The Best Air Conditioner Filters for Allergies

Are you looking for the best air conditioner filter for allergies? With a variety of oven filters on the market, all promising to do a great job of trapping particles in the air, it's natural to have some questions about the best oven filter for your home. To help you make an informed decision, we've rounded up the best air conditioner filters for allergies. The Filtrete AC oven air filter 20x25x1 is our best overall oven replacement filter. It has a high-efficiency MERV-12 rating, making it a great choice for homeowners who want to trap as much debris as possible in the air.

The Filtrete Micro Allergen Defense filter is without a doubt the best there is. Filtrete is arguably the most popular filter brand out there, and for a very good reason. If your HVAC system uses a coarser filter (usually in the 4 to 5 inch range, and typically mounted on the air handler), it's likely designed specifically for medium efficiency MERV filtration. The Home Depot also offers a full range of air cleaner accessories, making it easy to keep your system running at peak performance.

But a good air filter keeps the central air conditioner (and oven) working by protecting the mechanical components from dust and dirt. This oven air filter promises to last up to three months and outperform filters made of fiberglass. The Filtrete Smart AC oven air filter is the best choice for a replacement oven filter, available in dozens of sizes and with Bluetooth technology to monitor filter usage. In addition, an oft-cited comprehensive independent test of the effects of MERV filters 8 to 13 on HVAC airflow and energy consumption concluded that even “if no adjustments are made for the increased pressure drop of high MERV filters, airflow and Energy penalties are unlikely to be serious at least, not until the filter is loaded with dirt.

My best overall choice for the best air conditioner filter for allergies is the Ultra Allergen Filtrete HVAC filter. Trophy Air is known for producing filters that last much longer and are designed to be cleaned and reused. But those are rare circumstances, and the decision to pay more for a better filter or not mostly comes down to whether cleaner air is a priority for you. If you have pets, check out the Aerostar Allergen & Pet Dander MERV 11 pleated disposable air filter that blocks a large amount of airborne particles, including pet hair and dander.

The Arm & Hammer Max Allergen air conditioner filter is designed to filter indoor air allergens, such as pollen, pet dander and common dust. The AirX Allergy MERV 11 pleated filter competes very well with the other filters mentioned in this list.