Pick the best winter wipers for your vehicle, so you can drive with clarity all season long.
Windshield wipers, much like your coffee maker or TV remote, are one of those things that never seem particularly important or valuable until they stop working effectively. And since their very purpose is to step up in bad weather, you only realize they’ve thrown in the towel when it’s too late – that messy smear of washer fluid, rain drizzle, and bird poop has completely obliterated whatever clear view of the road you had.
While this is annoying at any time of year, during the winter it can be downright dangerous. In addition to maintaining traction, ensuring clear visibility is one of the most important concerns during the cold and snowy season. The job of which falls largely to your windshield wipers.
That’s why, as summer turns to fall, and the cold rainy weather begins to pick up in earnest, it’s the perfect time to start checking off some of those seasonal maintenance items – including upgrading to a set of winter wipers.
Keep reading to learn how these accessories differ from the standard equipment on your vehicle, what factors to consider when shopping, and how you can keep them in tip-top shape all season long.
What Are Winter Wipers?
A windshield wiper is a windshield wiper is a windshield wiper, right? Wrong. These accessories may seem like they sport a very simple design, but there’s actually a fair amount of engineering involved, particularly when it comes to winter wiper blades.
How well a wiper’s blade can squeegee your windshield is dependent on how close its contact is with the glass. A conventional wiper, like the kind you might use during the spring and summer, usually features a lightweight metal frame with springs or joints that push the rubber blade down to create uniform pressure against the glass. In warm weather, this setup works just fine since you’re rarely swiping away anything other than rain, beach mist, and bug guts.
In the winter, however, you have freezing cold temperatures, snow, hail, and tire-flinging mud slushies to contend with. That metal wiper frame will get so cold it can jam up during operation. Ice can accumulate on the rubber blade, sticking it to the glass like a suction cup. Even if you upgraded your summer wipers to a windshield-conforming beam-style wiper or low-profile hybrid design, the construction and blade may not be sturdy enough to withstand winter’s worst.
To account for added seasonal challenges, winter wipers feature a stronger frame and, usually, a bigger blade. Additionally, the blade material is often fortified with more flexible and durable materials, like silicone, to help them stay bendy despite freezing ice and snow. Generally, winter wipers also include rubber housings or boots for the frame, protecting the whole unit from growing stiff or cracking.
Choosing the Best Winter Wiper Blades
The aftermarket loves variety, which means there’s much more than one type of winter wiper out there. In addition to different brands and price-points, there are several styles available too, each with its own unique features and advantages.
To ensure you choose the best winter wiper blades for your ride, it helps to know what your common options are:
Conventional Frame Wipers. Traditional and affordable, this is your basic wiper design. As described earlier, it consists of a metal frame with joints, springs, or claws that hold the blade down against the windshield glass. Since these parts are exposed, they stand a better chance of being negatively affected by harsh winter weather conditions.
Beam Wipers. These wipers do not feature an external frame; instead, the whole unit is contained within the blade and uses a spring-supported design to keep the wiper tight against the glass. Beam-style wiper blades are better suited for modern, curved windshields and their aerodynamic, low-profile design makes them particularly effective during windy conditions. Additionally, the self-contained design prevents ice and snow from building up on them. If you live in an area that sees rough winters, beam-style wipers are definitely worth considering.
Hybrid Wipers. Offering a little of Column A and a little of Column B, hybrid wipers feature a more rigid frame than conventional wipers, along with a protective cover to ward off freezing. They have a sleek, low-profile design and more pressure distribution points, like a beam-style wiper would. They’re a great compromise if you’re looking for something winter-ready that’s still budget-friendly.
Silicone Wipers. This style refers to the blade construction and less to the overall wiper design. For example, you can purchase beam-style wipers with silicone blades (like the Rain-X Endura), just as you can buy hybrid wipers with silicone blades (like the PIAA Forza). Silicone blades tend to last longer than conventional rubber blades, largely because they leave behind a water-resistant residue. Since the water beads off, the blades don’t have to work quite as hard, so you can enjoy streak-free performance for longer. However, silicone blades do have higher upfront costs than traditional rubber.
When it comes to selecting the best winter wiper blades for your vehicle, consider the type of weather you’re most likely to face during the season, how often you drive, and where you park your vehicle. These factors will certainly impact how sturdy of a design you need.
Ultimately though, the main features you want from your winter wipers are: a rubber boot or case to keep the frame from freezing (if you go with a beam-style, this is already taken care of) and a strong, flexible blade that can squeegee like a pro (like reinforced rubber or silicone).
Be sure you select the right size and fit for your vehicle, as not all wipers will work with all makes and models. Additionally, many newer vehicles have front wipers with different lengths on the left and right, which can sometimes make finding an upgrade tricky. Check your owner’s manual for information, or reach out to your vehicle’s manufacturer for guidance.
Maintenance Tips for Winter Wipers
Even the sturdiest winter wipers can freeze or jam up during particularly rough conditions. So, to avoid snapping off those nice new upgrades, keep these maintenance tips in mind:
If you have to park outside during bad weather, consider purchasing a windshield or car cover to prevent snow and ice contact. Need a more low-budget, last-minute solution? Grab an old pair of socks, slip them over the wipers, and then pull the frames up and away from the windshield so the fabric doesn’t stick to the glass.
If your wipers are already frozen, don’t try to force them into moving. Turn on the engine, crank up the defroster, and let it work its magic. If you don’t have time for that, try using a dedicated de-icing fluid -- not hot water, which can crack the windshield glass.
Don’t try to remove snow, frost, and ice build-up with winter wipers. Grab a good-quality snow brush and ice scraper, clear the windshield, and then use the defroster in conjunction with the wipers to clear any remaining residue.
Lastly, remember to swap out that windshield washer fluid for a winter-grade solution. The summer stuff can freeze on the windshield or inside the reservoir and spray nozzles, causing a mess.
Choosing a good set of quality winter wipers and showing them a little TLC throughout the season will ensure bad weather won’t blur your vision this winter. And while we’re on the topic of visibility, check out our guide on winter lighting upgrades to ensure you can best see the road ahead.