I really don't know how it got so many good reviews unless I was the only person to ever receive a bad filter.
That is quite possible, though it is very unfortunate. On just that site it has 53 reviews, out of those 53 reviews 44 are five star, 3 are four star, 1 is three star, 2 is two star, and 3 is 1 star. That is pretty darn good reviews. I think you probably just got a bad one.
Choosing a filter is a real pain, but there are a few ways to narrow it down. 1. Is price. Obviously you need it to be under $40. 2. Is GPH, you don't want a filter that puts off to much or not enough current, though too much is usually better because you can diffuse it. 3. Is reviews, you are probably going to want a filter that is rated at least three stars, but the higher the better. Also, I filter that is rated four stars but only has three reviews is not going to be as reliable as a filter that has a four star rating and has thirty reviews etc. 4. Is if it has biological
and mechanical filtration or if it just has biological. Mechanical filtration is not essential, but can definitely help. 5. Is this link
Caudata Culture Articles - Filters -Seth