Best Lug Nuts (Review and Buying Guide) in 2023

If your car's lug nuts are looking worse for wear, it's time to replace them

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It's easy to lose track of the small bits and pieces in your vehicle, including the lug nuts. These tiny wheel parts can be overlooked by those who choose to focus on a vehicle's more vital components, but they shouldn't be. They have the important role of keeping your tires connected to the hub. We’ve created this guide to help you choose the best lug nuts for your wheels.

Gorilla Automotive Narrow Acorn Black Lug Kit

20 high-quality lug nuts with tapered acorn seat that have been precision engineered out of chrome vanadium steel and finished in matte black. Each are 1.36 inches high and 0.8 inches wide. They have a thread size of 12mm x 1.25mm or 12mm x 1.5mm.

DPAccessories D3116 Acorn Lug Nuts

Acorn-style lug nuts with closed ends and 60-degree tapered seat. Nuts are 1.4 inches (35.56mm) long and 0.87 inches (22.1mm) wide with 12mm x 1.5mm size thread. Suitable for use with a 19mm hex wrench.

Muteki SR48 Open End Lug Nut Set

Pack of 20 lug nuts with extended 48mm length and knurled, open-ended design compatible with a 17mm lug wrench (included). Crafted from chrome vanadium for guaranteed durability and available in two thread sizes (12mm x 1.25mm and 12mm x 1.5mm).

There are various types of lug nuts available on the market, and the type you need will depend on your specific vehicle and, more importantly, your wheels. The only real difference between one type of lug nut and another is the shape of the seat. The seat is the part of the lug nut that comes into contact with the wheel itself.

Also known as acorn lug nuts, these are the most common type and are described as "conical" because the base tapers in at an angle of approximately 60 degrees. They’re designed to fit conical holes, are straightforward to fit, and easy to center.

As the name suggests, the seat on these lug nuts is spherical or rounded. They are difficult to differentiate from conical seat lug nuts when attached to the wheel because their heads are almost identical.

This type of lug nut is one of the most difficult to fit and center successfully. The seat is flat and resembles a washer.

So-called because they were originally constructed from magnesium, the mag seat lug nut has an extended thread and a washer. They’re generally used when a longer thread is simply required.

McGard was born in 1964 after a precision engineering company, L.D. Macauley, Inc., switched up its business plan and started manufacturing and distributing wheel locks full-time. It's a certified, globally-recognized brand with offices across the world, but its headquarters can be found in Orchard Park, New York. Its extensive product range includes these cone-seat wheel locks.

Specializing in aftermarket wheel accessories since its inception in 1990, White Knight is based in Norwalk, Calif. The company offers a wide range of ISO-certified lug nuts that, according to its website, are individually hand-polished before plating, for an even better finish. Check out this set of 20 lug nuts in black chrome.

The president of Gorilla Automotive Products, Inc., Peter J. Schermer, is quoted on its website as saying, "We’re so proud of our product, we put our name on it." The company has been making wheel accessories for 40 years and is based in Los Angeles. These Chrome Acorn Wheel Locks are part of its line in lug nuts and are available in a range of sizes.

Lug nuts are screwed onto the threaded bolts—also known as studs—that poke out through the holes in your vehicle's wheels. For your lug nuts to fit onto these studs, you need to buy ones with compatible thread size and thread pitch. The thread size is the outside diameter of the bolt which then corresponds with the width of the hole in the lug nut. In non-metric studs, the pitch is the number of threads per inch. In metric studs, it's the distance between the threads in millimeters. The relevant measurements should be in your vehicle manual (unless it's been modified, in which case you need to check them yourself), or you can measure them with a pitch thread gauge.

This is the part of the lug nut that will ultimately sit against the wheel surface, and there are different shapes to choose from. The most common are acorn (or tapered) seats, ball seats, and flat seats or mag seats, which are also flat but include a separate washer.

Poorly fitting lug nuts can negatively affect both safety and appearance, so it's important that you measure all the relevant dimensions before buying new ones. This includes the overall length and outside diameter. If you’re after lug nuts with a mag-style seat, you’ll also need to confirm the correct shank length and diameter.

You might be upgrading your lug nuts out of necessity rather than any style decision, but that doesn't mean you can't pick a set that looks cool. You can get lug nuts in all kinds of finishes and colors, including black, silver, chrome, and even red and blue. Go wild and choose your favorite!

Best Overall

These stylish acorn-style lug nuts with a matte black finish are 1.36-inches tall and only 0.8-inches wide. They’re much narrower and more lightweight than standard factory OEM-issued alternatives. They’re also precision engineered in chrome vanadium steel for maximum durability, and the black paint job is remarkably scratch- and corrosion-resistant.

Indeed, despite being shipped loose in a plastic bag with no internal packaging, we found no notable chips or signs of damage. These lug nuts are available in 12mm x 1.25 and 12mm x 1.5mm thread sizes but only in lots of 20, which might end up being slightly too many or slightly too few for your individual needs.

A socket tool is also included in the set, so you don't need to worry about finding or buying one with the right fit.

Best Value

These closed-end, acorn-shaped lug nuts are a popular choice with Ford owners who need to replace their factory OEM lug nuts that have swollen and rusted under the chrome plating. This is in part due to their budget-friendly price point but also has a lot to do with their solid, cold-forged steel construction and triple-plated chrome finish. Be aware, however, that this set of wheel locks will not fit factory Toyota, Honda, Lexus or Scion OEM aluminum wheels.

Compatible with a 19mm hex wrench, these lug nuts are 1.4 inches (35.56mm) long and 0.87 inches (22.1mm) wide with a 60-degree tapered seat and 12mm x 1.5mm thread. They’re available in different set sizes, so it should be fairly easy to buy only the amount you need.

It's worth noting that the manufacturer recommends installation by professionals, so it doesn't include an instruction manual. Therefore, if you’re not sure what you’re doing, be prepared to pay extra for installation.

Honorable Mention

These lug nuts from Muteki are available in sets of 20 and have an extended length of 48mm and a knurled, open-ended design. They’re available in two thread sizes (12mm x 1.25mm and 12 x 1.5mm). They are also compatible with a standard 17mm socket.

The nuts are constructed out of tough chrome vanadium steel, so you can be confident of their strength, but each nut still weighs less than two ounces, so they’re lightweight, too. With a range of different colors, including black, purple, neon chrome, and chrome titanium, you’ll definitely find something to suit your individual style.

However, be aware that the durability of the finish leaves a little to be desired. We also found that these lugs nuts succumb to rust relatively quickly.

Honorable Mention

Available in a set of 20, these lug nuts from Wheel Accessories are a great value for a low cost. They have a zinc finish and feature an open-end acorn bulge design. You can get them in a variety of sizes with a slight price variation. They are forged from carbon steel and are then heat treated for optimal resistance and strength.

They have a hex style for ease of installation and removal. The benefit of using the bulge acorn style is that there is more seating surface, so they are more secure. They are one piece, so no washer is needed.

Of course, one of the top concerns when purchasing lug nuts is to ensure you get the exact right fit. Otherwise, you have to deal with the return process. Wheel Accessories makes this easy with a highly detailed product page and illustrated graphs to ensure you know what you are getting. Extremely durable and simple in design, these are top-quality lug nuts.

Honorable Mention

This set of lug nuts from White Knight is sleek and durable. Made with a black chrome finish over alloy steel, it comes in four different sizes. If a 20-pack is too much for your needs, you can also buy a four pack. White Knight also offers a wheel installation kit to ensure you have exactly what you need.

These lug nuts are designed to be corrosion-resistant and are tested repeatedly to ensure durability. As with any lug nut, the main issue you will run across is an improper fit. White Knight does fairly well in offering plenty of information to ensure they suit your needs.

There have been reports that the black chrome finish either doesn't arrive as part of the product or it peels off during installation. There may also be fitment issues, so double check the measurements before making a purchase.

Reputable companies give a warranty for their products. If you receive defective lug nuts, you can return them. However, it is advisable to seek clarification with the company on its warranty policy.

In the past, it was a cardinal rule to stick to OEM lug nuts if the original ones got damaged. But these days, most lug nut manufacturers make precision machined aftermarket lug nuts that fit the wheels of most vehicles.

Trucks typically require longer lug nuts. You have to confirm the length of your wheel studs before purchasing any lug nuts for your truck. However, some lug nuts fit small vehicles as well as trucks.

Our overall top pick is the super-stylish, Gorilla Automotive Narrow Acorn Black Lug Kit, which is durable and resistant to scratches and corrosion.

The ever-popular DPAccessories D3116 Acorn Lug Nuts, with triple chrome plating, are our best value option.

Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, "wisdom of the crowd" assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.