diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ef63865..aa77f3e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ ignore = [
     "EM102",
     "DTZ003",
     "PLR0913",
+    "SIM108",
 ]
 line-length = 120
 target-version = "py39"
diff --git a/spoolman/database/filament.py b/spoolman/database/filament.py
index 04c7cbb..657101f 100644
--- a/spoolman/database/filament.py
+++ b/spoolman/database/filament.py
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 from sqlalchemy.orm import contains_eager, joinedload
 
 from spoolman.database import models, vendor
-from spoolman.database.utils import SortOrder, parse_nested_field
+from spoolman.database.utils import (
+    SortOrder,
+    add_where_clause,
+    add_where_clause_str,
+    add_where_clause_str_opt,
+    parse_nested_field,
+)
 from spoolman.exceptions import ItemDeleteError, ItemNotFoundError
 
 
@@ -67,7 +73,7 @@ async def get_by_id(db: AsyncSession, filament_id: int) -> models.Filament:
     return filament
 
 
-async def find(  # noqa: C901
+async def find(
     *,
     db: AsyncSession,
     vendor_name: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -91,16 +97,12 @@ async def find(  # noqa: C901
         .options(contains_eager(models.Filament.vendor))
         .join(models.Filament.vendor, isouter=True)
     )
-    if vendor_name is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Vendor.name.ilike(f"%{vendor_name}%"))
-    if vendor_id is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.vendor_id == vendor_id)
-    if name is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.name.ilike(f"%{name}%"))
-    if material is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.material.ilike(f"%{material}%"))
-    if article_number is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.article_number.ilike(f"%{article_number}%"))
+
+    stmt = add_where_clause(stmt, models.Filament.vendor_id, vendor_id)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str(stmt, models.Vendor.name, vendor_name)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Filament.name, name)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Filament.material, material)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Filament.article_number, article_number)
 
     total_count = None
 
diff --git a/spoolman/database/spool.py b/spoolman/database/spool.py
index 467b8fe..d6a9a83 100644
--- a/spoolman/database/spool.py
+++ b/spoolman/database/spool.py
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 from sqlalchemy.orm import contains_eager, joinedload
 
 from spoolman.database import filament, models
-from spoolman.database.utils import SortOrder, parse_nested_field
+from spoolman.database.utils import (
+    SortOrder,
+    add_where_clause,
+    add_where_clause_str,
+    add_where_clause_str_opt,
+    parse_nested_field,
+)
 from spoolman.exceptions import ItemCreateError, ItemNotFoundError
 from spoolman.math import weight_from_length
 
@@ -76,7 +82,7 @@ async def get_by_id(db: AsyncSession, spool_id: int) -> models.Spool:
     return spool
 
 
-async def find(  # noqa: C901, PLR0912
+async def find(
     *,
     db: AsyncSession,
     filament_name: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -104,20 +110,15 @@ async def find(  # noqa: C901, PLR0912
         .join(models.Filament.vendor, isouter=True)
         .options(contains_eager(models.Spool.filament).contains_eager(models.Filament.vendor))
     )
-    if filament_name is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.name.ilike(f"%{filament_name}%"))
-    if filament_id is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Spool.filament_id == filament_id)
-    if filament_material is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.material.ilike(f"%{filament_material}%"))
-    if vendor_name is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Vendor.name.ilike(f"%{vendor_name}%"))
-    if vendor_id is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Filament.vendor_id == vendor_id)
-    if location is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Spool.location.ilike(f"%{location}%"))
-    if lot_nr is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Spool.lot_nr.ilike(f"%{lot_nr}%"))
+
+    stmt = add_where_clause(stmt, models.Spool.filament_id, filament_id)
+    stmt = add_where_clause(stmt, models.Filament.vendor_id, vendor_id)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str(stmt, models.Vendor.name, vendor_name)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Filament.name, filament_name)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Filament.material, filament_material)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Spool.location, location)
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str_opt(stmt, models.Spool.lot_nr, lot_nr)
+
     if not allow_archived:
         # Since the archived field is nullable, and default is false, we need to check for both false or null
         stmt = stmt.where(
diff --git a/spoolman/database/utils.py b/spoolman/database/utils.py
index 5f95ad2..54e0c90 100644
--- a/spoolman/database/utils.py
+++ b/spoolman/database/utils.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 """Utility functions for the database module."""
 
 from enum import Enum
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Any, Optional, TypeVar
 
 import sqlalchemy
+from sqlalchemy import Select
+from sqlalchemy.orm import attributes
 
 from spoolman.database import models
 
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@ class SortOrder(Enum):
     DESC = 2
 
 
-def parse_nested_field(base_obj: type[models.Base], field: str) -> sqlalchemy.Column[Any]:
+def parse_nested_field(base_obj: type[models.Base], field: str) -> attributes.InstrumentedAttribute[Any]:
     """Parse a nested field string into a sqlalchemy field object."""
     fields = field.split(".")
     if not hasattr(base_obj, fields[0]):
@@ -33,3 +35,45 @@ def parse_nested_field(base_obj: type[models.Base], field: str) -> sqlalchemy.Co
         raise ValueError(f"Field '{fields[0]}' does not have any nested fields")
 
     return getattr(base_obj, fields[0])
+
+
+def add_where_clause_str_opt(
+    stmt: Select,
+    field: attributes.InstrumentedAttribute[Optional[str]],
+    value: Optional[str],
+) -> Select:
+    """Add a where clause to a select statement for an optional string field."""
+    if value is not None:
+        if len(value) == 0:
+            stmt = stmt.where(sqlalchemy.or_(field.is_(None), field == ""))
+        else:
+            stmt = stmt.where(field.ilike(f"%{value}%"))
+    return stmt
+
+
+def add_where_clause_str(
+    stmt: Select,
+    field: attributes.InstrumentedAttribute[str],
+    value: Optional[str],
+) -> Select:
+    """Add a where clause to a select statement for a string field."""
+    if value is not None:
+        if len(value) == 0:
+            stmt = stmt.where(field == "")
+        else:
+            stmt = stmt.where(field.ilike(f"%{value}%"))
+    return stmt
+
+
+T = TypeVar("T")
+
+
+def add_where_clause(
+    stmt: Select,
+    field: attributes.InstrumentedAttribute[T],
+    value: Optional[T],
+) -> Select:
+    """Add a where clause to a select statement for a field."""
+    if value is not None:
+        stmt = stmt.where(field == value)
+    return stmt
diff --git a/spoolman/database/vendor.py b/spoolman/database/vendor.py
index a9e66a9..120c061 100644
--- a/spoolman/database/vendor.py
+++ b/spoolman/database/vendor.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from sqlalchemy import func, select
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
 from spoolman.database import models
-from spoolman.database.utils import SortOrder
+from spoolman.database.utils import SortOrder, add_where_clause_str
 from spoolman.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 
 
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ async def find(
     Returns a tuple containing the list of items and the total count of matching items.
     """
     stmt = select(models.Vendor)
-    if name is not None:
-        stmt = stmt.where(models.Vendor.name.ilike(f"%{name}%"))
+
+    stmt = add_where_clause_str(stmt, models.Vendor.name, name)
 
     total_count = None