Best HID Kits (Review & Buying Guide) 2021

Learn about the best HID kits that improve your visibility and driving safety at night

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A new car is usually delivered with headlights that have halogen bulbs. These bulbs are not the brightest or most effective when driving at night or through the fog, which is why more drivers are turning to HID kits. These offer crisp illumination and better visibility to increase safety on the road. HID stands for High-Intensity Discharge, and despite their intense lighting, they tend to consume less power and last longer than halogen and LED bulbs. When you’re looking for the best HID kit, it always pays to do some research beforehand to find the best HID conversion kit brand that suits your car. Luckily, we did the research for you and came up with our list of the best HID kits on the market.

DDM Tuning Plus 35W Premium HID Kit

Lumenon 35W HID Kit

Xentec H11 (H8/H9) GREEN HID Kit

Single beam kits are best suited for cars that need two bulbs: one bulb for high beams and another for low beams. In this case, you’ll need two kits, one for each bulb. The two bulbs can be turned on or off independently from each other.

This type of bulb is for vehicles that use one bulb for both high and low beams. When installed, it converts only the low beam into HID while the high beam remains a halogen. The kit usually includes two ballasts and two HID bulbs.

This kit switches between low beams and high beams using a single HID. The kit comes with installation clamps and two ballasts as well. Bulb sizes vary and may not fit in every vehicle, which doesn't make them a popular choice for car owners.

Using a single bulb, bi-xenon bulbs can switch from low to high beams. The kit uses four ballasts and installation clamps. Similar to other kits, they are 12 volts.

One guy started this company from his garage in California back in 1998. He used his background in concert stage lighting to create aftermarket lighting kits that are both affordable and much brighter than their halogen counterparts. The company's products include HID kits as well as products, such as the OPT7 Car Aura 4pc Auto Underglow LED Lighting Kit.

Morimoto was established in the USA in 2008 out of the need to provide aftermarket lighting that worked better in harsh driving conditions The company's products have a reputation for performance, reliability, and good looks. These include the H8 Morimoto Elite HID Kit and the 9006 Morimoto Elite HID Kit.

Autolizer specializes in auto lighting and has been around for over a decade. The company is the proud maker of Osram automotive lighting, Philips automotive lighting, Xenon kits, LED kits, and others. Other products include the Autolizer XenTec 9006 10000K HID Xenon Bulb and the JLM HID Kit 880.

Since HID bulbs come in two wattage varieties—35 or 55 watts—you’ll need to pay attention to the product you’re purchasing. The industry doesn't have standards. Sometimes, 55 watts refers to the ballast, not the bulb itself. This requires you to read the product description carefully to make sure the bulb is not 35 watts or even 40 watts when you’re paying for a 55-watt HID kit.

When you ask yourself what is the best HID kit, you’re really asking about its lumens. Lumens refer to the light particles (AKA photons) that the bulb emits. It has nothing to do with the intensity of the light itself. A bulb that produces more lumens tends to illuminate the road much better than a bulb with more intense light or glare.

The color of the HID light produced by the bulb is an important issue to consider when buying the HID kit. It's not just because different colors, such as shades of blue, might impact your own visibility; it turns out certain colors are not street legal. Generally speaking, only white light is street legal in the USA, so you need to make sure your headlights don't get you in trouble with the law.

Best Value

Any car owner looking for a bright headlight kit will not be disappointed by this unit. The lighting system is unlike regular headlights on the market as it has been designed to perform optimally without consuming too much power or emitting too much heat. The kit includes a 35W bulb and offers plug-and-play installation.

While the HID kit looks similar to others you may have used in the past, its warm-up time is shorter, the bulb sockets fit more snugly, and the color temperature is an excellent match. The beam pattern is superb and the color temperature and luminosity make it safer to drive at night. The HID bulbs are three times brighter than most halogen bulbs.

This HID kit has many great features, but the manufacturer could make it better. The ballast is uncovered and can easily get damaged by water. The color temperature is also not accurate, as the bulbs emit light that is almost blue in color.

Honorable Mention

One thing you'll love about this HID kit is that it is easy to install. It uses a 35-watt standard size digital ballast and comes with two bulbs and a car harness. The kit produces powerful, bright light that does not flicker as the light beam is directed straight to the road. The manufacturer has designed the HID kit to be compatible with a variety of car models.

When buying this HID kit, you can choose from eight different color temperatures. You may have to assemble the components prior to installation. Its amp connector works with most HID bulbs. It features zinc alloy casing and heat sinks for advanced heat dissipation.

But just like other lighting systems, it is not perfect. It will put more strain on your vehicle's battery and limit the wiring. Also, the color temperature the manufacturer gives is not accurate and is closer to blue than white. The bulbs also take some time to warm up and do not achieve full brightness immediately.

A: Yes. The goal of installing an HID kit is to get brighter light out of your headlights. This includes both the low and high beams.

A: Yes, if the car has a dual beam system where there are two bulbs for the beams. When the high beam is on, the low beam stays on as well.

A: Diamond-white is by far the best color, as it offers better visibility to the driver in most driving conditions.

For our top overall pick, we chose the DDM Tuning Plus Premium HID Kit, as it's easy to install and produces more powerful light than LED and halogen headlights.

For the best value, we chose the Lumenon 35w HID Kit, which comes packed with a lot of features for an inexpensive kit.

Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, "wisdom of the crowd" assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.