About FRAM
FRAM traces back to 1932 in Providence, Rhode Island, where chemists Frederick Franklin and T. Edward Aldham developed one of the first replaceable oil filtering elements -- the FRAM name blends the first two letters of Franklin's surname with the last two of Aldham's. The company incorporated in 1934 and became original equipment on the 1936 Studebaker, one of the earliest automakers to specify a replaceable filter from the factory. FRAM built its first dedicated plant in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1939 and has manufactured filters at its Greenville, Ohio facility since 1951, giving the brand close to a century of continuous production in the North American automotive aftermarket.
FRAM's current catalog spans engine air filters, cabin air filters, oil filters, and fuel filters, with oil filtration split across the Extra Guard, Tough Guard, and Ultra Synthetic lines rated for progressively longer service intervals. The Fresh Breeze cabin filter line is built around activated carbon embedded with Arm & Hammer baking soda, a combination FRAM markets as chemically neutralizing acidic odor compounds rather than just adsorbing them. On RevRated, FRAM parts appear across two independent roundups: the Extra Guard CA4309 engine air filter, backed by more than 7,200 verified Amazon reviews at a 4.6-star average, and the Fresh Breeze CF8603A cabin air filter, one of our top picks for odor control in our cabin air filter testing.
Brand website: fram.com
What FRAM makes
FRAM's range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Extra Guard Engine Air Filters
dual-layer cellulose and synthetic media engine air filters for everyday driving -- featured on RevRated — featured on RevRated
Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filters
activated carbon plus embedded Arm & Hammer baking soda for particulate capture and odor control -- featured on RevRated — featured on RevRated
Tough Guard Engine & Oil Filters
higher-capacity media rated for extended service intervals in stop-and-go, towing, and high-mileage use
Ultra Synthetic Oil Filters
wire-backed full-synthetic oil filters rated for up to 20,000-mile intervals
Fuel Filters
inline and in-tank fuel filters that screen moisture, rust, and debris ahead of the injectors
Why we recognized FRAM
The RevRated Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our hands-on category reviews. FRAM earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: bought, run on real vehicles, and judged on merit.
FRAM products we rated highly
FRAM CF8603A Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter
Arm and Hammer baking soda embedded in the carbon media gives this filter a dual-action odor system: carbon adsorbs odor molecules while the baking soda neutralizes acidic odor compounds through a chemical reaction, producing noticeably fresher cabin air than carbon-only filters early in the service life. FRAM publishes 98 percent contaminant capture on the listing, covering the pollen, mold spore, and fine dust particle sizes responsible for most seasonal allergy irritation, and installation behind the glove box is a tool-free job on its compatible Honda applications.
Read the 7 Best Cabin Air Filters of 2026 guide →
FRAM Extra Guard CA4309 Engine Air Filter
The dual-layer cellulose and synthetic blend media captures finer particles than pure cellulose while the cellulose layer handles larger debris, and the CA4309 backs that up with more than 7,200 verified Amazon reviews at a 4.6-star average across Nissan, Infiniti, and Subaru applications. Installation is a tool-free drop-in behind the airbox clips, and FRAM's decades of retail presence at nearly every major auto parts store make this one of the easiest filters to source on short notice.
Read the 7 Best Engine Air Filters of 2026 guide →What earned FRAM the recognition
- Featured on two separate RevRated roundups: the Fresh Breeze CF8603A cabin air filter and the Extra Guard CA4309 engine air filter, each a top pick in our testing for its category.
- The Fresh Breeze line's embedded Arm & Hammer baking soda pairs chemical odor neutralization with activated carbon adsorption, a combination unique among the cabin filters we tested.
- The Extra Guard CA4309 carries more than 7,200 verified Amazon reviews at a 4.6-star average, one of the deeper review bases among the engine air filters in our roundup.
- Nearly a century of continuous filter manufacturing in the North American aftermarket, dating to 1932, with current production based at FRAM's Greenville, Ohio facility.
- Broad retail distribution across nearly every major auto parts chain makes FRAM parts easy to source and cross-reference for a wide range of vehicle applications.