Winter driving presents unique challenges, and among the most common is dealing with snow and ice buildup on your vehicle. Having the right car snow removal tool is essential for safety and convenience during the colder months. This guide reviews some of the top-rated snow removal tools available, ensuring you can quickly and effectively clear your car and get on the road.
Top Pick
Hopkins SubZero 80037
The Best Ice Scraper and Snow Brush Combo
The Hopkins SubZero 80037 stands out as the best overall ice scraper and snow brush. It’s designed for efficient ice clearing and snow sweeping, featuring a robust build quality suitable for any vehicle size. Thoughtful design elements distinguish it from competitors, making it a top choice for tackling winter weather.
Buying Options
$29 from Amazon
$29 from Walmart
Runner-up
Hopkins SubZero 16619
A Shorter, Yet Highly Effective Snow Removal Tool
The Hopkins SubZero 16619 offers similar high-quality features to the 80037 but in a more compact form. While slightly shorter with a smaller brush and a subtly different scraper, it remains a highly effective tool for snow and ice removal, just a bit less efficient for larger vehicles.
Buying Options
$29 from Amazon
Also Great
BirdRock Home Snow Moover and Ice Scraper
Best Foam Brush for Snow Removal
For those preferring a foam brush over bristles, the BirdRock Home Snow Moover and Ice Scraper is an excellent choice. Its quick-drying foam brush efficiently pushes large amounts of snow. This tool disassembles for easy storage and includes a detachable handheld scraper, making it versatile and convenient.
Buying Options
Buy from Amazon
Budget Pick
Hopkins SubZero 16621
Top Handheld Ice Scraper for Basic Needs
If you primarily need a basic, handheld scraper, the Hopkins SubZero 16621 is the best budget-friendly option. Despite its compact size, it features the effective Hopkins SubZero scraper head and ice crusher on a comfortable cushioned handle, outperforming standard basic scrapers.
Buying Options
$8 from Amazon
$9 from Walmart
The Hopkins SubZero 80037 has consistently been recognized as a top ice scraper since 2015. Users have reported its indispensable nature through numerous winters, highlighting its significant improvement over smaller, less effective scrapers. The tool combines a highly effective scraping blade with ice-crushing teeth to quickly tackle both thick and thin ice layers. Its bristle broom is designed like a plow, efficiently moving snow from car panels and reaching tight spots around mirrors and wipers. Key features like padded grips, a self-locking extension mechanism, and user-friendly buttons set it apart from other models. Its size, ranging from 39 inches folded to 60 inches extended, is versatile for various vehicles. Durability is a proven benefit, with long-term testing showing consistent performance even after multiple winters.
Runner-up: Hopkins SubZero 16619
Still a Great Choice for Car Snow Removal
The Hopkins SubZero 16619 mirrors many of the design advantages of the 80037, including easy-to-use buttons, a robust broom-squeegee-plow head, and an efficient scraper. However, it features a narrower brush head (8 inches vs. 10 inches) and a shorter extended handle (51 inches vs. 60 inches). The ice-crushing blade is also narrower, which may require slightly more time to clear thick ice, especially on larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs. Despite these minor differences, it remains a very effective tool, though requiring a bit more reach and effort compared to the 80037 when dealing with larger vehicles.
Also Great: BirdRock Home Snow Moover and Ice Scraper
An Excellent Foam Brush Option for Snow Clearing
The Birdrock Home Snow Moover 55” Extendable Foam Snow Brush and Ice Scraper substitutes a bristle broom with a foam snow pusher, which excels at quickly moving large volumes of snow from a vehicle. Its design allows for disassembly, making it ideal for storage in smaller cars. One of the disassembled components is a hand scraper, designed for independent use. The foam blade minimizes water being brought into the car, unlike absorbent brushes. However, the foam is less effective in tight spots compared to bristle brushes like those on the Hopkins SubZero models. Despite concerns about durability, the foam has shown no wear after two winters of use.
Budget Pick: Hopkins SubZero 16621
A Reliable Handheld Scraper for Quick Ice Removal
While long-handled tools offer greater reach, the Hopkins SubZero 16621 is an excellent, compact handheld scraper for basic needs. This 11-inch tool includes an ice scraper, crusher, and a cushioned grip, incorporating the same high-quality scraper head found on other Hopkins tools. It’s a significant upgrade from standard basic scrapers for quick and efficient ice removal.
