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Oct 30, 2024

The Best Windshield Wipers of 2024 | GearJunkie Tested

We’ve always been steadfast about three things when it comes to auto maintenance: Learn how to change a flat tire before the real thing, keep your fluids topped off, and you ought to be changing your

We’ve always been steadfast about three things when it comes to auto maintenance: Learn how to change a flat tire before the real thing, keep your fluids topped off, and you ought to be changing your windshield wipers regularly. Thankfully, our gearheads have cycled through the best windshield wipers on the market, so your next change will last longer than ever.

We’ve been caught out in deluges that apparate from nothing, and a good set of wipers has been essential in keeping the rubber side down. An all-around solid set like our top pick, the Rain-X Silicone Enduras, is a go-to with silicone performance, but if you live somewhere that just doesn’t see much precip, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady wipers are budget-friendly and sport attachment styles for almost any vehicle.

While wiper blades aren’t the sexiest auto accessory and aren’t very complicated, there is enough nuance to dig into to separate the worthy from the weak, and we’ve laid it all plain here. From traditional to beam, rubber to silicone, there are a few factors to consider, and a couple of wipers that really stand out to us through our testing in the Pacific Northwest.

We’ve collected the eight best windshield wiper blades on the market today and called out a few special ones for earning high marks in performance, pricing, and durability. If this is your first time considering wiper blades, check out our Buyer’s Guide and Comparison Chart. For all other questions about relative worth, our Price & Value section is prime to answer them.

Editor’s Note: We updated our Windshield Wiper guide on October 29, 2024, to add a new Price & Value section and additional testing feedback from six more months of usage.

The Rain-X Silicone Endura ($26) is bar none one of the best windshield wipers available currently, and balances a sturdy beam design, silicone blade, and built-in water-repellent to produce long-lasting results that impressed in our testing.

Silicone wiper blades are superior to natural rubber squeegees, and won’t degrade over time due to exposure to UV, ozone, and extreme temperatures. On top of that, because they gradually deposit silicone as they wear in, these blades provide a Rain-X-like water repellant to your windshield — meaning water beads off like nobody’s business.

Compared to other blades, the Silicone Enduras produced some of the least streaking and were the quietest when operated at full bore. As with many silicone blades, you’ll notice that performance over time seems to get even better, as the silicone builds up on the glass. Running the blades dry for a few cycles can help bed in this material and ensure quick beading.

The mounting attachments for the Silicone Endura blades are sturdy and elevate the pivot point a bit more than other wipers we tested, meaning a higher clamping force. While the J-hook attachment has a finicky release, it’s simple once you figure out the trick (pivot the blade to perpendicular, then depress the tab). These blades also sport a locking clasp, meaning they’ve got an extra layer of protection against coming undone.

When held up side by side with our premium wiper pick, the PIAA Si-Techs, there is no actual difference between the two that we could see. With even the serial numbers matching, we’re confident these wipers are the same — a boon for the Enduras, considering they can be found for $10 cheaper per blade. For almost everyone, the Silicone Endura wipers are the blades to get.

Nowadays, we don’t believe it makes much sense anymore to go with a traditional branch-style wiper if you don’t have to. Beam-style blades can now be had for the same, if not cheaper, price, and the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady ($16) is proof-positive of that.

Sporting a dual-layer steel construction, beam-style blades like the Assurance better conform with the windshield compared to traditional designs, and are more aerodynamic, meaning they won’t shutter at high speeds due to the wind. For those who drive through heavy snow, beam-style blades also won’t freeze up, as there are no spaces for ice to build on.

The trade-off for that budget price has to come somewhere, and on the Assurance blades, it’s the more traditional rubber wipers. We aren’t here to say that rubber elements won’t get the job done (they certainly will), but over time you’ll likely see reduced performance as the blades degrade. The similarly-specced Rain-X Latitude Water Repellency wipers are also one to consider at $18 per, but we give the nod to the Goodyears here for their broader attachment styles.

The Assurance WeatherReady wipers come with more mounting options than pretty much any other blades we tested, attaching to almost any style out there — even the unique BMW style we mated them up to. For those who might have an odd-ball wiper design, these blades should be turn-key. And for the price, they won’t do a half-bad job at removing water either.

Going with a branch-style windshield wiper option typically means being stuck with a cheaper rubber wiper squeegee, but the SilBlade Standard ($26) bucks the trend. Best for those living in drier climates who might not need the performance of a beam-style wiper, these wipers are an economical option with the good stuff where it counts.

The performance of the SilBlades in our wiper testing was about the middle of the pack, with minimal streaking and noise, though a bit of shuddering at the end of the stroke. Not enough to distract, but enough to notice in our slow-speed footage. For everyday use, we wouldn’t lose sleep over it.

Available in a wide range of lengths (11-28”), the SilBlades should fit a wide range of vehicles, though you will be limited by the available attachments, which fit the most popular J-hook and pin arm wipers. We had no problem getting them onto our test truck, though some with European makes may be out of luck.

If you’re after a more modern design, SilBlade also produces their wipers in a ‘FlexBlade’ beam-style wiper, as well as a ‘UniBlade’ — a hybrid design. Best for those who don’t need the best, but also don’t want to rummage around in the bargain bin, the silicone SilBlade Standards make good sense to us.

The Bosch Icon ($30) wiper blades are rightfully popular, and our testing proved they deserve the reputation. These beam-style wipers are the style perfected, with a smooth flex pattern and aggressive curvature that keeps the wiper planted on your windshield.

Obviously, we believe that silicone wipers are superior in performance to rubber, though that isn’t to say that the rubber used on the Icons isn’t going to do its job. Our testing showed these wipers move water with the best of them, and even streak a little less than the Rain-X Latitudes. Long-term durability is where you’ll see these begin to slip, but it won’t be due to build quality.

These wipers also have the easiest attachment of any we tested for our guide, with a simple locking clasp that secures down the blade with one motion. Removing these wipers elicited cheers from our testing crew, as almost all other wipers had a tendency to bite our fingers with little push tabs. Not so with the Icon.

In especially cold and icy environments, silicone wiper blades can actually end up being a bit on the soft side, and can tear when run over ice build-up on an unscraped windshield. If this sounds like your daily commute, best to stick with a tough rubber wiper like the Icons.

As we mentioned previously in this guide, the PIAA Si-Tech ($36) windshield wipers are, to the best of our ability to tell, the same as the Rain-X Silicone Enduras — with a few small differences. Whether or not those differences make up the difference in price is up to you, but they do make these the best premium wipers in our opinion.

For one, the Si-Tech wipers all ship with a windshield preparation pack, which is a mix of alcohol cleaner and liquid silicone. This takes the idea of silicone wipers to the nth degree, and we found in our testing a higher-quality water-repellant coating over simply running silicone wipers on their own. You can certainly achieve the same effect with the application of a commercial product such as Rain-X treatment, but the fact that these wipers ship with it elevates them.

Further, the Si-Tech wipers offer silicone wiper refills directly from PIAA — something the Rain-X wipers don’t. This means that when your wipers finally bite the dust, it’s a simple process to revitalize your wiper’s performance and get back on the road.

The beam design of the PIAA was just up there with the best Rain-X and Bosch in terms of moving water in our testing scenarios, with the full blade making contact and little to no streaking occurring. Noise, too, was among the lowest we recorded, and we appreciated that even as the wipe-on treatment fades, these silicone blades will continue to lay down a treatment and keep water beading up.

While you can snag the same for less, the extra touches make the Si-Tech wipers the blades to get if you want turn-key performance.

The Trico Silicone Ceramic ($36) is among the priciest wiper blades, but it offers a lot for the money. That price tag is likely owed to the top-notch chemistry that went into brewing up these blades, with a special ceramic coating that keeps the wiper running smoothly.

Wiping performance is up there with the PIAA Si-Tech and Rain-X Silicone Endura wipers, and that ceramic coating is liable to keep these blades wiping long into the future. The biggest cause of shuttering and noise from wiper blades is actually from dirty windshields, and being able to glide over debris goes a long way in prolonging life.

This wiper blade is also certainly the most ‘aerodynamic’ in our testing, with an integrated spoiler that helps to keep the wipers planted. Whether or not this actually creates any actual down-force (we’re dubious), we can say that contact on these wipers is excellent, and there’s no shuttering at high speeds.

Choosing between these and the PIAA Si-Techs is a coin toss, with us slightly favoring the PIAA wipers due to their more aggressive curve and included water-repellant wipes. But in terms of long-term performance, it’s tough to make a call between them and the Silicone Ceramics.

In our opinion, the Rain-X Latitude Water Repellency ($18) wipers are solidly in the middle tier of wiper blades. They have quality water removal, a robust beam design, and a slick Rain-X coating that keeps them moving without getting hung up. For a rubber wiper, it’s tough to do much better than this.

As a rubber wiper, these wipers are a bit of a ‘2-in-1’ deal, and add a silicone treatment onto the blades to be distributed across your windshield during the initial uses. While this won’t match the longevity of a true wipe-on treatment or silicone blades, it certainly does work and started beading water after a few wipes in our testing. In terms of durability, we found this treatment to last one summer and fall of good use in the Pacific Northwest.

The beam design is quite similar to the Rain-X Silicone Enduras, and actually has a bit more of an aggressive curve to it, which helped it stick close to the windshield in our max-speed test. The attachment mount is bulky, however, and won’t cut the wind as well as some of the other wipers we tested.

Often available for around $18 a wiper, the Latitude Water Repellency blades are a killer budget option, and if you add some Rain-X Washer Fluid Additive into the mix, you can keep that water-beading performance going all year — all without having to bump up to full-on silicone wipers.

A close contender for our best-budget award, the Trico Flex ($17) wiper blades bring a lot to the table for not much dough. You’ll still get a more economical rubber wiper insert, but the blade design on the Flex wipers is excellent with stellar water removal in our testing, and only a little streaking.

These wipers compare very favorably to the Bosch Icons, with really only the better attachment on the Icons raising them over the Trico Flex. Even still, we found little to complain about with the performance of these wipers.

In hand, the Trico Flex blades feel a little cheaper in build quality than some of our higher-dollar contenders, with the plastic frame and mount leaving a little to be desired. These wipers also won’t have as broad of attachment compatibility, so those with a funky wiper attachment may have to look elsewhere.

An excellent budget choice, the Flex wiper blades don’t excel in any one metric, but were fairly dependable across the different testing we put them through. If you don’t need the best of the best, or live somewhere with infrequent precip, these wipers will get the job done.

It’d be easy to phone it in and just recommend any old wiper (the kid at the auto parts counter does — we jest), but we aimed to get into the nitty gritty and really separate the good from the great in our testing. This involved a serious session of research, both online and in questioning our on-staff road warriors on what they run on their rigs. Our selection aims to cover the spread of needs, and we think there’s something here for everybody.

We took a scientific approach to our wiper blade testing, aiming to distill out the marketing fluff and get some solid data through a reliable, replicateable test. This took the form of our trusty Toyota Tacoma, a few carefully aimed sprinklers, a slow-motion camera, and an audio recorder.

Each wiper was run at the same speed with the same amount of water, and the performance was recorded — then compared to suss out which blades moved the most amount of water, and which did this the quietest. For blades that required a wipe-on silicone treatment, we cleaned the windshield between tests to ensure a sterile test bed and accurate results.

We also paid close attention to the installation and removal process (and we got pretty dang good at both). Wipers often use a number of adapters to connect, and we challenged multiple testers to affix these wipers without reading the instructions. After a few nipped fingers and a few more curses, we had a good idea of the work it took to get each wiper set up.

Aside from our stationary testing, we also, of course, hit the road, driving through deluges on the Olympic Peninsula, snow storms in British Columbia, and more than a few mud holes on our way out to the perfect campsite. This frequent blade changing also gave us ample experience in learning which blades go on the easiest, and which should have come with an installation manual.

And finally, we are constantly testing the durability and longevity of these wiper blades, running them full-time on our rigs and using them until failure. Our review is constantly updated to reflect this data, and we also test new wipers as they become available.

Living just north of the Rainy City, lead tester Nick Belcaster sees enough annual liquid precip to necessitate not only annual wiper blade replacement but has even swapped out a wiper motor or two from over-use. Stealing away across the West has put him atop some mountain passes at exactly the wrong moment, and he has both cheered and cursed his wiper blades, depending on their condition.

Our wiper coverage is also influenced by a broad back bench of auto-savvy GearJunkie editors and contributors, who provide testing feedback from their own rigs. Motors Editor Bryon Dorr hails from Portland, Oregon, where he pilots his overland-built Lexus GX460 and makes liberal use of the high setting on his wipers.

While they might more often be a last-second add-on to your oil change, wiper blades can be pretty important when you need them. We’ve tried our best to find mid-stream substitutes (note: your buddy leaning out the window furiously wiping won’t cut it), but it’s best to get dialed in before you need them. Like ensuring your headlights are clear, keeping your tires topped off, or looking into that pesky engine code, taking care of your wipers will pay dividends in keeping your ride on the road for longer.

Our testing revealed that there’s actually a good bit of tech baked into these simple accessories, and things like wiper design, blade compound, and wipe-on coatings can greatly improve performance and durability over the lifespan of your wipers. Consider the following before you replace your next set to ensure you’re getting the best wiper for the money.

Windshield wiper blades haven’t changed much since their invention (credit one Mary Anderson, 1903, by the way) but there are a few key ways we’ve been able to squeeze more squeegee performance out of them. One of those is in the overall blade frame design.

These are the wipers that have been used on vehicles for years. They are simple in design and accommodate the curve in modern windshields, but don’t provide much force in clinging tightly to the glass. Most often made of painted or powder-coated steel, heavy use will wear these frames and can eventually rust.

In areas of heavy snow and ice, branch-style wipers can become inundated with ice build-up between the branch elements, causing the blades to chatter as they fail to glide across the windshield. For drivers in drier climates, branch wipers like the SilBlade Standards or PIAA Super Silicones can be an economical choice. Because they aren’t as essential, we run branch-style wipers on all of our rear window wiper blades.

Modern wiper blades use a beam frame design, which is often a one- or two-piece design with metal bands to provide even pressure across the length of the wiper beam. Because there are no pressure points, beam-style wipers are often higher quality than branch-style offerings, with less chatter and hang-ups.

Beam-style wipers also cling tighter to the windshield, making them more aerodynamic and lessening wind noise and lift. In our testing, the Bosch Icons just about have the style perfected, and exhibit great flex and contact.

Hybrid-designed frames combine a bit of both styles of wiper blades and incorporate an aerodynamic cover to a branch frame to lessen wind-lifting and keep your wipers where they need to be. This also helps eliminate the icing issue that comes with many branch frames.

Quantifying wiper performance might seem a bit in the weeds, but we wanted to really split hairs in finding the best wipers, so we put together a quasi-scientific test. Armed with our trusted garden hose and a ladder, we simulated a classic Pacific Northwest spring day, complete with every type of rain you could imagine (sprinkles to deluge), and recorded our findings to dissect later.

The primary wipe is the one that removes most of the water from your windshield. During this stroke, we looked for a clean motion with no shuddering or streaking, and we audio-recorded to compare the relative sound produced by each blade. In lesser blades, the ends of the blades are where we noticed hang-ups occurring the most, and this is also where the most streaking was introduced.

During the pause in between wipes, we could tell which blades were removing the most water by just how clear the windshield was in the brief time before more water hit it. As a broad observation, beam-style wipers had better contact across the entire surface of the windshield, removing water more evenly than branch-style frames.

Silicone wipers, too, made a noticeable difference, with only a few wipes necessary before the silicone began transferring to the glass and beading water. This aided in removing water in between wipes — meaning a lower wiper speed could be used.

Your wiper or squeegee element is where the rubber meets the road — er, windshield. These thin strips of rubber or silicone are shaped to end at a point and adapt to the curvature of your window, squeezing the water from beneath it and shuttling it away.

The prevailing wiper material for many years, natural rubber is still used heavily in wiper blades and provides a high-quality wipe when maintained well. Dirty windshields are the number one cause of poor-performing wiper blades and can gum up and damage rubber wipers until they no longer wipe properly.

Rubber blades do have a functional lifespan, as they are susceptible to damage from the sun’s UV rays, the ozone in the atmosphere, and high temperatures.

Silicone wipers, while often more expensive, do offer a number of advantages over rubber wipers, including better resistance to the environmental elements that degrade them. These types of wipers also offer the added benefit of depositing a thin layer of silicone with every wipe, which adds that water-repellant finish we’re big fans of.

Wipers like the Rain-X Silicone Endura or PIAA Si-Tech easily outperformed the rubber wipers in our tests, and seemingly only get better with additional use as they bed in that silicone layer.

While they can be either rubber or silicone, many manufacturers add coatings to their wiper elements, such as Teflon or graphite, in order to decrease friction. Know that these treatments won’t last forever, but will increase performance and make your wipers work less, meaning they’ll last longer.

The graphite coating on the Rain-X Latitudes assuredly helps make them one of the quietest wipers in our review, and the ceramic coating on the Trico Silicone Ceramics is a high-tech layer that reduces friction for easier wiping.

While the prevailing wiper attachment is going to be the J-hook style, there are many other styles used on vehicles today, with some of the more common being side pins, bayonets, and push button mounts.

Because wiper blades need to be used on many different vehicles, they often integrate a number of different adapters into a single mount. Because the universe of wiper attachments can be dizzying, it’s best to consult an auto parts store or online resource to ensure the wipers you’re purchasing are compatible with your vehicle.

It’s also important to note that there are ‘exact fit’ wiper blades available today, which are specified to meet the OE, or original equipment, requirements of your vehicle manufacturer. These blades won’t be fitted with any adapters, and instead only fit your vehicle, making the process a simpler affair.

Even the best wiper blades will eventually need replacing, but investing in a set that’ll go the distance can push off that date by a long time. Replace your wipers as part of your regular vehicle maintenance checklist to ensure they are not forgotten.

Most wiper blades will begin to degrade in performance around the 6-month mark, with many needing replacement after a year. However, with more high-end wiper blades, we have successfully run the same set for upward of 2 years with little loss in ability.

The most durable wiper blades will likely be beam-style designs, which have fewer moving parts and are less likely to become inundated with debris and ice. Silicone wipers also last much longer than their natural rubber counterparts due to their more stable chemical composition.

Using an off-the-shelf water-repellant treatment such as Rain-X can significantly improve the performance of your wiper blades. The coating causes water to bead and roll off your windshield, meaning you can avoid using your wipers altogether in light mist. Cleaning your wipers regularly will also prolong their life and keep debris from tearing the wiper elements.

Consider replacing your wipers once they begin to leave streaks on your windshield, or making any sort of chattering or squeaking sounds.

Windshield wipers aren’t exactly spendy, but that also doesn’t mean you should skimp on them. The biggest deciding factor is, of course, how often it’ll rain or snow where you drive the most. The needs of the Seattlite are certainly different than your average Albuquerquean, and this will dictate how much you ought to spend on your wipers.

If you live in a relatively dry climate, or maybe are outfitting a vehicle that is more of a fairweather cruiser, a set of budget wipers can well make the cut. These are going to be rubber branch-style blades, more often than not, as the design is simply to stamp out of metal, and the rubber elements provide good enough performance. The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReadys ($16) are even a slight upgrade in that you get a beam-style wiper.

Spending between $20-30 per wiper gets you into the bread and butter options, like the $26 Rain-X Silicone Endura, which enjoys heightened performance from its silicone wiper elements. You’ll see more beam-style wipers at this price range, which will provide a better wipe as they contact the windshield more uniformly, and the Bosch Icon ($30) is one of the better designs we tested.

Spending $30 on wiper blades (that’s $60+ per set) is some serious coin, but if you drive in extreme conditions where performance matters, even these simple things can make a difference. These blades will be all silicone like the PIAA Si-Tech ($36) and laid up onto robust beam-style blades that provide a high-quality wipe each time.

For our money, we’d offer the Rain-X Silicone Endura wiper blades to anyone looking to replace or upgrade their wipers. Their silicone wiper elements are top-notch, and continually deposit a thin layer of water-repellant throughout the life of the wiper, meaning water beads right off your windshield.

For a bit more out-of-pocket, the PIAA Si-Tech wipers are essentially the same, but ship with an included wipe-on water-repellant treatment, which we found highly effective.

Very expensive windshield wipers might not make a huge difference, but very cheap wipers will. There isn’t a vast ocean of performance difference when it comes to wipers, so going with a solid middle-ground choice like the Bosch Icon or Rain-X Latitude is a solid choice.

Generally, the more expensive wiper blades will be beam-style and use a silicone squeegee, both design elements that provide high-quality performance for an extended lifespan.

Windshield wipers made with silicone will far out-last their rubber counterparts, as they are less susceptible to damage from UV, ozone, and high temperatures. Single-piece beam designs will also go the distance compared to branch-style wipers, as there are fewer parts to wear out.

For our money, we’d recommend a wiper like the PIAA Si-Tech wipers. These are not only made with high-quality materials but also offer wiper refills when performance starts to wane.

An average windshield wiper lasts up to a year of regular use, often longer with frequent windshield cleaning. Some of the higher-end silicone wipers can be stretched even longer, as their wiper squeegees won’t degrade with exposure.

Once you start to see streaking or hear your wipers making noise, it’s a good clue to consider swapping out to new blades.

For those who are looking for the best performance across all conditions, silicone is certainly the way to go, as it provides a smoother wipe, and lasts much longer than rubber wiper blades.

For vehicles that operate in especially cold and icy climates, it can actually make sense to stick with rubber over silicone, however, as silicone is softer than natural rubber, and can tear when run over an iced-up windshield.

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