The 10 Best Oil Filters

Ensure the purity of your engine oil by always using the best oil filter for your car.

Most people know the importance of an oil change, but far fewer understand or appreciate the crucial role oil filters play in keeping a car running smoothly. These filters trap contaminants in the oil so that they don’t interfere with your engine’s operations.

In this article, we review the best oil filters on the market, as well as provide a detailed buying guide to help you find the right one for your car. Here is a quick rundown of our top 5 picks:

Best Oil Filter Reviews

A quality oil filter isn’t the only thing your engine needs to operate at its full potential. See these other relevant product guides after finishing this one:

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1. Royal Purple Extended Life Premium Oil Filter

The Royal Purple Extended Life Premium Oil Filter is a premium model with several design features that put it above and beyond many other filters.

For starters, it boasts a thicker, puncture-resistant shell for superior strength, protecting against just about any debris you will encounter on the road.

Thanks to a 100% synthetic micro-glass media, it also provides a remarkable 99% efficiency at 25 microns, thus preventing most contaminants from getting into your engine. A bypass valve ensures that no clogging occurs.

The Royal Purple Extended Life Premium Oil Filter is constructed mostly out of premium materials. A nitrile rubber base gasket is used to prevent leaks, while a silicone anti-drain back valve prevents dry starts.  

The center tube, bypass valve, and end caps are all made from metal, with everything coming together to allow this filter to withstand the extreme cold and heat and achieve a lifespan of over 10,000 miles (16,093 km). 

Such impressive construction and performance makes it worth its relatively high cost.

Bottom Line

Despite its high price, the Royal Purple Extended Life Premium Oil Filter is a great value because of its exceptional performance and build quality. CHECK LATEST PRICE

2. Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter

Considering the prominence of German companies in the automotive world, we don’t think a list highlighting the best of a certain class of car care products could ever be complete without mention of at least one German brand. 

To that end, the Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter easily stands out as one of the highest-quality, most efficient oil filters out there, no less because of its incredible 99.9% filtration efficiency and surprisingly affordable price.

The media of this oil filter utilizes an effective blend of cellulose and glass to capture particles as small as 20 microns. It is 30 percent thicker and has a 42 percent larger area than other similar oil filters, with the capacity to hold up to 14 grams of dirt.

As if that’s not enough, the gasket is pre-lubricated to ensure a tight seal, and the tough steel housing is leakproof.

This quality design places the Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter solidly in the top tier of high-capacity filters. It’s proof that a top quality product doesn’t have to be expensive.

Bottom Line

Excellent filtration efficiency combined with a low price makes the Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter a popular choice among car owners. CHECK LATEST PRICE

3. Mobil 1 M1-110 / M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter

Developed by oil and gas giant ExxonMobile and considered the best oil filter by many, the Mobil 1 M1-110 / M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter reaches heights of efficiency and protection that few other filters can achieve.

A silicone media material allows it to deliver 99.6 efficiency at 25 microns and hold up to a staggering 28 grams of contaminants, which is twice the capacity of many competing products.

This filter can also withstand more operating pressure than most oil filters, boasts a durable silicone anti-drain back valve that prevents oil from leaking back into the filter when the engine stops, and can last up to 15,000 miles (24,140 km) before needing to be replaced.

The Mobil 1 M1-110 / M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter is a marvelous piece of tech, but it’s not perfect. First, it costs more than similar models; second, the silicon media lacks a wired back, a design element that many premium oil filters use to provide extra stability to the whole structure.

Bottom Line

We highly recommend the Mobil 1 M1-110 / M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter for its great filtering capability, class leading capacity, and ability to operate under incredible pressure with the utmost reliability. CHECK LATEST PRICE

4. Motorcraft FL820S Oil Filter 

If you own a Ford, Lincoln, or a Mercury vehicle, chances are you use a Motorcraft oil filter. After all, Motorcraft is an auto parts brand of the Ford Motor Company and its products are generally optimized for those brands of vehicles.

But the reason why we recommend the Motorcraft FL820S Oil Filter is because it’s affordable and well-made. It features a steel, ‘ironed’ case that’s thinner in key areas to achieve a more solid fit and a paint coating to help prevent rust and corrosion.

A  fluted case end design ensures easy removal when it comes time to replace the filter, while a threaded end bypass valve ensures a continual flow of oil should the media become clogged. 

There is also a silicone anti-drain valve to prevent dirty oil from pouring back into the engine, as well as a pressure-relief valve that helps maintain oil supply in extreme cold conditions or if the filter gets clogged. Few, if any, brands do these valves better than Motorcraft.

This Motorcraft oil filter uses a cellulose and polyester blended media that has a filtering efficiency of over 95 percent. Although not at the same level as the Mobile 1 and Bosch oil filters, it’s very good performance.

Bottom Line

The Motorcraft FL820S Oil Filter is an affordable, well-designed option for not just those who own a Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicle, but also for owners of other makes of cars. CHECK LATEST PRICE

5. FRAM XG7317 Ultra Synthetic Spin-On Oil Filter with SureGrip

Easily one of the best oil filters on the market, the FRAM XG7317 Ultra Synthetic Spin-On Oil Filter combines innovative technology and high standards to deliver great all-around performance and build quality.

Its dual-layered, synthetic and cellulose blended media is reinforced with a metal screen that improves filtration and extends the life of the filter, providing 99% multi-pass filtering efficiency at greater than 20 microns. A pressure relief valve maintains a steady flow of oil and prevents unfiltered oil from pouring into the engine. 

With regards to material quality, the case is constructed from painted steel to better resist erosion and achieve a more precise fit. It’s also coated with a ‘SureGrip’ anti-slip texture that makes the filter easier to install and remove.

Silicone is used for the anti-drain back valve, allowing it to withstand high temperatures. 

Optimized for synthetic motor oils, the FRAM Ultra Synthetic Spin-On Oil Filter can provide protection for up to 20,000 miles (32,187 km). However, the use of cellulose in the media impacts its efficiency, and some users complain that it doesn’t fit in their car as it should.

Bottom Line

If your vehicle mostly uses synthetic oils, then the FRAM XG7317 Ultra Synthetic Spin-On Oil Filter with SureGrip was made for you. CHECK LATEST PRICE

6. Toyota Genuine Parts 04152-YZZA1 Oil Filter

Toyota’s reputation for building quality cars extends to its oil filters. This is a genuine OEM oil filter for the automaker’s lineup of vehicles, so it should directly fit in your Toyota or Lexus vehicle without issue.

As you would expect of an OEM part, it is built to last and optimized to remove contaminants in Toyota engines. Expect excellent build quality and filtration. 

One noteworthy highlight are the exceptionally high-quality O-Rings, which retain their form in all situations, even during installation.

Despite being a top-notch OEM part, the Toyota Genuine Parts 04152-YZZA1 Oil Filter is very affordable. Unfortunately, it’s not as widely available as it should, especially when considering how popular Toyota vehicles are.

Bottom Line

If you own a Toyota or Lexus vehicle, the Toyota Genuine Parts 04152-YZZA1 Oil Filter should be your number one choice. CHECK LATEST PRICE

7. K&N KN-138 Powersports / Motorcycle High Performance Oil Filter

If you own a high performance car that demands a high oil flow rate, certainly consider a K & N’s offerings. The KN-138 is possibly the company’s best oil filter.

Suitable for most cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and even ATVs, they utilize a resin-impregnated cellulose filtration media with 94 square inches of surface area to trap 99% of harmful contaminants.

A 1-inch nut on one of the end caps not only ensures an easy fit, but also contains a hole for fitting a safety wire that keeps the filter secure during bumps.

With regards to construction, the KN-138 Powersports High Performance Oil Filter features premium materials, with highlights including a spring metal bypass valve, a silicone anti-drain back valve, and a metal contraction for the end caps and center tube. 

Interestingly, the media isn’t reinforced with a wire backing like it is in other premium oil filters.

Although K&N’s filters perform well on blended or conventional oil, they excel when used with synthetic oil. 

Bottom Line

If you drive a performance car that demands a high rate of oil flow, you would be making a big mistake by not considering the K&N KN-138 Powersports High Performance Oil Filter. CHECK LATEST PRICE

8. WIX Spin-On Lube Filter 

WIX is a car care brand known for its quality fuel, oil, and air filters. Of the several different types of oil filters it offers, the Spin-On lube filter stands out the most.

This filter has many premium features, including a hydrogenated nitrile sealing gasket that gives it impressive durability in high temperatures, a steel baseplate, metal end caps, a metal center tube, and a silicone anti-drain back valve.

Unlike other oil filters, the coiled spring is metal instead of plastic, while the wired-back filtration media is made from synthetic material and has a 55.5 square inch surface area for maximum protective coverage. You can expect an excellent 99% filtration efficiency.

The WIX Spin-On Lube Filter works great on vehicles that do a lot of idling. The only downside is its rather odd shape, which requires the use of a specific wrench to install and remove.

Bottom Line

The WIX Spin-On Lube Filter is an excellent choice for anyone who drives a lot between cities or generally travels a lot. CHECK LATEST PRICE

9. Motorcraft FL500S Oil Filter – Best Budget Oil Filter

Like the higher-ranked FL820S, the Motorcraft FL500S is an OEM-grade oil filter for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury model cars, though it can also be used on other makes of vehicles.

This contender for the best oil filter has a similar design to other Motorcraft oil filters, meaning it has an ironed steel outer casing that’s paint-coated to resist rust and corrosion, and pressure-relief valves that prevent contaminated oil circulating back into the engine and helps maintain oil supply to the engine under extreme cold conditions or if the filter gets clogged

Although less capable as top-tier oil filters, its filteriation efficiency is good enough to purify motor oil of most contaminants.

The Motorcraft FL500S Oil Filter is smaller than the FL820S and has a lower bypass pressure and oil flow rate. However, a remarkably low price makes it one of the least expensive OEM-grade oil filters you can buy.

Bottom Line

The Motorcraft FL500S Oil Filter is the very definition of “value”, offering a lot of performance for a very low price. CHECK LATEST PRICE

10. ACDelco Professional Engine Oil Filter

The ACDelco Professional Engine Oil Filter is another great option for anyone on a tight budget. It uses a wired-backed cellulose media to deliver a 98% filtration efficiency at 25-30 microns, which is pretty impressive considering its low price.

This filter sets itself apart from the competition with a thermosetting adhesive seal that secures the filtration media in place under intensive use and extreme heat. 

This durability is accentuated by metal end caps and center tube, as well as a silicone anti-drain back valve. An aluminum shell offers a higher-than-average burst threshold in normal oil operating pressures of up to 51 psi.

While there are certainly more capable oil filters out there, the ACDelco Professional Engine Oil Filter is quite a solid option for the price, especially if you own a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac vehicle. ACDelco is owned by General Motors.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a cost-effective oil filter, you can’t go wrong with the ACDelco Professional Engine Oil Filter. CHECK LATEST PRICE

Oil Filter Buying Guide And Tips

This buying guide provides facts and practical tips for finding the best oil filter for your engine.

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What Is An Oil Filter?

With regards to an internal combustion engine, oil filters are devices designed to help remove dirt, debris, and other contaminants from engine oil so that these impurities don’t damage your engine or obstruct its operations. 

In other words, an oil filter is to your car as kidneys are to your body. Much like how your kidneys clean your blood, an oil filter scrubs your car’s blood (i.e. motor oil) of impurities, helping ensure the smooth running of your engineer and, therefore, your vehicle. 

Why Are Oil Filters Important?

When oil is left unfiltered for long periods of time, it becomes saturated with little specks of hard particles that can erode your engine’s surfaces or get lodged in key components.

The build up of contaminants can cause enough damage to bring your engine to a grinding halt, potentially costing you a lot of money in repairs. A good-quality oil filter prevents this from happening.

Why You Need To Change Your Oil Filter Periodically

Not only do you need a high-quality oil filter for your engine, but you also need to change your oil filter on a regular basis. That’s because the filter can become clogged overtime from all the dirt and debris it attracts, reducing its overall effectiveness and potentially allowing unfiltered oil into the engine.

Changing the oil filter periodically ensures that clear oil enters your engine all the time.

Benefits Of Oil Filters

Your engine performs at its best when it has clean oil circulating inside. Here are four key benefits of oil filters.

1. Better engine performance. Contaminants in oil can undermine your engine’s performance, reducing its power and fuel efficiency. A good-quality oil filter cleanses the oil of impurities, helping ensure that your engine operates at optimal levels at all times.

2. Protection against oil oxidation. All car oils eventually oxidize to some degree, with this oxidation further contaminating the oil and detrioting its quality. Oil filters prevent such damage-causing contaminants from entering the engine.

3. Reduce engine overheating. Excess buildup of dirt, debris, and other contaminants in the oil can wear down the engine and reduce heat conductivity. By purifying the oil of impurities, the oil filter keeps the combustion chamber cooler and engine parts lubricated to prevent heat spikes.

4. Longer engine life. The buildup of contaminants can make your engine work harder than it normally should, putting undue strain on its various parts, accelerating its wear and tear, and reducing its lifespan. A quality oil filter makes your engine last longer.

Types Of Oil Filters

There are several different types of filters, all varying in their anatomy and filtration method. The following are the most common types:

Mechanical

This is the most common type of oil filter. Mechanical oil filters generally use materials pleated filter paper or cotton waste to block and suspend particulates. A major drawback is that they are inefficient and need to be changed more frequently, seeing as the flow of oil slows down as more and more particles are pulled from the oil.

Cartridge And Spin-On 

Cartridge filters have a basic design characterized by a permanent housing with a filter media that needs to be replaced periodically. Thanks to recent design improvements, they now boast a spin-on that increases their filtering capabilities and makes them easier to change.

Magnetic

As the name suggests, a magnetic oil filter uses a magnet or an electromagnet to attract and suspend metal contaminants from motor oil. Not only is cleaning such a filter easy (just remove the collected metallic impurities), but you don’t need to replace the filter. 

However, since magnets only attract metals, magnetic oil filters are ineffective at filtering dust and non-metallic debris.

Sedimentation

Also known as a gravity bed, a sedimentation oil filter uses natural gravitational forces to pull the debris down to the bottom of the filter. This filtration technique works well enough to remove debris from the oil; however, it’s not particularly efficient at filtering contaminants.

Centrifugal or “Spinner”

Centrifugal or “Spinner” oil filters use natural centrifugal forces to pull and suspend contaminants from motor oil. The oil rotates inside the filter’s housing at high speed, with the generated centrifugal force stripping the contaminants out of the oil and trapping them on the walls of the housing.

This method of filtration is very effective at purifying car oil, so long as the housing is cleaned regularly to prevent contaminants from building up.

Oil Filter Media Types 

The media or “membrane” is the part of the oil filter that does the actual cleaning. There are three main types of oil filter media.

Synthetic Filter Media

Usually made from polyester, glass, or nylon and used by many of the best oil filters, synthetic media is very efficient at removing contaminants because it uses very small fibers that are crosshatched to filter out the finest particles.

These fibers are capable of removing 50% of the particles that range from 20 to 40 microns in size, and 24% of those in the 8 to 10 micron range. Synthetic media should be replaced every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. (805 to 11,265 km).

Cellulose

Typically used on disposable oil filters, cellulose is a plant-based material that’s a less efficient filter than synthetic media. Even so, it performs decently with heavy oils and can help block particles 8-10 microns in size.

Cellulose oil filter media should be checked or replaced every 3,000 miles (4,828 km). 

Microglass

Microglass oil filter media is the most expensive of the three types of media. Made of extremely fine metal or microglass, the mesh consists of fibers that are ten times finer than cellulose and place less restriction on the flow of motor oil.

Microglass oil filter media need to be checked and / or replaced every 10,000 miles (16,093 km).

Blended

Many oil filters have a filtration media that uses a blend of both cellulose and synthetic to give you the best of both worlds. That is, an increasing number of manufacturers are gravitating towards this type of media to keep costs down but still offer high filtration efficiency.

Top Oil Filter Brands

The following brands have developed a reputation for developing high-caliber oil filters.

Motorcraft 

Motorcraft is an auto parts brand of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1972. Despite its affiliation with the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands of vehicles, many of its oil filters, such as the Motorcraft FL-500S and FL-820-S, fit a wide variety of makes and models from other automakers.

Bosch

Bosch is a juggernaut in the world of car care and maintenance products. Having been around since 1887, the German engineering company offers something in just about every automotive niche, with the Bosch 3410 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter and Bosch 3300 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter ranking among their top products.

Mobil 1

Mobil 1 is an ExxonMobil-owned brand that was introduced in 1974. Although best known for its synthetic motor oils, it offers a number of top-rated oil filters, particularly the Mobil 1 M1-110 / M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter.

How To Choose The Best Oil Filter

Most oil filters look similar, but even the smallest difference in certain features can determine the quality of a model and whether or not it is compatible with your vehicle. The following considerations will help you find the right one:

1. Filtration Media Type

The type of media contained in the oil filter greatly determines the effectiveness of the filter at blocking contaminants. Those made from microglass are by far the most efficient and long-standing but also the most expensive, while cellulose filter media are affordable and not particularly efficient. Synthetic media strikes a good balance between cost and performance.

2. Oil Filter Capacity

Oil filter capacity refers to the amount of debris an oil filter can hold before it becomes too obstructed as to allow unfiltered oil into the engine. Always make sure the oil filter you choose has enough capacity to capture and hold all the debris it will encounter during its service life.

3. Weight, Housing Design

Whether or not an oil filter is compatible with your specific vehicle is mostly determined by its weight and housing design. Unfortunately, the lack of standards in the auto industry for oil filters means they come in a confusing number of different shapes, sizes, and specifications.

Make sure the the filter you choose has the right specifications for your car, as per your owner’s manual or mechanic’s advice.

4. Ease of Use 

Not only must the oil filter you choose fit in your car, but it also shouldn’t cause you too much trouble to install. In fact, you shouldn’t need to go to a mechanic to have it changed.

5. Price, Material Quality

Generally speaking, the more expensive the filter, the better it is in terms of performance and longevity. Lower-cost oil filters can contain less durable materials plastic and rubber, loose filter material, and poor quality gaskets that can lead to premature failure, so focus on quality products.

Taking Care Of Your Oil Filters

The oil filter is one of the most important components of your car’s engine, so knowing when to replace and how to maintain it is just as important as having the best oil filter for your car, if not moreso. 

After all, no matter the quality of the filter, it will undermine the health and performance of your car if it’s unable to effectively purify the oil needed to lubricate the engine.

5 Signs That You Need To Replace Your Oil Filter

Here are five signs that your oil filter may need to be replaced:

1. Engine overheating. Dirty or clogged oil filters prevent motor oil from passing through to lubricate your engine, potentially causing friction between its moving parts, which will generate excess heat and metallic noises.

2. Poor performance. The build-up of contaminants will reduce the engine’s ability to generate power and accelerate properly. Running the engine in this condition can damage its essential parts, potentially leading to expensive repairs.

3. Sputtering. Your car may not be able to maintain speed if the oil filter is unable to let oil pass through into the engine. This sputtering usually worsens as time passes.

4. Low oil pressure. Low oil pressure results when the engine isn’t receiving sufficient oil, a condition that is oftentimes due to a clogged oil filter. A swift drop in the oil pressure should be cause for concern.

5. Dirty exhaust fumes. A clogged oil filter can cause oil to leak into your exhaust, turning the exhaust fumes into a dark color. You may even notice a burning smell.

How To Change Your Oil Filter

The fact that the oil filter is intricately connected to your car’s motor oil makes changing it one of the messiest car maintenance jobs. Even so, doing it yourself rather than handing the job over to a mechanic can be convenient, saving you time and money.

If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll be happy to know that the process of replacing an oil filter is simple and straightforward. This video from Purolator Filters provides an step-by-step guide:

Oil Filter Maintenance Tips 

Whether you do it yourself or have a service center handle the job, making sure your oil filter is in optimal condition is paramount to keeping your engine running smoothly. Here are several maintenance tips to keep in mind:

1. Inspect Your Oil Filter

Assess the health of your oil filter by having it routinely inspected. Check to see if it is properly installed, if there is any damage, and if it did the job it was intended to do.

Oil filter inspections are usually conducted during oil changes or anytime engine condition or performance is in question.

2. Change Your Oil Filter

Even if you don’t notice any issues, changing your oil filter on a regular basis is paramount to keeping your engine in tip-top shape. 

A good practice is to replace the oil filter whenever you change the engine oil, which is usually every three to six months or 5,000 to 10,000 miles (8,047 – 16,093 km) for most vehicles.

3. Buy The Right Oil Filter

If you use conventional oil and change it and your oil filter on schedule, spending more money on a better filter may not be necessary. However, if your car uses synthetic oil or you intend to go longer between oil changes, buy a top-quality filter from a reputable brand.

Also, don’t think that simply getting a larger filter will get you better filtration. An oil filter’s fit and overall compatibility with an engine is far more important than its size.

Oil Filters FAQs And Answers

Here is a collection of answers to several key frequently-asked questions about oil filters, their application, and their maintenance.

Why Do I Need To Change The Oil Filter?

Dirty or clogged oil filters allow debris and other contaminants to enter your engine, where they can cause damage and hinder your car’s overall performance. They can also block oil flow to your engine, leading to engine failure. 

Changing your oil filter, preferably everytime you change your oil, helps ensure your engine always has clean oil to work with.

How Often Should You Replace Your Oil Filter?

You should change the oil filter every time you change your car’s oil just to be on the safe side. However, always check your manufacturer’s handbook to see if there is a specific service interval for your particular vehicle.

Can I Change The Oil But Not The Filter?

While you can change your car’s motor oil and not change the oil filter, it is generally not recommended for several reasons. First, you shouldn’t take any chances with your filter getting too dirty or clogged to prevent dirty, unfiltered oil from entering your engine. The damage this can cause will be far costlier than the cost of a new filter.

Second, changing your oil filter every time you change your oil helps you keep track of when the filter was last changed, taking away any guessing game.

Do Road Conditions Affect The Performance And Life Span Of The Oil Filter?

Yes, road conditions impact the performance and longevity of an oil filter. Driving in dusty conditions such as on dirt and gravel roads attracts more dirt and debris into your engine bay, making your oil filter work harder to keep these contaminants at bay, thus increasing its rate of deterioration.

Final Thoughts

For something as small as a coffee mug, the oil filter plays one of the most important roles in car maintenance. By scrubbing engine oil of impurities, they help ensure that your engine operates at its full potential in terms of performance and fuel efficiency and lasts as long as possible.

That’s why you can’t afford to overlook your oil filter. Not only must you use a high-quality unit in your car, but it’s imperative that you replace it on a regular basis so that it doesn’t become too dirty or clogged.

Our choice for the best oil filter is the Royal Purple Extended Life Premium Oil Filter. This popular model wins top points for its solid combination of efficiency and build quality, though you can’t go wrong with any of the other oil filters on our list.