Headlight bulbs are a basic yet very important component of a car. Whether driving at night or on rainy days or snowy winter headlights help the driver have a better road vision. Using the best headlight bulbs is important and here we will look at the best bulbs to use on your car. We have talked about HID Kits and LED kits but there is one downside of using these headlight bulb kits.
They have a good light pattern but not the best during rainy days or snow. The best thing about choosing halogen headlight bulbs is the wide range of choices and cheap replacement cost. Here we will look at the best headlight bulbs that live the longest and give out the best light pattern and color.
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Best Headlight Bulbs Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Osram H11 OEM Halogen
Osram is a big German manufacturer that specializes in the production of the best headlight bulbs. Osram bulbs are known for their long life span and very well pattern the bulbs give to the road. Osram is known as Osram Sylvania, for US customers looking at Sylvania only, it is the same company. The 55W halogen bulbs are L-shaped making installation very easy. The bulbs go in as plug and play, the L-shaped form allows for a very steady and shockproof light pattern.
Pros of using this halogen bulb include the long life span of the bulb and OEM replacement for a lot of cars like Acura, AUDI, BMW, HONDA, HYUNDAI, Infiniti, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, MINI Cooper, Nissan, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo. These light bulbs require 12V input and the 55W output makes for great lighting.
Cons of using this halogen bulb include a higher price compared to other conventional bulbs but you get what you pay for. Osram products might be counterfeited since the product is of high quality, make sure to purchase from authentic sellers.
Best Value: Philips Lighting 9005 X-tremeVision
Our next editorial choice is Philips Lighting 9005 X-tremeVision. These are the best headlights bulbs you can ever pick. Compared to the above-mentioned Osram bulbs they are very likely in quality of light but not so much in life-span. The Philips Lighting 9005 X-tremeVision makes for a great OEM halogen replacement as they offer 100% more light compared to usual halogen bulbs. It is best advised to change the bulbs in pairs and they work out really well in rural areas or dimmy, foggy roads.
Pros of using these headlight bulbs include better light patterns and road vision. Philips Lighting 9005 X-tremeVision is also a waterproof bulb making it a must-have upgrade to your headlight assembly.
Cons of using these bulbs include their lifespan. Philips Lighting 9005 X-tremeVision claims 30,000 hours of service life while customers complain not to go further than 5 months. Also, the filter system is outdated and does not fit newer cars.
Honorable Mention: Philips D4R Standard Xenon
If your car comes packed with HID ballast and you are still using halogen lights you might consider upgrading to xenon bulbs. We recommend using Philips D4R Standard Xenon only if your car comes packed with OEM ballast. You can also try to purchase aftermarket ballast to fit your headlights but they tend to flicker the lights. Philips D4R Standard Xenon comes in different filter styles making it compatible with most cars.
Pros of using this headlight product include the best light pattern and color. Philips D4R Standard Xenon 360 degree design offers a full range for light, easily making it the best headlight bulbs to try out for xenon, bi-xenon headlights.
Cons of using Philips D4R Standard Xenon like any other xenon headlight needs a little time to reach an optimal temperature to regulate its light.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for the best headlight bulbs in a budget the overall best headlight bulbs are the Osram 55W halogen bulb, if your car has xenon-bi-xenon headlights consider upgrading to Philips D4R Standard Xenon.