In evaluating each wiper’s perfor-
mance, we used my 2015 Volkswagen
GTI as a testbed. Creating a repeat-
able experiment, we sprayed the
clean windshield with a three-to-
one mix of washable paint and water
before switching on the wiper blades
to clear it away. We left them on until
their path was 100 percent clean and
no paint remained, counting how
many wipes each took. Bet ween each
test, we scrubbed the windshield with
car soap then squeegeed the leftover
water and dried the glass.
Making sure that the windshield
was packed with the same amount
of paint every time, we applied the
mixture with a pressurized gar-
den sprayer. Between each run,
we depressurized and pumped the
sprayer up 35 times. Once it was time
to lay down the paint, we made two
passes in a cross-hatch pattern—up
and down, then side to side.
To establish a benchmark and
gauge the improvement that comes
with fresh wipers, we tested a year-
old set of Bosch Icons as the control.
All of the new wipers were ver y close in performance,
with some indistinguishable. Regardless of how long
we let the paint sit—in an effort to make it more diffi-
cult to clear—the results remained the same.
While we were surprised to see almost no substantial difference in perfor-
mance, the hard-worn control wipers’ lack of capability reinforced that you
should regularly replace your wipers regardless of where you drive. The control
set was hampered by smearing until the final wipe. Following our test protocol,
we remained confident that any fresh set will give you a performance advantage.
Unfortunately, wipers are easy to overlook as you complete a check of your vehicle
before a road trip. While other components—tires, brakes, lights—are paramount
to your safety, bad visibility due to old wiper blades renders your entire car useless.
The best performer, clearing the windshield in just two wipes, the Rain-X Sil-
icone AdvantEdge was also the most expensive wiper that we tested, coming in at
$36 for the 26-inch blade. While none of the more affordable models could put up
the same numbers, the majority of them were one or two wipes away from the top-
of-the-line Rain-X. Take the Michelin Endurance XT, which—at just $20—swept
the windshield clean in three passes.
T H E R E S U LT SControl Wiper / 5 wipes
Rain-X Silicone AdvantEdge /
2 wipes
Trico Maxx / 3 wipes
Michelin Endurance XT / 3 wipes
Bosch Focus / 3 wipes
Bosch Icon (New) / 4 wipesHOW IT
SHOOK OUT
HOW WE TESTED
January/February 2022 71