The Best Brake Pads To Stop You Safely

After decades of supplying its patented galvanized and mechanical fusion brake technology to big name OEMs, NRS brakes are now available to everyday consumers. That experience means that NRS Brakes have lots of applications for all manner of vehicles, that all fit and function right out of the box come time for replacement.

What is galvanization, and why does it matter for brakes? Galvanization is a process that coats the entire steel backing plate with zinc, fighting off corrosion. Modern brake pads, especially aftermarket ones, tend to come painted or untreated. As road grime finds its way into the pads, it causes them to wear prematurely, and can even lead to a full delamination, where the friction pad material disconnects from the backing plate. NRS Brakes’ galvanized brakes, however, ensure that the steel does not deteriorate and gives the friction material the opportunity to fully wear down, making it the longest-lasting brake pad in the market. NRS Brakes then uses the company’s mechanical fusion technology to attach the friction pad to the plate, instead of an adhesive or glue that’s susceptible to heat and contaminants—two things a car’s braking system faces on a daily basis.

The payoffs are two-fold: NRS brake pads can outlast traditional pads, while also offering quieter operation and improved braking performance. What’s more, the company tests all its brakes beyond the standards required of OEMs. Speaking of OEMs, NRS Brakes carries all 83 Z Numbers that have been identified by the FMSI. Applications bearing a Z Number mean that the OE has specified the friction to be mechanically fused to the steel backing plate. And best of all? They’re produced in Canada.

Brembo is among the most well-respected and well-known brands in the braking industry. So, if you’re looking for the best-performing pads, we recommended to go with the Brembo name. Specializing in braking components, Brembo’s brake pads are engineered and designed to enhance braking power, helping minimize braking distance while offering a quiet and safe braking experience. Many of the company’s products feature Brembo’s multi-layer ESE (elastomer-steel-elastomer) signature red shim, so you know you’re getting a Brembo product. This shim also helps dampen noise and minimizes vibrations.

Most of Brembo’s offerings you’ll find online are ceramic brake pads that are created through an Original Equipment Direct Molding Pressing Process to provide an accurate and proper fitment for your vehicle. This process uses extreme pressure to compress friction materials, providing a balanced bonding to the backing plate. Afterward, Brembo puts their pads through a thermal scorching process to lessen running-in and fading.

Part of ACDelco’s Advantage Ceramic brake pad lineup, these pads are affordable and offer great performance for the rear brakes. Using a ceramic formulation that uses less metal, these pads provide quality braking power in a quiet and low-dusting package. Available for nearly all makes and models, these pads use basic shims, slots, and chamfers to help diminish noise, vibration, and braking harshness.

Ready to be installed right out of the box, the overwhelming majority of owners are satisfied with the performance these pads have to offer, especially at the price. They’re relatively quiet, fit well, and make little to no noise. A small number of owners, however, have experienced cracking with their brake pads.

For most cars in everyday conditions, you're not going to notice a difference in performance between one set of pads and another. Some will last longer than others, some will stand up to more abuse or heavy-duty use, and some are just higher quality. Wagner's long-running TQ series promised original equipment quality brake performance but in a package that is designed to reduce brake noise.

The copper-free pad is bonded to noise- and vibration-reducing underlayment compound, which sandwiches the steel backing plate. The pads themselves are laser shaped with tapered edges that reduce judder against brake discs and are made with a proprietary OE25 semi-metallic formulation that can outperform other pads while producing less brake dust to make your wheels dirty.

Wagner ThermoQuiet brake pads have a two-year/24,000-mile limited warranty, and most applications include stainless steel hardware.

If you’re in the market for replacement rear brake pads, Bosch’s QuietCast Premium should be at the top of your list. Bosch is one of the most popular brands when it comes to automotive replacement parts and is often used by automakers as a supplier for original equipment (OE) components. These brake pads are engineered to deliver exceptional stopping power and quiet operation while producing as little brake dust as possible.

Helping contribute to quiet operation, these brake pads feature a shim style that is heated and pressure cured between two layers of steel, providing lower noise, increased strength, and corrosion resistance. When it comes to performance, Bosch’s QuietCast Premium uses the same aluminum-based alloy used in aerospace engineering. These are copper-free brake pads that are already compliant with 2025 Copper Free legislation.

Engineered, tested, and manufactured in North America, it’s very likely these pads will fit your application since Bosch offers best-in-class coverage for all vehicles.

For front brake pads, our recommendation comes from ACDelco’s Professional Ceramic line. These brake pads have been tested to SAE J2784 for braking effectiveness, as well as Noise/Vibration/Harshness (NVH) and durability/wear testing for assurance of quality. Using ceramic, semi-metallic, and organic formulas, these brake pads provide safety and reliability for a wide range of vehicle applications.

Helping to reduce noise, vibration, and braking harshness, ACDelco has outfitted these pads with premium shims, slots, and chamfers. They also have a stamped backing plate, which allows for proper pad movement within the caliper assembly. The stamped backing plate also helps reduce noise, prevents a pulsing brake peddle, and protects against premature wear. Each brake pad has its friction material molded to the backing plate for bond integrity.

ACDelco is one of the most trusted brands in the automotive industry and is the true General Motors Original Equipment parts brand, manufacturing over 90,000 GM OE and other parts.

Although a bit pricier than other options on this list, Akebono’s ProACT Ultra-Premium Ceramic Brake Pad Set is a high-quality offering available for domestic and Asian vehicles. Akebono is the largest supplier of OE pads to automakers in North America, so you know you’re getting an OE-quality product that is suitable for a majority of car owners.

These pads are designed using vehicle-optimized friction formulations with a focus on eliminating noise, vibration, and harshness while severely limiting brake dust. These are great replacement brake pads for OE ceramic units but can also serve as an upgrade from conventional pads.

Along with providing low dusting and smooth braking, these pads will also provide improved pad wear performance, which means longer times in between needing new pads.

If you’re looking for a high-performance option and willing to pay the price for it, take a look at the Power Stop Z23 Evolution Sport brake pads. These pads feature a carbon fiber-infused ceramic formula to deliver superior braking power and performance. Helping extend the life of these brake pads by resisting rust and corrosion is a powdercoated backing plate, while premium rubberized shims help deliver noise-free braking. These are also chamfered and slotted like OE pads to help reduce noise.

As a performance brake pad, these will resist fade up to much higher temperatures than standard OE units. Each brake pad set comes with ceramic brake lubricant, while certain applications will also include a premium stainless steel hardware kit and bin bushings.

From KFE comes these Ultra Quiet Advanced Premium Ceramic brake pads, an OEM fit, and no hassle limited warranty. These pads will deliver solid performance with low noise thanks to dual rubber shims that dramatically reduce vibration noise. KFE’s pads also require less break-in time since these undergo a thermo-scorched manufacturing process.

Offering enhanced brake bite, these pads also have long life slots and chamfered edges, further contributing to pad life and less noise. Keep in mind, however, that not all applications will have slotted and chamfered brake pads.

These pads are manufactured with 100% asbestos-free materials and meet the 2021 national standard material safety standards.

Another offering from Bosch is the company’s Blue brake pad featuring advanced platform-specific friction material formulations—NAO-Ceramic and semi-metallic formulas—to deliver optimal performance. These pads use OE-style multi-layer shims for superior noise dampening, while a rust-inhibiting coating helps control corrosion. Included with each set of pads is a hardware kit and synthetic lubricant, while slots and chamfers on certain applications match the OE design for quick and easy installation.

These pads are ideal for the everyday driver who is looking for performance at an affordable price. They go through the same testing and engineering process as Bosch’s premium braking products but are a more budget-friendly option.

Everything You Need to Know About Brake Pads for Your Car

What Are The Different Types of Brake Pads?

Semi-metallic Brake Pads

Organic Brake Pads

Softer than semi-metallic brake pads, organic brake pads tend to have less than 20% metal in their construction. These pads have lower noise and produce less brake dust than other more high-performance pads. Some organic pads will also lessen the wear on your rotors, making them last longer.

Normally you’ll find that organic pads are made with different fibers and resins to withstand high temperatures, but they typically wear quicker than semi-metallic brake pads.

Ceramic Brake Pads

When Should I Replace My Brake Pads?

Can I Replace My Brake Pads?

Like most automotive-related maintenance tasks, the answer to that question depends on how comfortable you are working on your own car. Replacing brake pads however, is a fairly simply and straightforward task, similar to changing your oil. If you have some basic knowledge of tools and how to work on your car, it’s not a difficult job and there are plenty of people who changes their own brake pads from the comforts of their garage.

It does however, require the right tools and materials, and if you’re not experienced or comfortable working on your car, find a friend who is or consult a professional. Keep in mind that brakes are one of the most important safety features on your car, so you don’t want to install your brake pads incorrectly.

How Long Will My New Brake Pads Last?

Tips to Make Your Brake Pads Last Longer

Although we can’t tell you how long your new pads will work, there are some general tips to make sure they last as long as possible.

Now it’s worth mentioning that you don’t want to necessarily make a conscious effort to preserve your brake pads. Given their cost, you should always use your brakes as much as necessary to be safe on the road. In other words, don’t go out of your way to try to get as much life possible out of your brake pads if it comes at the cost of safe driving.

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