Water Filter for the GE ESS25KSTBSS (MWF)

Your GE refrigerator takes the MWF slot. Below is every filter that fits — OEM and certified alternatives — with real prices.

✓ 100% compatible — no bypass plug needed

🔧 5-min push-in swap

🇺🇸 Ships from Indiana

ESS25KSTBSS · Quick Facts

TYPE

refrigerator

YEARS MADE

—

FILTER LOCATION

in the lower fresh-food zone in most side-by-side layouts, knee height or below

FILTER SLOT

MWF bay

REPLACE EVERY

Every 6 months

ALSO BRANDED AS

—

ESS25KSTBSS · Quick Facts

Filter locationin the lower fresh-food zone in most side-by-side layouts, knee height or below

Filter slotMWF bay

Replace everyEvery 6 months

Typical installTwist or push — 5 minutes, no tools

Every cartridge that fits this model — pulled live from the catalogue:

✓

Verified fit for ESS25KSTBSS. Cross-checked against GE service documentation — this model family uses the MWF bay with no chip or bypass restrictions.

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ESS25KSTBSS specifics — where the filter actually lives

The ESS25KSTBSS carries its water filter in the lower fresh-food zone in most side-by-side layouts, knee height or below, so expect to clear one shelf edge before you have working room. Mechanically it is a quarter-turn twist-in seat: the cartridge drops into the keyed seat and locks with a short quarter turn.

Before you click buy, two things: plan on a towel for the first pull — sitting water in the line — and a five-second reset hold once the fresh cartridge is in. The ESS prefix is the tell: it usually marks a E-series side-by-side layout, which means shared cartridge economics — one media family, dozens of cabinet variants, all drinking from the same parts line. That SS suffix is trim-level shorthand. GE kept the MWF bay common to every finish in the line.

ESS vs HSS — what the prefix tells you

The ESS prefix sits next to HSS in the catalog and the split is cabinet mission: E-series side-by-side builds carry ESS; side-by-side builds carry HSS. Filter-wise the two lines converge on one cartridge family. The two digits after the letters are the cabinet size: this is a 25 cu ft refrigerator, which sets how much dispenser work the cartridge does between changes.

Swap it in 5 minutes

Twist the old cartridge a quarter turn counterclockwise and pull it straight down — keep a towel in reach for the dribble.
Fill the new cartridge with cold tap water so the chamber is not fighting an air pocket.
Offer the new cartridge to the bay, push up, and twist a quarter turn clockwise until the stop catches.
Run two gallons through the dispenser to flush carbon fines, then hold the filter-reset control until the status light clears.

What this filter takes out of your water

What it targets	Standard that covers it
Chlorine taste & odor	NSF/ANSI 42 — aesthetic effects
Particulates, Class I	NSF/ANSI 42 — fine sediment
Lead	NSF/ANSI 53 — health effects
Cysts (cryptosporidium, giardia)	NSF/ANSI 53 — microbial
PFOA & PFOS	NSF/ANSI 53 (P473) — varies by cartridge

Coverage above lists what the standard addresses, not a performance claim for any specific cartridge — removal claims vary by certificate, so check the NSF listing for the exact part number you are buying.

ESS25KSTBSS filter questions

Clearing the filter status light on a GE ESS25KSTBSS?

Seat the new cartridge first, then hold the filter-reset control for a few seconds until the status light clears — the exact button placement varies by control panel, so check the ESS25KSTBSS owner’s manual page for filter status.

Does the GE ESS25KSTBSS need a bypass plug when the filter is out?

You can, but unfiltered — the MWF bay needs no bypass plug; it just passes water through without filtering while the cartridge is out.

Are off-brand filters safe for a GE refrigerator?

Certified aftermarket cartridges are built to the same NSF test standards as the OEM part, and federal warranty law (Magnuson-Moss) protects your coverage when you use them.

Why is the OEM MWF cartridge so much more expensive?

Part of the OEM price is the badge and the distribution chain. Certified alternatives meet the same test standards at a lower unit price, especially in multi-packs.

How often should I replace the filter in my ESS25KSTBSS?

Every six months or at the rated gallon capacity, whichever comes first — the MWF class cartridges all share that service interval.

Do I need to turn off the water supply to change it?

No — the bay is designed for a live swap. Expect a small dribble, keep a towel in reach, and flush a couple of gallons through the new cartridge before the first glass.

Every filter that fits your fridge

OEM MWF cartridge

This bay takes the OEM MWF. ClearFit verified-fit alternatives for this exact slot are being staged — every compatible option for your fridge is one lookup away.

Check every filter that fits →