The Best Blind Spot Mirrors and Why You Need Them
You don’t need to be a car expert to realize most factory side mirrors have blind spots. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 840,000 blind spot-related accidents occur every year. Some modern vehicles now offer blind spot detection as a safety feature, typically a light that illuminates on the side mirror if an object is in your blind spot. But maybe your vehicle doesn’t offer blind spot detection and you’re looking for a way to conveniently see what you’re missing while driving.
Blind spot mirrors are a very affordable, cost-efficient way to improve driver safety by allowing you to see what’s in your blind spot without turning your head. These small mirrors are especially helpful when driving in urban environments, where you could accidentally miss seeing a pedestrian or cyclist.
The most common blind spot mirrors are a stick-on type that you attach to your existing side mirrors, giving you a broader view of the side and rear of your car. While some vehicles do have blind spot mirrors integrated with their factory side mirrors, most vehicles do not. Fortunately, you can get yourself a pair for about the price of lunch, improving your safety and the safety of those around you.
Table of contents
- 1. Editor's Pick: Ampper 2-inch Round/Square Blind Spot Mirrors
- 2. Fit System Adjustable Blind Spot Mirrors
- 3. Utopicar Long Design Blind Spot Mirrors
- 4. Essential Contraptions 4-Pack Blind Spot Mirrors
- 5. Utopicar Semi-Oval Blind Spot Mirrors
- 6. Liberrway Blind Spot Mirrors
- 7. Total View 360 Wide Angle Adjustable Blind Spot Mirror
- 8. Amfor Blind Spot Mirrors
- Benefits of Blind Spot Mirrors
- Choosing the Right Blind Spot Mirrors
- How to Properly Install Blind Spot Mirrors
- What if I Want to Remove my Blind Spot Mirrors?
- Recent Updates:
1. Editor's Pick: Ampper 2-inch Round/Square Blind Spot Mirrors
One of the top sellers on Amazon, Ampper offers both round and square blind spot mirrors in packs of two or four. The round mirrors are two inch in diameter and features a curved, frameless, and ultra thin design. They can rotate 360 degrees and are sway adjustable, coming with a tiny adjustable swivel mounting bracket and 3M adhesive for easy installation.
The square mirrors measure 3.7 inches by 1.37 inches.
These mirrors are IP65 waterproof, rust resistant, and Amperr says the glass will not haze.
Pros | Frameless, ultra thin, adjustable, 3M adhesive, available in round or square |
Cons | Swivel mount can break over time |
2. Fit System Adjustable Blind Spot Mirrors
One of the cheapest options on our list are the Fit System adjustable blind spot mirrors. Their cost comes at a price however, as they do use plastic instead of glass, which isn’t as clear.
Measuring two inches in diameter, they are adjustable and offer a wide angle view. They are however, housed in a thick plastic frame, which limits adjustability and takes up a bit more space on your side mirrors if they’re small. The plastic could also degrade over time depending on weather conditions where you live.
On the back of these mirrors is a small square adhesive for easy installation, although some users report that it’s not very heavy duty.
For most car owners however, these blind spot mirrors will do the job at a very low cost.
Pros | Price, adjustable |
Cons | Plastic mirror instead of glass, plastic frame |
3. Utopicar Long Design Blind Spot Mirrors
This blind spot mirror from Utopicar features a longer design for a greater field of view – just make sure that it doesn’t take up too much space on your side mirror. These mirrors measure 5.25 inches by 1.25 inches and are a bit more expensive than other two-inch diameter, round options. They are adjustable and feature 3M adhesive for installation.
Mirrors with this design offer more view to the sides of the vehicle, but aren’t as ideal for parking compared to round mirrors.
Utopicar blind spot mirrors come with a one-year warranty.
Pros | Long design for greater FOV, 3M adhesive, one-year warranty |
Cons | May be too large for some mirrors, doesn't help much for parking |
4. Essential Contraptions 4-Pack Blind Spot Mirrors
Essential Contraptions’ blind spot mirrors come in a four pack and feature a rust-resistant aluminum frame instead of plastic, and real glass that does not haze over time. They measure two inches in diameter and come with a circular piece of adhesive for easy installation.
These mirrors are not adjustable, so you will want to make sure its field of view is enough for your mirrors. They’re essentially as basic as you can get when it comes to blind spot mirrors. Their price per mirror is cheap, but since they’re sold in a four pack, the overall price is higher than other options on the list.
Some users note that these mirrors are too small for their application and the lack of adjustability limits vision of the blind spot.
Pros | Four pack, rust-resistant aluminum frame, real glass |
Cons | Non-adjustable, price since they're sold as a four pack |
5. Utopicar Semi-Oval Blind Spot Mirrors
Also part of Utopicar’s lineup are semi-oval blind spot mirrors that measure 2.6 inches by 1.8 inches. These can be installed as fully adjustable mirrors, featuring 3M outdoor adhesive on the back. If you want to be able to adjust the mirrors, you simply stick the blind spot mirror to the plastic bases prior to installing onto the side mirror. If you want a fixed installation, you can just stick the mirrors onto the car’s side mirror.
Utopicar says the semi-oval design is less convex, providing a bigger image of what’s behind and to the side of the car. The elongated style shows more of what is occupying the near lane, as opposed to the sky or sun.
These mirrors feature a frameless style and high reflective silver film mirrors. They also come with a one-year warranty.
Pros | Options for fully adjustable or fixed install, semi-oval frameless design, 3M adhesive, one-year warranty |
Cons | Price |
6. Liberrway Blind Spot Mirrors
Liberrway also offers two different blind spot mirrors, one round and one square. These mirrors feature a swivel mounting bracket that offers 360-degree rotation so you can adjust it accordingly. The square mirror can be mounted horizontally or vertically spending on your side mirror and comes with 3M adhesive for easy installation. Both style mirrors are IP65 waterproof, rust resistant, and the glass will not haze since they are chrome plated.
The square mirror measures 3.74 inches by 1.38 inches and has a fairly slim design. The round mirrors are two-inch diameter, which is pretty standard for the style.
Pros | 360-degree adjustable, IP65 waterproof, rust resistant, chrome-plated glass |
Cons | Easy to move, so you have to readjust them if they get bumped |
7. Total View 360 Wide Angle Adjustable Blind Spot Mirror
Another popular and affordable option comes from Total View 360. These wide angle, adjustable blind spot mirrors feature a concave design so you get a great view of everything outside your vehicle. Backed with 3M adhesive, these blind spot mirrors take just a few seconds to install and will fit any vehicle’s side mirror. Once installed, they can be rotated and adjusted for better visibility.
Nothing too fancy, these adjustable blind spot mirrors will get the job done at an affordable price.
Pros | Adjustable, 3M adhesive, concave design, affordable price |
Cons | Plastic construction feels cheap, a bit on the small side |
8. Amfor Blind Spot Mirrors
Amfor offers three different blind spot mirror styles: oval, rectangle, and round. All three types come with 3M adhesive for easy installation and a tiny adjustable swivel mounting bracket. These mirrors are fully adjustable, waterproof, rust resistant, and the glass will not haze. A flexible convex shape on the glass provides great visibility along with an ultra thin design.
These are very similar to other products on the list and priced competitively. Some users complain that the mirrors don’t come with instructions, so you’ll have to figure out how to assemble the swivel mount.
Pros | Fully adjustable, swivel mount, ultra thin design, waterproof, rust resistant, glass |
Cons | No instructions included |
Benefits of Blind Spot Mirrors
The benefits of blind spot mirrors may seem obvious, but there are other uses for them other than showing you what’s in your blind spot while driving. They’re helpful in general driving situations, helping you keep track of all the traffic around you. For lane changing or even turning, it’s still best to quickly turn to check your blind spots, instead of being entirely dependent on blind spot mirrors.
Blind spot mirrors also come in handy when you’re backing out of a parking space or parallel parking. Installed correctly, blind spot mirrors will show you how close you are getting to a curb, helping make sure you don’t scratch up your wheels.
Choosing the Right Blind Spot Mirrors
For the most part, blind spot mirrors appear to be the same on the surface. They’re either round or square and are designed to give you a better view of what’s to the side and behind your vehicle. But there are a few things to take into consideration when choosing the right blind spot mirrors for your car.
One thing to consider when picking the correct blind spot mirrors is the size of your stock side mirror. You will want to get blind spot mirrors that don’t take up a lot of space while still providing you a good view of what’s behind and to the side.
Some blind spot mirrors are adjustable, allowing you to angle or turn them to broaden your view. Adjustable blind spot mirrors may cost a bit more, but the added versatility is often worth the extra cost.
Lastly, some blind spot mirrors are constructed from aluminum rather than plastic. Depending on where you live and the conditions of where you store your car, you may want to pay a little extra for aluminum blind spot mirrors so they don’t degrade as quickly as plastic units. For most car owners however, this is a very minor aspect when choosing the right blind spot mirrors.
How to Properly Install Blind Spot Mirrors
Most blind spot mirrors will come with instructions on how to install them properly. Generally it’s a fairly straightforward task, but some mirrors come with swivel mounts that require an extra step or two. Here are some general steps on how to make sure your mirrors are properly installed and secure, so you don’t have to worry about them falling off after a car wash or two.
- Determine where you want the blind spot mirror—before you start the actual installation process, you will want to decide where you plan on placing the mirror. Depending on the style you purchased, you will want to test placement to make sure it gives you the field of view you need. Typically this will be either the lower or upper outside corner of your side mirror.
- Clean your side mirrors—start your installation process by cleaning the surface of your side mirrors with alcohol. You will want to make sure the adhesive fully sticks on a clean surface and not catching on any dust or debris. Wait for the surface of your mirror to fully dry before proceeding to the next step.
- Install the mirror—After the surface of the mirror has completely dried and you have confirmed where you want to place the blind spot mirror, carefully peel back the paper covers on the adhesive and stick the mirror at your desired location. Apply moderate pressure on the blind spot mirror for at least 20 seconds, allowing the adhesive to do its job of securely attaching to the side mirror.
- What if the mirror has a swivel mount? If you purchased a mirror that comes with a swivel mount, refer to specific instructions from the manufacturer. But typically, you will stick the blind spot mirror on the bracket, and the bracket will stick to the side mirror. Again, you will want to test placement and adjustability before installing the bracket onto your mirror.
- Avoid the car wash! It’s best to avoid washing your car or running it through a car wash for the first 24 hours after installing your blind spot mirrors. This helps ensure the adhesive sticks properly to the side mirror and your blind spot mirror won’t fall off right away.
What if I Want to Remove my Blind Spot Mirrors?
If the adhesive does its job properly, removing your blind spot mirror will require a bit of effort. The most important tool for the job is a single edge razor blade, which you will carefully use to separate the adhesive from your side mirror. Do it slowly to avoid scratching the glass on your mirror, and you can even use a hair dryer to help remove the blind spot mirror.
If there is any leftover adhesive once you get the mirror off, use nail polish, alcohol, or any sort of adhesive remover to get your side mirror back to looking clean.
Recent Updates:
July 27, 2022: Removed Kitbest and Zone Tech mirrors; OOS.
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Photo credit: ssimone / Shutterstock.com
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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