Well we used it twice on an old dirt devil that we never replaced with the original filter. So we bought this, used it 4 times, it was great, and then we bought a new pet vacuum! The new vacuum cleaner is great with Febrise filters, pet removal tool and sucks up more dirt than the devil. However, this filter was easy to clean, easy to use, and cost $7. Dirt Devil recommends changing it every year, with a good clean and rinse every 3 I'd say.