The Top 7 Heated Wiper Blades

Today's unheated wiper blades are meant to keep in constant contact with the windshield, which is excellent for flicking away rainwater.  The problem is that ice and snow get stuck on the glass itself, breaking the wiper's contact with the windshield and resisting being thrown to the side.  So not only is there ice stuck to the windshield, the wipers aren't as able to do their job as well anymore.

The decreased visibility is incredibly dangerous.  The conditions that lead to ice and snow on your windshield are those that are the most important to maintain good visibility. Indeed, some estimates blame 20 percent of accidents on poor visibility. Using heated wiper blades clears up ice and snow in the best way possible: by melting it. 

Yes, other wiper blades will melt ice and snow, but they aren't so easily available as the ones listed above.  Finding these might require a trip to the heated wiper blade section of Canadian Tire or a similar store.  

A company called Everblades makes heated wiper blades that are also appropriate for heavy winter weather.  Their wiper blades utilize rubber construction. There are also Type S Heated Wiper Blades, produced by Type S Auto, with three types of heated wiper blades on offer. 

The most important variable is the type of material that the blades use.  Some blades are made out of silicon, the most common material for unheated wiper blades.  These models will work well all year round, even when their heating capabilities aren't needed.  

Other types of blades like graphite wiper blades and silicone wiper blades are also available on the market.  This type of heated wiper blade can stand up to all sorts of abuse during the winter but are overkill during the summer.  

It's also essential to make sure that the wiper blades you're buying are the correct size.  Wiper blades come in an extensive range of sizes, and heated wiper blades are no exception.  For example, if you're buying heated wiper blades for a Jeep Wrangler, the right size varies year to year; models older than 2007 require 13-inch blades, but newer models can use 14-inch or 15-inch blades.

The information is available in your car's owner manual but can also be found in many places online.

There are a number of steps to installing any of the models reviewed above.  Some of the steps will differ for heated wiper blades produced by different manufacturers, but many will remain the same.

In general, though, the first step involves hooking up the wiper blade system to the power supply that actually heats the wiper blades.  As one would expect, the electrical power in a car comes from the battery, so you can hook the wiper blade system up to it.  

The next step involves fixing the control module of the wiper blade system under the hood to somewhere; make sure it will remain safe.  There will be specific instructions for what method should be used to attach the module.  The Iceliminator system, for example, is meant to be fixed to the car using 3M tape.  

Finally, the wiper blades themselves need to be attached to the arms.  This step is the same as installing regular wiper blades.