the new box against your last genuine one catches problems early.
The subscription price stings. Roughly $80–110 a year in cartridges is the complaint most likely to push owners toward the typo listings — an understandable trade only if the cheaper cartridge names a certifier you can verify. The same check-the-spelling, check-the-certifier routine applies across brands; our Samsung HAF-QIN replacement guide covers that model.
Which should you buy?
Buy the genuine ULTRAWF if
- Your manual or Frigidaire’s filter finder names ULTRAWF — with the A. It is the real PureSource Ultra cartridge, and the only one with published certification behind it.
- You want the Standard 53 and 401 reductions — lead, mercury, cysts, and pharmaceuticals — not just better taste.
- You buy from a reputable seller and check the packaging for the certifier’s name before you install.
Consider a compatible only if
- The listing — whatever spelling its title uses — names a real certifier you can look up, lists full part numbers, and the seller accepts returns.
- You are honest that you are buying taste-and-odor filtration, not the genuine cartridge’s full certified spec sheet.
Skip any “ULTRWF” listing if
- The spelling is wrong and no certifier is named — typo plus no paperwork is the counterfeit profile.
- The price is a fraction of genuine in a bulk pack promising to be “exactly the same” — that claim has no test data behind it anywhere.
Prices checked at time of writing; they change often — see the live price before you buy.
FAQs
Is ULTRWF a real Frigidaire filter?
No. Frigidaire’s refrigerator cartridge is spelled ULTRAWF — the PureSource Ultra filter, part number ULTRAWF in Frigidaire’s own manuals and its official Performance Data Sheet. We found no Frigidaire document, data sheet, or certification listing for a cartridge spelled ULTRWF. The ULTRWF spelling shows up in marketplace listings and articles as a misspelling of ULTRAWF — sometimes an innocent typo, sometimes bait for typo searches.
I bought a filter from an ‘ULTRWF’ listing. Is it fake?
Not automatically. Many legitimate compatible filters stuff common misspellings into their listing titles and keywords, so a typo in the title alone does not prove a counterfeit. What matters is the cartridge itself: does the seller name a real certifier (IAPMO R&T, NSF, or WQA) you can look up, and does it seat and lock properly in your fridge? If the certifier answer is no, treat every reduction claim on the box as unverified.
Is the genuine ULTRAWF NSF certified?
Its Performance Data Sheet states certification by IAPMO R&T — an ANSI-accredited third-party certifier — against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and 401, plus CSA B483.1 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372. We could not verify the listing in the public NSF database at info.nsf.org during research, so treat the sheet’s statement as the source and check the database yourself if certification proof matters to you.
How often should I replace an ULTRAWF?
Every 6 months or 200 gallons, whichever comes first, per Frigidaire’s data sheet. Reset the filter indicator afterward — the steps vary by model and year, so follow your fridge’s manual. A red light that stays on usually means the reset step was missed or the cartridge is not fully seated.
Will an ULTRAWF fit a fridge that takes the WF3CB?
Do not assume so. The WF3CB (PureSource 3) and ULTRAWF (PureSource Ultra) are different cartridges with different dimensions, and multiple retail sources note they do not fit the same housings. Check your fridge’s use and care manual or Frigidaire’s filter finder with your exact model number before ordering either one.
Why do so many listings spell it ULTRWF?
Because people search it that way. Dropping the A is an easy typo, and sellers copy common misspellings into titles and keywords to catch that traffic. The danger is not the typo itself — it is that typo-heavy listings are also where uncertified and counterfeit cartridges cluster.
Conclusion
ULTRAWF vs ULTRWF is the rare comparison with a one-word answer: ULTRAWF. It is the only real Frigidaire PureSource Ultra cartridge — 200 gallons, 6 months, a published data sheet, and a named certifier behind its claims. ULTRWF is a misspelling, and the listings built around it range from harmless keyword typos on certified compatibles to uncertified bait. Spell it with the A, check the certifier, and buy from a seller you trust.
Update log
- Zulqarnain: Review published.
