The best cabin filters for a car in 2021

Any car has an air circulation system. But to prevent the ingress of dust, dirt and unpleasant odors from the outside into the passenger compartment, all the air passes through a special "cabin filter". It is located in most cases behind the glove compartment, less often under the dashboard or even from the side of the hood. And practice shows that for cars operating in the Russian Federation, one should not always buy the most expensive cabin filters. You just need to figure out what they are in general and how they differ from each other. This will allow you to decide which cabin filter is better for a particular car.

Varieties of cabin filters

There are 2 types of cabin filters in total:

1. Simple (sometimes called "anti-dust"). Made of felt or cellulose. Only dust and other coarse particles of debris are retained. Cleaning - only mechanical.
   
2. Coal. They are made of the same materials as simple ones, but additionally they are impregnated with an activated carbon base. This allows them to retain fine particles of debris, and also to absorb unpleasant odors (activated carbon enters into a chemical reaction with derivatives of petroleum products).
   

Carbon filters are the preferred option, but they are somewhat more expensive and have to be replaced more often. Therefore, car owners are inclined to believe that simple anti-dust ones are the best option for long trips on the highways. Coal - for the city (where the smoke is ten times higher).

Selection Tips

When choosing, you should not rely only on the rating of manufacturers. It should be based on the following characteristics:

1. Catalog number of the original spare part. As a rule, you can get information about it from the technical documentation for the car.
2. The dimensions of the seat. Indicated precisely by the frame. The best option is to take measurements of the removed filter and search for a compatible one. In some car models of different generations, the technical parameters of the cabin filters differ significantly!
3. Weight (specified in the specifications by most manufacturers). An important criterion if you plan to choose a carbon filter. The higher the weight, the higher the percentage of activated carbon.
4. Dust transmission coefficient. The lower the better. The average is from 8 to 10%.
5. Aerodynamic drag. Shows how well the filter performs its function after 6-9 months of use. Indicated in millimeters of mercury.

Average life of the cabin filter: 9 to 12 months. It is not worth focusing on the mileage, even if the car is stored in the garage most of the time.

The best manufacturers of cabin filters according to car owners

Based on numerous surveys conducted on thematic forums, the following rating of cabin filter manufacturers is obtained:

1. MANN. Czech company that has been producing automotive consumables since 1941. The dust transmission coefficient is only 5.9%, the aerodynamic resistance is from 30 to 137 mm Hg. Also, the products of this concern are famous for their low scrap rate - less than 0.05%. In terms of technical characteristics, it is practically not inferior to products from RAF (which is considered by many to be the reference for operation in the Russian Federation), but consumables from MANN are almost 2-2.5 times lower. Therefore, the unequivocal approval from the car owners.
   
2. RAF. The company is a collaboration of Russian and Chinese engineers. Their charcoal cabin filters are three-layer, in addition to anti-dust and carbon filters, an antibacterial one is also provided. Dust transmission coefficient - 5.8%. Aerodynamic resistance - up to 139 mm Hg. The only drawback of these cabin filters is their overpricing.
   
3. Knecht MAHLE. Recently, it has been included in many ratings of manufacturers of automotive consumables according to European publications (Auto Bild, Motor Trend). Dust transmission rate: 8.1%, resistance - 97 mmHg. Additional advantages: low cost, very low scrap rate.
   
4. Bosch. This manufacturer is the choice of the automotive concerns themselves. That is, products from Bosch are installed in the car from the assembly line by default. But in terms of technical parameters, it is inferior to the same MANN, although it costs more. Characteristics: dust transmission coefficient: 11.1%, aerodynamic resistance - up to 66 mm Hg. The main disadvantage: the brand's products are often counterfeited, so you should only buy from official suppliers.
   
5. Corteco. In Europe it is a very widespread brand, in Russia it is less popular. Dust transmission coefficient - 10.9%, resistance - up to 77 mm Hg. It is practically not inferior in quality to products from Bosch, but is cheaper by about 20-30%. Therefore, these cabin filters are often recommended by experienced car enthusiasts.
   
6. Fortech. The main drawback of their products: the exact technical specification is not indicated. Tests carried out show that the average dust transmission coefficient is from 7 to 9%. The resistance is about 70 mm Hg. But the declared service life is 12-15 months.
   

Worst producers

Having considered the rating of the best manufacturers of automotive cabin filters, we should also mention those companies about whose products car owners speak mostly negatively:

1. AMD. The cost of consumables is very low, the quality is similar. Characteristics are not indicated. Tests carried out show that the dust leakage rate reaches 20%, and replacement has to be performed every 5-6 months.
   
2. Filtron. The Polish company also offers cheap consumables for cars. But the dust transmission coefficient is from 10 to 12%, and the manufacturer's recommended frequency of replacing the cabin filter is every 6 months. For this reason, it will not be possible to save money on Filtron products.
   

Total: which company filters to choose, only the car owner himself decides. But consumables from Mann and KAF are considered the "gold standard" in terms of quality, cost and reliability. And these manufacturers produce their products for almost all common car brands, so there will be no problems with their purchase.