DuPont Faucet Mount Water Filter (WFFM100XCH) Review
Overall Verdict
The DuPont WFFM100XCH is a decent faucet-mount filter. But while it certainly does the job, having passed our chlorine filtering test with an excellent score and a passing score in our flow rate test. However, there are better options out there on the market for the price.
Our main concern is the filter of the DuPont WFFM100XCH, having a fairly low filtering capacity of 100 gallons. There are cheaper models on the market that offer roughly the same amount of capacity while being just as capable (when it comes to chlorine filtration).
Things We Like
- Chrome-plated design gives it a sharp appearance
- Excellent chlorine filtering capability
- Decent flow rate
- Easy to install and use
Things We Don’t Like
- The filter has a very low maximum filtering capacity (100 gallons)
- Only has one nozzle, so it’s hard to know what mode the filter has been switched into until you look at the routing valve’s handle
DuPont is a household name around the world. Although it’s not known for its residential water filtering systems in the same manner as PUR or Brita, surprisingly, DuPont’s faucet-mount water filter did pretty well in our tests.
The DuPont WFFM100XCH passed our chlorine filtration test with a perfect score. Though it didn’t do quite as well in the filtering flow rate test, its test results are pretty impressive compared to other models we’ve tested.
For more details, check out our full test report below!
6.8 Performance
Performance-wise, the DuPont is a mixed bag. While it performed excellently in the chlorine test and removed virtually all traces of the chemical in the highly-chlorinated water that we pumped through it, it didn’t do quite as well in the flow rate test.
We attached the filter to a 2.2 GPM faucet and measured an output flow rate of just 0.46 GPM once it was switched to water filtering mode. This is lower than our passing minimum of 0.5 GPM, so the DuPont is one of the few faucet filters that failed our flow rate test.
10 Chlorine Test
The Dupont WFFM100XCH performed excellently in this test. We pumped highly-chlorinated water through the filter, collected the filtered product, then tested it in our lab with a testing kit.
Test strips showed that there was virtually no chlorine left in the water (~0 mg/l).
4.7 Flow Rate Test
Unfortunately, while it did great in the first chlorine test, the DuPont WFFM100XCH failed at the flow rate test. In a 20-second flow test, we determined the flow rate of the DuPont WFFM100XCH in filtering mode to be around 0.46 GPM.
This is lower than the passing minimum of 0.5 GPM for the test, so the DuPont WFFM100XCH was written off as “Failed” in our database.
The filter is attached to a high-pressure 2.2 GPM faucet. So, for those who are already used to having strong tap water, using this filter can be pretty annoying.
8.4 Design
Although the DuPont WFFM100XCH has the appearance of a metallic filter, it’s actually constructed from plastic. Though the overall build quality is solid, and we haven’t found any issue with the design, its long-term durability may be less than filters made from stronger materials like stainless steel.
The filter cartridge that comes with the filter has a mediocre capacity of 100 gallons, which will last for around 1-2 months before it has to be switched out.
In the Box
No. of Accessories: 6
The filter housing and the filter cartridge are shipped separately in the box and will be securely wrapped inside. Besides the filter and its cartridge, you’ll also get the standard paperwork and accessories.
In total, the box includes:
- The filter
- Paperwork (manual, warranty cards, etc.)
- Two adapters with rubber seals
- A roll of plumbing tape
Weight & Dimensions
The DuPont WFFM100XCH faucet filter is one of the lightest models in our database due to its plastic construction. The only model that’s lighter than the DuPont is the Waterdrop WD-FC-01 at 0.7 pounds.
Moreover, the filter's compact design ensures that it does not take up too much space in your kitchen. Once mounted on the faucet, it blends into the background and becomes a part of the faucet. During our performance tests, the DuPont WFFM100XCH never got in our way. We could carry out our work without the filter hindering our movements.
8.5 Build Quality
Although we understand why DuPont opted for plastic as the primary material for the WFFM100XCH, we deducted a few points from its score because plastic may not be as durable as stainless steel. In addition to the housing, many other parts of the filter, such as the turning handle and rotating ring, are also made of plastic.
8.0 Filter Piece
The filter piece that comes with the DuPont WFFM100XCH has a maximum filter capacity of 100 gallons, which will last anywhere between 1-2 months depending on how much filtered water your household use. The filter uses granulated activated carbon as the main filtering media.
Due to the presence of carbon, DuPont recommends that the filter be flushed for at least 5 minutes before it’s used. For a few seconds during the flush cycle, the water that runs out of the filter is blackened with excess carbon, then runs clear.
While the filter is perfectly decent, the low filtering capacity is a letdown. Many cheaper faucet-mount filters are similarly capable while offering better maximum capacity (such as the Waterdrop WD-FC-06.)
10 Routing Valve
The routing valve on the DuPont WFFM100XCH is a black, rotating plastic piece to the side of the housing. You can use this handle to switch back and forth between unfiltered and filtered water.
The handle blends into the design in the horizontal position (unfiltered), giving it a seamless look. When you need to use filtered water, turn the handle so that it stands vertically upward. As the handle turns, it will actuate the routing valve inside the filter and redirect the tap water stream through the filter cartridge, producing clean water for your use.
9.7 Usability
If you’ve ever used a faucet-mount water filter before, the DuPont WFFM100XCH won’t be any different than your old one. After you’ve fixed it to your faucet, the only motion that you need to learn is switching the routing valve’s handle back and forth to select between unfiltered and filtered water modes.
Once every 1-2 months (depending on how much water your household use), you have to replace the spent filter cartridge with a new one to maintain the filter’s efficiency. The replacement process, blessedly, is simple.
10 Installation
Installation is simple and consists of lining the mounting port with the head of the faucet, then rotating the black plastic ring on the filter’s mounting port until it grips to the faucet’s threading. Tightens carefully, and you’re done.
The steps above will only apply to faucets with external threading, however. If your faucet has internal threading, you’ll have to use one of the two faucet adapters in the box. Fix the adapter to your faucet first, then tighten the filter to it.
Installation shouldn’t take more than five minutes, even if you need to use an adapter.
9.0 Ease of Use
Using the filter is as simple as switching the handle of the routing valve back and forth between “unfiltered” and “filtered” positions, depending on what you need at the time. The handle rotates smoothly but has a slight resistance to prevent accidental rotation.
The mounting port on the filter grips very securely to the faucet (when tightened fully). After it’s installed, the filter doesn’t wiggle or sway on the faucet at all.
We have one complaint, however. The DuPont WFFM100XCH is the only model in our database with only one nozzle instead of two. Meaning no matter what mode you select, unfiltered or filtered, the water will flow through just one nozzle. While this doesn’t affect the filter's purity or performance, it greatly impacts ease of use. In other filters, you can intuitively know what mode the filter is switched to by seeing from what nozzle the water is flowing. For the DuPont WFFM100XCH, you have to inspect the position of the handle instead.
Having used and tested seven other models with dual-nozzle design, this one was slightly annoying to use at first for our testers.
10 Leak
The DuPont WFFM100XCH doesn’t leak at all once it’s been installed. We’ve taken it off and reinstalled it multiple times, and it never leaked.
10 Maintenance
The DuPont WFFM100XCH is shipped with a 100-gallon filter which, while it does a great job at filtering, will wear out quickly, especially if your household uses a lot of filtered water every day.
Fortunately, other than the 100-gallon filter (WFFMC100X), DuPont also offers a higher-capacity replacement filter in the form of the WFFMC303X. This version has a maximum capacity of 200 gallons, which will effortlessly fulfill the clean water needs of most medium to large households and should last for 3 months or more.
As far as we know, the WFFMC303X has the same filtering capability as the WFFMC100X and uses granulated activated carbon (GAC) as the main filtering media. The only difference between them is the capacity.