Buying air filters might seem like a simple task. Once you get into types, models and brands, however, you might realize that there’s more to the process than you originally thought. If you’re feeling confused and overwhelmed by all of your filter options, consider this your guide to making sense of the madness.

Purpose

First things first: Why are you buying air filters? There’s a big difference between industrial filters meant for a polluted workplace and simple residential filters that slide into a home air conditioner. Before you start getting into the little details of various filters, make sure that you understand your big-picture goals for your purchase.

Specs

The specifications of your air filters can have a big impact on your purchase. For example, you don’t want to buy something that’s the wrong size. You also don’t want to buy something that can’t filter what you need filtered. There are all kinds of toxins that can pollute the air, and certain filters are designed to catch certain things. Make sure that you’re buying the right kind.

Brand

Some brands are known for their affordability. Others are known for making durable or valuable products. You’ll need to do your homework to learn about different manufacturers. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for Donaldson compressed air filters or something else entirely; you won’t feel confident in your purchase decision until you’ve done the research and concluded that you’re making the right choice.

Reputation

This is where product reviews can come in handy. What do previous customers have to say about that particular filter? Were they satisfied with their purchase, or do they wish that they’d gone with another model or brand? Pay particular attention to anything that gets repeated in multiple reviews. If lots of people are talking about it, it’s probably true.

These are just a few of the most common considerations when buying air filters. There are additional things that you should think about, but these are the big ones. Don’t move on to advanced filter specifications until you’ve mastered the fundamentals.