Filtrete MPR 1900 vs Aprilaire 213
Bottom line
In our view the Aprilaire 213 wins. Same MERV 13, but it labels the real number, restricts airflow far less as deep media, and is replaced once a year instead of quarterly. The Filtrete is a real MERV 13 filter - we mark it down for leading with a proprietary MPR number and for being high MERV in a 1-inch panel, not for its filtration.
Both of these are genuinely MERV 13 filters, so the difference is not raw filtration. It is how they are sold and how they run. The Filtrete leads with '1900 MPR,' a 3M-only scale, in a 1-inch panel that restricts airflow. The Aprilaire 213 prints its true MERV 13 and is 4-inch deep media that filters as hard with far less airflow penalty.
| 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% | 3.5 |
| 5.0 | Rating Honesty20% | 8.0 |
| 0.0 | Airflow Fit15% | 6.0 |
| 2.0 | Practical Fit10% | 5.0 |
FAQ
- Is the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 (Premium Allergen) better than the Aprilaire 213 (4-inch media, MERV 13)?
- In our scoring the Aprilaire 213 (4-inch media, MERV 13) rates 6.0/10 and the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 (Premium Allergen) 3.9/10. In our view the Aprilaire 213 wins. Same MERV 13, but it labels the real number, restricts airflow far less as deep media, and is replaced once a year instead of quarterly. The Filtrete is a real MERV 13 filter - we mark it down for leading with a proprietary MPR number and for being high MERV in a 1-inch panel, not for its filtration.
- Is MPR 1900 the same as the Aprilaire's MERV 13?
- On filtration, yes - MPR 1900 corresponds to about MERV 13, the same as the Aprilaire. The difference is that 3M markets the MPR number while Aprilaire prints the standardized MERV, and that the Aprilaire is deep media rather than a 1-inch panel.
- Why does the 1-inch Filtrete score lower if it is also MERV 13?
- Two reasons under our rubric: it leads with a proprietary MPR scale instead of plainly labeling MERV, and a high-MERV 1-inch filter restricts airflow more than the same MERV in 4-inch media. Neither is a knock on its particle capture.