We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping People Tested The 7 Best Ice Scrapers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed No defrosting necessary By Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelance contributing commerce writer at PEOPLE who specializes in lifestyle, wellness, and home improvement topics. People Editorial Guidelines and Madison Yauger Madison Yauger Madison Yauger is a shopping editor at PEOPLE.com with eight years of digital media and journalism experience. She has a penchant for lifestyle content with a focus on staples like cozy throw blankets, chic dog jackets, Away luggage, and the linen pants celebrities can’t stop wearing. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 11, 2024 03:18PM EST In This Article Expand In This Article Our Top Picks ReviewsThings to Consider When to Buy How We Tested FAQ Why Trust PEOPLE? What Is PEOPLE Tested? Photo: People / Jennifer May Freshly fallen snow makes the world look like a winter wonderland. But road safety is at stake when you don’t fully clean off your car after a winter storm. There’s a good chance snow or ice can slide off while you’re driving and block your visibility or even worse — a layer of ice can fly off your car and cause damage or even injury to other cars and drivers. So if you’ve been relying solely on your defroster and windshield wipers, it’s time to get yourself a new ice scraper. “My biggest recommendation is to look for [an ice scraper] with a longer handle,” says Richard Reina, product training director at CARiD.com, a leader in the aftermarket auto parts industry. “With the majority of people in the United States driving SUVs and pickup trucks, you really want something that gives you some reach.” While we can’t control the weather forecast in your area, we can help you out with recommendations for ice scrapers that will get you and your car through the winter. Our team tried out over 20 ice scrapers to find out which one performed the best — taking into account warmth from the sun, the thickness of the ice, and other factors. Our one overarching note from testing: Be careful when assembling some of the extended-reach ice scrapers, as you can easily pinch yourself if you're not paying attention. After testing in snow, sludge, sleet, and icy conditions, these are the best ice scrapers that PEOPLE tested in 2024. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Moyidea Extendable Ice Scraper Snow Brush at Amazon ($17) Jump to Review Best Budget: OxGord Ice Scraper & Snow Brush at Amazon ($11) Jump to Review Best Extra Long: Joytutus Ice Scraper & Snow Brush at Amazon ($35) Jump to Review Best Investment: SubZero Quick Lock Pivoting Head Snowbroom at Amazon ($29) Jump to Review Best Reach: SubZero Crossover Super Duty Snowbroom at Amazon ($28) Jump to Review Best Extendable: Birdrock Home Snow Moover Snow Brush & Ice Scraper at Amazon ($37) Jump to Review Best with Glove: Jalaroma Ice Scraper with Glove at Amazon ($8) Jump to Review Best Overall Moyidea Extendable Ice Scraper Snow Brush PHOTO: Amazon $14 at Amazon Our Ratings Effectiveness 5/5 Durability 5/5 Features 4/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Value 5/5 Pros It has a pivoting brush head that reaches more areas. The cushioned handle has a comfortable grip. It cleared ice in just one pass. Cons We couldn't find any! This scraper really worked great during our tests, and we noted it took just one pass to remove the ice. Plus, our tester was able to clear a layer of icy snow off their car’s windshield and windows in just 10 minutes with the Moyidea, even in 20-degree weather and without the use of their car’s defroster. We found the Moyidea sturdy and durable enough for chipping away at thicker ice — not something you can say for every plastic ice scraper we tested, and we especially liked the wide pivoting brush made from PVC bristles. The extendable handle made it easy to clear off snow, so you don’t have to worry about straining to reach the middle of your windshield or the roof. The 4-inch-wide ice scraper detaches if you need to get in close to remove ice. The cushioned handle on the extendable pole offers a comfortable grip, though this ice scraper is so effective that you likely won’t need to do much work to clean off your car. Plus, it comes with a storage bag so you can stow in your car in between blizzards or store it in the off-season. One thing to note: Parts can pinch your fingers during assembly, so be cautious or wear gloves. Overall, it’s a good price (especially when on sale) and truly does get the job done. Style: Broom with ice scraper | Size: 17.17 x 4.88 x 2.64 inches | Features: 360-degree pivoting head with extendable handle People / Dera Burreson People / Dera Burreson Best Budget OxGord Ice Scraper & Snow Brush PHOTO: Amazon $11 at Amazon $13 at Walmart Our Ratings Effectiveness 4.5/5 Durability 4.5/5 Features 4/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Value 5/5 Pros The handle offers a comfortable grip for brushing snow off your vehicle. The tool has a wide brush head which enables you to scrape more ice. Cons It has a basic design without a ton of extra features. This is one of the more basic ice scraper-snow brush combos we tested, but it’s effective and a good value. The length of this ice scraper is great — we were able to clear the middle of the windshield without any problems. We also liked how the brush was rather wide, so it covers a lot of surface area. The handle is also padded, so it offers a firm, comfortable grip. This ice scraper is lightweight yet durable, so it’ll get you through this winter and then some. It’s also pretty compact, so it’s easy to stow in your car. And with such a low cost, it’s something everyone should have in the trunk of their car. Style: Brush with scraper | Size: 16.5 x 5 x 1.25 inches | Features: 2-in-1 design with foam handgrip People / Ashley Craiger Best Extra Long Joytutus Ice Scraper & Snow Brush PHOTO: Amazon $35 at Amazon $28 at Walmart Our Ratings Effectiveness 4.5/5 Durability 4/5 Features 5/5 Ease of Use 4.5/5 Value 4.5/5 Pros Extends over 60 inches, ideal for SUVs and larger vehicles It has a comfortable foam grip. It has a rotating brush head for more versatility. It includes a storage bag. Cons It’s a bit bulky to store, depending on your car size. We love the all-in-one features of this scraper — it’s a broom! a squeegee! a scraper! The brush can rotate 270 degrees, and the handle retracts from 60 inches down to 27, so you can use this for just about any size car. Our tester was able to clear off the front and back windows along with the roof of their vehicle in eight minutes with no help from the defroster. Most of the ice could be cleared off in one pass, though it didn’t take much extra effort to clear off thicker ice. All in all, the ice scraper on this works great. It’s lightweight, so it was easy to get to the roof of the car without any hand cramping. Just take care when putting this ice scraper together, as the pieces can pinch (and the manufacturer does recommend wearing gloves to assemble). The foam grip is great, too, so if you don’t have your heated gloves on while cleaning off your car, you won’t have to touch the freezing-cold metal of the handle. There’s also a bag to store it in when not in use, so when winter is over you can slip it in the closet next to your car vacuum. Style: Brush | Size: 16.73 x 6.97 x 3.27 inches | Features: Extendable handle People / Jennifer May People / Jennifer May People / Jennifer May Best Investment SubZero Quick Lock Pivoting Head Snowbroom PHOTO: Amazon $25 at Amazon $29 at Walmart $25 at Tractor Supply Co. Our Ratings Effectiveness 5/5 Durability 4.8/5 Features 4.5/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Pros It has a rotating head to let you work from various angles. It includes an attached squeegee. It's great for removing thick ice without causing damage to the blade or car. Cons It might be too heavy to maneuver for some. It’s easy to grab just any old ice scraper that you see on sale, but good luck getting through a storm, let alone an entire winter, with a cheap scraper. While it might seem odd to think of an ice scraper as an investment, we do think that the Hopkins SubZero is worth the price you pay for it. This sturdy snow broom has an ice scraper and squeegee attached, and the head pivots so you can de-ice your car from various angles. The handle extends five feet and the head is extra wide, so it's perfect for SUVs and even RVs. This ice scraper is really effective at removing ice, and we liked the brush on the bottom, too. While working on a rather thick layer of ice on a car, we saw no visible damage to the blade after chipping away at the ice. However, weighing over a pound, it could be hard to maneuver for some if fully extended. Overall, though, we like that it's simple and easy to use. Style: Broom with squeegee and scraper | Size: 37.8 x 4.6 x 3.5 inches | Features: Pivoting head People / Tammy Gardini Best Reach SubZero Crossover Super Duty Snowbroom PHOTO: Amazon $23 at Amazon $32 at Walmart View on Advanceautoparts.com Our Ratings Effectiveness 4.2/5 Durability 5/5 Features 5/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Value 4.2/5 Pros It has a wide brush with a pivoting head, which makes for more versatility. There’s a long, cushioned handle and curved pole for better leverage. Cons Ice removal with this tool takes a bit longer than snow removal. We tried out this ice scraper on a snow- and ice-covered car that had been left in the driveway all night. The large brush and long handle made quick work of the snow. The ice did require a bit of effort, but it did get cleared without the help of the defroster. It’s pretty durable, too, and the scraper looks the same after use as it did when it was first purchased. We loved the long, ergonomic handle — perfect for clearing off the roof and other hard-to-reach spots. The pole is curved, which offers better leverage when using the scraping tool. The brush is wide without being too bulky to make clearing snow a breeze, andthe cushioned handle made for an easy grip. Style: Broom | Size: 40 x 6 x 6 inches | Features: Pivoting head People / Abigail Wetzler Best Extendable Birdrock Home Snow Moover Snow Brush & Ice Scraper PHOTO: Amazon $35 at Amazon $37 at Target $38 at Wayfair Our Ratings Effectiveness 4/5 Durability 5/5 Features 4.5/5 Ease of Use 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Pros This ice scraper/snow brush combo has a padded handle and a comfortable grip. It cleaned off the ice in just one pass. The ice scraper is detachable if you just want to use the brush. Cons The scraper edge can be sharp, which is great, but just be careful when using it. This is a one-and-done tool — it took just one pass to scrape off ice while testing. We liked the wide squeegee head design because of how much surface area it could clean off in one swipe, and the pole extends long enough so that you can clear off your entire car (yes, even an SUV!) in no time at all. This sturdy ice scraper has a padded, ergonomic handle that makes for an easy grip with or without gloves. It’s good if you have bigger hands, too, because there’s plenty of room for a firm grip. The scraper is sharp, though, and we did cut ourselves on the corner, so take care when using it. Style: Brush with scraper | Size: 14 x 2 x 55 inches | Features: Extendable handle People / Jennifer May People / Jennifer May People / Jennifer May Best with Glove Jalaroma Ice Scraper with Glove PHOTO: Amazon $8 at Amazon Our Ratings Effectiveness 5/5 Durability 4.5/5 Features 3/5 Ease of Use 4/5 Value 5/5 Pros The attached glove keeps your hand warm as you de-ice your car. It’s a budget-friendly tool compared to many of the options we tested. Cons It doesn’t extend like others on the list, making it a challenge to use if you’re short. Wearing gloves when you’re chipping ice away from your car seems like a no-brainer, but using an ice scraper that’s attached to a glove is a genius move. Enter the ice scraper/mitten combo that you’ll want to keep with your car — and yes, it might even fit in your glove box. This ice scraper does exactly what it says it does: It effectively gets the snow off of your windshield while keeping your hands toasty and warm the whole time. The exterior of the glove is made from a waterproof fabric with soft fleece on the inside. The glove is attached firmly to the scraper, so it's likely to hold up over time, as well. Of course, this is only as effective as your arm is long. Still, for such an inexpensive tool, you can’t go wrong with keeping one in your car. Style: Glove with ice scraper | Size: 13.82 x 6.38 x 2.8 inches | Features: Attached quilted nylon glove People / Alyssa Kingham The 7 Best Heated Jackets of 2024, Tested by Real People Things to Consider Before Buying an Ice Scraper Price The most expensive ice scraper on our list is the Birdrock Home Snow MOOver 55-Inch Brush and Ice Scraper, which was about $38 at the time of publish. The $10 Jalaroma Ice Scraper with Glove is one of the most inexpensive on our list. Both are excellent choices, but your ultimate decision should be based on the type that’s most comfortable for you to use, not to mention what’s going to hold up to the winter weather in your region. “I've been dealing with automotive tools my whole life; you buy something of quality, and it's going to last a number of seasons,” says Reina. “The adage is true: ‘You get what you pay for.’” Reach The size of your car — and yourself! — should also come into play when choosing the best ice scraper. “If you are of shorter stature, or if you're driving a brand new Chevy Silverado, frankly, you're going to have trouble reaching the middle of that windshield,” says Reina. If you’ve got more car than arms, the SubZero 38-Inch Crossover Super Duty Snowbroom is a good option. Features Though all of the items on our list are indeed ice scrapers, some have other features, like brushes, foam heads, and even squeegees. The all-in-ones are certainly helpful because no matter what Mother Nature has dumped on your car in the winter, you’ve got the tool to clean it off. The Hopkins SubZero 60-Inch Pivoting Head Snowbroom or the Snow Joe 18-Inch Foam Head Snow Broom + Ice Scraper are good multi-featured snow removal tools. When to Buy You’ll have access to a wider selection if you shop for ice scrapers well before the first snowflake falls in your region. But as soon as there’s snow in the forecast, you can expect prices to go up and inventory to sell out quickly — the same goes for any other snow removal tools and equipment. And while you might be able to scoop up an ice scraper at a discount at your local home improvement or automotive store after the cold season, your best bet is shopping online. People / Tammy Gardini How We Tested Our team tried out 21 ice scrapers during several bouts of wintry weather in their respective regions. They used several tests to measure the following: Performance: The testers worked to remove ice from the windshield and windows without the use of any vehicle defrosters at first, timing themselves to see how long it took. As they worked to de-ice their car, our testers noted details like the thickness of the ice, the amount of sunlight that was warming the car, the current temperature, and whether they needed to eventually turn on the defroster to remove all of the ice. They noted how well the ice scraper performed, especially on thicker ice.Comfort: They also considered how comfortable it was to hold (both with gloves and without) and whether the length of the ice scraper helped or hindered their work. Features: We also noted whether any special features, like a glove attachment, were helpful or if they hindered progress. To make their final selections for our best ice scrapers list, we rated each product on performance, durability, special features, ease of use, and overall value. Frequently Asked Questions Which ice scraper is best? Reina says ice scrapers with long handles are preferable because they provide the best reach. “The best models will have poles that are collapsible for easier storage,” he says. If you want something to push snow off a car, he recommends choosing an ice scraper with a foam head because it’s gentle on your car. Ice scrapers with brushes are fine as long as the bristles are soft enough — hard bristles can also damage your car’s exterior if you’re not gentle, he says. How long do ice scrapers last? A good one can last four or five seasons, says Reina, though it will of course depend on how often you use it. “I throw mine away when the bristles on the brush either start to deform or fall out,” he says, likening it to how you know when to replace a toothbrush. Can you use an ice scraper on the rest of your car? “You really cannot use something of hard plastic on any trim or paint because you will scrape and scratch the vehicle,” Reina says. He recommends using your gloved fist to gently bang on the ice a bit to break it up so it can be more easily scraped off. Why Trust PEOPLE? Barbara Bellesi Zito is a freelancer with more than 18 years of experience as a writer, editor, and social media consultant for regional and national brands, including Health.com, Forbes Advisor, BELLA Magazine, Apartment Therapy, The Motley Fool, Martha Stewart Living, and Insider. Barbara specializes in real estate, home improvement, and lifestyle topics. For this article, she interviewed Richard Reina, product training director at CARiD.com, a leader in the aftermarket auto parts industry. Madison Yauger is a senior shopping writer for PEOPLE and made additional updates to this article. What Is PEOPLE Tested? We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs. But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square. In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.