When it comes to getting a better vision at night in off-road conditions, regular factory headlights aren’t the perfect ones always for the job. Particularly when you are driving through challenging surfaces, it’s critical to have enough light to see clearly ahead of you, particularly if there is wildlife existence. Many people install heavy-duty LED bars on their vehicles when they drive off-road to provide additional lighting in these difficult conditions.
What Are LED Light Bars?
The most important car accessories, particularly for night vision and driving outdoors, are LED light bars. The light bars allow the driver to drive with ease in places where visibility is limited and at night. However, this is just not the only reason why you can add a light bar to your vehicle. The light bar is also used during the day, particularly when the weather is foggy, as it is during the winter months.
Those of you looking for the best LED light bars to brighten up your driving experience, go through this review about the top 10 best-LED light bars to find the appropriate lighting accessories for your setup.
1. Autofeel LED Light Bar Kit
You’ve come to the right place if you’ve been searching the brightest of LED bars. The type of LED light bar from Autofeel installed in your car ensures that you’re safe anytime of the day, be it in the morning or at night. It’s an ergonomically built tool that provides optimum visibility both at night and during the day.
The LED chips (OSRAM) are used for illuminating light and also for the signal in this product. The broad view combined with the brightness of this light bar is two of its best features. According to some reports, low visibility is to blame for the majority of nighttime injuries. However, you can drive safely on any road with this bar. When driving at any time of day, the combination of spot and super-bright beam ensures your safety.
The beam (spot) is a great medium-sized light that gives you a great visual effect. The light bar has a thick arched cover that adds to its durability.
The 72000LM LED-powered Light Bar Kit from Autofeel is a flexible tool that is ideal in various situations. It suits vehicles like Volkswagen, Mini, Jeep, Ranger, and Nissan. You can add this light bar to your boat if you are looking to improve your visibility on the water. This LED light, which can be used for Harvester, can be very useful for farmers who usually have to work during nighttime or in misty weather.
Purchasing any LED-powered spotlight/lightbar for your vehicle necessitates purchasing a product capable of withstanding any adverse weather. Such a bar is dust and waterproof to the IP68 level, enabling driving safely in heavy rain or in dusty weather. It is electrically conductive to a high degree. It’s also immune to high temperatures and freezing weather, ensuring that it won’t be harmed by extreme weather.
The light’s angle can also be adjusted to several degrees, such as 90, 180, 240, or even 15, or 30, whatever you want. With this, you can change the beam’s path simply and quickly. A three-year warranty and assistance for lifetime are also included.
Thus, this LED Light Bar Kit from Autofeel offers an outstanding balance of durability, quality, and price. The light is bright enough to guarantee you safety on the road at all hours of the day and night.
Features
- Bright LED lights
- Suitable for most vehicles
- Lights’ angle can be adjusted to several degrees
- 3-year warranty and lifetime support provided
The Pros
- Very durable and quality product
- All weather and IP68 waterproof
- It can be used as harvester
The Cons
- Mounting the light can be difficult
- Folding bars aren’t wired together
2. Bangbangche Spot Flood Combo LED Light Bar
Purchasing the best LED light in today’s world can be a little overwhelming due to the abundance of options available. It is unlikely to find an item that offers you quality at a reasonable price. With Bangbangche, however, you’ll get this ideal balance. This brand is reputed for producing high-end products with excellent features, and it is a trusted brand in the industry. And the Bangbangche Light Bar is no exception. 4PCS 18W floodlight bar and a 126W (1 piece) LED flood spot combo light bar are included in the kit.
The operating voltage of this LED light bar (126 Watts) ranges from 10 to 30V DC and comes with a spot beam too. This light can be used on a variety of heavy machinery, including trucks and combine harvesters. It can be mounted on a boat to enhance the water’s visibility in misty weather or during nighttime. The item is also suitable for tow trucks, mining vehicles, jeeps, pickup trucks, Toyota Tacomas, and motorcycles.
It is also useful in lighting for patios, construction lighting, in a pontoon/boat for fishing at night, and various outdoor and indoor applications such as parties and dinners.
This light bar’s excellent heat dissipation is one of its best features. It’s built with a sink (aluminum-made) to increase the area of heat dissipation and keep the light cool when in operation, preventing the light bar from getting overheated. A diecast (heat-resistant) aluminum housing is also included, allowing the bar to endure extreme temperatures. The bar has enough durability with 50000 hours of extended lifespan. Thus, this light bar is an affordable yet bright enough solution for most.
Features
- Great Heat dissipation
- Suitable for most vehicles
- 10500 Lumens
- 12-month warranty included
The Pros
- IP67 Waterproof
- It has several uses
- 4 pcs of 18 watt light comes with the package
The Cons
- No instruction manual included
- Moisture gets trapped into it leading to damage
- No wiring harness
3. Rigidhorse Light Bar Kit (LED)
Rigidhorse LED Light Bar Kit is your best bet amongst the top 22-inch LED-powered light bar.
This is lightbar of supreme quality with a high light output that utilizes the flat series of OSRAM LED chips (H9QP). It specifically provides the brightest light of 30000LM for the driver’s lighting requirements in long-distances. As compared to standard light bars, the illumination brightness and irradiation distance are increased by 80%.
In the dark or foggy weather conditions, its flood and spot beam combination provides a large, clear light beam.
While searching for the top LED-powered light bars on the market, the first thing you think about is how simple it is to install. Since the light is simple to assemble reassemble, and disassemble, it does not require any special skills. It folds for storing easily and has more LED chips than a standard light bar with four-rows.
Lamb beads in two rows are used in the LED light bar pack. The unusual angle arrangement ensures that the lighting irradiation region is both smooth and leveled. Furthermore, it employs a new simplified design to reduce the heat sink’s whistles and noise while driving. A sturdy bracket is included in the package that secures the light bar in place.
With an IP68 waterproof rating, driving is possible in heavy rain without worrying about the light being affected. It’s also rust, crash, shake, scratch, and heat-resistant. As a result, this LED light bar can be used in any harsh setting.
To enhance visibility for easy navigation, the Led Light can be mounted in container ships, warships, boats, and yachts. This light has high-efficiency anti-corrosion and dustproof features, thanks to its aviation aluminum and IP68 safety rating.
The LED-powered Light Bar is ideally built to offer you better vision by removing all road hazards. You’ll get a flood optic system and subversive spot with a highly-intense light spread with this product. It’s a great light for all kinds of vehicles and boats.
Features
- Enhanced brightness with OSRAM LED chips
- Suitable for most vehicles, boats, etc
- Combo beam
- It can be stored easily
The Pros
- Streamlined design
- IP68 Waterproof and all weather resistant
- Resistant to scratch, heat, rust, shake, crash, etc
- Package includes a sturdy bracket
The Cons
- No wiring harness
4. Nilight High Power LED Light Bars
The Nilight-71013C-A is a low-cost option to add a curved LED light bar to your home. This model is appealing and incorporates some of the features found in higher-end models. This light bar doesn’t provide the same level of brightness compared to the more expensive ones, but it offers quite a good volume of extra lights for those who are looking for a budget LED bar.
The curved LED light bar uses 180 watts of power and emits 11,675 raw lumens. It comes with sport-focused beams, taking advantage of the lower lumens to provide a clearer picture. These LED lights emit a 6 to 6.5k color range, which is close to that of daylight, providing more bright light than you would anticipate given the light bar’s low power requirements.
Features
- Enhanced brightness
- Suitable for most vehicles
- Good heat dissipation
- It comes with mounting bracket
The Pros
- IP67 Waterproof and dustproof
- Light emits 6 to 6.5 k color range
- Spot beam for long irradiation distance
- Sturdy design
The Cons
- Moisture can soak in leading to damage
- Mounting hardware doesn’t resist corrosion
5. Tusk Curved Light Bar
Tusk’s curved LED light bar is ideal for ATVs, SUVs, and smaller pickup trucks. Its 30-inch length offers plenty of light in a focused beam that’s perfect for spotting hidden objects. The curve on this LED light bar does more than just make it look cool; it also enables lights to be projected forward and to the sides. Even in the darkest hours, this increases the driver’s forward vision.
At just 180 watts, the light bar emits 11,250 raw lumens. Because of the low current draw, it’s simple to mount in vehicles with limited charging capacity without overtaxing the charging system. The included L-brackets have rubber mounts that help in vibration reduction. Installation is aided by a plug-and-play wiring harness.
For buggies, quads, and smaller SUVs, this light bar has some useful features. It has a narrow profile that might look out of place on some larger vehicles, but it produces a lot of light. It has an IP67 rating, which can withstand some splashing, spray, and dust, but not submersion.
Features
- 11250 raw lumens output
- Draws low current
- Lights are projected at the forward and sides
- It comes with mounting bracket for easy installation
The Pros
- IP67 Waterproof
- Simple design
- Spot beam for long irradiation distance
- Simple design
The Cons
- It doesn’t have a great moisture-resistant capacity
- It might not be suitable for a few larger vehicles
6. Zmoon LED Bar
Compared to the other LED light bars on this list, Zmoon is a more affordable and ideal product for first-time users, making it an excellent choice for those with a constrained budget.
This Zmoon LED light bars quite a highly-rated product because of its quality. Despite being a low-cost light bar, it provides adequate efficiency, resulting in a high return on investment. To begin with, it has an 80-watt wattage rating, which results in a reasonable light output of 8000 lumens maximum.
Although its light backs real power, the 14-inch length is short, as there are many larger options available. When it comes to other choices, like more expensive ones, this one has an IP67 waterproofing rating. With this LED light strip, you also get a good 1-year warranty.
Features
- Over 50000 hours of lifespan
- Effective heat dissipation
- Durable aluminum-made product
- Spot and flood beam combined
- 1-year warranty included
The Pros
- IP67 Waterproof
- Sturdy design
- Wattage rating of 80 watts
- Simple design
- Universal fir for most vehicles
The Cons
- Length rating isn’t great
7. Cutequeen LED Spot Light With 1800 Lumens Output
When shopping for an LED light bar, there will be many options available, and you, obviously, will be overwhelmed by it. They are available in several sizes, brightness levels, rates, shapes, and applications. Though this LED is from a lesser-known brand, it can easily meet your expectations. It is a popular commodity that every motorist wants because of its high-quality construction backed up by low price.
If you are on the lookout for something that offers you longevity, do not ignore the material utilized, as it significantly impacts the durability ranking. Durable items will give you an ideal return on investment. To ensure durability, high-quality aluminum alloy is used in making this LED light. For longevity and corrosion resistance, stainless steel is sued to build the mounting bracket. This means that the lens won’t get damaged easily.
The kit includes brackets for mounting and a LED-powered flood light of 18 Watts, but you’ll need additional wiring. It is not, however, a cause for concern. In case of a default, the company offers a 30-day unconditional refund.
The LED Light is rust-resistant and waterproof with an IP67 rating, allowing it to be used in all weather conditions. You can tilt the product up to sixty-degrees for a complete view of the road ahead. One other vital aspect of the product is that it is FCC, CE, and RoHS certified. However, since this is does not comply with DOT regulations, it cannot be used in areas where DOT rules and regulations are applicable.
Are you looking for lighting (outdoor) for your backyard or garden? Cutequeen’s LED light is something you can surely bank on. It’s also suitable for interior lighting, trailer exterior, as well as indoor lighting.
If you are looking to improve your safety measures both on the road and in your house, this LED Light is a good option. It’s well-built with durable materials for long-term use and a classic appearance.
Features
- 50000 hours of lifespan
- Durable aluminum-made product
- Stainless steel mounting brackets
- It can be tilted up to an angle of 60-degrees
- FCC, CE, and RoHS-certified
- 30-day unconditional money back guarantee in case of defects, 2-year warranty
The Pros
- IP67 rating to endure extreme weather
- Flexible
- Enhanced brightness
- Ideal for the go-kart
- Reasonable price
The Cons
- Mounting bolts aren’t the strongest
- The lenses might fall too fast
8. Auxbeam LED Light Bar
This is a 12-inch diameter, 24-piece LED light bar that delivers a light output of 7,200. It comes with Cree LED light chips with a 30,000-hour lifetime. It’s one of a kind because the light can be changed from a spotlight with a 30-degree beam angle to a dazzling floodlight with twice the angle of the beam (as much as 60-degrees). Besides, the reflective surface has a projector lens design and reflector cup that increases light projection distance for better visibility in hazy/cloudy/foggy weather.
The chips are covered by a robust aluminium housing that is dustproof, shockproof, and water-resistant with IP67 ratings. This ensures it can withstand the rigorous hours of military service while also providing reliable illumination.
However, some LEDs can burn out much faster than others. Furthermore, the horizontal brackets are very wide, causing the lightbar to protrude too far forward on some vehicles. Furthermore, the mounts aren’t entirely safe, and the device can rattle when used on rough surfaces.
Features
- Lifetime is 30000 hours
- Durable aluminum-made product
- Wide angle of the beam
- It comes with a projector lens design and reflector cup
- Ideal for different off-road trucks
- Package comes with 2 pcs of LED lights bars of 18 Watts and mounting brackets
- 24 number of chips included of 3 watts each of high intensity lights
The Pros
- IP67 rating to endure extreme weather
- Flexible
- Light output of 7200 lumens
- Consists of 24 high-power LEDs
- ROHs and CE-certified
The Cons
- Not great mounts
- Lights might fail during a wet drive
9. AUTOSAVER88 LED Light Bar
For those looking for a reasonable LED light bar that is well within their budget, the AUTOSAVER88 LED Light Bar is a good option. It combines efficiency and affordability to make sure that you are safe while driving. It’s a universal light designed especially for off-road driving, and its objective is to provide optimum visibility and illumination where headlights aren’t available. Mounting brackets and a wiring harness are included in the kit.
For those that enjoy touring deserts, they’ll find the perfect lighting for their buggies and Polaris. It can be used as perfect lighting to drive in challenging conditions. No matter the type of car you have, whether it’s truck, motorcycle, ATV, UTV, you can also use this truck as fog lights or daytime running lights. They are also suitable in a tractor, marine, and industrial lighting.
The item is lightweight and compact, weighing just 5.5 pounds. It has a 300W power supply and a design of 4D optic thanks to high-quality LED chips. Night becomes a fun daytime thanks to the flood optic and subversive spot system, as well as the high-density light spread.
It boosts your self-assurance both on and off the road. It casts light across the street, allowing the driver to see the road even in the dark. The dual cooling area’s external heat sink fins ensure that the heat dissipation is faster and better. For enhanced toughness, it has a complete aluminium housing.
The product includes mounting brackets that are simple to set up and keep the light in position for a long time. Thus, when you’re tight on a budget, this is the best LED light bar to pick.
Features
- 4D optic design
- Durable aluminum-made product
- High density intense light
- Ideal for different off-road trucks
- Ensures better heat dissipation
- It comes with mounting brackets
- Reasonable price
The Pros
- Flexible
- IP68 waterproofing rating
- Great light output
- Good for all industrial, marine purposes
The Cons
- No wiring and installation instruction available
10. Nilight 1260 LED Pods
Nilight’s ergonomically engineered product rounds off this list of the best LED Lightbars. The heat-dissipating die-cast aluminium housing is anti-corrosive and rust-proof, while the mounting brackets made of stainless steel are corrosion-resistant. Hence, you can count on products of the highest quality that will offer you a good return on your investment. Many people around the world love Nilight products because of the combination of low prices and robust construction.
When purchasing a light bar, especially the LEDs, one of the most critical things to remember is brightness. No matter wherever you are driving, you must exercise caution. As a result, it’s best to go with a product that offers extraordinary bright lights for maximum enhanced vision.
Nilight’s LED-powered light bar is made of top-notch LED chips that transmit glowing white light so that you get a clear vision even when it’s dark outside. With a lumen output of 1260LM, the concentrated spot beam illuminates a greater amount.
It also includes mounting bracket which you can adjust to rotate to a 45-degree angle. Because of this tilting feature, the light beam’s direction can be changed quickly and with ease. This LED light bar takes the cake of the heat dissipation factor too.
The die-cast aluminium alloy comes with cooling fins that don’t allow the lightbar to overheat when in operation, effectively extending the product’s lifetime to 30000 hours and more.
Another fascinating feature is the IP67 water resistance quality. The light bar is quite efficient in enduring severe weather thanks to the combination of a dustproof function. It’s also a universal fit in a range of vehicles. The LED ligtbar is CE, RoHS, and FCC certified, but it is not DOT-licensed.
Nilight’s LED Lights Bar for Spot Driving is a low-cost product that is ideal for various vehicles. Household, off-road, boat, and vehicle lighting, etc., are some of the applications, to name a few, where it’s useful.
Features
- Durable aluminum-made product
- Light can be rotated to 45-degree angle
- Lifespan of 30000 hours
- Ideal for off-road driving, household, boats, etc
- Ensures better heat dissipation
- It comes with mounting brackets
The Pros
- CE, RoHS, and FCC certified
- IP67 waterproofing rating
- Great light output of 1260 lumens
- Ant-corrosion and rust-proof
- Doesn’t overheat
The Cons
- Mounting brackets might not be of great quality
- Longevity issues may exist
Things To Consider Before Buying The Best LED Light Bars
So, what features to look for in an LED light bar? Let’s check them out.
Luminous Output
Lumens, in scientific terms, measure the visible lights’ quantity and their brightness. One million candles are taken as a measurement figure in some of the lights. 12.57 lumens are equal to one candlepower.
Quality LED light bars are brighter because they have more lumens. The brighter the illumination, the higher the lumens should be.
Similarly, light bars with higher lumen counts are more costly. Thus, if your preference is a LED light bar that will offer super brightness, look for one with a higher lumen count. However, you’ll need to pay more than those having lower lumen outputs.
The Pattern Of Beams
There are five different types of beam patterns available for LED light bars. The most common patterns, however, are spotlights and floodlights. The floodlights are made to cast as much light as possible. Spotlights, on the other hand, are popular for projecting light in an extensively far distance.
A few LED lights have both beams, resulting in a combination beam pattern. It means that the light bar can project light as far and wide as possible, allowing for a broad vision range. Other beams include driving and scene, the latter of which is engineered to project more light than the floodlight. As opposed to scene light, the driving beam projects light a little more.
The best patterns of beam for better and far visibility are a mixture of flood and spotlights. When driving on the road with few dangers, a flashlight is preferable, whereas floodlights are useful on roads with many potential hazards.
IP Rating
One of the most important things to consider when purchasing an LED Lightbar is the IP ranking. The United States is regularly subjected to extreme weather, including torrential rains and flooding. Dust is a natural phenomenon as well. Thus, before purchasing any lighting device, consider the IP rating whether you’re riding a motorcycle, a truck, or driving a 4WD.
The lighting device’s high IP rating ensures that it can survive extreme weather conditions such as heavy rains, dust, ice and snow.
IPXX denotes dustproof and waterproof rating. The first X represents dust resistance, while the second X represents water resistance. The dust resistance rating varies from 0 to 6, with 6 being the best dustproof rating. On the other hand, water resistance ranges from 0 to 9, so an IP rating of 7 or higher is considered excellent. This means that any lighting system with a rating lower than IP67 should be avoided.
Housing
The LED light bar needs to be shielded from harmful elements, so the housing is essential. Lighting systems should preferably be made of 6061 aluminium. The best gadgets have 6063 aluminium housing, which is more reliable and robust. Cooling fins can be made out of 6063 aluminium, which allows for better and quicker heat dissipation.
Wattage
The wattage is the amount of power needed for the LED Lightbar to work properly. To measure watts, multiply the total number of bulbs in the bar with all LEDs’ wattage.
The higher the wattage, the brighter the light should be. However, as there are lighting systems with more lumens and adequate lighting, this is not always the case.
Size
As individual bulbs make up an entire LED bar, the light’s size affects how bright it is and the surface area covered by it. Bigger sizes will light up a larger area in the front. Since most of the bars are rectangular-shaped, think about the height and width of the light bar you’ll be mounting.
Options For Mounting
You must actually connect a light bar to the vehicle for it to be useful. This is partly determined by the mounting points available. Lightbars are generally easier to mount to other fixtures, such as roof racks.
It’s simple to clamp or slide light bars on and off using T-slot and circular tubes with the right accessories. Before purchasing a bar, check the mounting accessories provided by most manufacturers.
Space
To comfortably fit several light bars onto your car, you’ll need enough room, just like any other accessory. In addition to the car’s space, the styles and sizes of light bars can affect how much room you have. Other accessories, especially for the roof and front bumper, can be used to increase the available space.
Warranty
Even if you have a water-resistant LED bar, it may fail to work after a certain period. As a result, investing in a dependable and long-lasting LED light bar for your vehicle is essential. While such lights’ waterproofing properties tell you a lot about their build quality, you should also think about the warranty duration.
Most of the LED light bars, including those mentioned above, come with a one-year or two-year warranty. However, if you want a highly dependable and long-lasting choice, there are a few LED light bars that come with a lifetime warranty for even more reliability and a sense of security.
Types Of LED Lightbars
Usually, the types of LED lightbars are categorized under:
Straight
Aside from the size and bulbs, the shape is the most obvious difference between most light bars. Straight bars are just what they sound like: they’re flat and straight. They have the most light that shines straight forward and can be used as suitable spotlights ideal for most off the road driving.
Curved
A curved light bar is created by adding a gentle bend into the design. This type of bar is best suited when you want to illuminate a broader area in front of you while losing some distance because it casts a greater angle of illumination. In most off-roading systems, at least one curved bar can be used for general lighting.
Conclusion
So, hopefully, by now, you have a fair idea about these lightbars. However, before going out to buy one, consider all these factors mentioned above and try to figure out how you can make the most of your investment, irrespective of whether you’re buying the costliest or the cheapest product.
FAQ’s
Even after you have gone through all the subtleties of a lightbar, a few questions might still be in your mind, so let’s try and answer them.
- What will the light be mounted?
Since LED light bars create a small, centred beam, this is critical. A light mounted on the roof can dissipate faster than one mounted on the bumper. A roof-mounted light, on the other hand, can provide more distance. As you climb higher, you'll need a more powerful light.
- What would you do with the light?
There's a significant difference between having light bar miles from every road and getting a little extra lighting on dark backroads. When you need a light for an extreme adventure, you can look for the most strong and long-lasting light bar available.
You don't want a vital device to malfunction when you depend on it. Backroads drivers can benefit more from a lower lumen light bar that can be used as extra illumination on dark roads without taxing their charging system. This is also crucial if you're looking for lights for boats, heavy machinery, or tractors. Using a light that offers the right amount of light intensity is best for the job. - How much power do you have at your disposal?
Any of the high-power lights on this list will significantly affect your charging system's capacity. When combined with the lower speeds associated with driving in the dark, a large light device will easily drain your battery beyond the alternator's capacity to recharge it. You should prepare ahead of time: if you want to add a large lighting system, you should first update your charging system.
- Is it possible to leave LED lights on all of the time?
Yes, because of their low power consumption and low heat emission, LED lights are suitable for leaving on for extended periods. In general, they're better suited for use as a night light or a background accent light.