During the cold winter months, snow, slush, and deicing agents on your windshield can cause problems while driving. If you have used wipers in the past six months, it is time to check and possibly replace them with winter wiper blades... Which one is better to choose?
To answer this question, we looked at reviews on various specialized sites, studied the results of comparative tests and selected the best winter wipers for the car, which earned the highest ratings with relatively few complaints. The ranking also took into account such criteria as the popularity of the manufacturer in the Russian market and the price of wipers.
5. Horse Acrobat
- Price - from 408 rubles.
- Length - from 41 to 65 cm
These all-season wipers from a Russian manufacturer are suitable for both left-hand drive and right-hand drive cars. The creators have adapted the brushes to the maximum for the Russian winter. They do not have hinges and cavities where ice can linger, which increases the performance of the product in frost and high humidity conditions. The acrobat is resistant to deicing agents due to its anti-corrosion properties. The wiper frame is protected by a silicone spoiler. You can buy replacement rubber bands for the brushes
Disadvantages: When changing the direction of movement of the wipers, a click sometimes occurs, possibly due to the fact that they are too tightly pressed against the glass. Many reviews have complaints about dry glass creaks. When driving at speeds above 120 km per hour, the brushes are pushed away from the glass.
4. Alca Winter
- Price - from 483 rubles.
- Length - from 33 cm to 65 cm.
The top of the best winter wiper blades of 2016 is continued by the Chinese model of the German brand in a rubber cover, designed for passenger cars.
Advantages: thanks to the protective cover inside the brushes, the ice does not get clogged, so you do not have to constantly beat it off. In snowfalls and severe frosts, the wipers do not "freeze" much. They cope with adhered snow playfully, which reduces the consumption of anti-freeze. Most reviews also note the low price of brushes.
Disadvantages: modest appearance, at a speed of more than 100 km / h, they do not cope well with the task, which threatens an accident. So if you are a fan of driving in the snow on the track, then this model is not for you. At above-zero temperatures, small streaks may be left on the glass.
3. TRICO Ice
- Price - from 590 rubles.
- Length - from 40 to 70 cm
The third position in the list is occupied by Mexican-made brushes. They clean well and silently, require a minimum of anti-freeze. A thoughtful move by the manufacturer: the TRICO Ice comes with adapters, which allows you to install them on various mounts. And in frost and wet snow they do an excellent job of cleaning the glass.
Cons: There are user complaints that the right brush leaves an uncleaned area. This is due to its loose contact with the glass. In heavy snow, the adhering snow melts and ice forms, which is why the brushes begin to clean the glass with a pass.
2. Champion Winter
- Price - from 430 rubles.
- Length - from 41 to 60 cm
The second number of the ranking is the winter wipers produced in the European Union. Thanks to the sealed waterproof case, put on the frame, snow does not stick to them. The very soft rubber adheres perfectly to the glass and cleans it.
Cons: with the arrival of the second season of operation, the cover may begin to let moisture through, sometimes in cold weather you have to "knead" the brushes. At a speed of 120 km per hour, cleaning is poor, which does not contribute to safe driving. And don't leave Champion Winter for the summer, because they stop cleaning well and leave an ugly "fan" on the glass.
1. Bosch Aerotwin
- Price - from 670 rubles.
- Length - from 34 to 80 cm
And in first place among the best winter wiper blades was a Serbian-made model. How does it outperform its competitors? Firstly, a wide range of sizes. Secondly, it completely repeats the bends of the glass and does not stiffen in frost (up to minus 10 degrees). Thirdly, it serves for a very long time, from 2 seasons or more.
It also has some drawbacks: high price, creaks, some car owners complain about thin stripes on the glass after Bosch Aerotwin work.
A good wiper should smoothly remove water, snow and slush from glass, without squeaking, rattling or rattling. If you notice these shortcomings, or if the wiper regularly leaves streaks or streaks of water, it is time to replace it with a new one.
Our rating of wipers for winter is designed to ensure that you don't end up in an unpleasant situation. For example, they did not get stuck on the side of the road in a blizzard, because the windshield wipers could not remove the ice formed on the windshield.
Advice: if you notice that the wipers are not working well, try cleaning the rubber blade first. Sometimes that's all it takes to achieve a few more weeks or months of wipers' service. Dampen a clean paper towel or cloth with a little water, washer fluid, or alcohol and wipe along the edge of the wiper. The edge should be sharp and smooth, without chipping, chipping or gaps, and the rubber should be pliable and free from cracks.
In winter, carefully scrape off the ice from the windshield before using the wipers, as the ice can peel off rubber or damage the edge of the wipers.