How to Replace the Water Filter on a KitchenAid Refrigerator

KitchenAid refrigerators use EveryDrop Filters 1–6 or A, depending on fridge style. The filter sits in the upper right interior, the roof, the lower-left drawer area, or the base grille. Replacing it takes a few minutes, needs a 4-gallon flush, and should happen every 6 months.

Which Water Filter Does My KitchenAid Refrigerator Use?

Your KitchenAid's fridge style narrows down the filter number, and the model number on the left interior wall confirms it. Style alone isn't a guarantee, since two refrigerators of the same general type can still ship with different filters across model years, but it's a genuinely useful starting point before you go looking for the model number or the old cartridge itself.

Find your model number

KitchenAid places the model number inside the refrigerator, on the left wall.

Filters by fridge style

Table 1 shows which filter numbers a given KitchenAid fridge style can use, based on Sears PartsDirect's style mapping.

Table 1. Fridge Style to Possible Filters

Your fridge style narrows the list, but the model number is the final check. Two side-by-side units can still take different filters depending on the exact model.

Still not sure?

Our EveryDrop filter numbers guide covers the full "which number" answer, including how to identify your filter from the cartridge itself. This guide focuses on KitchenAid-specific replacement steps, so check that guide first if you're still narrowing down your exact filter.

KitchenAid Water Filters at a Glance

KitchenAid uses seven EveryDrop filters: 1 through 6 and A, each with its own color, location and removal motion. Sharing the EveryDrop brand name doesn't mean sharing a housing; each of the seven has its own physical dimensions, which is why the color and part number, not just the general "EveryDrop" label, are what actually confirm a correct match.

Table 2. Filters 1–6 and A

Filter A's location isn't documented outside KitchenAid's own product video, so check your owner's manual or KitchenAid's Filter A video rather than assuming it matches another filter's position.

Old part numbers and what replaces them

If your old filter is stamped with a number like "UKF8001," it hasn't been discontinued, it's been renamed under the EveryDrop brand.

Table 3. Old Part Number to Current EveryDrop Filter

Some retailer listings cite additional "replaces" numbers beyond what's in Table 3. Check your filter's own printed label to confirm before ordering if your number isn't listed here.

Where Is the Water Filter in a KitchenAid Refrigerator?

KitchenAid filters sit in one of three general areas: upper right inside the fridge, lower left near the drawer, or the base grille, depending on the filter number. None of these three areas applies to every KitchenAid filter, so the fastest way to narrow down where to look is matching your filter number from Table 2 to its listed location, rather than searching the whole compartment.

Upper right, inside the fridge

Filter 1 sits in the upper right interior, Filter 4 sits in the upper right roof section, and Filter 2 can sit in the upper right interior on some models.

Lower left, next to the Temperature Controlled drawer

Filter 2 sits in the lower-left area next to the Temperature Controlled drawer on some models, instead of the upper right interior position.

Base grille

Filter 3 sits on the left side of the base grille, and Filters 5 and 6 can also use base-grille positions on some models, per Sears PartsDirect's style mapping.

How to Replace a KitchenAid Water Filter

Replacement steps depend on your exact filter number, since KitchenAid uses four genuinely different removal motions across Filters 1 through 6. Two filters that both live in the "upper right interior" area, for instance, can still use entirely different motions to come free, which is exactly why matching your specific filter number to its steps below, rather than assuming one universal replacement process, gets the job done on the first try.

Before you start

• Keep a towel handy for minor drips.

• Unwrap the new filter and remove any protective O-ring covers before you start.

• KitchenAid doesn't state a water-shutoff rule either way, so this guide doesn't tell you to shut off the water.

Filter 1 (lift the door)

1. Lift the filter door.

2. Pull the old filter straight out.

3. Insert the new filter with the arrow pointing up.

4. Snap the door closed.

Filter 2 (angle down, turn left)

1. Angle the old filter down.

2. Turn it to the left to remove it.

3. Insert the new filter; it self-rotates into position as you push it in.

Filter 3 (push to eject, move the cap)

1. Press the eject button.

2. Remove the black filter cap by turning it clockwise.

3. Fit the cap onto the new filter.

4. Push the new filter in until the button pops back out.

Filter 4 (open the roof cover, turn)

1. Open the roof cover.

2. Turn the old filter left to remove it.

3. Insert the new filter, turn right, and push up until it locks.

Filters 5, 6 and A

Filters 5 and 6 use a quarter-turn motion, per Sears PartsDirect. For Filter A, follow your owner's manual or KitchenAid's Filter A video, since its removal motion isn't documented in the sources this guide relies on.

Table 4. Replacement Quick Reference

After Replacing: Flush and Reset

Flush every KitchenAid filter with 4 gallons of water, then reset the indicator using the sequence for your control panel type. Both steps matter for different reasons: the flush clears the new cartridge's trapped air and carbon fines before you drink from it, while the reset keeps the indicator's 6-month countdown accurate for your next replacement instead of triggering early or not at all.

Flush 4 gallons

KitchenAid specifies 4 gallons for every filter type, not a range. Sputtering and cloudiness at first are trapped air and carbon fines clearing from the new cartridge, and they settle as you continue flushing.

Reset the filter light

KitchenAid documents five different control panel types, and the reset sequence differs for each one.

Table 5. Reset by Control Panel Type

If your panel doesn't match any of these five, check your owner's manual rather than guessing at a sequence.

How Often to Replace It, and Troubleshooting

Replace a KitchenAid filter every 6 months or 200 gallons, whichever comes first, or when the light comes on. A larger household that draws more water and ice daily will reach the 200-gallon mark before six months pass, in which case the gallon count, not the calendar, is the number that actually applies.

Every 6 months or 200 gallons

EveryDrop rates its filters for 6 months or 200 gallons, and KitchenAid's own guidance is every 6 months or when the light comes on. Watch for small ice cubes, slower dispensing, or a change in taste as signs it's time even before the light triggers.

Filter won't come out, or no water after installing

Most post-replacement issues trace back to a filter that isn't fully seated or the wrong removal motion for your specific filter number.

Table 6. Troubleshooting

If flow stays slow after flushing, see our guide to a slow dispenser after a filter change. For more on why the 6-month figure is a maximum rather than a guarantee, see how long fridge filters really last.

Older KitchenAid Models: Superba and AquaSense

If your KitchenAid is labeled Superba or AquaSense, the practical answer is the same as any other model: read the part number on the old filter and check it against Table 3. Both names appear on refrigerators old enough that guessing at a filter based on the name alone is more likely to produce a wrong order than checking the actual cartridge in front of you.

KitchenAid Superba

Superba is a name that appears on some older KitchenAid refrigerators. Rather than guess at what the name implies about the filter it takes, check your existing filter's printed part number against Table 3, or use the EveryDrop filter numbers guide to confirm your exact match.

AquaSense filters

AquaSense is a name that appears on some older KitchenAid water filters. Its full meaning isn't confirmed in the sources this guide relies on, so treat it the same way as Superba: identify your filter by its printed part number, cross-reference it in Table 3, and shop the KitchenAid replacement filters collection for your confirmed match.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much water should I run through a new KitchenAid filter?

Run 4 gallons through the dispenser, regardless of which filter number you installed. This is KitchenAid's specified amount for every filter type, not a range. Sputtering and cloudiness during the flush are normal and clear as you continue running water.

Do KitchenAid refrigerators use EveryDrop filters?

Yes. KitchenAid refrigerators use EveryDrop Filters 1 through 6 and Filter A, the same shared filtration brand used across Whirlpool-built refrigerators. See our EveryDrop filter numbers guide for the full identification process.

Where is the model number on a KitchenAid refrigerator?

The model number is printed inside the refrigerator, on the left wall. Use the complete number, including any suffix, when checking compatibility.

How do I reset the water filter light on a KitchenAid?

It depends on your control panel type. KitchenAid documents five variants: MAX COOL + MAX ICE together, a FILTER RESET button, a WATER FILTER button, an OPTIONS menu sequence, or LIGHT + ICE TYPE together. Check Table 5 to match your specific panel.

What filter does an old KitchenAid Superba take?

It depends on the specific model, not the Superba name itself. Check the part number printed on your existing filter and cross-reference it against Table 3, since Superba covers multiple filter configurations across different model years.

Why is my water slow after changing the filter?

The most common cause is trapped air still in the line, or a filter that isn't fully seated. Continue flushing the full 4 gallons first; if flow is still slow afterward, remove the filter and reinstall it, confirming it locks fully into place.

Sources

• kitchenaid.com: How to Replace Refrigerator Water Filter

• kitchenaid.com: Locate Your Model Number

• kitchenaid.com: EDRARXD1 (Filter A) product page

• producthelp.kitchenaid.com: How to Reset the Water Filter Status Light

• everydropwater.com: Filter 1 (EDR1RXD1) through Filter 6 (EDR6D1) product pages

• Sears PartsDirect: fridge-style filter mapping, EDR5RXD1 and EDR6D1 cross-reference pages