K&N

K&N Engineering was founded in 1969 by Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald in Riverside, California. The company built its reputation on reusable, oiled cotton gauze engine air filters — an alternative to disposable paper filters that the brand claims provides better airflow and a one-time lifetime cost. The VF-series extends that design philosophy to cabin air filters for HVAC systems. K&N's core technology is oiled cotton gauze: multiple layers of cotton mesh treated with a proprietary filter oil designed to capture particles while maintaining low airflow restriction. The brand markets its products as lifetime replacements for OEM filters, with cleaning kits sold separately. K&N holds a broad patent portfolio in filtration and is well established in both the OEM-replacement aftermarket and performance vehicle community.