Who Makes STP Air Filters [Explained]

You’re in the right place if you’re looking for the answer to who makes STP air filters. A hint for you is that it’s not made in America but it’s made by an American company.

Keep reading this article to find out who manufactures STP filters. We’ll take a detailed look at all the components that make up the STP air filter. We’ll also compare STP air filters with OEM and FRAM air filters to see which one will be the best fit for you. Let’s dive in!

Who Makes STP Air Filters [Know A-Z]

Champion Laboratories Inc is the company that manufactures STP Air filters. The production takes place in Mexico and then the air filters are distributed to different parts of the world.

The STP air filters are one of the best aftermarket air filters and they’re also ISO 5011 Certified. These filters are made with micro-pore technology to give better fuel efficiency at a decent price.

Note: You can also read who makes Microgard oil filters.

Are STP Air Filters Good?

Yes, the STP air filters are one of the best aftermarket air filters in the market. STP air filters are good quality filters at a fairly low price. Let’s break down all the internal components of STP air filters and see if they’re any good:

1. Quality Of Foam

The quality of foam in the STP filters is excellent for a budget air filter. The finishing on the foam is also very nice. The finishing of the foam helps to seal the filter with the airboxes.

2. Glue Strips

STP air filters have 3 glue strips to help the air filter stay together against resistance. These glue strips are essential to hold the air filter together when it’ll be in action and filter the air.

3. Steel Mesh

The steel mesh of STP air filters is nice and thick. The solid steel mesh makes the structure of STP air filters very strong. STP air filters won’t break up easily since they have a high-quality steel mesh.

4. Quality of Paper

The paper of STP filters is smooth and fine in quality. The STP filter is going to do a great job at filtering the contaminants. But the flow of air won’t be great with an STP air filter.

You can’t have it all in one air filter. STP air filters are designed to prioritize blocking contaminants than maintaining a great of flow air. That is not to say that the flow of air will be terrible. But there are filters with better airflow in this budget.

5. Number of Bends

STP air filters have about 80 bends. This isn’t great since the surface area of the filter isn’t too big. 

6. Weight And Height

The weight and size of the filters don’t have to do much with the performance. But it’s useful to know these factors as they have an impact on the compatibility of the vehicle you’re using.

STP weighs about 16 ounces. It’s a bit on the heavier side when it comes to air filters. The height of STP air filters is 1.57 inches.

With such a detailed breakdown, it’s safe to say that STP air filters are good when it comes to value for money. It’s right in the middle between a cheap air filter and an OEM air filter.

How Long Do STP Air Filters Last?

Reading the owner’s manual is the best way to know how long your STP air filters will last. But as a general rule of thumb, it’s recommended that you change your STP air filters after driving for 10,000 miles or more. You can watch the tutorial to know how you can change the air filter easily.

Are STP Premium Air Filters Oiled?

Some of the STP premium air filters cost more than $25. Are these air filters worth the price? The premium air filters do have oil added to them that helps them catch twice the microns compared to the standard air filters.

These filters also increase the performance of the engine by maintaining a steady and cleaner flow of air. STP claims that the air gets 98% cleaner before flowing to the engine. It’s surely worth the money if that’s true.

Why Are STP Oil Filters Made In Mexico?

You may love made in America products but there’s a reason why STP oil filters are made in Mexico. These oil filters are manufactured in Mexico to cut down the cost of producing them.

STP offers you the oil filters at a good price by keeping the production cost as low as possible. The labor cost is a little cheaper in Mexico and customers like you and me can benefit from it.

STP Air Filters vs OEM Filters

When you buy an STP filter, your goal is clear. You want to save money by choosing STP instead of your OEM manufacturer. But is it worth the risk?

Choose the OEM air filter if you don’t mind spending the extra money to be safe. You can choose STP air filters if you want to save a few dollars.

STP air filter is the perfect filter if you don’t want to cheap out and select a bad filter. But at the same time, you don’t want want to spend extra to get an OEM filter.

STP Air Filter vs Fram Air Filter

The STP filters are priced at around $10 and the Fram filter will cost you around $7. STP will do a better job at blocking contaminants but it’ll require more Horsepower and Torque.

FRAM will give better performance but it’ll allow more dirt to pass through the filter. The decision is up to you. They’re not much far from each other in quality but we recommend going with STP since it’s the safer option.

Who Owns STP Oil Filter?

Studebaker-Packard Corporation acquired STP in 1961. STP was later sold to Avista Capital Partners in 2010. Energizer Holdings, Inc finally purchased STP in 2019 and they are the current owners of STP to date.

What Does STP Stand For?

The full form of the brand STP that makes air filters is Scientifically Treated Petroleum. The company started in 1954 and its only product was Oil Treatment back then.

STP has come a long way since then and they have expanded their business into many more automotive parts. Now, they make a range of products including air filters, oil filters, and engine oil cleaners.

Conclusion

Now you know who makes STP air filters and where they’re made. We’ve also compared STP air filters with FRAM to help you decide which aftermarket air filter will be the best one for you.

We hope you have found this STP air filter guide useful. Drop a comment below if you have any questions.