I didn’t even know such a thing existed…
It was a Saturday afternoon in early 2019 and I was online shopping for new furnace filters. Exciting, I know… I was tired of spending nearly $9.00 apiece on quality filters that lasted only “up to 3 months”. There had to be a better solution. That is when I stumbled upon this brilliant option. It’s a lifetime filter that you clean every few months or ‘as needed’ based on your living conditions. For my home environment, a family of four with a shedding wiggle butt dog, it needs cleaning roughly every 4 months. I will admit I do clean it more often though as it only takes a few minutes. Because it helps capture dust, pollen, bacteria, spores, allergens, and other contaminants, I especially make a point of cleaning it before guests come and stay. It’s important to be a good host after all. When I clean it I use the K&N HVAC Filter Cleaner, also offered by Amazon for $16, but you certainly don’t have to. A quick Google search for “quick and affordable ways to clean lifetime furnace filters” offered a handful of alternatives including water, water with a mild soap mixture, or even a simple dust wand.
I had heard of K&N before as they are well known for making high-performance filters equipped in automobiles but I had no idea they also were making furnace (and AC) filters. Now that I think about it, I am fairly certain I actually owned a K&N air filter myself in high school for my Ford Escort. Is that still a thing? Highschool kids wanting to “pimp my ride”?
In addition to saving money, reducing waste, and being easy to clean, I also find that it doesn’t limit airflow any more than any other standard MERV filter. Perhaps with a really old furnace or small furnace, one might notice a change, but they honestly work perfectly in our Lennox system.
In the end, if you are the kind of person who sticks to buying the $2.00 furnace filter you change every month, this is likely not a product for you. If you want to cut down on waste by not having to throw out filters every month or every few months and want to save yourself some money over the course of ownership, then I recommend checking one out for yourself.
K&N Lifetime Furnace Filter
