The UPGRADED 113700 main filter is a replacement cartridge for the Glowforge Air Filter, the accessory that lets Plus and Pro owners run their laser indoors without routing a duct out a window. It is the filter media the air passes through before it goes back into the room, and it is the part you replace on a schedule whether you want to or not. At $159.99 at the time of writing, it is not a trivial purchase, and the listing carries no rating yet despite 100+ ratings being attached to it, which is worth flagging up front.
What this filter actually is
If you are new to the ecosystem, the Glowforge Air Filter is a separate box that sits under or beside the machine. Instead of pushing smoke and fumes out a window, the laser exhausts into the filter, which traps particulates and then passes the air through activated carbon to knock down odors and volatile organic compounds. The 113700 is the main cartridge inside that box. It is the big one. There is also a pre-filter that catches the bulk of the debris earlier in the path, and the two do different jobs.
This particular listing is a third-party cartridge rather than a Glowforge-branded one. It is described as a carbon mix, meaning the media combines particulate filtration with carbon for odor control in a single cartridge. That is the same basic approach the OEM part takes.
Why the filter matters more than most accessories
Laser cutting and engraving produces real smoke. MDF, plywood, leather, acrylic, and even some papers all give off particulates and fumes that you do not want to breathe in a closed room. If you own a Glowforge Aura or a larger Plus or Pro, you have already made a decision about how to deal with that. Venting out a window is cheap and effective but depends on your space. The internal filter is the alternative when a window run is not practical, and it only works as well as the cartridge inside it.
That is the practical stake here. A clogged or saturated filter does not just stop cleaning the air — it restricts airflow, which makes the whole system work harder and can leave odors in the room. The filter is a consumable with a finite life, and how long it lasts depends heavily on what you cut. Light engraving on paper produces far less loading than repeated cutting of thick plywood or leather.
What you are actually paying for
At $159.99, this sits in the same general range as the OEM cartridge, sometimes a little under it. That is the main reason a listing like this exists: filter replacements are the ongoing cost of running a filtered laser setup, and owners look for anything that shaves the per-cartridge price without sacrificing air quality.
What you get for the money is a sealed cartridge with the carbon mix media already in place. You drop it in, close the housing, and reset whatever filter-life tracking your machine uses. There is no assembly, no loose carbon to pour, no cutting media to size. That is true of the OEM part too, so the differentiator is really price and availability rather than convenience.
Fit and compatibility
The listing specifies compatibility with the Glowforge Plus and Pro air filter. Those two machines share the same filter enclosure, which is why one cartridge covers both. If you own a different Glowforge model, check before ordering — the air filter is not a universal accessory across the whole lineup, and the cartridge dimensions are specific to that housing.
Because no independent testing data is available for this specific third-party cartridge, the honest position is that fit is the thing to verify first. A cartridge that seats slightly wrong will leak air around the media rather than through it, which defeats the purpose. If you order one, inspect the gasket and seating before you run a long job.
Performance expectations, stated carefully
There is no verified third-party test data on this cartridge’s filtration efficiency, and the listing carries no rating despite the review count attached to it. That combination means you should treat performance claims with normal caution. What can be said with confidence is how the system behaves in general: carbon media has a finite capacity for odors, particulate media loads up over time, and both degrade gradually rather than failing all at once.
In practice, owners typically notice the filter is due when odors start escaping into the room, when the exhaust feels weaker, or when the machine’s filter indicator asks for a change. Those are the real-world signals, and they apply regardless of whose cartridge is installed.
What works in its favor
The price is the headline. For a consumable you will buy repeatedly, a meaningful discount versus OEM adds up over a couple of years of regular use. If this cartridge is priced below the branded equivalent, that is the entire case for it.
The carbon mix design also means you are getting odor control and particulate filtration in one part rather than needing a separate carbon stage. And because it is a drop-in replacement, there is no learning curve — if you have changed a filter before, this is the same procedure.
Where it gets less comfortable
The biggest issue is verification. There is no rating on this listing, no published efficiency data, and no independent testing to point to. With OEM consumables, you are at least buying the known quantity the machine was designed around. With a third-party cartridge, you are trusting the seller’s description of the media and the build.
The second issue is that filter life in this category is genuinely unpredictable. A cartridge that lasts months for someone doing light engraving might last weeks for someone cutting thick material daily. That makes it hard to judge value on price alone — a cheaper cartridge that clogs faster is not actually cheaper.
Third, carbon media that sits on a shelf degrades. If you buy in bulk to save on shipping, you may not get full life out of the later cartridges. Buy what you will use in a reasonable window.
How it compares to the alternatives
If you are weighing this against the OEM Glowforge cartridge, the decision comes down to price versus certainty. There is also the option of skipping the internal filter entirely and venting outside, which is cheaper to run long-term but requires a window or exterior wall and does not suit every workspace.
| Option | Upfront cost | Running cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| This 113700 cartridge | $159.99 (at time of writing) | Recurring, price varies | Owners already using the Glowforge Air Filter who want a lower per-cartridge price |
| OEM Glowforge cartridge | Typically higher | Recurring | Owners who want the known quantity and easiest warranty path |
| Window venting | Low | Very low | Anyone with a suitable window or wall and no need for indoor filtration |
If you already own a filtered setup and just need a replacement, this is a straightforward cost decision. If you are still deciding how to handle exhaust in the first place, venting outside is usually the cheaper long-term answer when your space allows it. That calculation is similar for other enclosed machines, including the [xTool M2 10W laser engraver] and even a FLASHFORGE AD5X 3D printer, where airflow and filtration choices come up for different reasons.
Who this makes sense for
This cartridge is for someone who already owns the Glowforge Air Filter, runs a Plus or Pro, and wants to keep the cost of filter changes down. It suits light to moderate use — engraving, occasional cutting, projects that do not bury the filter in fine dust every week. If you replace filters a few times a year, the savings are real.
It also suits owners who want a drop-in part with no fiddling. You are not mixing media or modifying anything.
Who should skip it
If you are still choosing between an internal filter and venting outside, do not buy a cartridge yet — settle the bigger question first. If your machine is under warranty and you would rather not introduce a third-party consumable, the OEM part removes that variable. And if you cut thick material constantly, the filter is not your real cost problem; the frequency of replacement is, and a cheaper cartridge will not fix that.
Anyone who needs documented filtration performance for a commercial or shared space should look for a supplier who publishes test data, because this listing does not.
Final thoughts
The UPGRADED 113700 is a reasonable option if you are already committed to the Glowforge Air Filter and want to pay less per cartridge. It is a drop-in part at a price that undercuts the branded equivalent, and for light to moderate use that trade is easy to justify.
What holds it back is the lack of any rating or published performance data on the listing, which means you are extending trust rather than relying on evidence. If that bothers you, the OEM cartridge is the safer buy. If price is the priority and you are comfortable with a third-party consumable, it is worth checking the current price on Amazon before ordering — and if you buy through the links here, I may earn a small commission, which does not change what you pay.