Before you buy
What type do you prefer?
“There is more than one type of blade?” Correct! The wiper blades we’re familiar with are traditional bracket type blades. Or typically, windshield blades consisting of a stiff metal frame and a rubber insert, found on pretty much every car for the past half-century. They’re known to be durable and very universal.
More recently, beam type blades have been on the rise in popularity. Instead of the stiff metal frame, it’s a thick strip of rubber, supported by a flexible integrated metal rod. This newer design is said to distribute pressure more evenly for improved wiping performance. Beam wiper blades are increasing in use on more premium and luxury automobiles, though can struggle with the real extreme stuff, such as mud and sand.
There are also hybrid blades, which are a combination of the beam and bracket construction, and silicone bracket blades for extended long-life.
Like tires, windshield wipers’ effectiveness is determined by how well they’re made to standup to the elements, typically varying in performance particularly in the cold weather. Beam type blades are also supposedly more resistant to accumulating snow and ice. The only downside is that they tend to demand a slight price premium over the brackets.
Size
Size does matter when considering windshield wiper blades. You want to match the ones that came with the car from the factory. But this is the easy part as they’re measured in inches by length. The only thing you need to be weary of is that a lot of newer cars have staggered wiper lengths, meaning one could be longer than the other. At majority of retail locations and local auto parts stores, catalogues are often present to see what the recommended wiper blade size is for your vehicle.
Price
With wipers, it’s also a strong case of you get what you pay for. Cheaper wipers often don’t last very long and tend to streak faster if they see a lot of debris and aren’t cleaned often. And windshields do see quite a bit of that.
The more expensive ones, like the beam type blades, do last longer and tend to be more effective in everyday and more extreme environments.
Our picks
Bosch ICON Wiper Blades
Type: Beam
Available lengths: 13” – 28”
If you’ve been in an Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz et al with precipitation present, you’ve probably seen these in action already. The Bosch ICON wiper blades are pretty much considered OEM equipment for most of the German luxury auto brands, with other manufacturers catching on.
It is a more expensive beam type wiper blade, but that of course means that they’re pretty much some of the best wiper blades available on the market. They’re most noted for their longevity and performance.
As a personal user of these blades on my daily drive, I can attest to that these are pretty much as good as it gets.
AERO Premium All-Season Wipers
Type: Beam
Available lengths: 12” – 28”
Similar to the Bosch ICON wipers, AERO Premium wipers are also beam type blades. You get a set of two per unit, unlike the Bosch, which are sold individually. Like Bosch, AERO meets OEM-specifications for many manufacturers who’ve switched over to beam blades from the factory. So you are getting similar performance at a greater value.
Some have noted that the AERO blades do not last as long and aren’t as durable as the Bosch ICONs. In our opinion, the difference could be considered negligible though. Also noted were limited mounting options, where wiper blades come with multiple brackets to match your vehicle, or simply they may not be compatible.
ANCO AR Series Rear Wiper Replacement
Type: Bracket
Available lengths: 12″, 14″, 16″
For those with long-roof vehicles, your rear tailgate is often equipped with a window. And said window often has a rear-mounted wiper. Yes, those wear down and get old too, prompting replacement.
Recommended for its low cost and quality construction and performance, ANCO’s rear wiper replacement is an easy no brainer. Just make sure you purchase the right size!
ANCO 31-Series
Type: Bracket
Available lengths: 10” – 28”
Need something quick and cheap, but still excellent? Then the ANCO 31-Series is one of the top recommended universal bracket type wiper blade replacements. Noted for its excellent performance per dollar, the ANCO 31-series wiper blades are available in sizes from 10-inches to 28-inches. They are run-of-the-mill. But for the performance, you cannot beat the value and reliability.
