Samsung HAF-CIN Water Filter (DA29-00020B): The Complete Round-Cartridge Guide
If your Samsung fridge has been in your kitchen a while, there is a good chance its water filter is a long, round cartridge about the size of a small water bottle. That is the HAF-CIN — part number DA29-00020B — Samsung’s round internal filter, and one of the most widely used refrigerator cartridges ever made. It is also one of the most commonly mis-ordered, because Samsung later introduced a completely different square filter with a confusingly similar name. This guide separates the two, lists every part number that means the same round cartridge, walks through the twist-lock install, and states plainly what the genuine filter we sell is certified to remove.
HAF-CIN vs HAF-QIN: Two Filters That Are Not Interchangeable
HAF stands for Home Appliance Filter. The last three letters are where the trouble starts:
| Shape | Part number | Typical years | Fridge types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round (long cylinder) | DA29-00020B (HAF-CIN / HAF-CIN/EXP) | Pre-2017 designs and long-running lines still sold for years after | French door and side-by-side models with a round, twist-lock internal housing |
| Square (flat block) | DA97-17376B (HAF-QIN / HAF-QIN/EXP) | 2017 onward | Newer French door, 4-Door Flex and Bespoke models with a square internal slot |
The housings are physically different. A round HAF-CIN will not lock into a square slot, and a square HAF-QIN will not seat in a round housing — forcing either one risks a leak. Shape is the first check, before brand, before model number, before anything. If your cartridge is square, this is the wrong page: our Samsung HAF-QIN (DA97-17376B) guide covers that family in full.
Is the HAF-CIN Your Filter? The Label Test
Pull your current cartridge (the housing is inside the fridge — see the install section for how it comes out) and read the label. Any of these Samsung numbers means the DA29-00020B is your replacement:
HAF-CIN, HAF-CIN-EXP, HAF-CINEXP, HAFCIN, DA29-00020A, DA29-00020B, DA29-00019A, DA97-08006A, DA97-08006A-B, DA97-08006B — plus the same numbers written without dashes (DA2900020B and so on).
The cartridge also cross-references to a long list of aftermarket numbers, and one worth knowing on its own is the Kenmore number 46-9101 (also written 469101 or 9101) — the product page lists Samsung and Kenmore as compatible brands for this cartridge, which is why a Kenmore-badged fridge can take a Samsung-numbered filter.
Which Samsung Refrigerators Use the Round HAF-CIN?
The HAF-CIN serves Samsung’s pre-2017 French door and side-by-side designs and the long-running lines built on them — the RF263, RF266 and RF428 French door families are the classic examples, along with a generation of side-by-side models whose filter housing is a round, horizontal twist-lock socket inside the fridge. Samsung kept several of these lines in production for years, which is why “older design” does not necessarily mean an old fridge.
Because the compatible-model list runs to hundreds of model numbers, treat any family list — this one included — as a starting point. The label on the cartridge you removed is the final authority: round shape plus any part number from the list above means the DA29-00020B fits.
What the Genuine DA29-00020B Actually Removes
The DA29-00020B sold here is the genuine, factory-original Samsung filter, and the product page describes its certification and performance exactly:
- Tested and approved by NSF International against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53 and 401
- Removes 40+ contaminants, including chlorine, lead, mercury, cysts, asbestos and industrial chemicals
- Filters out trace pharmaceuticals — the page names ibuprofen and atenolol — that are often found in city tap water
- 0.5 micron activated carbon block, rated for 6 months or 300 gallons at 0.5 GPM
- Ships with Samsung’s official authentication tag, your guarantee the cartridge is the real Samsung part
That authentication tag matters more for this cartridge than most: the HAF-CIN has been copied for years, and a generic cartridge risks exactly what the product page warns about — a poor seal, leaks, and water that was never tested against the standards printed on the box. The genuine filter’s seal is made for the housing, which protects both the fridge and its warranty.
How to Install the Round Twist-Lock Cartridge
No tools needed. The product page’s steps, in order:
- Turn off the water supply line to the refrigerator.
- Find the filter housing inside the fridge.
- Remove the old filter: twist it a quarter turn counterclockwise and pull it straight out.
- Prep the new filter: take off the plastic cap, and put a tiny drop of vegetable oil on the rubber O-rings for a smooth seal.
- Install: push the new filter straight into the housing and turn it a quarter turn clockwise until it locks firmly.
- Turn the water supply back on.
- Flush: run water through the dispenser for 3 to 5 minutes to clear loose carbon and trapped air. A little sputtering at first is completely normal.
- Reset the light: press and hold the Filter Reset button on the fridge panel.
Signs Your HAF-CIN Is Done
The calendar is a guide; the water tells the truth. Replace the cartridge when you notice any of these, even if six months have not passed: the dispenser flow slows to a trickle, chlorine taste or odour creeps back into water and ice, ice cubes shrink or turn hollow, or the filter indicator turns orange or red. A saturated carbon block does not block anything — it just sits in the line while unfiltered water passes around and through it, which is why “stretching” an old filter saves nothing. Households that lean hard on the dispenser and ice maker will hit the 300-gallon rating well before the six-month mark; light-use households usually land closer to the calendar.
How Often, and What It Costs
Replace the HAF-CIN every 6 months or 300 gallons, whichever arrives first — sooner if the flow slows or the taste drifts, because an exhausted carbon block stops protecting long before it stops passing water.
At Discounted Filter Store the genuine DA29-00020B runs $36.97–$110.46 depending on pack size (1, 2, 3 or 4 packs). Orders are processed within 1–2 business days and delivered in 3–5 business days via USPS, with free US shipping on any order amount. Wrong filter ordered? Unopened filters return within 30 days, free, on a prepaid label.
Not sure whether yours is round or square? Pull the old cartridge and compare it with the table at the top — or read the HAF-QIN guide for the other family. Thirty seconds of checking beats a return trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DA29-00020B the same filter as the HAF-CIN? Yes. HAF-CIN (also written HAF-CIN/EXP) is the model name; DA29-00020B is the part number for the same round Samsung cartridge.
Will a HAF-CIN fit a fridge that takes the HAF-QIN, or the other way round? No. The HAF-CIN is a long round cylinder; the HAF-QIN is a square block. The housings are different and neither seats in the other. Match the shape and number on your current cartridge.
Is the DA29-00020B you sell a genuine Samsung filter? Yes — it is the factory-original Samsung cartridge, tested and approved by NSF International against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53 and 401, and it comes with Samsung’s official authentication tag.
My old filter says DA29-00020A or DA29-00019A. Is the DA29-00020B right? Yes. Both numbers appear in the product page’s compatibility list for this cartridge — the DA29-00020B is the current replacement for them.
How do I reset the filter light after installing it? Press and hold the Filter Reset button on the fridge’s control panel until the indicator resets. A new filter does not reset the light by itself.
How long does the HAF-CIN last? Up to 6 months or 300 gallons, whichever comes first. Heavy dispenser and ice use shortens real-world life.