Made in USA- Subpar quality

Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
152
Location
Birmingham, Alabama
Purchased an air filter online. Made in USA by a major company. Notice the overrun from the foam mold on the filter element and the “dog ear”. The glue on the back isn’t center and just appears to be slapped on. The edges look like they were trimmed with an Exacto. This company makes good oil filters so I took a chance on the air filter. Now I am questioning air filter quality.
 

Attachments

  • 282DF6A0-E82E-435B-AFC4-1CFAD2CB1C71.jpeg
    282DF6A0-E82E-435B-AFC4-1CFAD2CB1C71.jpeg
    148.9 KB · Views: 216
  • DB4A3DDD-2999-4FC9-9689-116E0FEC01D1.jpeg
    DB4A3DDD-2999-4FC9-9689-116E0FEC01D1.jpeg
    198.7 KB · Views: 240
  • 77BF6662-3A36-4107-95D3-E64AD6661C10.jpeg
    77BF6662-3A36-4107-95D3-E64AD6661C10.jpeg
    98.8 KB · Views: 241
  • C269CD85-E1B8-4651-A4AA-73B28C87C860.jpeg
    C269CD85-E1B8-4651-A4AA-73B28C87C860.jpeg
    182.5 KB · Views: 244
while its soppy looking as long as it seals and holds it in well itll be as good as a perfect looking one. still sad to see anyway.
 
Seriously? These make no difference, probably better to have the molding extend further than try to make it barely meet the filter media. Cosmetic won't matter in use, I'd buy the same again.
 
I would not have thought anything about it, but what many don't realize is something like this is most likely indicative of the overall quality methods and controls at the company. Maybe not, but if there's an alternative why risk using a product where the lack of standards could affect its function?

Disclaimer: I am "fanboy" immune with no concern for what company made it.
 
Quality is a hard thing to come by. Fast profit and people not having pride in their work. Quality is costly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JC1
What was made in the USA, the filter or the box or both. There are companies that outsource the manufacturing, but box it in the US and then print Made in the USA, even if printed on the seal one has to ascertain if that pertains to the whole unit or just the seal. We are living in interesting times! o_O
 
Probably made in the USA but with foreign parts, procedures, management, and machine programming. Meaning the only USA thing about it is who owns the building, and maybe the high school minimum wage kids putting the parts in the box.

We can't get high schoolers to work at our local (county) Recreation Center because they pay like $9.00/hr-and anybody who wants a STABLE employee pays $15.00 to $20.00. It includes the "Big box Retailer" who often gets poked fun at on here.

So-let's cut out the non-sense about minimum wage. Nobody will work for that.
 
I notice this often with usa products. The foreign versions will have better machining and finish but the usa stuff will still function fine.
 
Nothing about the phrase "Made in USA" ensures a quality item. At one time it increased the likelihood of a quality part but now it's a crap shoot. Companies determine the acceptable rate of defects, whether made in USA or elsewhere.
 
In the case of an air filter, quality has to do with efficiency of the media, and whether it has defects that could let unfiltered air bypass the media. I see some mold flash in the photos, but nothing that should be troubling.
 
We can't get high schoolers to work at our local (county) Recreation Center because they pay like $9.00/hr-and anybody who wants a STABLE employee pays $15.00 to $20.00. It includes the "Big box Retailer" who often gets poked fun at on here.

So-let's cut out the non-sense about minimum wage. Nobody will work for that.




I actually worked hard for just above minimum wage in high school. At a grocery store. Throwing freight and bagging groceries.

I also worked at a gym making hardly nothing either.

Over paying for entry level work is not helping anyone. A job at a entry level type position should not be a higher level paid position.

Now someone with real training and education and or experience and or real licensure.... That's a whole different circumstance all together.

You really think if minimum wage goes up to $15 an hour that those people who were making $16-$17 an hour will get compensated what they were making above the previous minimum wage???

No.... They will not. For example those very good CNAs I worked with will not be getting a pay raise to $30-$32 an hour... Never ever going to happen.
 
I actually worked hard for just above minimum wage in high school. At a grocery store. Throwing freight and bagging groceries.

I also worked at a gym making hardly nothing either.

Over paying for entry level work is not helping anyone. A job at a entry level type position should not be a higher level paid position.

Now someone with real training and education and or experience and or real licensure.... That's a whole different circumstance all together.

You really think if minimum wage goes up to $15 an hour that those people who were making $16-$17 an hour will get compensated what they were making above the previous minimum wage???

No.... They will not. For example those very good CNAs I worked with will not be getting a pay raise to $30-$32 an hour... Never ever going to happen.
I can tell you with most certainty the defacto minimum wage in Utah is $15.00 an hour-and we are one of the fastest growing states in the country. If you don't pay $15.00-you don't have employees-so tell me where the minimum wage is? It's the current situation-not the State or Federal governments setting the wage. BTW- will all due respect-I'm not saying it's GOOD OR BAD-but it's reality. Anybody could come here TOMORROW and get a job for $15.00 an hour.

On edit-watching the local news tonight-they mentioned the following

Costco is raising starting wage to $17.00/hr
Raising Canes (Chicken/fast Food) $15.00/hr
Starbucks $17.00/hr.

Don't know if this is Utah only or national.
 
Last edited:
Quite a leap from air filter excess flashing to minimum wage as the cause of it.
Wages, take the rent of a one bedroom apartment plus water gas electric and internet, divide by 160. Where I live that would be easily $12.50 per hour. Landlord demands first, last, and security. Don’t have that saved up from the $15/hr? Too bad, next applicant. You have to have clothes, food, and maybe a car. Wait a minute, in the end landlord laughs at you when you think $15/hr qualifies to rent his one bedroom apartment.
 
Back
Top