15 Best Oil Filter Brands, Ranked

We want to believe it when someone says something like "For everyday vehicles and everyday uses, any oil filter is okay." Oh, sure, no oil filter is going to cause your otherwise healthy engine to disintegrate next Tuesday, but a sub-par filter will shorten its life. 

You can judge a filter by what it does, just like you judge anything else. And what an automotive oil filter does is remove stuff that shouldn't be in your oil while not interfering with your engine's ability to keep itself lubricated. This gets broken down into a few common metrics: capture efficiency (the percentage of particles above a given size that is removed), dirt-holding capacity, pressure-flow profile (how easily oil moves through the filter at a given oil pressure, viscosity, etc.), and some design/fabrication/materials issues. This last category might include what the bypass and anti-drainback valves are made of, how the filter medium itself is structured, etc.

But, again, all common filters are pretty good for daily drivers (you'll want something special for more demanding performance, including heavy-duty and commercial vehicles), assuming you change your oil on the right schedule. When you look at the numbers to compare filters, the important thing to recognize is that any particular number rarely means much by itself. A capture efficiency percentage is meaningless without a particle size, for example. All filters are 100% efficient at removing brick-sized particles. We'll touch on a few of these issues as we go.

STP oil filters are often regarded as budget-friendly options in the automotive aftermarket. They are readily available at many auto parts stores and can be an accessible choice for those looking to perform routine oil changes without breaking the bank. These filters are typically designed to meet basic filtration needs and are suitable for many everyday driving conditions.

That said, there are a couple of things to take into account when buying an STP filter. First and foremost, STP filters are generally constructed with basic materials, which might affect their durability and resistance to high operating temperatures and pressures. Premium filters often use higher-quality materials to ensure long-term reliability.

Additionally, STP oil filters may not offer the same level of filtration efficiency as some premium brands. While they can capture contaminants and debris from the oil, they might not excel in trapping finer particles that can potentially harm the engine over time. The efficiency of filtration is a critical factor in the performance and longevity of the engine.

STP oil filters can serve as a cost-effective option for basic filtration needs during routine oil changes. They are readily available and can be a suitable choice for those on a budget. However, it's important to recognize that they may not offer the same level of filtration efficiency, construction quality, and durability as premium brands.

Beck/Arnley stands as a respected name in the automotive aftermarket landscape, renowned for its comprehensive range of automotive parts and components, among which are its dependable oil filters. With Beck/Arnley's oil filters, there are a number of factors significantly influencing their performance and suitability for different uses.

Within the realm of routine maintenance and fundamental filtration needs, Beck/Arnley oil filters have set themselves ahead as a solid, stalwart choice. Tailored to meet the rigors of everyday driving conditions, they stand as accessible options for consumers in pursuit of top-quality auto parts.

At the heart of their design lies a commitment to effective filtration, adeptly capturing contaminants and impurities that linger within the engine oil. While they may not lay claim to the loftiest heights of filtration efficiency found in more expensive filters, they dutifully uphold the task of preserving engine cleanliness during routine driving scenarios.

The construction of Beck/Arnley filters further underscores their reliability, endowing them with commendable durability and staunch resistance to the typical rigors of operating under elevated temperatures and pressures. Crafted with an eye on longevity, these filters are engineered to endure the demands commonly placed upon passenger vehicles.

Beck/Arnley oil filters are dependable companions for the regular ritual of oil changes and elemental filtration requisites. Easily accessible to consumers, they extend the convenience of vehicle maintenance without incurring extravagant costs.

AMSOIL oil filters are made by Champion Laboratories, a white-label manufacturer that also produces a couple of oil filter brands of its own (Champ and Luber-finer). The company is known for producing great motor oil and expensive, high-quality filters. We must also acknowledge the small matter of the company's reputation as something like a multi-level marketing organization. AMSOIL is a direct sales company that was a pioneer in the synthetic oil market. Its sales representatives tend to have the unrestrained positivity of true believers, which has led some to jokingly suggest that AMSOIL is a cult. As the market for synthetics has expanded in the past two decades, competitors have largely erased AMSOIL's uniqueness, which has in turn reduced the silly comparison to a cult.

AMSOIL filters offer 99% efficiency at 20 microns and are rated to last 15,000 miles (EA15K models) to 25,000 miles (EAO filters). And, in fact, AMSOIL claims that its filters are superior in every category: better efficiency, higher flow, greater capacity, and better product construction. AMSOIL filters are made by Baldwin and tend to be quite expensive.

Motorcraft is owned by Ford and produces many OEM parts for the auto giant, including aftermarket oil filters built to OEM spec. The filters are actually made in the U.S.A. by Purolator Filters, which in turn is a subsidiary of German filter maker Mann-Hummel since 2013. The brand is known for providing innovative filters at reasonable prices.

Some cellulose filters take an efficiency hit. While Motorcraft doesn't publish its test results, it does claim to meet the SAE USCAR-36 minimum performance requirement of filtering with 95% efficiency at greater than 30 microns. Original research by Russ Knize, however, has the Motorcraft FL-1A performing at 99.7% (single pass) and 96% (multi-pass) on SAE J806 Filtration Efficiency testing, which only reports a percentage and not particle size.

One feature Motorcraft filters are known for is the integral pressure-relief valve that prevents collected debris from re-entering the engine when the oil is under unusually high pressure.

DENSO is a top notch company in the realm of auto parts, specifically when it comes oil filters, although the company also manufactures some of the best spark plugs money can buy. DENSO themselves are the OEM for many parts and automakers and absolutely fill the industry standard. Assessing the quality of DENSO's oil filters involves recognizing the brand's reputation for precision engineering and its commitment to efficient filtration and overall product excellence.

DENSO filters are typically constructed with top-notch materials that contribute to their durability and resistance to the demanding conditions of automotive engines. These filters are designed to withstand both high temperatures and pressures, ensuring reliable performance over extended periods. As well, DENSO's reputation for precision engineering extends to its oil filters. Their design and construction are optimized to deliver consistent and reliable performance, meeting the stringent standards set by the automotive industry.

In short, DENSO oil filters are well-respected for being high-quality and great at filtering out debris. Mechanics, car enthusiasts, and pros who care about their engine's health trust them. While they cost a bit more than cheaper options, they're reliable and keep your engine in good shape, making them a smart choice for top-notch oil filtering. If you have a high-performance car or special needs, DENSO oil filters are worth the extra cost.

Manufactured by Parker Engine Mobile Aftermarket Division, Baldwin filters are known to be reliable for heavy-duty uses like trucks. And, indeed, Baldwin is often thought of as primarily a maker of oil filters for trucks. Baldwin makes premium filters available for a premium price, but these are only at the upper range one typically finds for consumer filters.

Baldwin filters feature reliable metal and nitrile valves and high-flow filters. They have a good efficiency rating, 85.44% at 12-30 microns. Baldwin's spring-loaded bypass valve keeps oil moving, critical in every application but perhaps particularly so in heavy-duty/performance uses.

Baldwin says that its position as an actual manufacturer rather than merely an assembler of oil filters means that it can control quality and costs with much more precision. The company says its products are built to the exacting specifications of OE buyers and other specific applications, and exceed industry standards in all cases.

A relatively new brand introduced in 1986, Royal Purple has quickly garnered a great reputation for high-quality, reliable filters. Royal Purple filters are manufactured by Champion Labs. The filters are heavy duty but are well-priced, perhaps only escaping the "budget" label by virtue of their very good performance ratings. Before making oil filters, Royal Purple was primarily a manufacturer of motor oil.

The filters are expensive, but enjoy a well-deserved cachet among auto enthusiasts. Royal Purple reports an extraordinary 99% efficiency at 25 microns, and it's 80% efficient at 10-24 microns. Royal Purple are high-flow filters in spite of this filtration efficiency (efficiency is usually correlated to restricted oil flow). The filters are supposed to be usable for as many as 10,000 miles. The filtration media is 100% synthetic micro-glass, a fine material which the company says is responsible for making its efficiency numbers possible while still providing high rates of oil flow.

If there's a real consensus about anything in the automotive oil filter industry, it's that Bosch makes very good, surprisingly affordable oil filters. Prior to 2013, Bosch filters were actually manufactured by other companies, but Bosch now makes their own.

Bosch filters are extremely well-made and precise, in the German mode. Their capacity ranges from 13 to 29.1 grams, but is generally cited as 14 grams. Bosch filters are mostly 99% efficient at 40 microns. Bosch Premium filter is 99.9% efficient and filters down to 20 microns. It accomplishes all this with a relatively unimpressive 133 square inches of filter medium — about on par with Purolator, but far below some companies with worse efficiency numbers. The Bosch Premium filter's capacity of 14 grams won't win any awards, but it's also not uncommonly low. The filters use an "exclusive" blend of cellulose and glass fiber (presumably different from FRAM's "proprietary" blend).