Keep Your Vision Clear With The Best Replacement Headlights
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Sylvania SilverStar Halogen Replacement Headlights -
Piaa Xtreme White Replacement Headlight -
Sylvania High Performance Halogen Replacement Headlight -
Piaa White Platinum LED Bulb Replacement Headlight -
OSRAM XENARC D3S HID Xenon Replacement Headlight -
Buyer's Guide
Headlights aren’t just a stylistic choice, they’re an integral part of automobile safety. Driving at night with dim or blown headlights is dangerous not only to yourself, but to oncoming motorists as well. Whether your current vehicle headlights are dying or not, there’s never been a better time than now to replace them with higher-performance options.
Some things to consider when replacing headlights are brightness and color as you want to avoid blinding or dazing oncoming motorists. When replacing headlights, be certain to not touch the bulb with your bare hands since headlights run at extremely high temperatures, and the oils from your hand can cause them to wear out much more quickly.
We've selected some of the best replacement headlights in 2022 available, due to their excellent overall performance. All of our picks offer excellent illumination of the road ahead while still being road-legal. Each of the following headlights should offer reliable performance, lasting long enough to ensure getting more than your money's worth in longevity and performance.
The Best Replacement Headlight Models of 2022
Sylvania SilverStar Halogen Replacement Headlights - Best Replacement Headlights Overall
The Sylvania SilverStar series of bulbs are by far the most popular replacement choice when it comes to headlights. These bulbs are 100 percent street legal replacement headlights that provide brighter illumination to light up the road ahead.
Enclosed in the bulb is a dual-filament setup designed to provide low and high beam options, ensuring you won’t blind other motorists and the 4000K color temperature means these lights shine a bright white. SilverStar Ultra bulbs are known for their fantastic balance between life and brightness, and they make a priceless addition to your night driving portfolio.
Piaa Xtreme White Replacement Headlight - Runner Up
The ‘Intense White’ classification from PIAA means light that comes as close as possible to the neutral ‘white light’. With a 4100K color temperature and plenty of power, you can be assured that these bulbs will light up the road ahead with ease. The large glass tube allows the Intense White bulbs to provide plenty of illumination while keeping the temperatures cooler than competing bulbs.
The balance between service life and brightness is ideal, with the increased illumination and light color adding a dash of style to your car. Overall, the PIAA Intense White is an excellent choice that offers the perfect mix of style, safety, and practicality.
Sylvania High Performance Halogen Replacement Headlight - Honorable Mention
If you’re not comfortable with running headlights as bright as the SilverStar Ultra bulbs, consider the less-powerful standard SilverStar headlights. The output of these light bulbs is lower than the SilverStar Ultra bulbs, but still remain bright enough for a marked improvement over stock. This means that the road will be illuminated with a bright, white light, but has less of a chance of blinding oncoming drivers than with the Ultra series headlights.
Performance-wise, the standard SilverStar is equipped with a dual-filament setup allowing both low and high beam options. Sylvania SilverStar bulbs strike a near-perfect balance between service life and brightness, and the performance these bulbs are capable of will definitely benefit you when driving at night.
Piaa White Platinum LED Bulb Replacement Headlight - Also Consider
This bulb carries PIAA’s “Xtreme White” designation, easily one of the most popular PIAA bulbs on the market today. With a color temperature of 4000K and plenty of power output, these bulbs will light up the road ahead with ease. A blue coating tops off the large glass tube, and it combines stylish looks, excellent lighting, and long bulb life.
The light emitted from these bulbs is less likely to startle oncoming drivers by being overly bright, a flaw seen in lesser bulbs attempting to compensate for the lack of performance by driving up the output. With the perfect mix of style, performance, and reliability, it’s hard to beat the combination that the PIAA Xtreme White bulbs offer.
OSRAM XENARC D3S HID Xenon Replacement Headlight - Also Consider
Osram is one of the leading developers in headlight technology and their products are already used as stock equipment in fancier cars. However, they haven’t ignored the other side of the market as their Night Breaker headlights were designed as replacement headlights for just about every car on the road today.
The Night Breaker bulbs claim to be the “brightest halogen light in the world”, a statement which is hard to disagree with once you see the light emitted by them. These lights are much more capable of lighting up the road ahead than the stock halogen bulbs, and the white color of the light makes it easy to see what’s ahead.
Buyer's Guide
Driving in darkness is a risky adventure that could jeopardize your safety and that of other road users. However, with headlights, you can easily navigate your car through dark terrains. Every car comes with headlights. Like all other things, these headlights have a life span, meaning you will need a replacement for them sooner or later. The review above took you through the best headlights available. Knowing the best products is one part of the process; knowing how to pick out the most suitable product is the other part of the process. This buying guide helps you through the second part by detailing everything you should know before buying a replacement headlight.
What are the Types of Replacement Headlights?
When shopping for replacement headlights, you will find out that there are various types available. The three most common types are HID headlights, LED headlights and halogen headlights. Please keep reading to know more about these headlights and their characteristics.
HID Headlights
HID, short for high intensity discharge, is a type of headlight that gives out bright white light. Compared to halogen headlights, HID headlights last longer. HID headlights contain gas that charges and illuminates through electrodes. You should endeavor to ask about local laws about HID headlights because it is banned in certain places. HID headlights usually don’t reach their full power quickly because the gas takes a couple of seconds to charge fully. HID headlights are also known as Xenon headlights.
LED Headlights
LED headlights are the newest type of headlights among the three. They also produce the least heat and thus have the longest life span of the three types. They are energy efficient. However, due to the fact that they are more expensive than halogen lights, the switch to LED headlights has not been as quick as anticipated. Also, there are regulations surrounding such a switch in some regions.
Halogen Headlights
Halogen lights have been around for a while. They are the most common type of headlight you’ll find in cars because they are cost-effective. It contains filaments made of tungsten and halogen gas. Halogen lights produce light when these components heat up. Moisture often affects the performance of halogen headlights.
What are the Factors to Consider When Buying a Replacement Headlight?
Before buying a replacement headlight, you should look at certain features to ensure it serves you optimally.
Wattage
The wattage rating is one of the first factors you should consider before buying a replacement headlight. This factor is important because the wattage affects the bulb’s brightness. Oftentimes, the first question that comes to mind when we hear of headlights or other light-producing items is ‘how bright is it?’ Therefore, you should check the headlight’s wattage before buying one.
Energy Consumption
It is a given that your headlight will consume energy. However, it is essential that you ascertain the amount of energy that the headlight consumes before buying one. If it consumes too much energy, your battery will bear the brunt when the headlight runs for a long period. You don’t want your battery to go dead right in the middle of the road on a dark night because of your headlight’s energy consumption.
Heat Production
You should also look out for the headlight’s heat production before you splash the cash. They always produce heat when in use; however, some types of lights produce more heat than others. The more heat the bulb produces, the sooner the bulb will blow up. LED headlights, as mentioned above, produce the least heat and are preferred to halogen headlights in this regard.
Aesthetics
Apart from lighting up your path, replacement headlights can also add to your car’s aesthetic feel. An elegant headlight can make your car more attractive. Therefore, if enhancing your car’s look is a priority, you should consider the aesthetic import of the replacement headlight on your vehicle.
When do You Need Replacement Headlights?
Different circumstances may necessitate the need to get replacement headlights. Some of the most common reasons to buy a replacement headlight are highlighted below.
Cracked headlight
When your current headlight gets cracked, it is time to get a replacement headlight. A cracked headlight may break down totally at any time. To avoid getting caught unawares, you should get a replacement headlight as soon as you can.
Dim light
When you notice your headlight is getting dim, it’s time to get a replacement. Dim light is the notice you need to know the headlight is due for replacement.
Darker routes
Sometimes, your headlight may not be exactly dim or cracked, just that your route is darker and your current headlights simply cannot keep up. When you observe this, you should get a replacement headlight.
Final Thoughts on Replacement Headlights
Your headlights often always show you signs when they are about to break down, except in crash cases when everything happens suddenly. In addition, ensure you understand local laws about certain types of replacement headlights. This is particularly important when changing from one type of headlight to the other.
How Much do Replacement Headlights Cost?
The cost of replacement headlights usually depends on the type you are buying. Halogen headlights are the most affordable type. Usually, low-end replacement headlights cost between $15 and $30. High-end ones cost between $60 and $100.
Replacement Headlight FAQs
Q – Can you replace your headlight yourself?
A – Yes, you can. You don’t need to visit a mechanic to replace your headlight. You can gain access to the headlight compartment by opening your hood and undoing the lamp connections. Remove the old bulb and slot in the replacement.
Q – Why do headlights burn out?
A – There are a few reasons why your headlights burn out. Improper connection is one of the common reasons why headlights burn out. Vibration and the presence of moisture in the headlight capsule are some other reasons.
Q – Can you replace just one headlight?
A – You can replace only one headlight. However, experts often recommend that you replace both headlights because factory-fitted headlights usually have the same life expectancy. So, if one goes off, the other is not far behind.
