New variable speed inverter heat pump. Upgrading from fiberglass filter, what MERV and brand do you recommend?

Just had a variable speed inverter heat pump installed and it’s running great. The installer left a glass floss fiberglass filter in the 20x25x1 slot, which from my brief research is basically just equipment protection with minimal air quality benefit.

I want to switch to something better now that the system is up and running, but I also don’t want to stress a brand new system. My understanding is that MERV 8 pleated is a reasonable middle ground, since the variable speed blower can compensate for the added static pressure by ramping up as needed. No pets but some mild seasonal allergies in the household.

A few questions:
1. Is MERV 8 pleated the right call for a new variable speed system, or is there a reason to stick with fiberglass longer?
2. Is MERV 11 worth considering, or does that push static pressure too high for a 1-inch filter slot?
3. Any brand recommendations for 20x25x1? I’ve seen Nordic Pure and Filtrete come up a lot. What do you actually use or recommend?

Thanks in advance.