What's The Best Cabin Air Filter? Cabin Filter Types Explained!

Your cabin air filter keeps the air you breathe inside your car clean, but how clean? In this video we are taking a quick look at the different types of cabin filters. This video is aimed at beginners, probably someone that just learned that cabin filters exist at all, or just learned that there are different types. This can serve as a buying guide for types, but you will still have to decide which brand you want to buy. However, this short video may save you a bunch of time by letting you compare two or so filters instead of a dozen or so!
0:00 • Introduction to Cabin Filters
Not much here! I've made this short so we get right to the actual content.
0:18 • Standard Cabin Air Filters
These (often cheap) filters are just the basic fiber or cotton filter that keeps leaves, debris, and moderately-sized particles out of the cabin's air. These tend to be the cheapest option, but aren't always. Lots of brands make these as their entry level filter, and may have been what was supplied with your vehicle. (That doesn't mean you have to stick with it, and the dealer may even use name brand parts that still change/upgrade your filter.)
0:36 • Charcoal/Activated Carbon Cabin Air Filters
These are your best option for dealing with odors you may encounter along your commute. They may look dirty coming out of the box, but that's just the embedded carbon. The activated carbon is able to cling to odorous molecules, keeping them from reaching your nose. Sometimes activated carbon filters are referred to as carbon filters or charcoal filters.
1:37 • Baking Soda Cabin Air Filter
The only example I found of cabin filters with baking soda also use activated carbon. Does the baking soda catch odors that the carbon doesn't? Is it a gimmick to get another well-known brand on the box? At the time of recording, I don't know. If you've tried it, what did you think?
2:01 • HEPA Cabin Air Filters
H.E.P.A. stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, which is a filter classification system. There are multiple grades, but automotive aftermarket filters seem to go with 99.97% at 0.3 microns.
2:57 • Reusable Cabin Air Filters
These filters help reduce waste, and may eventually reduce your cabin filter related expenses, but it won't eliminate them, because there are cleaner sprays needed to keep them fresh.
3:29 • Tips For All Cabin Air Filters
Cabin air filters can only filter the air that passes through them, so keep that in mind when selecting your filter. If you have allergies, but often have to open the door or windows in pollen environments, even the best cabin filter isn't going to keep your allergies at bay. If there is odor coming from inside the car, the best charcoal filter on the market won't be able to fix that. Just something to keep in mind if you're looking to these filters as solutions to various problems.
If you would like a review of particular brands, let me know (and let me know if there are any particular brands you want to see in the reviews).
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[@mrdave777]

I’ve only watched 2 videos and I’m greatly informed and appreciative.

[@terminator1562]

hey rob ford

[@mrdave777]

@@terminator1562 Rob Ford was the crack King. Lol. In all honesty, a little sad. And I’m not a Canuck! Lol

[@hikensurf3140]

Helpful. I wish I had watched before I brought my replacement filter. I bought a HEPA filter because of it's filtering rating. Now I realize the airflow from my AC is diminished. I probable would buy a regular filter if I had to do it over.

[@Iamdudeman12]

Great explanation thanks!

[@chiranjibitajan7019]

Thanks.... Quite the info i was searching for

[@paulverrilli4899]

Great breakdown. Thanks!

[@siavashsh3557]

Love the video

[@802Garage]

Nice overview! Most of my cars don't even have filters I think, hahaha.

[@Moparscrivy]

I'm trying out stp max cabin air filter. So far seems fresh 🤌

[@peterrudy9207]

I think maybe for the winter use the plain " paper " filter . That I expect would allow air to more freely pass through to make defrosting quicker . Then in spring / summer to go with a charcoal filter that I think will restrict airflow . Though the cold air of winter will keep the exhaust fumes around ground level and summertime to rise and not be noticeable as much .

[@dav2mai]

I'm currently trying out a Purflux HEPA filter, dunno if they have tested for that but they advertise it, and personally I'd just recommend a good activated carbon filter instead. The HEPA filter provided a barely noticeable better pollen filtration, but at the cost of air flow restriction and basically no filtration of odor and gas fumes. My OEM filter looked like a carbon filter and you don't notice the odors and gas fumes until you don't have them filtered anymore. This was the only HEPA filter at my retailer, I don't know if there are any better ones out there, amongst dozens of readily available carbon filters. If I had to spec out my own imaginary filter, I'd double stack the HEPA + an activated carbon layer. That would make the flow restriction worth it.

[@Glutton2107]

Subscribed! Let's do a review on Lada Kalina?

[@yoshiii9704]

great insights for dummies like me. Still not sure about the baking soda thing though, anyone has any experience with these? (when compared to non baking soda regular filters)

[@valkeriyne2684]

Hi loved your video I live in Pakistan and where i live there are alot of construction projects going on and its extremely dusty so i wanted to know which air filter is best for me

[@thomasdang199]

i don’t have too much knowledge but i’d say hepa

[@genie4539]

HEPA filter would provide the best filtration for you

[@67judge]

Not to be off topic but does the 04-06 GTO have a cabin filter ? Or you can make one ☝️ fit some how?

[@CarsSimplified]

It does not come with one, but it sort of has a space for one, and I currently have a filter in there. One of my to-do list items is to find a filter that fits in exactly (instead of cutting a larger filter to size). If I don't find an exact fit, I'll still make a video, but either way I need to research a safe way to remove the plastic trim under the wipers; last time I accessed that area, the weather seal was a little damaged.

[@67judge]

@@CarsSimplified Please do make that video on the Cabin Filter for our GTO’s. I’ll definitely want to see that video.

[@njsongwriter]

The best filter is anyone you can buy that's not made in China. A virus is only 0.1 microns. Also, you could have mentioned that all horizontally mounted cabin air filters with the blower motor mounted below the filter will have downward air flow. Bottom line = I gave you thumbs up because your video was more informative than most.

[@nikolasm.7415]

Toyotas in Europe do filter recirculated air (3:45)

[@daveycody]

Why can't a activated carbon filter be used with K&N?

[@CarsSimplified]

I assume you mean reusable filters (like K&N) with this answer: The carbon clings to stuff (and won't let it go when washed) and some carbon would be washed away. There's no effective way to add carbon back to a filter after it has been made (that I know of at least) so it would lose its activated carbon perks over time.

[@daveycody]

@@CarsSimplified Thank you, but I'm thinking more of a thin sheet place over the filter.

[@tommysdirtandsoultommytheh1569]

I guess I'm the real old school oddball here. Cabin air filters are my pet peeve. Like I said I'm old school and can't stomach all the new car features. I long for cassette players! Just kidding although I do miss the CD player and hate that my car doesn't have one. I also shut off all the warning bells and automatic braking, lane adjustments and all that. But cabin air filters! I had a car with 165,000 miles on it and never changed the filter. The dealership used to say they couldn't get it out that it was like a nest in there. I eventually started putting a note on my glove box saying "Do Not Open." I got sick of hearing "I need a new cabin air filter." Never changed them in any of my vehicles. Never had a problem.

[@Bananahammock88]

Dumb