Wiper Blades: Reviews

[red_one]

article from 2012 but still a good read..

Wiper Blades: Reviews

You may not notice your car's wiper blades have worn out until a rainy day leaves you with a streaky, blurry windshield. Auto experts recommend replacing your wiper blades every six months, but with hundreds of models available, it's hard to choose. We scoured both professional and consumer reviews to determine which wiper blades are the best bets.

Basic windshield wipers

If you notice streaks, squeaks or chatter when you use your windshield wipers, it's time to shop for replacement blades. While auto experts recommend replacing your wiper blades at least once a year, you don't need to spend a lot to get a quality set. In fact, reviews show that some of the top performers are among the least expensive available.

Side-by-side testing by one reputable consumer organization shows that inexpensive rubber wipers can perform just as well as the premium brands, so unless you want your wiper blades to look nicer or better stand up to the elements, there's little reason to splash out for pricey models. Tests also show that many wipers (regardless of price) begin to show decreased performance after three months, and almost all brands drop to average performance after six months. Note that the driver's-side blade is often a different length than the passenger-side wiper, which is why replacements are sold individually rather than in pairs.

Among basic rubber replacement wipers, we found the best reviews for the Valeo 600 Windshield Wiper Blade (*Est. $10), which has an excellent performance record for about half of what you'd pay for a set of premium blades. The Valeo 600 is made of a combination of synthetic and natural rubber, and the majority of users at Amazon.com praise its price and performance. "I wanted something inexpensive, reliable and durable. I got exactly what I was looking for in this product," says one owner. Many comments report a year of use from Valeo 600s, even in winter climates.

One common downfall to standard wiper blades is snow and ice buildup between the metal frame and the wiper blade, causing the wiper to freeze and miss parts of the windshield. We saw few complaints of this with the Valeo 600, and one Amazon.com user from Denver notes that all wipers wear out under these conditions. "Usually once the weather gets down to 40F to 45F, the rubber on the wiper blades will start cracking… so paying more than I should for wipers that will wear out a couple of times a year no matter the brand or quality is dumb," he says.

Silicone wiper blades look a bit nicer

Some auto enthusiasts claim that silicone wiper blades last longer and wipe better than basic rubber blades. In general, silicone wipers provide excellent performance when new, says ConsumerReports.org, but the advantages diminish after six months as with regular rubber blades.

Still, some drivers prefer the look and performance of a silicone wiper blade, and consumers and professional testers alike call the PIAA Super Silicone Wiper Blade (*Est. $20) the best of its type. Owners posting reviews at AutoAnything.com like the Super Silicone's sleeker style and say it performs just fine. However, the PIAA blades cost almost twice as much as the rubber Valeo 600s, and some users complain about the extra steps required to install them (the Super Silicone blades come with silicone wipes with which you treat your windshield before installation, a process that some call "annoying").

Beam windshield wipers

Beam blades -- also called bracketless wipers, six-beam blades or flat blades -- don't have the traditional metal superstructure on the outside. Instead, the support is moved inside the blade itself, giving the wipers a slimmer look. Their low profile not only looks nice but also keeps most of the moving parts protected from the elements.

According to consumers and a reputable testing organization, the Rain-X Latitude (*Est. $16) is the highest-rated beam wiper blade. When new, the Rain-X doesn't perform quite as well as some competing brands, but based on tests and customer observations, owners can expect them to last longer.

Good user feedback is readily available. "These are the best wipers I've found; they also last a long time here in SoCal where rain is infrequent and the sunshine can wear out blades faster," says a user at Amazon.com. Others report a life span of 18 months and longer for Rain-X Latitude wiper blades.

Regarding performance, feedback from Amazon.com users runs the gamut. "These wipers work extremely well for many months without streaking or deteriorating," comments one owner. Another says, "These seem to work just like any other wiper…they work fine for rain but don't help much with heavy snow or an icy windshield."

Wiper Blades Reviews: Best Wiper Blades

[_Cathy_]

I'm so over the recommended 6 month replacement. I just realized that I haven't replaced my car's wipers since I bought it in 2014 It's still okay though. I am not sure if it's because I rarely leave my car parked under the sun, and when I do it's NEVER more than a day and I lift the wipers too.

[crosswind]

Is it really necessary? My wiper blades skips because of the Collinite 845. I don't know if it's just me every time I wax the car with collinite even the windows beads.

[dct]

Sulit pa rin ba ang bosch aerotwin? O mas ok yung mas mura na lang like aerofit or ecoplus? Ang mahal na kasi e. 800 isang piraso lanh

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