This 20″ × 25″ × 1″ Koch Multi-Pleat Elite filter (part number 102-741-009) delivers MERV 8 filtration in a High Capacity configuration that packs approximately 30% more pleated media into the same nominal frame size. The added media area extends service life and lowers pressure drop, making it the right pick when filter changes are scheduled by pressure drop rather than calendar.
The Multi-Pleat Elite is built around self-supporting synthetic media — the pleats hold their shape on their own, with no metal grid required downstream. That single design choice changes everything about handling and disposal: no metal components means the filter is fully incinerable after use, with no separation step required. Strips bonded to the air-entering side maintain uniform pleat spacing and prevent fluttering, and Koch’s exclusive vForm™ pleating technology preserves the same aerodynamic v-shaped pleat geometry the original Multi-Pleat line has used for decades.
When Multi-Pleat Elite is specified
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Residential HVAC systems — the standard 1″ and 2″ pleated panel format used by most homes in North America
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Light commercial buildings — offices, retail, schools, hotels, and other facilities running standard pleated panels
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Disposal-sensitive facilities — no metal grid means clean incineration without separation
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Moisture-prone installations — high wet-strength beverage board frame and resilient synthetic media handle humidity and condensation
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Energy-conscious systems — low resistance to airflow reduces fan power consumption over the filter life
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Rough-handling environments — the media is engineered to endure shipping, handling, and installation without pleat collapse
Design and construction
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Media: 100% synthetic, self-supporting (no metal grid required)
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Pleating: vForm™ pleating technology, aerodynamic v-shaped pleats
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Pleat retention: Bonded strips on the air-entering side maintain uniform spacing and prevent fluttering
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Frame: High wet-strength beverage board with cross-member bracing (recyclable)
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Configuration: High Capacity, 1″ depth
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Efficiency rating: MERV 8 per ASHRAE Test Standard 52.2
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Listings: UL 900 and ULC-S111-07 classified
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Manufacturing: ISO 9001 registered facility
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Disposal: Fully incinerable (no metal components)
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Pack size: 12 filters per case
What MERV 8 captures
Captures dust mite debris, pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and most household and office airborne dust. The standard residential and commercial efficiency for everyday indoor air quality, balancing capture performance with airflow.
Standard Capacity vs. High Capacity: which to choose
Both configurations share the same MERV 8 rating, the same vForm™ pleat geometry, the same self-supporting media, and the same beverage board frame. The difference is media area. Standard Capacity is the right choice when filters are changed on a regular calendar schedule (every 30, 60, or 90 days, for example) and the goal is reliable performance at a balanced price. High Capacity packs approximately 30% more media into the same frame — the right choice when changeouts are triggered by pressure drop rather than calendar, since the extra media extends time-to-final-pressure-drop and stretches the spend across more service hours.
1″ vs. 2″ depth
Match the filter depth to your filter slot. 1″ is the standard residential return-air grille and many older furnace cabinets. 2″ is more common in newer high-efficiency furnace cabinets and light commercial AHUs. The 2″ format holds more media than the 1″ in the same nominal width and height, so it generally delivers longer service life and lower pressure drop — but only if your housing actually accepts a 2″ filter. Measure the slot before ordering; a 2″ filter cannot be forced into a 1″ slot.
Multi-Pleat Elite vs. XL8 vs. XL11
Koch makes three Multi-Pleat MERV 8 panel filters, each tuned for a different environment. The Elite (this filter) is fully incinerable with self-supporting media — the cleanest-disposal option for standard HVAC. The XL8 uses an expanded galvanized steel grid for additional pleat support in demanding airflow conditions. The XL11 is built for elevated-temperature applications up to 500°F — paint booths, drying ovens, baking systems, and other high-heat installations. For typical residential and commercial HVAC, the Elite is the right starting point.
Important sizing and ordering notes
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Sizes listed are nominal. Actual dimensions are slightly under nominal — standard for the industry; the filter slides into a nominal-sized slot without binding.
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Special sizes are not available. The Multi-Pleat Elite ships only in the standard sizes listed.
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Full carton quantities only. Per Koch’s shipping policy, Multi-Pleat Elite ships in full carton quantities for safe transit.
Compatibility
The Multi-Pleat Elite drops into standard 1″-deep filter slots and is interchangeable with most competitive 1-inch pleated panel filters in the same nominal size. It is the direct upgrade path for facilities currently running fiberglass panel filters or low-MERV pleated filters — same housing, meaningfully better capture performance at MERV 8.