This filter is a great alternative to an official Miele part and at a price I think I can afford to change the filter frequently. The fit is great, even where the locking tabs on my vacuum are showing their age they don't come loose. It doesn't have an indicator band, but those are useless time indicators anyway; I check the filter every two weeks. I can't speak to its filtering abilities compared to the original, but I can say that the filter is actually doing something useful when I look at the crap stuck at the bottom. We don't have pet dander or dust allergies in our house, so that more than helps!