Filtrete vs Nordic Pure vs Aerostar: Which Furnace Filter to Buy
For most homes, buy Aerostar MERV 11: $6.67 a filter in 16x25x1, less than Filtrete 1000 ($9.89) or Nordic Pure MERV 12 ($9.67). For allergies or pets, buy Filtrete 1900 (MERV 13) at $11.28 a filter: its state filing shows it lets air through more easily than the other MERV 13s here.1
For most homes
Aerostar 16x25x1 MERV 11, 6-pack
$6.67 a filter · $39.99 on Amazon
Check price on Amazon- Lowest price per filter of the three ($6.67). Filtrete 1000 catches more of the smallest particles (41% vs 27%) and costs more.
Other picks
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$45.11 on AmazonFor allergies, pets or smoke
Filtrete 1900 16x25x1 (MERV 13), 4-pack · $11.28 a filter · $45 to $68 a year
Catches 62% of the smallest particles, and air passes through it as easily as a basic MERV 8 filter (0.18 inches of water for each on the state test).
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$49.97 on AmazonFor MERV 13 on a budget
Aerostar 16x25x1 MERV 13, 6-pack · $8.33 a filter · $33 to $50 a year
$2.95 less per filter than Filtrete 1900, but air moves through it less easily than Filtrete 1900 (0.28 vs 0.18 inches of water on the same state test). The EPA says most systems can use MERV 13 without problems.
Filtrete vs Nordic Pure, head to head: Nordic Pure costs less at MERV 13 ($9.19 vs $11.28 a filter in 16x25x1), but Filtrete lets air through more easily: 0.18 inches of water on its state filing vs 0.26 in Nordic Pure's own guide. If airflow is your worry, buy Filtrete.2
Prices are Amazon prices read November 11, 2026, per filter in the pack shown. A year is 4 to 6 filters (a change every 90 to 60 days).
01 / Price by size
Price per filter and per year, by size
The four sizes people buy most, at two levels: everyday (MERV 11 or 12) and allergy (MERV 13). Each cell is the lowest price per filter in packs of 6 or fewer, read on Amazon November 11, 2026.9
Cost per year = price per filter × 4 (a change every 90 days) to × 6 (every 60 days). No maker says to go longer than 90 days with a 1-inch filter; Nordic Pure says 30 to 90, Aerostar 60 to 90.325
| Filter | Per filter | Pack | Per year | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16x25x1 | ||||
 Filtrete 1000 (MERV 11)2-pack | $9.89 | $19.79 | $40 to $59 | Buy |
 Nordic Pure MERV 126-pack | $9.67 | $57.99 | $39 to $58 | Buy |
| Aerostar MERV 116-pack | $6.67 | $39.99 | $27 to $40 | Buy |
| Filtrete 1900 (MERV 13)4-pack | $11.28 | $45.11 | $45 to $68 | Buy |
 Nordic Pure MERV 136-pack | $9.19 | $55.15 | $37 to $55 | Buy |
| Aerostar MERV 136-pack | $8.33 | $49.97 | $33 to $50 | Buy |
| 20x20x1 | ||||
 Filtrete 1000 (MERV 11)6-pack | $9.50 | $56.99 | $38 to $57 | Buy |
| Nordic Pure MERV 126-pack | $9.67 | $57.99 | $39 to $58 | Buy |
 Aerostar MERV 116-pack | $6.75 | $40.47 | $27 to $40 | Buy |
 Filtrete 1900 (MERV 13)2-pack | $13.49 | $26.99 | $54 to $81 | Buy |
| Nordic Pure MERV 136-pack | $10.83 | $64.99 | $43 to $65 | Buy |
 Aerostar MERV 136-pack | $8.21 | $49.26 | $33 to $49 | Buy |
| 20x25x1 | ||||
 Filtrete 1000 (MERV 11)2-pack | $10.35 | $20.69 | $41 to $62 | Buy |
| Nordic Pure MERV 126-pack | $9.67 | $57.99 | $39 to $58 | Buy |
 Aerostar MERV 116-pack | $6.90 | $41.40 | $28 to $41 | Buy |
 Filtrete 1900 (MERV 13)6-pack | $12.22 | $73.31 | $49 to $73 | Buy |
 Nordic Pure MERV 132-pack | $16.20 | $32.39 | $65 to $97 | Buy |
 Aerostar MERV 136-pack | $8.67 | $51.99 | $35 to $52 | Buy |
| 16x20x1 | ||||
 Filtrete 1000 (MERV 11)2-pack | $9.89 | $19.79 | $40 to $59 | Buy |
| Nordic Pure MERV 126-pack | $9.17 | $54.99 | $37 to $55 | Buy |
 Aerostar MERV 116-pack | $7.42 | $44.55 | $30 to $45 | Buy |
 Filtrete 1900 (MERV 13)2-pack | $13.99 | $27.99 | $56 to $84 | Buy |
 Aerostar MERV 136-pack | $7.17 | $42.99 | $29 to $43 | Buy |
Nordic Pure sells 16x20x1 at MERV 13 only with carbon added, a different filter, so that cell is empty.
02 / Airflow
Which filter lets air through most easily
Every filter slows the air a little. That slowdown is called resistance, measured in inches of water. Lower is easier on your blower. Filtrete and Aerostar file tested numbers with the California Energy Commission, which keeps the state's list of certified air filters. Nordic Pure is not on that list, so its numbers come from its own guide.1
| Filter | MERV | Resistance (in. of water) | Smallest particles caught | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filtrete 1900 | 13 | 0.18 | 62% | California Energy Commission |
| Filtrete 1500 | 12 | 0.17 | 54% | California Energy Commission |
| Filtrete 1000 | 11 | 0.22 | 41% | California Energy Commission |
| Filtrete 700 | 8 | 0.18 | 25% | California Energy Commission |
| Aerostar MERV 13 | 13 | 0.28 | 51% | California Energy Commission |
| Aerostar MERV 11 | 11 | 0.24 | 27% | California Energy Commission |
| Aerostar MERV 8 | 8 | 0.18 | 6% | California Energy Commission |
| Nordic Pure MERV 13 | 13 | 0.26 | not published | Nordic Pure only (not on the state list) |
| Nordic Pure MERV 12 | 12 | 0.25 | not published | Nordic Pure only (not on the state list) |
At the same test airflow (about 295 feet per minute through the filter), Filtrete 1900 measured 0.18 inches. Aerostar's MERV 13 measured 0.28. Nordic Pure says 0.26 for its MERV 13 at 300 feet per minute.
Filtrete's MERV 13 is also the best at catching the smallest particles here: 62% of particles from 0.3 to 1 micron, vs 51% for Aerostar's MERV 13. That size range holds smoke and the finest dust.
Aerostar's own Amazon listing gives its MERV 13 model as P25S.011625, the same series it filed with California, so these are the boxes sold on Amazon. Filtrete filed one record per filter line, tested at 20x25x1.5
Resistance is for a new, clean filter. It rises as the filter fills with dust. Nordic Pure's figures are its own and were not filed with the state, so treat them as the maker's claim.
03 / MERV 13
Is MERV 13 too restrictive?
Usually not. The EPA says most furnaces and HVAC systems can use a MERV 13 filter without problems. The EPA also says to replace filters every 60 to 90 days.6
The catch is how much of your blower's push the filter uses. Energy Vanguard, a building-science firm, gives this example: if a system is rated for 0.5 inches of total resistance and the filter uses half of that, the system is not likely to move the air it was designed to. At the state test speed, a new Filtrete 1900 uses about 36% of 0.5 inches and Aerostar MERV 13 about 56%.7
So: if your system is older, short on return air, or the filter slot is small, buy Filtrete 1900. It lets air through more easily than the MERV 11s here (0.18 vs 0.22 and 0.24). If your system already runs a MERV 13 without trouble, the cheaper Aerostar MERV 13 is a fair buy.
Filter size matters too. Energy Vanguard's rule is 2 square feet of filter or more for each 400 cubic feet per minute of airflow. More filter area means lower resistance at any MERV.8
Resistance for every brand at MERV 8, 11 and 13, by size: is MERV 13 too restrictive?
04 / MPR and MERV
MPR to MERV: what the Filtrete numbers mean
Filtrete labels filters with its own MPR scale. Nordic Pure and Aerostar use MERV, the industry scale. 3M publishes the match on its own site, and the MERV on the state list agrees.4
| Filtrete | MERV (3M) | MERV on state filing | Catches |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPR 700 | MERV 8 | 8 | Dust, lint and pollen |
| MPR 1000 | MERV 11 | 11 | Adds pet dander and fine dust |
| MPR 1500 | MERV 12 | 12 | Adds more fine particles |
| MPR 1900 | MERV 13 | 13 | Adds smoke and most fine particles |
| MPR 2200 | MERV 13 | 13 | Same MERV as 1900 |
| MPR 2500 / 2800 | MERV 14 | 14 | Highest Filtrete 1-inch |
05 / Change and fit
How often to change each one, and what fits
What each maker says about changing a 1-inch filter, and the real size of each brand's 16x25x1. A filter sold as 16x25x1 is really a little smaller, so it slides into a 16x25 slot.
| Brand | Change a 1-inch filter | Real size of a 16x25x1 MERV 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Filtrete3 | Up to 3 months (90 days) | 15.62 × 24.62 × 0.78 in. |
| Nordic Pure2 | 30 to 90 days | 15.5 × 24.5 × 0.75 in. |
| Aerostar5 | 60 to 90 days | 15.75 × 24.75 × 0.75 in. |
None of the three publishes a pleat count. Aerostar has no maker website; its change interval and sizes are from its own Amazon listings.
06 / Questions
Frequently asked
- Is Nordic Pure better than Filtrete?
- It depends on what you care about. On price, Nordic Pure wins at MERV 13: $9.19 vs $11.28 a filter for Nordic Pure and Filtrete in 16x25x1 today. On airflow, Filtrete wins: Filtrete 1900 filed 0.18 inches of water with California, while Nordic Pure's own guide says 0.26 for its MERV 13, and Nordic Pure has no state filing.
- Is Filtrete worth the extra money?
- At MERV 11, usually not: Aerostar MERV 11 costs $6.67 a filter vs $9.89 for Filtrete 1000, with similar airflow (0.24 vs 0.22). At MERV 13 it can be: Filtrete 1900 catches more fine particles (62% vs 51%) and is easier on airflow.
- Is MERV 13 too restrictive for my furnace?
- For most systems, no. The EPA says most can use MERV 13 without problems. Pick a MERV 13 with low resistance, like Filtrete 1900 (0.18 inches when new), if your system is older or the filter slot is small.
- Who makes Aerostar filters?
- California's filter list names Con-Air Industries as the maker. Aerostar's Amazon listings say the filters are made in the USA by Filtration Group.
- How often should I change a 1-inch furnace filter?
- Every 60 to 90 days, the EPA says. Filtrete says at least every 90 days; Nordic Pure says 30 to 90; Aerostar says 60 to 90. Nordic Pure adds: check or change it more often with pets and at the change of seasons.
- What MERV is Filtrete 1900?
- MERV 13. Filtrete 1000 is MERV 11, 1500 is MERV 12, and 2500 and 2800 are MERV 14. That is 3M's own chart, and it matches the MERV on Filtrete's state filings.
How we did this
Method
We searched Amazon for each brand at sizes 16x25x1, 20x20x1, 20x25x1 and 16x20x1 and kept listings whose own title prints the size, the MERV and the pack. We checked each one was in stock on Amazon on November 11, 2026.
Airflow numbers are the California Energy Commission's Title 20 air filter records, read from the state database on November 11, 2026. They come from the standard lab test (ASHRAE 52.2) makers run for the state. We did not test filters ourselves.
We do not give star ratings. The picks follow fixed rules: lowest price per filter for most homes, lowest filed resistance at MERV 13 for allergies.
More on how we work: our methodology.
References
Sources
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Amazon listings checked in stock