We’ll show you 4 of the brightest 9005 bulbs on the market, and then we’ll show you how to make sure that you get the best one for your needs.
Philips 9005 CrystalVision Ultra Upgrade Headlight Bulb, 2 Pack
If you’re inclined to stick with halogens instead of going with the obvious upgrade, the Philips CrystalVision Ultra set is exactly what you’re looking for. These super bright halogen lights will allow you a huge amount of visibility on the road and they come in a bright “daylight” spectrum.
If you’re dedicated to old tech or just don’t want to break the bank, these are the bulbs for you. They’re among the best 9005 bulbs for the money.
Auxbeam F-S2 Series 9005 LED Headlight Bulbs Conversion Kits
There’s a reason that LED bulbs are taking over in the lighting world. They’re amazingly efficient, super bright for their wattage ratings, and provide clear, bright light. This kit will allow you to plug in LEDs into any lamp that normally takes a 9005 bulb. All of this comes in an easy to install kit and the intense white shows signs and road paint much more clearly than standard bulbs. If you want to add some new tech to your car, then these bulbs (see full specs) are exactly what you’re looking for.
SNGL Super Bright LED Headlight Kit – Adjustable-Beam Bulbs – 9005 ( H10,HB3,9145 ) – 110w
This ultra-bright LED conversion kit will allow you to light up just about anything. The bulbs come in with a combined 110W of power, or 55W per bulb, and are over 250% brighter than a standard halogen 9005 bulb. They’re pretty impressive and are among the brightest 9005 bulbs around. If you want a jaw-droppingly bright beam (see full specs), and you’re willing to pay a large premium, then this set is exactly what you’re looking for.
Calais 9005 HB3 30W 1100LM LED Fog Light Bulbs Plug-n-Play
If you want to upgrade your fog lights for the maximum amount of safety, these ultra bright, golden colored bulbs are exactly what you’re looking for. The yellow won’t reflect back at you as much as “hotter” colors and these bulbs are specifically designed to replace fog lighting in your vehicle. For upgrading your fog lights, these are an absolute winner for the best 9005 bulbs.
Deciding on the Brightest Set of 9005 Bulbs
Your bulbs are an important consideration in your car that often don’t get much love. Most people don’t have to change out their headlights very often, so they just go to the nearest part store and pick up whatever is recommended.
Brighter bulbs mean higher visibility and more safety on the road when you’re driving in the dark. If you’re planning on going for the brightest 9005/HB3 bulbs possible, then the primary measurement you’re going to be concerned with is the wattage. Keep in mind that wattage translates differently between LED and halogen bulbs; LEDs will simply put out a whole lot more light than a halogen is capable of.
Halogens are remarkably bright, compared to the incandescent bulbs of the past, if you’re willing to spend the money and you want the largest amount of light pouring out of your headlights possible, then there’s one option you should definitely consider.
Upgrading to LED Bulbs
If you want to upgrade your standard headlights, and probably never have to do so again, then LED bulbs are likely the best 9005 bulb choice. The readily available kits on the market today can be plugged in as simply as a regular bulb and they offer some serious advantages:
- Their lifespan is measured in tens of thousands of hours
- They’re amazingly energy efficient
- They’re more likely to survive a minor wreck
- They’re super bright
Really, the only problem with them is that they primarily come in hot white colors that some people’s eyes aren’t used to. It’s a small price to pay, however, if you’re just looking to get the brightest lights possible.
They can also be a bit more complex, while they don’t generate a ton of heat they are more sensitive to heat than most other bulb types. A good set will almost always have an integrated fan in order to offset this.
They also come in yellows for fog lights, and they’re a pretty impressive upgrade over whatever you might have started with in that case.
With a good LED set it’s likely that the bulbs will outlast the car. That’s a pretty cool feature, to say the least. They’re also not quite as touchy as regular halogen bulbs.
Installing Your Lights
If you opt for an LED conversion set, then you’ll just want to follow the instructions given with them but halogen bulbs are notoriously testy when it comes to being handled so keep the following in mind:
Never, ever touch a halogen bulb with your bare hands. This can cause the casing to fail from the oils on your skin and then you’ll have to pick up another one. If you remember nothing else then just don’t touch the bulb without a barrier in between you and it.
Replacing them is comically easy for most people. Simply locate the knob at the back of the headlight, unscrew it, and screw the new bulb in.
LED conversions can get a bit more complex, but each case is different so make sure you read the instructions.
Conclusion
Picking out the best and brightest 9005 bulb you can find is a fairly cheap and easy way to upgrade your car that actually matters quite a bit on the road. Remember to take into account your most common driving weather and you’ll do just fine, since you can’t go wrong with any of the bulbs we recommended.
So, get to it, a whole new world of visibility is waiting to be illuminated for you. Good luck!
