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The number everyone quotes when this topic comes up is that a washable stainless filter is rated to 35 microns while a paper filter is rated to 20 or even 10 — and on its face, that reads like the paper filter wins by a wide margin. The two numbers are not measuring the same thing, and that is the actual thing to understand before spending $50 to $300 on a reusable filter.
Paper filter ratings are usually a multi-pass average, not a hard cutoff, so a filter marketed at 10 or 20 microns can still let particles well over 50 or even 90 microns through on any single pass. Stainless mesh cloth, by contrast, is normally tested and rated as an absolute single-pass number: nothing bigger than 35 microns gets through, ever. Put plainly, the reusable filter’s coarser-looking spec is often the stricter guarantee, and the paper filter’s finer-looking spec is often the softer one.
That said, 35 microns absolute is still coarser than the best paper media on the market, and the magnet built into most of these filters only catches ferrous wear metal — it does nothing for the carbon and silica grit that actually scores bearings. A reusable filter is a reasonable trade, not a strict upgrade. Riders chasing the tightest possible filtration on a high-mileage or still-warrantied engine are better off with a premium paper filter, full stop.
Where reusable filters have a genuine, checkable advantage is flow, not fineness. An air-cooled V-twin on a cold start pushes thick oil through a tight paper element hard enough that the bypass valve routinely cracks open and sends oil around the media entirely for the first few seconds of every ride. A stainless-mesh element has so much more open area that it rarely triggers the bypass at all, which means more of the oil that ever reaches the crank has actually passed through filter media rather than around it.
None of that works without maintenance, though. A reusable filter has to actually be pulled, solvent-washed, dried, and reinstalled at every interval, or it is worse than the paper filter it replaced — a clogged mesh element still needs the bypass valve, the same as a clogged paper one. Budget both the tool and the fifteen minutes, and expect a wide price spread below, from around $40 imports to $300-plus lifetime units.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K&P Engineering S4 Reusable Billet Oil Filter | $190–$305 depending on finish | Amazon |
| 2 | PC Racing Flo Reusable Oil Filter | $115–$150 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | DK Custom Products OUTLAW Cleanable Oil Filter | $150–$160 | Amazon |
| 4 | Figurati Designs Performance Magnetic Oil Filter | $40–$50 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | NICECNC Reusable Magnetic Oil Filter Kit | $35–$55 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | DNA Specialty Reusable Oil Filter | $120–$135 | Amazon |
| 7 | Pure Power 2.0 Lifetime Oil Filter | $300–$340 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
K&P Engineering S4 Reusable Billet Oil Filter
The original K&P design, and the filter most other reusable Harley oil filters get compared against. A billet-aluminum housing doubles as a small oil cooler around a cleanable 304 stainless-steel micronic filter cloth insert, aimed at riders who tour or ride hard enough to want the extra finning surface, not just a reusable core. It ships with a filter wrench and spare O-ring, and K&P backs the housing with a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship.
- 304 stainless-steel micronic filter cloth rated 35 microns absolute
- Billet-aluminum housing with cooling fins that double as an oil cooler
- 3/4-16 spin-on thread, fits most Harley Big Twin and Sportster engines
- Lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship (excludes finish and O-ring)
- Finned housing gives a real, measurable cooling benefit on top of filtration
- Includes the filter wrench and a spare O-ring in the box
- Two decades of aftermarket track record
- Among the most expensive filters in this roundup depending on finish
- 35-micron absolute rating is coarser than premium paper media
PC Racing Flo Reusable Oil Filter
A gunmetal-anodized aluminum spin-on filter built around laser-cut 304 stainless mesh with a neodymium magnet at its core, used by Harley-Davidson’s own Screamin’ Eagle race team rather than just marketed at weekend riders. The welded pleat seam is rated to withstand 600°F, and the design claims roughly triple the surface area of a comparable paper element. Sold as the PCS4B in black anodized or the PCS4C in polished finish, both fitting the same range of Big Twin and M8 engines.
- Laser-cut 304 stainless micronic cloth rated 35 microns absolute
- Welded pleat seam rated to 600°F
- Built-in rare-earth magnetic pre-filter
- Available as PCS4B (black anodized) or PCS4C (polished)
- Validated by an actual factory race team, not just marketing claims
- Roughly triple the media surface area of a comparable paper filter
- Holds up under sustained heat without seam failure
- Costs more up front than several oil-change cycles of paper filters
- Full cleaning needs a solvent bath and complete dry-out, not a quick wipe
DK Custom Products OUTLAW Cleanable Oil Filter
A billet housing built around a replaceable internal stainless element, sold by a Harley-focused parts shop that also stocks air cleaners, exhaust, and other engine parts for the same models — a practical choice if you would rather buy the filter and any fitment questions from one shop. The stainless cloth is rated 35 microns absolute, and replacement elements are sold separately so the outer housing does not need replacing when the media eventually wears out.
- 304 stainless-steel micronic cloth rated 35 microns absolute
- Billet housing in polished or anodized-black finish
- Replacement filter elements sold separately from the housing
- Fits most Harley Big Twin and Sportster engines, 1986-up
- Replacement element is a separately stocked part, not a whole new filter
- Sold by the same shop as compatible air-intake upgrades for fitment questions
- Straightforward solvent cleaning
- One of the pricier housings in this roundup
- Anodized-black finish dulls faster over time than the polished option
Figurati Designs Performance Magnetic Oil Filter
A noticeably cheaper reusable filter from a brand better known for chrome and stainless trim than filtration, which shows in the price rather than in the basic engineering — it is still a real cleanable stainless-mesh element with a magnetic pre-filter, just without the decades of oil-analysis track record that K&P or PC Racing can point to. Four external magnets plus an internal rare-earth core are aimed squarely at catching ferrous wear metal before it reaches the media.
- Anodized aluminum housing with four external pre-filtering magnets
- Internal neodymium magnet core
- Stainless mesh element rated around 25 microns
- Available in multiple finish colors
- Substantially cheaper than K&P, PC Racing, or DK Custom
- Strong magnetic pre-filtering for ferrous wear metal
- Doubles as a visual upgrade over a plain factory filter
- From an accessory brand rather than a filtration specialist
- Far less long-term oil-analysis data behind it than the premium brands
NICECNC Reusable Magnetic Oil Filter Kit
An imported budget filter built to the same basic formula as the premium brands — 304 stainless micronic cloth plus a built-in magnet in a finned aluminum housing — at a fraction of the price, sized specifically for late-model Touring bikes like the Street Glide and Road Glide rather than sold as a universal fit. It is a reasonable way to try the reusable-filter idea before spending $150 or more on an established US brand.
- 304 stainless-steel micronic cloth rated 35 microns
- Finned aluminum housing with a built-in magnet
- Twist-lock disassembly with an included 27mm hex tool
- Model-specific fitment (for example, 2017+ Street Glide and Road Glide)
- Lowest price of the name-brand reusable options here
- Removal tool included in the box
- Finned housing helps shed heat like the premium units
- Fitment is model-year specific rather than universal
- Less proven quality control and longevity than the established US brands
DNA Specialty Reusable Oil Filter
DNA is a broader Harley aftermarket-parts brand — air filters and other engine accessories, not just oil filtration — and its reusable oil filter sits priced between the budget imports and the premium billet brands. A CNC-machined aluminum housing wraps a stainless-steel filter component, backed by a one-year manufacturer’s warranty against defects, which is more than most reusable filters in this price bracket offer in writing.
- CNC-machined billet-aluminum housing
- Stainless-steel filter component
- Available in chrome, black, or black-machined finishes
- One-year manufacturer’s warranty against defects
- Backed by an explicit warranty rather than sold as-is
- Competitively priced against the premium billet brands
- Finish options to match other engine trim
- Manufacturer doesn’t publish a micron rating for the filter media
- Less specialized than brands that build only filtration products
Pure Power 2.0 Lifetime Oil Filter
A US-made lifetime filter built around double-woven stainless media, a real spring-loaded bypass valve, and Viton O-ring seals, rather than the O-ring-and-mesh-only construction most reusable filters use. Pure Power positions it as a one-time purchase for the life of the engine rather than a cheaper alternative to paper, and the price reflects that — this is the most expensive filter in this roundup by a wide margin, aimed at riders who plan to keep the bike a very long time.
- Double-woven 304 stainless-steel filter media
- CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum canister
- Stainless bypass valve with springs, rather than a passive opening
- Viton O-ring seals and integrated neodymium magnets
- Engineered bypass hardware rather than a simple pressure-relief gap
- Rated burst strength over 1,000 psi
- Made in the USA
- By far the most expensive filter in this roundup
- The price only pays for itself over many years of oil changes
Buying tips
- Clean a reusable filter every single oil change, not every other one — skipped cleanings, not the filter media, are the failure mode people actually report.
- Confirm your model uses a spin-on canister before ordering; every filter in this list is spin-on and won’t fit a cartridge-style housing.
- Budget real time for the switch — a proper cleaning takes fifteen to twenty minutes with degreaser and compressed air, not a quick wipe-down.
- If you tour long distances between services, the extra finning on a K&P or PC Racing housing gives a small, real cooling benefit; a budget import performs about the same as the OEM filter thermally.
- Send a used-oil sample for analysis once after switching if you want real evidence of how your specific filter is performing, rather than trusting the micron number alone.
- Inspect the O-ring every time you clean the filter — a seeping seal costs more oil and more mess than a paper filter ever would.
- Remember the magnet only catches ferrous metal; it doesn’t extend your oil-change interval or replace regular oil analysis.
- If your bike is still under factory or extended warranty, confirm with your dealer that a reusable filter won’t be used as grounds to deny an engine claim.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.