Here’s the short answer you can copy-paste into your brain: Every 2-6 months. Two for pitchers, six for fridge models. Adjust for how many people live in your house and how much you like drinking tap water that doesn’t smell like a pool.
When in doubt, just change it. A new filter costs a few bucks. A mysterious stomach bug? Priceless. (Not in a good way.)
So go ahead. Open that package. Twist off the old one. Watch it drip for a second like it’s retiring from the Olympics. Then pop in the shiny new one. Ahhhh. That’s the sound of hydration without existential dread.
Now go drink a glass of water. You deserve it. Just make sure it’s filtered with a fresh one, okay? Your future self will high-five you. Or at least not silently judge your choices.
