(Photo by Thibault Valjevac on Unsplash)
You never know when you'll encounter bad weather while driving. That’s why it’s important to have quality windshield wipers for keeping your vision clear to see the road ahead. Automotive experts recommend you change out your windshield wipers yearly. A recent survey of 2000 American car owners, shows there's differences in car care depending on where you live. In the Midwest, drivers are most likely to forget to replace their windshield wipers (35%). Drivers in the Northeast don’t always change their brakes (38%), and South Easterners were most likely to overlook a battery performance warning (36%). If you haven't changed your windshield wipers yet, check out our list of the best windshield wipers you can buy for your vehicle.
Driving means encountering all sorts of obstacles. Regardless of location, 55 percent agreed that snowstorms are the worst weather to drive in. Meanwhile, potholes were the most common road obstacle for all drivers (53%). When driving in challenging road conditions, people tend to worry about their tires (45%), brakes (41%), and battery (38%) more than anything else.
With the amount of things that can go wrong when it comes to cars, are your car repair skills and knowledge up to par? Probably not. In a recent survey of 2,000 car owners conducted by OnePoll on behalf of SimpleTire, eight in 10 Americans feel confident in their ability to assess when their vehicle needs maintenance — but the majority (61%) admit that others notice their car issues before they do.
Did you know that April is National Car Care month? Why not treat your automobile to a fresh pair of wiper blades to celebrate? It’s easy to overlook windshield wipers when handling basic car maintenance. EdNews compiled a list of the five best windshield wipers from ten expert websites to make sure you're armed with the best options for your next road trip. Our list is based on the top recommendations across these sites. As always, we’d like to see your own recommendations in the comments below!
The List: Best Windshield Wipers, According to Experts
1. Bosch ICON Wiper Blades
Reviewers love the ICON blade’s durability. Prices start at $29.99. CNET gave the Bosch ICON its ‘best overall’ title, noting, “if there's plenty of rain and snow where you live, this Bosch wiper blade works wonders in keeping your windshield clear. And because of the spring design, pressure is applied equally across the blades so there's no skips or smearing.”
“They stay glued to the windshield, clear prodigious amounts of rain and snow without leaving streaks and operate quietly,” adds Gear Patrol.
Your Best Digs points out, “Bosch also sells their wipers with specific brackets to fit different wiper arms.”
2. Rain-X Latitude Water Repellency Wiper Blades
Starting at about $15, if you drive often in rainy weather, this budget-friendly blade is worth looking at. “The Rain-X Latitude Water Repellency is our pick for the best wiper blade. First and foremost, the Rain-X rain repellent is legit. This hydrophobic coating on the blades works very well and improved visibility immediately. We watched beads of water slide right off the windshield, which was especially helpful during light rain,” according to Car and Driver.
“Although their performance is strong, these windshield wiper blades will actually make less noise than a standard pair of blades. They'll be less likely to lift up in windy conditions, too, which means they'll consistently be hugging your windshield and, consequently, doing their job,” adds TV Stuff Reviews.
The Drive notes the wipers come, “with a pre-installed universal adaptor, holding the wiper blade firmly in place on the bayonet wiper arm. Rain-X claims the adapter covers 96 percent of all vehicle mounting situations.” Reviewers did note the locking clasp can be hard to open.
3. AERO Voyager Premium All-Season Wiper Blades
For $17.99, these wiper blades are a quality choice that won’t break the bank. “If you live where rain, snow, slush, sleet and road salt cover your windshield every year, you’d be hard-pressed to find a set of wiper blades more versatile than these beam blades,” according to The Family Handyman.
USA Today notes, “we found these to have the best ease of installation of all the blades we tested, and they were able to handle just about every type of weather condition.”
“One drawback is the AERO Voyager blades don't come with an adapter. They are only compatible with J-Hook wiper arms,” adds Gear Patrol.
4. Michelin Stealth Ultra Wiper Blades
Another value pick with prices starting at around $17, these wiper blades don’t skimp on endurance. BestAdvisor points out it’s, “a smart wiper that adjusts to the shape of your windshield, so it won't let you down in any bad weather. The blades will maintain contact at all points throughout the course of the wiping action, ensuring that any kind of precipitation is quickly and easily wiped out of your view, giving you clear visibility in any kind of weather.”
USA Today notes, “several hinge points on the blades help them conform to the shape of the windshield. The area around each hinge is also designed to prevent snow and ice buildup.”
BestReviews adds, the “special hinge joints and independent suspension allow the wiper to grip the windshield securely.”
5. Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady Wiper Blades
This affordable wiper blade from Goodyear gets positive marks from reviewers. Plus, the $12 starting price is sure to fit into any budget. “With so many different wiper-arm styles out there, including good adapters is essential for wiper-blade companies. We found that Goodyear's adapters were the best and easily interchangeable. The blade isn't bad either—no streaking or chattering, and they worked well on low, medium, and high,” according to Car and Driver.
Gear Patrol points out, “the blades have delivered a smooth and steady wipe when used in fall weather. Installation with the universal adapter system was easy once figured out, but our tester found the instructions provided confusing to follow.”
You might also be interested in:
Sources:
- CNET
- Gear Patrol
- Your Best Digs
- Car and Driver
- TV Stuff Reviews
- The Drive
- The Family Handyman
- USA Today
- BestAdvisor
- BestReviews
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. EdNews is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.
I live in South Lake Tahoe where snow and sleet is our weather every winter. Especially this winter!
I own several cars and teach winter driving to teenagers as well as adults. Therefore I tried several different when she'll wipers. I have found Trico ice extreme and Rain-X to be excellent wipers. I tried the Bosch and was not at all happy with them. I am shocked to hear that they may the number one wiper.
I live in the north east.
I use PIAA Silicone Wiper Blades
They are so good, they will change your life.
I never. Buy any wipes to replace I always shocked it in white vinegar every month it been 7 years since I bought my mercedes benz gl450 and still the same wipes blade
What about parts of the country where the temperature is over 90 degree’s for a majority of the year with little too no rain, all of these are for anyplace north of Texas.
Bosch are hands down the best replacement blades and available at any mainstream auto parts store.
I've tried almost every brand of wiper and by far the best I've found is Aero. Aero wipers clean better than any others I've tried and are very quiet. I highly recommend!
Pfft, CNET is biased and here's the proof! Nest time I suggest the writer actually TRY the product instead of using Google search to obtain info for her report. Wasted time in reading a ‘book report' from biased search results. https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/2/23582046/cnet-red-ventures-ai-seo-advertisers-changed-reviews-editorial-independence-affiliate-marketing