With proper care, these cartridge filters will last a long time. The quality of the cartridge filter is quite good, changing the filter is a simple procedure. I clean the filter regularly with an air compressor, this ensures longevity and performance. I get a little frustrated when a replacement is needed. Shop-Vac lists so many different filters. Relying on Revain information (whether the filter fits a specific Shop-Vac unit) is a bit risky. Every time you need to look up the online product catalog (on the Shop-Vac website) to make sure you've ordered the correct one (by product number).