Membrane Solutions 5-Micron String Wound Sediment Filter (6-Pack) Review 2026
The Membrane Solutions sediment filters are the best value for standard whole-house pre-filtration. A year's supply for under $27 is hard to beat. Essential for well water and rural properties.
Overview
Sediment filtration is the unglamorous workhorse of water treatment — it will not make your water taste better or remove chemicals, but it protects everything downstream in your filtration system from premature failure. The Membrane Solutions 6-pack delivers this essential function at a price that is hard to argue with: $26.35 for six filters works out to just $4.39 per cartridge. For well water homes and rural properties where sand, silt, and rust are constant issues, this is a year's supply of pre-filtration for less than the cost of a single premium under-sink cartridge.
The string wound polypropylene construction works by forcing water through layers of tightly wound fiber. As water spirals inward through the wound layers, progressively finer gaps trap particles of decreasing size. The nominal 5-micron rating means the filter effectively captures most particles down to 5 microns in diameter — small enough to trap sand, silt, rust, dirt, and visible sediment but large enough to maintain reasonable water flow through the cartridge. This design is simple, proven, and has been the standard in residential sediment filtration for decades.
The 10 x 2.5 inch standard sizing ensures these filters fit the vast majority of residential whole-house filter housings. If you have a clear or opaque housing mounted on your main water line (common in homes with well water), these are almost certainly the right size. The universal compatibility across GE, DuPont, Culligan, Pentek, and generic housings makes Membrane Solutions a reliable no-guesswork replacement option.
Key Features & Specifications
| Filtration Technology | String Wound Polypropylene |
| Micron Rating | 5 microns |
| Dimensions | 10 x 2.5 inches (standard) |
| Pack Size | 6 |
| Compatibility | GE, DuPont, Culligan, Pentek, and most 10" standard housings |
| Contaminants Removed | Sand, silt, rust, sediment, debris, dirt (99%) |
The string wound design is a depth-filtration approach, meaning sediment is trapped throughout the entire thickness of the wound layers rather than just on the surface. This gives string wound filters a decent dirt-holding capacity before they clog. However, they hold less total sediment than pleated filters (which have more surface area) — a trade-off that Membrane Solutions compensates for with the 6-pack quantity at a budget price point. Replace them more frequently and the per-filter savings more than offset the lower individual capacity.
Pros & Cons
What We Like
- ✓ Outstanding value — $4.39 per filter in the 6-pack
- ✓ Universal 10x2.5" standard size fits virtually all standard housings
- ✓ String wound construction provides excellent sediment trapping
- ✓ 5-micron rating catches sand, silt, rust, and debris effectively
- ✓ 6-pack provides a full year of filter changes for most households
What Could Be Better
- ✗ String wound design has lower dirt-holding capacity than pleated
- ✗ Cannot be cleaned and reused — strictly disposable
- ✗ Only removes physical sediment — no chemical or biological filtration
- ✗ May need more frequent changes in very sediment-heavy well water
Performance & Real-World Testing
Installed in a standard 10-inch housing on a well water supply with moderate sediment (visible rust and silt), the Membrane Solutions filter immediately cleared visible turbidity from the water. Water pressure downstream showed minimal drop with a fresh filter — flow restriction was negligible during the first several weeks of use. The 5-micron rating caught rust particles and sand effectively, turning from white to a deep rust-orange after approximately 6 weeks of whole-house use on the well water test system.
On cleaner municipal water, the filters lasted significantly longer — 4-5 months before showing significant discoloration. The 7,200+ Amazon reviews with a 4.5-star rating validate consistent quality across a large user base. The most common complaint is that string wound filters do not last as long as pleated alternatives in very high-sediment conditions, which is a fair criticism of the design type rather than this specific product. For the price, the solution is simply to change them more frequently — with six filters for $26, the economics support more frequent replacement.
Value Analysis
The value proposition is straightforward: $4.39 per filter for a product that has a single, well-defined job. For comparison, name-brand sediment filters from GE or Pentek typically cost $8-15 per filter for equivalent specifications. The Membrane Solutions 6-pack delivers a full year of replacements (at bi-monthly changes) for what a single name-brand filter costs. Over three years of well water filtration, the savings add up to $100+ compared to purchasing individual name-brand cartridges.
The only scenario where these filters are not the best value is if you have extremely heavy sediment that requires the higher dirt-holding capacity of pleated filters. In that case, a pleated 5-micron filter ($8-12 each) that lasts 2-3 times longer may offer equivalent or better long-term value. For the vast majority of residential applications — municipal water pre-filtration, moderate well water sediment, and general whole-house protection — the Membrane Solutions 6-pack is the best value in its category.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size filter housing does the Membrane Solutions sediment filter fit?
How often should I replace the Membrane Solutions sediment filter?
What is the difference between string wound and pleated sediment filters?
Can the Membrane Solutions sediment filter remove bacteria, chemicals, or chlorine?
Final Verdict
The Membrane Solutions sediment filters are the best value for standard whole-house pre-filtration. A year's supply for under $27 is hard to beat. Essential for well water and rural properties.
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