4 Top-Rated Furnace Filters That Are Worth Buying (And 1 To Avoid)

When you want to keep your home's heating and cooling system running smoothly, one of the best steps you can take is cleaning and replacing your furnace filter. You should be replacing your furnace air filters two to four times per year. These filters trap contaminants floating through the air before they reach your furnace, keeping your HVAC system cleaner. As it becomes clogged with dust, pet fur, and other contaminants, the filter restricts airflow. This can reduce the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Additionally, the furnace could overheat with restricted airflow, leading to damage and a breakdown.

You may wonder whether it's worth buying expensive furnace filters for your HVAC system. Many people probably don't need the priciest units, but they do have better materials that can trap more particles. If people in your home suffer from allergies or respiratory issues, the more expensive filters may provide some relief from these issues.

When you want the best performance, instead of focusing on price, you might want to pay attention to the best brands. They are longer-lasting and do a better job of filtering unwanted contaminants from the air. We found four of the best filter brands worth buying and one that you should not waste your money on. (When making this purchase, avoid purchasing the wrong size and make sure the model you buy fits your equipment. If your favorite brand doesn't have a filter properly sized for your furnace, you'll have to try another one.)

3M is one of the world's 10 largest companies, offering a wide range of industrial and consumer goods. With success in manufacturing products in so many different areas, it's probably not all that surprising to see its furnace filter brand, Filtrete, consistently receive high marks among consumers. On Amazon, various sizes of Filtrete filters receive customer ratings of 4.6 stars and higher.

Filtrete filters rank highly in multiple areas, including protecting from allergens, airborne odors, pet dander, and dust. 3M even offers some smart filter options, including a sensor that can connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone. The primary drawback to using Filtrete is the price, which can be double that of some other brands.

One Amazon reviewer saw immediate improvements when switching brands to Filtrete. "My house smelled fresher, like a combination of mountain breeze and just-washed laundry." Another reviewer is impressed with the Filtrete filter's ability to remove allergens. "It's incredibly effective at capturing allergens, dust, and even microscopic particles, making the air feel noticeably fresher." This Amazon customer needed to do less housework after installing the Filtrete-branded furnace filter: "The deep pleating provides excellent surface area for filtering, and I noticed less dust accumulating on surfaces throughout my home."

Like 3M, Honeywell is another original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that makes a variety of industrial and consumer products. It has numerous furnace filter options, including standard and electronic models that offer high-end filtering capabilities for those who need them. Its most restrictive filters can remove particles down to 0.3 micrometers. To save some money, you can select basic models that remove particles of about 10 micrometers in size. Honeywell filters are made in the United States. The company is known for creating models that last up to 12 months before needing cleaning or replacement. 

Perhaps the biggest drawback to the Honeywell models is that they're roughly as expensive as the Filtrete filters. However, that doesn't deter this Amazon reviewer: "This filter costs more than the ones I've been using for the last two years, but it's worth it."

Honeywell's filters receive outstanding customer reviews. Most Honeywell products on Amazon have ratings of 4.6 stars and higher. One Amazon customer appreciates the build quality on these OEM filters. "Most knock-off brands are too small and let bypass air through the distribution system, which will clog the evaporator coil." Another reviewer likes that they are always the correct size for the furnace, unlike some filters that claim to be compatible. They even shared that they "bought several to have extra on hand because we often get smoke pollution from wildfires and want to be sure we can help keep our indoor air as clean as possible."

Nordic Pure might not be the most well-known furnace filter brand, but it has a reputation for delivering excellent quality for a lower price than some other brands. It also focuses on delivering eco-friendly products that use environmentally conscious synthetic materials. Its products contain recycled cardboard and recycled beverage board paper in the frame. All its products are made in the United States. Nordic Pure filters are not always easy to find at hardware stores, though, as they're primarily sold online. The company has been selling directly to customers for more than 20 years.

On Amazon, most Nordic Pro filters have a rating of 4.6 stars or higher, but it also has a few models ranked as low as 4.2 stars. Many reviewers mentioned the low price as a key selling point. "It's a great quality and fits perfectly. It is a great choice because it's easy on the pockets," an Amazon reviewer says. They also do a good job of cleaning the air, according to another purchaser: "They are very [good] quality and easily comparable to the Filtrete brand. I am extremely satisfied with the price per filter compared to FIltrete." Another reviewer called them the best bang for the buck you'll find among furnace filter brands. "They are sturdy and well made, and they actually work. It keeps all the cooking odor out of my house."

If you are having a hard time finding the right-sized accordion-style filter for your furnace, you'll want to check with AprilAire. When your furnace filter slot has rails at the top, you need a perfectly sized filter to create a secure fit, and AprilAire gives you the precise size. However, it is more expensive than other models. 

The AprilAire brand filters a wide range of particle sizes successfully, and some of its models last up to a year before needing replacement. AprilAire's 4-inch wide accordion-style filters provide more surface area to capture contaminants and particles than thin filters, which allows you to use them longer before needing to change them. They're made in the United States and take out dust, allergens, pet dander, and more.

AprilAire filters on Amazon feature a 4.6-star rating and higher from customer reviewers. One reviewer is impressed with the quality, claiming, "This filter removes all cooking odors from the house, which to me is just crazy. It is what it claims to be. The amount of media on this thing is crazy. You do get what you pay for." Another reviewer agreed on the quality: "The air in the house is cleaner and fresher. They are a little tricky to install properly, but once you understand how to get them started, you'll have no problem." This happy purchaser shared that the AprilAire model exceeded expectations: "From the moment I installed it, I noticed a significant improvement in the air quality in my home."

One of the biggest selling points of UBeesize furnace filters is that they're reusable. However, they generally have poorer customer ratings on Amazon than average filters, which means you should probably avoid them in favor of other options on our list. Nearly all UBeesize filters are rated at 4.4 stars or less on Amazon. They might be inexpensive, but this reviewer said the poor build quality affects the value you receive: "I did not realize until recently that the airflow was greatly reduced, causing the heater to run longer...Whatever savings I had with the filters was more than burned up in gas."

The reusable factor with UBeesize products is a little misleading, too. The only reusable part is the plastic frame. You have to pull out and discard the flexible filter section in the middle every few months before replacing it with a new section. A product reviewer says the middle section doesn't fit tightly and "This makes the filter very leaky, and [it] makes a whistle sound." This dissatisfied purchaser says the UBeesize filter harmed the furnace. "My furnace started to short cycle — continually flame out and restart. Turned out to be the filters. They restrict airflow too much."

UBeesize offers many different sizes of furnace filters on Amazon, but information about the manufacturer or the history behind these products is unavailable. That makes us leery about these products, which almost certainly are made in China instead of the United States.