When winter is on its way, you want to do everything you can to be prepared for what might be coming your way. One of the things you want to prepare is getting your car ready for winter roads and driving.
Therefore, you need a quality snow brush for your vehicle. There are many different options available, including extendable and compact options. This guide highlights the various snow brushes you can use for your car in the winter.
Types of Vehicle Snow Brushes
1. Basic Snow Brush
A basic snow brush is the classic type of snow brush that you can find just about anywhere during the winter. These brushes have a brush on one end and a scraper on the other end.
This type of snow brush is a great way to remove a light amount of snow from your car. However, if you live in a really snowy area, this type of brush may not be the right one for you.
A basic snow brush will not take up a lot of room in the back of your car or trunk. This snow brush is about 26 inches long. The brush has bristles to remove snow with ice bits in it easily.
You want to look for a snow brush with bristles made of PVC so they will not scratch your car’s finish. A basic snow brush with an angled tip can reach into the smallest spaces on your car to remove built-up snow from the tight corners.
2. Compact Ice Scraper
A compact ice scraper is usually small in appearance and price. These scrapers may be about 10 inches long. It can fit in the pocket behind your driver’s seat or in the glove compartment. This is a great scraper for a car. You can also use this type of compact ice scraper on a freezer chest.
These ice scrapers are shorter than other snow brushes and are more convenient than larger brushes. These ice scrapers are great for drivers that have smaller cars. They can be used on larger vehicles but may not be as easy to use as a bigger snow brush.
If you live in an area where there is not a large amount of snow, this may be the best option for you. This type of snow brush is easy to put away when you are not using it. One thing to note is that compact ice scrapers do not have brushes.
3. Extendable Snow Brush
An extendable snow brush allows you to squeegee, scrape, or brush your car all with one brush. An extendable snow brush can extend to as much as five feet. These types of brushes have a squeegee on one side and bristles on the other side.
This type of brush can move a lot of snow off of your car. Then, after you clear the snow, you are able to scrape the ice off your windows. This type of brush is ideal for a truck or SUV because it most likely will not fit in the backseat of your vehicle if it is more compact.
However, if you do have a truck or SUV, this is the type of snow brush you need to reach all of the parts of your vehicle. Some of these extended snow brushes have a handle that is one-piece and longer and telescopes. An extendable snow brush is useful for those that have multiple vehicles of different sizes.
4. Extendable Swivel Head Snow Brush
An extendable swivel head snow brush is a 3 in 1 snow brush and ice scraper. These snow brushes have jaws to remove snow and ice from the car. A snow brush with these jaws is ideal for removing thick ice.
The brush portion of the snow brush removes loose snow. This snow brush has a head that pivots 360 degrees. It can lock in a vertical or horizontal direction. This makes it easy to clean more snow in various directions.
Some of these snow brushes come apart in three places: the handle, the brush head, and the scraper. These snow brushes can extend as much as 42 inches. Therefore, they are best for larger size vehicles such as trucks or SUVs.
5. Foam Snow Brush
A foam snow brush is another great option when you need to remove heavy and large amounts of heavy snow from your vehicle. This type of snow brush has a foam panel instead of bristles.
This allows you to remove more snow each type you pull the brush across the vehicle. Foam is less likely than bristles to scratch the finish and windows of vehicles. These brushes are durable, non-abrasive, and reinforced.
This type of snow brush has an extension button that allows you to easily make the snow brush longer with a simple press of the button. A foam snow brush is great for larger vehicles such as SUVs and trucks.
6. Heated Ice Scraper
A heated ice scraper allows you to work smarter and not harder to remove ice from your vehicle. This scraper plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter or 12 volt charging port.
It has a cord that is roughly about an 11 feet to 15 feet long to give you access to all of the ice on your car. In addition, many heated ice scrapers have an LED light that allows you to see what you are doing when it is dark.
A heated ice scraper has a heating element that quickly melts the ice. This type of scraper can make cleaning your car easier and safer.
7. Ice Scraper with Attached Mitt
An ice scraper with an attached mitt is exactly how it sounds like a mitt to keep your hand warm with a scraper attached to the mitt. This mitt will keep your hand and some part of your arm warm and dry anytime you are cleaning off your vehicle.
This is a great option for you if you live in a cold climate. These brush mitts have an exterior that is waterproof with an interior that is fleece to provide you the most protection.
This scraper is a compact ice scraper with a handle that fits through the hole in the mitt. This type of ice scraper is ideal for removing ice quickly. This type of ice scraper is high-quality and constructed of heavy duty plastic that is non-scratch and durable.
8. Snow Brush with Detachable Ice Scraper
A snow brush that has a detachable ice scraper is a snow brush that allows you to remove the ice scraper from the snow brush. This is a two in one brush that creates a smaller brush. This brush can fit in the back of your backseat.
This snow brush allows you to break up ice easily and allows you to removes snow that may otherwise be stubborn.
This allows you to remove snow from doors, windows, windshields, roofs, and side mirrors. When you separate the two from each other, it makes it easier to handle snow and ice separate from each other.
9. Snow Broom
A snow broom is what you want to use if you have to push a large amount of heavy snow off of your car. When you live in an area where heavy amounts of snow are dumped, you should consider using a snow broom.
A snow broom is large and oversized. This snow brush is ideal for trucks and SUVs. A snow broom typically can extend 48 inches. This type of snow broom is perfect for moving snow from hot tub covers and solar panels.
Snow brooms are made from foam that is sturdy but soft, so it does not scratch your vehicle at all. It does not matter if you push or pull the snow across your vehicle; this snow broom moves the snow without scratching your vehicle.
What To Consider When Selecting a Snow Brush
There are many key features to consider before you make a decision about which snow brush or ice scraper to purchase. When you know about the differences between snow brushes, it makes your decision easy. You should keep these features in mind:
Budget
While you do not want the price to be your only determining factor, it is an important one. You want to ensure that whichever snow brush you choose fits into your budget. Snow brushes are available at different prices. If you find a snow brush at an affordable price, you want to ensure that it is high quality.
Climate and Temperature
The weather in your area is going to impact the type of snow brush that you want to purchase. A compact snow brush might be a good idea if you do not have a large amount of snow and ice in your area.
However, if you live in an area where you have a large amount of heavy and wet snow, you should consider purchasing a durable extended reach or foam snow brush.
Efficient
There are a lot of snow brushes available, and all of them have different features. The snow brush that is the best one meets all of your needs.
If you have snow and ice that you need to remove at one time, you want a snow remover that has both a snow brush and an ice scraper. This type of snow brush helps you remove snow and ice with ease. You want to remove thick ice from your vehicle first.
Material
You want to ensure that no matter which snow brush you select, it is constructed from durable and high-quality materials. If you opt for materials that are less expensive, they may scratch the paint of cars.
Materials that are better options are durable foam heads or cross-linked polyethylene heads. These materials will not scuff or scratch vehicles. However, when using a brush, it might have a metal or plastic scraper end that can scratch the vehicle.
Usefulness
An ice scraper or snow brush should be easy to use when you live in an area with temperatures below freezing. This means that you want to select a snow brush that has a good length and handle, so you have a comfortable grip.
This grip should be made from a soft foam handle or perhaps a telescoping handle. An extendable snow brush allows you to clear snow from those hard-to-reach areas on a vehicle.
Vehicle
The vehicle that you drive will dictate what type of snow brush you need. When you have a large vehicle like a truck or SUV, you should consider a snow brush that has extended release.
This allows you to reach the entire windshield and roof of your vehicle. You also want to think about the finish on your vehicle. You may want a snow brush that has a special material that can prevent scratching your vehicle’s finish.
