Best H11 Bulbs: Give Your Vehicle Better Illumination

H11 bulbs are single-filament halogen bulbs with an L-shaped socket. They are some of the most common bulbs for headlights and fog lights. You need to verify with your owner’s manual to be sure they will work for your vehicle, however. Still, we can help you out. Here we've highlighted some of our favorite H11 bulbs on the market and set you up with a buyer’s guide, so you don’t have to worry about giving the local kids anything remotely fun to do.

Stick to what you know, right? There’s no better motto when it comes to buying aftermarket parts, especially when it comes to lights. A lot of brands pop up overnight, ready to sell you super flashy lights for an alarmingly good price. We know from experience that those lights really don’t live up to the quality of the products coming from established names. That’s why we made sure to pick from the brands we know — through personal use or through reputation — to be reliable.

There’s always a chance that we might miss the mark. Even if we know these to be solid offerings, that doesn’t mean they’re what you’re looking for. After all, you have different ideas of what’s good and what isn’t, and there’s no guarantee that your application even needs H11 bulbs. So, what do you do then? We’ll talk about some key points you need to consider when looking for headlight bulbs. Keep in mind that a lot of these tips are universal, meaning you’ll be able to keep them in mind whenever you’re shopping for exterior lighting. We’ll even drop some tips to make sure you get the most out of your investment.

If you want to stick with halogen bulbs, Hella’s performance and quality are worth adding to your vehicle. When it comes to your daily driver, you want to make sure you’re using good parts. We’re not saying you need to buy the most expensive stuff possible, but you’d be wise to avoid the cheapest. These Hella bulbs land right down the middle, which is part of why we picked them as Best Overall. Hella also happens to know a thing or two about lighting. The H11 bulbs in this blister pack are set to provide 100 percent better performance than factory lighting. That’s achieved through improved visibility and lifespan. 

Hella also designed these bulbs to provide consistent lighting over time. These are a solid white light as well, meaning you don’t have to worry about any hue messing with your vision. You can argue that the price is a little high for a halogen bulb, but quality is a big part of the price. We also can’t ignore that many people feel that the bulbs are not any brighter than stock. However, photo comparisons around the web prove that they are, so we would link any performance issues to quality control rather than design.

The balance of price and quality make this a perfect option on a budget. We get it. Sometimes budgets get tight. That in itself is frustrating. Throw in predatory brands that make it hard to know who you can trust and suddenly it feels like there’s no hope. Breathe. We’ve got your back. This option from Philips is likely just what you need. There’s a lot to like about this product, starting with performance. These are an excellent direct replacement for factory lights as they will shine just as good if not a touch better. They also offer a respectable lifespan of 800-plus hours, despite what the cost may lead you to believe. 

Speaking of price, these bulbs are about a fraction of the cost of many of your other options. It’s an ideal choice for anyone in a pinch. You can only expect your money to take you so far, though. In this case, these lights are just a simple replacement. While they are brighter than factory H11 bulbs, it’s not a big step up. Also, the lifespan is respectably long, but reviews indicate it’s relatively short compared to similarly priced bulbs.

When it comes to high-performance halogen bulbs, Sylvania’s SilverStars are tough to beat. Sure, there are more prestigious entries, but the balance of pricing and performance makes them a go-to option for many.

Sylvania labels its SilverStar Ultra series as its brightest, most "down the road" light. In the case of the H11 bulbs, these bulbs provide 1345 lumens instead of the average 1250 lumens factory bulbs bring to the table. Putting an exact number on the range is tricky as bulb housings and proper aim come into play. However, the increased brightness and crisp white light these bulbs produce increase clarity for the entire beam pattern, not just the "hot spot." We also have to tip our hat to the level of quality that Sylvania consistently brings to the table. You can count on these lights being built just as well as whatever you had from the factory. 

Many reviewers point out that you can get brighter LED lights producing around 10,000 lumens for less than you'll spend on these. While we have to agree that these lights are expensive as far as halogens go, we'd say your money is better spent here. We know from experience that Sylvania's SilverStar Ultras are plenty bright and last much longer than many cheap LED upgrades. That's due to the quality and reliability they bring to the table.

These bulbs don’t fit the mold of the average affordable LEDs because their quality construction backs respectable performance. It’s natural to want LED bulbs in place of halogen bulbs. Even if the brightness isn’t that great, the jump in lifespan is well worth the investment. Using LED lights can go one of two ways, though. Either you stick to the big-money names, or you take your chances with the more affordable stuff. In this case, it looks like we found a reasonably priced gem. Despite being less expensive than the premium options, these lights offer respectable performance. 

They are undoubtedly brighter than most halogen bulbs. They claim to have a lifespan of around 50,000 hours, and the full aluminum body, copper baseboard, and built-in cooling fan back that claim up. Of course, all of that for a  very low price makes it a hard entry to beat in our eyes. There are two things you need to know about these lights before you buy. First, they don’t quite live up to the claim of supplying 8,000 lumens. Reviewers have proven these lights produce only around 6,000. Also, some have reported receiving faulty units that failed within just a few months.

These LED lights offer two color options and surprisingly good performance for the price. We have another LED option for you to consider. This time we suggest you use these as fog lights if your vehicle calls for H11 bulbs because you can set these up to shine either a white or yellow light. There are two things we love about being able to make the change on command. The white offers you improved visibility in inclement conditions, while the yellow serves more as a style update. Furthermore, these are well-built lights that are fairly affordable. 

They may not be the cheapest option, but the build quality certainly warrants the extra expense. These aren’t perfect, though. The complicated installation and finicky performance leave many reviewers up in arms. Too many claims of the lights not staying in sync make it hard to ignore the issue. Still, even those who have these issues say they are above average when it comes to overall performance.

Our top pick is the Hella H11 2.0TB Twin Blister Kit. The combination of quality and visibility makes it a clear choice as our top recommendation. However, those trying to save as much as they can will do just fine with the Philips H11 Standard Halogen Replacement Headlight Bulb. 

Not all H11 bulbs are the same. You know that, though. You just need to know what makes them different enough to justify those price gaps. There are a few types of bulbs out there but first, let’s consider some of the characteristics you need to keep an eye on.

This is your primary concern aside from compatibility. Lumens essentially translates to brightness. It tells you how good of a job the bulb will do at illuminating the roadways. Budget-friendly halogen H11 bulbs should land you around 1250 lumens. As the price goes up, you can expect the lumens to increase. Obviously, more is better as a brighter light will provide much better visibility.

If you’re something of a science buff, you know that a kelvin is a unit used to measure temperature. In the case of bulbs, it describes the color temperature. The scale generally runs from 2000 to 10,000 K. Warmer colors run from 2000 to about 3000 K, while cool colors span from about 6000 to 10,000 K. Everything in between is known as neutral and is usually more desirable for use in cars because they offer better visibility. That’s because warm colors have more of a red tone while cool colors appear blue.

Another detail you really want to pay attention to is the lifespan. Manufacturers typically measure this in hours, which may seem depressingly low compared to years or even mileage. However, you need to think about the fact that you generally don’t keep the lights on all the time. You probably don’t drive as frequently at night. Still, more hours is always better because it means you won’t replace the bulbs as often.

You have questions. The Drive has answers.