15 best oil filter manufacturers

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

How to choose an oil filter

The choice of an oil filter, despite the general simplicity of the design, includes a lot of features and subtleties that must be taken into account. The journal recommends paying special attention to the following aspects:

Filter type. There are three types of oil filters:

1. full-flow – incorporate a bypass valve that regulates the oil pressure in the lubrication system. It protects seals and gaskets between blocks from damage and rupture, bypassing excess pressure from the engine crankcase. In the event of a complete exhaustion of the filter resource (clogging), in order to avoid oil starvation, the valve ensures the flow of contaminated oil in order not to bring the engine to a state of overheating.
2. partial-flow – provide finer filtration than full-flow models, and therefore require more time for the cleaning process. However, this principle of operation avoids pressure drops in the event of a clogged filter or accidental sticking of the bypass valve.
3. combined – filters for extra-fine oil purification, combining the advantages of the first two types and eliminating their characteristic disadvantages. They are more expensive than others, but they can significantly increase the resource of work of rubbing pairs and are recommended for use in heavily loaded engines.

Serviceability of the bypass valve. This aspect is rather difficult to check when purchasing a filter, however, if such an opportunity is provided, be sure to make sure that the valve opening pressure is slightly higher (literally 0.1 bar) than the upper limit of the relevant system pressure. In this case, you will definitely protect the engine from the ingress of unfiltered oil with a high content of abrasive particles. Likewise, it is possible to organize a check of the reverse stop valve for tightness of closing in order to exclude oil leakage during engine standstill.

Filter paper thickness. This parameter directly affects the value of the filter working life. The susceptibility to blockages and full depletion is the higher, the thicker the paper layer. In addition, you should take into account the moments associated with the maximum heating temperature of the oil in the engine. Be sure to find out what the permissible operating temperature of the oil filter is, so as not to provoke paper burnout during normal engine operation.

The integrity of the case. An indicator of secondary importance, which can significantly affect the performance of the filter. Before purchasing, be sure to make sure that there is no external damage to the housing, valves, as well as the integrity of the filter paper.

Manufacturer. In this case, the value of a branded product is obvious, since counterfeits are often subject to rapid failure, and can also lead to a number of more critical malfunctions. In this regard, we strongly recommend that you contact the purchase of products from well-known brands that have certificates of compliance with modern quality standards.

Rating of the best manufacturers of oil filters

Nomination	a place	Name of product	rating
Best inexpensive oil filters	1	Goodwill	4.7
	2	Sakura	4.6
	3	BelMag	4.5
	4	Auto unit	4.5
	5	BIG Filter	4.4
The best manufacturers of oil filters in terms of price-quality ratio	1	Bosch	4.9
	2	Hengst	4.8
	3	Fram	4.8
	4	Nitto	4.7
	5	Hyundai / KIA	4.6
	6	SCT	4.5
The best manufacturers of premium oil filters	1	Mahle	4.9
	2	Purflux	4.8
	3	Mann	4.8
	4	Union	4.7

Best inexpensive oil filters

Goodwill

Rating: 4.7

Goodwill represents that rare type of manufacturer, whose assortment contains filters of budget, medium and premium price segments. The quality of products in all variations is excellent, and the resource strongly depends on those driving modes that the user chooses, the frequency of car maintenance and its technical condition.

According to experts, the operating conditions of GoodWill oil filters may be sufficient for 15-20 thousand kilometers, possibly even with a residual resource. As for consumers, they, in general, comment on the product in a complementary way, noting its large selection in the retail market. Those who order filters through service centers located on the territory of the country complain about the sluggishness of service and incompetence on the part of the staff, but at present these problems are practically leveled.

Advantages

• widespread in the retail market;
• high quality filtration;
• the resource being pledged is enough for 15-20 thousand kilometers;
• high dependence of filter operation on operation.

disadvantages

• not found.

Sakura

Rating: 4.6

This phenomenon on the market is far from new and until recently very situational, Sakura is the result of a well-done work to give filters the required qualities with minimal costs for their subsequent acquisition. Obeying the tendencies of the Japanese style, all manufactured goods undergo strict control at the most important operations, excluding secondary steps from the manufacturing technology.

The results of such manipulations are more than impressive: the scrap rate barely reaches 4%, and the approximate working resource varies within 10 thousand kilometers. A number of independent tests nevertheless revealed some shortcomings associated with work in harsh overheating conditions, but in fact, such behavior cannot be attributed to shortcomings. Feedback from users, in turn, confirms the good quality of products under nominal operating conditions, referring to the stable and easy operation of the engine during operation. It is supported by a good reputation and a very low price, almost the same as in the case of domestically produced filters.

Advantages

• very low cost of production;
• the working resource of one filter is enough for 10 thousand kilometers;
• low level of rejects associated with tight production control;
• widespread in Russian cities;
• acceptable filtration quality.

disadvantages

• not found.

BelMag

Rating: 4.5

Magnitogorsk manufacturer of budget oil filters, revived after a complete stop of production due to lack of funding and low demand for products. The BelMag in-line production was launched in 1996, when oil cans were urgently required for the conveyor of the domestic auto industry. Finding itself in great dependence on the only (in fact) customer, the company could not survive the decline in the auto-production niche and the entry of new companies into the market, announcing its own closure.

A new milestone in the history of BelMag was laid with the arrival of the joint Renault-Nissan concern, which concluded another contract for the delivery of oil filters for domestic conveyors. Initially mediocre, product quality began to grow gradually with increasing capacity, and today it has reached a ceiling within the budget segment, catching up with the recognized giants.

Advantages

• available oil filters for VAZ, Renault and Nissan;
• high quality within the segment;
• low price due to the selection of inexpensive materials;
• widespread in retail.

disadvantages

• not found.

Auto unit

Rating: 4.5

The Russian manufacturer, ranked among the best thanks to the production of oil filters not only for cars, but also for trucks, providing products to the entire CIS territory. The latter became possible only due to the fact that already at the stage of formation the company was able to provide a satisfactory quality of filter elements. Later, our own developments were reinforced by foreign technologies in order to provide the 'oilers' with an even greater level of compliance with the accepted quality standards.

Despite the low cost of filters from 'Avtoagregat', it is often simply impossible to find them in retail. The fact is that the working foundations of the company rest on the need to work on orders, supplying the product directly to the conveyor lines of the factories VAZ, KamAZ, Ural, etc. In this regard, only a small part of the produced consumables (no more than 10-15%) goes to retail sale, which is the most negative quality of the brand from the point of view of consumers.

Advantages

• work on equipping conveyors of automobile plants of domestic and foreign markets;
• nominally high quality products, compliance with international quality and safety standards;
• low price.

disadvantages

• only a small fraction of oil filters are available for retail sale.

BIG Filter

Rating: 4.4

Without exaggeration, the leading manufacturer of filters for cars, engaged in the development of inexpensive products for the domestic and foreign markets of spare parts. The main advantage and feature of this brand is the presence of a contract for the supply of consumables to factories Volkswagen located in Russia.

According to experts, the value of 'BIG Filter' lies in a wide range of produced oil filters: the model range includes more than 100 types of products that have passed a multi-stage check for compliance with quality standards. In particular, special attention is focused on ensuring the proper operation of the shut-off valves to prevent oil leakage during engine downtime. As for consumers, many people prefer to install filters from BIG instead of the standard ones at the stage of downgrading of the working resource, and, in general, are satisfied with the quality of the engine's work. It is noteworthy that the company is always striving to update the product range, and recently has been putting on sale an increasing number of technological products.

Advantages

• development of filter elements for enterprises of domestic and foreign automobile concerns;
• a high degree of product recognition (characteristic green color of the case);
• proper workmanship;
• acceptable price tag for the entire range.

disadvantages

• not found.

The best manufacturers of oil filters in terms of price-quality ratio

Bosch

Rating: 4.9

Perhaps the most diligent manufacturer of oil filters in the near-budget price segment, showing excellent results in terms of product quality. In fact, the quality of oil filtration from impurities in Bosch filters can be called the benchmark at all cutoffs of resource development: neither the bypass valve nor the cartridge experience problems with ensuring functions in the later stages of operation.

According to experts, the only problem that plagues some part of Bosch oil filters is due to the overestimation of the terms of normal operation, which causes a wave of resentment and misunderstanding in the minds of most users. This is explained quite simply: when the corporation is focused on the production of a wide range of products (from power tools to other consumables from auto parts), it is very difficult to control storage and transportation processes. Only an insignificant cost of the product can level this factor, which encourages car owners to make a purchase.

Advantages

• low cost of almost the entire range of oil filters;
• high quality oil purification from impurities;
• an abundance of supply in retail;
• low scrap rate.

disadvantages

• some filters run out of service life earlier than the manufacturer's stated date.

Hengst

Rating: 4.8

According to the assurances of world experts, Hengst is one of the segment leaders in terms of the number of cooperation relations with renowned car manufacturers. It took more than 50 years to establish connections and become the brand as it is now, but the acquired status is definitely worth it. Painstaking work resulted in the signing of contracts for the supply of oil filters to conveyors Ford, Mercedes – Benz, Isuzu, BMW and many others, after which brought the fame to the company the most demanded in its niche.

As noted by users, such a complete element in the oil cleaning system from impurities has a positive effect on the safety of the engine, creating excellent conditions for its stable operation throughout the entire service life of the filter. If we talk about the scale of production of Hengst, then for all the time it has produced about 5 thousand different filter modules, which invariably became competitive even in comparison with premium models.

Advantages

• a large number of contracts for the supply of a product directly for the conveyor assembly of cars;
• more than 5 thousand oil filters developed over the entire history of the company;
• high working resource, strictly limited by the driving style of the car owner;
• adequate prices and an excellent ratio of them to quality.

disadvantages

• not found.

Fram

Rating: 4.8

Like Purflux, Fram is a member of the Sogefi group of companies, a name associated with quality and durability. Unlike its premium counterpart, this brand is focused exclusively on the retail sale of the secondary market, with the goal of equipping mostly used cars with oil filters.

The choice of such a specific target audience is by no means accidental, and the calculation here is focused on the mass character of the consumer. As a result, high sales figures with an average price tag, thousands of satisfied customers and high places in all kinds of ratings of the best. In addition, the main advantage of the Fram trademark for experts is the observance of environmental friendliness (expressed in the creation of 'lightweight' versions of filters) and a focus on constant expansion of the range. Given the scale of its activities, this brand clearly could not pass by the three nominees.

Advantages

• focus on the secondary market in general and used cars in particular;
• development of 'lightweight' versions of filters, characterized by less polluting waste while maintaining performance;
• constant expansion of the range;
• average price level.

disadvantages

• not found.

Nitto

Rating: 4.7

A Japanese filter element company founded in 1959 in Ibaraki Prefecture, where the main production complex is located. According to the official data of a study conducted in 2017, it is the largest player in the segment (surpasses Union in this indicator), which accounts for more than 20% of the domestic Japanese market.

The main advantage of the Nitto company lies in the focus on adherence to the strictest control in all aspects of production: from the selection of raw materials to the stages of filling filters into packages. This approach to business, together with the observance of the requirements of international standards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, which approved the introduction of innovations, allowed to significantly raise the level of the working resource (up to 30-40 thousand kilometers under the condition of normal car operation), while maintaining quite loyal to the consumer price frames.

Advantages

• high marks from world expert councils and experienced users;
• work on the introduction of innovations in the technology of manufacturing filters;
• more than 15 years of experience in the domestic Russian market;
• increased working life of products.

disadvantages

• not found.

Hyundai / KIA

Rating: 4.6

Highly specialized Korean-made oil filters designed for installation in cars of the same name. From the very start, the manufacture was of low popularity among consumers, although they were intended to be installed in service centers under warranty. The reason for this was the extremely unstable quality of work, accompanied by a quick development of the resource and the need to quickly replace the element with a new one.

Over time, the situation improved, mainly due to the opening of a full-fledged research bureau for testing existing and prototypes. Korean engineers managed to identify the weakest points in the design of oil filters, after which painstaking work began to eliminate them for several years. At the present stage, the branded product Hyundai / KIA enjoys more preference than competitors from Nitto, Sakura or the more famous Union.

Advantages

• high working resource;
• the ability to order through the company's service centers and, as a result, good service;
• average prices for the original product.

disadvantages

• residual presence of some 'sores' that need to be quickly corrected.

SCT

Rating: 4.5

The German company SCT is positioned by many experts as a full-fledged competitor to Mann, but with a much smaller scope in terms of financing and output volumes. The main 'point' of sale of oil filters for it is the CIS countries, the main of which, of course, is Russia. The domestic consumer is familiar with this product firsthand, and speaks of it quite well. Yes, in the large assortment there was a place for not very successful representatives, but this is more an exception to the rule than an established pattern.

As in the case of Mahle, SCT's main advantage lies in an adequate pricing policy that maintains a delicate balance between cost and performance. According to experienced car owners, this is a great option for buying in the middle price segment, especially for cars of the old formation.

Advantages

• optimal combination of price and performance parameters;
• widespread use of the product in Russia;
• high quality filtration of the lubricant;
• low level of defects and fakes in the secondary market.

disadvantages

• some filter models have a very short service life.

The best manufacturers of premium oil filters

Mahle

Rating: 4.9

Like Mann, Mahle is the representative of the German manufacturer group for oil filters. But unlike a competitor, it pays much more attention to the secondary market, simultaneously shipping the 'grease cans' to conveyors of no less famous car manufacturers in their country (which is only worth cooperation with BMW and Mercedes – Benz ). Among other things, Mahle is an active developer of expensive consumables for VAZ cars – by coincidence, these can be seen in the Priors now taken off the assembly line.

According to the manufacturers themselves, the resource of one oil filter can be enough for a mileage of 50 thousand kilometers. Experts, in general, support this statement, but they hardly believe in such an exorbitant figure, converging on a much less confusing 30 thousand run. For consumers, the first place is the fine filtering parameters, thanks to which the engine works surprisingly 'clean'. Considering all of the above, even with a slight correction for big words, the investment in purchasing a product from Mahle will be quite justified.

Advantages

• the declared working life of oil filters reaches 50 thousand kilometers;
• availability of strict operational control, as well as careful selection of materials and raw materials for the initial stage of production;
• the introduced concept of creating valves made of high-strength heat-resistant rubber;
• large concentration of the original product in the aftermarket.

disadvantages

• high price.

Purflux

Rating: 4.8

The trademark of the Sogefi group of companies, under the logo of which reliable and adequately evaluated filters for cleaning crankcase oil from impurities are produced. By saying “adequately assessed”, we mean the legality of the established cost of working qualities, the violation of which is sometimes “sinned” by no less eminent competitors.

According to the established tradition of representatives of the premium segment, Sogefi (read, Purflux) pursues a comprehensive policy of providing consumers with the highest quality product, which is expressed in the creation of a whole research complex (albeit not of the same scope as Union). According to consumers, a careful comparison of the operating parameters of these oil filters with others often reveals a small gain for Purflux in terms of value or rational design, which is a big plus for the brand's piggy bank. In parallel with this, experts highlight the original form of filter paper (it is lined with a herringbone), which does not make any sense except for the difficulty of forging. For a series of small subtleties and a very competent pricing policy, this brand deserves the second line of the rating.

Advantages

• loyal pricing policy towards consumers;
• high quality of filter elements;
• 'tricks' of the form of individual components of the cartridge, making it difficult to falsify;
• the presence of a research center.

disadvantages

• not found.

Mann

Rating: 4.8

Mann is the product of the merger of two of the oldest German auto parts manufacturers (Filterwerk Mann and Hummel GmbH), which has grown to become the main operating corporation throughout Europe. It is famous for its very tough approach to quality control of its products, which has a positive effect on the percentage of defects (less than 2% of the total). Control over production here begins straight from the stage of preparation of raw materials, which makes it possible to exclude even the slightest deviations from the nominal input as the creation of the product progresses.

According to users, the quality of Mann oil filters is manifested not only in the degree of filtration, but also in the notorious increase in service life. As for the experts, they note an extremely risky, but very effective method of supplying a freshly developed product directly to the conveyor lines of renowned car manufacturers, which include the entire VAG group, as well as a number of brands well-known in Russia (Nissan, Peugeot and etc.). It is also worth noting the manufacturer's focus on the production of products for the retail market in quantities sufficient to meet the needs of car owners.

Advantages

• the largest representative of European manufacturers of oil filters, which is the title supplier of a large number of world car manufacturers;
• attention is paid to the production of filter elements for domestic cars;
• striving to control quality at all stages of product development.

disadvantages

• the presence of a large amount of counterfeit in retail.

Union

Rating: 4.7

Renowned premium oil filter manufacturer from Asia, ranked for its excellent reputation in the consumer segment. It has general agreements with the overwhelming majority of automakers in Japan, Korea and China on the supply of conveyors with oil filters: they can be found in mass-produced cars of the Lexus, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia brands, etc.

According to experts, the main advantage of Union is innovation and a constant search for the best technological solutions. According to this indicator, no competitor can compare with the brave Japanese corporation: every year, almost a third of the total income of the brand goes to research in the field of oil filtration and increasing the service life of individual elements (including internal combustion engines). This step, on the one hand, allows the entire market area to move forward, and on the other hand, prevents the company from losing its relevance in modern conditions.

Advantages

• innovation in the development of new technical and technological solutions, the maintenance of its own research center;
• careful observance of world quality standards;
• the highest quality oil filtration;
• very low scrap rate achieved by tight operational control;
• great support of the retail market by releasing a part of manufactured products for sale.

disadvantages

• very high price for the original product.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.