# Eheim Made in China Now? Truth or Speculation?



## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

I've been doing alot of reading lately as I'm getting ready to switch over a few filters to Eheim and then I remembered the whole Eheim is now made in PRC(Peoples Republic of China) now. Is this just a huge misunderstanding or is this now the truth regarding the company? I picked up a Jager 50W the other day and it still said it was made in Germany on the box? Anyone have any idea what might be going on? I'd really hate to know that Eheim is not German made anymore and is now China manufactured.


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## S2K_Alex (Jul 2, 2012)

unfourtenatly they are being made in china now, a friend of mine works in a pet store and told me just how much Eheim filters they get back in return because of their poor construction now, meaning by cutting corners the plastic is thinner, which of course makes it more fragile. But people will still go on and off about how great of filters they "are" i think they should just say now how good they "were". this is why i like to support Hagen made in the US. Also i never really understood why people say Fluval products are **** if the founders and makers of Fluval migrated from Germany, just saying.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Not all of the Eheim products are made in China. You will need to either check the product packaging or you can contact Eheim via email or phone. I'm sure that some of the parts may be outsourced, as is common with many non-aquarium products, but there should still be a manufacturing standard or quality control factor that needs to be adhered to when the part/product is made.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Maybe they're being made in the same factory as Sun Sun and Aquatop. :lol:


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## S2K_Alex (Jul 2, 2012)

probably for all we know haha


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Most of the Eheim filters are now made in China. Have been for several years. All of the "Classics" are now Chinese manufactured. I believe the Pro IIIE is still made in Germany. I was worried about it as well but I have Chinese versions of the 2217 running side by side with the older German made versions. Can't tell a difference. My Chinese versions have been running for several years with no problems. But regardless of what you buy, unless it's one of the Eheim $400 filters, it's going to be of Chinese manufacture.

I don't like it either. Not at all. I'd rather purchase an American made product but it is what it is. If we totally boycotted Chinese products none of us would have smartphones and we'd be running around naked..... both of which may not be bad ideas, when you think of it. :lol:


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## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. That is pretty disappointing, even if there isn't any real noticeable difference of quality. I'm a pretty strong believer in German made products, especially regarding quality. I'm willing to bet the Chinese ones are probably going to have problems if not fail sooner than one that is made in Germany. Welp, I'm pretty disappointed right now to say the least.

I don't suppose there is a way to order directly from Eheim Germany? Or I wonder if the equip they sell directly there is still made in Germany? I'm gonna guess they probably shifted all manufacturing to China.


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## FanOfSkynyrd (Nov 25, 2012)

Pretty much everything is made in China nowadays....to include the coveted iPhone. I hear those are pretty popular.

Just cause something is made in China, doesn't make it [email protected]

With that said however, if Eheim doesn't have stringent quality control measures set up for Chinese production line, then yes, there will likely be issues with quality.


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Some Chinese-made products are quite good (computers and phones being the most obvious examples), and some are not. It's really up to the company to insure that the quality remains good after moving production. The Chinese manufacturers will quite happily produce junk, just as well as they will quite happily produce quality. If the company says: Make it like this; Then they go back again and say: can you reduce the cost? What you'll get are cut corners. If instead the company says: Mostly okay, but this part here looks to be inadequate - make it better. What you'll get is a good product. It's really up to the company.

I'd certainly prefer that they all manufacture here, but that's not going to happen right now. Buy the best product you can even if it's not the least expensive. If enough people do this, the other companies will notice and improve their quality. (Far too many people buy the least expensive, consider it to be "disposable" even if it really doesn't have to be, and this ends up driving down quality.)

Personally, I've not noticed a difference between Chinese and German Eheim products, but have with others...


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I honestly don't give a carp where things are made. As long as they do their job just as well as something built in a "better quality" country, I don't see why we should care. Whatever country it is, people will cut corners.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

What about the pumps? Are they being made in China now? I thought I read somewhere that a user recently bought a eheim and while it said made in china on the box the pump said made in Germany. Just curious.


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Don't know - my Eheim pumps are all more than 8 years old. I did order some parts earlier this year: impeller and impeller shaft and bushings, and some spare O-rings for my 2217 classic filter. All of those items were made in Germany.


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## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

Well, I guess all I can hope for is that Eheim put some of their usual stringent quality control rules in effect so we still have a good indication of lasting quality. I too would also like to know if the pumps are still made in Germany?

I also had a good talk with a fellow veteran aquarist and he informed me that from what he has heard is that just the canister body itself is manufactured in China and the rest is still Germany. Food for thought I suppose? :wink:


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Ensorcelled said:


> Well, I guess all I can hope for is that Eheim put some of their usual stringent quality control rules in effect so we still have a good indication of lasting quality. I too would also like to know if the pumps are still made in Germany?
> 
> I also had a good talk with a fellow veteran aquarist and he informed me that from what he has heard is that just the canister body itself is manufactured in China and the rest is still Germany. Food for thought I suppose? :wink:


That is what I heard as well. The pump still made in Germany.


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## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

So I visited a local shop down here the other week and found out that they are getting rid of their entire Eheim lineup because of constant returns and lack of sales. Apparently they used to fly off the shelves, especially the Classics but it isn't the case anymore so they are going bye bye in favor of Fluval and Rena. Kinda sad to see and hear that. Wonder if its because of the made in PRC stuff now? :-?


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## vann59 (Jun 20, 2011)

It's unfortunate to see a loss of values concerning quality and workmanship. Past generations intended products to last a lifetime and be passed on to the next generation, but today we live in a time when few things are real anymore, and short term satisfaction is traded for long term reliability. The label of being made in the USA was a proud one of quality where workmanship meant more than union perks and for so many years we made fun of the Japanese and the label made in Japan was synonymous with cheap quality. But the proud Japanese people set out to change that stigma and today Japanese manufacture ranks very high especially in electronics and automotive industries. Values must be handed down from generation to generation. If they are not, then who knows when, or if, they will ever be regained?


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## shockdoc (Feb 18, 2013)

When my Filstar XP2 broke down earlier this week, I did a lot of research before I settled on a Fluval 406. I was pretty well settled on getting an Eheim 2075 until I started finding all of the reviews complaining of leaks, broken or poor fitting pieces, and poor service from Eheim when contacted for help/support. Most of the complaints had a common trend of the unit working flawlessly for 4-6 months, then springing a leak around the motor unit, priming system breaking, or other unacceptable malfunctions. Granted any time you find a review thread on a product, it will more than likely contain a disproportionate number of negative reviews due to the simple fact that people who are wronged are more likely to weigh in than satisfied customers, but it seemed to be a very common trend amongst frustrated Eheim owners with the recent models. My Fluval wasn't without teething issues itself either, one of the quick disconnect O-Rings leaked when first assembled. I had the same problem with my Filstar and solved it with silicone grease on the O-ring, and this solved it on the Fluval as well.

I only bring this up because the layperson not experienced with O-ring problems would have likely written a negative review or returned the filter out of frustration. I normally take reviews by end-users with a grain of salt, but when you find consistent complaints about the same problems on site after site after site, you have to start wondering about the product being reviewed.

Made in China doesn't have to mean a garbage product. They CAN produce good quality products, it's just the QC system installed in place that dictates what the end result is. I think the infiltration of junk products from China says a lot more about the companies importing them or commissioning the manufacture than the Chinese people who actually do the manufacturing.

That's my 2¢ anyway...


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

I'll tell you what I agonized over filters recently when I made my purchases. Fluval is suppose to still be in Italy. Not to bash China but it seems soon everthing will be made there.The sad part to me is that the Stigma of the Eheim being German made is gone. You know that little satisfaction. To me the Germans make some fine products ,I don't know why but there attention to detail is awsome with just about everything they make. In a funny way it seems the idea of spending the extra $150 or so may be lost over time. When it comes to filters I went to the doctor who told me to take a chill pill and leave it at that :dancing: .


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## joshivirgo (Feb 18, 2013)

HI Folks,

I just purchased a new Eheim 2217 and the packaging still says made in Germany. I'm not sure the products sold in US are China made but here Australia never heard of Chinese made eheim.

Thanks


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## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

hawkkerw said:


> I'll tell you what I agonized over filters recently when I made my purchases. Fluval is suppose to still be in Italy. Not to bash China but it seems soon everthing will be made there.The sad part to me is that the Stigma of the Eheim being German made is gone. You know that little satisfaction. To me the Germans make some fine products ,I don't know why but there attention to detail is awsome with just about everything they make. In a funny way it seems the idea of spending the extra $150 or so may be lost over time. When it comes to filters I went to the doctor who told me to take a chill pill and leave it at that :dancing: .


This is exactly my annoyance over the issue. True that the Chinese can make good products if the quality control is there, but let's be honest here...it usually isn't. Fluval is still made in Italy as far as I know, and while I have had some serious hate towards the 06' series since I picked a couple up the past year and a half, I am now more inclined to stay with Fluval knowing they aren't made in China. Some may see that as an unfair bias, which I'm ok with because that's what having a serious discussion is all about. With all the subpar stuff that I've seen come out of China over the years, it just kinda falls into place so to speak.



joshivirgo said:


> HI Folks,
> 
> I just purchased a new Eheim 2217 and the packaging still says made in Germany. I'm not sure the products sold in US are China made but here Australia never heard of Chinese made eheim.
> 
> Thanks


Interesting to hear. So forth all the Eheim's I've come across in local shops down here all say made in PRC.


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## hawkkerw (Jan 31, 2012)

Could be like many companies some models re made in different location. I swear the media tray in the 2080's look allot like Sun Sun or Aqua Top?


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