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Best Ice Scrapers Reviewed & Rated for Quality
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Application
This one should be obvious. It would be a rather lousy ice scraper if it wasn’t very good at scraping ice. But the toughness of an ice scraper goes beyond simply going through the ice with ease. It also involves the scraper being at just the right angle to hit the ice just right to dislodge it, without causing any damage to the windshield or car underneath. Because while these scrapers may be highly effective, you likely don’t want to heavily scratch up your car just to get one little layer of ice off of it. The toughness of a scraper is a difficult balancing act to walk, so how well it was walked became the criteria for how far each entry got on the list.
Ease of Use
When you’re scraping ice off of your car, it’s safe to assume that it’s going to be freezing cold and that you have somewhere you need to be at the moment, so you want to get this done as quick and painless as you can. Because of this, an ice scraper has little room for shenanigans when it comes to how easy it is to use. If it’s a handheld ice scraper, then you basically have nothing to worry about in this area, at least at a basic level. In terms of using a one-handed ice scraper, the things are pretty idiot proof, all things considered.
But then you have the longer models, and this is where things get complicated. Mostly because they usually come with one, two, even three different functions on top of the scraper. This can get cumbersome to use since you have to manage this long pole contraption while also trying to scrape ice off of your car or porch.
Ease of use is definitely more of a scrutinizing criterion compared to the one-handed variety because you’re working with a lot more hardware, so you need to make sure that the scraper you’re working with can balance all those plates at the same time okay.
Features
This refers to anything else that isn’t just pure scraping action, if it offers anything else along with the basics, then it’s a feature. This includes everything from brushes, to squeegees, to even the scraper having a longer length. Of course, some of these are more common than others, as evidenced by the fact that there is exactly one single entry on this list with a squeegee, meanwhile three-quarters of these entries have brushes, and about half of them are extendable and generally longer in length.
So, since we had so many entries with these features, we instead judged them based on how well they were implemented. How far does each longer model extend? Is it still relatively easy to use, even when extended as far out as it will go? Is the brush effective? Are the bristles as firm as they need to be, and are they too sharp and at risk of scratching your paint job? These are all questions we asked ourselves as we evaluated each entry.
Portability
While you can use an ice scraper, especially the longer ones, for any kind of ice problems you may be having, it’s pretty unanimously agreed upon that this is something to be used for your car. After all, your house isn’t going anywhere and is built to withstand this stuff, so it’s fine if you want to ignore the ice on it. Meanwhile, you need to handle the ice on your car. Cold enough ice can shatter windows, just ask anyone who lived in New York during that polar vortex a few years back. So, in summary, since it’s common practice to use an ice scraper in your car, you should be able to fit it somewhere inside your car. Whether it’s in the glove compartment or some other drawer or hideaway, the scraper should always be compact enough to fit in the car for safe keeping.
Value
The price of an ice scraper is not going to be all that bad for you at all. These are not complicated tools, and so they will rarely, basically never, charge you more than you can afford. Even the most expensive ones on this list, the most expensive models we could find, mind you, were nothing too bad. And when the prices did go a bit higher, it was for completely justified reasons, such as the scraper being made of more powerful plastic, or having other tools attached to it, etc.
Top 10 Picks
1. The Mallory USA
Kicking off our list, we have the Mallory USA Cool Tool Scraper and Brush. Yeah, the thing about scrapers is that you’ll often need a brush to get the ice off after you scrape it loose. And most companies just decide to straight up combine the two to save you space. And in those terms, this is one of the best on the market.
Plush bristles
When it comes to the brush attachment, you need the brush teeth to be tough, but not too tough. This is just loosened ice that you’re moving off the windshield, not a stain that won’t come out. And the four rows of premium plush bristles are guaranteed to do the job right without scratching the windshield.
Long
The problem with scraping ice off the windshield is that you usually have to bend over rather far just to get it all, or at least get it to a point where you and the passenger can see all right. And since the hood of the car is likely as iced over as the windshield, that won’t be fun. Luckily, this scraper is over 26 inches long, so you have plenty of reach.
Cost and Value
The other great thing about ice scrapers is that, in terms of material, they’re just molded hunks of plastic and sometimes metal. Which means these will rarely cost you anything at all. Even the most complex ones like this sell for peanuts.
2. Subzero Ice Crusher
Ice scrapers are like ladders, you won’t find a company dedicated to making them and them only, because the whole appeal is being built to last. But if there was one company that did ice scrapers better than anyone else, it would most definitely be Hopkins Subzero. As shown with our #2 spot, the Subzero Ice Crusher Ice Scraper.
Leverage points
This scraper wouldn’t be so far up the list if the scraper blade was terrible, so we won’t mention such as often as we otherwise would. Instead, we’ll talk about the fact that the handle of this scraper is designed to be as comfortable to use as possible. As seen with the thumb and palm leverage points molded into the handle. Making it easier to really bear down on that ice without hurting yourself.
Contoured foam grip
That isn’t the only great thing about this handle, though. The other great thing is the contoured foam grip wrapped around it. You’re usually expected to keep your ice scraper in your car for convenience. So, if the car is cold, you’d better believe the scraper is cold. So, if you’d rather not deal with that, then this scraper will keep your hand nice and warm.
Cost and Value
As we said, these things don’t cost a whole lot, but in terms of the average price range that these scrapers tend to fit into, we’d call the price of this scraper rather average as well.
3. Subzero Ice Hammer
Finishing up our top 3 entries, we have the Subzero Ice Hammer Ice Scraper. In the lineup of subzero ice scrapers, this is considered by many to be the “budget” option. And considering how cheap these things tend to go for as it is, that’s saying something. But does that mean it reneges on quality in exchange for affordability? Not in the slightest.
Super flat blade
One of the causes of an ice scraper leaving scratches on your windshield is that it wasn’t angled flat enough. Which angle then is “flat enough,” is a problem for those among us who flunked geometry (you know who you are). Fortunately, this blade does the work for you, being angled just right to give you the best possible scraping action, while still leaving your windshield unscathed.
Ice chippers
But sometimes scraping just isn’t good enough. Sometimes you need to go heavy duty for those really tough ice spots. Fortunately, the sides of this scraper have been outfitted with ice chippers which will make very quick work of even the toughest ice.
Cost and Value
Like we went over earlier, this is considered the cheap option among an already super affordable lineup of ice scrapers. Fortunately, it’s also one of the best, so you’re getting the best of both worlds in that regard.
4. BirdRock Home Moover
In our #4 spot, we take a break from Subzero to look at BirdRock Home Moover Ice Scraper. Even though this is more meant for small cars, if ever there was such a thing as a heavy-duty car ice scraper, then this would be it. This is what you use when you had to be on the road 5 minutes ago, and you don’t care about scratches just as long as you can see through the windshield at all.
Tough as nails scraper
The scraper on this item comes with two modes, with you having to spin the scraper around to get to either one. On one end are the jaws, which are meant to break off any large bits of ice and generally disrupt the whole structure of the ice sheet. You then flip it over to the other side to scrape whatever’s still clinging on until it all comes loose. Then you move on to the brush to finish the job.
Easy to store
You might look at the very wide brush head and think that its short, compact size is nullified by the fact that you can’t think of where to put it in your car with that brush head in the way. However, this brush head can slim down via a swivel under the brush head, which makes it infinitely easier to store.
Cost and Value
The main problem with this scraper is the price. Obviously, such features would bring up the price at least a little, and to be fair, the price isn’t that much higher. But it’s high enough to be considered expensive by the average we’ve set so far.
5. Subzero Quick Lock
But let’s say you’re not so much a car guy, as you are a heavy-duty truck guy, or you have a few kids, so you have a reasonably large SUV. In these instances, the tiny little scrapers we’ve been playing with so far aren’t going to cut it anymore. For these cars, you need to start playing with the big boys. Enter our #5 pick, the Subzero Quick Lock Snow Broom, and Ice Scraper.
Snow Broom
Not a snow brush, a snow broom. Because, put simply, if you have a big truck with a large flatbed, then snow days are going to give you quite a lot of dead weight that will do considerable damage once melted. So, for these jobs, you need to be able to sweep out the snow, so you can make sure to get all of them in a somewhat reasonable time frame.
Extra wide blade
It isn’t just the brush that’s gotten a good facelift with this model, as the scraper blade is significantly wider than its peers on this list. Meaning that you can not only very quickly and efficiently scrape the ice off your windshield, but you can also scrape off the ice from your back porch and steps, so people don’t break their backs trying to visit.
Cost and Value
It shouldn’t come as even a slight surprise that this scraper is one of the more expensive entries. Almost twice, in fact, than the price of the previous one. This is a heavy-duty kind of ice scraper, though, so you can rest assured that you will more than get your money’s worth.
6. RevHeads
We give the #6 spot to the RevHeads Ice Scraper. Once more, we’re back to the tiny handheld ice scrapers, which is likely for the best, as one of the main appeals of an ice scraper is its portability and convenience. And this scraper has that and more, in spades.
Can take all kinds of car ice
It isn’t just ice and frost on the windshield you have to worry about. There will also be ice hanging off of your rear-view mirrors, snow build up in the back if you have a truck, and ice on the hood, keeping the engine cool, which delays the amount of time it takes for it to heat up. But this scraper is equipped with the teeth and claws needed to tackle all of that, without you even thinking about sweat, much less break one.
Scrapes hard, scrapes fast
Even with the above average ice scrapers, you’ll find that this takes a little while to do if you want to do it right. But with the RevHead scraper, you’ll be done in minutes. The blades are extra sharp and perfectly angled, leading to a smooth, fast, even scrape that leaves the car beneath untouched.
Cost and Value
And with the smaller size of this scraper, we return to the smaller price, as this scraper is very affordable for a scraper of its quality. Not only will you be barely paying anything, but you’ll also likely not need another scraper again due to how well it's built and how long it lasts.
7. Subzero Bear Claw
In our 7th place spot goes the Subzero Bear Claw Ice Scraper. This scraper is much more along the lines of what you expect from an ice scraper, at least in terms of appearance. So, does that mean that there’s nothing all that special about this scraper? Of course not.
Efficiently chips ice
You may think that its simple design means that it lacks all the features of the ice scrapers seen thus far, including ice chippers. Rest assured that this scraper can chip with the best of them, as a quick look at the blade’s back will show the grooves needed for any good ice chipper.
Long reach
In terms of the small, handheld ice scrapers on this list, this one has likely the longest reach you can achieve for a scraper like this. Reaching up to 10 inches with no effort at all, this scraper will get your windshield ice-free in no time at all.
Cost and Value
The best part about this scraper is the price. Because it is so stripped down and barebones, this is likely the cheapest a high-quality ice scraper can be.
8. Snow MOOver Extendable Brush
Starting off our final 3 entries, we have the Snow MOOver Extendable Brush, Squeegee, and Scraper. Quite the mouthful, isn’t it? Well, that’s because it has so much to offer, as you can no doubt tell by the title alone. And does this ice scraping swiss army knife measure up? Let’s find out.
Brush and squeegee
After you scrape and brush off the ice, then you have a different problem. There’s still the ice that had already melted at the bottom of the ice that had built up. And even if none of it had melted, ice still condensates, meaning that either way there will be water on your windshield that will just freeze up all over again. So thankfully, this brush comes with an equipped squeegee that can handle that problem before it even becomes a problem.
Removable ice scraper
Some people just prefer the handheld variety when it comes to their ice scrapers, and while the other features on this scraper are nice, the longer length and larger size can get in the way for some people. Which is why this scraper allows you to dislodge the scraper if you so choose, allowing you to get up close and personal with the ice.
Cost and Value
Like with the #5 entry, this is a much heavier duty kind of scraper, with a lot of features, which makes it a lot more expensive than the other entries on this list. While not quite as expensive as #6, it’s so close that it barely even matters.
9. Dart Seasonal Products
In our second to last entry, we have the Dart Seasonal Products Telescopic Ice Scraper. Dart is a rather small-time company, but they’ve really impressed consumers with this scraper, earning them high marks on online shopping sites. So, what is it that impressed so many people about this scraper? Let’s find out.
Superior extension
Whether you’re scraping ice off the windshield of your car, or from the top banister of your porch, you need a bit of reach to get the job done right. Which is why this ice scraper comes with the longest extension on this list, at a whopping 62 inches at full length.
Tough brush
Even after you scrape it off, some parts of the ice can get a bit stubborn and refuse to go anywhere you’re trying to push it to. But this brush is very insistent when it comes to brushing ice. This is due to the brush’s construction, which is that of metal and heavy plastics that make it impossible to refuse.
Cost and Value
We rank this brush at the third most expensive entry on this list. It isn’t quite as expensive as the last two, but it’s close enough to be counted as pricey. However, just like with those two, you are definitely getting your money’s worth.
10. Subzero Super Deluxe
In our final entry, the #10 spot, we have our last Subzero entry, the Subzero Super Deluxe Snowbrush with Ice Scraper. Despite the name being misleading (“Super Deluxe” yet every other subzero entry here runs circles around it), this is still a more than worthy scraper to be on this list. And our reasoning for this is as such.
Heavy duty brush
The brush on this scraper may not be the biggest thing in the world, especially when compared to its peers. However, the bristles that are there are of very heavy duty quality and will make short work of any snow it comes across.
Tough ice chippers
Got some really heavy ice on your car or windshield? That can break your window in no time if it’s built up hard enough, so you need to get it off and fast. Good thing, then, that this scraper comes equipped with a heavy-duty ice chipper that will easily handle any kind of built up ice.
Cost and Value
This is likely the second cheapest entry on this list, just barely behind the #7 spot. So, if you’re on a very tight budget and you need an ice scraper for the upcoming winter months, then this should get you along fine.
Sources
- , Top 10 Best Car Ice Scraper Reviews, Webpage
- , 12 Best Ice Scrapers, Webpage
