You hold a white cartridge you pulled out of your Kenmore refrigerator. The casing shows the number GEN11042FR-08, and the new Kenmore box in your other hand says 46-9890. They are the same part. We stock genuine cartridges and compatible cartridges side by side, and we match the number on your old cartridge to the right replacement. The number printed on the old cartridge is the authority. Read that number, and the match takes a minute. This guide covers the four numbers this cartridge answers to, what it is rated for, the price by pack, and the two minute swap.
Four numbers identify one cartridge
One cartridge answers to four numbers. You see Kenmore 46-9890 on the retail box and Kenmore 9890 in the manual. You find GEN11042FR-08 printed on the cartridge itself. An LG refrigerator that takes the LG LT500P uses the same cartridge, and the LT500P carries the part number 5231JA2002A on its label. All four numbers point to the same filter head in the refrigerator, and the fit is identical under every label. Trust the print on the plastic shell over the box or the manual when they disagree. The cartridge also replaces the Eco Aqua EFF-6005A, SGF-LA22, WF290 and WSL-1, and those numbers all call for the same white cartridge.
The refrigerator needs a cartridge that turns and locks into the existing head, and this one does. Our Kenmore Refrigerator Water Filters collection holds the other Kenmore numbers, and our guide to Kenmore 9081, 9930 and other Kenmore numbers covers the cartridges that fit other Kenmore models. Our LG Refrigerator Water Filters collection covers the LG side.
What the cartridge is rated for
Every number below comes from the product page for this cartridge, and the numbers are what you compare against the cartridge in your hand. The cartridge is rated for a life of 6 months or 500 gallons, whichever comes first. The flow rate is 0.5 gallons per minute at the dispenser. It runs at an operating pressure of 20 to 125 psi and an operating temperature of 34 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The media is a carbon block. The cartridge measures 5 1/2 inches long and 3 1/2 inches in diameter, and the shell is white. The Kenmore part number is 9890, and the alternate Kenmore number is GEN11042FR-08.
The cartridge is NSF certified. It reduces chlorine taste and odor, dirt, rust, sediment and turbidity. The carbon block holds the chlorine and catches the particles as water flows through it, so clean water reaches your glass and your ice maker. The filter reaches the end of its life when either limit arrives, the six months or the 500 gallons, and the flow rate of 0.5 gallons per minute fills a glass in a few seconds at the dispenser.
Price by pack
We sell the Kenmore 46-9890 / GEN11042FR-08 Water Filter in four pack sizes. A larger pack lowers the price per cartridge.
| Pack size | Total price | Price per cartridge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Pack | $39.99 | $39.99 |
| 2 Pack | $79.98 | $39.99 |
| 3 Pack | $99.99 | $33.33 |
| 6 Pack | $194.99 | $32.50 |
The 1 Pack costs $39.99 and the 2 Pack costs $79.98. The 3 Pack costs $99.99, which drops the price per cartridge to $33.33. The 6 Pack costs $194.99, or $32.50 per cartridge. You save when you buy three or six at once, and the spares wait on a shelf for the next change. A 3 Pack covers eighteen months on the six month interval, and a 6 Pack covers three years.
We also stock an LG branded option for the same slot. The Replacement LT500P / 5231JA2002A LG Premium Refrigerator Water Filter costs $19.99 for a 1 Pack, $39.95 for a 2 Pack, $56.66 for a 3 Pack and $99.99 for a 6 Pack. That page lists a life of up to six months or 300 gallons and a fit for French door and side by side refrigerators. Both options turn and lock into the same filter head, and the number on your old cartridge fits either one.
How to swap the cartridge in two minutes
You install the new cartridge with no tools, and the whole job takes about two minutes. The filter head sits inside the refrigerator compartment, and the white cartridge hangs from it. Keep a towel under the head, because a few drops of water fall when the old cartridge releases.
- Turn the old cartridge to the left about a quarter turn until it releases from the filter head.
- Pull the cartridge straight down and away from the head.
- Discard the old cartridge.
- Line the new cartridge up in the filter head.
- Turn the new cartridge to the right until it stops and locks.
- Flush about 4 gallons of water through the dispenser.
- Press and hold the reset button for 3 seconds if your refrigerator has a change filter light.
Replace the cartridge every 6 months. The quarter turn seals the cartridge against the filter head, and your hands supply all the force it needs. You never use a wrench. The cartridge stops turning when the lock engages, and you feel the stop in your wrist. The system is then ready for the flush, and the flush is the step most people skip.
Two clocks run on the cartridge
Every cartridge faces a time limit and a volume limit. The six month clock starts the day you install it, and the gallon clock starts on the first pour. Our guide on how often to replace a refrigerator water filter explains that the "Replace Filter" light triggers at about the six month mark and counts no gallons. A busy house empties the gallon capacity early, and a quiet house reaches the time limit first. Count where the filtered water goes in your kitchen: the dispenser, the ice maker, the coffee pot and the refilled bottles all draw through the same cartridge.
The cartridge tells you when it is due. You notice a returning chlorine taste in the glass, a slower dispenser flow, slower ice, or a light you dismissed weeks ago. None is an emergency. You need a new cartridge. That same guide explains the flush: a new cartridge needs about 4 gallons through the dispenser before you judge the taste, and the sputtering and gray water in that flush are air and loose carbon fines that clear. Four gallons is about ten large glasses, and the water runs clear well before the last one.
Set the reorder on Subscribe and Save
The six month date slips, and the light catches you without a spare cartridge in the house. Our Subscribe and Save plan fixes that with an automatic shipment. The plan applies a standing 5 percent discount to every recurring shipment, and you choose an interval of three months, six months or a year. The six month interval matches the cartridge rating. On the 1 Pack, 5 percent off $39.99 is $37.99. A fresh cartridge sits ready for the scheduled swap, and you can change the schedule or cancel from your account. The discount saves you money on every order, and the automatic shipment saves you the reorder. When the box arrives, you know the refrigerator is due, and the swap takes two minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GEN11042FR-08 the same as Kenmore 46-9890?
Yes. The two numbers refer to the same cartridge. The number 46-9890 appears on the retail box, and GEN11042FR-08 appears printed on the white shell of the filter itself. Either number leads you to the same replacement, and it fits the same filter head. Kenmore 9890, without the 46 prefix, is the same part again.
Does the Kenmore 9890 fit an LG refrigerator that takes LT500P?
Yes. The Kenmore 9890 is the replacement for the LG LT500P. The cartridge turns and locks into the same head inside the refrigerator compartment. Use it in any refrigerator that calls for the LT500P or the 5231JA2002A.
How often should I change the Kenmore 9890?
Replace the cartridge every 6 months or 500 gallons, whichever comes first. A busy household uses up the 500 gallons before the six months pass. A quiet household reaches the six month date with gallons left. A returning chlorine taste or a slower dispenser tells you the cartridge is due before either clock does.
How do I reset the filter light after the swap?
Press and hold the reset button on the control panel for 3 seconds. The light turns off and the refrigerator restarts the six month timer. Do this step after you flush the 4 gallons through the dispenser.
Order the match for your refrigerator today
The right part number sits in your hand, and we hold the match ready to ship. Order the Kenmore 46-9890 / GEN11042FR-08 Water Filter today, and pick the pack that matches your household. Call 855-789-3278 with the number off your old cartridge if you want us to confirm the match. We answer the phone Monday to Friday, 9 to 3 Central, and you can email info@poseidonfilters.com. We ship the cartridge to your house, and you finish the two minute swap.
Reviewed by the filtration specialists at Poseidon Filters, who match residential and office systems to the correct OEM cartridges every day.