Best Money-Saver: Trophy Air 16x25x1 Washable Electrostatic HVAC Furnace Air Filter

Let’s talk electrostatic air filters!

When it comes to furnace filters, you have two choices: disposable filters (also called pleated filters) or electrostatic filters that can be cleaned and reused.

Although more expensive up front, electrostatic filters are cheaper in the long run since they can be cleaned (washed with a garden hose) and reused for years, if not the life of your furnace.

As for effectiveness at removing dust and pollen, electrostatic filters perform about the same as pleated filters. Using the MERV rating as a standard, most electrostatic filters are equivalent to a MERV 5 to 8. That is comparable to most of the disposable filters on the market.

When we interviewed HVAC experts on the topic of electrostatic filters, here are some common questions that folks ask about this topic:

  1. Do electrostatic filters require electricity or batteries? No. Dust and contaminants are trapped in the filter by a static charge as air passes through. The static charge is generated when the air passes through polypropylene media material in the filter—no electricity is needed.
  2. How often do they have to be cleaned? One manufacturer we recommend in this article suggests vacuuming the filter once every 30 to 45 days and washing it every 3-4 months. That is on par with most disposable filters, which have to be changed every three months.  
  3. Does this filter restrict air flow? As with all furnace filters, there is a trade off between trapping dirt and air resistance. The thicker the filter (higher MERV rating), the less air that can flow through it. Some early electrostatic filters got a bad wrap since they restricted air flow too much, which can cause reduced cooling with an air conditioner. However, the filters recommended in this article have good airflow and avoid this issue.

For the best money-saving filter, we liked this model by Trophy Air—excellent quality and low air resistance makes it a good choice if your A/C runs much of the summer.

What We Liked

• Sturdy design with aluminum frame.

• Made in USA.

• Effective at removing dirt.

• Less air resistance means better airflow for A/C.

What Needs Work

• MERV rating of about 5. While this filter isn’t officially rated, the maker says it is approximately MERV 5. That is ok for most household uses, but if you live in an area with heavy pollen or a house with lots of pet dander, that might not be robust enough.

Best Flexible Air Filter: FLEXIBLE Electrostatic Washable Permanent Permanent Furnace A/C Filter

If your furnace is in a tight spot that makes changing the filter difficult, this electrostatic filter would be our choice—yes, it has a FLEXIBLE frame.

We tried it out here at the home office and were impressed—it works well to stop dust and pollen, yet can easily be moved in and out of the furnace, even if the furnace is at an odd angle that prevents you from using standard disposable filters.

What We Liked

• Great for hard to reach furnaces.

• Bends without breaking.

• Good air flow.

• Made in USA.

What Needs Work

• A bit pricey.

Best For Apartments: Ventilaider Complete Air Vent Filter Set 20” x 84”

If you live in an older apartment or condo building where you have shared ventilation, you may also “share” the smells and odors coming from your neighbors’ dwellings. We liked these filters as a solution to this problem—yes, they fit directly on the vents and are attached with hook and loop strips. And yes, they work, say our parent readers. 

These filters come on a roll—you cut the filter to fit your air vent grill. And it is easy to swap them out when they get dirty. 

What We Liked

• Good solution for shared ventilation.

• Pro tip: consider using small magnets to hold the filter to the grill cover.

• Keeps insects out of vents.

• Filters smoke, odors and pollen.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Hook and loop strips can come loose over time.

• Reduces air flow.

Best For Smaller Furnaces: 12X12X1 CARTER MERV 8 Lifetime HVAC & Furnace Air Filter

Smaller furnaces or heat pumps may require a specialized filter size like this one by Carter. We liked the overall quality here—the MERV rating is 8 and it catches 94% of dust. Our parent readers who use this filter says it is easy to keep clean with simple rinsing.

What We Liked

• Easy to clean.

• Good quality with metal frame.

• Made in the USA.

• Fully washable.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

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