Ceramic vs. Semi-Metallic vs. Organic: How To Choose The Best Brake Pads For Your Car

►There are three main brake pad compounds you have to choose from when shopping for new brakes for your car. It doesn't matter if you're shopping for TRW, Textar, Akebono, Ferodo, or Hawk brake pads; you will be presented with three main compound choices - ceramic, semi-metallic, or organic. Each offers unique benefits over the others, so follow along as Nathan Brown walks you through the differences of each to determine which brake pad is best suited for you and your car.
Read more about brake pad compound choices on our blog: blog.fcpeuro.com/how-to-choos...
Learn More About TRW Brakes:
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00:00 - Intro
00:22 - Understanding Brake Pads
01:27 - Organic Compound
03:28 - Hybrid Organic Compound
04:50 - Semi Metallic Compound
07:05 - Ceramic Compound
08:54 - TRW Ultra Compound
10:21 - Wrap-Up
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[@tjr9741]

Finally someone that knows what the hell they're talking about. I already watched about five videos with useless information, thanks dude

[@glasser2819]

I totally agree, this video dishes out some smarts instead of the usual idiotic hype. Everybody ckearly heard ceramics are the best combination unless special track needs. 🤘

[@genericallyaccepted]

So what did you end up buying?

[@tjr9741]

@@genericallyaccepted nothing against fcp euro but my GM truck originally came with Akebono ceramic pads so that is what I used.

[@genericallyaccepted]

@@tjr9741 that's what I bought for my Lexus is250, they should be here tomorrow, I'm pretty pretty excited about putting them on.

[@maxweis3215]

@@glasser2819 😅

[@AudreysKitchen]

11 minutes of non-stop brake pad information. Well-done. Thanks for the knowledge.

[@Litvagopnik]

Ceramic acts as my “universal” compound. It has worked in my experience on almost every driving situation. Lasts a longggggg time, performs very well. Great video.

[@wcovey25]

Same, ceramic pads are great, I use them on all my cars

[@MinecraftMasterNo1]

@@wcovey25 Ceramic pads are terrible in wet conditions. Had a ceramic pad + CCB disc combo produce zero friction for a solid second when I tried to brake during heavy rain. Never again.

[@MustaliS550]

@@MinecraftMasterNo1what do you use now then?

[@MinecraftMasterNo1]

@@MustaliS550 Semi-metallic pads. They do the job well enough.

[@muddtheboss415]

@@MinecraftMasterNo1 If you watched the video, he did mention that low quality ones tend to underperform when cold. So, maybe you got one of those. I also never had any issues with ceramic brakes, although personally I prefer semi-metallic as well.

[@ootyguy9805]

Earlier when I had the regular brake pads, every couple/few years during inspection the dealer always says "your brake pads are worn out" or "your rotors and pads needs to be changed" without which the inspection fails. I later installed ceramic pads I don't know how long ago maybe close to 5-6 years and still going strong. Admitted that I don't drive that much but this video is spot on. I see no brake dust, the rotor and pads lasts forever!!! The only downside I felt was that the stopping power has reduced?

[@markhutchins1193]

Great Info!! I have been researching new braking options for my car and this was by FAR the most informative video on this subject. Thank you!

[@melissachip1]

im looking at breaks for a 3500 GMC but I still found this useful and informative.

[@user-hd1qx2bd1r]

Lots of solid information, and excellent presentation!!! I like this Nathan guy!!!

[@RiffRaffMama.]

Thank you! This was the only video I've found that makes the information presented _relatable._ Every other video has gone on about coefficients and what happens if you brake 10 times in quick succession... the relevance of the information they provide seems to be non-existent to me. What I want to know is "does an expensive brake pad do more than just stop me faster?" and you have clearly demonstrated in a completely understandable format that yes, it also buys you less dust and noise, etc. Your little box with the score out of 5 for each feature (cost/dust/etc) is the exact type of straightforward comparison I am looking for and your simple, concise explanations of why they attained that score has produced the perfect results I have been searching for. Thank you for making an entry level explanatory video for everyday consumers, not performance enthusiasts and petrol heads.

[@sofuknossum1]

Stock setup with Textar pads and BMW rotors all over my e90 328xi feel great, but tons of dust and feel they wear out faster and so do the rotors. Akebono with Meyle zinc coated rotors have almost no dust, but don’t seem as grippy, but still do the job. Also the Meyle rotors have never rusted for anybody wondering about how the coating holds up. This is through almost 2 years in the Midwest winter with salt. Solid setup for a good price especially if you’re gonna DIY.

[@ACT189]

We’ll explained. Great delivery and truly informative for those wanting to understand more about brake pads. Thank you!

[@johnrobattojr6760]

I always used semi-metallic until I bought a used Escape with ceramic. Normally I have to change the pads every 8 months and rotors every 3rd or 4th change. It took 28 months until I had to change the ceramic pads on the Escape and no rotors yet. Also this vid is spot on with the ceramic low dusting characteristic. I used to have to buy a wheel cleaner when I washed my vehicles. Not any more. I'm hooked on ceramic now.

[@thepotatoofheaven]

how far and often do u drive?

[@madmatt2024]

@@thepotatoofheaven +1 No normal driver destroys a set of semi-metallic pads in less than a year.

[@darkrulier]

So you are one of those annoying drivers that brakes all the time for no reason. If you are really going through brakes this often, maybe look into changing your driving style.

[@aidantanny7230]

I've switched both trucks I've owned over to a budget friendly Powerstop Z36 "severe duty" kit. AMAZING performance. The Suburban had its stopping distance greatly shortened and while they did get hot on mountain roads, they dissipated that heat very quickly. Carbon-Ceramic pads and drilled rotors really did make a difference, especially for the price.

[@aidantanny7230]

​@darkrulier what a pessimistic view of this comment.

[@ricardobdonoso]

Thanks from Brazil! Very informative video that helped me decide why to do with my brake replacement for my 320i!

[@kathyeaster8151]

Thank you, very enlightening. Helped me make the right choice for my car.

[@jameswarner5224]

Okay- best, most thorough description I’ve heard. Thx

[@huanweili7699]

This is a great video to learn about which material brake pad is good for your vehicle, but one thing I have learned many years ago is always go with the same brake pad material your car originally came with from the factory. You can never go wrong when you go OEM or the same make material brake pads.

[@lamboyRX7]

Unless your car is 10-20 years old, because tech progress is a thing

[@leewatson8129]

If you live in an area that has salt used for de-icing, or you see a build up of corrosion on the brake rotor, then you need semi-metallic. Organic is normally the quietest, but can't remove any corrosion.

[@mojomel68]

Very informative. I was wondering about some cheap ceramic pads I've seen and now I know I'm avoiding them.

[@poppydopolous5165]

What an excellent video and thank you for the education, well done!

[@dgenov]

Good video, but narrator never said anything about the stopping power of ceramic pads being way behind Semi Metallic pads. However it is commendable that scores are shown on the screen - 3 out of 5 stopping power vs 5 out of 5 stopping power in favor of semi metallic pads. Great info but TRW sponsorship overexaggerated to some extend performance characteristics of ceramic pads :)

[@timbardon9651]

That was great 👍 info,thanks. I appreciate your knowledge on the subject

[@navaneethakrishnans1299]

A very practical guide for brake pads used in cars, simply superb sir.

[@billthompson9595]

excellent presentation and info thank you.

[@reallifeengineer7214]

Great video. I've never read up on brake pad history. Ever since I started paying attention to pads, I happened to have bought EBC Red Stuff. They work great, so I just kept using them. Good to see/learn where in the pads spectrum they fall. 😆

[@legambaz]

Excellent info and explanation here.

[@daveb9370]

I used ceramic pads on the rear of my F250 and I am really liking them. I ordered a front set earlier today, and then this video popped up. Bed them in properly and there is virtually zero dust, no noise and a nice firm pedal.

[@fcpeuro]

Nice, Dave!

[@Scotford_Maconochie]

I have Akebono Ultra Premium Euro ceramic pads on a BMW X5. They've been great for the least few years. I'll try Powerstop carbon ceramic for next time.

[@holgerbehrendt9685]

Very informative. Great I found this report.

[@rayoh2011]

Very educational and informative. Thank you!

[@fcpeuro]

Our pleasure!

[@brucelavender]

Informative video! I learned quite a bit of new information. I want to replace the rotors and pads on my 2004 VW Passat 4Motion. I would prefer a bump-up in quality and performance over VW parts. Looking forward to your recommendations.

[@SarmadAlraed]

thanks you very much for these Information , will be so helpful

[@jlevy31]

You should spend a minute or 2 to discuss the 2 letter friction codes on many of the pads you showed. For example, the "FE" pads will tend to have less friction when hot compared to the "FF" pads, which have more similar hot and cold friction.

[@senioraces]

great video! Thanks for posting!

[@JB-fn7ky]

Outstanding presentation, informative, no nonsense, Laymans terms.

[@patrickmurphy8424]

Great job.Information priceless .👍

[@geminimann8336]

Great piece of info. Thanks for making this video.

[@fcpeuro]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lunartwilight]

Funny how the info on ceramics have changed since I left tech school five years ago. Ceramics use to be abrasive on rotors. Or so I was taught. Potentially noisy as well. But with tech advancing, I'm not surprised that there now better value than a comparable semi metallic pad or semi Mets as we call them.

[@308sCoitSt]

Don’t even know what I was looking for but this video is top tier for sure. I’m looking to up my game with my 2020 Honda accord was thinking ceramic might go semi metallic

[@AthelstanEngland]

Got a classic 1959 Triumph. Just fitted semi metallic pads, from Moss Europe so it's the recommended type. Old brakes worked well only changed as been in a few years and have a couple of long (hundreds of miles) trip planned. Bled the system and zero bubbles. Bedded them in to the letter on manufacturer instructions. The disks still rub a fraction if I turn by hand which I think is pretty normal. But braking is noticeably worse. No juddering or pulling, just slower to stop. Any thoughts?

[@TheSilverArrows1]

Thanks for the video it was informative

[@fcpeuro]

Thank you for watching Seth, glad you found it informative!

[@fatmahkhalil9497]

I enjoy your teaching today please I love to learn more

[@gurnoorsooch9930]

Thank you for this video!!!

[@LiemNguyen-fh6qk]

I love this channel!…. Thank for the awesome content….I enjoy buying your products as well…thank you

[@fcpeuro]

We love you!

[@KayAy08]

Such a helpful video for a female who has no clue about break pads. Thank you!

[@linjohnny9629]

Very good video to explain brake pad working.

[@ButchNackley]

I just installed a set of Power Stop drilled/slotted rotors with carbon/ceramic pads. They are really good. Excellent feel, stopping power and no dust. Fair price too.

[@larrylove9589]

They are about the best Quality I've found especially pertaining to dust.

[@czeckboy100]

Very informative! Thanks for the info!

[@fcpeuro]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pedromiguelF82]

Could you please tell 3 examples( brands-model)of pads, organic, semi metallic and ceramic?

[@b.vonschnauser207]

Concise and super informative. Great video.

[@Luna-dt1nt]

nice vid. which brake pads would you recommend on a 97 dodge ram 2500 turbo diesel?

[@scottyl9074]

Good video, thank you.

[@dab5124]

Perfect!! Thx!!

[@panthertooth]

i have been looking to buy rear brakes for my 2020 nissan rogue and recently came across bosch ceramic as being one of the best pads , I see you have bosch in your video but you never did talk about them if they was good or not, any thoughts on how good they would be for winter driving in canada ?

[@cmongimme]

Great information!! Brake dust with my current setup is ridiculous

[@hafeezkhaliq7776]

Hi FCP what would you recommend for a 2016 Kia Soul average driving and I usually buy from the dealer and also that TRW Ultra is it available in Canada? All those you mentioned in the video I don't think I've heard of them in Canada that's why please answer and keep up the good work

[@AirborneSapper82]

Excellent video !!! Thank you.

[@scoutstevenson4775]

Really really informative video. I have a Porsche Turbo and I've been wanting to explore other braking options. I've asked my dealer a million times about different options and they either don't know or don't care. I'm going to do my own brakes this time and I'm going to bite the bullet and put on some ceramics. Thanks again for a great intro do brake options.

[@sunnohh]

Porsche just want us owners to spend a lot of time cleaning our wheels

[@carlosoruna7174]

What porche and what usage? Dealer will only sell OEM. Local tuners Are better options.

[@MM-fh6kp]

How did it work out?

[@igora50]

@@sunnohh Yeah "us" Porsche owners amirite guys? Guys??

[@jeffsmithist]

Can you mix ceramic and semi metallic. Just got a 2012 CTSV. Has new semi metallic rear. Can I put ceramic on front?

[@stanleyneiljelinek1924]

Great review thank you very much

[@johnc6456]

Great video. Thanks for the info. Question. I use a 2004 Ram 1500 to pull a 7k pound travel trailer. I don't have a problem w paying for good pads. The ceramics sound like the best.. what do u recommend? Low dust, low noise, heavy duty. The rotors are hp aftermarket type. Thanks

[@akdomun]

What about friction ratings? Are they consistent manufacturer to manufacturer? Is a GG pad that much better than an FE?

[@richardholmes4912]

Based on FCP Euro's recommendation, I bought the TRW Ultra ceramic brake pads. They are very "well behaved" (smooth and quiet with good stopping power), but they are NOT clean. They leave almost as much black dust as semi-metallic pads. So, if your reason for getting ceramic pads is "low dust" get Akebono instead.

[@henrysantos942]

Same thing happened to me. The brake dust is awful

[@jimmiebradley4240]

Very informative video.

[@mokdadus]

Great mini course !

[@benjik007]

Great video!!!

[@rt2255]

Can you list top 5 ceramic brands to use? So many.out there, top 5 and ones to avoid, thanks

[@JoeZasada]

Very informative

[@sraimo19]

What do you think of the hybrid ceramic/metallic pads, like the EHT pads from Raybestos?

[@Thelocksa102]

I love this channel!!!

[@fcpeuro]

We love you too Rio!

[@glasser2819]

and more precisely the way Nathan Brown dishes out real knowledge instead of non-sense sales pitches.

[@mutademan]

To the point great job.👍

[@alirazmjou2149]

Thank you so much for this video متشکرم از شما آقای محترم

[@stephenglass7154]

Any update on TRW Ultra comparison video and sparse availability on your store (back ordered)?

[@borneo60]

I did not know TRW has ceramic now. I always used Akebono ceramic pads. Good to know of another quality brand. Thanks for the informative video. Cheers from West Caost Canada!

[@otofoto]

DTEC is low dust.

[@garryyeung6286]

Very Helpful!

[@vjekoslavk9455]

Hey! Which brake rotors and pads do You recommend for Audi A5 240hp I drive it daily. Thanks!

[@AliAuto101]

Thank you great information

[@georgerocks5191]

Good info. However, uneven pad deposits are a problem with ceramic pads, leading to pulsing and vibration. These deposits are difficult to remove and require new rotors to resolve the vibration and restore normal braking.

[@kristianhermann5971]

Nice video, thanks.

[@davidleclerc2547]

very good informative video, a big thanks!

[@fcpeuro]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@timb7775]

I went with semi metallic ATE rear pads and Ferodo front pads with Zimmerman rotors for my Mercedes 4matic Sport, stopping is fantastic but cannot keep the rims clean. Takes 10 minutes to clean the rims with a bucket of water and car wash soap so I dont mind that much. And I bought everything from FCP so will be free next time I have to replace the brakes.

[@mdarr2]

With regen braking, which type would you use on a Tesla MS.?

[@stevesalerno4419]

Great video, and you are awesome 👌

[@BoywithLoveeee]

I have an Acura tsx 2007, I don’t really drive a lot usually going back and forth from home to work and sometimes to the grocery store (typically 20-30 minutes). I’m wondering if I should get a ceramic brake pads or the organic one.

[@AF-we1zc]

I have a Tacoma and I'm pretty sure I'm using semi metallic pads and I've gone through a lot of rotos. My steering wheel shakes when braking. Should I switch to ceramics or get better rotors? I do a lot of miles!

[@aliasreco]

Very helpful, but I'll let the work be done by my car repair friend. But good to see what has to be done and what to avoid. Thanks.

[@matd8958]

Thank you friend going over to your website now add to find out you dont have subaru merchandise. Good video thanks

[@fcpeuro]

Glad you liked the video, terribly sorry we don't offer parts for your subaru

[@limodxb9177]

For Sabaru brakes you can try geobrakes.com they sell all oem brakes

[@steveswanson1034]

How effective are the TRW Ultra pads for modern pick-ups when towing?

[@ericmorales6262]

Thanks for explaining the differences. What would you recommend for a (2018) mk7.5 gti performance pack rear brake kit (pads, rotors and any bolts needed to be replaced). I would be partial to the ceramic ones because of the wear and low dust. If there is an oe like option that would be preferred. Thanks

[@kykypenn]

You need to do a video on rotors

[@scottcomo5793]

Nice presentation and appreciate the information across the brake pad spectrum

[@fcpeuro]

Glad it was helpful!

[@harinav7644]

napa's adaptive one hybrid ceramic pads and akebono ceramics are very good options

[@clinthightowerclinthightow4950]

Fantastic video, very well presented, I didn't really learn anything new, but I was fun to watch and hear. I will be checking out your website and if your prices make sense, I will be purchasing pads for some of my cars. Thank you for putting this together.

[@fcpeuro]

We appreciate all the kind words Clint! Hope to have you join the customer family. Check out lifetime.fcpeuro.com while you're there, it's part of what makes us so popular

[@bret9741]

My wife and I purchased a 2001 Chevy Tahoe brand new when our son was born, #3 kid. Anyway, my wife loved the Tahoe and it truly was / is a great family wagon. We live in Ohio and there is a never ending battle with corrosion and driving in wet and slushy roads is a given 250 days of the year. Anyway Cheryl drove from Cincinnati to Cleveland 4 times a week from 2002-04. Then from Cincinnati to Louisville from 04-05. The rest of the years until 2015 she drove it mostly to drop and pickup kids from school and or sports etc. In 2015 we sold the Tahoe with 267,000 miles. The entire reason for this long story is this. We sold the Tahoe with ORIGINAL BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. We sold it to a friend who needs to pull a trailer to “trade shows” around the country. He finally changed the brake pads near 300,000 miles.

[@healanilike-palacpac5984]

Very informative as a female and knowing close to nothing about this I found it very helpful. Thank you!!

[@Krakondack]

Currently running Bosch ceramic pads on my '13 Sequoia. Great feel and stopping power, but squeaks like gangbusters at low speeds.

[@datsuntoyy]

I needed this. My last couple choices for brake pads have been off. Put Disc Italia on the first time, heard they made F1 brakes so I gave them a shot. Beautiful rotors, warped in 5 k miles. replaced with a a Ferro carbon high performance street pad on a cryo treated G3500 rotor. Stops effing great, squeels like a banchee under very light braking such as pulling into a parking spot. '13 Audi S6. OEM brakes made WAY too much dust and faded quickly when hot. Side note, factory brakes lasted 40K. 10K on Italia and well over 60k now on the G3500 with almost no sign of wear. I think Adams rotors and Hawk ceramic is next in line.

[@fcpeuro]

Glad that it was helpful! Brakes are a very personal choice, although you wouldn't expect it. Some compounds and pads are good for one person and their driving, and not another.

[@waterbourne9282]

Excellent explanation, thanks. I got recommended semi metallic a decade ago at my parts store. They produced copious amounts of that red hard to remove dust stuck to the wheels, and ate my rotors. Never again, ceramics always now.

[@smokeandmirrors-pk6ic]

Thinking about grabbing some surestop ceramic pads is that a good brand? Lmk thank you

[@LarryBloom]

It was a very good video, right up until the point where I realized you were basically hawking the TRW brake pads.

[@PBS-nm1uu]

thanks great info .

[@ajc5869]

I LOVE Ate and TRW ceramic pads. Pair them with Zimmermann rotors, beautiful braking system

[@MrRjnr]

how about ATE rotors?

[@ajc5869]

@@MrRjnr pretty much equal from my experience, daily use but spirited driving occasionally. On a B5 Passat

[@rand49er]

I feel like a brake expert after watching this video. Well ... not an expert, but I am a bit more knowledgeable than before. Thanks!

[@368JAY]

Can you please advise the ceramic pads for 2015 BMW 520. MSPORT??