The widespread use of window tints has led to new and better technologies around it. And with that, we’ve forgotten that in the recent past, these accessories were meant to give another layer of comfort and protection for those who could afford them. That was the time when window tints were used for their intended purposes, including:
- To shield passengers from the undesired UV rays.
- To prolong the lifespan of the vehicle’s interior.
- To prevent the car from warming up in hot weather conditions.
Even so, window tint makers added new features along the way. So, on top of the original reasons, the current crop of car owners uses window tints mostly for privacy and the car’s outside appearance. This misunderstanding leads to improper use of these products and emboldened unscrupulous companies to bring substandard window tints to the market.
To address some misconceptions around window tint applications, we’ve compiled a list of the 7 best window tint brands. We’ll have a closer look at the core performance features, so you’ll know how to choose the right window tint products in the increasingly “chaotic” market.
Let’s get to it!
Best Window Tint Brands Reviewed
1. Lexen
Lexen LLC manufactures and distributes some of the leading pre-cut tints in the market. What’s striking about this company is how it manages to design vehicle-specific kits at a fairly affordable price.
So, unlike most of its competitors, this brand gives you the flexibility of selecting products according to your car’s make, model, and year of manufacture. This is certainly the reason why many consumers flock to their stores to get the most suitable tint kits for their vehicles.
Lexen’s product selection flexibility extends to shade percentages. This means you can pick from varying shades of tint materials, including 5%, 15%,35%, and 50%. So, you get to choose your most preferred tint intensity. Plus, their window tints are designed with super effective sunscreen protection, which can protect you against 99-percent UV rays.
What’s more, the brand was among the early adopters of scratch-proof window tint technology. So, you get a well-crafted product that is both durable and visually appealing. This spares you the inconveniences of having to undergo frequent window tint replacements as is the case with some of the substandard brands in the market.
Also, besides sufficiently covering all the car windows, a complete kit is ample enough to include the universal sun strip. This is ideal for those motorists who prefer tint films on their windshields.
Overall, Lexen develops high-quality non-reflective films that come with a thickness dimension of up to 1.5 mils. With this level of engineering, you are assured of the best window tinting services in the industry.
To top it all, its products’ prices range from $13 to $85. You’ll agree that this is a more generous offer than you would get anywhere in the market.
2. Llumar
Llumar is known for the design and supply of top-quality window tints in the market. However, the company charges premium prices for its products—between $190 and $500. Even so, this cost is offset by the brand’s highly effective and durable protection equipment for your car windows.
Notably, the brand effectively exploits the competitiveness and proven experience of its parent company—Eastman Chemical Company—to manufacture some of the leading tint films in the industry. Plus, being situated in the United States, Llumar takes advantage of the region’s technological superiority to outperform its peers.
Their mid-level products, such as ATR Metallic Window Tints, are capable of up to 63% total solar energy rejected (TSER), 99% UV blocking efficiency, and a visual light transmittance (VLT) range of between 5% and 55%.
The company uses top-notch ceramic materials and ATC metal-free dyed tint film to devise the best protection against UV rays. This eliminates the anxiety and hassles that come with insufficient UV protection offered by the standard metal window tints.
In a nutshell, the Llumar brand offers top-of-the-range architectural and automotive applications for protecting your car windows.
The involvement of Eastman Chemical Company in the design and development of its products is a sufficient guarantee of window tint superiority. So, if you can afford the premium price tag, this brand is the best for high-end, mostly metalized tints.
3. Motoshield
Motoshield is a class leader in the development and supply of top-quality tint materials. For instance, their pre-cut kits are designed for a wide range of tint percentages ranging from 5% to 70% (5%, 15%, 25%, 35%, 50% and 70%). So, you aren’t constrained when choosing your preferred window tint intensity.
Importantly, what positions this brand among the best is the production of excellent window tint options in nearly all categories. From an isolated piece replacement to the rear glass and front windshields, this manufacturer got you covered with all types of window tinting solutions.
Motoshield Pro offers advanced Nano Ceramic tint films. This professional version comes with a limited shade variety of 5, 15, and 70%. Also, with their ceramic tint blocks, you get up to 99 percent UV protection efficiency, 99-percent infrared rejection (IR), 95-percent glare, and 70-percent total solar energy rejected (TSER). These dimensions provide window tinting outcomes that are far more superior than those offered by similar competitors in the industry.
4. 3M
3M makes it to the list of top-performing brands due to its long-term commitment to professionalism in window tint installation and servicing. The company accomplishes this by maintaining an extended network of certified window tint technicians.
The involvement of certified installers promotes consistency in service delivery. Therefore, you are guaranteed the best window tint installation. Also, the use of certified technicians and stores enables the company to implement some of the most comprehensive warranties in the industry.
The manufacturer’s presence throughout the window tint’s lifespan takes away your most pressing worries, so you can get back to the things that matter.
3M’s Crystalline Series uses enhanced multilayer optical film technology, comprising up to 200 thin layers of film. This configuration provides the most ideal heat and light protection.
To top it all, the use of non-metalized film in the 3M Crystalline series shields you from up to 97% of infrared rays while simultaneously allowing sufficient light for clear visibility. This premium offer can repulse up to 60 percent of total solar energy, suppress up to 99.9 percent of UV rays, and allow between 40 and 90 percent visual light transmittance.
With all the qualities above, you are less likely to experience devastating product failures along the way.
5. Madico
Madico window films by Madico Inc. are leading the rest in terms of product innovativeness.
With its level of innovativeness, Madico can try new window tinting technologies and make necessary product changes in good time. So, this is the best brand if you are looking to experiment with the most recent window tint technologies at an affordable rate.
This revolutionary mindset has put the company on top of some Fortune 500 competitors with significant financial capital. This situation is convenient for both the brand and their consumers, which benefit from organic public endorsement and efficient window tint solutions, respectively.
For instance, Madico’s Black Pearl Nano-Ceramic uses nano-particle ceramic configuration to block up to 87% proportion of infrared rays. This heat rejection rate is satisfactory when combined with the highly-effective UV protection effect of over 99%. The simultaneous heat and UV rejection effects result in a neutral, non-reflective driving environment, even in the most unpleasant weather conditions.
Overall, the brand is a class leader advancing some of the most sought window film solutions in the industry. This means the company has extensive know-how when it comes to metalizing, superior laminating effects, and coating.
Although they are not the most finely engineered options in North America, the company’s engineers have earned the reputation of matching specific product features with motorists’ unique concerns. This way, they can compete effectively in the fairly overcrowded marketplace.
6. Huper Optik
The Huper Optik brand has more of the German automotive passion than the American profit-based production. This means that the manufacturer employs the necessary amount of resources to develop top-of-the-line products for the wealthiest consumer groups—they can comfortably spend over $550 for window tint films.
Besides the near customized product build, this German firm makes it to the list of the best window tint brands because it looks beyond the traditional automotive concerns. It supplies the highest quality tint materials for commercial and residential apartments, as well as for marine construction and high-level security applications. Clearly, very few brands can match this level of technological application and consumer reach.
Whether you are designing that corner office or tinting your SUV windows, Huper Optik affords you an over 99.9% protection efficiency against all UV rays. You also get around 70% heat rejection efficiency and up to 98% moderation of all infrared light rays. These protection abilities combine with exclusive build materials such as 100% durable and dye-free film to produce the best tinting solutions in the industry.
In a nutshell, when you purchase Huper Optik products, you gain access to the privileged class of patented nano-ceramic materials in the market. So, you are assured of exclusive window tinting outcomes like lifetime protection and warranty against discoloration, bubbling, and peeling effects associated with extreme weather fluctuations.
Therefore, even with the “crazy” pricing, it is worth considering this brand given its nearly impenetrable protective qualities that can handle all forms of weather conditions.
Of course, it is a must-have brand if you intend to protect specific high-value assets such as marine vessels, exclusive office designs, and managed heritage sites.
7. Mkbrother
This brand offers affordable, average-quality tint films. The average-quality tag doesn’t necessarily mean their products are substandard. It’s just that this manufacturer doesn’t go deep into the details of polishing their tints to improve on quality.
For them, product quality lies in its ability to address the consumer’s essential concerns as opposed to bundling too many features. This product development approach is genuine and highly effective since it allows the manufacturer to focus on the consumers’ most desired features.
With this product design philosophy, you are assured of durable and scratch-resistant tint films. You also get a highly-effective UV rejection rating of up to 99%. Also, their products provide the highest level of privacy and protection as they are designed with a 5% visible light transmission (VLT) rating. So, you should consider Mkbrother tints if you are a person who likes to travel incognito.
Furthermore, the use of non-metalized material saves you the inconveniences of having to deal with disrupted radio and satellite signals as is the case with metalized tints. Look out for these features to know which brands suit you and which ones are no-go.
However, the low-cost manufacturing approach significantly undercuts their tint’s heat rejection capability of 50%. Even so, this rating is seen as satisfactory by a majority of motorists. Solar heat penetration doesn’t seem to be a big deal for most of us given that internal temperature can be moderated with a mere switch of an AC or slight opening of a car window.
So, with a price tag of between $10 and $100, Mkbrother will give you an ample size of the uncut film – 24 inches by 20 feet. This is more than enough for your car tinting needs. And although the installation of uncut films can be very hectic, the accompanying durability and internal protection capabilities make their products worth trying.
How to Choose the Best Window Tint Brand
Window tints are designed with all manner of features, most of which are labeled and described in awkward terms. This situation can be pretty confusing to even the most experienced motorists. That’s why it is recommended that you consult your mechanic for basic information on such accessories.
With that in mind, this article outlines some of the essential features to look for when shopping for an ideal window tint. So, consider the basic ideas below to avoid the trap of purchasing generic window tints that might not address your primary concerns.
Know the Different Types of Window Tints
Having a fairly good understanding of the different types of window tints aids in deciding which brand is suitable for you.
As a prospective buyer, you should familiarize yourself with these four main types of tint films:
- Ceramic film: This film provides the highest quality of window tint in the industry. And although it will cost you a lot more to acquire it, this film will give you the most desired performance and durability features.
- Carbon film: This film is superior to both metalized and dyed tints. Its dark and matte finish effects reflect over 40% of infrared light. It is also effective against UV penetration. Even so, they are more expensive than metalized and dyed films.
- Metalized film: This type of film has embedded metallic particles, which are essential to heat rejection. Even though it is strong and visually attractive, the presence of metallic elements interferes with the normal transference of radio and satellite signals.
- Dyed film: The dye serves as a shield against sun rays and heat. This film also comes with a polyester coating, which gives it an anti-scratching effect. Although it is the most affordable option in the market, the shading and heat rejection qualities deteriorate over a relatively short period.
Understand Tint Percentages
Understanding the tint percentages helps in choosing the right intensity of shading as per your privacy and heat prevention preferences. Tint percentage value, which indicates the amount of visible light transmission (VLT), is merely a measure of the amount of light that can penetrate through a film.
Basically, a low VLT percentage indicates that the film is darker. While a high VLT percentage is a sign of lighter film shading. This means that a 2.5% VLT film is much darker than that which has a 5% or 20% VLT rating.
Films with the highest VLT ratings, say 50% or 70%, allow considerable transmission of visible light. In such a case, your eye might fail to notice the presence of a window tinting film.
So, don’t be misled by the simple interpretation that takes lower percentage values to mean lower intensity of darkness or vice versa. If anything, you should be guided by the opposite effect to quickly recall that lower VLT values indicate darker shading intensity and vice versa.
Other Features
Picking the right window tint supplier involves matching your priority concerns with particular tinting solutions as offered by specific product models. So, don’t buy a particular brand just because you need a new window, or stick to a certain manufacturer because your colleague says they are good.
For instance, it doesn’t make a lot of sense for an upcountry farmer to install a high-end Huper Optik window tint on their 1995 Chevy truck. It would be awkward to spend that much money to protect a rickety truck. An uncut Mkbrother roll, or a cheaper Madico, would be the best option for this kind of user given that they are concerned more about the basic protection qualities than the bundled luxury features.
So, how do you evaluate the right supplier? Importantly, you should be able to compare essential qualities such as pre-cut or rolled, shade intensity, UV blocking, ceramic or carbon, and purchase price.
This way, you’ll be able to say I am going for the highest quality Huper Optik brand because my car is one of those expensive, sleek types. Here, the cost and quality of the window tint match the user’s priority concerns.
- Related: How to Remove Window Tint Glue
Final Thoughts
So, how do you choose the best window tint brand for you? By now, you understand that picking an ideal window tint supplier lies in matching your priority needs with the offered product solutions.
Besides protection and privacy aspects, window tints are essential to the vehicle’s overall appearance. They give a unique touch of classiness even to the substandard car models. As a result, car owners attach too much value to the choice of the right brand for them.
Due to the scarcity of information around this issue, motorists often use appearance and aesthetic appeals when selecting window tints. To them, the best window tint design is that which enhances the outward appearance of their cars. Consequently, they fail to evaluate the critical areas such as UV rays rejection, heat moderation, durability, and visible light transmission (VLT) allowance, among other performance specifications.
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