Which wiper blades are better – framed, frameless or hybrid?

Many motorists often ask the question: which wiper blades are better? Before choosing a specific version of wipers, it is worth understanding what criteria modern brushes differ in, which manufacturers are the most popular in our country, and what to look for when choosing.

1 Framed and frameless wiper blades

All car wipers differ in their design features, this is worth paying attention to in the first place. In second place – the manufacturer, reviews, test results and tests. According to their design, wiper blades are:

• framed and frameless,
• hybrid wipers,
• winter and summer,
• heated,
• for cleaning the rear window.

Types of wipers for cars

Frame wipers are now considered obsolete, but there are many motorists who prefer this particular type of cleaner. As a rule, such brushes are equipped with a metal case (frame) in which the mount is built. The mount is something like an ordinary hook, but recently you can find framed wipers on a car with a removable mount.

The practicality of such brushes in modern operating conditions is almost zero. They fit snugly to the glass, have low aerodynamic drag, and often make a characteristic noise (especially at high speeds). In winter, the frame is filled with water, which freezes at sub-zero temperatures, and it can be quite difficult to remove the ice. But despite this, such wipers can perfectly cope with the basic functions of cleaning the glass surface. Some experts even recommend the use of frame wipers for certain car models. Today, such wiper blades are used on VAZ classics, old foreign cars and some modern cars.

Using frame wipers

Frameless wiper blades are the most common option for modern motorists. They are easy to manufacture and reliable in operation. Such wipers are sometimes referred to simply as rubber or flat wipers. The design is based on a metal plate, which is completely covered with rubber or rubber, in the center there is a convenient interchangeable mount (different depending on the manufacturer). Among the advantages of frameless brushes are high aerodynamic capabilities, lack of noise even at high speeds and ease of cleaning in the winter period of operation.

2 Other types of wiper blades

Hybrid brushes can be found on Japanese-made cars. Some experts argue that this type is the most effective to use. The body of the part is thought out to the smallest detail, and during long-term operation, the gum itself, rather than structural elements, often fails. It is based on a classic frame wiper, tightly closed with rubber or plastic. Among the advantages of hybrids, one can note a high degree of fit to the windshield, the complete absence of noise and maximum ease of cleaning.

There are also winter wipers, which are frame options tightly closed with a rubber casing. They are easy to clear of snow and ice, but in practice they are very noisy and bulky. High windage and low aerodynamics contribute to the fact that even at car speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour, winter brushes begin to creak unpleasantly. In winter, you can choose frameless heated wiper blades. Several wires are built into the design, which heat the metal base, and it transfers heat to the elastic band. It is worth noting that this is a really effective option in harsh winter conditions. The selection of heated brushes is carried out depending on the model of the car, the method of attachment and the possibility of installing the control module (if the function of automatic operation by the sensor is available).

Hybrid wiper blades

As for the wipers for cleaning the rear window, their design (mainly mounting) is different from the front ones, so you need to choose them separately. There are special rear wiper kits, which also come in framed, frameless, or hybrid.

Rear brush kit

Which one is better to choose for your car, everyone decides for himself, taking into account the design features, price and other factors. There are also original parts. As a rule, these are the same wiper kits, for example, Bosch or Denso with a car logo. Their price is unjustifiably high, since by design they are no different from conventional kits from the same manufacturers.

It is recommended to change the wiper blades once a year or every 30-40 thousand kilometers. Using faulty brushes is dangerous and prohibited by traffic rules.

3 Review and testing of popular brush sets

During testing, the following indicators are checked first of all:

• ergonomics (mounting, design, marking, appearance, etc.),
• wear resistance (tested on a special stand and in practical conditions),
• heat resistance and resistance to UV rays (tested at temperatures up to 75 degrees and with constant exposure to sunlight for 150 hours),
• quality of work in real conditions (testing of work on the windshield of different car models).

An important factor when choosing is the price. As practice has shown, expensive brushes of well-known and best, according to experts, brands can be inferior to models of manufacturers of average fame and the optimal price category.

Champion (Belgium)

Frameless brushes of the European producer. There is no instruction in Russian in the kit. There are six adapters for levers of various designs. The brushes have a simple and convenient fixation, however, a tendency to crushing is noticeable, this is especially evident in practice when the brush is installed on a car after bench tests. The cleaning rate is above average, so they can be recommended for installation in mid-range cars. The advantages also include a relatively low price: 350-600 conventional units per piece in various stores.

Frameless brushes «Champion»

Denso Wiper (South Korea)

Hybrid car wiper blades from a Korean manufacturer, which are gaining popularity in our country. Based on the results of practical tests, Denso brushes showed excellent performance. The set includes detailed instructions in Russian. The fixation on the lever is convenient, there are no difficulties during installation. As for the operation of the brushes on the stand, over time, stripes appeared in the upper part, and during tests for temperature stability, the cleaning of the lower part worsened slightly. However, no splits or breaks were observed. Given the low cost (up to 450 conventional units per piece) and ease of installation, as well as the thoughtful design, brushes can be selected for cars of all brands with this type of fastener.

Bosch (Germany)

The presented model of brushes is the most optimal in terms of price-quality ratio. The design is hybrid, in the configuration there are three adapters for pin type mounts (popular on Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda Octavia, etc.). There are no detailed installation instructions in the kit, but the process is unlikely to cause difficulties even for an ordinary motorist. The price is 1200–1400 conditional units per set. The build quality and performance indicators on the diagnostic stand and in domestic conditions are almost perfect.

Bosch wipers from Germany

Valeo (France)

The most expensive wiper blades of all the options considered. The price exceeds 2500 conventional units per set. But in the package there are adapters for popular versions of the lever mounts, clear instructions. Possess the best climatic resistance and to UV rays. Crushing, separations are completely absent, the aerodynamic index is also in first place among the presented models. Wipers are ideal as an original for a French-made car (Renault, Citroen).

Trico Vision (USA)

Frameless wipers of a well-known brand. They belong to the middle price category (650–700 conditional units). The instruction is incomprehensible even in English, there are no necessary adapters for popular mounts. Removal is hampered by a non-standard mechanism (the mounting lever must be pulled up, not squeezed out). Normal resistance to temperature effects, effective cleaning of glass according to the size of the brush. During the tests, the rubber band came off, respectively, when buying, the wipers would have to be changed after several thousand kilometers.