Over the years, LED lighting technology has become significantly cheaper. This is why manufacturers are now making it the new standard of lights for household and automotive use, the same way fluorescent bulbs replaced incandescent bulbs back in the way. They’re not just for Christmas lights any longer.
Here are the top 4 LED reverse light bulbs on Amazon.
AUXITO 1,000 Lumens LED Backup Light Bulbs
The AUXITO LED Reverse Light Bulbs come in a pack of 2 that is a little over 10 bucks. It has a decent rating in Amazon. It is 6,000K and 1,000 lumens in brightness. It also works with 912 and 921 15-SMD chipsets. More often than not, these bulbs are brighter than the original reverse light bulbs that came with your vehicle. It’s like a spotlight from behind your car and works best in dark or dimly lit alleys when you’re backing up.
Additionally, it’s CAN-Bus error-free when installed for most vehicles with computers included. Be careful when installing them too tight because they won’t come on. What’s more, it’s not compatible with Chevy Malibu vehicles. Finally, there are some units that are defective and lasted for only under a year.
JDM ASTAR 1,000 Lumens Backup Reverse Lights
The JDM ASTAR has a slight advantage against the AUXITO in terms of user ratings, which might explain why it’s more expensive. However, AUXITO might have a lower rating because more than 1,000 users have already reviewed it while only about 600 users have reviewed JDM ASTAR in contrast. This xenon white light bulb boasts of 921 and 912 90-EX chipset compatibility and a 360-degree shine by design. This is because the replacement bulbs are 30% longer than the originals.
It also offers 2,000 lumens of raw brightness (1,000 lumens per bulb), so has the same output as the AUXITO. It remains an amazing upgrade to almost any OEM reverse light bulb, but there are still complaints by customers in terms of its design and how the bulb doesn’t stay on its socket after closing the trunk or a slight bump as well as poor fitment.
JDM ASTAR 1,200 Lumens Backup Reverse Lights
The JDM ASTAR 1,200 Lumens Extremely Bright LED Bulbs package works for 144-EX chipsets and includes a projector for good measure, which might explain its price. Each bulb has a brightness of 1,200 lumens, which means when combined you get 2,400 lumens of raw brightness from your rear. It’s easy to place them and there are no complaints of finicky placement or bad design compared to the 1,000-lumen-per-bulb version of the JDM ASTAR.
Made by the same company that developed the previous light bulb entry, it is somehow lower rated compared to its dimmer light bulb counterpart because of complaints of burnout within 6 weeks. Most egregious is its price. It is more expensive than JDM ASTAR 1,000 lumens just to get the extra 200 lumens.
LUYED 2X 1,550 Lumens Backup Reverse Lights
The LUYED Backup Reserve Lights has 1,550 lumens per bulb and the raw xenon-white brightness of 3,100 lumens or the brightest bulbs on this list. What’s even more amazing is that despite this fact, it costs even cheaper than the AUXITO LED light bulbs. It also works for 921 and 3030 24-EX chipsets and has a CAN-Bus error-free controller built into it. However, it got complaints on how some units only lasted 6 months.
It shares the same high ratings as JDM ASTAR 1,000 Lumens LED Light Bulbs while being both cheaper and brighter than the JDM ASTAR 1,200 Lumens LED Light Bulbs. Long story short, it’s offers the brightest bulbs, the lowest costs, and the highest ratings possible without getting complaints in regards to its length and design.
With that said, how should you go about finding the best LED reverse light bulbs?
What to Look for in Terms of LED Reverse Light Bulbs
Even though LED headlight bulbs remain the most common upgrade because of the importance of forward visibility, reverse light bulbs are also in demand when you’re in need to back and park or maneuver your car out of tight spaces. Making your reverse lights more visible is also handy in making it safer for those behind you to traverse the road without rear ending you.
It’s an upgrade that makes great sense in terms of safety and convenience. With that in mind, here are the things you should be on the look out when shopping for LED reverse light bulbs on the Internet or through brick-and-mortar auto parts shops.
- LED Output: LED output is measured in lumens. The brighter the better but make sure that the brightness of your new reverse lights fall within the traffic rules of your state. Some lights can be deemed too bright or have too many lumens for road use and is better suited for fog light use. Commercial bulbs can go from 1,000 lumens to 1,550 lumens.
- Compatibility: You should make sure that these bulbs are compatible with your vehicle’s year, make, and model. They typically list down things like which chipsets they’re using or which specific vehicles absolutely cannot use them, like in the case of AUXITO bulbs and Chevy Malibu vehicles.
- Price: Naturally, you want to compare prices between different LED reverse light bulbs. Don’t go for the cheapest or the most expensive. Instead, keep in mind their specs or lumens and then compare prices before going with the ones with the best balance of value and expense. Sometimes, you get lucky and the cheapest one is also the one with the best specs somehow,
- Other Considerations: Make sure that your LED lights have at least a 1-year warranty so that you can have them replaced in case they fail within under a year. The handful of complaints about all these light bulbs has to do with their longevity. Also, make sure they have CAN-Bus error-free controllers built unto them. Finally, check your car manual for the correct bulb size for your vehicle before order placement.
Conclusion
The AUXITO LED Reverse Light Bulbs pack remains the second-best deal in terms of price and comparable specs. However, the JDM ASTAR 1,000 Lumens edge it out in terms of having the same lumens plus a 360-degree shine despite supposed design flaws. The JDM ASTAR 1,200 Lumens has a 2,400 raw lumen output but it costs way higher. Meanwhile, the LUYED 1,550 Lumens has the same user ratings as the JDM ASTAR 1,000 and has the superior lumen output and price compared to the JDM ASTAR 1,200.
Nearly all of them have issues in quality control and light burnout. In the end, the LUYED 1,550 Lumens Light Bulbs package wins because it’s the product with the fewest downsides and the most cost-effective value. It has the most lumens for your buck.
