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Know Where Your Cups Are With These Best Led Cup Holders

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Last Updated: May 3, 2024, 1:13 p.m.

While the interiors of cars and vehicles have changed drastically over the years, there are a few things that have remained mostly the same. One of these things is the humble cup holder, a place where you can put cups, bottles, and other liquid-containing containers without worrying about spillage. They’re handy in a lot of situations, but they have one flaw — they’re nearly impossible to find in the dark. Sure, you could turn a light on, but if you’d rather not do that, you’ve got no way of finding the holder without feeling your way through.

With LED cup holder lights, however, you can outline where exactly your cup holders are. They are easy to use and install, and you can choose different colors to customize the look, too. With the great LED cup holders of 2023, you won’t have to worry about spills or accidents in your car ever again.

Buyer’s Guide: LED Cup Holders

Cup holders can be a real pain to work with when there isn’t any light. Learn about LED cup holders in this quick buyer’s guide.

What Are LED Cup Holders?

LED cup holders are tools used to shine a light on your cup holder and make it more visible. Cup holders are very difficult to find at night unless you turn on the interior lighting. With an LED cup holder, you can see where to place your bottles and cups from a distance, thanks to the ambient lighting provided by the device.

How Does an LED Cup Holder Work?

Some of you may be wondering, “how can you even see the light from an LED cup holder when you can’t even directly see the light?” The answer has to do with how light works and the holder’s designs themselves. You’ll notice that LED cup holders have lights on the top of the device and on the sides. The lights on the sides aren’t there for no reason — they produce enough light that it actually bounces off the surface of the car’s cup holder. When this light bounces off, it creates a glow effect in the cup holder, which is noticeable from afar, albeit only to a certain degree. However, when everything else is dark, that dim light is easy to spot in the darkness, thus giving you an easy way to find the cup holder.

Things To Consider When Buying an LED Cup Holder

Battery life

LED cup holders use batteries to power the LED lights. These lights can last for days on end, but eventually, they will run out of juice. Most LED cup holders use rechargeable batteries instead of replaceable ones and are often charged using a USB cable. This is a good thing, as you can simply buy a car charger and charge the holders directly from your car during the day. That way, the holders will never have to leave your car, and you can always use them when night comes.

Waterproofing

Surprisingly, while they’re designed to hold cups, LED cup holders aren’t always waterproof. In fact, many of them aren’t, and you’ll need to find a product that’s explicitly advertised as one if you ever want a guarantee. And even then, the waterproofing of the holder may only be to a certain degree. It may handle light splashes here and there, but it won’t be able to handle being entirely submerged in water, for example.

Sturdiness

Since your cups and bottles will be using the holder as a base instead of the actual car cup holder, you need to ensure that the holder is stable. Many LED cup holders are made to be just a little bit smaller than most cup holders so that the lights on the side can properly bleed out. However, this also introduces wobble, so it’s always a good idea to look for LED holders with rubber pad bases to get a snug and secure hold on the surface below.

Top Picks

Best Overall: Dalimo Led Cup Holder Lights
Value Pack: Pebbly Beach Led Cup Drink Holder
Durable: Hoffen Led Stainless Steel Cup Drink Holder
Modern Design: Lipctine Led Car Cup Holder
Waterproof: Acodablem Led Cup Holder Lights

Reviews

Best Overall

Dalimo Led Cup Holder Lights

Pros	Cons
Comes with two cup holder lights Sidelights offer ambient lighting of sorts Great battery life of 7-15 days	Could be too small for your car

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Value Pack

Pebbly Beach Led Cup Drink Holder

Pros	Cons
Available in packs of two or four Rubber base pad for stability Refund policy included	Only comes in one color

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Durable

Hoffen Led Stainless Steel Cup Drink Holder

Pros	Cons
Made out of stainless steel The weight keeps the holder in place Can drain out liquid if needed	Light can be a bit too bright

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Modern Design

Lipctine Led Car Cup Holder

Pros	Cons
Modern design on top of the device Chargeable with a USB cable Light sensor and vibration sensor	Not advertised as waterproof

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Waterproof

Acodablem Led Cup Holder Lights

Pros	Cons
IP67 waterproof rating Dustproof design for a clean cup holder Sensitive to motion and light	Dog paw design is not for everyone

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FAQs

Are LED cup holders waterproof?

While you may think they are, not all LED cup holders are waterproof unless specifically and explicitly stated. Be sure to check the product listing before you buy it.

Where should I place my LED cup holders?

The most commonly used cup holders are the ones by the brake in between the front seats, so you may want to prioritize placing them there first.

Are my LED cup holders automatic?

Some cup holders may have automatic on/off depending on their design, but others do not. As such, it’s a good habit to turn off the LED lights during the day if you have the time.