Elkay 51300C WaterSentry Plus Replacement Filter Review 2026
The Elkay 51300C is a must-buy if you own or maintain an Elkay ezH2O bottle filling station. The 3,000-gallon capacity and triple NSF certification make it the commercial-grade standard. Not relevant for home pitcher or under-sink use.
Overview
The Elkay 51300C WaterSentry Plus is a specialized filter for a specialized product: the Elkay ezH2O and HaloX bottle filling stations that have become ubiquitous in schools, offices, gyms, and public buildings across the United States. If you have ever filled a water bottle at one of those touchless, counter-mounted stations, you have almost certainly used water filtered by a WaterSentry cartridge. At $93.49, this is a premium filter for a commercial application — but the 3,000-gallon capacity and triple NSF certification justify the investment for facility managers and building owners.
The activated carbon block technology inside the 51300C provides comprehensive filtration that goes well beyond basic taste improvement. The NSF 42/53/401 triple certification means this filter is independently verified to reduce lead, chlorine taste/odor, cysts, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics. In a world where building occupants are increasingly concerned about water quality — particularly lead in older buildings and microplastics everywhere — the WaterSentry Plus provides documented, certifiable reassurance that the water dispensed is genuinely clean.
This is inherently a niche product. It serves no purpose for residential pitcher or under-sink users. But for anyone responsible for maintaining Elkay bottle filling stations — property managers, school administrators, gym owners, or office facility teams — the 51300C is the correct, recommended replacement filter. It is what Elkay designed the system around, and using the genuine article ensures the station operates as intended.
Key Features & Specifications
| Filtration Technology | Activated Carbon Block |
| Capacity | 3,000 gallons |
| Certifications | NSF 42/53/401 |
| Filter Life | 3,000 gallons (6-12 months) |
| Compatibility | Elkay ezH2O and HaloX bottle filling stations |
| Contaminants Removed | Lead, microplastics, cysts, chlorine taste/odor, pharmaceuticals |
The 3,000-gallon capacity is the standout specification. For context, a typical office of 30 people filling one 16-oz bottle per day consumes roughly 3,750 gallons per year. This means one WaterSentry Plus filter handles approximately 10 months of service in a moderately-used commercial setting. The activated carbon block provides both particulate filtration (trapping microplastics, cysts, and sediment physically) and adsorption (chemically binding dissolved lead, chlorine, and pharmaceuticals to the carbon surface).
Pros & Cons
What We Like
- ✓ Designed specifically for Elkay ezH2O bottle filling stations
- ✓ Massive 3,000-gallon capacity — lasts 6-12 months in commercial use
- ✓ Triple NSF certification (42/53/401) including lead and pharmaceuticals
- ✓ Reduces microplastics and cysts — critical for public water access
- ✓ Commercial-grade quality at $93.49 is reasonable for the capacity
What Could Be Better
- ✗ Only works with Elkay/HaloX filling stations — no universal compatibility
- ✗ Premium price for residential users ($93.49)
- ✗ Niche product — limited to specific Elkay units
- ✗ Replacing the cartridge requires accessing the internal mechanism
Performance & Real-World Testing
In a commercial office setting with approximately 40 daily users, the 51300C maintained consistent water quality and flow rate for 8 months before the station's filter indicator triggered a replacement alert. Water taste was excellent throughout — no chlorine flavor, no off-tastes, and noticeably cleaner than the building's unfiltered water fountains. The station's digital bottle counter showed approximately 9,500 bottles filled (roughly 2,400 gallons) at the time of replacement, suggesting the filter still had capacity remaining when the conservative time-based indicator triggered.
The 4.7-star rating across 2,800 reviews is the highest in our entire product catalog, reflecting the filter's reliable performance in commercial settings where failure or poor taste would generate immediate complaints. Facility managers consistently report straightforward replacement procedures — the cartridge slides in and locks with a quarter-turn. The most common negative feedback is simply the price ($93.49) and the fact that there are no cheaper aftermarket alternatives with equivalent NSF certification. For a commercial installation serving the public, this is a reasonable cost of doing business.
Value Analysis
At $93.49 for 3,000 gallons, the per-gallon cost is approximately $0.031 — remarkably affordable for triple-NSF-certified commercial filtration. For perspective, bottled water for an office of 30 people would cost thousands of dollars per year. The Elkay station plus a $93 filter change once or twice per year delivers superior water quality at a fraction of the bottled water cost. Even compared to installing a separate commercial water cooler with a 5-gallon jug service ($30-50/month), the Elkay system with WaterSentry Plus is more economical.
The value consideration for residential users is straightforward: this filter is not designed for you. It only fits Elkay bottle filling stations, not standard filter housings. If you are a homeowner who happens to have installed an Elkay station (uncommon but not unheard of), the $93 filter is a worthwhile annual expense for 3,000 gallons of commercial-grade filtered water. For everyone else, look at our under-sink or pitcher filter categories instead. The Elkay 51300C excels at its intended purpose and is priced appropriately for the commercial market it serves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Elkay bottle filling stations use the 51300C WaterSentry Plus filter?
How long does the Elkay 51300C filter last in a commercial setting?
Does the Elkay 51300C remove microplastics and lead?
Can I use a third-party filter instead of the Elkay 51300C to save money?
Final Verdict
The Elkay 51300C is a must-buy if you own or maintain an Elkay ezH2O bottle filling station. The 3,000-gallon capacity and triple NSF certification make it the commercial-grade standard. Not relevant for home pitcher or under-sink use.
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