Windscreen Wiper Blades are a key contributor to active car safety. They come at wildly varying prices, and as with many things, buying the dearest doesn’t always guarantee the best[/spin safety, performance, life or Value for Money. So; How pick [spin]good value|value for money|a good deal[/spin?

Wiperblade Life, Performance and Safety depend on the quality of the blade and the frame which holds it. A Quality Blade is easy to pick out, and usually will be accompanied by a good Frame.

The cheapest Windscreen Wiper Blades have simple rubber moulded blades. They have a simple shape and come to a single point at the wiping edge. They are good for up to 200,000 cycles and cost around £4 - £8.00 each. That’s a Cost per 100,000 Cycles of £2.00 - £4.00. So, you should only buy these if they’re cheap, and you’re not too bothered about safety and performance.

Most Global Branded Rubber Windscreen Wiper Blades come with a Twin Edge Blade. They’re easy to pick out. In profile the blade comes to a flat end like a screw-driver instead of a point. Just behind this is a narrower softer “flex zone”.

When the wiper blade moves the blade flexes, and one of the edges provides a trailing edge to wipe the screen. On the back stroke the blade flexes once more, and the other edge does the work. This ensures a much more effective, safer & quieter wipe.

It also more than doubles Wiper Blade life, because the wear is split evenly between both edges instead of one. Also, the blade isn’t ripping at the frame in an effort to flex. Global Branded Rubber Windscreen Wiper Blades last around ½ million cycles or 2½ times more than Cheap Windscreen Wiper Blades, but at around £12.00 each, they cost around £2.40 per 100,000 cycles. That’s significantly more than the cheapest blades, but Global Brand blades do have significant performance, life and safety advantages.

Silicone Wiper Blades are good for 1½ million cycles – that’s 3 times more than even the best rubber blades, and up to 7½ times longer[/spin than the cheapest Windscreen Wiper Blades. They also remain flexible down to –60°C and resist extreme heat UV, Ozone etc., which all shorten the life of Rubber Blades. At around £12, Silicone Wiper Blades cost roughly the same as Global Branded Rubber ones, but offer by far the lowest Cost over Life; only £0.80 per 100,000 cycles, making them the Best Windscreen Wiper Blades choice for more and more [spin]people.

You can pay anything from £4 right up to £30 for Windscreen Wiper Blades, and most of the time the “You get what you pay for” rule applies. Understandably, many people are nervous about experimenting with wiper blades because they know they’re a key safety component.

Unfortunately most people don’t know how to pick out quality in a Windscreen Wiper Blades, so they can’t make a judgement about Value for Money. To do that, first, you need to be able to identify the key features controlling life and performance. Next you need to compare cost against life.

The cheapest Windscreen Wiper Blades have single edge rubber moulded blades. You can pay as little as £4 for a life of up to 200,000 cycles. That’s a Cost over Life of £2 per 100,000 cycles. So only buythese if they’re cheap, and you’re not too concerned with safety and performance.

Quality Branded Rubber Windscreen Wiper Blades come with a Twin Edge Blade. You can pick out them easily. The blade comes to a flat end like a small screw-driver instead of a point, and there’s a narrow area just behind the head which allows it to flex.

When the wiper blade moves the blade flexes, and one of the edges provides a trailing edge to wipe the screen. On the back stroke the blade flexes again, and the other edge does the work. This ensures a much safer & quieter wipe, with reduced un-wiped patches. It also offers more than double the life of a cheap Windscreen Wiper Blades, because the blade isn’t ripping against the frame as it tries to flex, and the wear is split over 2 edges instead of one.

Quality, Twin Edge Windscreen Wiper Blades cost around £12.00 each for a life of 500,000 cycles. That’s £2.40 per 100,000 cycles, a bit more than the cheapest blades, but with improved performance and safety.

Silicone Wiper Blades are good for 1,500,000 cycles – that’s 3 times more than the very best rubber blades, and 7½ times more than the cheapest Windscreen Wiper Blades. Quality Silicone Wiper Blades are easy to identify, because they come with a Manufacturer’s Warranty

Silicone Wiper Blades stay flexible and wipe cleanly in the toughest winter conditions. They aren’t attacked by Ozone, UV & pollution, so unlike rubber blades they don’t degrade as they sit in the garage! Priced from £12, Silicone Wiper Blades cost roughly the same as Quality Rubber ones, but last 3 times as long. With a Cost over Life of £0.80 per 100,000 cycles, more & more people are deciding that they’re the Best Windscreen Wiper Blades for Value AND Safety.