The car wiper blade market is awash with options, so we’ve tested the best to find our wiper blade winners
Wiper blades are a crucial part of your car that are often overlooked until it’s time for an MoT test. They have to be dragged across the glass in front of your eyes thousands of times a year in all weathers, clearing bugs in the summer and snow in winter. And yet they degrade so slowly that we often don’t notice as they get noisier and start to smear.
Changing them can be a revelation, making your vision clearer and reducing irritating judder. Most modern cars use ‘aero’ blades, which are held onto the screen better at speed and should give a more even wipe. They’re easy enough to fit yourself with the help of a YouTube video if you’re not sure how they work on your car. But which replacement should you choose from the bewildering array on offer? We tested some of the most popular brands to find out.
How we tested them
We fitted 22-inch (550mm) aero blade-style wipers to a Land Rover Discovery 4, which uses the common U-shaped hook fitting. We looked for the blades that wiped most effectively in all conditions, so tried them in the dry, using the washer jets, and then simulated different rates of rain using a hose.
We also checked for any juddering or other noise and tested for lifting at motorway speeds. Finally, we considered the ease of fitting, and value. All prices are taken from online sources and are for a pair of blades, unless otherwise stated.
Verdict
The Bosch Aerotwins are still our favourite wipers, with great quality and performance, plus a lower price now. They might be a few pounds more expensive than the others here, but you’ll never regret spending the extra because they are well made, easy to fit, quiet in use, and give a great wiping performance. The Trico Exact Fit Kit also impressed, although they do ask a slightly higher price.
- Bosch Aerotwin
- Trico Exact Fit Kit
Reviews
Bosch Aerotwin
- Price: around £22
- Rating: 5 stars
- Contact: wiperblades.co.uk
We have been using our winning Bosch blades on our test car for over 18 months now, and have no hesitation in recommending them. They are easy to fit, and feel solid in their mountings – which is essential to keep the noise to a minimum and avoid a “clack’” as the wiper changes direction. The beam part of the blade maintains an even pressure across the screen, too, which means the wiping performance is both smear and judder-free.
Bosch claims the rubber used in its blades has a special Power Protection Plus coating, which keeps it supple and makes the material last longer, too. As a bonus, more of us will be able to fit the Aerotwins.
Buy now from Amazon
Trico Exact Fit Kit
- Price: around £30
- Rating: 5 stars
- Contact: trico.eu.com
Trico is the original equipment supplier for the Volkswagen Group, so its blades are fitted at the factory to a whole range of VW, Audi, Skoda and SEAT models. The Exact Fit in the name indicates that they are identical to the wipers you’ll be replacing if you own or drive one of those cars.
To give the Tricos a little more of a challenge, though, we fitted them to a Volvo for comparison to the Aerotwins. They were simple to install, with the clips already attached and only a small amount of wrangling needed on one fitting to get them slotted in securely.
The wiping performance in heavy rain was a match for that of the Bosch items, but in lighter showers, driving through mist or using the washers, there was some smearing. More annoying was a judder in cold weather, with the blades skipping across the screen at the very top of the arc of the bigger driver’s-side wiper.
Buy now from Amazon
Aerowiper
- Price: around £15
- Contact: www.wiperblades.co.uk
- Rating: 4.5 stars
It was a close run thing between the Aerowipers and the third-placed Michelins, but the lower price of these ‘own brand’ blades from wiperblades.co.uk clinched it.
There’s no need to be frightened that these units will be of lower quality than the branded wipers from more well known makes, because they cleared our screen as effectively and quietly as anything except our Best Buy Bosch. QR codes on the packaging link to video tutorials on how to fit them, and they slotted in securely to our Land Rover’s arms. Our only real gripe was that the connector looked a little scruffy and unfinished once fitted.
Buy now from wiperblades.co.uk
Michelin Stealth Hybrid
- Price: around £12
- Adaptors: 6
- Contact: www.wiperblades.co.uk
- Rating: 4 stars
Rather than the one-piece flat blades of every rival here, the Michelins use an old-fashioned bridged wiper to help it wrap round a curved screen, but enclose it in a soft, rubbery case for better aerodynamics and less wind noise. That might seem rather antiquated, but the blades did a decent job of clearing water and were also quiet. They did look a little chunky when fitted, though.
The box had six fittings for various cars, and the blades slotted straight on to our hooked arm easily. But they didn’t feel as secure as the Bosch or Aerowiper and the lack of a cover on the connector made it look as though a part had fallen off.
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Halfords Advanced Flat Silicone Wiper Blade
- Price: around £30
- Adaptors: 1
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: www.halfords.com
Halfords claims its new Advanced blades are a revolution in the world of wiping. Instead of using vulcanised rubber like almost every other blade on the market, they use silicone. This material has been tried in wipers before, but was less resilient to extreme temperatures. However Halfords says it has tested the new blades through half a million cycles to ensure durability.
The upside of silicone is that it should apply a water-repellent coating to your windscreen on every wipe, making water bead like the droplets on freshly waxed paint. We had worried this coating could create a haze, but in reality, there was no discernible difference or beading effect.
Buy now from Halfords
Wipac Storm X
- Price: Around £16 (including rear wiper blade)
- Adaptors: 1
- Contact: www.eBay.co.uk
- Rating: 3 stars
There’s no denying the value of these blades; they’re among the cheapest here, and the price includes a replacement for the rear windscreen wiper.
They were the closest to the original blades on our Land Rover, with a securing clip to hold them in place and an identical design. But the plastic felt flimsy and the blades left a slight smear in the wettest conditions. They were noisier, too, producing a more audible clack when the wiper changed direction. Still, they’re not badly priced if your budget is tight.
Buy now from eBay
Vipa Blade Set
- Price: Around £20
- Adaptors: 1
- Contact: www.amazon.co.uk
- Rating: 2.5 stars
These unbranded blades are one of the most popular choices on Amazon and described as a “premium OE direct replacement”, so we were keen to try them. At around £20, they have a top-end price compared to the rivals here, but this does include a rear wiper.
However, they didn’t feel like a premium product, arriving loose in a box with poorly fitted parts. Once reassembled they did actually resemble the original Land Rover wipers, with a locking tab over the arm. Their wiping performance was better than the Lucas’, but the driver’s side blade hit the bodywork at the top of each wipe, causing an audible clunk. Irritating.
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Keyword: Best wiper blades 2022