About Filtrete (3M)
Filtrete is 3M's residential air-filtration brand, built around MPR (Microparticle Performance Rating), a proprietary scale 3M created to measure how well a filter captures the smallest airborne particles, from 0.3 to 1 micron, a range finer than what the industry-standard MERV scale targets on its own. For more than 30 years the Filtrete electrostatically-charged pleated media has been a fixture in American HVAC returns, and the line now spans basic MERV 5 dust filters up through MERV 13 allergy-grade filtration in the widely-stocked 1-inch residential format.
3M has kept extending the platform rather than leaving it as disposable pleated cardboard: the Filtrete Smart Air Filter pairs a Bluetooth airflow sensor with the Filtrete Smart App so homeowners get change reminders based on actual usage instead of a calendar guess, with Alexa and Google Assistant integration for automatic reorder. In April 2025, 3M launched the Filtrete Refillable Air Filter Kit, a reusable frame rated for up to 20 years paired with a collapsible, certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly filter refill, aimed at cutting disposable filter waste. The brand's MERV 13 line has also been named a top pick by NYT Wirecutter, backed by California Energy Commission pressure-drop testing data.
Brand website: filtrete.com
What Filtrete (3M) makes
Filtrete (3M)'s range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Standard Pleated Filters (MERV 5-13)
the core 1-inch residential lineup, featured on DIYRated — featured on DIYRated
MERV 13 Allergy & Asthma Line
captures bacteria, viruses, and smoke down to 0.3 microns; NYT Wirecutter top pick — featured on DIYRated
Filtrete Smart Air Filters
Bluetooth airflow sensor with Smart App change reminders and Alexa/Google Assistant integration — featured on DIYRated
Filtrete Refillable Air Filter Kit
reusable 20-year frame with a collapsible, certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly refill, launched April 2025
Room Air Purifiers & Purifier Filters
console-style True HEPA and allergen-reduction air purifiers for small, medium, and X-Large rooms
Why we recognized Filtrete (3M)
The DIYRated Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our hands-on category reviews. Filtrete (3M) earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: bought, put to work on real jobs, and judged on merit.
Filtrete (3M) products we rated highly
Filtrete MERV 11 MPR 1000 (2-Pack)
In our testing, this MERV 11 pleated filter hit the balance point most homes need: enough capture for pet dander and mold spores without straining a standard residential blower. It fits more than 20 standard sizes with no frame warping, and it carries 58,000+ verified reviews at an 85% five-star distribution, the deepest review base of any filter we evaluated for this roundup.
Read the 7 Best Air Filters for Home in 2026: A Contractor's Picks for Every HVAC System guide →
Filtrete MERV 13 MPR 1900 (2-Pack)
This is the filter we point allergy and asthma households toward: it captures 62% of ultrafine 0.3-1 micron particles, including bacteria, viruses, and smoke, and it's the NYT Wirecutter pick backed by California Energy Commission pressure-drop data. Reviewers report measurable symptom relief without the added blower noise some MERV 13 filters introduce.
Read the 7 Best Air Filters for Home in 2026: A Contractor's Picks for Every HVAC System guide →
Filtrete Smart MERV 12 Bluetooth (2-Pack)
The only filter in our roundup with real Bluetooth sensor tracking based on actual airflow rather than a 90-day calendar guess, so the change reminder reflects how hard the HVAC system has actually run. MERV 12 filtration steps up from standard MERV 11 to catch bacteria and viruses, and Alexa integration triggers automatic reorder once the filter reaches end-of-life.
Read the 7 Best Air Filters for Home in 2026: A Contractor's Picks for Every HVAC System guide →What earned Filtrete (3M) the recognition
- 3M created the Microparticle Performance Rating (MPR) scale specifically to measure capture of the smallest airborne particles, 0.3 to 1 micron, a finer band than the industry-standard MERV scale targets on its own, and has run the Filtrete platform on it for more than 30 years.
- The MERV 13 line is an NYT Wirecutter top pick, backed by California Energy Commission pressure-drop testing data, and is certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly.
- The Filtrete Smart Air Filter is the only Bluetooth-connected filter we evaluated that bases its change reminder on measured airflow rather than a fixed calendar interval, with Alexa and Google Assistant integration for automatic reorder.
- In April 2025, 3M launched the Filtrete Refillable Air Filter Kit, a reusable 20-year frame paired with a collapsible refill, aimed at cutting disposable filter waste without giving up certified allergen capture.
- Across the three Filtrete SKUs on our page, review volume runs from the low thousands up to more than 58,000 verified reviews at an 85% five-star distribution, the deepest and most consistent review base of any brand in our air filter testing.