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When fog blankets your surroundings, you might be able to see only a few feet in front of you — anything farther blends right into the mist. And if you’re behind the wheel of your car while it’s foggy out, it can feel nearly impossible to see clearly. Obstacles, street lights, and even the vehicles right ahead of or behind you can disappear easily. Fog makes driving significantly more challenging and, as a result, more dangerous.
But there’s one way you can see better in foggy conditions: a set of LED fog lights. Energy efficient with just the right amount of brightness to break through the fog, LED fog lights are designed to help you see better than you would with your vehicle’s headlights alone. You’ll get a clearer view, see obstacles and other cars more easily, and be safer all around. And we’re here to help.
Check out which LED fog lights we like best below.
Summary List
- Best Overall: Sylvania H11 LED Fog & Powersports Bulb
- Best Budget: Auxito H11 LED Fog Light Yellow
- Best Premium: Piaa 3.5-Inch SAE Compliant LED Fog Light Kit
- Best Sealed Unit: KC Hilites Flex Era 3 SAE Fog
Our Methodology
For this review, we tested two of the products through the rain, snow, and fog, and then used our institutional knowledge based on three decades of driving experience to give you the best selection and variety of LED fog lights around. Not all of these options, however, are plug-and-play. Some will require some slight modifications but will offer up far better results in the long-term.
As you heard in Indiana Jones, “Choose wisely.”
Best LED Fog Lights: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Sylvania H11 LED Fog & Powersports Bulb
Pros
- Moderately priced
- Easy installation
- Trusted brand
Cons
- None
Sylania is a name you probably know. The company makes all manner of headlight, fog light, and accessory light bulbs and full units and has been doing so for decades. It’s a trusted brand by both consumers and professionals alike. And because of its reputation, our experience with the brand, and this particular LED fog light’s capability, it takes our top spot.
Not only is this a universal H11 LED bulb, meaning that it plugs directly into your factory housing, but it’s also fully street-legal, which isn’t always the case with some LED bulbs. Literally all you have to do to swap out your factory unit for this upgraded one is pop out the old bulb and plug in this one.
As for price, at the time of writing this Sylvania will set you back a slightly moderate sum of $90. That’s somewhat expensive for a set of fog lights, but you get the best of both worlds in that it’s an upgrade from stock, but doesn’t require modification to your car.
Best Budget: Auxito H11 LED Fog Light Yellow
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Yellow tint
- Easy Install
Cons
- Not a great warranty
Not everyone has the scratch to put the Slyvania’s or other options on this list onto their car, truck, or SUV. Which is why we always recommend something that’s more budget-friendly, as is the case of these Auxito H11 LED Bulbs.
Now, managing editor Jonathon Klein optioned these for his 2019 Honda Ridgeline and reported that installation of these universal bulbs was extremely easy and quick. All in all, it took him less than 10 minutes to swap the stock bulbs to these. As for performance, he went with the yellow options as he lives in the mountains and there’s a lot of precipitation that he needs to cut through in the dark. And these work really well in combination with his stock headlights and accessory KC Hilites.
Pricing also makes these attractive, as at the time of writing, these will only set you back $40. That said, there are consistent sales on these, so watch Amazon closely and you could get them for half off, like Klein did.
Best Premium: Piaa 3.5-Inch SAE Compliant LED Fog Light Kit
Pros
- Full kit
- SAE Compliant
- Large
Cons
- Modification necessary
According to The Drive’s own Mike Febbo, “LEDs are far more efficient than a traditional incandescent light, like halogen lights which waste a large amount of energy in heat. The downside is LEDs need reflectors specifically designed to maximize the light spread.” Which is why Piaa designed this fog light from the ground up to be an LED light.
As for the unit, “the LED itself is designed to project light backward into a segmented, multi-surface reflector which defines the beam pattern. The LP530 is available in different patterns for different applications, but we are focusing on the fog-specific light, although most of the specs are relevant to all LP-series units.” It also use an aluminum body, with strong polycarbonate lenses. And as a standalone unit, not just a bulb that plugs in, it’s IP67 water- and dust-rated.
The full kit includes a wiring harness with an aftermarket switch. All of which will cost you a pretty penny, with a starting price of $214 at the time of writing. However, that doesn’t include the needed modifications you’ll need to do to make this kit fit your specific project.
Best Performance: KC Hilites Flex Era 3 SAE Fog
Pros
- Super bright
- Multiple lens options
- SAE compliant
Cons
- Expensive
Another hands-on test from The Drive’s Jonathon Klein, he’s mounted these KC Hilites to his Honda Ridgeline using J-Sport ditch light brackets as while the Auxitos are great, additional lighting is necessary for his neck of the woods.
These Flex Era 3 fog lights are extremely bright, perfect for those folks who live where street lights aren’t a thing, and project outward in all directions as to better show the road ahead. They’re plug-and-play, as all you need to do is connect them to the battery, and find a place to mount the provided switch, and get to blasting away the night’s darkness. They’re also extremely rugged, as they’re standalone units meant to be mounted externally, and are both water and dust-proof.
They’re also the most expensive on this list, with a pricetag of $449 at the time of writing. However, they’re most capable fog lights on this list.
Our Verdict on the Best LED Fog Lights
The best for you will depend on your individual needs and ability to install a good LED fog light. However, the above selection, including the Sylvania and Auxitos, will serve you well no matter the solution you choose.
Key Features
Here’s what you need to know about fog lights.
High Lumen Output
LED fog lights can offer better brightness, energy, and efficiency than your average vehicle fog light bulbs. However, you’ll want to make sure you look at the lumen output—not the wattage—when you’re picking out a pair of fog lights. LED lights use just 20 percent of the electricity that a halogen bulb does, so measuring wattage doesn’t matter—instead, take a look at the lumens. Higher lumens mean a higher light output or greater brightness. You can find LED fog lights with output as high as 4,000 to 6,000 lumens (or 2,000 to 3,000 lumens per bulb).
Water-Resistant Seals
One of the biggest benefits of LED fog lights is their sealed construction. These bulbs are sealed against moisture, specifically made to prevent issues like fogging or water damage while your car is outdoors and in less-than-sunny weather. LED fog light bulbs can either be water-resistant or waterproof, usually up to a 1-meter depth. This adds longevity and durability to your fog lights, ensuring you can rely on them over many miles. Some may even be more durable thanks to their seals and able to survive other harsh conditions.
Color Temperature
Color temperature is just as important as lumens or the brightness level of your LED fog lights. The color temperature is the hue, or tint, of the light that you see when your fog lights are turned on. Typically measured in Kelvins, LED bulbs around 3,000 Kelvins are warm (or yellow or amber); bulbs around 6,000 Kelvins and up are cool (or have a blue tint). You’ll find that most LED fog lights are around 5,000 Kelvins. Cool light tends to be just the right choice for foggy weather. However, amber or yellow color temperature can be less harsh on your eyes. Here’s why.
Low Heat Output
One factor contributing to LED fog lights’ improved energy efficiency is the bulbs’ lower heat output. It’s a vital feature of these types of bulbs — they’re able to shine brighter than halogen bulbs without generating as much heat. LED fog lights are designed to effectively disburse any heat they create thanks to unique “heat sinks” right at the base of the bulb assembly. Even if you choose higher-heat output bulbs, LED lights can have small cooling fans built into their bases to eliminate the excess heat.
LED Fog Light Pricing
Depending on what you get, whether it’s a full fog light unit like KC Hilites’ Flex Era 3, a single LED bulb, or something else, there’s great variability in terms of pricing. Bulbs are the cheapest, costing you around $15-$30, while fully sealed units might set you back between $150-$400.
FAQs
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
Fog lights have separate switches and bulbs. They can be placed on a vehicle’s roof, bumper, or lower grille. They are usually angled downwards so the light doesn’t reflect off the fog, snow, or rain and bounce back into your eyes.
There are two key color temperatures for fog lights. Yellow and white. Yellow fog light bulbs offer superior performance in heavy fog, rain, and snow because they have a longer wavelength than white light, as they reduce eye strain. But white/blue color temperatures offer further distances.
They can if you upgrade them to illegal specs. You don’t want off-road fog lights blinding folks. Fog lights are very bright and can be very distracting to other drivers, particularly if they are not installed properly and are not pointing in the proper direction.
