I've done a complete 180 on filters. Air space might be a good thing. Molecular sieve might be useless pretty fast because it only absorbs 20% of its own weight and it weighs almost nothing. Once saturated it's not doing anything. Unless you take the filter apart the water can't dry. Also never allow sieve to contact the aluminum directly it will corrode the aluminum. You also have to fill/pressurize the large filters with air along with whatever you are filling and that takes extra time and wear on your compressor. The smaller blue filter like you have with the cigarette type filters, I believe is the best one to use with these small compressors. I take mine apart every once in a while, (I'm in the desert) and dry the filters. Oil kills them, water doesn't. Why the first filter in line should be small since it gets oiled. Strangely like the way it came to begin with might be best.
I think between the two of that style I bought (one for hand pump/one for compressor line) they came with enough to last quite awhile and I’ve not had to look for replacements.
I just got one of the longer filter housings from amazon the other day. it did seem to be kinda lite on filter element. I only have a hand pump right now. It was supposed to come with an inline filter but it didn't so I figured I better get some kind of filtration going. I think I might order some of the yong heng filters to put in it. How are you liking yours?
My whole filtration system has held up very well. My hand pump just has one of those small, narrow filters on it. Didn’t come with it bu bought separately to filter some dirt/moisture out.