3M Filtrete MPR 1900 vs Honeywell Elite Allergen FPR 10
Bottom line
This one is a tie in our scoring - both land at 3.3/10 in our Limited band. Both pack MERV 13 into a 1-inch frame (which, in our view, restricts airflow more than a deeper media would), and both honestly disclose the true MERV behind their proprietary number. The practical split is small: the Filtrete costs about $16 a year less to run ($92 against $108), while the Honeywell's edge is its plainly printed dual label - Home Depot lists it as "MERV 13 - FPR 10." Neither is a strong pick in our view; if you are choosing between them, the running cost is the only lever that matters, and it favors the Filtrete.
Both of these are 1-inch pleated furnace filters that hide a true MERV 13 behind a proprietary scale - the Filtrete leads with "MPR 1900" and the Honeywell with "FPR 10," and on the ANSI/ASHRAE 52.2 scale both are genuinely MERV 13. The biggest real difference is running cost: replaced four times a year, the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 runs about $92 a year versus about $108 for the Honeywell Elite Allergen. Both earn 7.0/10 on verified filtration and neither carries an AHRI certification. We found no accredited performance certification for either filter beyond the MERV rating itself.
| MERV 13 (sold as FPR 10) | True MERV (ANSI/ASHRAE 52.2) | MERV 13 (sold as MPR 1900) |
| 7.0 | Verified Filtration30% | 7.0 |
| 0.0 | Total Cost of Ownership25% | 0.0 |
| 5.0 | Rating Honesty20% | 5.0 |
| 0.0 | Airflow Fit15% | 0.0 |
| 2.0 | Practical Fit10% | 2.0 |
FAQ
- Is the Honeywell Home Elite Allergen FPR 10 (1-inch) better than the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 (Premium Allergen)?
- In our scoring the Honeywell Home Elite Allergen FPR 10 (1-inch) rates 3.3/10 and the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 (Premium Allergen) 3.3/10. This one is a tie in our scoring - both land at 3.3/10 in our Limited band. Both pack MERV 13 into a 1-inch frame (which, in our view, restricts airflow more than a deeper media would), and both honestly disclose the true MERV behind their proprietary number. The practical split is small: the Filtrete costs about $16 a year less to run ($92 against $108), while the Honeywell's edge is its plainly printed dual label - Home Depot lists it as "MERV 13 - FPR 10." Neither is a strong pick in our view; if you are choosing between them, the running cost is the only lever that matters, and it favors the Filtrete.
- Which one is the better value?
- In our scoring the 3M Filtrete MPR 1900 is the better value, mostly on running cost: at four replacements a year it works out to about $92 versus about $108 for the Honeywell Elite Allergen. The Honeywell's up-front price ($27) is close to the Filtrete's ($22.99), so the gap is in the ongoing filter cost rather than the first purchase.
- Are MPR 1900 and FPR 10 the same as MERV 13?
- On these specific 1-inch filters, yes - both confirm out to true MERV 13 on the ANSI/ASHRAE 52.2 scale, the only standardized filtration rating. MPR is a 3M-only scale and FPR is a Home Depot scale, and we treat neither as a reliable MERV stand-in: the same FPR 10 is only MERV 12 in Honeywell's 4-inch media, so always check the actual MERV by depth.
- Will MERV 13 in a 1-inch filter hurt my airflow?
- In our view a 1-inch panel at MERV 13 packs a lot of filtration into a thin frame, which can restrict airflow - that is why airflow fit is the Filtrete's weakest scored area (0.0/10) and a concern on the Honeywell too. If your system tolerates it, a deeper 4-inch media at the same MERV usually breathes easier. Neither filter is AHRI certified, so we have no third-party airflow data to cite for either.