Best LED Headlights

People that are nervous about driving are often nervous about the same things. They don’t like when it rains, they don’t like when there are tons of cars, and they don’t like when it gets dark. While it may be more fun to add a new flip out head unit and a pair of subs, spending on new lights is not a bad investment by any means.

While there’s little you can do about the amount of rain coming down (no matter how good your wipers are) and nothing you can do about the amount of people on the road, you can buy high-quality headlights in order to be able to see better.

There are plenty of different headlights out there, but one of the more popular ones are LED lights. Yes, LED, the same technology that has been in your TVs for ages.

While they can be a bit expensive at the front-end, they more than makeup for it down the road. LED headlights are around 80% more energy-efficient than Halogen headlights and they keep your battery healthy. They also last about five times as long as their Halogen counterparts.

Below, we’re going to go over some of the best LED headlights out on the market to find one that’s ideal for you and the best fit for your vehicle. Let’s go ahead and get started!

Akarui CREE LED Headlight Bulbs

Taking a look at these lights, one word immediately comes to mind: power. It’s going to be hard to find headlights that are more powerful and shine brighter than these bulbs from Akarui.

They give you a 55W output with 9600LMs of total power. According to Akarui themselves, that’s roughly three times more powerful than your average LED light.

As a result, these bulbs do get pretty hot pretty quickly. While that might be an issue for other bulbs, Akarui developed a cooling system made of cold-pressed aluminum heat silk in order to make sure these bad boys stay fresh throughout their lifespan. They also come with dual turbo fans that spin at 15,000 RPM.

While you might think that fans on headlights spinning so rapidly would cause a lot of noise, the truth is they’re the exact opposite. You won’t hear a peep from them as these fans are silent.

They’re also pretty durable, being shockproof and waterproof along with a lifetime warranty.

On the downside, we noticed that these bulbs would flicker when your car is motionless. Installation is also incredibly difficult and if you’re not an expert DIYer, then you’re going to have to take these bulbs to your nearest mechanic for proper installation.

Pros

• Very durable
• Fans keep the bulbs cool
• Incredibly bright

Cons

• Occasional flickering
• Difficult installation

DDM Tuning Saber Pro LED Headlight

DDM Tuning is used to making high-quality products and this set of LED headlights is no different. Each bulb is quite powerful, putting out 10,000 lumens. They’re not going to work with all cars, but if you’ve got a set your vehicle won’t need a decoder to use them.

They’re bright and durable, coming with a 2-year warranty and being completely white. With 6000K, you’re going to have to look high and wide in order to find a whiter bulb than this.

They’re pretty similar to HID lights and can be used as fog lights as well, showing off their versatility. Installation is pretty easy as well and once they’re in your vehicle, you won’t have to adjust the beam’s level.

This means less work for you but it also means that you’re not going to have to worry about blinding anyone out there.

On the downside, these bulbs don’t come with a resistor meaning that they may be exposed to short-circuiting. You can also only buy them in pairs, meaning if one stops working you’re going to have to pony up the cash for both, and these headlights aren’t cheap.

Pros

• Very bright, white color
• Durable and versatile
• Easy installation

Cons

• Don’t come with a resistor
• A bit pricey

Cougar Motor LED Headlight Bulbs

If we were handing out awards for the best-looking packaging, then this set of bulbs from Cougar would probably take the cake. But since we aren’t, we’re going to have to judge them based on their performance.

They are very powerful, 60W total and 30W per bulb meaning you’re going to be lighting up the streets with ease. There are no spotty or foggy patterns and you’re going to get nothing but a super clear beam the entire time.

The pair of bulbs comes with high luminous efficacy, 7200LM meaning that you’re going to be turning the night into day with just a flick of your wrist. They are going to immediately outshine any Halogen lights on the market and have a very long life as well, up to 50,000 hours. As a bonus, these bulbs are also CanBus-ready.

We found the installation process to be incredibly easy as well, so if you’re a beginner in the DIY field then you can definitely give these a try. They are also incredibly durable, being 100% waterproof and ready to withstand any of the elements that are thrown their way.

As a nice little touch, you get a three-year warranty with these headlights and we found they are compatible with just about all vehicles.

Pros

• Easy to install
• No spotty or foggy lights
• 50,000 hours of life

Cons

• Some users complained they weren’t compatible

BEAMTECH 9005 LED Headlight Bulb

These affordable bulbs do wonders for your vehicle and a solid investment. They come with Korean CSP LED chips and incredibly bright. It’s going to surprise you greatly, especially when you consider the price.

They have an output of 4000Lm with each light and you’re going to be able to see the entire road without any issues.

These bulbs are also waterproof so if you’re someone who constantly sees rain on the forecast, you won’t have to worry about your new purchases being affected. They don’t have any dark or foggy spots so you’ll be able to see everything without any issues.

Installation is a bit tricky here and although they’re advertised as plug and play, we found they aren’t as easy as advertised.

Each bulb is 25W and you’ll get 30,000 hours of use from these bulbs. They’re 6500K, which is about as pure white as you can get. They won’t blind anyone either, so you don’t have to worry about any angry drivers yelling at you.

Pros

• Affordable
• Bright enough for the price
• Durable

Cons

• Installation isn’t easy
• Not as bright as some may like

SNGL Super Bright LED Headlight Bulbs

Another affordable pair of headlights bulbs, these headlights have Adjustable Focus Length technology to make sure your beam pattern stays consistent and you have even light distribution. You’re not going to notice any foggy lights or miscolored spots while driving along.

It’s nice to see that they come with an anti-glare feature, something that is becoming more of the norm with LED headlights. They come with 6000K to emit a near perfect white light and each bulb has 5200 lumens, for a total of 10,400 between the pair.

These are also plug and play and will work with just about any vehicle, being CanBus-ready as well. You’re going to notice a huge difference with these over your Halogen or HID lights.

They also come with a great cooling system to make sure that these bulbs are going to last as long as possible and SNGL estimates you should be able to get up to 50,000 hours of life.

We also liked how durable these bulbs were, resistant to water, shocks, and heavy vibrations. So if you’re someone that’s out in the wild, these bulbs aren’t going to fail you anytime soon.

They also come with a two-year warranty which applies even if you decide to change the bulbs yourself.

Pros

• Easy installation, can be done in half an hour
• Innovating cooling feature
• Affordable

Cons

• Some intermittent flashing when stationary

XtremeVision 8G 72W LED Headlight Conversion Kit

When it comes to a jack-of-all-trades, a basic set of headlights then these are some of the best. They’re going to be an instant upgrade over your regular Halogen or HID lights. They are incredibly reliable, durable, and don’t produce any glare.

Installation is probably the easiest that we saw, just a simple plug and play and you won’t have any issues if you just follow the instructions. They fit in the majority of vehicles and we found very few people who claimed they didn’t fit in their vehicle.

They are waterproof and shockproof, meaning you can use them for years to come without any issues. They also come with a two-year warranty in case of any issues that may arise.

Each bulb produces 3000 lumens and you can even change the color with changeable colors films. You can go from soft white, 3000K, to ultra-white at 10000K.

Lastly, these lights have a tight pattern that will easily illuminate the road over long distances. You can drive safely and with peace of mind, not worrying about whatever may come upon the road.

Pros

• Incredibly easy installation
• Ability to change colors
• Durable

Cons

• Price is a bit high for some

HIKARI Ultra LED Headlight Bulbs

When looking at these bulbs, you may notice that they’re about the same size as your regular halogen bulbs. But after that, it’s pretty obvious that your Halogen lights can’t hold a candle to the power and ability of these HIKARI lights. They advertise that these bad boys are going to be 270% brighter than your stock-issued bulbs.

You’ll instantly notice the bright light and viewing distance that these bulbs offer. That’s because these bulbs have 6000 lumens each, the highest on this list by far. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find any lights out there that are brighter.

They use high-quality LED chips from Philips-Lumileds Luxeon and are about as high-tech as you get. You’re going to get extremely precise lights at just about any distance.

Surprisingly, these lights don’t use as much power as you would expect from a set with so many lumens. At just 23 Watts per bulb, they’re going to be quite efficient and are going to keep your battery strong and healthy for the long run.

Finally, they come with a two-year warranty that covers installation as well.

Pros

• Incredibly bright
• Can fit in just about any vehicle
• Very efficient

Cons

• Going to cost you a pretty penny

BEAMTECH H13 LED Headlight Bulb

After reviewing other products, you may have noticed that many are around the 40-50000 hour range. That’s slowly becoming the industry standard. These BEAMTECH bulbs, however, come up short and have just 30,000 hours.

Even though they don’t have the same lifespan, you should still give them a look for their other great qualities. They come with Korean CSP LED chips that are double-sided, meaning that these bulbs can shine bright with up to 8000 lumens of outputs.

These lights are plenty bright, giving out 6500K white light that is a few steps above your regular halogen lamp. You’ll see that each bulb has 25W of power, meaning they’re not going to be incredibly draining on your battery.

The light pattern is easy on the eyes and other drivers with its anti-glare technology. You won’t be getting tired eyes with these lights, no matter how long you’ll be driving at night.

We also loved the easy installation and the supers-safe technology. There is no risk for electromagnetic radiation or heavy current. There’s no need to worry about circuit interference.

You’ll also get a one-year warranty to ease your mind in case of any issues you may have with these bulbs from the start.

Pros

• Easy, simple installation
• Very affordable
• Anti-glare technology

Cons

• Doesn’t have the lifespan of other bulbs

Xenon-Vision LED Headlight Conversion Kit

These Xenon-Vision lights are going to provide you with immediate bright, white light. They’re an instant upgrade over your Halogen lights and emit three times more light than HID lights as well. Their lifespan is longer and if that wasn’t enough, they also consume 35% less power than your average Halogen light.

Coming with 6500K white light and emitting 3200 lumens each, you’re going to be able to see clearly and at a wider angle whenever you’re driving. You’re going to feel plenty comfortable and safe while you’re out driving around.

We also liked the light beam pattern and didn’t notice any dark spots or foggy parts of the light, even in the worst conditions.

They are also quite durable, being 100% shock and waterproof inside an aluminum casing. In addition, they come with over-heating protection with a 30,000-hour lifespan. Not as much as other products on the list, but still plenty of features to help you overlook that.

The micro fan is used to dispense the heat and keep it from building up inside the case, causing damage or long-term issues to your bulbs.

Xenon-Vision throws in a three-year warranty for these bulbs as well as free tech support over the entire lifespan.

Installation, however, was a pain and we believe that unless you’re an expert, you’re not going to be able to do this yourself and it’s best if you take your vehicle and these lights to a professional.

Pros

• Incredibly bright and clear light
• Very durable
• Tech support over the lifespan of bulbs

Cons

• Installation is a pain

H11/H9/H8 Xenon Depot Xtreme LED Pro Bulbs

With such a cool name like XenonPro, you would expect these bulbs to be top of the line and they definitely are. They offer fantastic brightness, a lifetime warranty, and a clear light pattern. They also advertise advanced German tech in their bulbs and while we’re not sure what that is exactly, we know it’s not lederhosen.

These bulbs come packed with 9000 lumens and 6000K of pure white brightness through the 45W LED drivers. They come with micro-fans that guarantee your bulbs will stay cool up to 45,000 hours of life.

XenonPro claims that these bulbs are three times brighter than your stock halogens. Worried about blinding any oncoming traffic? Don’t sweat it as these come with anti-glare technology to make sure you’re not “that person†on the road.

They are very, very easy to install and are about as plug-and-play as you get. We were able to take care of the installation in about 20 minutes and even if you’re a beginner, we guarantee you’ll be able to figure it out easily. XenonPro claims they can fit in 99% of vehicles, so don’t worry about being in the 1% in this case.

All of this is pretty affordable as well and XenonPro offers free two-day shipping for these bulbs. You can only find them on their website and are not sold on Amazon.

Pros

• Durable, shockproof and waterproof
• Affordable
• Easy installation

Cons

• Nothing big enough to write about

LED Headlight Buyers Guide

Below, we’re going to go over some things that you should consider as well as answering some questions that may be lingering in the back of your mind. We hope this little buying guide will help clear up any doubts that you may have lingering.

The Lumens

You’ve seen this mentioned on just about every product, the amount of lumens each bulb has. Lumens are the total quantity of visible light produced by a bulb. Color will make a light visible or not, but light intensity will be measured in lumens.

It’s pretty easy to remember, the more lumens a bulb has, the more intense the light is. Typically, you’ll see the total number of lumens between 6,000 and 10,000 lumens.

• Those in the 6,000 range are small intensity units and while you may be put off by the “small†part, they are just small compared to other units that can double their power. You’re still going to get fantastic visible range, up to 500 meters on a straight line. It’s more than enough for the average driver.
• Those with 8,000 lumens are medium intensity units and can light up everything on a 600-700 meter straight line. They are, obviously, more powerful than your small intensity and blow any Halogen light out of the water.
• Lastly, we have lights that are in the 10,000 lumens range. You can see great distances with these and often make nighttime look like day time. They can be a bit bright for people coming from the oncoming direction, but they do give you a safe and comfortable drive.

Life Expectancy

If you’ve ever bought an LED TV, you know that they come with a set of hours for their life expectancy. The same applies to bulbs, who also have a lifespan measured in the tens of thousands of hours.

Typically, these lights range in between 30,000 to 50,000 hours which is already five times better than your average Halogen lights, which typically only last 6,000 hours.

But just how long are those hours?

With 30,000 hours, you’re going to get about three years of use which is more than enough for most people. 50,000 hours is going to get your around 5-6 years. It really just depends on you and which one you’re looking for.

More and more, we’re seeing 50,000 hours becoming the norm among LED bulbs.

Bulb Color

There are two different measurements for lights, nM (nanometers) and K (Kelvin). Yes, that bizarre temperature that’s not Celcius nor Fahrenheit in high school physics class has finally come back to haunt you!

The lower the number, the warmer the color, and the warmer the color means the whiter the light.

While you’re not going to be able to choose green or light pink colors due to state laws, you can adjust the color due to the Kelvin mark of your bulbs.

Typically, you’re going to see bulbs in between the 2700 and 5000 range. While those closer to 2700 are usually not found in headlights, you can apply a colo film on your LED to make it change colors slightly.

3500-5000 are your middle of the road colors and give you a wider view of the road. You’ll likely find the majority of LED bulbs around this range.

Those at or around the 5000 mark are often called Cool or Daylight White. They’re going to give you the best and widest view of any of the bulbs present and it’s going to look like everything is illuminated like it’s daytime. They may strain your eyes, but that’s not a typical issue.

Halogen Lights vs. LED Lights

After going through these reviews, you may be tempted to run to your car and rip out your Halogen lights immediately. That’s not always the case and we’re not going to tell you that it’s absolutely necessary to make the change, although we highly recommend it.

Halogen lights do come with a list of advantages, such as they’re easier to install, have a simple design, and are quite affordable.

Unfortunately, they consume more energy, create a high amount of heat, and aren’t going to be as clear as LED lights. All you have to do is Google a few photos or watch a YouTube video to see the immediate difference.

LED lights, on the other hand, are much more energy-efficient, have multiple colors, are longer-lasting, and don’t emit nearly as much heat. On the downside, they tend to be pretty expensive and are much more difficult to install.

That doesn’t mean installation is impossible and many modern LED lights have become easier, but Halogen lights are still much easier overall.

So while the average Halogen light is fine for the now, installing LED lights is seen as a worthy investment for your vehicle. You might be paying a high price now, but they’re going to last you longer down the road.

The biggest difference is how much longer they last. We’re not talking about a few days or months, but you’re going to get more years out of your LED lights. So while you might be paying a cheaper price at the beginning, investing in LED lights is better for the longevity of your vehicle.

Rough estimates say you could change your Halogen lights five times for every one time that someone changes their LED bulbs.

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, we highly recommend changing out your Halogen lights for an upgrade LED pair. You’re going to get brighter lights, a wider field of vision, and they’re going to last longer.

We recommend making sure that the lights you choose to work with your car by looking at the manufacturer’s website or checking out additional online reviews. While many of the lights are advertised as plug-and-play, they don’t always work out like that.

Soon, you’ll have a more clear and bright drive for years to come. Happy shopping!