Fridge filter finder · makers' guides read October 2026
Ice Maker Making Small Ice? Check the Water Filter First
Small or hollow ice means the ice maker is not getting enough water before it freezes. The most common cause is an old, clogged water filter. A 10-second cup test tells you. If the filter is the problem, a new one fixes it, and you can find the exact filter for your fridge below.
The same test works if the water from your fridge door has gotten slow.
The 10-second cup test
- 1
- 2Take the filter out and try again. If the water now runs faster, the filter is clogged and needs to be replaced.
- Samsung, Whirlpool: the makers say to do exactly this test.
- LG: fridges from 2017 and newer run without a filter. Older ones need a bypass part first.
- GE: do not take it out to test. GE says the dispenser and ice maker will not work without a filter or a bypass plug. GE sends a plug for free (800-GECARES). Or just put in a new filter and do the cup test again.
- Other brands: check your manual before you run the fridge without a filter.
- 3Still slow with no filter? Then the filter is not the problem. Check the steps below.
If it is not the filter
Water passes through five places on its way to the ice maker. Any one of them can slow it down. The filter is the easiest to check and the one that wears out.
- The water valve is not fully open, or the line is pinched. Samsung and LG both say to check the valve behind the fridge and the line to it first.
- Your house water pressure is low. Samsung and LG ask for at least 20 psi. GE rates its XWFE filter for 25 to 120 psi. Whirlpool notes that a reverse osmosis system under the sink can lower the pressure too.
- A part has failed. If the valve is open and the water is still slow, Samsung says to call a plumber about the pressure, and LG says the fridge needs service.
Find the exact filter for your fridge
Read the part number on the label of your old filter, such as XWFE, EDR1RXD1 or HAF-QIN. Type it here, or pick your fridge's brand.
We have not checked that filter yet. Try the fridge filter finder, or the maker's own site.
Amazon prices as of November 12, 2026 at 12:18 PM ET. Prices can change; the price on Amazon is the one that counts.
Our pick for each filter is the cheapest one whose exact model code NSF, IAPMO R&T or WQA lists for lead (NSF/ANSI 53). It is the same pick as on our best refrigerator water filter page. Per year = 2 filters at today's Amazon price.
After you put in the new filter
- Make sure it is locked in. Whirlpool says a badly installed filter can reduce or stop the water flow.
- Run about 2 gallons through the door (about 5 minutes), as GE says to. This pushes out the air. The water may spurt at first.
- Throw out the ice in the bin. GE says to dump the first bin after a new filter. The next batches should be full size.
- Reset the filter light if your fridge has one. The steps are in your manual.
No ice at all is a different problem
This page is about small or hollow ice. If the ice maker makes no ice at all, the filter is rarely the cause. In one parts seller's repair records for a common Electrolux fridge, a new water filter fixed "ice maker not making ice" less than 1% of the time. A new water inlet valve fixed it 73% of the time (AppliancePartsPros). For no ice, check that the ice maker is turned on, then call for service.
Questions people ask
Why is the water from my fridge door slow?
It is usually the same problem as small ice: not enough water gets through. Samsung says you should get at least 3/4 cup in 10 seconds. If a new filter does not fix it, check that the water valve is fully open and the line is not kinked.
How often should I change my fridge water filter?
GE and Whirlpool say every 6 months. GE adds: sooner if the water flow to the dispenser or ice maker drops. Small ice is one of the first signs.
My ice is still small after a new filter. Why?
First make sure the filter is locked in place: Whirlpool says a badly installed filter can reduce or stop the flow. Then run about 2 gallons through the door, as GE says to, to push the air out. If the cup test still fails, check the water valve, the line and your house water pressure.
Sources
- Samsung: small or cloudy ice (20 psi minimum, 3/4 cup in 10 seconds, remove-the-filter test).
- LG: water dispensing slowly (8 oz in 3½ to 8 seconds, 20 to 120 psi, built-in bypass on 2017 and newer).
- Whirlpool: not making ice and water dispensing slowly (clogged or badly installed filter, reverse osmosis, change every 6 months).
- GE: XWFE installation instructions (no dispensing without a filter or bypass plug, 2 gallons to purge, discard the first bin of ice, 25 to 120 psi).
- AppliancePartsPros: repair records for one Electrolux model.
- Filter picks and certifications: see our fridge filter finder and method. All makers' pages were read October 23, 2026. We did not test any fridge.