Best Ceramic Coatings 2024
This is the ultimate ranked list of ceramic coatings. Find out how a coating performs in terms of gloss, slickness, UV protection, durability, ease of application, and looks.
Advanced testing performed with an elcometer, UV chamber, gloss meter, and other instruments.
Last Updated: August 2024
#1 - Ethos Max Graphene Coating
Easy to Apply
5 Points - Beginner Friendly
Visual Appeal
10 Points - Very Pretty
Slickness
7.5 Points (0.13μs)
UV-A Blocking
0 Points (Failed)
Specular Reflection
-2.9 Points (91.1GU)
Hydrophobicity
10 Points - Exceptional (>105°)
Wash Durability
10 Points - Exceptional (>1,000)
#2 - Wolfgang Profi Ceramic Coating
Easy to Apply
10 Points - Easiest Install
Visual Appeal
7.5 Points - Pretty Finish
Slickness
4.5 Points (0.23μs)
UV-A Blocking
0 Points (Failed)
Specular Reflection
-0.2 Points (93.8GU)
Hydrophobicity
7.5 Points - Very Good (>100°)
Wash Durability
10 Points - Exceptional (>1,000)
#3 - Adam's Graphene Advanced
Easy to Apply
5 Points - Beginner Friendly
Visual Appeal
10 Points - Very Pretty
Slickness
8.1 Points (0.11μs)
UV-A Blocking
0 Points (Failed)
Specular Reflection
-6.2 Points (87.8GU)
Hydrophobicity
10 Points - Exceptional (>105°)
Wash Durability
6 Points - Very Good (>100)
#4 - Gyeon Pure EVO Coating
Easy to Apply
10 Points - Easiest Install
Visual Appeal
7.5 Points - Pretty Finish
Slickness
2.7 Points (0.29μs)
UV-A Blocking
0 Points (Failed)
Specular Reflection
0.5 Points (94.5GU)
Hydrophobicity
5 Points - Good (>95°)
Wash Durability
7 Points - Excellent (>300)
#5 - ExoForma Graphene Coating
Easy to Apply
10 Points - Easiest Install
Visual Appeal
7.5 Points - Pretty Finish
Slickness
7.5 Points (0.13μs)
UV-A Blocking
0 Points (Failed)
Specular Reflection
-4.3 Points (89.7GU)
Hydrophobicity
5 Points - Good (>95°)
Wash Durability
7 Points - Excellent (>300)
What Makes a Good Coating?
Learn about the Testing Methodology
Easy to Apply
An easy to use coating makes all the difference. You want something with a consistent flash time between application and removal. The coating should also wipe up easily and have simple instructions.
Visual Appeal
We all want a glossy, reflective, and pretty car. In testing we look at a red and black test panel and compare the finished product against freshly polished paint. An ideal finish should be deep and wet looking without any ashiness, streaking, or striping.
Wash Durability
No one wants to go through all the trouble of applying a coating just to find out the coating washes away quickly. Through our elcometer based abrasion testing we can verify how many washes a product can resist. Exceptional ceramic coatings can withstand over 1,000 washes.
Slickness
Coatings should improve the slickness of the car's finish. This reduces marring and scratching when washing and dusting your car. We measure the improved coefficient of static friction (μs) to score the slickness of coatings.
Specular Reflection
Polished paint can show you amazing reflections at the right angle. Having achieved a highly polished surface you want to preserve it. Most last step products will dull the surface slightly. A good coating should have minimal loss of Gloss Units (GU) or even a slight gain.
Hydrophobicity
We measure the contact angle of de-ionized water droplets on top of ceramic coatings to work out just how hydrophobic they are. The coatings are able to lower surface energy of your painted surfaces which allow water molecules to form nice beads that slide right off. The best coatings can average droplets exceeding 105 degrees of angle at the contact point. Anything over 90 degrees is considered hydrophobic.
Marketing Myths & Lies
Coatings are heavily marketed by installers and manufacturers. To protect your investment avoid companies making extraordinary claims.
Examples of common myths include:
- Only professionals can install coatings.
- Coatings are as hard as glass or diamonds.
- Coatings must be replenished or boosted.
- Coatings can stop scratches and chips.
- You don't have to wash a coated car.
- Ceramic coatings are maintenance free.
- You have to spend thousands of dollars.
- The prettiest results require a coating.
- A coating will block UV light.
- All other forms of protection are obsolete.
#6 - DP CR2 Ceramic
27.6 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | H. Phob | S. Ref | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 5 pts | 6.3 pts | 0 pts | -0.7 pts | 7 pts |
#7 - Nexgen Carbon Flex Coating
24.9 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | H. Phob | S. Ref | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 pts | 10 pts | 7.2 pts | 0 pts | -7.3 pts | 10 pts |
#8 - Artdeshine NGC Pro Coating
24.7 Points | Video | Buy from Carzilla
Easy | Pretty | Slick | H. Phob | S. Ref | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 pts | 7.5 pts | 9.0 pts | 2.5 pts | -4.3 pts | 10 pts |
#9 - Phoenix Immortal Coating
24.1 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | H. Phob | S. Ref | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 7.5 pts | 4.8 pts | 0 pts | -3.2 pts | 5 pts |
Ceramic Coatings - 1.0 Testing Methodology
This testing was performed using an older testing model. Hand washing was used instead of an elcometer. Only transmission based UV-A testing was done.
#1 - Adam's Graphene Coating
867.2 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 10 pts | 7.5 pts | 0 pts | -0.3 pts | 840 pts |
#2 - Blackfire Ceramic Black Edition
238.4 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 10 pts | 0.3 pts | 0 pts | 0.1 pts | 218 pts |
#3 - Adam's Graphene Spray Coating
143.6 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 10 pts | 6.9 pts | 0 pts | 3.7 pts | 113 pts |
#4 - Adam's Spray Ceramic Coating
93.4 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 5 pts | 6 pts | 0 pts | 2.4 pts | 70 pts |
#5 - Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions
61.8 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 0 pts | 8.1 pts | 0 pts | -5.3 pts | 49 pts |
#6 - Wolfgang Uber Ceramic Spray
50.0 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 pts | 5 pts | 3.9 pts | 0 pts | -0.9 pts | 37 pts |
#7 - 303 Graphene Nano Spray
39.4 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 pts | 5 pts | 7.2 pts | 0 pts | -4.8 pts | 27 pts |
#8 - Adam's UV Ceramic Spray
38.0 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 5 pts | 5.7 pts | 0 pts | 0.3 pts | 17 pts |
#9 - The Last Coat Deep Ice
32.3 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 pts | 0 pts | 8.7 pts | 0 pts | -0.4 pts | 19 pts |
#10 - AvalonKing Armor Shield IX
29.4 Points | Video | Buy from AvalonKing
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 10 pts | 6.6 pts | 0 pts | -0.2 pts | 3 pts |
#11 - HydroSilex Recharge Spray
19.4 Points | Video | Buy from Amazon
Easy | Pretty | Slick | UV-A | SR | Durable |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 pts | 0 pts | 8.1 pts | 0 pts | -2.7 pts | 4 pts |
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