The weather is getting colder, and that means it’s time to consider car products for winter driving. The winter months throw additional challenges at us when driving. Roads become slippery, daylight is limited and the temperature drops. Driving becomes more difficult in these situations, and as such, there are products, including travel torches, that you will need in order to master driving on those cold winter journeys.
Tackling issues from your windscreen frosting over each morning to finding grip on your tyres is the epitome of winter driving. From finding the best de-icer products to dehumidifiers, winter brings all sorts of challenges.
The key thing to remember with car products for winter driving is to be prepared. Tyres, for example, should be regularly inspected to make sure they are at the correct pressure, as found in your vehicle’s handbook. If not correctly looked after they will not be as effective, and therefore, they will not as well on slippery roads. Though not as essential as good old ice scrapers, you may want to consider installing winter tyres because they have a higher performance in cold conditions than standard tyres.
Best car products for winter driving at a glance:
Editor’s pick: Swedish Ice Scraper – Buy from Amazon.
The best snow chains: Konig CB-12 Snow Chains – Buy from Amazon.
The best snow shovel: AA Emergency Snow Shovel – Buy from Amazon.
It’s more common for car batteries to fail during the winter months, so having a battery booster or battery charger will ensure that you never have to beg your neighbours for a jump start and end up late for work. You should also ensure that you have enough supplies to keep yourself safe from the elements and that you adjust your driving style to ensure that you are as safe as you can be and are able to avoid hurting yourself and others.
The best car products for winter driving
Editor's pick
We're huge fans of the Swedish Ice Scraper for its excellent quality, comfortable handle and ability to remove both thick and thin ice from glass. Each side is diamond polished for ice removal, with one side bearing a little indent for clearing windscreen wipers.
Pros
- Perfect for winter
- Built to last
Cons
- Longer delivery times
- Tested by Ryan Gilmore "Every single aspect of this ice scraper has a real ergonomic, tactile feel to it. From the laser-etched acrylic blade to the neoprene handle that stops my hands from freezing solid. No other ice scraper has felt this durable either, it cut through the worst winter could throw at it with ease."
The best torch to keep in your car
Rrp: $49.99
Rrp: $49.99
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Powerful beam
Cons
- Not the smallest torch
The best battery charger
Read our full review of the CTEK MXS 5.0 here.
Pros
- Keep your car battery working
- Extends battery life
Cons
- Not a jump starter
The best first aid kit for your car
Pros
- Includes extensive amount of kit
- Compact enough for car storage
Cons
- Most contents are single-use only
The best snow chains
As with any snow chain, you will need to move forward a few times to make sure they're fastened properly. But they should serve you well if you ever need to make a trip up some snowy mountains.
Pros
- Good build quality
- Great value
Cons
- Very overkill for most of the UK
The best jump starter
Rrp: $124.95
Rrp: $124.95
You can see how the GB40 stacked up against its competitors in our jump starter group test here.
Pros
- Restart dead batteries
- Doubles as a power bank
Cons
- Overkill for small engines
The best car dehumidifier
Pros
- Unlimited usage
- Great alue for money
Cons
- May be easily misplaced
The best tyre inflator
Pros
- Well-made
- Compact design
Cons
- Only good for tyres
The best glass cleaner for a quick clean
If you'd like to see how Autoglym's Fast Glass compares to its competitors, read our glass cleaner group test here.
Pros
- Quick and easy to use
- Pretty good value for money
Cons
- It's easy to use too much
| Volume: | 500ml |
| Suitable for: | Glass, Perspex, plastic, acrylic |
| Extras: | N/A |
The best compact snow shovel
Pros
- Well-made
- Compact
Cons
- Stubby handle
The best Underseal
Being an aerosol-based product, it's incredibly easy to apply. You can use it on anything underneath your car, from subframes, wheel arches, chassis rails and much more.
Pros
- Easy to apply
- Offers ample protection
Cons
- Won't cover the full extent of rust if it's severe
The best break down blanket
Pros
- Warm and cosy
- Sustainably made
Cons
- Style is subjective
What to consider with car products for winter driving:
It largely depends on where you’re based. If it snows heavily and you live in the north of Scotland, then your chances of needing a snow shovel and heavy-duty kit is probably quite high. More likely than if you gently cruise around central London. In that case, you could do with a glass squeegee. Snow chains are a hardcore option too. But not everybody needs it since the roads during the winter are generally well-cleared.
The next is how well your car behaves during a cold snap. If, for example, you’re running normal (summer tyres) and feel you’re not getting the best grip. Then upgrading to a set of all-weather tyres or winter tyres might be the solution for you. But if not, then we recommend you keep your tyre pressures and tread depths in good shape, and you should be okay. That is unless you’re in a rather extreme situation where you’ll need a set of snow chains.
Lastly, it’s good practice to keep your engine clean with either diesel or petrol injector cleaners. They help clear up carbon deposits that build over time. Ensuring your engine is clean will mean an easier cold start-up when the temperature gets really breezy. This makes the stuff even more essential than snow socks. A dirty engine combined with cold weather doesn’t go together all that well.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.
