High efficiency air filters such as Trion Air Bear and  Honeywell brand filters will normally last from 3 months to 1 year. The average change rate is every 6 months. A Honeywell air filter can be used to replace a Trion Air Bear filter but a Trion Air Bear will not replace a Honeywell. The Honeywell filter is 4-3/8" thick and the Trion Air Bear is 4-7/8" thick with the exception of the Trion Air Bear Cub which is 3" thick. The Honeywell air filter is not a great choice to replace a Trion Air Bear because it does not fit the cabinet tightly and there is a good possibility of air bypassing the filter and not being filtered. Be careful when increasing the merv rating of an air filter. If it is filtering smaller particles out of the air stream it will have a higher pressure drop and decreased air flow. Decreasing air flow will most likely decrease unit efficiency and shorten system life. Our recommendation is to stick with a filter made specifically for your brand of cabinet as opposed to a filter that will fit many cabinets.