Review on 🌬️ High Performance Nordic Pure 20X25X1M12 6 Pleated Furnace Filter by Tay Tran

I wish I had read the reviews before buying this one. When I opened the box labeled Merv 12, I saw that none of the filters were actually marked with a Merv number. That confuses me. I noticed that in one of the questions the seller replied that the reason they don't label every filter is to keep costs down. Sorry, I'm calling BS about this. "Merv12" can simply be printed on the filter along with the directional arrow and costs no more, or at least the cost is minimal. Comparing this filter to the Filtrete Merv12 filter I pulled out of the oven, they are completely different. The pleats are much wider apart and the material looks different---not sure if it matters, but I really doubt they're Merv12 filters. If they were I would think they would be tagged. Update in 2 weeks: We are in fire season on the west coast. The road is thick with smoke from wildfires. Some smoke enters through the ventilation holes in the ceiling. This brand new Merv 12 filter, said to be effective against smoke, appears to do NOTHING to reduce smoke in the home. Incidentally, I also have a small stash of new Merv 7 filters that I use over the winter months. This new so-called Merv 12 filter is nearly identical to the Merv 7 filter I bought from Home Depot a few months ago. It's probably a waste of money anyway to buy a filter with a higher Merv number as I don't really encounter a lot of smells or smoke and I'll probably never notice a difference anyway. But I really don't like paying for something more and not getting what I paid for. I'm not sure if that's the reason, but I strongly suspect it is.