Filtrol 160
An external drain-hose filter with a reusable, washable mesh screen - the most effective class of capture device, with no cartridge subscription. Plastic hardware, whole-load capture.
The verdict: Mostly plastic
A plastic housing with a reusable polyimide mesh bag - a mitigation device, not a plastic-free product. Like the PlanetCare it plumbs onto the drain hose and filters the whole load, putting it in the most effective class of capture device (independent tests of external filters land around 78-90%+). The difference is the reusable screen: you rinse and reuse the mesh for a year or two instead of buying cartridge refills, which keeps ongoing waste and cost down. Originally sold to protect septic systems from lint.
Verification: Manufacturer confirmed
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Water contact |
|---|---|---|
| housing external filter housing mounted on the drain hose | Plastic other / unspecified | No |
| mesh screen reusable, washable ~100-micron polyimide mesh bag; lasts 1-2 years | Plastic other / unspecified | No |
A DIY-installable external filter (about 10-15 minutes) that mounts on the washing machine's drain hose. You clean the reusable mesh every week or two and replace the bag only every year or two, so there's no subscription. Includes housing, bracket, hose, and fittings.
Pros
- Whole-load capture in the most effective device class
- Reusable washable screen - no cartridge subscription, low ongoing cost
Cons
- Plastic hardware; requires a DIY drain-hose install
- Manual cleaning every 1-3 weeks
Categories: Microfiber Filters
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- manufacturer https://filtrol.net external drain-hose filter, reusable polyimide mesh, DIY install
- review https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.012 McIlwraith et al. 2019 - external inline filter ~87% microfiber reduction by count
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