Low Price Culligan FM-15RA Faucet Filter Replacement Cartridge

Hi, perhaps someone can resolve my confusion:

I just purchased some FM-15RA replacement filters. In the past, I used to get the FM-15R models which were made in USA (not China like these newfangled 15RA ones).

Anyway, in the past, I'd found that some of the FM-15R ones would gush (rather than flow), so I phoned Culligan in mid 2008, and after LOTS of hassle, reached a guy who actually knew something.

He asked me to check whether any of the holes are black rather than white. He said that all the holes need to be white NOT black to filter well.

Sure enough, the ones which gushed had some black holes, so he sent replacements which all had pure white at the holes.

Anyway, now I received the ones made in China, which seem like junk, since they're lighter weight than the USA ones. Note i still have the USA ones, so i could compare.

Also, in the past, the USA ones did not emit what looks like vapor/smoke (probably the charcoal), upon screwing in & trying out for the first time. But the Chinese-made one DOES cause vapor/smoke (charcoal) to emit - which gives me the creeps, because it reminds me of when I erroneously poured Drano down the drain & it emitted similar vapor & hissed toxicly for a long time afterward to the extent that the clog-fixer-guy said it might have caused corrosion of pipes.

But above all:

I'm really baffled now, because these newfangled Chinese made FM-15-RA's all have greyish-black at the holes, rather than white. Yet the one I just now tried is not gushing (despite the blackish holes). Rather, it's flowing.

This is inconsistent with what the Culligan guy had told me regarding the FM-15R. Because going according to him, these newfangled ones ought to be gushing since the holes are not pure white, but rather greyish black??!!

So what am I to believe?Get more detail about Culligan FM-15RA Faucet Filter Replacement Cartridge.