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3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen Filter

*Est. $17

3M Filtrete Ultra Allergen Filter

Furnace filter

pros
  • Treats whole house
  • Good for capturing dust and pet dander
  • Inexpensive
cons
  • Won't help much with smoke or odors
  • Can affect airflow
 
 
Where to Buy
  • drugstore.com

    for $17.99

  • Home Depot

    for $16.97

  • Amazon

    for $94.59

 
 
 

February 2009. Experts say 3M Filtrete furnace filters may be an inexpensive, common-sense way of improving the air quality in your home, rather than buying an expensive air purifier that may or may not do much good anyway. Consumer Reports suggests that simply replacing your furnace filter four times per year and other easy lifestyle changes may be all you need to do. User reviews indicate the 3M Filtrete works as it is supposed to, with some owners expressing surprise about how much dust and pet dander it caught. But if you have smoke or odor issues, merely changing your furnace filter is unlikely to solve the problem, and furnace filters can reduce airflow in your system.

There are fewer professional reviews for allergen-reduction furnace filters than for air purifiers themselves. Consumer Reports has good coverage that suggests you may not need to spring for an air purifier if you first try some no-cost or low-cost solutions. You'll need to look past the overall score in owner reviews at Amazon.com because all low scores concern pricing or vendor issues rather performance.

Where To Buy
 
 
Featured StoresStore RatingNotesTotal Price
drugstore.comdrugstore.com rated 4.00 (529 reviews)529 store reviewsIn Stock. Free Shipping for all items over $49!$17.99
Home DepotHome Depot rated 3.50 (4515 reviews)4515 store reviewsIn Stock. 10% to 50% OFF Select Bath Products! Online Only at homedepot.com.$16.97
AmazonAmazon rated 3.50 (1652 reviews)1652 store reviewsIn Stock. Get free shipping on orders over $25!$94.59
 
 
 

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.org

This free section of Consumer Reports' online coverage of air purifiers recommends trying some cheap fixes -- such as inexpensive filters for forced-air heaters and air conditioners -- before investing a lot of money in an air purifier. The 3M Filtrete ratings, however, are behind a subscribers-only wall.

Review: Buying Advice: Air Cleaners, Editors of Consumer Reports, Dec. 2007

2. Amazon.com

About 20 user reviews give mixed ratings for the 3M Filtrete, but that's misleading -- all the negative reviews concern pricing or vendor issues, not performance. Positive reviews concern the actual product, and users say it works as expected.

Review: 3M Filtrete Air Filter, Contributors to Amazon.com

3. Epinions.com

Just a few users post reviews of the 3M Filtrete here, all giving it the maximum score and some expressing surprise about how much crud it caught. "I've been breathing this junk?" one says.

Review: 3M Filtrete Air Filter -- 6 Pack Air Purifier, Contributors to Epinions.com

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