Reusable Oil Filters Vs Disposable Oil Filters
There are two different types of oil filters:
- Disposable oil filters
- Reusable oil filters
If you’re curious about the differences between these types of filters, you came to the right place. As a leading brand of reusable oil filters, we know a lot of about disposable and reusable oil filters. We’ll go over each type and then discuss which one is a better investment.
What Is A Disposable Oil Filter?
A disposable oil filter is a simple part that consists of:
- An metal housing
- A paper filter
- A bypass valve
Disposable oil filters (in automobiles) are designed to last only a few months. It’s because the paper filter media clogs up and degrades fast. That’s why they’re disposable oil filters. If you use disposable oil filters, you’re supposed to replace the oil filter at every oil change.
What Is A Reusable Oil Filter?
A reusable oil filter is self explanatory. It’s an oil filter that you can use over and over again. A high quality reusable oil filter (like Pure Power! oil filters) will last the lifetime of the vehicle.
A good reusable oil filter is made of high quality metal. For example, we build our reusable oil filters from:
- A CNC machined 6061T-6 aluminum canister
- Double-woven 304 stainless steel filter media
A reusable oil filter can:
- Withstand the scalding hot oil
- Be washed over and over again
- Last the lifetime of the vehicle
Some reusable oil filters (like ours) come with magnets. The magnets trap any metal shavings in the oil and keep the engine safe. It’s an important feature to have in an oil filter for the reasons listed here.
Which Type Is A Better Investment?
For obvious reasons, reusable oil filters cost more than disposable oil filters. Are they worth the extra cost? When you factor in everything, which type of oil filter offers the most value per dollar? The clear answer is reusable oil filters.
Disposable oil filters are far more common than reusable oil filters. It doesn’t mean that they’re better, though. Reusable oil filters are safer, more reliable, and cheaper in the long run. Here’s why:
1. Reusable Oil Filters Are More Reliable
Disposable oil filter manufacturers claim that their filters last a certain amount of time (usually about 3 months). That’s not always the case, though. Disposable oil filters often fail early.
- The paper filter media can clog up before the next oil change
- Many disposable oil filters come with cheap bypass valves that are too weak (a weak bypass valve opens sooner than it should, allowing dirty oil to flow through the engine before the filter is actually clogged)
- The paper filter media can tear off and clog oil passageways
In other words, you can’t always count on a disposable oil filter to keep your oil clean until the next oil change.
Reusable oil filters are much more reliable than disposable oil filters. As long as you clean out your reusable oil filter when you change the oil, it will last the lifetime of the vehicle. Reputable reusable oil filter manufacturers:
- Build their reusable oil filters with high quality materials
- Ensure that the build quality is top notch
If you use a quality reusable oil filter, you don’t have to cross your fingers at every oil change in hopes that it will last until the next oil change. You’ll have the peace of mind that your reusable oil filter will always perform optimally.
2. Metal Reusable Oil Filters Have A Higher Burst Strength
There’s a lot of pressure in your vehicle’s lubrication system. The more sludge and debris there is in the oil, the more pressure is created within the oil filter. It’s because the more clogged up the oil filter is, the harder the oil pump has to work. Sometimes the pump can create too much pressure, and a cheap oil filter can crack and leak. That’s why you want an oil filter with high burst strength. Reusable oil filters are made of sturdy aluminum. So they have a higher burst strength than disposable oil filters, which are made of thinest metal possible.
3. Some Reusable Oil Filters Come With A Higher Maximum Flow Rate
When it comes to oil filters, flow rate is important. Higher the flow rate means:
- Less restricted oil flow
- Less pressure at the oil filter O-ring, so it’s less likely to seep
- Assurance that your engine will receive the amount of oil it needs
Some reusable oil filters – like Pure Power! oil filters – have a higher maximum flow rate. This helps keep your engine safe.
4. Some Reusable Oil Filters Come With Magnets
Disposable oil filters don’t come with magnets at all. Some reusable oil filters do. It’s quite important for oil filters to have magnets. Sometimes metal particles end up in the motor oil. When that happens, the metal particles abrade the moving parts within the engine. In other words, metal particles speed up engine wear and they can cause expensive repairs.
Magnets help prolong the life of the engine by trapping the metal particles in the oil. This helps keep the oil clean and maintain the health of the engine. All Pure Power! oil filters contain neodymium rare earth magnets. These magnets create a strong magnetic field within the oil filter. And they’re one of the world’s strongest magnets.
5. It’s Easier To See What’s In Your Oil With A Reusable Oil Filter
Image Credit: JaguarForums
At every oil change, you can see what your reusable oil filter catches. This gives you a chance to fix any issues that arise. For example, if you notice that your oil filter magnet has collected more metal shavings than usual, you may want to do some additional diagnoses of the engine before the problem gets worse.
Disposable oil filters don’t offer this luxury. It’s very hard to open one after removing it from the vehicle. So there’s really no way to check what’s in the oil, except looking at the dipstick. Yet, the dipstick doesn’t tell the whole story.
6. Reusable Oil Filters Are Good For The Environment
Scratch that. Reusable oil filters are actually great for the environment. Many drivers don’t realize that disposable oil filters are horrible for the environment. They don’t only create waste, but also they can contaminate the local water supply. Here are some scary facts about disposable oil filters and the environment:
- In 2019, about 384,000 tons of used oil filters ended up in the landfills.
- The oil leftover in disposable oil filters can contaminate the local water supply. Only 3 disposable oil filters can contaminate more than 16,000 gallons of water.
For more information about how harmful disposable oil filters are to the environment, check out this post. Reusable oil filters don’t create any waste, and they don’t contaminate the local water supply. Win-win.
Pure Power! Is A Leading Brand Of Reusable Oil Filters
At Pure Power!, we manufacture the highest quality reusable oil filters you’d find on the market. We have reusable oil filters for all types of vehicles, including:
- Automobiles
- ATVs
- Heavy duty trucks
- Motorcycles
- Boats
- More
Our reusable oil filters are among the best because:
- We use quality materials, including:
- Double-woven 304 stainless steel filter media
- Neodymium rare earth magnets
- Stainless steel bypass valve and spring
- CNC machined 6061T-6 aluminum canister
- Viton® O-rings
- Our filters are warrantied for life
- We design our filters to perform optimally for the lifetime of the vehicle
- Our filters are easy to clean and maintain
Check out our catalog of reusable oil filters to see if we have one for your vehicle!