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Though at first glance brake rotors look innocuous, they could not be more important to your car’s function. These circular discs connect to each wheel, and in the instant it takes to go from pressing the brake pedal to coming to a full stop, your rotors did an enormous amount of work. The pedal commanded the calipers to squeeze your brake pads against the rotors, and stop the wheel from turning. Without the friction caused by the abrasion between the pad and the rotor, you wouldn’t be able to stop reliably. That's why brake pads and rotors wear out so quickly.

Choosing the best brake rotors is more than a matter of convenience, it’s about safety. But choosing the right set can be a challenge. Do you go with steel or cast iron? Ceramic or carbon? What about slot placement and venting? To help you find the best fit for your ride, we’ve curated a list of the top selections available.

You're going to buy rotors when you own a car. They're a wear item, they're crucial to your safety, and the right set can make a big difference in the vehicle's performance. Nine times out of 10, you're going to hit the parts store and buy whatever you can walk away with that day, which is usually good enough to get by. Even so, it helps to know as much as possible about what makes the best brake rotor. That's why I’m shedding some light on the best options and how to choose the right set of rotors for your car.

EBC Brakes Dimpled and Slotted Sport Rotor

Brake rotors are straightforward. In most cases, you will be fine going to the local parts store and ordering whatever the counter person looks up for your application. I've done just that countless times and never ran into any issues. That doesn't mean you won't take to the internet to find something for yourself, and I’m here to help. Below are the brands I've grown to trust over the years. I either have hands-on experience with them or know those who have. I've also done significant research to make sure only those we trust made the list. After all, the room for error with brake rotors is nonexistent. 

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.

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If you drive it on the streets on a daily basis, Raybestos R-Line rotors are the way to go. They're designed for that exact type of driving. Reduced vibration and lower noise levels than many alternatives, along with the use of quality materials, ensure these rotors are as attractive as they are affordable. Seeing as these rotors are available for most applications, it's almost impossible not to recommend them.

I can technically dock points by factoring in the lack of performance features this option brings to the table. Also, as Raybestos' economy option, it's worth pointing out that it's only slightly more affordable than the premium option for some applications, making it easy to skip past.

Those of you with a General Motors vehicle can save money and still get quality rotors with ACDelco's Silver line. These rotors offer the airflow, performance, and low road noise you'd expect from the factory only without going broke. That's because ACDelco is the manufacturer for GM vehicles, meaning you're also getting the best fit and finish possible. As if that's not enough, this rotor is also backed with a 12-month unlimited-mile warranty.

This line is not a performance upgrade. It is also only available to a limited number of vehicles, and few vehicle owners can take advantage of the line.

Swapping in some EBC rotors is one of the first things many vehicle owners will do. There are performance gains to be had, but it's hard to deny the aesthetic appeal of these sporty, black rotors. As for what really matters, these are slotted and dimpled rotors that use wider slots to keep the brakes cooler while dimpling instead of drilling avoids cracks. These have the added benefits of reducing noise and avoiding brake fade under load and heavy braking. Promoting even pad wear and consistent braking throughout the life of the pads are just more ways this design sweetens the pot.

The price is a major downside for these rotors, considering the minimal gains they offer to street applications under most conditions. And though the design implements some features to cut down on noise, it doesn't change the fact that these rotors generate wind noise that smooth rotors will not.

Bosch Quietcast is a good name for rotors for the daily commuter. As the name implies, these rotors offer superior noise dampening to make the ride as enjoyable as possible. These are built with precision balancing, original-equipment vane configuration, and coated with a durable aluminum zinc plating to keep corrosion at bay. In almost all ways, it's a step up from any factory rotors and is available to any of today's passenger vehicles, both foreign and domestic.

The primary drawback to this rotor is that it's more expensive than many other options. This is also not a performance upgrade, even if it's costlier than other options.

If you're looking for an all-in-one bundle to simplify upgrading your car, Power Stop's Z26 pad and rotor kit has your name all over it. The set includes front and rear drilled and slotted rotors that keep the brakes cool under hard driving and offers maximum consistency of pad performance. The kit includes carbon-fiber ceramic pads to further boost high-speed braking performance while keeping dust low. As far as performance pad and rotors go, this is also one of the most affordable options.

While Power Stop does offer performance kits for a wide range of applications, including trucks, the Z26 package is available to a limited number of vehicles. You also need to be aware that drilled holes do compromise structural integrity of the rotors.

The Raybestos R-Line Brake Rotor is almost impossible to beat, at least when it comes to OE-type applications. It's affordable, built well, and widely available. But if the ACDelco Silver Brake Rotor is an option for you, you can save money by choosing it instead. 

I could sit here and make all the recommendations in the world, and though you might get what you want from that, it's not what I'd call a success. You are better off finding a particular option that works for you. That's why this buying guide walks you through some of the key factors to consider when shopping for rotors. 

Smooth rotors are the most common type as it's what most original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, use on their vehicles. There are also plenty of aftermarket brake conversion kits that rely on this type of rotor. Smooth rotors have the advantages of long pad life, low noise, and ample stopping power under normal conditions. They are not the premier choice for performance applications, but modern advancements do narrow the gap between smooth and other rotor designs. It’s also important to remember that pads and tires are far more important to brake performance than the rotor alone. 

Drilled rotors have a series of holes drilled through them. These holes are present to help gases created by hot pads escape to keep performance consistent in heavy braking situations. There are three drawbacks to this design. One is the reduction of the rotor's structural integrity. The presence of holes also increases pad wear and drives up the selling price. That might be a fair tradeoff if the holes did more for the driver. Today's pads don't have much of an issue with off-gassing, and many manufacturers feature them in rotors because of their aesthetic appeal. 

Slotted rotors feature grooves that run along the surface of the rotor. This design helps to deal with the glaze left on overheated pads and improves braking consistency. Of course, the presence of slots reduces the rotor's structural integrity, but to a minimal degree. The other tradeoff is reduced pad life, which is thanks to the intentional removal of a small layer of the pads as slots pass by them to remove glazing. Even so, slotted rotors are far more practical in today's day and age than drilled rotors and are the choice for vehicles that see actual track time or any other kind of hard driving. 

This type of rotor combines the features of the previous two types discussed, making for a design with the advantages of both. The presence of holes and slots does lower the structural integrity of the rotor, and manufacturing becomes more complicated, which drives the cost up. These do wear through pads much more quickly than the other types of rotors, further driving up the expense of ownership. 

It's difficult to put a set price on brake rotors. The make, model, and position of the rotors on the vehicle largely determine what you're going to pay, but stock-type rotors don't usually cost more than $50-$100 apiece. Moving to aftermarket specialty rotors can double or triple the price, depending on the manufacturer and specialty features included. 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.

A: Yes. Brake rotors can be reused as long as there's no serious wear or damage. Even then, they can often be taken in for resurfacing at the local machine shop. 

A: Cracks, grooves, and warping are several things to look for. If you can spot any of these, it's time to either replace or resurface the rotors. A grinding sound while driving is also often a sign that rotors need repair or replacement. 

A: Under normal driving, brake rotors should last 50,000 to 70,000 miles. Because you're bound to brake hard, ride the brakes, and encounter all kinds of things that fall outside of normal driving circumstances, your mileage will vary.

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