True, but "Chinese made" I've read is = to lesser quality. I don't know if that's right but I remember "old" Ehiem heaters (green top) are much better than the newer "blue top" Ehiems.
Sorry, I didn't mean to side track your thread with my possible issues but I thought it might be relevant...but it's not in this case of filters. Apologies, Andy.
I think the quality of Chinese manufactured goods is totally dependent on how much you're willing to pay for quality control. The Eheim Classic series used to be far more expensive than it is now, and it came with far less in the box.
I seem to recall back in the 80s, that the Classic series (which were the only Eheim canisters at the time) did not come with a spray bar, did not have quick disconnect valves, and I don't think they even came with media. I believe they started with the low end at $120, and by the time you added the media, quick disconnect valves and a spray bar put at $200+ in 1980s money.
From me reading reviews online of these filters, it does seem that there are more issues with them. But we're also in an age where anyone can post a review in about 1 minute if they chose to do so. So it's tough to tell if the lower scored are because of Chinese manufacture or because of the ability of a larger customer base to provide feedback.
I do have to agree with you on the Ebo Jäger heaters. The old green ones before Eheim bought them will last forever. But I have noticed a downward trend in all heaters. I've had an Eheim, Penn-Plax and Aqueon Pro all fail on me at some point. Aqueon Pro has a lifetime warranty on it, but when a heater goes, you don't have time to cross ship a heater with Aqueon. You run out and immediately buy a new one. I ended up buying a new one and sending the old one to Aqueon, which they happily exchanged under warranty. I got some hassle about the receipt, but I did get a new heater, which I am keeping as a spare now.
So, if you're buying any Aqueon product with a lifetime warranty, keep your receipt.
The other thing I am noticing is that older HOB filters are significantly quieter than new ones of the same model. The old Second Nature Whisper 1 filter lives up to it's name. It is almost dead silent. The newer models made by Tetra have a noticeable hum. Same with Penguin and even Aquaclear. But I'm also sure that the magnetic motors on all these filters are all made by the same Chinese manufacturer and cost 1/10th what they used to cost in the 80s. And the tradeoff for the cheaper price is a louder motor.
The price of aquarium equipment has really gone down over the last 30-40 years when cost of living is accounted for. Eheim Classics easily cost HALF of what they used to. The only way to do that with cost is to save money on manufacturing. You can argue the "are you saving anything, if you need to buy another one in 10 years" point. And it is true. I, personally, would not buy a Chinese made 2215 that's 10 years old off of eBay. But I'd buy a 40 year old 2215 made in Germany without batting an eye.