FilterBySize Furnace and AC filter sizes, actual dimensions, MERV

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16x16x1 air filter: actual size, MERV, and price

A 16x16x1 is a one-inch-class square furnace or AC filter. Buy the printed size 16x16x1. The panel is smaller than 16 inches on each face — Filtrete closer to 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.81 or 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.78, and Nordic Pure about 15.75 × 15.75 × 0.75. Do not substitute 16x20x1 or 16x25x1 — those are different printed sizes.

Actual size by brand

These numbers are copied from manufacturer or merchant product copy, not from a competitor size chart. Thickness is part of the fit: 1-inch racks take ~¾ inch media.

Brand Nominal Published actual (in.) Source
Filtrete 16x16x1 MPR 1000 / MERV 11 16x16x1 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.81 Amazon B07FNXS4LB title “Actual Size 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.81 in”; product-dimensions field “15.81 × 0.81 × 15.81”
Filtrete 16x16x1 MPR 700 / MERV 8 16x16x1 Title: 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.81; dimensions field also 16 × 16 × 1 Amazon B00KR6QOM0 title “Actual Size 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.81 in”; product-dimensions field lists 16 × 16 × 1 — two figures on the same listing; measure if the slot is tight
Filtrete 16x16x1 MPR 1500 / MERV 12 16x16x1 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.78 Amazon B07FP5X4KY title “Actual Size 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.78 in”; product-dimensions field “15.81 × 0.78 × 15.81”
Filtrete 16x16x1 MPR 1900 / MERV 13 16x16x1 15.81 × 15.81 × 0.78 Amazon B07FP5RRHQ title “Act Size 15.81×15.81×0.78 in”; product-dimensions field “15.81 × 0.78 × 15.81”
Nordic Pure 16x16x1 pleated 16x16x1 Approximately 15.75 × 15.75 × 0.75 (15¾ × 15¾ × ¾) JB Tools listings for Nordic Pure 16x16x1M8-4, 16x16x1M8-24, 16x16x1M13-2, and 16x16x1M13-24

We did not find a Honeywell Store 16x16x1 1-inch SKU (MERV 8/11/13 4-pack or 12-pack) that publishes actual dimensions, so that brand is omitted rather than guessed. We did not find an Amazon Basics 16x16x1 listing that publishes an actual-size field, so that brand is omitted rather than guessed. If you currently run Nordic Pure (~15.75 square) and switch to Filtrete (~15.81 square), expect a slightly snugger slide-in. Filtrete’s published actuals also disagree with each other by SKU (0.81 vs 0.78 thickness; one MPR 700 listing also prints 16 × 16 × 1). Measure the old filter if the slot is tight. Full method: how to measure.

MERV 8 vs 11 vs 13 (facts only)

MERV is ASHRAE 52.2, as summarized by EPA. Higher MERV captures a larger share of smaller particles. It also adds resistance. EPA says to pick at least MERV 13 or as high a rating as your system fan and filter slot can accommodate, and to ask an HVAC technician if you are unsure. A 1-inch MERV 13 is not HEPA. We do not claim health outcomes.

MERV EPA average capture efficiency (particle size) Typical 16x16x1 use
8 ≥20% of 1.0–3.0 µm; ≥70% of 3.0–10.0 µm Common pleated replacement when the manual does not call for higher
11 ≥20% of 0.30–1.0 µm; ≥65% of 1.0–3.0 µm; ≥85% of 3.0–10.0 µm Mid-grade 1-inch pleat (Filtrete MPR 1000 is commonly labeled MERV 11)
13 ≥50% of 0.30–1.0 µm; ≥85% of 1.0–3.0 µm; ≥90% of 3.0–10.0 µm Higher-efficiency 1-inch; confirm the furnace/air handler can take the extra pressure drop

Source: U.S. EPA, “What is a MERV rating?”, last updated 14 Jan 2026. Filtrete also prints an MPR number; MPR is 3M’s scale, not MERV. Compare MERV to MERV.

Pack prices checked 30 Aug 2026

These are public shelf/cart prices we recorded on 30 Aug 2026. They are not live. Shipping, subscribe-and-save, and store-only deals will move them. Per-filter math is pack price ÷ count, rounded to the cent.

Listing MERV Pack Price that day Per filter Merchant
Nordic Pure 16x16x1 pleated (reseller) 8 24 $161.99 $6.75 JB Tools
Nordic Pure 16x16x1 pleated (reseller) 8 4 $27.89 $6.97 JB Tools
Nordic Pure 16x16x1 pleated (reseller) 13 24 $197.99 $8.25 JB Tools
Nordic Pure 16x16x1 pleated (reseller) 13 2 $29.24 $14.62 JB Tools

Observed range that day for ordinary pleated 16x16x1: about $6.75–$6.97/filter at MERV 8 in Nordic Pure multi-packs, $8.25 at MERV 13 in a Nordic Pure 24-pack, with the 2-pack costing more per filter ($14.62). Honeywell Store product URLs for 16x16x1 MERV 8/11/13 4-packs and 12-packs returned 404, so those rows are omitted rather than guessed. Target listed a Filtrete 16x16x1 MPR 1000 1-pack (A-14784653); that product page loaded without a public cart price in the fetch, so that pack price is omitted rather than guessed. No Filtrete 16x16x1 2-pack or 6-pack was listed at Target. Walmart Filtrete product pages were not used for this check (Target Filtrete preferred). Amazon Filtrete pages were used for actual-size fields, not for this price table. Amazon Basics had no published 16x16x1 actual-size listing. Nordic Pure’s own 16x16x1 factory cart was not used for a 1-inch SKU in this check; the JB Tools figures are reseller snapshots. A 16x16x1 is not a 16x20x1 or a 16x25x1.

Where to buy

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No ranking. Stock and price change. If the slot is an odd fraction that none of these actual sizes match, measure first — that is not a 16x16x1 SKU. A 16x20x1 or 16x25x1 is not a substitute.

Sources (accessed 30 Aug 2026)