Like brake lights and turn signal lights, headlights are an essential component in cars. They allow drivers to see clearly during the night and through challenging weather like rain, snow, and fog. Halogen lights were the standard for a while until LED lights came into the picture.
LED lights have better performance and add an aesthetic appeal to your car. However, there are so many LED lights on the market that choosing one becomes a tedious task. Fortunately, we've gone ahead to assemble a list of the best LED headlight bulbs on the market and the factors to keep in mind when selecting them.
Enjoy!
1. Cougar Motor LED Headlight Bulbs
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Cougar Motor H11 | H8 | H9 LED Bulb, 12000LM 6500K Cool White All-in-One Conversion Kit Direct...
- True 1:1 Size: Extreme 1:1 design of Cougar Motor new generation...
- High-brightness Chips: Adopting the new multi-core eutectic...
- Comfortable and Durability: Integrated precision aluminum shell...
- Perfect Match Beam: The luminous point of the led bulb is surpass...
- Intelligent + Intimate: The exquisite lamp body built-in highly...
The Cougar Motor LED Bulb Kit offers the overall best LED headlights on the market. It features new Optics Technology, great LED chips, exceptional heat dissipation capabilities, and longevity. The top chips on these headlights provide a cool white 6000K illumination higher than that of halogen bulbs.
Infused with the most current technology, the Cougar Motor beam shines without fogginess or dark spots. The aluminum housing makes it durable, while the 7,000 RPM TurboCool fan runs the cooling system to give these LED bulbs more than 50,000 hours of continuous lighting. The rugged construction ensures that these lights can work in any condition and
It is easy to install these LED headlight bulbs since all you need to do is plug them and play, which could take as little as 20 minutes. These CanBus-Ready bulbs are compatible with the computer systems of various vehicles, which makes them a great option.
These LED headlights feature a completely sealed waterproof design to keep moisture away. Additionally, the LED kit comes with a glare control feature that keeps the way bright for the driver while appearing dim to coming cars.
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2. BEAMTECH LED Headlight Conversion Kit
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BEAMTECH H11 LED Bulb, 12000LM 60W Fanless In Line H8 H9 6500K Xenon White
- In Line Upgrade: H11 led bulb is all in one design, without...
- Fanless Design: H11 | H8 | H9 led bulb runs more stable without...
- Wider Visibility: The luminous point of led bulb is the same as...
- Stable Heat Dissipation: Each bulb has an aviation aluminum...
- Instant Switch On: The led bulb is easy installation, just plug...
Next in line is the BEAMTECH LED, one of the best LED headlights for several reasons. Firstly, each of the bulbs features four chips that make them shine four times brighter than an original halogen bulb. This makes it well suited to meet all your illumination needs as you drive your vehicle in the dark of night.
With a color temperature of 6500K cool white, these LED headlights have high lighting technology for brighter light with minimal power consumption. These BEAMTECH headlights also come with a unique cooling system made from aircraft-grade aluminum to maintain an optimal temperature that helps extend the lifespan of the LED bulbs up to 30,000hrs.
Built from durable materials, the housing and fan are designed to last and work even in the harshest conditions. Additionally, the intelligent temperature control system increases heat dissipation to keep the LED lights in good shape. It features plug and play installation and has a design that allows for the direct replacement of halogen bulbs.
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3. HIKARI Cree XHP50
Hikari VisionPlus H11/H8/H9 LED Bulbs,15000LM,30W TOP XHP50.2 LED Equivalent to 100W Ordinary...
- ·【TOP XHP50.2 LED】Compared to regular halogen bulbs, XHP50.2...
- ·【15,000lm High Lumens Performance】Whether you need extra...
- ·【Wider Beam Pattern】 The all-new XHP50.2 LED bulbs feature...
- ·【+500% lifetime over than stock】The HIKARI XHP50.2 LED bulb...
- ·【CANBUS Built-in/Error Free】These bulbs have CANBUS...
The HIKARI XHP50 of the "Night King" series is the perfect choice for illuminating the road ahead in darkness while overspreading the width of the lights increases the driver's field of illumination. This makes it one of the best LED headlights that a driver can buy.
These LED bulbs exist in various sizes, allowing drivers of various vehicles to find the best one for them. Unfortunately, the HIKARI XHP50 is not compatible with the computer systems of European vehicles, which means that you will incur additional costs for the Can-Bus.
These headlights have 2 LED chips which help produce enough light to see well in the dark. The uniform beam pattern eliminates dark spots and shadows from the illumination path of these LED headlights. Additionally, these lights can work in all environments, including fog, rain, haze, or snow.
The LED bulbs are meant to reach a lifespan of 50,000 hours and are a great option for Dodge Ram, Toyota, Honda, Chevy, and Ford.
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4. Fahren Low Beam LED Headlight Bulbs
Fahren 9005/HB3 High Beam 9006/HB4 Low Beam LED Headlight Bulbs Combo, 24000 Lumens Super Bright LED...
- 3X Brighter Than Halogen: Great Automotive Grade LED chips with...
- Quick And Easy Installation: Almost 1:1 mini design same as...
- CAN bus Ready for 98% Vehicles: Our bulbs work with 98% of...
- More than 5,0000 Hours Lifetime: Whole aviation aluminum body,...
- Notice: The filter system may not be correct. If you can't sure...
Fahren LED headlight feature super bright LED bulbs that are three times brighter than halogen lamps. It can focus the beam to remove foggy light and dark spots while keeping the lights dim for incoming traffic. If you want to adjust the beam, the Fahren LED lighting features a 360-degree adjustable locker ring to help you set the best beam pattern.
The installation design of these LED headlights is plug and play, making them easy to install as halogen replacement bulbs without modification. This makes them one of the best LED headlights you can find today.
You can comfortably connect these headlights with your vehicle's computer system since it is CanBus ready, making it compatible with most models. With an efficient cooling system, these LED headlights can last up to 50,000 hours thanks to the 12000 RPM cooling fan. Additionally, these lights are waterproof and dustproof, which makes them ideal for withstanding extreme conditions.
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5. LASFIT LED Headlight Bulbs
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LASFIT H11 H8 H9 LED Bulbs with Cooling Fan, 2022 Upgrade Automotive Light Bulbs 6000K Cool White -...
- 【Why Choose LASFIT LCplus】LASFIT LCplus is an upgraded...
- 【Be Our Happy Customer】: LASFIT H11 led bulbs offer 1 year...
- 【Super Bright】The latest technology to ensure the focused and...
- 【Perfect Beam Pattern】 This led bulb come with 360°...
- 【Longer Lifespan】: Unique coverless design efficiently...
If you are looking for a good replacement for your halogen lights, the LASFIT conversion kit headlights are a great option. The bulbs are 200% brighter than halogen headlights helping you see better at night with decent clarity. The base is adjustable, allowing the lights to turn 360 degrees to let you find the best light beam design, making these LasFit lights one of the best LED headlights you can buy.
You can count on these headlights to keep it cool since they have an efficient cooling system that enables the bulbs to last much longer than usual. The ultra-slim build of the bulbs helps focus light in a wider field of view to let the driver see further and wider.
The slim ALL-IN-ONE design of these bulbs allows them to fit in most vehicles without any modification. Plus, the plug and play installation make it easy to get these bulbs into your car without spending too much time.
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Factors to Consider When Buying the Best LED Headlights
1. Types of Headlights
There are three main types of headlights we will discuss: Halogen, LED, and HID headlights.
Halogen headlights tend to generate much heat in contrast to the amount of light they produce. They are not the most energy-efficient option on the market. Additionally, halogen lights produce less light than LED and HID headlights.
HID (High-Intensity Headlights) produce a decent amount of light, but they also cast a shadow onto the surrounding areas. This can prove problematic since it can make it harder for the driver to spot a pedestrian crossing the road, resulting in an accident. Plus, the blue-white light of HID headlight can reflect foggy conditions causing temporary blindness.
LED Headlights can provide more brightness than the other types of headlights, and they won't compromise your safety during driving. They illuminate the road without affecting the driver's vision or that of oncoming cars.
LED headlights can also reach full brightness instantly in contrast to HID lights which take a few seconds to reach their full brightness. The only downside to LED lights is that they are more expensive than the other headlight types.
2. LED Colors
LED headlights come in different colors to serve various needs. They could be white, yellow, blue or purple.
- White LEDs
Most people transition from halogen headlights to improve illumination and nighttime visibility, which white LED lights do. The white color light is the closest to natural sunlight, making it suitable for lighting the road at night.
- Yellow LEDs
The LEDs with a yellow lens produce light similar to that of a halogen bulb or fog lights. However, yellow LEDs produce much more light, making them a good choice for drivers looking to enhance light emission from their fog lights while retaining the stock halogen light color. Yellow LEDs are the most suitable for fog lights.
- Blue
Blue LEDs emit a stylish ocean blue color which gives the vehicle a luxurious look while improving visibility during nighttime drives. The blue color is a great choice for drivers looking for both brightness and an elegant look. Unfortunately, this light is not bright enough for driving through fog, snow or rain.
- Purple
Since purple is a dark color, these LEDs are the least bright of the bunch and are only suitable for style rather than function. These lights could be illegal in some jurisdictions.
3. Pattern of the Beam Light
As you select LED lights for your car, you will want to consider the beam scatter patterns they produce. Let's look at the patterns you can choose from
- Spot Beam
This is a focused light beam that projects light at a 10-degree angle. The light it emits can go quite far, making it a great choice for people who mostly drive on straight country roads. Since the beam is narrow, drivers have a hard time seeing obstacles on the side of the road.
- Flood Beam
A flood beam emits light at a wide angle of 60 degrees which is enough to illuminate the road's sides as the car moves. This makes it easier for the driver to detect obstacles, thereby increasing safety. As such, this type of beam is the best for curvy country roads or fast-moving trails.
- Combination Beam
This is a versatile option combining the flood beam and spot beam light patterns.
- Driving Beam
The pattern for this beam takes a diamond shape and is great for cars, ATVs, and trucks.
- Diffusion Beam
This led light beam emits a soft light that produces an illusion of an obstacle surrounded by light instead of producing glare like other beams. This pattern is best for fog and reverse lights.
4. LED Headlight Cooling System
LED headlights produce a lot of heat and easily become too hot. That is why they are built with an integrated cooling system. Overheating headlights won't last very long; that is why you should choose any of these cooling systems.
- Heat Sink
You will find a heat sink in fanless LEDs, a passive cooling mechanism that ensures high heat dissipation to cool the lights. It doesn't use external sources to cool the headlights down, making them more long-lasting, energy-efficient, and cost-effective than fan-cooled LEDs. Unfortunately, since they depend on natural resources like the wind, they need continuous monitoring.
- Cooling Fans
This mechanism involves a fan that rotates to reduce the build-up of heat in the LEDs. It is effective and compact but uses electrical power, adding to your maintenance costs. They are also noisy and attract a lot of dust which can affect the performance of the headlights.
5. Types of LED Chips
There are three primary types for LED chips;
Surface Mounted Diode - this is a standalone chip built into various packages to provide linear light strips. One chip could have three diodes of red, blue and green to create any color you desire.
Chip on Board - these work with single color applications but are powerful and efficient.
Flip Chip - these involve mounting the diode upside down to reduce costs while increasing the focus of the beam.
6. Projector vs Reflector Style Headlights
Reflector headlights have a bulb inside a steel bowl with mirrors for reflecting the light onto the road. They are cheaper and smaller than the projector types.
Projector headlights also have a bulb and a steel bowl, and a lens that acts as a magnifying glass to focus and increase the brightness of the beam.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the best LED headlights on the market?
The overall best LED headlights you can buy are the Cougar Motor LED Headlight kits which are great for illumination and give your car a good look.
2. How long should an LED headlight bulb last?
Most LED headlight bulbs have an average operating life of 50,000 hours, making them viable for more than 11 years if used for 12 hours daily.
3. Are LED headlights legal?
Yes, LED headlights are legal. However, it is conditioned on whether the beam allows visibility between 50 and 100 meters ahead. This will ensure it is not too bright for oncoming traffic.