Filtrete MPR 1900 vs Aerostar MERV 13
Bottom line
In our view the Aerostar wins on value and honesty - same true MERV 13, labeled plainly, at a far lower annual cost. Both are 1-inch panels, so both carry the same airflow caveat at MERV 13; neither is the technically ideal way to run MERV 13 (that is deep media).
Both are 1-inch MERV 13 filters, so they share the same airflow tradeoff. The real difference is honesty and price: the Filtrete leads with '1900 MPR,' a 3M-only number, at a premium, while the Aerostar prints its true MERV 13 and costs a fraction as much per filter.
| MERV 13 (sold as MPR 1900) | True MERV (ANSI/ASHRAE 52.2) | MERV 13 |
| 7.0 | Verified Filtration30% | 7.0 |
| 2.5 | Total Cost of Ownership25% | 8.0 |
| 5.0 | Rating Honesty20% | 8.0 |
| 0.0 | Airflow Fit15% | 0.0 |
| 2.0 | Practical Fit10% | 2.0 |
FAQ
- Is the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 (Premium Allergen) better than the Aerostar MERV 13 (1-inch)?
- In our scoring the Aerostar MERV 13 (1-inch) rates 5.9/10 and the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 (Premium Allergen) 3.9/10. In our view the Aerostar wins on value and honesty - same true MERV 13, labeled plainly, at a far lower annual cost. Both are 1-inch panels, so both carry the same airflow caveat at MERV 13; neither is the technically ideal way to run MERV 13 (that is deep media).
- Are the Filtrete and Aerostar really the same MERV?
- Both are MERV 13. The Filtrete expresses it as MPR 1900, a 3M scale; the Aerostar prints MERV 13 directly. On the standardized rating they are the same level.
- Is the cheaper Aerostar lower quality?
- Not on the standardized rating - it is the same true MERV 13. We score the MERV, and the Aerostar reaches it while labeling honestly and costing less, which is why it scores higher despite being the budget option.