Markus Andrews

If you love RV life as much as we do, chances are you’ve already exposed your ride to the rigors of Mother Nature – and then some. Even if you’re cruising about in a top-of-the-line rig with a brand new build, your beloved RV is going to develop a few cracks and crevices in her roof sooner or later.
But don’t stress, because fixing a leaky RV roof is an easy DIY job that doesn’t require any technical skills. First things first, however, you’ll need to pick out the perfect sealant product for your needs. And that’s where our in-depth buyer’s guide and top 10 recommendations come into play.
So listen up, because we’re about to provide you with all the info you need to find the ideal sealant or coating—that way, you’ll never have to suffer through a leaky RV roof again.

Factors to Consider in RV Sealant and Coatings
Before we delve into our top ten list of RV coatings and sealants, you must understand what the key features to consider are. Keep the following points in mind when shopping for a sealant or coating to use on your rig. More information about each of these factors is in our full guide below.
Material Compatibility
Almost all RVs on the market use one of four different materials in the roof: EPDM rubber, TPO rubber, fiberglass, or aluminum. The ideal product for you depends on the material you’ve got up top, so the first thing you need to do is climb up and have a look.
Sealant or Coating
Although some products serve as an RV sealant and coating in one, that isn’t always the case. Sealants are specially designed to fill in cracks, while coatings add UV, moisture, and heat resistance to the entire surface area of the roof. Choose accordingly.
Formula Type
RV sealants and coatings come in varying formula types—silicone, urethane, and acrylic—each of which has its distinct pros and cons. See our section on sealant and coating formula types in our full guide to determine what will work best for you.
Consistency Type
RV sealants and coatings also come in three consistency types: putty (typically silicone), liquid (acrylic or urethane), and tape (varies). Each has its pros and cons, which you can learn about in our consistency type section.
Durability
All RV sealants are designed to protect your rig from the sun and the rain. Some, however, work better than others, so it’s best to opt for a highly regarded product that has a reputation for standing the test of time.
Ease of Application
Urethane and acrylic coatings may require a primer and several coats to create an effective seal, thus increasing the time and effort it takes to apply them. Silicone, on the other hand, requires just one coat, but it isn’t ideal in certain situations.
Color
RV sealants come in an array of different colors to suit most vehicles out there. Choose the closest possible color to match your rig to preserve its aesthetic appeal. If you can’t find anything appropriate, consider a paintable or transparent sealant instead.
Cost
Cost shouldn’t be a major consideration when shopping for an RV sealant. Although a premium brand could cost double that of a budget product, the difference will only be about $20 or so—and that’s nothing to spend on the long-term wellbeing of your beloved RV!
Now you have a clear idea of what to look for, let’s dive into our list.

Top 10 Best RV Roof Sealants and Coatings 2020
1. Best RV Sealant Overall: Sikaflex-221

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Why we like it: Sikaflex is the world’s most famous automotive sealant, and it works like a charm on RVs.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Polyurethane Silicone
Consistency: Putty
Sealant / Coating: Sealant
Compatible With: Everything
Color: White
Size: 10 ounces
Coming in at over $1.50 per ounce (no bulk buy discounts available here), Sikaflex doesn’t come cheap, not by any stretch of the imagination. But this awesome product is worth every last penny because there’s nothing stronger out there on the market.
Ask any automotive repairer what they use to fix leaky roofs and walls, and chances are they’ll tell you Sikaflex is the way to go. And the good news is this product works just as well on your RV, allowing you to apply a permanent elastic adhesion to your roof that won’t cut or tear over time—Sikaflex is specifically designed to absorb the shocks and bumps of the road.
This brilliant product is weatherproof and works well in both hot and cold climates. Once it’s been cured, It’s even safe if it comes into contact with potable water and food.
However, be aware that the stuff has a nasty habit of spreading itself everywhere upon installation and is a massive pain to remove. Be sure to apply Sikaflex exceptionally slowly and carefully to avoid accidentally sealing a whole bunch of things you didn’t want to.
On the plus side, you can always sand it back or paint over it when you inevitably make a mess.
Pro tip: Wrap cellophane around the end of the tube and store it in the fridge and you’ll be able to reuse it many months later.

Pros
Strongest sealant on the market
Works well in all situations
Resistant to hot and cold conditions
Doesn’t cut or tear on the road
Safe for contact with drinking water or food

Cons
Very messy
Hard to remove
Expensive

2. Best Premium RV Roof Sealant and Coating: Heng’s Rubber Roof Coating

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Why we like it: This popular sealant and coating plugs up cracks and protects rubber roofs for years to come.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Acrylic
Consistency: Liquid
Sealant / Coating: Both
Compatible With: All Types of Rubber
Color: White
Size: One Gallon
Heng makes one of the most popular RV sealants and coatings for rubber roofs on the market, and it’s little wonder this product is a hit because it works incredibly well. The acrylic-based liquid slips easily into tiny crevices to seal problematic rubber roofs; it also serves as a powerful coating for enhanced UV protection. What’s more, it expands and contracts with your roof over time, which means it simply lasts longer than other products out there.
Got an issue with a leaky air-conditioner or vent? This product will sort you out in a jiffy as it’s excellent for these kinds of applications. And if you’re worried about safety, rest assured Heng make a non-polluting and non-toxic sealant that won’t make you dizzy or ill.
Although applying a primer will help the process along, it’s not strictly necessary. You could use the formula on its own and still achieve a strong seal, which dramatically reduces the time and cost of the process.
While the product costs more than most other coatings, note that it comes in a sizable one-gallon container. Therefore, if you plan to recoat your roof several times, it actually works out to be pretty good value for money.
On the downside, the acrylic formula won’t offer the same level of protection as silicone. Furthermore, it only works on rubber roofing, so give it a miss if you’re rocking fiberglass or the like.

Pros
Sealant and coating in one
Expands and contracts with your roof
Safe formula to work with
Can be done in one application
Slips into small cracks

Cons
Works better with primer
Acrylic not as good as silicone
Only works on rubber roofs

3. Best Budget RV Sealant and Coating: Dicor 501LSW-1

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Why we like it: It’ll fix stubborn cracks in EPDM rubber for a fraction of the cost of the competitors.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Self-leveling silicone
Consistency: Putty
Sealant / Coating: Sealant
Compatible With: EPDM and TPO sheeting
Color: Creamy white
Size: 10.3 fluid ounces
If budget is your primary consideration when fixing a leaky roof, the Dicor 501LSW-1 is worth considering. This affordable solution works well on air vents, pipes, and cracks and will get the job done for a minimal cost.
The product is compatible with both EDPM and TPO type rubber, meaning it’s good to go on most RV roofs. Aside from rubber, it’ll also bond to various other materials, including concrete, aluminum, fiberglass, and mortar. And don’t be put off by the fact it’s self-leveling because you rarely need to make any vertical applications when working on a roof.
This one comes in a nice creamy white color that blends seamlessly with most RV roofs, although the option is there to pick other colors if necessary.
The sealant is pretty easy to apply, typically taking five minutes once the area is ready to work with. Waterproofing requires a four-hour wait, and you’ll need to wait 48 hours in total before it’s 80% cured. The catch? You’ll have to wait a whole month before it’s fully (100%) cured.
It comes in a tiny 10-ounce tub, so grab a few if you need to do a big repair job.

Pros
Very cheap
Compatible with all standard RV roofs
Works well on various leaks
Multiple colors available

Cons
Small package size
Takes a while to cure

4. Best Multipurpose RV Sealant: Flex Seal Liquid Rubber

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Why we like it: Flex Seal Liquid Rubber works on a variety of applications aside from your RV roof.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Acrylic
Consistency: Liquid
Sealant / Coating: Both
Compatible With: Rubber
Color: White
Size: 1 gallon
It’s “like liquid rubber in a can,” as the manufacturers say, and they’re not far off the mark. This widely popular product is a hit among DYI home improvement types for its sheer versatility—you can use it to coat or seal just about any kind of rubber imaginable. Waterproofing and weatherproofing a rubber surface is super easy thanks to its spreadable liquid-like consistency, which you can roll, brush, dip, or pour all over the desired area.
Despite how simple the product may seem, it works remarkably well, sealing out air, water, and moisture with ease while preventing mildew and corrosion.
Flex Seal Liquid Rubber is safe to work with, with no flammable, toxic, or hazardous components to speak of. Feel free to use this one around plants and animals without fretting about their wellbeing.
The secret to its user-friendly success is the thin consistency, but be aware it does come with a downside. You’ll likely need to apply the product up to three times to create a satisfactory seal or coat, and that requires a substantial amount of extra time and effort.

Pros
Versatile product suitable for multiple purposes
Easy to use liquid with a thin consistency
Effective at preventing moisture, mildew, and corrosion
Safe product to work with, even around plants and animals

Cons
Requires up to three coats for optimal effectiveness

5. Best RV Tape Sealant: EternaBond RSW-2-50 RoofSeal Sealant Tape

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Why we like it: While it won’t compete with liquid sealants, this works better than any other tape on the market.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Consistency: Tape
Sealant / Coating: Sealant
Compatible With: Everything
Color: White
Size: 2″ x 50″
Although liquid and putty-style sealants tend to be the most effective, tape is an option when the affected area is nice and flat. And as you might expect, it’s a whole lot easier to apply than an ultra-sticky putty or gooey liquid.
Several sealant tapes are available on the market, many of which will work well on the roof of your RV. But the product that stands out from the crowd for its superior sealing properties is the EternaBond RSW-2-50 from RoofSeal.
EternaBond consists of a clever concoction of synthetic resins, thermoplastics, non-curing rubber, and a primer. The result is a high elongation level that allows it to contract and expand without compromising its adhesiveness. While the white finish works wonders at reflecting sunlight, it will appear a little odd if you don’t have a white car.
If you weren’t aware, with tape, you still have to clean the surface thoroughly with Isopropyl Alcohol. But once that’s done and dusted, all that’s left to do is peel off the protective silicone lining and carefully position the tape in place.
A word of warning, though: the stuff is super susceptible to the elements. Don’t use this on a wet day, and keep your RV in a sheltered place for at least a week after the application. Otherwise, you could inadvertently trap water droplets underneath the tape, which will eventually cause it to fray and decay.
If you don’t think two inches will be wide enough, rest assured the product comes in four and six-inch variations as well.

Pros
Excellent sealing properties
Easy to use and can be applied in minutes
Contracts and expands without losing adhesiveness
White finish reflects sunlight
Available in multiple sizes

Cons
Not as powerful as liquids or putties
Only works well on flat surfaces
Highly susceptible to water and snow

6. Best RV Roof Rubber Coating: KST Coating Elastomeric Finish Coat

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Why we like it: It does a superb job of blocking out any potential leaks before they occur.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Acrylic resin
Consistency: Liquid
Sealant / Coating: Coating
Compatible With: Rubber
Color: White
Size: 4.75 gallon
“Prevention is better than cure,” as the old saying goes. And rather than waiting for a hole to appear in an RV roof and water to start gushing through, savvy RVers apply a protective coating ahead of time to stop cracks in their tracks.
While RV sealants work wonders at filling in holes and gaps, RV roof coatings are designed to be applied over the entire roof to strengthen its integrity. KST doesn’t lose adhesiveness in adverse weather and will expand and contract to retain optimal flexibility.
A high-quality coating such as this will enhance the UV and water-resistant properties of your roof thanks to its potent elastomeric finish. Furthermore, this outstanding American-made product protects against algae, mildew, mold, and moisture, making it ideal for folks in hot and humid environments—it’s a big hit in Florida, for example.
The manufacturers back the product with an extensive seven-year warranty, which helps reassure customers who may balk at the hefty price tag. The main drawback is the product comes in an enormous (and expensive) 4.75-gallon tin that covers a whopping 1500 sq ft., big enough to coat a small house—don’t worry, the product works fine on all rubber roof RVs as well.
Another downside is that elastomeric coatings tend to dry in thin layers, and this model from KST is no exception. You’ll need to apply at least two coats (a base coat before the white coat) to achieve optimal protection.

Pros
Excellent elastomeric coating for RVs
Perfect for humid environments
Protects against the sun and the rain
Remains adhesive and flexible in adverse weather

Cons
Requires two coats for optimal performance
Rather expensive
Comes in a massive tin that’s more than you need

7. Best for Fiberglass Roofs: Dicor Fiberglass RV Roof Coating

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Why we like it: It provides exceptional protection for your fiberglass RV roof and is easy to apply.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Acrylic resin
Consistency: Liquid
Sealant / Coating: Coating
Compatible With: Fiberglass
Color: White
Size: 1 gallon / 350 sq ft.
While the KST Coating Elastomeric Finish Coat is your best bet for a rubber RV roof coating, this nifty product from Dicor is the ideal way to make your fiberglass last. The specially formulated acrylic resin mixture has been purposely designed with the fiberglass RV roof in mind, allowing it to provide ample protection and a long-lasting shine.
This formula is entirely free of ingredients that can damage delicate fiberglass, including petroleum distillates. Therefore, it’s safe to use on your fiberglass roof without the risk of corrosion.
Most RV coatings tend to lose their sheen over time, but this product from Dicor offers a persistent bright white finish that doesn’t tend to fade. It’ll also reflect the sun’s UV rays to help keep your RV cooler—a godsend in summer—and provide protection from algae and mildew.
Like other acrylic resin roof coatings, you’ll need to apply two coats to get the job done and wait for a considerable amount of time before it’s dry. Nonetheless, it’s well worth the effort to keep your fiberglass roof in tip-top condition for the season to come.
But buyer beware: be sure to apply it as you’re heading into the warmer months. Pure acrylic resin coatings tend to peel and crack when the temperature dips below freezing.

Pros
Specially designed fiberglass RV coating
Resists mold and mildew
Protects from UV rays
Retains long-lasting sheen

Cons
Requires two coats
May peel over winter

8. Best for Metal Roofs: Dicor RP-MRC-1 Elastomeric Coating

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Why we like it: This powerful product provides your metallic RV roof with all the protection you need.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Acrylic resin
Consistency: Liquid
Sealant / Coating: Coating
Compatible With: Metal
Color: Arctic white
Size: 1 gallon
Dicor makes our favorite fiberglass RV coating, and the company is on the money with their metallic version as well. Once again, Dicor has specially designed this product for optimal performance with a specific roof type—in this case, metal. Therefore, RV owners looking for a way to coat their aluminum roof can rest assured they’re making the right choice.
The 100% acrylic elastomeric resin dries into a rubber-like coating that does an excellent job of protecting metal surfaces from the elements. Resistant to both mold and mildew, the coating expands and contracts as your roof rattles around to ensure it can stand the test of time. It’ll also reduce the likelihood of cracks forming in your roof, thus preventing potentially damaging leaks.
The bright white finish, which is almost identical to the fiberglass coating, reflects the sun’s rays. However, it may start to look dirty quicker than other products, but that’s nothing a vigorous scrub with soapy water can’t fix.
You’ll need to add two coats for optimal performance; the one-gallon tin is good for up to 200 sq ft. As you’re working with metal here, remember to treat any rust first and apply a primer. The coating should only be applied when the temperature is higher than 50F.

Pros
Ideal coating for metallic RV roofs
Expands and contracts
Mold and mildew resistant
Reflects sun’s rays
Prevents cracks from forming

Cons
Starts to look dirty quite quickly
Requires rust removal, priming, and multiple coats
Can’t be applied in cold weather

9. Best Transparent RV Sealant: Geocel 28100V Pro Flex

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Why we like it: It seals up even the most stubborn leaks and is barely noticeable no matter the color of your roof.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Silicone
Consistency: Putty
Sealant / Coating: Sealant
Compatible With: Fiberglass and aluminum
Color: Transparent
Size: 10 fluid ounces
If you’ve got a uniquely-colored RV, then the last thing you want to do is seal up your roof with a standard white or cream sealant. And that’s where the 28100V Pro Flex from Geocol comes in, with its transparent texture that works well on any colored RV.
Before you get too excited, do be aware the sealant isn’t entirely invisible. You’ll still be able to notice it if you look closely and carefully, especially should you fail to apply it in a smooth, even coat. You can paint over the top of it, though, which is perfect should you decide you’re not quite happy with the outcome.
Nonetheless, in terms of aesthetics, it easily outperforms any white sealant for colored RV roofs.
Aside from being see-through, the 28100V Pro Flex is a pretty decent sealant. The silicone-based product is remarkably flexible and resistant to cracking, plus it’ll retain its adhesiveness in even the toughest weather conditions. It’s durable, too; the sturdy sealant resists mildew and mold for up to 25 years.
Novice roof sealers also love how easy this product is to apply. Unlike other more powerful sealants—we’re looking at you, Sikaflex—the Pro Flex isn’t wild and stringy, so you won’t have to make an ungodly mess. And if you do happen to squirt a bit of stray goo where you shouldn’t have, it’s relatively easy to clean up again.
This product works well with fiberglass and aluminum, although it’s not suitable for rubber RV roofs.

Pros
Transparent for use on any roof color
25-year lifespan
Protects against UV, mold, and mildew
Resistant to cracking
Easy to apply and clean

Cons
Not suitable for rubber roofs

10. Best Self-Leveling Sealant: ToughGrade Self-Leveling RV Lap Sealant

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Why we like it: It works perfectly on horizontal workspaces such as roofs.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Type: Self-leveling silicone
Consistency: Putty
Sealant / Coating: Sealant
Compatible With: Rubber
Color: White
Size: 4x 10-ounce tubes
This rubber self-leveling sealant is an excellent option for RV roofs with stubborn leaks and cracks that are difficult to reach. The tiny tube slides into a caulking gun for easy application in inaccessible places and will level itself with time for a smoother finish. Use it to seal vents, pipes, holes, cracks, and crevices in your roof, virtually anywhere on a horizontal plane.
Do note, however, that self-leveling sealants cannot be used on horizontal surfaces—give this one a miss if you also plan on sealing your RV windows.
ToughGrade can withstand the elements without cracking or peeling, even in freezing conditions and bucket loads of snow.
It’s simple for the layman to apply as well—all you’ve got to do is clean the area and squirt it on. What’s more, it dries super quickly, and you can paint over the top of it to achieve your desired look. That’s just as well because the sealant comes in an unusual off-white color that doesn’t blend well with your standard RV roof.

Pros
Excellent for horizontal applications
Doesn’t degrade over time
Doesn’t degrade over time
Dries fast
Can be painted over

Cons
Off-white color doesn’t match most roofs

RV Roof Sealants and Coatings: A Buyer’s Guide
Before you take the plunge and purchase a sealant or coating to fix your RV, it’s worth doing your research to learn everything you can about the products and processes. In this in-depth buyer’s guide, we’ll explain in detail the different types of sealants/coatings and roofs, as well as how to fix a leaky RV roof on your own.
What’s the Difference between RV Sealants and RV Coatings?
Contrary to popular belief, there is a notable difference between RV sealants and RV coatings.
As the name implies, sealants are specially designed to seal any cracks that may have formed in your roof due to wear and tear on the road. These highly malleable and weather-resistant products are ideal for fixing a leaky roof to keep your RV—and the contents within—dry.
Coatings, on the other hand, are intended to be painted or sprayed over the top of your RV roof. These preventative products enhance the structural integrity of your roof and increase its UV and weather-resistant properties.
While liquid coatings can seal minor cracks in a roof, silicone-based sealants are always more effective. Of course, using a putty-like adhesive such as silicone to coat your entire roof would be hilariously inefficient, so you’d need to purchase a separate product if you want a weather-resistant coating as well.
Although many RVers may apply a sealant and a coating simultaneously, the two products serve distinct purposes.

The Benefits of Sealing and Coating Your RV
Even a low-cost RV requires a considerable financial outlay, so it makes sense to do everything you can to protect your investment. And one of the easiest ways to degrade an RV over time is by neglecting to maintain its roof.
Life on the road involves millions of rattles and bumps, each of which takes a tiny toll on the structural integrity of your RV. But when combined over a prolonged period, these little rumbles eventually form cracks in the membrane of your roofing. Naturally, the first place to come apart is the sealant, which, when compromised, will allow water to gush through your roof and into your RV.
If left as is, that water flow will rot your wood, rust your steel, and fry your electrics—potentially costing you thousands of dollars in repairs over time. The best way to avoid forking out for an eye-watering repair bill is by sealing the roof of your RV religiously.
Aside from keeping water out, a properly sealed and coated RV roof will improve your overall insulation, thus making it more energy-efficient to heat or cool your mobile home.
RV Roof Sealant and Coatings Formulas
There are three main varieties of RV sealants to choose from, each with distinct pros and cons. No one particular type is the best for every situation, so you’ll have to study these carefully to determine which is best for you.
Silicone Sealants
Silicone automotive sealants are among the most expensive on the market, but they’re also among the most durable. These heavy-duty sealants hold up exceptionally well against the elements, capable of withstanding even the most fierce wind, rain, and sun. An elastic-like structure enables these sealants to hold steady through the bumps of the road, making them a popular choice among automotive repairers and RV enthusiasts.
On the downside, silicone has a nasty habit of getting everywhere, so it’s a bit tricky to apply, despite the fact you only need one coat. It’s also more expensive than other sealant types and tends to get all gunky and dirty looking rather quickly.
Acrylic Sealants
Acrylic sealants are exceptionally affordable but take a long time to apply, making them a suitable option for cash strapped but time-rich RVers who are willing to fix their own roof. The liquid-like substance does a decent job of reflecting sunlight and sealing in cracks and gaps, although it isn’t as waterproof as other options.
If you live in a wet region or expect water to pool on the roof of your RV, then consider trying a different variety. Acrylic takes longer to apply as you’ll need to do a primer and then put on a second coat known as a ‘fabric reinforce.’
Urethane Sealants
Urethane is an excellent RV sealant for its superb weather-resistant properties that enable it to withstand the test of time in even the harshest American climates. The substance dries out to create a durable shell capable of taking a beating from physical objects like pine cones and hail. Of course, no sealant is bulletproof, so don’t expect a fresh layer of urethane to protect your roof from heavy impacts.
Urethane costs quite a bit more than other sealants and takes longer to apply because two coats are needed for the optimal finish. Nonetheless, many RVers believe it’s worth the extra time and money for the additional protection it affords.
RV Roof Sealant and Coating Consistency
RV sealants and coatings come in various consistencies, each of which serves a distinct purpose.
Putty
Silicone-based sealants have a putty-like consistency, best applied through a caulking gun. As the putty is thick and expensive, it’s only ever used to seal problematic areas—never to coat an entire roof.
Some silicone sealants are self-leveling, which means they’re only useful on a horizontal surface.
Liquid
RV coatings come in a liquid consistency, which you can paint over the entire surface area of your roof. The texture is kind of like a varnish, and the application process is somewhat similar as well.
Although a coating may help seal smaller cracks on your RV roof, they’re never as effective as dedicated sealants. Therefore, if you’ve got a giant gap that needs urgent attention, it’s best to use a silicone sealant before applying a protective coating to the entire roof.
Tape
As the name implies, sealant tapes are a tape-like product that appears almost identical to duct tape or the like. However, the product is different in that it’s specially designed to seal rubber surfaces together, making it a suitable solution for cracks in the flat areas of your RV roof.
Sealant tape isn’t useful in the non-flat areas, though, as water will always find a way to wiggle underneath. On the whole, it isn’t as effective as other sealant types either, so this “easy option” is best left for minor cracks and gaps.
Our favorite RV sealant tape is the EternaBond RSW-2-50 RoofSeal Sealant Tape.
RV Roofing Materials
The ideal RV sealant or coating depends on what your roof is made out of, which typically falls into one of four categories: EPDM rubber, TPO rubber, fiberglass, and aluminum.
EPDM Rubber
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer is lightweight and cheap but doesn’t compare with other roof types in terms of durability. This kind of rubber simply isn’t strong enough to withstand heavy weight or constant impacts, which means you’ll need to repair it more frequently. If you’ve got an EPDM rubber roof on your RV, you might notice how it starts to appear a tad rusty and chalky over time as well.
TPO Rubber
A superior, albeit more expensive, type of rubber to use on an RV roof is TPO, which stands for Thermal Poly Olefin. This rubber is far more rigid than EPDM, so you generally won’t have to reseal it quite as often. The easiest way to identify TPO rubber is by its glossy sheen, which continues to shine for many years after leaving the factory floor.
Fiberglass
Although fiberglass RV roofs exist, they’re not nearly as common as either of the two main rubber varieties. Much like EPDM, fiberglass tends to oxidize and lose its aesthetic appeal over time. The good news is you can rapidly remedy the issue with a fresh new RV coating, which should instantly return its glossy shine.
Our favorite sealing and coating to use on fiberglass roofing is Dicor Fiberglass RV Roof Coating.
Aluminum
Aluminum is the least common of the four main RV roof types, mostly because this heavy material adds too much extra weight to the rig. The plus side is that aluminum is far more rigid than other roof types on the market, so you shouldn’t have to bother sealing it for many years to come.
Coating aluminum is always worthwhile, however, and our favorite product is Dicor RP-MRC-1 Elastomeric Coating.
Applying a Sealant and Coating to Your RV Roof

Although the process of applying a coating or sealant to your RV roof varies significantly depending on the particular product, there are several fundamental steps to follow.
How To Seal An RV Roof
Strip away the layer of sealant you plan to replace using a Stanley knife or similar tool.
Level the area using sandpaper
Clean the area using a sponge or cloth with denatured alcohol
Stick masking tape alongside the area you want to seal to avoid getting sealant where you shouldn’t
Apply the sealant slowly and carefully in an even layer
Allow the sealant to dry for 24 hours in a shady place protected from the wind and the rain (don’t drive until it’s dry)
Many sealants like silicone are easier to apply with a caulking gun, which you can purchase online or pick up from your local hardware store. If you plan to go down this route, opt for a sealant in a package that’s already compatible with a caulking gun.
If you’re still not confident, here’s a more in-depth article on how to seal your RV roof.
How To Coat an RV Roof
Follow these steps to coat your RV roof:
If necessary, seal up any cracks in your RV roof using a sealant
Use a stiff-bristled broom and warm water with detergent to clean your RV roof thoroughly
Allow your RV roof to fully dry, leaving it in the sun for many hours or even overnight if necessary
Apply your coating smoothly and evenly using a roller brush or paintbrush
Apply a second coat 24 hours later if necessary
Although RV coatings can help seal cracks and crevices, they’re not as powerful as a dedicated sealant. Therefore, to fix severe damage, it’s wise to use a sealant first and let it dry before coating the roof.
Remember to clean your roof exceptionally well, as an RV coating won’t stick to a dirty surface.
More information on how to coat your RV roof can be found in this article.
RV Sealant and Coating FAQ
If you’ve still got questions about RV sealants and coatings, then take a look at the following FAQ.
What Is the Best RV Sealant?
While the ideal sealant depends on several factors, including the roof type and the extent of the damage, our favorite overall is Sikaflex-221. This widely popular automotive sealant does a fantastic job of patching up a leaky roof, even though it may be a bit messy to apply.
How Often Should You Seal Your RV roof?
A leaky roof can cause extensive damage to your RV electrics, as well as rot away your wood and cause your metal to corrode. Because the bumps of the road make the joints in your roof unravel at a rapid pace, most veteran RVers will take the time to reseal their RV roof at least once per year.
Many RVers also opt to recoat their roof at the same time, reinforcing it to provide extra rain and sun protection for the travel season to come.
How Do You Remove Old Roof Sealant From RV?
You’ll need to get rid of the old sealant before applying a new batch. Use a Stanley knife to cut out the old adhesive, then sand it back vigorously with sandpaper.
Once it looks nice and level, remember to clean the surface with denatured alcohol and let that dry before applying the new sealant.
Can I Walk on My RV?
Most people can safely walk on most RV roofs, as these are typically rated to support the weight of the average human.
However, we still recommend you read the owner’s manual of your vehicle to double-check the load rating of your roof. The last thing you want to do is fall through and cause severe damage to both you and your rig.
Final Thoughts
There you have it—everything you could ever hope to know about RV roof sealants and coatings, and can do your own maintenance. Sure, you could pay a professional to do it for you. But these services typically cost north of a grand. Do it yourself, however, and you’ll be done within an afternoon and will have saved yourself a massive wad of cash (which you can spend on the road!).
Whether you’re looking to reseal your old, weathered sealant, or reinforce your roof with a fresh layer of protective RV coating, we’ve recommended the best options on the market for you.
After a small financial investment and a bit of good old fashioned elbow grease, you can relax safe in the knowledge your RV roof is now good to go for the season to come. If you’re looking to further prepare your RV before the big trip, you can take a look at our article about RV waxes too.
Happy trails, folks. More

Because they are typically the first modification anyone does when they want to improve their car’s performance, it’s no wonder drivers take their cold air intakes seriously. This passion runs deep, with many displaying their CAI brand as a decal in the window or the first line of their signature when participating in car discussions online.
This enthusiasm is also why cold air intakes are also one of the most hotly debated topics in the car community. Today, we’ll help you cut through all the noise and pick the best CAI for your vehicle.

Choosing the Right Intake
At AutoQuarterly, we want to make sure you get the most out of your car. Getting a cold air intake is a great first step to take if you want to learn about car performance or just become more comfortable with modifying your car in general.
There are tons of myths, misconceptions, and downright crazy claims surrounding them, though. We want to clear the air and present you with all the information you need to make a great decision. We’ll start with a straightforward guide for choosing one and a list of our recommendations. At the bottom, though, we’ll go straight into the science and mythology surrounding air intakes.
Choosing a CAI
Choosing an intake can be hard simply because there are tons and tons of options, and they all pretty much do exactly the same thing. An AEM intake with a pod filter is a pipe length with a filter on the end of fit, just like an Injen intake, and just like a K&N. Usually, the decision comes down to one of the following.
Brand and Street Cred
There are two main categories of intake: the big brands and the knockoffs. There’s nothing wrong with most knockoffs. They might be a little harder to install, but they are way less expensive than any of the major brands. Let’s face it, though. Having a big AEM logo staring you in the face when you pop the hood does feel good.
Included Accessories
The intakes on the market range from “everything included” to “a bunch of random parts in a box.” You have to decide how much DIY you want to do and what kind of accessories you want.
Fitment
Every car is different, so the intake that fits in one car probably won’t fit another. There are a few things that affect fitment with the CAIs. The biggest, most obvious one is the length and shape of the tubes. You need to get an intake for your car, or it won’t even fit under the hood.
There are a few other considerations, too, like the sensor holes and type of sensor attachments you need. Just make sure to get a system that fits your car; it’s effortless to double-check online.
Materials
There are a handful of different materials found on an intake. CAIs are made of rubber for fittings, aluminum or plastic for tubing, and oil or paper for the filter. Each has pros and cons; we’ll discuss them in depth down here. Basically: better, more expensive materials last longer.
Oh, and oiled filters have additional risks. We’ll talk about filters below, but just know that they need more maintenance than paper ones.
Cost
Everyone wants a full HKS engine intake upgrade. Very few people can afford it. Just be realistic about the cost. A cheap system will be lower quality than a more expensive one to a point, but you may be paying for the label with the higher cost systems.
Make Sure It’ll Fit Your Car
There are many really great intakes, but before we get to reviewing them, there’s something we need to stress.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to say for certain that each entry will fit every vehicle. While most manufacturers will make a variety of different sizes and configurations for various cars, some might specialize in or only make a small number of styles.
In this review section, we will focus more on the broad strokes and ideas when discussing CAIs. Think of it more as a brand and idea guide, and less like a specific guide for your car. The best thing to do is search for your car’s make, model, and year plus cold air intake online. Then read about what other people are using, and then match it with the brand and style you are looking for.
On Amazon, it’s easy to set up your car in the garage menu and let the interface double check the fitment for you.

Top 10 Best Cold Air Intakes 2020
1. Best Overall Pick: K&N Cold Air Intake Kit

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Why we like it: There’s nothing not to like about K&N intake systems. They are a great value, make a kit for any vehicle, and are one of the biggest names in automotive.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
K&N Engineering is probably the most well-known performance filter brand on earth. They are primarily known for pioneering the reusable, oil-based air filter technology, and are probably the most trusted brand for aftermarket intakes.
Unfortunately, their size and universal application lower their credibility in the performance scene. Since they can be found on anything from lawnmowers, to minivans, to dragsters, the label can mark you as a noob who only sticks to what’s safe. We don’t believe it’s terrible to stay with something tried and true, but the performance world is usually about pushing the envelope and not staying safe.
What You Get in the Box
The oil-based, reusable K&N filter is probably the most important part of the system. It’s what they are known for, after all. They use an HDPE tube instead of aluminum to keep costs down, and their kits include heat shields and gaskets to isolate the pod filter. The guards make sure you aren’t sucking in hot, polluted engine air.
One of the crucial things you get in the box that you don’t get from most other manufacturers is the 50-state approved sticker. Californians, you need one of those stickers, or your car will fail smog. Only a few other companies are authorized.
Quality and Fitment
K&N is top tier in terms of quality and fitment but is not the best. Yes, they are the world leaders, but they also sometimes get a little sloppy with tolerances in favor of keeping costs down. It’s still really, really good quality though. The issues only really arise during installation. You find out a screw hole doesn’t quite line up, or a sensor hole isn’t quite the right diameter. Usually, it’s a simple fix, and it far outshines cheap kits like the Million Parts intake, but it does leave some room for improvement.
Our Take
You can’t go wrong with a K&N. It may not be as prestigious as AEM in terms of sticker value, but no one would ever argue that it’s a bad investment.

Pros
K&N’s filters are some of the best
They probably make an intake for your car
Most are 50-state legal

Cons
Fitment is good, but sometimes has little annoying issues
Oil filters can cause problems for some models

2. Best Premium Pick: S&B Filters Cold Air Intake

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Why we like it: The S&B filter system is made of high-quality materials and will probably outlast the rest of your car.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Go to any off-road event. Doesn’t matter if it’s for side by sides, prerunners or crawlers; just go to a big event. There, nestled nicely next to the Optima Batteries stand, will be S&B. They specialize in trucks. It doesn’t matter if it’s a diesel, gas, or hybrid. They make a filter that’s perfect for running the Baja 500 or towing your buddy out of the mud.
They are expensive, they are found on expensive toys, and they look seriously impressive. No, really, the clear plastic cover for the airbox makes even the oldest, ugliest truck look high tech. It may not have K&N’s instant brand recognition, but you’ll get a knowing nod by anyone that builds off-road rigs.
What You Get in the Box
There’s a lot to say about the parts you get. The air filter is probably better than K&N’s intake filters, which is really saying a lot. The parts and fittings are made of high-quality silicone so that they will last forever. The filter box keeps all the garbage out, making it one of the best units to protect your engine.
It also has this super cool clear cover. You get the exposed pod filter look and convenience without it actually being exposed to mud and gunk.
Quality and Fitment
Like the other more expensive, top-shelf systems, the S&B just needs to be snapped in place. Since they don’t manufacture the system for very many vehicles, they can afford to keep all the factory sensor locations. The stock locations make it 50-state legal and make it incredibly easy to install.
As for quality, there’s nothing higher. Like we pointed out previously, it uses premium silicone instead of rubber for fittings, which means it won’t crack over time. The filters are some of the best on the market, and the injection-molded plastic is less susceptible to bends and damage than the thin aluminum of other products.
Our Take
If you are serious about off-road, your choices probably come down to either the S&B or the Airaid kit. The Airaid is new and cool, but the S&B will protect your motor better. Out in the dunes or jungles, it doesn’t matter how good your motor is if you clog the filter with debris, and that puts the S&B on top.

Pros
Really high quality
Looks amazing
50-state Legal

Cons
Expensive
Only offer kits for trucks and SUVs

3. Best Simple Kit: Spectre Performance Intake Kit

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Why we like it: The Spectre Performance is less expensive than the K&N, but still top-notch in quality and design.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Spectre is not a big brand. It’s not really a brand you will see advertised on the windshield; no one will brag that they just got a new Spectre performance intake.
You will see them at track days and autocrosses, though. You’ll see them in the cars that are built to go without regard to show. The beat-up Miata that catches you off guard when the blowoff valve snorts in your direction has one, and the old CRX that just took away your poll position has one. Get the AEM if you need the yellow sticker. Get the Spectre if you like telling people that Spectre built the first gas-powered car to go over 400mph.
What You Get in the Box
Spectre intakes are meant to just be bare bones units, so you don’t get a whole lot of customization options. It’s an oiled filter, but they are cheaper, and you will probably just buy a new one instead of cleaning and re-oiling. The aluminum tube is on the thin side, but it’s polished and looks good.
The heatshield isn’t insulated, so it won’t work as good as other units. They do make the heatshields fit easily into your engine compartment. You won’t have to fight a universal fit shield like the Million Parts deal.
Quality and Fitment
The quality is good for the price, and the fitment is fine as long as you don’t expect too much. The Spectre is high on our list compared to other cheap offerings because of the adaptability. They are such a simple unit that you can configure them to fit in just about any condition.
The place where things can fall apart is sensor installation. Which is to say that Spectre does not offer any variation for sensor type in their products. You have to either eliminate the sensor or use stock components. That means no smog, and you’ll have to fight with newer cars.
Our Take
If looks and brand don’t matter, but you still need a good quality filter, then Spectre has you covered. Unless you have to pass smog, then it’s probably better to pay the extra money on a different brand like K&N.

Pros
Clean and simple
Very adaptable design
Inexpensive for the quality

Cons
Not 50-state legal
No dedicated sensor install points

4. Best for Modern Muscle Cars: BBK Intake

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Why we like it: The BBK CAI is 50-state legal, so you can pass smog in California. That puts it in a pretty exclusive club.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
BBK is synonymous with Mustang Power. They build a lot of parts that make Ford Mustangs go faster, and they have since the 80s. If you have ever seen a Fox Body destroying the competition at the drags, chances are there’s a big blue BBK stamp in at least four places under the hood.
Recently they have branched out and created beautiful intakes for Camaros and Challengers too. Well, those and Raptors, but going from one big Ford V8 to another isn’t exactly groundbreaking. If you have an American V8, wearing the BBK badge is a sign that you speak the power language.
What You Get in the Box
Most of their kits contain a polished metal tube, a polished metal heatshield, and an oversized oiled filter. There’s nothing remarkable about the bits and pieces that come in the BBK kits. It’ll be a recurring theme as we talk about it. BBK only makes a handful of different intakes, so each kit is trimmed down and meant for the motor they are going to be attached to.
The polished heat shield is a little unique and goes really well with the polished tubing. BBK also chose blue as their color, probably to stand out against K&N’s dominating red and orange, so you are in luck if you like blue.
Quality and Fitment
The quality and fit are fantastic. The benefit to the BBK philosophy of only building parts for big American motors means that they have a lot of experience with making things that fit big American motors. The polished aluminum piping is sturdy, the couplers have grooves that hold the clamps in place, and it comes with its own bolts to replace the off-color stock ones.
Those of you who have ever tried to clamp a pipe in place with a hose clamp that’s sliding all over the place will know just how much little design elements can remove the frustration out of an install.
Their biggest strength is also where you find their biggest letdown. If you have a 2009 Mustang GT, the fit is amazing. Install it, the sensors just line right up, it’s legal in California, everything will be perfect. If you own a WRX? You are just out of luck. BBK does not make any universal kit pieces, and they do not care about imported sports cars. Stick with AEM.
Our Take
It costs less than the K&N equivalent, you get a great horsepower bump, and you can’t beat the polished metal look. If they made kits for more models, it would be in the running for the best cold air on the market. They don’t, though, so they will have to settle for being a really good product that won’t be the right choice for a lot of people.

Pros
Offers some of the best performance for the money
BBK is a very well known, established brand
50-state legal

Cons
Expensive
Really only available for modern American V8s.

5. Best Budget Pick: Million Parts Air Intake System

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Why we like it: The Million Parts system is very inexpensive, and it works. That makes it a perfect entry level part.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Million Parts is a lesser known Chinese manufacturer. There’s nothing wrong with that; it’s not the curse it used to be. It’s just, well, you’d never tell people what it is if you got it. You might brag about how little you paid for it, but we guarantee that you won’t remember who the manufacturer was after a year. In fact, you’d probably have trouble finding it again because they will have changed names.
In the industry, we’d call the entire lot of generic parts “eBay” parts because of how prevalent these random brands are on the site. It doesn’t matter what the brand actually is; it’s just an eBay intake. They go great with eBay turbos and eBay mufflers.
Again, they work, and they are great for cheap builds. It’s not like it won’t suck in air or damage your engine or anything. Just don’t lie about what it is when asked. You’ll get more cred owning up to it than is worth risking in a lie.
What You Get in the Box
There will be a bunch of fittings, tubes, a decent filter, and a heat shield in the kit. It’s something you’ll find with any cheaper kit. To keep costs down, the manufacturer will make many elbows, pre-bent tubes, and couplers to be used across any platform. Usually, even the heat shield is just a simple bent piece that can fit in a lot of different cars.
The one thing that sets the Million Parts kit apart is the filter. These inexpensive kits can have really bad filters, to the point where to get the most out of a kit, you should just buy a cheaper K&N filter to stuff on the end. The Million Parts paper filter is not bad; you don’t have to worry about it letting a bunch of dirt through. Plus, you get to choose the color.
Quality and Fitment
Quality is just something you won’t find with these types of kits. The aluminum pipes are super thin and prone to scratching, the hose clamps that hold the couplers together are difficult to work with. Chances are that even though you ordered the right kit for your car, you will have to fight with the installation to get it to fit right.
You also are not going to get any sensor variety or 50-state legality. Most of the time, when installing a kit like this, you’ll end up keeping parts of the stock air intake. That’s not unique to cheap parts; AEM is the same way. It’s just that unlike, say, the S&B intake, it’s not a direct drop-in replacement for the entire system.
Our Take
We get it. We call cold air intakes an entry-level modification, something that is for beginners. However, even the inexpensive quality ones are still hundreds of dollars. That puts them out of reach for people like students or people just barely getting into automobiles.
The good news is that generic parts are not as bad they were in the past. The Million Parts intake is good enough to look the part, sound the part, and introduce someone to car modification who doesn’t want to drop over $100 on a length of aluminum pipe.

Pros
Less expensive than the big brand names
Can be used in a lot of motors
Included filter is surprisingly good

Cons
Couplers are low quality
Not legal everywhere due to lack of sensor space

6. Best Compatability: Injen Technologies Intake Systems

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Why we like it: Injen’s polished, high flow tubings and low restriction filters are the best things you can get if power is your only concern.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Injen was the company that started the polished tubing craze in the 90s. Injen and AEM dominated the tuner market, and Injen grabbed a lot of the Euro market too. You can still see their influence anytime you see a drift build on IG; they invented that style.
Nowadays, in addition to being worthy of mentioning in your forum signature, they also pride themselves on making performance parts for any car. 1992 MR2? They have it. 2015 Infiniti Q50? They have that too. They are a lot like the high-tech cousin to K&N. If K&N is the most popular kid in school, Injen is the kid everyone comes to when they need help with their math homework.
What You Get in the Box
The linked product is a short ram intake. We will discuss the specific different types here, but depending on your car’s make and model, it may not be short. The bits and pieces you get when you order any Injen intake are all pretty much the same, though. It will include a bent piece of polished aluminum tubing and a filter.
The assumption with high-end performance-oriented upgrades like the Injen or AEM is that you will source the other parts. If you want an air filter box or a heatshield, you will have to find it yourself. In the modding scene, it’s really common for every part to be separate so that you can find custom parts for your build. Pre-built kits usually won’t work since you will probably have modified the features they are meant to attach to.
Quality and Fitment
The quality is right on par with the other big players like BBK. It’s honestly better than K&N; the polished pipes bring a durability level that molded plastic pipes can’t achieve.
The quality and simplicity also lead to really easy installs. There’s just not much to do, and the parts are so high quality that you don’t have to think very hard to attach it to your motor. Just understand that it’s not a complete system like the Airad. It won’t have a MAP sensor hookup because they expect you to be modifying your car and may not even have the sensors in the stock locations.
Our Take
Injen or AEM. That’s probably where you are, and we’ll be honest, it’s a really, really tough decision. They are both great companies that make great products for an astounding range of different makes and models. The one thing that makes the Injen stand out is the ease of installation. Injen just focuses a bit more on fitment, not adaptability as AEM does.

Pros
Injen makes an intake for every car
Parts are good quality
Easy install for most models

Cons
Not 50-state legal
No heat shield

7. Best for Modified Motors: AEM Cold Air Intake

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Why we like it: AEM is one of the industry standards when it comes to tuning. The California company does tons of testing so that you can get the most performance possible.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Even if you only know about performance cars from seeing them on screen, you know AEM. Their stickers are plastered all over the cars in Fast and Furious right alongside other tuner focused companies like Sparco, Toyo, and HKS. That’s because the original Fast and Furious cars were actually enthusiast cars that the studio rented for the close-ups, and tuning enthusiasts since the 80s have relied on AEM for parts.
Now their reputation for building adaptive kits for high-performance motors is legendary. If you are swapping in a 2JZ, they sell an intake kit for it. We pointed out earlier that K&N is pretty good at making something for everyone, but they still hang out in the realm of normalcy. AEM goes full-on nuts with entire pre-bent tubing kits and silicone couplers that can be made to adapt to even the most insane engine builds.
The downside is that the pure performance focus makes them unfriendly towards beginners. Other companies give you a nice set of instructions with big pictures. AEM gives you a box of parts and gets frustrated if you need help figuring out how to install them.
What You Get in the Box
The particular linked product is for a WRX, one of the most modified cars on earth, and it really demonstrates what AEM will give you in a kit. It’s got a crazy bent tube with a bunch of holes and brackets, a gasketed dust shield, and a really nice dry paper filter.
All of that is geared towards modifying the car for power. The paper element filter is more likely to work in any configuration. The bent pipe relocates the factory pickup out of the way and cleans up the engine space, making it easier to work on. The clamps are quick on and off style clamps because AEM knows you’ll be pulling it off to work on things frequently.
Quality and Fitment
The quality is top of the line, which is what you’d expect for what can be the most expensive intake on our list. We say it can be because, on average, the S&B intakes top out the cost chart. However, if you are piecing together a custom intake using AEM parts, it can easily reach 500+ dollars.
The ability to piece together anything is their biggest selling point, though. They sell parts with and without sensor inputs. They sell their own sensors if you don’t want to use the factory ones, and they sell their own controllers so you can override the stupid check engine light that will flash at you if you unplug the factory sensors.
You lose out on an easy install. There’s nothing easy about having to work out your entire build ahead of time and double-check all your routing options before ordering.
Oh, and despite the ability to include all the sensors, AEM intakes are not 50-state legal. They won’t even ship through Amazon to California. Just order from somewhere else and claim it’s for off-highway if you live in a place that Amazon refuses to ship to.
Our Take
You don’t need our take. If you know who AEM is and know what they do, you already know if you are going to pick them over the others. In a very real way, the sticker is worth the cost. Your car makes a statement, and that sticker states, “enjoy staring at my tail lights.”

Pros
AEM is the gold standard for tuner performance
Fits anything. Even if they don’t make a specific intake for your car, they sell parts to DIY it
Filters are top-notch

Cons
Not 50-state legal
Not good for beginners

8. Easiest Installation: Airaid Intake System

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Why we like it: Airaid uses precision molding to make low-restriction tubing that conforms to all sorts of unusual shapes and sizes. That makes them fit as good as a factory part.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Airaid is the newest player on the block. Where most of these companies were around in the 80s, or even earlier if you are K&N, Airaid was barely a company in the late 90s and wasn’t really a player on the market until the 2010s.
What they’ve done is try to take on the S&B and BBK market, building mostly systems for off-road and muscle. They are becoming really well known in Jeep circles, and are gaining popularity all over the place for their focus on simple, easy to install upgrades.
What You Get in the Box
When you order an Airaid kit, you get a molded plastic part that looks like it was made by your car’s manufacturer. The black plastic fits right in with the rest of the motor. The airbox looks like a factory airbox that’s just designed better, and the gasketing will blend right in with the rest of the modern compact motor.
You can choose paper or oil filters; both are of good quality. What you can’t get is the 50-state legal sticker. You can get extra pieces to make them lawful, and some kits do include those parts, but the standard kits won’t include that all-important sticker.
Quality and Fitment
The quality is good. The filter isn’t as good as others, but it will keep the dirt out. If you really want ultra-high quality, grab the S&B intake instead.
Airaid instead focuses on easy installation. They just drop in. You won’t find a more straightforward modification to install. The molded plastic is lightweight, so it’s even easy to position and clamp down.
They are still a new company too. Right now, they really only make parts for large displacement motors or off-road-focused vehicles. Their product line is constantly expanding, and they will likely achieve 50-state legal status in the near future.
Our Take
It’s always exciting to see a fresh company take on the giants with new innovations, and that’s what Airaid feels like. They aren’t top tier yet; they need to get that California stamp of approval before they can take all the number one spots. You definitely won’t be disappointed with them, though.

Pros
Factory fitment, even in tight engine bays
Air-box helps maximize performance without relocating stock placement
Molded intake tubes are lightweight and easy to work with

Cons
Only 50-state legal with additional parts
Only fits newer Trucks and SUVs, and the occasional V8 muscle car

9. Best Universal System: K&N Universal Air Intake System

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Why we like it: It doesn’t matter what you drive; you can route this intake to suck cold air in with this K&N.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
We already covered one K&N CAI kit here. but if you really want to see how into the whole “we dominate the market” thing they are, check this product out. It wasn’t enough that they made an intake system for just about every vehicle, including motorcycles. They had to make something that’s just a tube you can attach to any motor ever.
Look, we understand if you don’t want to like K&N. They are everywhere, and their commercials play way too frequently. However, you have to respect a company that is willing to look at their incredibly impressive lineup and say, “Yeah, but what about that one guy over there? We don’t make a product specifically for him, let’s remedy that.”
What You Get in the Box
A funny-looking rubber hose and a pod that looks like it came off a spaceship. Inside the funny pod is one of K&N’s famous oiled filters. The big thing that separates this setup from everything else is the flexible rubber hose. Unlike rigid metal or plastic intakes, you can route the intake wherever you want.
The downside to the UFO pod is that it’s more restrictive, and the long hose adds in even more restriction. It’s not really a product for high-performance applications. It’s more a way to get a K&N lifetime filter and clean intake onto anything.
Quality and Fitment
The quality is fine, but you have to work everything out to install it. There are no mounting holes; you need to work that out yourself. There are no sensor holes; you’ll have to figure out how to install those yourself, and so on and so forth. That’s the downside to a universal product. Being universal means that they can’t predict where any part needs to be, so they just don’t bother.
It is really cool that you can throw a low restriction K&N filter on anything, though. We’ve even seen them on old tractors. The price might seem steep for that, but no one makes stock replacement parts for old or unique machines anymore. With the lifetime filter and universal fit, this thing can quickly become a lifesaver.
Our Take
Is it the greatest thing ever? No, but you can attach it to a boat if you want to. It’s got their instantly recognizable orange band black logo, it uses oiled lifetime filters, and it’s in a metal housing. What more could you want?

Pros
Fits a wide range of applications
K&N filters are among the best
Will last a long time

Cons
Can be hard to install
You won’t notice much performance gain

10. Best Bare Bones: Partol 3” Universal Intake

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Why we like it: Sometimes, you need to buy something cheap so you know why you should have bought something expensive. The Partol at least looks really good.
Editor’s Rating:

About the Brand
Partol doesn’t mean anything. Scroll down to the similar products section on their sales page, and you’ll see the exact same unit for about ten different names. It’s just like the Million Parts intake, but somehow even less of a real brand. It takes a certain talent to be a knock off of a knock off.
Just like we said before, you’d never brag about having a strange, brandless eBay intake. What they are is a good place to start. You buy one, it looks good, you start learning about modifications, and then you ditch it in favor of an Injen.
On the note of looking good, we want to draw attention to that. Even though Million Parts and Partol are just brandless, random intakes, they actually look good. Partol, in particular, does a great job with fake carbon fiber; they look impressive even if they aren’t.
What You Get in the Box
The kits come with tiny fake carbon fiber or blue aluminum tubing, a filter, a single coupler, and a little filter. It’s not great or anything. The tiny filter element is probably more restrictive than your stock air intake, and you probably won’t be sucking up cold air because the tube will be too short.
It also comes with a breather tube, which most companies don’t include. It feels like they know that their product isn’t that good, so they give you a length of rubber hose as a consolation prize. But hey, it’s like $30 bucks. You can’t expect it to compete with a $200 Injen intake.
Quality and Fitment
The quality is bad, and the fitment is meh. Sorry, we know you’ve probably seen the same thing said about cheap intakes everywhere you have gone to try and validate buying one. They are “universal” in that you can force it onto most engines, but you will get a check engine light blinking at you because there are no sensor holes. It’s easy to mount because it doesn’t have any proper mounting.
Our Take
We know there’s a lot of people itching to buy the cheap, bottom of the barrel products just to see if they really are that bad. The truth is, they aren’t that bad. They just aren’t good, and you will be left wanting more out of a product. The Spectre intake is not that much more expensive and will actually add throttle response to your car’s driving characteristics. The Partol will just add a bit of noise.

Pros
Really cheap
Looks pretty cool
Will make your car louder, and isn’t that all that really matters?

Cons
Parts are low quality
Not 50-state legal. Might cause you to fail inspection in up to 6 states, actually, since it will probably cause leaks.

An In-Depth Look at Cold Air Intakes
We said above that we’d get into the science and details, so let’s get into it. Just tread carefully; many internet arguments have been started over these devices.
What Is a Cold Air Intake?
In short, your factory airbox is really restrictive. It’s a mess of plastic boxes and tubes because the people who built your car designed it to be cheap, comfortable, and foolproof. A cold air intake replaces the mess of plastic with sleek tubes and pod filters, so there is a lot less restriction. Good cold air intakes also relocate the pickup to a place that will suck in cooler, denser air for better power. In theory, we’ll discuss that a lot more in the bottom section here.
The Pros and Cons of Cold Air Intakes
Before you jump into buying one for your car, you should know the potential downsides. In many cases, they don’t outweigh the benefits, especially if you plan on doing more modifications down the road. but to make a good decision, you should know both sides of the equation.
Pros
Here’s the good. You’ll notice we don’t include fuel economy on this list; we’ll address that in the section below.
Looks
Stock air boxes are a mess of plastic and rubber. Most CAI intakes are clean, sleek pieces of hardware with big, colored filters. Even sort of stock looking devices like the one S&B produces really clean up the engine bay and make the whole compartment look better.
The intake is one of the first things people notice when you look at a motor. Even if you know nothing about engines, you know that the way it pulls in air translates to how much power you make. The blower-style intake on Mad Max’s interceptor, the big turbos that every video game focuses on, and the big pod filters that sit on top of every single modified engine on every single auto magazine cover or movie poster. No matter how you slice it, adding a CAI can make your car’s motor look good.
Sound
Factory air intakes are meant to help silence your motor. The average person doesn’t want to hear their engine; they like quiet, sealed cabins. That can be really boring, though. If you are trying to get better performance out of your engine, you probably want it to sound like it’s performing better.
A CAI gets rid of all the insulation and sound stifling rubber tubes so that you can hear the air being sucked in and turned into torque. Especially with simpler units like the Spectre CAI that just have nothing to deaden the sound.
Power
“The box claims 10hp!” That meme was born from the marketing of pod filters on cold air systems. It’s not true. At least, not as a blanket statement. It’s been discussed on YouTube by MCM, Engineering Explained, Donut, and countless others, so if you want to see the debate in action watch, any of them.
The truth is that you may notice some performance gain, but mostly in the form of top-end HP or minor increases in acceleration from improved throttle response. Video games and parts store clerks would have you believe it leads to massive power gains, but testing over and over again has just proven that it’s marginal.
Again, just watch any of the previously linked videos. Mighty Car Mods actually has a whole series testing intakes on turbocharged cars as well as cars with very weak motors.
Cons
CAIs are awesome, but there are downsides. Not enough to outweigh the good parts, especially if you are here and already know you want one, but they should be discussed.
Cost
A CAI costs a lot more than a stock system. Not just because you are spending extra money on the intake itself, but the filters are more expensive and need to be replaced more often. Unless you get a reusable filter, but those are much more expensive upfront. We go into oiled filters here in the myth section.
Risk
Risk comes in two flavors: risk to your engine from debris and risk to your engine from incompatible intakes. Except for the more off-road oriented filters like the Airaid kit, aftermarket intakes that relocate the filter make them more susceptible to debris.
A cold air intake that moves the filter down into the cold under-car air is especially susceptible to sucking up water from puddles. If water gets into your motor, your motor will hydro lock and stop functioning.
The other issue that can arise if you throw on a filter and don’t set it upright. Sensors that run your car rely on information from the air to determine how much fuel to add per rotation. That’s really simplified, but the short of it is that if you don’t install the sensors correctly, your car will run poorly. The longer your car runs poorly, the more damage to the engine you can cause.
Legality

Some states have smog laws that will prevent you from passing inspection if you modify the intake. California is the most notorious one. The state is pretty much a constant thorn in every modding scene; it makes the fact that the Fast and Furious films take place in LA hilarious.
That’s why we tried hard to point out which intakes were 50-state legal and which ones weren’t. Companies like K&N had to spend a lot of money, and they had to do a lot of paperwork to get that stamp.
Myths
The myths surrounding cold air intakes are legendary and spark flame wars across the entire world wide web. We don’t want to get into that; we just want to dispel some of the more prevalent ones.
Myth #1: Your Factory Air Intake is Garbage
This is just one of those things that everyone sort of believes, but isn’t really rooted in reality. Your factory airbox is meant to be a compromise between a lot of things, like cost and ease of changing the filter. That doesn’t make it bad. In fact, most cars have engineered air intake boxes that already are cold air intakes. Plus, they include cool features like a Helmholtz resonator that helps pull in more air. You can read about them here; they are pretty awesome.
The truth is that if you are trying to convince yourself to get a new CAI, don’t go blaming the engineers that spent years developing the airbox in your car for making a bad intake. They did a fine job; just admit that you want your car to look and sound better.
Myth #2: You’ll Get Better Gas Mileage
This ties into the previous myth. It turns out engineers who get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to make your car efficient are pretty good at it. In the early days of heavily restrictive air boxes, it was true that switching to a more open intake would improve efficiency, but that hasn’t been true in over 40 years. Sorry, we know the box at the parts store says that it totally will improve your fuel economy, but chances are it won’t.
Myth #3: Oiled Filters Are the Best Filters
K&N’s biggest claim to fame is its oiled air filters. They claim they last a lifetime and offer better airflow than any paper filter. Most performance intakes are available with oiled filters for that reason, even cheaper ones like the Spectre intake on our list.
It’s not totally true. First, unless you clean them fairly often, oiled filters can be more restrictive than paper filters. Oiled filters get dirtier faster than paper filters, and keeping a filter clean is the most important thing to do if you want good airflow.
Second, the oil can actually separate from the filter and then gunk up sensors and other things inside your engine. That’s because most people use too much oil when they clean them. Companies like S&P sell these intakes with filters pre-oiled to avoid that mistake, but eventually, you will have to wash and re-oil it yourself. That is when the danger comes in.
They do work great and save money over your car’s lifetime if you regularly service them. The average person doesn’t regularly service their air cleaner, which means the average person probably won’t see that benefit. Honestly, the average person is probably better off with a paper element filter that they replace more often.
Myth #4: It’s Not Really Illegal
Myth 4 is a weird one that you’ll see if you hang out on Facebook car groups. You’ll get someone who claims to know a guy who had a full intake kit on his Civic Si and totally got it smogged at a gas station in San Diego. Therefore it’s not something they really care about.
That is false. There are ways to smog a car in California or other areas that require inspection that are not legal. That doesn’t magically make it legal to install a modification to a piece of emissions equipment. You can get a ticket for it. You can fail smog and have your car labeled a gross polluter, and you can incur extra fines if your car is impounded because it won’t be considered road legal.
If you are hell-bent on installing a non-compliant CAI in California, at least keep your stock intake for when you get told to pull off the aftermarket one or get fined.
Short Ram, Ram Air, and Warm Air
These terms get confused a lot, especially when an intake can be all 3. We’ll keep it brief since the type of engine and type of car will dictate the shape more than your wants will.
A ram air intake is designed to funnel more air into your motor. 80s Camaros were famous for coming from the factory with ram air snorkels. Engineered cold air intakes like the Airaid intake we mention incorporate elements of a ram air system into their design.
A short ram intake is the same as a ram air, just short. The idea is that the air will have less distance to travel and can therefore make it into your engine with greater efficiency. It’s something that’s not totally true, there are drawbacks to the short design that can outweigh the advantage of a less restrictive pipeline. You can read about the pros and cons on this website; they do a good write up of intake knowledge in general.
Warm air intakes are just what they suggest. Older motors have a carburetor that sits on top of the engine. The air filter sits directly on top of the carb. Unfortunately, that means that the air going into the motor was heated by the engine.
Engines are just air pumps; the more air you can get into them, the better they run. Hot air is less dense than cold air, so you want cold air for performance. As we mentioned above in the myths section, most modern cars already have a snorkel for drawing in cold air instead of heated engine air. Some, mostly cheaper, cold air intakes can become warm air intakes if installed incorrectly. The Partol intake we mention on our list is especially susceptible. It’s hard to get that tiny pipe far enough away from the motor to suck in cold air.
Installing a Cold Air Intake
Each intake is a little different, but there are some universal steps. Always make sure to check the instructions, and if you are stuck, all the major manufacturers have helplines. Injen and S&P, especially, you can call them any time and get help.
Disconnect the negative battery terminal. That’s just something you always do whenever you work on a motor.
Remove the factory air box cover and factory filter.
Carefully disconnect and remove the sensors. Some cars use a ring style sensor that comes out as a unit, some just have a length of hose going to a little black box. If you don’t know what the sensor looks like, double-check by looking it up online.
Remove the rest of the factory air intake. The factory intake ends at a throttle body on some cars, and the entire intake will be really short. Others have miles of rubber hose.
Install the couplers for the new intake and mock it up. It’s easier to know what to do if you do a dry run and make sure there won’t be any problems during the install.
Make any adjustments necessary. Sometimes there will be things in the way that you have to remove and relocate.
Install the new intake.
Install the sensors into the new intake.
Connect the battery back up, and you’re good to go.
Let Your Engine Breathe
Hopefully, none of the myth talk or convoluted terms scared you away. Buying and installing a CAI is a rewarding thing to do and can help you connect with your car. That alone is worth it, even if it won’t add 100 horsepower and 20 mpg like the video game says it will. More

The most important instrument you can install in your vehicle is a speedometer: whether you’re trying to maximize performance on the racetrack or you just need to know how fast you can go to avoid getting pulled over, a GPS speedometer will provide accurate and vital information for drivers.
There are many reasons one might consider purchasing a GPS speedometer: conventional, wired-in speedometers break or stop working all the time, and they’re difficult and time-consuming to replace. Some vehicles, especially sporting vehicles like boats and ATVs don’t even come with speedometers, so if you want to know how fast you’re going, you’ll have to buy a separate, GPS-equipped unit.

What to Consider Before Buying a GPS Speedometer
GPS speedometers vary dramatically in price, accuracy, and form factor. Along with understanding what kind of look and function you seek in a speedo, consider the following when shopping around for the perfect product for your vehicle.
Type of GPS Speedometer
Typically, GPS speedometers come in one of two form factors. The first is designed to completely integrate with your existing instrument cluster, replacing your existing analog wired speedometer. The other type is more of a heads-up display, a separate screen that rests on your dash.
Round Gauge: Round gauge GPS speedometers replace your existing instrument-based speedometer. Make sure you buy the proper size that fits in the same size hole as your current speedo, typically 85mm.
Heads-Up Displays (HUDS): While the most advanced HUDs are typically more expensive than round gauge dashes, you can still find affordable GPS heads up displays.
Display Size
Are you looking for an enormous, TV screen-sized heads-up display, or do you just need a minimal, analog-style gauge that only measures speed? Displays range from about 1.5 inches in diameter to HUDs of well over 4 inches.
Other Data
A GPS speedometer’s main purpose is collecting and displaying speed information, but plenty of GPS speedometers offer other cool and convenient features: from real-time driving data, to tachometers, to analytics you can download after driving. A GPS Speedometer can be a very powerful tool for helping gauge and learn about the performance of your vehicle.
Installation
If you’re a car enthusiast, you’ll know that the difficulty of installing aftermarket parts varies in complexity. Car customization ranges from slapping on a new sticker decal to swapping out a transmission (or heck, a complete engine).
GPS speedometers are unique in the fact that they can usually be installed without too much fuss, although some GPS speedometer units are meant to fit directly into the instrument cluster, which requires a bit more effort and some mechanical skills to connect it to a power source. Whatever unit you pick, make sure it aligns with your technical abilities.

Top 10 Best GPS Speedometers 2020
1. Best Overall Pick: Eling Universal MPH GPS Speedometer

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Why we like it: This simple backlit analog speedometer isn’t just easy to use and operate. It’s integrated and accurate as well.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Round Gauge
Display Size: 3.5-inch diameter
Other Data: None
Review
This speedometer has it all: a powerful backlight to make the screen visible in all conditions, a year-long warranty protecting customers from any defects, and waterproof construction. However, there are no data-capturing or analyzing features as seen on units like the TIMPROVE T600 Universal Car HUD. We don’t see this as much of a problem given that those features aren’t used by most drivers, although if you’re looking for speed capture and analysis, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
The most interesting aspect of this speedometer is its ability to fit into a conventional dashboard. It’s not a dashboard-top unit, instead it is designed to slot perfectly in the space where a wired analog speedometer normally fits. As such, it’s powered by the electrical system of the car itself, not a USB port. While this is an advantage for some, it’s a bit of a DIY inconvenience for others.
With a max display speed of 160 miles per hour, you’ll have plenty of room to work with in terms of speed unless you’re driving a race car or a Suzuki Hayabusa. While it has an odometer for total distance, there’s no trip odometer (although the same manufacturer does have a unit similar to this one with that feature available here). Still, for accuracy, reliability, and durability, we’re willing to sacrifice a few features.
Installation
Installation is probably the biggest pain point for buyers of this speedometer: not only does it require you to open up the entire dashboard, you’ll also have to deal with relatively complex wiring to power it.
Once it’s in, though, none of the dashboard-sliding, you get with other speedometers. In our book, it’s a wash: are you looking for a permanent solution or a temporary one? If you’re not afraid to work on your display cluster and you’re looking for a long-term solution, this speedometer might just be perfect.

Pros
Long term, fully wired, permanent speedometer solution
160 MPH max speed is all but guaranteed
Powered by the car’s electric system instead of a USB port
Accurate, reliable, and durable

Cons
Requires you to open up the dashboard for installation
No speed data capture or analysis
Need to make sure you properly fit the gauge to your instrument cluster

2. Best HUD: TIMPROVE T600 Universal Car HUD

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Why we like it: Along with having some nifty features related to braking and acceleration, this HUD is solid-feeling and accurate.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Heads Up Display
Display Size: 3.5 x 2 inches
Other Data: Acceleration Analysis Procedure, Braking Analysis procedure
Review
A 12 volt heads up display with a solid-feeling build and an accurate sensor, this GPS speedometer from TIMPROVE is an incredibly popular model for good reasons. Alongside the typical benefits of a GPS-based computer (universal compatibility, no necessity for wiring), the T600 also has a wide variety of secondary readings from driving direction to altitude.
Also included is a multifunctional tool that can help you understand data analytics from how you drive, testing braking and acceleration accurately enough to diagnose braking and engine problems. That’s the main benefit of this HUD: its incredibly feature-rich setup. The device is simply well thought out, from an automatic brightness-adjusting screen to a 30-degree screen angle that is easy to read no matter how you set it up.
The screens are easily changed with a single dial format, while all parts (internal and external) are guaranteed by a one-year quality assurance warranty. Operation starts up quickly, typically taking only about two minutes to pair with the worldwide satellite network.
Unfortunately, the trip time function starts immediately once the device is turned on, meaning trip time will be inaccurate by the same amount of time it takes the HUD to pair: not a huge deal unless you’re doing hot laps at the race track or need super-accurate reporting for commercial use.
Installation
Similar to most heads up displays, this unit simply sets up on top of the dashboard, plugs into a 12V/24V USB power outlet, and is ready to go. While that’s great if you just need something that works as quickly as possible, it’s a bit more fickle and a less-permanent solution than a round gauge device that fits directly into your dash, like the Eling Universal MPH Gps Speedometer/Odometer with Backlight.

Pros
Durable HUD with data analytics on acceleration and braking
Installs with a simple USB to Mini-USB connection
30-degree screen angle is easy-to-read
Single dial format is easy to use
Year warranty in case of any damage or other issues

Cons
Non-slip mat can slide around
Trip timer starts automatically

3. Best Premium Pick: LATNEX GPS95 Universal Digital Waterproof GPS Speedometer

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Why we like it: This round gauge speedometer with a digital screen has great data storage but isn’t particularly attractive.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Round Gauge (With Digital Screen)
Display Size: 3.5 inches
Other Data: Data Storage, Data Analysis
Review
This GPS speedometer from lesser-known brand LATNEX is an 85mm option that slots directly into your existing instrument cluster, replacing a standard analog gauge with a fully-featured screen and a full potential for data tracking. That data tracking comes completely via GPS, stored within the unit until you decide to download it. And not only is it interesting, but it is useful as well, as it can help with your insurance claims and even verify status or location for legal proceedings.
The screen is a backlit, green LCD with multiple data fields: a clock function, max speed, current speed, a distance odometer, and a trip odometer. Plenty of things to read, especially as once that data is downloaded, it’s all displayed on every single point of the map. Unfortunately, though, a broken unit won’t provide data, and plenty of customers have reported issues with the screen.
And while that green LCD is plenty easy to read, there’s another problem: it’s simply not that good looking. Since its waterproof/dustproof format makes it especially friendly for motorcycle and watercraft use (where it will be most visible), it’s particularly difficult to recommend for that use case.
Sure, it’s an effective round gauge speedometer option, especially if you need accurate data analysis and storage, but other than that, you can save money with a similar backlit option like the ELING Digital GPS LCD 85 mm Speedometer.
Installation
Installation is about as easy as with other round gauge speedometers: wire it up to have power flowing through the unit and you’re off to the races. That sounds simple, but at its most complicated, it involves removing a pane of glass, taking out a speedometer, unwiring it, rewiring it, and replacing the pane of glass: it’s not as simple as filling up your gas tank or refilling your windshield wiper fluid, for example.

Pros
Green LED screen is easy to read in all conditions
Equipped with waterproof construction for watercraft and sporting vehicle use
Data tracking storage and downloadable
Easy to install as far as round gauge speedometers go

Cons
Installation is trickier than with HUDs
One of the least stylish round gauge speedometers on the market

4. Best Looking: Eling MPH GPS Speedometer with Adjustable Overspeed Alarm

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Why we like it: This pricey round-gauge speedometer is waterproof, durable, and beautifully simple.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Round Gauge
Display Size: 3.5 inches
Other Data: Overspeed Alarm
Review
Great for drivers who might be tempted to push the speed limit, this speedometer from well-known manufacturer Eling has a built-in adjustable alarm that gives you a warning when you’re going too fast. It’s a great reminder to stay safe on the highway or even when driving around town.
GPS speedometers are also phenomenal for boats, given that typical boats with outboard motors have no direct way to know their speed through the water. This will fit in the standard boat speedometer outlet, measuring 3 and ⅜ inches, and requiring a clearance of 55mm to fit in the socket. Unfortunately, and similarly to its lineup-sibling, the ELING Universal MPH GPS Speedometer, there’s no trip distance function, just an overall odometer.
This classic looking and stylish speedometer will last you longer than your vehicle, probably, measuring distances up to 999,999 miles and with strong customer support. Nabbing multiple spots on our list, we’re impressed with all of Eling’s round gauge speedometers.
Installation
The fact that it requires a GPS antenna is a bit of a pain up-front, but long term it will save you a lot of time over other GPS speedometers that can take up to five minutes to sync to GPS networks. This speedometer just requires a small fraction of that. Otherwise, just pop it into the existing speedometer hole and wire it to the power source (the speedometer has a manual that includes relatively in-depth installation instructions).

Pros
A premium round gauge speedometer with waterproof functionality is great for boats
Permanent installation with direct wiring
Classic and stylish look
In-depth manual is detailed enough to provide consistent and reliable information

Cons
No trip distance function
Requires 55mm of rear clearance

5. Best Budget Pick: LeaningTech Original Digital Universal Car HUD

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Why we like it: This inexpensive HUD requires next to no setup while providing accurate info and an automatically adjusting backlit LCD screen.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Heads Up Display
Display Size: 4 x 2 inches
Other Data: Speeding alert
Review
With no extra setup required other than plugging the unit directly into a USB port just for power, this GPS speedometer unit does exactly what it needs to do: keep things simple. Operation is managed by just three buttons: one that navigates between displays, the other one that changes the unit from KPH to MPH. Brightness is adjusted automatically via a daytime light sensor; the unit also uses green light so as to not interfere with drivers’ eyes.
The GPS takes between one and five minutes to sync, sometimes a bit of an issue if you’re in a rush, although it does measure both driving time and distance, something plenty of other speedometers lack. Our favorite feature, though, is a speeding alarm that makes sure to alert drivers when they’re speeding via three beeps, informed by GPS data.
But what’s truly special about this product is its status as the only true heads-up display on our list. The inexpensive and small unit includes a reflective sticker which, when positioned properly, reflects the screen up onto the windshield, displaying relevant, readable data on the glass itself. It’s a phenomenal and futuristic way to visually experience driving data.
Installation
With a tacky non-slip mat that simply sets up on the dashboard, installation with this unit is about as easy as it gets. But there is an annoying downside to that: with just the weight of the unit itself holding the GPS onto the dash, hard braking and acceleration can move the unit around.

Pros
Only true heads up display on the list
Three-button operation keeps things simple
Brightness is automatically adjusted
Directly plugs into USB port for power

Cons
Non-slip mat doesn’t keep the unit perfectly in place
Takes a long time to sync

6. Best Digital Display: ELING Digital GPS LCD 85 mm Speedometer

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Why we like it: This ELING GPS speedometer meshes worlds, providing an LCD screen in a round-gauge format.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Round Gauge
Display Size: 85 mm
Other Data: Speeding Alert, Cardinal Directions
Review
This unit mixes the digital format, accuracy, and reliability of a heads-up display with the classic look and dashboard integration of a round gauge display. It fits in a standard 3 ⅜ inch hole with a clearance of about 55mm behind the display itself.
All of the dimensions and the form factor itself is pretty standard as far as round gauge speedometers go, but where this device is really special comes when you look at the display itself: seven different backlight options all light up an brilliant, easy-to-read screen, simultaneously displaying a wide variety of statistics from cardinal directions to a trip and lifetime odometer.
It also has a speeding alert. Unfortunately, though, no data capture or analysis is available.
And with an IP67 rating that certifies the device’s water resistance, a working temperature range from negative 40 degrees to almost 200, and a fluctuating voltage that works in nearly every vehicle’s electrical system, this device isn’t just for use in all conditions, it’s also nearly universally compatible. Some might say it’s even overbuilt, but when you’re paying about three times the price of competitors, you’ve got to make it worth it somehow.
Installation
This unit requires a pretty intense installation process, taking out the existing gauge and replacing it with the GPS-enabled unit. And unlike an HUD, which doesn’t require any antenna setup during installation, this device needs to be wired to an external antenna.
The only benefit to be claimed through installation is the fact that it’s a permanent solution compared to other HUDs that just sit on top of the dash (the LeaningTech Original Digital Universal Car HUD, for example).

Pros
Standard 3 ⅜ inch size fits easily in existing dashboard space
Brilliant, easy to read screen
IP67 waterproof rating
Incredible range of functional temperatures

Cons
Overbuilt and too expensive for day-to-day use

7. Easiest to Read: TIMPROVE Universal Digital Car HUD GPS Speedometer

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Why we like it: A utilitarian HUD with a large format screen is a more permanent solution than most HUDs with an included mount.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Heads Up Display
Display Size: 3 inches
Other Data: Adjustable Overspeed Sensor
Review
A large-format screen meant for display and attachment directly to the dashboard, the TIMPROVE Universal Digital Car HUD GPS Speedometer is an excellent and more permanent alternative to dashboard-top units like the TIMPROVE Universal Digital Car HUD GPS Speedometer. By including a mount that attaches directly instead of a non-stick mount, it turns a temporary solution into an effective and integrated permanent one.
Using the same green LEDs that are designed to be easy on the eyes as other HUDs such as LeaningTech Original Digital Universal Car HUD, this unit is as user-friendly as it is well designed. A single button control toggles between screens and data fields and requires only a connection to a USB power source (no antenna installation necessary).
It’s also fully featured: along with the standby speed and odometer functions, it also has a driving timer that can be paused, a trip distance tracker, and an adjustable overspeed sensor. The unit itself feels a little flimsy and isn’t weather-resistant, but if you want something for the interior of your car and you don’t want to wire in a new speedometer, it’s hard to go wrong with this device.
Installation
At 4.8 ounces, this is one of the lightest units on our list, functional and useful for smaller vehicles like motorcycles, mopeds, and even bicycles. Setup is easy, powered by a Mini-USB to USB connection, setting up on an included mount that is both multipurpose, durable, and flexible.

Pros
Only requires a connection to a GPS power source
Adjustable overspeed sensor
Trip distance tracker
Doesn’t require any wiring

Cons
Unit feels flimsy
No water resistance/weather resistance

8. Best for Performance Vehicles: ACECAR Heads Up Display

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Why we like it: This HUD from brand ACECAR is great for those looking to add a custom touch to their vehicle. It also pulls live OBDII data.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Heads Up Display
Display Size: 3.5 inches
Other Data: Fatigue Alarm, Engine RPM
Review
This performance-oriented and relatively pricey heads up display is an homage to a race car dash, the brilliantly colored screen displaying data in real-time in a compelling and visually appealing way.
In this way and at this price point, it’s really more of a custom vehicle modification than more utilitarian units like the LeaningTech Original Digital Universal Car HUD, with a price tag to match.
But for the custom, tuned, car meet crowd, interesting and colorful dashes are a quick and simple way to add aesthetic value to the dashboard or interior.
A custom HUD is also a phenomenal way to better understand and read the data of your vehicle, with this one displaying not only speed (more accurately than even a standard odometer), engine RPM, a fatigue alarm designed to keep drivers awake, and even an input to the OBDII port that can display engine error codes.
All of these features come displayed on a screen with a feature for brightness adjustment (with both manual and automatic control options). While the feature that can help display and diagnose error codes is both unique and interesting, it’s only functional on certain cars post-2008. Customer support is responsive and helpful, although the durability of the unit itself is somewhat questionable.
Installation
Unlike any other speedometer on the list, this device pulls most of its display information from the OBDll port itself, the same port that error codes come from. That means the install is quite easy from a wiring perspective; no need to crack your dashboard open and no need to mess with any wiring. It’s also a completely authentic HUD, reflecting directly onto the windshield instead of only serving as an auxiliary screen. It’s the real deal.

Pros
Pulls information from the OBDII port, no need for wiring
Custom HUD makes data easy to read on dash
Colored screen improves the look of your vehicle
Manual and automatic brightness adjustment

Cons
Unit has a quite high price tag
Durability is not a strong suit

9. Easiest to Use: Kingneed Original Universal GPS HUD Odometer

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Why we like it: An economical HUD has plenty of features and is quite easy to setup, although accuracy at high speeds can be questionable.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Heads Up Display
Display Size: 4 inches
Other Data: Time and Mileage Tracker
Review
This HUD’s best feature is, well, its features: a stop/start driving timer is included as a secondary data field, as well as an altitude sensor, a distance calculator that can count down as well as up, a conventional odometer, and a programmable clock.
Unfortunately, as fully equipped as the unit is, there’s no data capture or analysis as with more expensive HUDs like with the TIMPROVE T600 Universal Car HUD.
That’s okay for us, though: at about three-quarters of the price, it doesn’t feel completely necessary to have every last bell and whistle, especially considering that setup is easier than the more expensive models.
This unit also contains features that some premium models don’t have, for example, an hourly alarm meant to help keep drivers awake and alert, and a mileage and time sensor that can be downloaded after the fact, so really, it’s only missing acceleration and braking data.
As with any budget product that claims to be as good as the premium version, there are a few issues. Primarily, water resistance and durability: keep this unit well mounted and well protected from the elements, or you’ll be buying a new one before you know it. Also an issue is accurate speed, as readings over about 75 mph are somewhat suspect.
Installation
Installation is about as easy as most HUDs, setting up on your dash via a powered USB port and ready to go in seconds. While it won’t stay permanently in place, it’s not meant to: it’s a dashboard-top unit. Still, those looking for permanence should check out a round gauge product, like the relatively inexpensive Eling Universal MPH GPS Speedometer/Odometer with Backlight.

Pros
Includes an hourly alarm meant to keep drivers alert
Inexpensive unit keeps things simple
Installation is remarkably easy
Has an abundance of necessary data fields

Cons
Accuracy at speed can be unreliable
Dashboard top unit can move around during use
No water resistance
Durability isn’t great

10. Best for Recreational Vehicles: VJOYCAR Universal Digital GPS Speedometer HUD

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Why we like it: With an included mount and waterproof design, this unit is great for those that need a speedometer or heads up display for recreational motor vehicles or boats.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Type of GPS Speedometer: Heads Up Display
Display Size: 3 inches
Other Data: Overspeed Alarm, Driving Time
Review
Looking for something that works better on a motorcycle, ATV, or snowmobile than a sedan? Consider this GPS-powered speedometer from direct-to-consumer brand VJOYCAR. It’s a compact heads up display that sits on your dash or near your controls console, more compact and slim than most other HUDs but still boasting a large, easy-to-read three-inch screen.
The look and function are interlinked, with a slick carbon fiber finish hiding the fact that the speedometer is completely waterproof. Especially as the device is meant for use for sporting vehicles that might spend time in the rain, we appreciate the fact that manufacturer VJOYCAR took the time to make the device truly waterproof.
With an adjustable overspeed alarm meant to help you monitor your speed, the manufacturer isn’t just looking out for your vehicle, but for you as well. Our only complaint is the fact that the beeps aren’t really loud enough to hear over wind noise when driving a motorcycle, boat, or snowmobile at speed. Fortunately, that issue is made up for by the fact that other features include a trip odometer, lifetime odometer, and display that can display both KPH and MPH.
Installation
As far as HUD speedometers go, it’s not the easiest in the world to set up, especially on sporting vehicles. There is an included mount is better than the non-slip mats that come with some devices, but it’s fragile enough that it’s probably worth it to invest in a third party option instead of using the factory version.

Pros
Truly waterproof and dustproof construction is great for motorcycles and boats
Data is tracked, maintained on the device, and fully downloadable
Overspeed alarm can help you monitor speeding habits
Fully featured with both trip and distance odometers

Cons
Installation is a little tricky and requires rewiring
The round-gauge speedo isn’t very good looking

Guide to Buying the Best GPS Speedometer for 2020
While a GPS speedometer is a small investment next to most car improvements you might make to your car, it’s important, keeping you safe under the speed limit and fulfilling a vital legal requirement for all cars on the road in the US. Read on to learn how you can maximize the value you get out of a GPS speedometer system.
Styling
Beauty in a speedometer is subjective: just as with cars in general, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. While some prefer classic-style analog-dial GPS speedometers and others want a full digital dash, there are some universal styling tips that can help your aftermarket GPS speedometer blend in seamlessly.
Pay Attention to Color
Contrary to what you might think, matching a gray dash to a gray speedometer can often go wrong if the two tones don’t perfectly match with each other. A much better idea? Pick a color that matches with your interior accents (anodized red, blue, or your personal preference. If you’re not into a more custom look and you want your GPS speedometer to blend in with no fuss, black will always, always blend in just fine.
Secure Mounting
While round gauge speedometers fit directly into instrument clusters, dashboard-top HUDs suffer from the annoying problem of sliding around during hard acceleration or braking. While some manufacturers offer mounts (the TIMPROVE Universal Digital Car HUD GPS Speedometer is a good example) or non-slip pads on the base.
While those looking for a truly permanent solution will probably be better served by an option that fits into the dash, you can buy dual-sided tape or Velcro to create a DIY solution.
Installing a GPS Speedometer
While a GPS speedometer is a lot easier to install than a traditional wired speedometer, there’s still a significant amount of work that needs to go into the installation of round gauge models, and some work that goes into a dashboard-top unit. Consider the following before purchasing.
Powering Your GPS Speedometer
The biggest benefit of a GPS speedometer? It doesn’t always have to be wired into your car’s existing electronics to function properly. Unfortunately, that means you’ll have to rely on some type of auxiliary power to bring electricity to the GPS, most often a USB-mini USB port or connection. While most cars made in the last ten years have a USB port installed, older vehicles typically require something that fits into a cigarette lighter or auxiliary power outlet. Purchase a 12V/24V option to power all of the options on this list.
Wiring Your Speedometer
While HUD GPS speedometers simply sit on your dashboard and only require a USB to a power source, round gauge speedometers need to be wired up to the existing power behind the dashboard. Most owner’s manuals will give you a rough idea, and the process isn’t particularly difficult, but check out the video below for a visual representation of the wiring process. Most steps are relatively universal across products.
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GPS Antenna Setup
Figuring out your antenna takes you one step further than wiring in a conventional power setup, requiring you to use a connector to turn an existing cable into a GPS antenna. While ELING products actually don’t require an independent GPS wiring process, other round gauge speedometers use a simple connector to break open the wire sheath and then connect to the wire itself.
If you’re not confident enough to do this process yourself, it’s probably a good idea to take the unit to your local auto shop. They’ll be able to help you out. Your speedometer owner’s manual will describe it in more detail.
Speedometer Screen/Feature Setup
A pro tip? If you’re planning on reselling your car after installing a GPS speedometer, make sure your odometer can be adjusted to read your previous odometer reading. When reselling vehicles, tampering or misrepresenting mileage is a felony under federal regulations.
Most GPS speedometers are quite simple to use. Simply check the user manual and use the physical buttons to set up the display to your liking. Since most units have fewer than ten functions, operating these products typically is not too difficult to manage.
GPS Speedometer Laws
Cars are legally required to have functioning speedometers in all 50 states, so if you don’t have a functional speedometer in your dashboard (they break for all kinds of reasons), you’ll have to pick up a GPS speedometer for when that cop pulls you over and asks you how fast you were going.
In your car, you should absolutely make sure you have an accurate speedometer that works in all conditions. Purchasing an inaccurate model to save a buck could end up costing you big time later in the form of an expensive citation.
That being said, each state has different regulations on how accurate a GPS unit must be. For private, non-commercial vehicles, this can vary.
Federal guidelines for commercial traffic state that commercial vehicles (busses, trucks, or truck-tractors) must have a reading accurate to 5 miles per hour while traveling at a speed of 50 miles per hour. Many states follow that same guidance for non-commercial vehicles.
Other Products for Your Dashboard
There are plenty of other fantastic products that don’t only improve the look of your dashboard, but can also improve your experience while driving. From advanced heads up displays to GPS units, consider the following to make life as a driver a bit easier.
Car Compasses: Whether it’s for looks, navigation purposes, or both, a car compass looks awfully good up next to a brand spanking new GPS speedometer. And if you’re out of cell range, it could even save you someday.
Dash Camera: No one has ever regretted owning a dash camera after a road incident or accident. Dash cams are inexpensive and easy to set up: your future self will thank you.
Police Scanner: It’s a right for drivers to be able to keep up with the movements of law enforcement and local emergency personnel. Whether you’re doing long hauls and looking to stay entertained or you’re trying to minimize the possibility of a law-enforcement related hassle, a police scanner is a great addition to your dash.
Frequently Asked Questions
For an inexpensive and convenient accessory, GPS speedometers are actually incredibly technologically advanced. Some of the most common questions on the unique products are answered below.
Will a GPS Speedometer Work Everywhere?
Yes! GPS speedometers rely on the same satellite networks that power everything from military navigation systems to bicycle computers: as long as your antenna has visual access to the sky, your speedometer can work anywhere. If the signal happens to drop out, some GPS computers have features that extrapolate speed so that your computer still has some reliability.
Where Do I Mount the Antenna?
One of the most difficult parts of installing a round gauge, cluster mounted GPS speedometer is figuring out how and where to wire your antenna. This article does a great job of explaining, but the simplest answer is that there are wires running under your dash that can function as an antenna. Just browse your GPS speedometer owner’s manual to find the proper spot to thread in your connector or check out this article on antenna placement.
Is There a Speedometer on Google Maps?
Not only is there a speedometer function built into the Google Maps app that you can use on your cell phone, there’s also a built-in overspeed sensor that alerts you when you’re speeding based on Google’s knowledge of the road network (which, as a warning, isn’t 100% accurate).
So, the short answer? Yes, there is a speedometer function built in on Google Maps that can be accessed within the app. Is it as accurate as a GPS speedometer? Definitely not.
Can I Use an App-Based Speedometer?
Search the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and you’ll be sure to find plenty of developers claiming to produce ultra-accurate speedometer apps. But there are several problems with this approach. Firstly, you’re living at the whims of state legislation and local enforcement of regulations related to phone use while driving.
Secondly, you’re using the application of a developer who has more of an incentive to produce a slick-looking product than to produce a reliable one. It’s worth it to shell out the few bucks to purchase either a dashboard-mounted device or a round gauge device that fits directly into your instrument cluster.
How Accurate are GPS Speedometers?
GPS speedometers, when working perfectly, are just as accurate or even more accurate than wired speedometers, normally with a speed tolerance range of under 2% in either direction. The only issue comes when there’s a satellite network dropout, in which case you’re pretty much out of luck—most speedometers will read as zero miles per hour until they come back into range.
Wrapping Up
A GPS speedometer is one of the simplest ways to improve your vehicle: from using data to help you understand your car better (as with the case of TIMPROVE T600 Universal Car HUD), to adding a custom touch to your interior, to giving you an option to accurately measure your speed using GPS, a custom speedometer is a great, inexpensive way to customize your ride. More

A blown head gasket is one of the worst things that can happen to your vehicle. If you don’t get it repaired quickly, the engine can become severely damaged, which will cost huge sums of money to sort out.
One cheap and effective solution is to use a head gasket sealer. These products work quickly, provide a permanent fix, and cost just a fraction of the price of a replacement head gasket.
However, choosing the first head gasket sealer you come across can cause more problems than it solves. You need to make sure the product is suitable for your vehicle, which is why we’ve compiled this list of the best head gasket sealers on the market in 2020.

Guide to Choosing the Right Head Gasket Sealer
It’s important to choose the right head gasket sealer for your vehicle, as choosing the wrong one can cause even bigger problems, such as clogged heater cores and sticky thermostats, so be sure to read our complete guide to choosing a proper sealant. Some sealers can’t be used for both diesel and gasoline engines, and others aren’t compatible with antifreeze or coolant.
This guide includes everything you need to know about head gasket sealers. We’ll go over all of the major things to look out for so that you can pick the right product the first time around.

Pro Tip: If you suspect that you have a problem with your head gasket, try not to drive the vehicle. This will prevent further damage that may be irreversible!

How Do Head Gasket Sealers Work?
Head gasket sealers contain chemicals that seek out and plug small cracks. The immense pressure and high temperatures within the engine’s combustion chamber cause the sealer’s chemicals to react, forming a rock-solid seal that instantly stops leaks.
Head gasket sealer is added to your vehicle’s cooling system via the radiator or overflow tank. With the engine running, the sealer makes its way into every nook and cranny, plugging small holes and leaks along the way.
As the name suggests, head gasket sealers are primarily used to fix problems with blown head gaskets. However, many of these products also fix other problems with cooling systems, such as leaking radiators, water pump casings, cylinder heads, and engine blocks.
This can be immensely useful as you may not know where the leak is originating from.
Key Things to Consider When Buying Head Gasket Sealer
Don’t just buy the first head gasket sealer you come across, as it might not be the right one for your vehicle. There are three key things to consider, which we’ve listed below.
Engine Compatibility
It’s crucial to check whether the head gasket sealer is compatible with your vehicle’s engine. Most head gasket sealers are designed for use in both diesel and gasoline engines, including every option on our list, but it’s always wise to double-check before buying if you’re looking elsewhere. Some are safe to use with antifreeze, however many are not. We’ll point this out in every review.
In addition to that, some head gasket sealers cannot be mixed with your engine’s coolant. This is because many products contain a chemical called sodium silicate, which clumps up when introduced to antifreeze. If a product contains sodium silicate, chances are you’ll need to drain the coolant and flush the system before and after use.
Amount Needed
For most engines, one bottle of head gasket sealer will be enough to repair any leaks. However, for bigger engines or for multiple treatments, you may need to purchase more than one bottle.
Be aware that some products are stronger than others, so you must use the right amount to avoid causing further damage. We’ve triple checked how much you need to use depending on the size of your engine, and we’ll disclose this information in each review.
Preparation and Ease of Use
While some head gasket sealers are easy to use, others require more knowledge and effort. It may be necessary to drain the coolant from the engine and then perform a flush before using some products, and the same again once the treatment has finished.
That’s fine for DIY mechanics who know what they’re doing, but for the everyday person who doesn’t know much about engines, it might be too complicated. These people may just want to stick with a simple pour-and-go product.
Now that you know why you might want a head gasket sealer and how to choose the perfect one for you and your car, let’s get into our picks for the best products available today.

Top 8 Best Head Gasket Sealers 2020
1. Best Overall Head Gasket Sealer: Bar’s Leaks Permanent Head Gasket Fix

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Why we like it: This easy-to-use head gasket sealer by Bar’s Leaks offers exceptional value for money and is safe for all engines.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Sodium silicate, copper
Quantity: 1 x 24 oz bottle
Antifreeze safe: Yes
Requires drain/flush: No
Downtime: 15 minutes
Bar’s Leaks Permanent Head Gasket Fix provides a permanent solution for pesky head gasket problems. It’s suitable for use with both gasoline and diesel engines, and it can be used by absolutely anybody, as there’s no need to drain or flush the coolant. Due to its ease of use, you can be back on the road in just 15 minutes.
While it’s most effective at fixing head gaskets, this product can also repair block leaks and cracked seals – that’s useful if you’re not 100% sure of where the leak is coming from. It’ll repair small, medium, and large leaks, however it isn’t suitable if there’s coolant in the oil, or if there are bubbles present in the coolant.
Preparation and Usage
No draining or flushing is necessary with this product.
Using the product is easy; simply pour it into the radiator or overflow tank, and then let the engine idle for 15 minutes. After that, you’re free to drive your vehicle as usual!
Amount Needed
One 24 oz bottle is enough to treat most 6 and 8 cylinder engines. 4 cylinder engines will only need half a bottle.
The exact amounts to use are as follows:
½ bottle treats 1 to 1.99 gallons of cooling system capacity (4 cylinder engines)
1 bottle treats 2 to 4 gallons of cooling system capacity (6 and 8 cylinder engines)
For larger engines, use 1 bottle for every 4 gallons of cooling system capacity
Our Verdict
Easy to use, highly effective, and safe for most vehicles. This product will suit most people, however it’s not the best option for more serious leaks, and those who need to plug major holes should look towards a premium product like the Bar’s Leaks Blown Head Gasket Repair instead.

Pros
Offers great value for money
Simple enough for anybody to use
Just 15 minutes downtime
One bottle treats 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines
Bar’s Leaks is a well-known brand

Cons
Not suitable for major issues

2. Best Premium Head Gasket Sealer: Bar’s Leaks Blown Head Gasket Repair

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Why we like it: This is one of the strongest head gasket repair products on the market, due to it creating a carbon fiber-based reinforced seal.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Sodium silicate, titanium dioxide, triazinetriethanol
Quantity: 1 x 33.8 fl oz bottle
Antifreeze safe: Yes
Requires drain/flush: No
Downtime: 45 minutes
Bar’s Leaks Blown Head Gasket Repair can sort out intake gaskets, cracked cylinder heads and blocks, leaking heater cores, radiator leaks, and leaking freeze and core plugs – in addition to blown head gaskets, of course.
It’s the strongest leak repair product that Bar’s Leaks has to offer, as it uses carbon fiber to help create a strong and permanent seal. This is the product to choose if you have major head gasket issues, such as bubbles in the coolant or coolant mixing with the engine oil.
Preparation and Usage
As with Bar’s Leaks’ other head gasket sealer, this product also contains antifreeze safe sodium silicate, so there’s no need to drain or flush the coolant.
All you need to do is fill the radiator or overflow tank with the required amount and then reinstall the radiator cap. Ensure that the heater is set to hot and the fan on maximum, then run the engine until normal operating temperatures are reached.
The thermostat needs to open for it to work properly, so you may have to run the engine for 30 minutes. Once done, take your vehicle for a 15-minute drive, then check for leaks.
Larger leaks may take several days to fully seal, however in most cases, the results are instant.
Amount Needed
One 33.8 oz bottle will treat engines with up to 8 cylinders. For smaller or larger engines, use the following amounts:
½ bottle for 1.5 to 2.49 gallons (4 cylinder engines)
1 bottle for 2.5 to 5 gallons (6 and 8 cylinder engines)
1 bottle for every 5 gallons in engines with a larger cooling system capacity
2 oz per quart of cooling system capacity in very small engines
Our Verdict
Bar’s Leaks Blown Head Gasket Repair is one of the strongest head gasket sealers on the market. It’ll repair more serious leaks and create a strong seal that lasts.

Pros
One of the strongest products on the market
Contains antifreeze safe sodium silicate
Reinforced with carbon fiber for a stronger seal
Repairs other leaking areas of the engine

Cons
Takes a little longer to use

3. Best Budget Head Gasket Sealer: K-SEAL Coolant Leak Repair

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Why we like it: This K-SEAL product contains microfibers that create a rock-solid seal, stopping leaks in their tracks.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Zinc gluconate, triazinetriethanol, sodium tetraborate, copper, aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibers
Quantity: 1 x 8 oz bottle
Antifreeze safe: Yes
Requires drain/flush: No
Downtime: 20 minutes
K-SEAL is a brand that’s trusted by professionals all across the country. They specialize in making leak repair products, so they know their stuff. Despite the small-sized bottle and affordable price, it’s seriously potent stuff!
K-SEAL Coolant Leak Repair can fix cracks in radiators, head gaskets, water pump casings, cylinder heads, and engine blocks. No matter where your leak is, K-SEAL will seek it out and repair it. Its microfiber technology meshes together and forms a strong and permanent seal when exposed to the high temperatures and pressures inside the combustion chamber.
This product is best suited for small leaks.
Preparation and Usage
There’s no sodium silicate in K-SEAL Coolant Leak Repair, so there’s no need to drain and flush the cooling system.
This product is perfect for anybody to use, as you simply pour the contents into the radiator or overflow tank and let the engine idle for 20 minutes.
Once finished, you’re ready to drive your vehicle as normal.
Amount Needed
One 8 oz bottle is sufficient for treating all 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines.
The exact amounts to use are as follows:
1 bottle treats up to 5 gallons of cooling system capacity (4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines)
2 bottles will be needed for engines with a larger cooling system capacity
If you need more than one 8 oz bottle, take a look at the 16 oz version of K-SEAL.
Our Verdict
A small but mighty head gasket sealer that can repair different types of leaks. As an added bonus, it’s made in the USA.

Pros
One bottle treats most engines
Quick and easy to use; just pour and go
Microfiber technology creates a strong seal
One of the cheapest products on the market
Made in the USA

Cons
Only recommended for small leaks

4. Best All-Purpose Head Gasket Sealer: K&W Permanent Head Gasket & Block Repair

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Why we like it: This permanent head gasket sealer is a great all-rounder that can repair not only head gasket leaks but also heater cores, freeze plugs, radiators, and cylinder heads.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Water, sodium silicate, aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibers, copper
Quantity: 1 x 32 oz bottle
Antifreeze safe: No
Requires drain/flush: Yes
Downtime: 24+ hours
K&W Permanent Head Gasket & Block Repair sorts out engine blocks, heater cores, freeze plugs, cooling systems, radiators, and cylinder heads. As it isn’t antifreeze safe, extensive draining and flushing is required, which makes using this product a rather long-winded process.
This may be a good choice for you if you are planning to clean out the cooling system anyway. For most people, the extensive flushing is too time-consuming and hands-on, and on top of that, you’ll have to purchase extra radiator flush and antifreeze.
Preparation and Usage
Extensive draining and flushing is required, and the cooling system must be left for 24 hours to dry out after use.
This product should be added to the cooling system via the radiator. With the cap reinstalled, allow the engine to idle for 30 minutes with the heater on at maximum settings. After that, the system can be drained and left to dry. An additional flush and fresh antifreeze must be added at the end.
If this sounds too complicated or time-consuming, you may want to consider Bar’s Leaks Permanent Head Gasket Fix a quick and easy sealant instead.
Amount Needed
This product comes in a 32 oz bottle, which should be mixed with 3 quarts of water. There are no specific instructions for different sized engines, however this is enough to treat 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines.
Use the whole bottle mixed with 3 quarts of water.
Our Verdict
Uses nanotechnology to create robust seals. Unfortunately, the entire process from start to finish is very long.

Pros
One bottle is good for most vehicles
Uses nanotechnology to seal cracks and leaks
Effective performance

Cons
Takes over 24 hours to complete process
Requires extensive flushing of the system

5. Best Bulk Head Gasket Sealer: BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer

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Why we like it: As the go-to brand for many, a large bottle of BlueDevil’s Head Gasket Sealer does a great job at plugging leaks without clogging up the engine.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Sodium silicate, ethylene glycol
Quantity: 1 x 32 oz bottle
Antifreeze safe: No
Requires drain/flush: Yes
Downtime: 2 hours
BlueDevil makes a number of stop leak products, including this head gasket sealer. It’s designed to provide a permanent repair for blown head gaskets, warped or cracked cylinder heads, leaking heater cores, and leaking freeze plugs.
It’s safe to use for most vehicles, however it should not be added to the engine’s existing coolant as it can cause blockages. Having said that, there’s no solid or particulate matter included in the product, so you avoid the risk of clogging the engine (when following the instructions).
Preparation and Usage
As with most of the other head gasket sealers containing sodium silicate, this product also requires that the cooling system is drained and flushed before treatment. In addition to that, the thermostat must also be removed and the cooling system filled with water.
This product is intended for use while the engine is idling and the heater is on the maximum settings. Simply pour into the radiator slowly and allow the engine to idle for 50 minutes with the radiator cap on.
After treating the engine, there’s no need to drain or flush BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer; it can stay in the system.
Amount Needed
BlueDevil Head Gasket Sealer comes in a 32 oz bottle, which is enough to treat engines with a cooling capacity of 4.5 gallons – that’s most 4 and 6 cylinder engines. For 8 cylinder engines, you may need to use slightly more.
The exact amounts to use for your vehicle’s specific cooling system capacity is as follows:
1 bottle = 32 oz (1 quart)
Up to 3 gallons cooling capacity: ½ quart
3 to 4.5 gallons: 1 quart
5 to 6 gallons: 1 ½ quarts
6 to 7.5 gallons: 2 quarts
5 to 9 gallons: 2 ½ quarts
Our Verdict
An effective and permanent solution. It’s slightly more expensive than some other products, and it also requires a more hands on approach.

Pros
Contains no solid or particulate matter
Permanent solution that fixes multiple problems
Made in the USA
Comes in a large bottle

Cons
Takes a couple of hours to fully treat
Requires draining and flushing before use

6. Best Head Gasket Sealer for Repairing Cracks: K&W FiberLock Head Gasket & Block Repair

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Why we like it: This head gasket sealer uses nanotechnology and Kevlar to repair even the smallest of cracks. Its Cool-X condition technology helps keep engine temperatures low.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Water, sodium silicate, glycol monobutyl ethers, copper, aluminum, Kevlar®
Quantity: 1 x 32 oz bottle
Antifreeze safe: Yes
Requires drain/flush: No
Downtime: 15 minutes
K&W FiberLock Head Gasket & Block Repair contains several unique leak fixing chemicals. One notable chemical is Kevlar, which is usually associated with bulletproof materials.
The product’s fibers do a great job at patching cracks, while nanotechnology seeks out and repairs even the smallest of holes. It also contains Cool-X technology, which is designed to lower engine operating temperatures, thereby protecting the head gasket from extreme heat.
It wasn’t designed, unfortunately, for anything but head gaskets, so if you’ve got other areas of concern you should check out an all-purpose sealer instead.
Preparation and Usage
Designed for everyday people, K&W’s Head Gasket & Block Repair requires no draining and flushing before or after use. Simply pour the product into the radiator, switch the heater to high, and let the engine idle for 15 minutes.
Amount Needed
K&W FiberLock Head Gasket & Block Repair comes in a 32 oz bottle, which is enough to treat up to 7.5 gallons of cooling system capacity. That is sufficient for all vehicles from 4 to 8 cylinders.
Smaller engines (4 cylinders with a cooling capacity of up to 2.5 gallons) should use just ½ a bottle
Larger systems (over 7.5 gallons cooling capacity) should use 1 bottle for every 6 gallons of cooling capacity 
Our Verdict
Very quick and easy to use, ideal for people who want to get the job done quickly. Contains a unique bunch of interesting chemicals, including Kevlar.

Pros
No draining or flushing necessary
Takes just 15 minutes from start to finish
Contains Kevlar
Protects engine from extreme temperatures

Cons
Can potentially clog radiators
Not ideal for anything other than head gaskets

7. K&W Permanent Metallic Block & Radiator Seal

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Why we like it: This inexpensive offering from K&W is ideal for DIY mechanics who don’t mind spending some extra time to get the job done properly.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Water, sodium silicate, cellulose, aluminosilicate refractory ceramic fibers
Quantity: 1 x 16 oz can
Antifreeze safe: No
Requires drain/flush: Yes
Downtime: 24+ hours
K&W Permanent Metallic Block & Radiator Seal provides a permanent seal for head gasket leaks and works with both gasoline and diesel engines. It is suitable for use with a variety of materials, including cast iron and aluminum blocks, and copper and bi-material heater cores.
This product is best suited for DIY mechanics due to it requiring a lot of draining and flushing before and after use. While this will make the process take longer, flushing the cooling system helps remove scale, rust, and corrosion, which is good for your engine’s longevity.
The cooling system must be left to dry for 24 hours, which might be too much downtime for some people.
Preparation and Usage
There are 7 steps to follow when using this product, which includes draining the system of coolant, performing multiple flushes, adding the product to the engine, further draining, drying out, and finally adding fresh coolant.
Amount Needed
This 16 oz can must be mixed with 3 quarts of water before use. This will be sufficient for treating all regular sized engines, regardless of the cooling system capacity.
Our Verdict
This is a slightly different product from the rest as it comes in a can and must be mixed with water. It can cause solidification if added to coolant, so flushing is essential.

Pros
Provides a permanent seal
Comes in a one-size-fits-all can
Suitable for most vehicles
Popular brand

Cons
Requires extensive draining and flushing
Must wait 24 hours for the cooling system to dry out

8. Steel Seal Head Gasket Sealer

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Why we like it: Comes as a 2-pack that will be sufficient in treating 6 and 8 cylinder engines. You can’t go wrong with the 100% money-back guarantee either.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Contains: Proprietary ingredient, ethylene glycol
Quantity: 2 x 16 oz bottles
Antifreeze safe: No
Requires drain/flush: Yes
Downtime: 30+ minutes
Steel Seal is one of the most expensive products in our lineup, and its exact ingredients are a mystery as their proprietary formula has been withheld. Steel Seal is a lesser-known brand in the US, however, it’s more dominant in the European market.
This product is compatible with gasoline and diesel engines, however it’s not antifreeze safe, so pre- and post-use draining and flushing is necessary.
If you have a large leak, or if there are any cracks in the head, block, pumps, or hoses, then this product may not be the right one for you as it’s better for small leaks.
Preparation and Usage
Before using, check whether there’s water in your engine’s oil. If there is, you’ll need to perform an oil and filter change before using this product.
Draining the coolant and flushing the system is required both before and after using Steel Seal.
As with the other products, Steel Seal enters your engine via its cooling system. The product should be poured into the radiator or overflow tank. The engine may need to idle for 30 minutes, depending on whether the vehicle is roadworthy or not.
Amount Needed
Steel Seal Head Gasket Sealer comes as 2 bottles with 16 oz per bottle. For 6 and 8 cylinder engines, 2 bottles will be enough. 4 cylinder engines will only need to use 1 bottle.
Our Verdict
It does the job, but we feel it doesn’t provide good value for money as it’s expensive with average results, and it’s not the best for big leaks.

Pros
Well known brand in the UK and Europe
100% money-back guarantee
Comes with 2 bottles

Cons
Expensive
The exact formula is unknown
Not suitable for large leaks

Everything You Need to Know About Head Gaskets and Sealers
At the beginning of this article, we covered the three key things to consider when buying head gasket sealer. There are some additional things to think about, which include the following.
The Benefits of Using Head Gasket Sealer
To ensure you’re picking the right head gasket sealer, it’s important to consider why you need one, as they offer several benefits compared to paying for expensive repairs.
Affordability
Compared to the cost of replacing the head gasket, head gasket sealers are significantly cheaper, ultimately saving you a lot of money.
Ease of Use
Head gasket sealers have been designed for anybody to use, even if you know nothing about engines or head gaskets. This makes them the perfect solution for people with barely any mechanical knowledge: adding head gasket sealer is simple, especially when using products like Bar’s Leaks Blown Head Gasket Repair that don’t require draining or flushing before starting the process.
Little Downtime
Taking your vehicle to the mechanic usually means waiting days before being able to use it again. With most head gasket sealers, including our top overall pick, you can be back on the road in as little as 15 minutes.
Safe and Effective
Provided you use the right product for your vehicle, head gasket sealers are safe for engines and cooling systems. There’s no need to be concerned about additional problems cropping up, and in many cases the fix is permanent.
What It Fixes
If your vehicle has one or more symptoms of a blown head gasket, then the head gasket has probably failed. However, the symptoms are sometimes indicative of something else being wrong. Many head gasket sealers will also solve other problems, such as cracks in radiators, leaking water pump casings, cracked engine blocks, warped cylinder heads, and leaking heater cores.
When choosing the right product for your vehicle, be sure to take a look at what else it can fix besides just the head gasket.
Compatibility
Compatibility is vitally important, so don’t skip this. If you choose a head gasket sealer that’s not compatible with your vehicle for whatever reason, you may end up with even bigger problems, which means even bigger repair bills!
The key thing to look out for here is whether the sealer works with gasoline or diesel engines. Most good head gasket sealers are suitable for both fuel types.
It’s also important to check whether the product is antifreeze safe or not, as dumping it directly into the coolant can cause blockages within the cooling system.
Sodium silicate is one chemical people keep an eye out for, as it’s known to cause problems with antifreeze. In general, if a product contains sodium silicate, it’s likely you’ll have to drain the coolant and flush the engine both before and after use.
How Much to Use
The size of your engine and its cooling system will determine how much head gasket sealer you’ll need to use. Most bottles will be suitable for 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines, but it’s best to check, as you don’t want to be caught short. If you have a large truck or heavy machinery, you may need to purchase multiple bottles.
In addition to that, you don’t want to overdo it by using too much. If you do use too much, you may cause damage to the engine through corrosion and blockages, which will result in even more issues that only a garage can fix.
Ease of Use
What do you know about engines? If you know nothing about head gaskets, cooling systems, and basic mechanics, you’ll be better off with one of the easier to use head gasket sealers. These are simply poured into the radiator, and there’s no need to drain or flush the coolant. With these pour-and-go head gasket sealers, you won’t need to tinker with any complicated parts of the engine.
On the other hand, if you’re a bit of a DIY mechanic, then you may want to choose a head gasket sealer that has a few more steps involved. If the thought of draining the coolant and flushing the cooling system doesn’t scare you, then it may be worth doing. It’s always good to clean out the cooling system and refill it with fresh antifreeze.
Effectiveness
How long will the repair last for? Most head gasket sealers offer a permanent solution, however the fix may not be effective if there’s extensive damage, or if the leaks are too big.
Head gasket sealers will never be as good as replacing the actual head gasket, but they’re certainly worth a try considering how cheap they are.
In many cases, these sealers keep vehicles running for many more thousands of miles, so there’s no doubt they work for repairing damaged head gaskets.
Downtime
If you can’t be without your vehicle for too long, then you’ll want a quick solution that’ll get you back on the road in minutes. Several of these head gasket sealers take under half an hour to work, so these will be ideal for you.
If you’re not that bothered about your car being off the road for a day or two, then the slower, more involved head gasket sealers might be a better choice.
Chemical Ingredients
Sodium silicate. Some love it, some hate it. It has a reputation for clogging up cooling systems, especially heating cores. That’s because it reacts with antifreeze and forms into a gooey mess. Some products include fibers that can also cause problems if they end up hardening in the wrong places.
If you see a product with sodium silicate in it, you’re best off draining and flushing the coolant, just to be on the safe side. There are, however, a number of products that contain sodium silicate that are actually safe to use with antifreeze, including  our top overall pick and its premium extra-strength counterpart.
Avoiding the Wrong Type of Sealant
If you search for head gasket sealers on Amazon, you’ll find many different products, a lot of which are not listed here. Why haven’t we included them? Well, many products are not suitable for head gaskets and are only good for specific types of gaskets, such as intake gaskets, or rubber seals.
You can easily spot these products as they often come in a tin and are referred to as “sealant.” You’ll also know whether they’re right or not by how they’re applied; if you need to pour it into the oil filler cap, or apply it with a brush, it’s not the right one.
The only head gasket sealers you should use will be put into the cooling system via the radiator or overflow tank.
If you’re changing a head gasket yourself, you’ll find that most head gaskets already have a protective material applied. Head gaskets are designed to be a specific thickness and they must be perfectly flat. Applying gasket sealant to a head gasket can alter the thickness, or make the surface uneven, which can result in misfires, compression issues, and other blown head gasket symptoms.
Stick to the products specifically designed for sealing head gasket leaks.

Pro Tip: Never add head gasket sealer to engine oil or fuel. Always put it into the cooling system. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for more details.

Blown Head Gasket Symptoms
What are the 3 key fluids engines need to run properly? If you answered fuel, oil, and coolant, you’d be correct. These fluids are usually kept separate from one another, although they can end up mixing together if something goes wrong with the head gasket.
Below are some of the main symptoms of a blown head gasket.
Overheating
Overheating is one of the most common symptoms people experience when their vehicle’s head gasket has blown. This is because the coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber, resulting in there not being enough coolant to keep the engine temperatures down.
It’s also one of the more serious symptoms, as the head can warp or crack, especially if the engine runs too hot for too long. This can damage additional parts of the engine too.
Loss of Power
A struggling engine that’s low on power can be a sign of a blown head gasket. You may also notice that your fuel consumption has increased significantly. This is due to the loss of compression within the cylinders, resulting in the wrong fuel to air ratio.
If your vehicle is wasting fuel due to a bad head gasket, you’ll literally be throwing money away!
Creamy Looking Oil
Oil is supposed to be a honey-like color and consistency, not creamy. If you take off the oil filler cap and notice creamy or milky looking oil, it’s not a good sign. It means that coolant has mixed with the oil, and that can often be caused by a blown head gasket.
It’s important to perform an oil and oil filter change if there’s coolant in the oil. Just be sure to only do it after the head gasket issue has been fixed, otherwise the fresh oil will become contaminated too.
Over Pressurized Cooling System
It’s normal for the cooling system to be pressurized when hot, but excessive pressure is not good. If the cooling system is over-pressurized, you may notice cracks in the radiator or the pipes.

Pro Tip: Never open the radiator cap while the engine is warm. There’s a good chance you’ll severely burn yourself – wait until the engine cools down before removing the cap.

Preventing Head Gasket Failure
Wouldn’t you agree that spending a few dollars and a little bit of time preventing the problem is better than spending thousands on fixing it?
As we’ve seen, one of the most common symptoms of head gasket failure is overheating. To avoid the engine from overheating, make sure the cooling system is in good condition. That includes the radiator, thermostat, coolant hoses, and the coolant itself.
Make sure the coolant level is topped up, and if it hasn’t been changed in a while, flush it out and refill with fresh coolant. Check there are no leaks in the piping. A good way to know if there are leaks is to check the coolant level every so often. If it goes down, there’s a leak somewhere.
As they say, prevention is better than cure, and that certainly applies here!
Head Gasket Replacement Costs
The average cost of replacing a head gasket runs into thousands of dollars, typically between $1,000 and $3,000, although it depends on several factors. That’s a huge cost when you compare it to the relatively cheap price of head gasket sealer.
Head gaskets themselves only cost a few hundred bucks at most, so why is the replacement so expensive? Well, unless you’re pretty handy with tools and know what you’re doing, you’ll have to pay a garage to replace the gasket. That’s where the big cost comes in: labor.
It can take anywhere from 5 hours to a couple of days to change an engine’s head gasket. It’s a pretty labor-intensive job, as many parts of the engine have to come off in order to get to the head. On top of that, everything has to be put back together again.
Is it worth replacing the head gasket? If the vehicle is relatively new, or low mileage, you may want to get it replaced. If you’re interested in doing it yourself, be sure to closely follow a guide so that you don’t cause even more problems. If it’s an older vehicle, or you’re strapped for cash, you may be better off with a head gasket sealer.
Remember: don’t ignore the symptoms of a blown head gasket. It’ll only get worse over time, and you may end up needing a replacement engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do head gasket sealers really work?
A: Yes, head gasket sealers are an effective way of repairing a blown head gasket, assuming it isn’t severely damaged. For minor leaks, head gasket sealers can provide a permanent fix while saving you a lot of money.
Q: How long will the head gasket sealer last?
A: How long the sealer lasts depends on several factors, such as how bad the leak is and the product you use. For most small leaks, head gasket sealers can last a very long time – we’re talking years. For more severe issues, they may only be a temporary fix, lasting just a few months at most.
Q: What is the cheapest way to fix a head gasket?
A: The cheapest way to fix a head gasket by far is to use a good head gasket sealer. You’re looking at $100 or less, compared to thousands of dollars if you took your vehicle to a garage for a replacement head gasket.
Q: Are head gasket sealers just as good as a new head gasket?
A: In short, no. Nothing will be better than replacing the head gasket at a garage. Having said that, head gasket sealers can almost be as good at just a fraction of the price, so they’re certainly worth considering.
Wrapping Up
We understand how frustrating a blown head gasket can be, especially if you can’t survive without your vehicle. Trying to find the right solution without it costing the earth can be tricky.
Thankfully, there are plenty of solid products on the market designed to fix blown head gaskets quickly and easily. These head gasket sealers cost just a fraction of the price of having a new head gasket installed, making them a very appealing option.
Regardless of the route or product you decide on, remember to never ignore the symptoms of a blown head gasket. If left untreated, it can very quickly ruin the engine and the repair costs can spiral out of control. More

Talking about the cooling system is not nearly as exciting as talking about turbos or nitrous. Still, cooling is one of the most essential features of vehicle performance. After all, it doesn’t matter how much power an engine makes if it overheats and can’t actually put that power to the ground. If your motor starts getting hot, you can install oversized radiators or better fans. What if it’s your transmission that’s running too hot, though?
Simple: you install a radiator for your transmission.

A Quick Guide to Keeping Cool
Automatic transmission oil coolers, sometimes just called fluid coolers or transmission coolers, are relatively simple devices. After all, people had the whole heat dispersal thing figured out in the 1800s with in-home radiators. As fluid from your transmission gets pushed around, it flows through a metal pipe surrounded by fins. Those fins “radiate” the heat away from the liquid.
Being simple doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of options on the market, though. Everybody thinks that they have the best design, and new innovations are happening every day. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll give you all the tools you need to choose the best one for you, and give you our list of the top coolers on the market today. At the bottom of this guide, we get into the details and science with an in-depth guide.
First, though, there’s a question you really need to answer for yourself. Do you really need a transmission cooler?
Reasons to Get a Transmission Cooler
We’ll get into it more in our full guide, but unless you fall into one of the following categories, then the answer is, “probably not.”
You use your vehicle in ways it wasn’t meant to be used, like towing heavy loads or driving at high speeds on a track.
You live in an area where cars are more likely to overheat, like a winding mountain village or the middle of a desert.
You own a vehicle that has a factory defect causing the transmission to run hotter than it should.
You have a modified or custom car that does not have space for or never came with a factory transmission cooler.
You just really like the look of oil coolers and enjoy wrenching on engines.
Choosing The Right Transmission Cooler
Here are the general things you should look for when deciding which cooler is right for you.
Compatibility and Fitment
It’s the most obvious, but it is also a category that is easy to overlook. Some oil coolers are gigantic, and there won’t be room for them on your vehicle.
There are also a few different types of fittings going to and from your transmission. We’ll go over them in the “ >full guide, but basically, a push on fitting is more universal than an AN fitting. However, an AN fitting is more of a standard fitting in the performance world.
If you don’t know what kind you need, be prepared to buy adapters or do some DIY modifications.
The Style
In general, you probably won’t care if the cooler is a stacked plate or a tube and fin, since they all work. A plate cooler is technically more efficient than a tube cooler, but there are better ways to express that. If you really want to know, we’ll go through it more down in the full guide.
The more important thing to consider when looking at the cooler’s style is whether or not it includes a fan. A unit with its own fan can be mounted anywhere. A cooler without a fan has to be mounted in a place where it will receive a lot of airflow.
The Amount of Cooling Provided
Unfortunately, the actual amount of cooling a unit provides depends on many factors and is really hard to standardize. Sometimes manufacturers will express the cooling as a number, sometimes they will give you a general idea by using keywords like “heavy duty towing” or “racing,” and sometimes they will expect you to use the force to figure it out. As a very general rule, the bigger the radiator size, the more cooling it provides, and coolers with fans cool more than coolers without.
The only metric you will see used as a unit of measurement for oil coolers is the GVWR. That’s the number, in pounds, representing the maximum weight of your vehicle and what you can tow. Generally, a high number will require more cooling and more fluid.
Not all vehicle manufacturers adjust the GVWR in the same way, and not all oil cooler manufacturers use the same standards for measuring. Our advice is to not worry about numbers too much, and focus more on compatibility.
Here in the review section, we’ll cover various coolers and give a breakdown of what applications they are best suited for. Here are our picks for the top 10 transmission coolers on the market.

Top 10 Best Transmission Oil Coolers 2020
1. Best Cooler Overall: Derale Electra-Cool Remote Cooler

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Why we like it: It might be a little more expensive than others, but the Derale Electra-Cool is a high-performance cooler with an unrivaled application range.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
The Derale Electra-Cool is perfect for any vehicle owner that values performance. That included towing performance, drift circuit performance, or just dominating highway pulls down in Mexico.
It is fan-cooled and can be mounted anywhere. The fan cooling also keeps it compact enough that it’s easy to find a place to mount it. That makes it ideal for performance cars, newer compact trucks, and custom hotrods. It’s also perfect for old trucks that don’t have much room, or tiny cars that are being pushed too hard, or even motorcycles for your next “Long Way Around” tribute ride. Basically, anywhere you have fluids that need cooling.
Standout Features
The first prominent feature is the design. It’s compact, encased in an aluminum shroud, and includes a high flow fan. The whole package is easy to mount anywhere and will fit in perfectly no matter how crazy your build becomes.
Lending to that notion is the second big feature, the inclusion of AN fittings. It also includes barbed fittings for more universal fitment. If you really value performance, though, the -8AN fittings are how you’ll want to hook this cooler in.
How Does It Compare?
Let’s get the bad out of the way first. It’s a bit expensive, and the fan adds a layer of complexity that simpler units don’t have. If you really want a straightforward, radiator mounted cooler that works with almost any vehicle, the B&M SuperCooler on our list will probably suit you better. It’s cheaper and doesn’t have any moving parts.
If you are willing to tackle the added complexity, the performance to cost to size ratios of the Derale Electra-Cool is best in class.

Pros
It comes with factory AN fittings
It’s compact but still cools really well
The fan and size make it perfect for mounting anywhere

Cons
It’s more expensive than fanless units
It’s more complicated than other units and can be intimidating to install

2. Best Cooler Overall Runner-Up: B&M SuperCooler

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Why we like it: The B&M is a well designed, high-efficiency cooler that is rugged and super easy to install.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
The SuperCooler is really for anyone with a truck, SUV, or bigger vehicle who notices that the transmission is getting hot. It’s medium-sized, which is about the standard for most coolers, but it’s a very high-efficiency design. So even though it’s not very big, it still offers a great amount of cooling.
The big deal with the fitment is that the kit the SuperCooler comes in is really complete. You can use the threaded fittings it comes with or use the included barbed adapters. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have AN fittings, so you are better off with something else if you have a racecar.
It does come with bolts and brackets for mounting anywhere, meaning you can almost certainly find a place to install it. Just make sure it has good airflow because it doesn’t have a fan.
Standout Features
The one thing that really stands out about the B&M SuperCooler is the completeness of the package. It’s got threaded fittings with adapters, it’s got bracket mounts and funky zip tie mounts, and it even comes with tubing and hose clamps. It’s missing the bypass valve that the monster Tru-Cool kit we recommend has, but the B&M is half the price. It’s easy to buy a really nice bypass system for the money you’d save.
How Does It Compare?
The B&M cooler is one of the best value coolers you can get. It has tons of cooling potential, it has tons of installation options, and B&M makes a high-quality product.
There’s a lot of reasons that you might choose other products. If you need to install a cooler in a remote location, get the Derale Electra-Cool. If you need even more cooling, pay a lot more and get the Tru-Cool Max. If you want to spend a lot less, get the Hayden 678. If you want the balance between all those things in a simple to install, universal package? The B&M SuperCooler is the cooler for you.

Pros
It’s very versatile
High-quality
Really good cooling efficiency

Cons
It’s a little expensive for what it is
No AN fittings

3. Best Heavy Duty Cooler: Tru-Cool Max 40K

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Why we like it: If you are serious about towing, the Tru-Cool Max is rated for a gross vehicle weight of 40,000lbs.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
This is the mack daddy of cooling, and if you are about to pull a team of horses up to a secluded ranch in the high mountains, then the Tru-Cool Max 40k is for you. It takes up more room than anything else on our list, but the 40k in the name stands for a GVWR of 40,000 lbs. If you can tow that much weight, the size is not going to be an issue.
Standout Features
There are two really great features. First, and most importantly, it’s huge. It has a lot of surface area, it holds a lot of extra fluid, and it allows a ton of air to pull the heat away. That means you get as much cooling as is possible without spending even more and going to a fan cooled unit like the Derale Hyper-Cool.
Second, it’s super simple to install. Tru-Cool includes everything, even bolts. That’s unique for universal kits. Usually, companies make you source out everything. Tru-Cool seems to know that DIY types will love their products, so they go the extra mile. The brackets are pre-mounted to the cooler, it includes multiple different sized fittings and its own bypass.
How Does It Compare?
It’s hard not to say that the Tru-Cool cooler is a fantastic buy. It’s huge, so that eliminates it from many people’s lists, but it works great and is super easy to install. It is costly. However, you might actually save money over similar products because you’d have to buy the extras that the Tru-Cool includes separately.
The hardest part about an oil cooler this big is that if you already have a vehicle set up to tow, chances are it has a big transmission cooler from the factory. It’s a lot of money to spend on something that you may not need. If you are noticing some overheating while towing heavy loads, though, the Tru-Cool is the way to go.

Pros
It’s great for towing
It’s easy to install and includes almost any fitting you could need
The included bypass valve is a nice feature

Cons
Expensive
It’s too big for most vehicles, and vehicles big enough to utilize it might already have a good cooler

4. Best Premium Cooler: Derale Hyper-Cool Dual

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Why we like it: The Hyper Dual-Cool is ultra-compact but still has the cooling power of much larger units.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
The Hyper-Cool Dual is all about high-performance. It’s a bit complicated for just being a heavy towing cooler. The Tru-Cool cooler.
is just fine for large trucks, but if you are about to enter the King of Hammers competition, the Hyper-Cool is terrific.
It’s ultra-compact for the amount of cooling it produces. With two fans pushing air through the stacked plate system, you can get some of the best cooling on this list from a system that will fit anywhere and can be mounted anywhere. Dragsters, hardcore offroad buggies, and honestly just about any high-performance build where cooling is a very high priority can benefit from this Derale.
Standout Features
There’s a lot that stands out. First, it’s got two fans, so there’s a ton of cooling no matter where it’s placed. Second, it’s set up from the factory for custom and modified vehicles, with AN fittings and an aluminum shroud. Third, and perhaps most astonishingly, is the insane amount of cooling.
The Hyper-Cool Dual disperses more than 3 times the amount of heat as a really great tow cooler like the B&N SuperCooler. You read that correctly; the Hyper-Cool dwarfs most other coolers in terms of cooling performance.
How Does It Compare?
You’ll be paying a lot for that, though. It’s the most expensive thing on our list. If you don’t need that level of cooling, you’re spending a lot of money just to move air around. Also, like many high-performance parts, it’s just not noob friendly at all. If you are not comfortable doing a lot of wiring, you’ll be in for a bad time. Both the fans should be wired to separate controllers, and the whole thing should be wired into thermostat switches to keep everything optimal.
After you tackle the wiring, you need to plumb it in. Even though it comes with universal adapters, the only way to take advantage of the cooling is to have a robust system setup with bypasses. Trust us, if you are just getting into performance modifications, get the G-Plus cooler instead. When you outgrow it, come back for this Derale.

Pros
It has insane amounts of cooling performance
It’s ready from the factory to drop into high-performance vehicles
It can be mounted anywhere

Cons
It’s really expensive
You do need a high level of knowledge and skill to fully utilize it

5. Best Inexpensive Towing Cooler: Hayden Automotive 678

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Why we like it: The Hayden 678 is a great price and big enough to handle towing 5000lb trailers.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
The Hayden 678 is too big for small vehicles, but it’s got a ton of cooling potential. It’s got a GVWR of up to 24,000 pounds. For reference, that’s a motorhome towing a Jeep, or a 1-ton truck towing a few horses. That means for your average truck, this cooler is more than enough to keep your transmission from overheating.
Unlike really gigantic units like the Tru-Cool Max, the Hayden 678 is still a reasonable size and easy to shoehorn into older trucks that don’t have adequate factory cooling. For that reason, it’s easy to say that this Hayden cooler is the best general-purpose truck cooler on our list.
Standout Features
For a budget, fanless cooler, the efficiency is fantastic. To put it into context, it’s only a little bit bigger than one of our favorite coolers, the B&M SuperCooler. Despite that, it has very similar cooling properties.
How Does It Compare?
There are two main competitors on our list for the Hayden Automotive 678. The first one is one we mentioned above, the B&M SuperCooler. That doesn’t make for a very flattering comparison, though. They might have similar cooling capabilities, but the Hayden is lower quality, uses weaker metals, and is harder to mount. It’s a lot cheaper, but that’s about it.
For a much more flattering comparison, let’s contrast it with the other Hayden cooler on our list, the Transaver. The 678 is about ten dollars more, but for those extra dollars, you get a unit that is a lot easier to install and has a much higher cooling efficiency. If you tow a lot, the 678 is just a much better option, and you won’t regret paying for it.

Pros
It’s inexpensive
It’s easy to install
It’s great for towing

Cons
The quality could be better
It doesn’t have AN fittings

6. Best Budget Cooler: Hayden Transaver

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Why we like it: The Hayden Transaver is nothing fancy, but it will do the job.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
The Hayden Transaver is perfect for anyone that just needs a bit more cooling. It’s not going to stop you from overheating while towing a motorhome up a mountain. However, it will stop your truck from overheating as you pull a motorcycle trailer through the desert. This unit is just a perfect first step when you notice that you are running hot. It’s cheap enough that you can throw it on and see if it solves the problem before committing to a larger, more expensive unit.
They even made it moderately easy to mount. It’s medium-sized, so it will fit in almost anything as long as air can flow through it, and it includes its own tubing and push-on fittings. It’s a shame they didn’t attach any brackets for easier mounting, but the standard zip tie like things will suffice.
Standout Features
There really aren’t any; it’s about as straightforward as a cooler can be. It has a tube, some fins, and it comes with some tubing. That’s not a bad thing. It means nothing can break, but it can make it feel like other coolers are a much better value despite the low price.
How Does It Compare?
It’s a little unfair to compare this budget item to premium items like the B&M cooler. Yes, the Hayden Transaver is lower quality, is harder to install, and frankly looks uglier. It’s one-third the price, though, and that can forgive a lot of sins.
What is a fair comparison is to compare this Hayden to the other Hayden cooler on our list. They are about the same size, both use universal fittings, and both are under $50. This is where we have to be honest with you all and say that unless saving ten or so dollars is really important to you, you should get the Hayden 678 instead. The 678 is a lot more efficient. It’s about the same size, but it has more than twice the cooling power.
However, as we said before, the Hayden Transaver is a perfect first step. That’s where the price really matters. If you just are not sure if a cooler will solve the problem or are really worried about fitment, you can buy the Transaver and give the idea a good test.

Pros
It’s Inexpensive
It’s simple and durable
It will fit a really large variety of cars and trucks

Cons
It doesn’t cool very good for its size
The fit and finish leaves a bit to be desired

7. Best Small Car Transmission Cooler: VRacing 4 Row Universal

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Why we like it: At barely 5” tall by 14” long, the VRacing 4 Row is perfect if you just need a little more cooling for your commuter.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
If you need a cooler for towing a big trailer through the desert, this isn’t it. But if you have a small truck and just need a bit more cooling as you haul loads up long hills, this is perfect. The 4 Row is also perfect if you notice that your car is overheating on hot days. It doesn’t have a fan, so it needs to be mounted in front of your radiator, but it’s small enough that that isn’t an issue.
They claim it’s for performance cars too, but the reality is that most performance cars will be begging for the remote install capability that a unit with a fan will bring. Small trucks and cars that live in harsher climates or that are driven just a bit harder than they are meant for will really benefit from a small cooler like this, though.
Standout Features
It’s small and doesn’t cost much, but it doesn’t really stand out in any way. That’s not a bad thing. There’s nothing to go wrong with it, which can be just as valuable as any feature. There’s also nothing that makes it hard to work with. There’s no fan to figure out how to wire in and no AN fittings to adapt. It’s just, there’s also nothing that really makes it unique.
How Does It Compare?
It’s half the size of the Hayden Automotive 678 and less than half the cost. It’s also less than half the cooling power, so it all works out. If that’s all you need, then it’s perfect.
The simplicity of this cooler can lead to a few disadvantages. It has like, no install hardware. You basically just have to zip-tie it to a structural member. Second, the cooling efficiency isn’t high. On a small unit like this, efficiency is key to cooling performance, so that’s not great. It’s so cheap, though, it’s actually hard to criticize it too harshly.

Pros
It’s very inexpensive
It’s great for small vehicles where space is a concern
The simple design means there’s nothing that can break

Cons
You will have to find a DIY solution for mounting it
Not good for larger vehicles

8. Best Inexpensive Fan Cooled Cooler: G-Plus Racing Cooler

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Why we like it: The G-Plus cooler has a fan and costs less than half what a similar Derale unit costs. What’s not to love?
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
Budget builders rejoice because the G-Plus is the perfect addition to any modified vehicle. It’s inexpensive enough to throw on an old K5 that needs to tow a travel trailer, and it’s approachable enough to stick on your old CRX before entering into the autocross.
The fan lets it work in any position, and it’s small enough to fit anywhere. The only issue that this G-Plus has is the opposite issue of the Mishimoto cooler on our list. For some reason, the G-Plus comes with AN fittings but no adapters. You’ll have to buy your own adapters if you want to make sure it fits your old work truck.
Standout Features
The price is the thing that makes the G-Plus standout. It is less than half the cost of the Derale electric cooler. You sacrifice quality for that price, and it shows in the finish of the unit. For instance, the seams aren’t sanded down, which is something you would never see on a higher quality cooler.
What you can do with a cheaper unit like this one is to test out the process before committing to a much more expensive setup. If you are on the fence about getting a cooler with a fan, then you can pick this up without feeling like you wasted a ton of money.
How Does It Compare?
As we said above, it’s the least expensive cooler with an electric fan on our list. We know that no one hates saving money, so we’ll count that as a good thing. It also comes in blue, if you want to add some color to your system.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Like we said before, it’s just not as high quality as the more expensive counterparts. It won’t cool as well as the Mishimoto cooler, despite being a similar size, and the threaded inputs can be intimidating for first time DIYers. Oh, it’s also got terrible documentation. They even proudly proclaim that they don’t include instructions in the ad.

Pros
Inexpensive
Can be mounted anywhere
Perfect for learning about transmission coolers and your vehicle

Cons
The quality could be better
The lack of universal fittings in the kit is annoying

9. Best Racing Cooler: Mishimoto MMOC-F

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Why we like it: Mishimoto knows how to speak our language with words like “ideal for supercharged vehicles” and “lifetime warranty.” Wanna go fast? Mishimoto wants you to as well.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
At first glance, it doesn’t seem like the Mishimoto brings anything new to the table. It looks like the Derale Electra-Cool, and it costs about the same. It’s a lot smaller, though, which means you can stick it in tight engine bays while still getting excellent cooling from the attached electric fan. It’s perfect for old Jeeps where space is a huge issue under the hood, but where we think it shines is on track weapons.
Yes, we know that most track day people would turn up their noses at an automatic transmission. There’s a great oil cooler by Mishimoto here for those of you who live the three-pedal life. Not everyone does, though, and plenty of people enjoy driving modified automatics. Especially the quarter-mile junkies, and they need to keep those automatic transmissions cool if they want the best possible ET. Weight, space, and compatibility are all at a premium when building a vehicle like that. This Mishimoto fits the bill.
Standout Features
The 8” heavy-duty fan is the biggest thing that makes this Mishimoto awesome. That allows you to install it totally out of position if you need to, and keeps you cool while staging at the lights.
How Does It Compare?
It’s a lot more expensive than the G-Plus cooler on our list, so it’s got to be pretty good to be worth it. The good news is that it is worth the extra price if you need the most cooling possible out of a compact unit. It’s a very well built unit, and it comes with a lifetime warranty.
There is one big gripe we have with it, though. Usually, when you are building a high-performance car, you will almost always be switching to AN fittings at some point. Unfortunately, Mishimoto went for the more universal push fittings instead.
To give you an idea of how close a lot of these compact units compare, the inclusion of AN fittings is the only reason we like the Derale Electra-Cool better. The Mishimoto cooler is still absolutely fantastic.

Pros
The fan is really good
It’s easy to install because of the universal fittings
It’s very compact

Cons
It’s expensive for the size
We wish it had AN fittings and adapters instead of the straight universal connections

10. Best Tiny Cooler: Derale Compact Fluid Cooler

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Why we like it: It doesn’t make the best transmission cooler unless you have a very tiny transmission, but the versatility of the Derale Compact gives it a place on our list.
Editor’s Rating:

Best Suited For
It’s a little cooler for little things. It’s not even big enough to cool the transmission in your civic. You could stack a bunch of them together or something, but there are approximately 9 better ways on this list to cool a large transmission. Even if space is your biggest concern, a unit with a fan like the G-Plus cooler mounted in a remote location would be better than the relatively small surface area of this Derale.
Got a dirt bike, automatic scooter, or side-by-side, though? This little thing is perfect for keeping the transmission oil cool.
Standout Features
The size is really the most significant design element for this Derale. It comes stock with -6AN fittings, so you’ll have to convert it to barbed fittings to get a really universal fitment, but it’s small enough that it will fit on anything.
How Does It Compare?
When it comes down to it, the Derale Compact is just not big enough to be really useful for most transmissions, and that’s why we rated it so low. It’s really not a bad unit. Like most Derale products, it’s high quality and easy to mount. It’s perfect as a power steering cooler and perfect for cooling the oil on a motorcycle or other small engine. If you are looking for versatility, the size and AN fittings make it a great choice.
The problem is that they market it as an auxiliary transmission cooler, so we are reviewing it as such. It might lower your ATF temp a few degrees, but that’s nothing compared to the -20 you get from a small dedicated cooler like the VRacing 4 Row. The real kicker, though, is that the VRacing cooler is cheaper.

Pros
It’s tiny. Perfect for motorcycles and stuff
It has a high build quality
It comes stock with -6AN fittings

Cons
It’s kind of expensive for what it is
It’s tiny, and that means it’s not very good at cooling transmissions

Everything You Could Want To Know About Transmission Coolers
Up above, we promised you science, details, and tons of extra information. We like to keep our word, so let’s get into it. We’ll start with a deeper dive into the most important question.
Do You Really Need a Transmission Cooler?
If you go on to forums or follow truck builds on Instagram, you’re probably convinced that the minute you try to tow even the smallest trailer with your vehicle, it will instantly catch fire and explode. Unless, of course, you have a transmission cooler.
Here’s the big secret though: the people who design and manufacture trucks aren’t idiots. Most trucks, SUVs and even a lot of cars already have a transmission cooler integrated into the radiator. In fact, it’s usually better and more efficient than a lot of aftermarket ones. Unless you are actually noticing signs of your transmission overheating, then the answer is probably no.
There are a handful of good reasons to get an aftermarket cooler, though. Some don’t even require you to be having a problem first.
Your Transmission is Overheating
You can read about the signs here offsite, but the basic idea is that an overheating transmission will smell bad and behave strangely. There’s a few reasons a transmission can start overheating. There could simply be a design flaw for that make and model, or the owner could live in a really harsh and hot environment.
The first thing to check is the fluid quality. Bad or old fluid will cause overheating, so don’t jump straight into installing hundreds of dollars worth of upgrades when twenty dollars worth of ATF will do you just fine.
You Plan On Making the Transmission Do Extra Work
If you plan on really taxing the tranny, an oil cooler can save you from issues. Racing or towing heavy loads frequently can put a serious strain on a transmission and cause the temperatures to climb higher than the maker designed them for. Especially if you have a car or truck that doesn’t have a factory cooler.
You Are Messing With The Factory System Anyway
Modifying cars is a lot of fun. Any time you build power, you will probably also have to overhaul your cooling system. Most big aftermarket radiators won’t have an integrated transmission cooler, so you’ll need to buy a separate unit to ensure things stay under temp. What can be really handy about an aftermarket oil cooler is the ability to mount it anywhere. Depending on the extent of the modifications you are doing, you may be forced into buying an aftermarket cooler just because there isn’t room for the factory system anymore.

AN Fittings, Barbed Fittings, and Hose Clamps
After reading through our reviews, you might have some questions. Questions like, what is an AN fitting, and why do they keep talking about it? Why is an AN fitting better than a press on fitting, and why are all these press fittings different shapes?
Well, we’d like to answer those questions here.
AN Fittings
AN stands for Army Navy, because they were developed by the Army and the Navy. If you really want to know more, you can read the wiki about them here.
More importantly, AN fittings are standardized, threaded fittings for fluids used everywhere in the automotive world. They are measured by a dash number, and the higher the number, the bigger the fitting.
If you have ever gone to a place where there are a lot of high performance or custom cars, you’ve seen AN fittings everywhere, usually -8 and -10 fittings. Those are kind of your standard race car sizes. They are almost always either red or blue, and they are on the end of those cool braided hoses that run from reservoirs, to pumps, to filters, to coolers, and to the motor.
Push On or Barbed Fittings
Push on fittings have a ton of different designs, but they all function in the same way. You push a rubber hose over a tube that has ribs, barbs, or a bump to hold the rubber hose in place. Then you tighten a hose clamp around it.
They are dead simple and can be used with a lot of different types of hoses. You can even fudge the sizes. A hose barb that is too small for a hose can be made to work if you put enough force into the clamp, and a hose that is to small for the hose barb can be heated up and worked onto it anyway.
These types of connections are prone to wearing out and leaking, though. They can also be an absolute pain in the butt to work with after some time passes. Rubber hoses are especially prone to seizing in place. If a hose is older, you are much better off cutting it with a knife and replacing it rather than trying to carefully remove it and reuse it.
Threaded Fittings
Some of the coolers we recommend, like the B&M cooler, have threaded fittings that are not AN fittings. These threaded fittings are meant to be used with an adapter. You can either screw-in push on fittings or AN fittings. The advantages of having a threaded inlet and outlet are that you can choose what method you will use to hook up the oil lines, and they don’t have to be the same method for the in and the out. The downside is that you have to do some extra legwork to buy the adapter and install it.
The Three Main Types of Cooler
We touched on it briefly up above, but in addition to either having a fan or not, coolers come in three main types. The biggest differences between them are the efficiency of cooling and the price. The higher the efficiency, the more they cost. That usually means your budget will determine the type, so it’s not a very important thing to think about.
Tube and Fins– Cheap coolers like the Hayden Transaver are just a metal tube connected by metal fins. The heat gets absorbed from the tube by the fins and dispersed into the air. Simple, cheap, and good enough to cool things down a few degrees.
Plates and Fins- Plates are kinda like flat tubes. If you take a look at the Hayden 678 we recommend you’ll see that it has a ton of flat “plates” connected by a ton of tiny “fins.” The plates and fins design is higher efficiency because of the greater surface area, but the extra metal tends to make it cost more.
Stacked Plate- A stacked plate design is used in most premium coolers, like the B&M SuperCooler we recommend. At first glance, they look just like the plate and fin designs, but they are engineered to allow way better airflow and even more surface area. That engineering costs money, though.
A Transmission Cooler is Part of a System
The last thing we really want to touch on in this guide is to reinforce the fact that a transmission cooler is part of a system. It’s not enough to just buy a cooler and bolt it onto your truck; you also need to think about other vital components.
Thermostats and Bypasses
There is actually a sweet spot between too cold and too hot when it comes to most fluids. Your engine’s cooling system has a thermostat that only opens when the motor is warmed up. When you install a transmission cooler, you want it to behave in the same manner.
You do that by creating a bypass loop so that the transmission fluid can flow through the stock internals and warm up without having to flow through the aftermarket cooler. There are electric thermostats that hook up to bypasses controlled by an electric signal, and bypasses that work like a radiator thermostat. You will want to research since builds are more dependent on the individual vehicle than anything else.
Space Conflicts
Not only are there components that make up the transmission cooling system, but the transmission itself is part of a larger system that makes up your power train. That means you have to be careful to install coolers and hoses in a place where they will not interfere with other components. A fancy new cooler won’t do you any good if the radiator fan cuts the hose in half.
Relays and Wiring
Coolers with a fan have an extra step when installing them, and that extra step is wiring in the fan. Generally, you don’t want the fan to run all the time, and that’s for the same reason you would install a bypass. When the engine is cold, you are just wasting energy by letting the fan run constantly. The easiest thing to do is get a thermal switch, like this one, and wire the fan into it.
Otherwise, wire into a relay that’s triggered off the main thermostat or the computer. If you are hardcore, wire it to a switch on your dash and just turn it on when you need it.
Keep it Cool
The number one killer of performance transmissions is heat. There’s no reason not to solve that issue. Coolers range from cheap to still less than a good intake, and it’s a small price to pay compared to the thousands of dollars it would take to replace a transmission that you know is running hot. Don’t wait; grab some zip ties and some ATF and order one. More

We get it. We’ve all been there. You know that there are things like ball-joints that need periodic greasing as part of regular maintenance, or there will be serious consequences down the road. Still, you never seem to get to it.
For many drivers, this comes down to simply not having the right tool for the job. We can help you with that. Keep reading for our picks of the best grease guns to buy for your car in 2020.

How to Choose A Grease Gun
Grease guns dispense grease, but the way they dispense grease can vary wildly. It’s important to get the right grease gun for the jobs you want to do, not necessarily the “best” gun. Here are the things you need to know to determine if a grease gun will suit your situation.
Power Types
The biggest difference between grease guns concerns the way they are powered. The following are the three most common, but there are some weird ones here and there that don’t fit into any category.
Manual
Powered only by “elbow grease,” manual grease guns are portable, cheap, and work for most situations. You’ll get a serious workout if you have a lot of fittings to grease, though.
Manual powered grease guns come in two different styles. Lever style guns can build a lot of pressure and are better for heavier duty applications. Check out this one we recommend.
Pistol style grease guns, like our number one pick, are easier to use than lever-style ones. Mostly because you can operate them one-handed. They take longer to build pressure and usually can’t build higher pressures like the lever style ones. They do tend to be cheaper. The lower cost and easier operation make pistol style grease guns the most common guns you’ll come across.
Pneumatic
In ye olden days of, well, not that long ago, air-powered grease guns were the choice of shops and professional mechanics everywhere. If you have to do a lot of greasing, letting an air compressor do all the actual work makes a lot of sense. You do, however, need an air compressor and a hose to be attached too. Those limitations have led to battery-powered guns taking over as the gold standard. They are still prevalent in small and medium shops and are very reasonably priced. Just check out this Azuno product we recommend.
Battery Powered
Battery-powered grease guns combine manual style guns’ portability and convenience with a pneumatic gun’s wrist saving automation. Battery technology has advanced to the point where these guns last through an entire workday on a single charge and have the power to rival anything else. The only reason that everyone doesn’t own one is the price. Even inexpensive battery-operated grease guns like the DeWalt we recommend are still hundreds of dollars more than their hand-powered competitors.
Size
After you’ve decided how much labor you want to do, you have to decide how much grease you need to do the jobs you have.
Tiny- There are grease guns made for very small jobs. The Astro Pneumatic on our list is the perfect companion for assembling motors.
Small- Standard grease tubes come in two sizes: 3 oz and 14 oz. 3 oz guns like our budget pick are perfect for small jobs and the occasional bigger job.
Medium- This group describes most trucks, small tractors, and shop machinery. Most guns, like our overall pick, fit this category.
Large- If you need to put out a lot of grease in a short amount of time, guns like the Milwaukee we recommend can really put out a lot of grease.
Putting it All Together
Take a moment and really consider what kind of jobs you will need to do with the gun. If you just have a car that needs some suspension work every so often, a small or medium-sized gun you operate by hand will probably be fine. If you need to work on an entire fleet of vans, you’ll probably want something you don’t have to pump by hand.
Before we get to the reviews, do note that it’s not the right choice to just get the biggest and best. First off, a big grease gun can be really unwieldy if you are working in tight spaces. Second, different types of fittings and application methods require different pressures. We’ll talk more about that in the section at the bottom of the article here, but if you are greasing something like a bicycle, there is a very real possibility that a heavy-duty lever style gun can blow apart the bearings.

Top 10 Best Grease Guns 2020
1. Best Overall Pick: Heavy Duty Grease Gun

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Why we like it: The Bravex Heavy Duty Grease Gun is cheap, easy to use, portable, and durable. That means you have no excuse not to keep up on your maintenance.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
The Bravex Heavy Duty Grease Gun is a pistol style gun, which means you operate it by squeezing a big trigger repeatedly. You can use it one-handed, which is really nice if you need to reach into a tight area. It also comes with a few different fittings so you can get the best angle on a grease spot possible.
The Jobs It’s Built For
The Bravex Heavy Duty is a general purpose grease gun. The long hose can get into small spaces, and the 14oz reservoir means you can grease an entire Humvee in one stint. Although, a lever style like this one or a battery-powered deal like this one would be better if you are a Humvee enthusiast. That would save you from the severe hand workout that the pistol-style demands.
Our Thoughts
Don’t know what you need? Get this one. It’s cheap, works in a ton of situations, and is durable enough to last through at least a few years’ worth of tune-ups.
It’s not the best at anything. The pistol trigger-style will leave your hand aching if you have to do a bigger job, and there are definitely higher quality guns that are the same style. The Lincoln pistol type will outlast this Bravex, especially if you are doing a lot of greasing. For the average person, though, the quality is perfect, and the price is even better.

Pros
Inexpensive
Good quality for the price
Very versatile

Cons
There are better options for large jobs
Could be more durable

2. Best Battery Powered Grease Gun: Dewalt 20V Cordless Grease Gun

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Why we like it: DeWalt is one of the most trusted brands in the tool world, so it’s no surprise that they make a really fantastic battery-powered grease gun.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
You hook the hose up to the grease fitting you want to fill with grease and then squeeze the trigger. An electric motor will do all the work. Add in the fact that the hose is 42” long, and you have a tool that you don’t even have to hold. Just set it on the ground and pull the hose over to your fitting.
The Jobs It’s Built For
The best thing about a battery-powered grease gun is that you can use it all day without needing to see a chiropractor after. In this case, all day means 16 cartridges per battery charge. If you have not greased things before, just trust us when we say that’s a lot. You could start at one end of your street and start greasing everyone’s car working your way to the other end, and you’d probably still have a charge.
Long story short, if you have to do a TON of greasing, whether it’s tractors or muscle cars, the DeWalt is there to see you through the job.
Our Thoughts
If you don’t have to do a lot of greasing, the DeWalt may be overkill for saving a few minutes of manual labor. This may be worth it to you. Body parts are hard to replace, after all. It’s just that the average person will be able to do everything they could ever want to do with a cheaper, manually operated grease gun without too much effort.
The lever style gun we recommend can build the same pressure, hold the same amount of grease, and costs a quarter of the price.
Those few minutes saved become hours saved if you have a lot of equipment that needs grease, though. You can put the DeWalt unit in your truck, drive out to the field, and grease the tractor, the plow, the blades, and the harvester all on a single charge. That’s pretty damn incredible.
Just be sure to keep it primed and clean.

Pros
Really good value
The battery lasts a long time
Easy to use

Cons
Will jam if you don’t keep the filter clean
Not as expensive as the Milwaukee, but still really expensive for a grease gun

3. Best Premium Pick: Milwaukee Cordless 2-Speed Grease Gun

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Why we like it: There’s no substitute for a good battery powered grease gun when you need to get a lot of work done, and Milwaukee is one of the most famous brands concerning battery power.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
To use this grease gun, you hook the hose up to the zerk fitting and you squeeze the trigger. It goes “whirr whirr whirr” and pumps grease at 10000psi. You read that right. That means you have to pay attention, or you will push grease throughout your entire machine in a matter of seconds.
Now we don’t want to be rude, the DeWalt also claims it can do 10k psi, but the hose on the Milwaukee gives you the confidence to actually try it.
The Jobs It’s Built For
This thing is for big jobs. It’s just like the DeWalt, but more hardcore. The pressure is higher, the flow is faster, and the hose is 4ft long instead of almost 4ft long. It even weighs more and has more steel bits. Have an entire fleet of tractors that need greasing every day? No problem, the Milwaukee can burn through 10 cartridges per charge.
Oh, and it can do little projects too. You can dial back the grease output and use it for your dirt bike. You know, after you finish lubing everything else on your block.
Our Thoughts
We are really into being truthful, so we are just going to come out and say this: the DeWalt is a better value. The Milwaukee system is expensive, the battery doesn’t last as long, and it’s heavier. If you are on the fence, get the DeWalt battery gun.
There are two main reasons to get the Milwaukee grease gun over the yellow one, though. First, if you value quality over everything else and are willing to pay the extra one hundred dollars for it, go for it. You won’t be disappointed. Second, you already have a bunch of Milwaukee tools, and you won’t have to buy batteries. We know how fierce brand loyalty can be. If you are already a fan of Milwaukee tools, don’t let us or DeWalt come between you and the M18 system.

Pros
The hose is really nice
Durability is unmatched
Can build a ton of pressure

Cons
Expensive
The battery doesn’t last as long as the DeWalt

4. Best Heavy-Duty Manual Grease Gun: Alemite 500-E

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Why we like it: Lever action guns like the Alemite 500-E allow you to make maximum pressure with minimal effort. It’s an indispensable tool if you have bigger vehicles or tractors.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
Unfortunately, by starting with the way it works, we are starting with the worst part about it. To fully utilize a lever action grease gun, you need three hands. One to hold the fitting, one to hold the gun, and a third to actuate the lever. Last time we checked, most people don’t have three hands, so you end up compromising and doing things like holding the hose in place with your hip. You’ll just wish the hose was long if you are using the hip method. It’s easier to get in close with other grease gun styles, the lever style works better further away.
The good news is that extra leverage makes it really easy to operate. You don’t have to use much effort to work the lever, especially compared to a pistol style gun, and it builds way more pressure in the same amount of time.
The Jobs It’s Built For
Really, at its core, the Alemite is just another general-purpose grease gun. It’s good for everything the Bravex gun is good for. It’s just a lot more industrial. Rusty, clogged fittings that have been abused for years will benefit from the extra pressure that the Alemite can generate, and the ability to use all sorts of loading methods means you can load the gun using barrels of bulk grease.
Our Thoughts
In the world of grease guns, there are some bigger players. Lincoln is probably the most well-known, and we do recommend both their pneumatic and pistol style grease guns. Alemite is a lot like Lincoln in terms of quality, but they tend to be a bit more hardcore in terms of function.
That comes through in a few ways. First, they build their guns around bulk loading. You can use cartridges, sure, but you can also use a loading pump, unlike many guns. It’s a tool, available here, to pull grease directly into the gun from bulk pails in a short amount of time.
Second, this particular lever-actuated gun can build 10000psi of pressure. That’s the same amount of pressure as the very expensive Milwaukee electric unit. You can blow apart bearings if that’s what you want to do for some reason. We don’t recommend it, but it makes for good visual representation.

Pros
Easily builds a lot of pressure
Less tiring to use than a pistol style
Good quality

Cons
Needs two hands to operate
The hose could be longer

5. Best Budget Pick: Horusdy Mini Pistol Grip Grease Gun

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Why we like it: The Horusdy Mini is small enough to get into any space, cheap enough to buy as a backup, and generates enough pressure to fill most automotive components with grease.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
It works just like any other pistol style grease gun in basic function. However, unlike standard guns like the Bravex, the reservoir tube is the handle. That makes it a lot more compact. You couple that with the fact that it’s only a 3oz reservoir instead of a 14oz, and you have a lightweight, easy to use gun that can fit almost anywhere.
The Jobs It’s Built For
The 3oz reservoir means that you really won’t want to use this for a project that needs a lot of grease. It’s perfect for small jobs and the occasional medium job, though. You have a go-kart that needs a full service? It’s fine for that. Greasing the suspension on your Honda Civic? No problem. Greasing an entire backhoe? You’d be way better off with something like the Lincoln gun here, but it can do it.
That’s the big advantage of the Horusdy Mini over other tiny grease guns. It is compatible with standard zerk fittings, so you can use it on bigger machines. There isn’t really enough pressure for heavy equipment unless they are in pristine condition, and it holds so little that it will take forever, but it can be used in a pinch.
Our Thoughts
A little gun like this is the absolute perfect thing to keep in a toolbox at all times, even if you have another larger gun. It can be used in most situations; it’s just not the best for large jobs. That makes it the perfect backup.
Of course, if you only need to do small projects, you don’t need to treat it as a backup. It can just be your main grease gun, and that’s awesome because they are really inexpensive. Just do your sanity a favor and don’t read any of the instructions it comes with. Watch a YouTube video instead, like this one.

Pros
Easy to operate
Fits neatly into most toolboxes
Inexpensive

Cons
Not enough pressure for using on heavy equipment
Only holds a 3oz cartridge

6. Best Pneumatic Grease Gun: Lincoln 1162 Fully Automatic Grease Gun

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Why we like it: If you have access to an air compressor, there’s no reason not to make your life easier by using a pneumatic grease gun. Lincoln just happens to make the best one.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
To use an air-powered gun, you first have to connect it to an air hose connected to an air compressor. You need at least 60psi to really make the grease gun work well. Then just connect the gun to a grease fitting and squeeze the trigger.
The nice thing about the air-powered guns is that they are a lot more lightweight than the battery-powered equivalents. Usually, if you have a unit like the DeWalt gun we mention, you’ll want to set the gun down in the dirt, attach the hose, then reach down and squeeze the trigger. The Lincoln Pneumatic Gun is much easier to use than a standard grease gun. Just lift it up with one hand, attach, and squeeze.
The Jobs It’s Built For
A pneumatic gun is really a shop tool. Since you need to power it with an air compressor, it’s not portable like all the other types are.
That being said, if you have an air compressor, you can work all day without succumbing to fatigue. It’s lightweight, can dispense grease continuously, and is really easy on your hands to use. If you have a lot of equipment that needs servicing or just don’t want to put the sweat into the job, a pneumatic gun is a great investment.
Our Thoughts
Lincoln is famous for its lubrication tools. If you ask around any job site or shop, you’ll find a lot of loyalty to the brand. That’s because they make great products and have for a long time. They even have the honor of being the only brand to appear on our list twice. First with this entry, and again with their high-quality manual powered gun here.
The only thing that can let you down is the tip. The hose fittings are not standard, so grab another one like this one here to make your life easier. Truthfully, and we’ll say it again in the tips and tricks section, you should consider doing that for any grease gun.

Pros
Lightweight, especially compared to the battery-powered brethren
Easy to use
Good quality

Cons
You need an air compressor to use it
The fittings could be better

7. Best High-Quality Pistol Grease Gun: Lincoln Lubrication 1134

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Why we like it: The Lincoln Pistol Grip is the perfect rebuttal for when someone complains that tools don’t last as long as they used to.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
Like any pistol style grease gun, you connect the hose and squeeze the trigger repeatedly. The Lincoln is a bit harder to squeeze, though, so you will get tired quickly if you have to do a ton of greasing. That extra work translates into extra pressure, so even though it takes more work to operate, you might be done faster. It’s tough to know whether you’ll burn more calories working an easier pump for longer periods or using a harder pump for less time.
The Jobs It’s Built For
Like the Bravex grease gun, this Lincoln is a standard, general-purpose tool. It will grease your lawnmower, and it will grease your Camry and your Peterbilt. The one advantage that the Lincoln has over other, similar style pistol grip grease guns is that it can build more pressure.
The pressure itself isn’t really the advantage; it’s all about the extra control that affords you. If you really need high pressure, get a lever style unit like this one, the extra 1500psi that the Lincoln offers over the Bravex won’t do much for stuck fittings. It will make it a lot easier to control how much grease you are putting into a fitting since you won’t have to go full force all the time.
Our Thoughts
We said it before here, but we will repeat it. Lincoln makes great products. If you want a grease gun that you can rely on for years and years, here it is. The hose is exceptionally high quality. That’s the first thing to break on most grease guns. Either cracks start to form around the fittings or splits begin to form where it bends for storage. The hose on the Lincoln is reinforced and extra durable.
It is more expensive. The price of quality is never low, so that’s expected. What isn’t as expected is that this gun might fight you a little bit. The springs are harder, and the whole thing is more intense, for lack of a better word. That can make loading it with grease and reassembling it takes more patience than other devices like the Bravex gun. Not the end of the world; just add some aromatherapy candles to your shop or something.

Pros
High-quality
Builds great pressure, especially for the style of gun
Easy to fines in the right amount of grease

Cons
Can be tricky to load
Expensive

8. Best for Small Parts: Astro Pneumatic Tool 101 Mini Grease Gun

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Why we like it: The Astro Pneumatic Mini is perfect for lubricating small parts. It’s like a grease gun that greases the parts of bigger grease guns.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
To use the Astro Pneumatic Tool, you first have to fill the reservoir with grease. To do that, you remove the metal cylinder and pack it full of grease by hand. We suggest using a tongue depressor; they work great as mini spatulas. There’s a great video featuring a very similar design by RJ the Bike Guy showing the process here.
After you reassemble it, prime it with a screwdriver. Just watch the video; it’s hard to explain. You dispense the grease by pumping on the button on the back. It’s easy to use one-handed, get grease into tight spots, and get small quantities onto parts.
The Jobs It’s Built For
It’s built for lubricating small things, like bike parts, or smearing a bit of assembly lube on bolts. Especially on stuff that is recessed into an area where you would normally try to poke your fingers into, and then give up and get a Q-tip and trap a bunch of loose cotton fibers into a bearing race. Don’t do that. Just get one of these little guns. You can stick the little needle right into tight areas and apply a perfect, clean dollop of grease.
The one thing to note is that these types of grease guns, including another one on our list here, do not snap onto standard grease fittings. They will not replace your bigger guns.
Our Thoughts
For less than $15, you can significantly cut down on the amount of mess you make assembling things on your bench. That’s worth it alone, but for the average home mechanic, there’s another reason. One that might make this the best sub $20 tool you buy this year.
If you have it, you will use it to keep your tools lubricated. Oiling and greasing tools is something that so many people neglect, but it’s essential if you care about keeping your tools working well for long periods. Have you ever had a fight with an adjustable wrench? Put a dot of grease on the screw, and you’ve won the battle.

Pros
Tiny and very precise, perfect for small applications
Holds 3oz of lube (that’s a good amount for a tiny tool)
Easy to operate one-handed

Cons
Can be annoying to load
Can’t be used with standard zerk fittings

9. Best Inexpensive Pneumatic Grease Gun: Azuno Pneumatic Grease Gun

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Why we like it: The Azuno Pneumatic Grease Gun strikes a great balance between much more expensive automatic guns and cheaper manual guns.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
It works the same as the Lincoln pneumatic grease gun; it’s just heavier and a bit harder to bleed. You hook an air hose connected to a 90psi air source up to the grease gun, then connect it to a grease fitting and squeeze the trigger.
The big thing that separates the Azuno from the Lincoln gun when it comes to operating is the hose end fitting. Azuno includes a quick connect fitting on the end of the hose. It’s a little spring-loaded tool that replaces the standard hose end and makes your life way easier since it locks onto a zerk fitting much more secure than a standard end. We wish more companies did that. It’s surprising to see one on a budget gun.
The Jobs It’s Built For
We called the Lincoln pneumatic grease gun the perfect gun for a shop. It’s great for pumping out a lot of grease, it’s great for saving your wrist, and as long as you have an air supply, it’s effortless to use. Fleets of vans are no match for a good pneumatic grease gun.
The Azuno gun is no different in function, but you won’t feel bad leaving it outside in the dirt.
Our Thoughts
For a budget gun, this thing is amazing. It comes with a quick connector at the end of the hose, just like we would otherwise recommend buying separately, and it does everything it advertises on the box. Sure, it’s not as high pressure or as nice to hold as more premium products like the Lincoln pneumatic, or even the Bravex hand pump.
But dang, it’s an excellent gun that is much cheaper than any of the big-name pneumatic guns and is almost 1/10th the price of the big battery-powered units. If you have an air compressor already, and do a lot of suspension work, it’s legitimately hard to find a reason not to give this Azuno a try.

Pros
Inexpensive
Great, easy to use end fitting
Easy to operate

Cons
Doesn’t build much pressure
You need an air compressor to use it

10. Best Injection Grease Gun: Finish Line Grease Injection Gun

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Why we like it: The Finish Line Injection Gun is dead simple and super tiny. It’s perfect for greasing bolts or bicycle parts.
Editor’s Rating:

How It Works
At first glance, it looks a lot like the Astro Mini. That’s because the purpose is mostly the same, it’s a precision grease applicator.
The way you get the grease though the needle is totally different, though. Instead of taking off the barrel and packing it with grease, you just screw the gun onto a tube of grease. You don’t prime it with a screwdriver; you just squeeze the tube. It’s about the most intuitive tool on this list. Screw it on, pump grease out.
The Jobs It’s Built For
The gun itself is built with bicycle mechanics in mind. The small needle can get right into the tiny areas between gears and cables. That doesn’t mean you have to use it for bicycles, though. Just like with the Astro Mini, it’s great for assembly, for lubricating tools, and for general purpose greasing.
Our Thoughts
Finish Line’s mini grease gun is only unique in that it’s streamlined for use on a grease tube. That eliminates the mess of filling up a container.
Unfortunately, it’s worse in almost every other way than the Astro Tools or similar canister grease guns. The build quality is bad; grease will leak out of places it shouldn’t, and if you drop it off a bench, it will probably break.
If convenience is the absolute most important thing to you, pick this thing up. It’s tiny, intuitive and you don’t have to worry about packing and priming grease. Just don’t step on it.

Pros
The unique loading system is very intuitive
Very compact

Cons
Quality could be better
Only works with grease tubes

All About Grease Guns
Using a grease gun can sometimes feel like voodoo. They’ll stop working mid-job sometimes, or they will slowly push grease out long after the trigger is released. In this section, we will talk about how the guns work, how you can make them work better for you, and some tips to take the voodoo out of the process.
What Is a Zerk Fitting?

When you talk about grease, you’ll see the word zerk thrown all over the place. A grease zerk, or grease fitting, or if you are old-school, an Alemite fitting, is the modern connection point for grease guns. It’s basically just a ball check valve that’s only ¼” in diameter. The end of a grease gun connects right to it so you can pump grease into whatever component is on the other side of the fitting. It’s called a “Zerk” because of the guy that invented it. If you really want to know more, here’s the wikipedia entry. It’s actually pretty interesting.
Filling a Grease Gun With Grease
Except for a few specialty tools, like the Atro Mini we recommend, most grease guns can be filled in one of two ways.
Cartridges
A grease cartridge will be the way that 90% of people get grease into their grease guns. Some guns, like the smaller Horusdy Mini we recommend, can only use grease cartridges. Grease cartridges come in a few different sizes, but most guns are designed to either use a 3oz or a 14oz cartridge.
Cartridges are good because they are clean and easy. You can swap grease types easily without cross-contamination, and since each one comes sealed, there’s no chance of getting debris mixed in. They are a bit more expensive, so over time, you spend a lot more than bulk filling if you are doing a lot of lubricating.
A Quick Tip Concerning Cartridges
Here’s the big pro tip we can give you about cartridges, and after you know it, you can spend hours laughing at the negative review sections of any grease gun listing. Cartridges have two ends: one end is capped, the other end has an aluminum lid. Take the cap off, and put the tube into the grease gun barrel with the aluminum lid up. There’s a lip on the top of the tube that locks it in place when the gun is assembled.
Pull the aluminum lid off with a screwdriver or your fingers if you have fingernails, and you are ready to go. Re-assemble the gun, prime it, and enjoy a laugh at the expense of all the people who put the tube in backward and ended up with a gigantic mess.
Bulk Fill
There are two easy to fill a grease gun from a big bucket of grease. The first is with a tool that fits on top of the bucket that forces the grease into the gun using air or a lever. If you work in a big shop or own lots of tractors already, you probably already have one. If you don’t, just know that the fill tool is a lot more expensive than any grease gun and takes a very long time to pay off.
The second method is to use the fill tube to suck grease out of the bucket. This is one of those cases where it’s just way easier to see it than explain it, so just take a look at this video. He’s got a funky clear grease tube that makes it really easy to see what’s going on.
Tips for Getting the Most Out Of Your Grease Gun
Ok, you have the gun, you’ve located the zerk fittings you need to access, and you’ve filled the gun with grease. Great, here’s a bunch of tips to make the rest of the process smoother.
Buy a better end. Your life will be so much better with a better grease end, like this one. Just trust us.
Learn to bleed your gun. This is one of the times you need to read the instructions since each gun is different. After you read the instructions, bleed the gun. 90% of the time, when someone can’t make a gun work, it’s because there is air in it. There is air in it because they didn’t bleed it right.
Use the right grease. The best way to know what grease to use is to google it or ask the clerk at any store that sells the grease. The standard types are pretty self-explanatory: High-speed wheel bearing grease is for high-speed bearings, wheel hub grease is for wheel hubs, etc.
Keep everything clean. It feels like we say this in every single article, and it never gets less important. Keep the fittings clean, keep the gun clean, and keep your workspace clean.
Be aware of over-doing it. This is another point that will require some research on your part, but lots of things are easy to over grease—especially bearings. The “grease it until it leaks” method is ok for some things, but bearings can be damaged by being overfilled.
Grease more often. We don’t know anyone that does it, but most professionals recommend greasing the ball joints on your car every six months. Most heavy equipment has detailed maintenance schedules printed in their manuals, but sometimes passenger cars and trucks won’t. A simple google search will usually fill in any missing information.
Grease Now, Save Later
No one wants to spend all day greasing a truck, but at least you can make the job as easy as possible by choosing the right tool for the job. Isn’t it annoying how no matter what, that’s always the case? Like, it doesn’t matter what you do, everyone always says that you should use the right tool for the job, and then you have flashbacks to your father scowling at you as you round off another bolt trying to use a pipe wrench to take off a valve cover? That’s just us? Anyway, remember to bleed the gun, grease things more often rather than less often, and keep the area clean. Happy lubricating. More

Ah, winter. A time of fulfillment and joy, Christmas spirit and wrapping toys. Holiday cheer and good times abound, short days and long nights with fluffy white all around. Winter’s great, isn’t it? Well, until you’re stuck shoveling snow and scraping your car every morning in the frigid cold.
If you aren’t looking forward to snow shovels, slick roads, and frosty windshields, you’re in good company. We can’t shovel your driveway for you or clear the roads, but when it comes to frost guard windshield covers, we’ve got you covered.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Frost Guard Windshield Cover
The first thing you should consider when deciding whether or not to buy a frost guard windshield cover is deciding if you actually need one or not. To help you figure this out, we have a short checklist that can help you decide if such a product is right for you:
If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then you might want to consider buying one. Now assuming you do, there are a few things you should consider when looking for a frost guard.
Types of Fittings
You’ll want to pay attention to the type of fittings it comes equipped with. Many guards come equipped with multiple styles, each of which will determine how well it stays secured to your vehicle through hail and gale, snow and rain.
Side Mirror Straps
The most common type of fixture for frost guards, these are usually elastic straps that either loop around your mirror or attach to built-in mirror covers. Be wary of guards that only utilize these elastic straps, as they are susceptible to failure from cold and direct sunlight.
Magnets
Frost guards sometimes utilize small pouches that contain magnets that stick to the metal body of your vehicle. These will not only help keep the guard in place, but they’ll also prevent the cover from ballooning under windy conditions.
There are potential issues with magnets, so you’ll want to check out our section on these issues if you’re considering a guard that utilizes magnets.
Door Flaps
Door flaps are a standard on most frost guards. They help keep the guard in place, but they don’t just keep the wind from taking your guard – they help prevent people from taking it as well.
Like magnets, they are commonly effective, but they present a unique danger to your car under certain weather conditions. With the potential for water to make its way inside your vehicle, you need to be careful about when you choose to use them.
We’ll talk about this more later, but if you want a frost guard that doesn’t have this issue, you might want to check out the Marksign Windshield Cover.
Wheel Hooks
To add extra stability to the cover, some frost guards utilize hooks that attach to the rims of your wheels. Having an extra point of contact with your vehicle will help ensure the wind doesn’t undermine your efforts to keep your window clear of snow and ice.
Size
How many times have you heard the phrase “size doesn’t matter”? Well when it comes to frost guard windshield covers, size certainly does matter. It can mean the difference between buying an effective frost guard and a frigid fight with your vehicle to reclaim your frost guard.
The size of the guard not only impacts how much of your windshield it covers, but how well it adheres to it. A guard that’s too big or small might allow water to permeate the underside of the guard, and in cold conditions, that means the guard may freeze to your windshield.
To ensure you’re getting a properly fitted frost guard, remember to always measure your vehicle’s windshield before buying one. We sincerely can’t stress this enough.
Material
Many frost guards are made from similar materials, mostly consisting of PVC, PEVA, and sometimes nylon. A lot of them also contain cotton for insulation. Sometimes aluminum foil is also used as a reflective outer material and works well for guards that aim for year-round use.
Ease of Use vs Stability
While all frost guards are relatively easy to use and will save you the hassle of scraping your windshield, some may require more work than others. If you live in a more temperate climate, you might want something that’s easier to use. Conversely, if you live somewhere that’s frequently windy, you might consider stability over convenience.
Ease of Use
We consider a frost guard easier to use when it utilizes fewer connection mechanisms that make setting it up more difficult and time-consuming. Something like the FrostGuard Plus only has door flaps, decreasing the time you’ll spend adding or removing it from your vehicle.
Stability
A guard that has more connection mechanisms, though, such as the Laptom Windshield Snow Cover, is more stable than a guard like the FrostGuard Plus. This stable cover is capable of withstanding high winds and blizzards better than a guard that only secures with door flaps. The trade-off here is that more stable guards take longer to put on or take off.
Something like the FrostGuard NFL Windshield Cover is a good middle ground option that effectively balances ease of use with stability.
Now, let’s review the best frost guard windshield covers we’ve found.

Top 10 Best Frost Guard Windshield Covers 2020
1. Best Overall Frost Guard: OxGord Windshield Snow Cover

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Why we like it: It’s quick and easy to use, and traps heat to prevent ice formation. The company also offers rear window covers as well.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: Side mirror straps, door flaps
Size: 75”L x 42.25”H
Material: 600D polyester and PVC
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
The OxGord Windshield Snow Cover is a frost guard that promises to be both durable and simple to use. The company also has a rear window guard available separately, something other manufacturers on our list don’t appear to offer. Making this additional purchase can further reduce the amount of work you’ll need to do to clear your car in the cold weather.
Ease of Use
Thanks to its simplicity, all you need to do is loop the side mirror straps around the mirrors and shut the flaps into the door. With no magnets or hooks, you don’t have to worry about it scratching your vehicle’s paint.
Stability
Made with 600D polyester and PVC, the windshield cover portion of this frost guard is tough and should weather any storm, but its elastic straps are concerning. Since they are one of two points of contact, it means that if they break, the cover loses a lot of effectiveness. This is a problem with all elastic bands, so you’re essentially trading stability for convenience with a cover like this.
If convenience is a secondary issue for you, you may consider another frost guard, such as the Laptom Windshield Snow Cover. Having extra connection mechanisms, Laptom’s guard is not quite as convenient as this guard, but its added points of security can ensure it stays effective for longer.
Additional Considerations
In addition to its high price, the sizing of this guard is concerning. Like us, the company recommends you measure your windshield before making a purchase. However, the company’s measurement of 75 inches in length includes the door flaps, meaning the windshield portion of the guard is actually smaller.
It’s also not suitable for larger vehicles, such as a Ford F-150. In that case, you might consider a larger guard like the Marksign Windshield Cover. Like our previous recommendation, it might not feature the same convenience as this guard, but it will provide better coverage for large vehicles.

Pros
Made of thick, strong polyester
Outer layer traps heat to keep windshield from freezing
Quick and easy to use
Company also makes a rear window cover

Cons
Doesn’t provide accurate measure of windshield guard
Not as stable as some other guards
Not suitable for larger vehicles

2. Best Premium Frost Guard: Laptom Windshield Snow Cover

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Why we like it: It trades convenience for stability, making it great for tumultuous weather.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: 2 tire, door, and side mirror straps (with mirror covers), 4 magnets, interior buckle
Size: 85″L X 50″H
Material: PEVA, cotton, and non-woven fabric
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: No
Of all the frost guards we’ve reviewed on this list, the Laptom Windshield Snow Cover has to be the most stable and well-rounded product on the list.
Ease of Use
The major drawback to this guard is that it’s not as easy to use as other guards on the list. While frost guards like the OxGord Windshield Snow Cover are super quick and simple to use, this guard from Laptom is a bit more of a pain.
Using the interior buckle is optional, but having to properly secure tire straps, mirror covers, and properly placing the magnets on your vehicle means it’ll take a bit longer than simply slipping a couple of elastic bands over the mirrors and shutting a couple of flaps into the driver and passenger doors.
Stability
What it lacks in convenience it more than makes up for in stability. The part that covers the windshield is a 3-layer combination of PEVA, cotton, and a non-woven fabric. With multiple points of contact with your vehicle, as well as an easy-to-use interior buckle providing extra security from both high winds and theft, it can easily justify the added inconvenience if it means you’re left with a more effective guard than others on the list.
Additional Considerations
We really like that this guard includes magnets on both the top and bottom of the guard, rather than just one or the other. However, it would benefit from including at least one more on each side, for greater security and to prevent ballooning during windy conditions.
Still, it’s one of the best frost guards we’ve found in terms of stability. At its competitive price, it’s well worth the investment to avoid needing to scrape your windshield.

Pros
Has many points of contact to keep it stable
Magnets on top and bottom
Luminous mirror strips for street parked cars
Interior buckle for greater security

Cons
Takes longer to set up than some other guards
Not enough magnets on each side

3. Best Budget Frost Guard: Shynerk Magnetic Edges Car Snow Cover

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Why we like it: It works well in both cold and warm weather, and it’s an inexpensive alternative to similar types of frost guards.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: 2 tire straps, door flaps, 4 magnets
Size: 82″L x 48.8″H
Material: Polyester
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
If you’re a thrifty consumer who wants to avoid shelling out some cash as much as you want to avoid scraping your windshield, then the Shynerk Magnetic Edges Car Snow Cover is a worthy consideration. It’s light, portable, and works well during both the cold and warm months. For the price it’s also quite large, and should work well with all but the largest vehicles.
Ease of Use
With its inclusion of both magnets and tire straps, it’s fairly easy to use. Since this guard is rather thin, it can make it a bit of a pain to put on during windy conditions. By including a couple of side mirror straps, this issue could easily be mitigated, but it’s relatively easy to put on during windless weather conditions.
Stability
In terms of stability, this guard works adequately. With a combination of tire straps, door flaps, and roof magnets, it should withstand all but the worst storms, making it a great choice for moderate climates.
Additional Considerations
Despite this guard having 4 magnets, all of them are located near the roof. This guard could stand to include more, particularly on the bottom half, to help decrease the likelihood of ballooning. Because of this, we can’t really recommend this if you live in a windy area. (Instead, check out the more expensive Laptom Windshield Snow Cover.) However, if you live in an area with a more forgiving climate, then this guard from Shynerk is a great budget option for you.

Pros
Inexpensive for thrifty consumers
Suitable for year-round use
Larger than a lot of other guards

Cons
Difficult to put on in windy conditions
Susceptible to ballooning in high winds

4. Best Magnet-Free Frost Guard: Fedciory AutoClub Car Windshield Snow Cover

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Why we like it: A good magnet-free alternative to similar frost guards that will stay attached to your vehicle through the worst weather.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: 2 tire, door, and side mirror straps (with mirror covers), interior buckle
Size: 87″L x 50″H
Material: PEVA, cotton, and non-woven fabric
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
The Fedciory AutoClub Car Windshield Snow Cover is another great frost guard that aims to keep your windshield clean. It’s another competitively priced offering that has a few minor benefits and drawbacks over competing products.
Ease of Use
Since this guard is very similar to the Laptom Windshield Snow Cover, it’s safe to say it’s equivalent in terms of ease of use. It trades convenience for stability, which is great if you’re looking for a guard that utilizes multiple points of contact to keep it secured to your vehicle.
Stability
In terms of overall stability, this is where the guard shines. With tire, door and side mirror straps, and the internal buckle for extra security, this cover should remain attached to your vehicle through the windiest conditions. With interior buckles it will be difficult to steal, and it won’t blow off of your vehicle.
However, unlike the Laptom guard, it does not have any magnets in it – this could be either good or bad, depending on your preferences. Having no magnets, it leaves a greater possibility of ballooning that could allow water to find its way under the guard.
Additional Considerations
One significant drawback we’ve noticed with this guard is that the interior buckles aren’t adjustable. For large vehicles, this likely isn’t a problem. But it may cause problems with smaller vehicles, as it can cause the cover to sit loosely against the windshield, thereby increasing the likelihood of ballooning in windy conditions.

Pros
Priced competitively with other guards
No magnets means no damage from scratching
Highly stable

Cons
Interior buckles aren’t adjustable
Water can get inside in windy conditions

5. Easiest Frost Guard to Use: FrostGuard Plus Winter Windshield + Mirror Covers

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Why we like it: In addition to being sturdy, it’s easier to put on your vehicle than any other frost guard we’ve found.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: Door flaps, mirror covers
Size: 61″L x 41″H (standard)/68″L x 41″H (XL)
Material: Polyester and PVC
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
Another offering from FrostGuard, the FrostGuard Plus Winter Windshield Cover makes it simple to keep you from having to scrape your windshield in the blistering cold of winter. Available in two sizes and three colors, this cover is slightly larger than its NFL counterpart and comes with a 3-year warranty.
Ease of Use
Perhaps the simplest frost guard we’ve found, the FrostGuard Plus only has one connection mechanism: door flaps that shut in your driver and passenger side doors. With PVC tubes on the left and right sides of the cover, you won’t have to worry about fighting with a guard that doesn’t want to stay unraveled in the wind as you put it over your windshield.
Stability
Just as the other FrostGuard product on our list, the windshield cover is stable. However, unlike the NFL-themed guard, the FrostGuard Plus only secures via door flaps. This seems like a strange design choice for stability, having fewer points of contact with your vehicle. This means the guard solely relies on the door flaps and tubes to keep the guard firmly secured through hell and high wind.
Additional Considerations
The included mirror covers are a nice touch to keep your mirrors clean and clear, though they’re not attached to the rest of the guard. This guard is also a bit short, considering it should cover not only the windshield, but the windshield wipers as well.
That means that for larger vehicles, you may not have the same luxury of keeping your wipers snow and ice-free as smaller cars, especially considering the XL design is no taller than the standard size. Finally, considering the simplicity and oversights of this guard’s design, we expect that it would be more competitively priced.
However, it’s rather expensive for what it is, and at its price-point, it’d be worth considering something a bit more well-rounded. Other options may better suit your needs, such as the Laptom Windshield Snow Cover (if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of convenience) or the OxGord Windshield Snow Cover (if you want to retain similar convenience with slightly more security). Neither of those guards come with the same stellar warranty as the FrostGuard Plus, but they’re worthy considerations if the price and design flaws of this guard are a concern.

Pros
Easier to put on than any other frost guard
PVC tubes make it easy to put on
Includes mirror covers
3-year warranty

Cons
Sizing is confusing
Mirror covers aren’t attached to guard

6. Best Frost Guard for Large Vehicles: Marksign Windshield Cover

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Why we like it: Larger than most other frost guards, it covers more than just your windshield and secures to all 4 tires.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: 4 wheel hooks, interior door flaps
Size: 90”L x 60”H
Material: Aluminum foil lamination, PEVA, microfiber cotton
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
The Marksign Windshield Cover tackles windshield coverage a bit differently than other frost guards on our list. That’s because instead of simply covering the windshield, it covers a sizable portion of the roof, hood, and front door windows of your vehicle as well.
It also comes with separate mirror covers, yet utilizes the side mirrors to help anchor the guard in place. Finally, Marksign offers a 3-year warranty on this frost guard, a significant indicator of quality and how well the company believes in its product.
Ease of Use
This frost guard is rather easy to use, thanks to the way it’s designed. It should even be easy enough to put on in windy conditions, thanks to the mirror slots, which will help stabilize the guard while you attach the wheel hooks and door flaps.
Stability
Since it utilizes your side mirrors and wheels to keep the guard on, it should maintain its integrity and stay intact through high winds and bad weather. The hooks are rubber, meaning they might have durability issues compared to metal. But they’re still quite durable, and they’re less prone to scratching your rims.
Additional Considerations
Instead of magnets, this guard has an elastic lining around the edges to keep wind from pulling it up. It’s not totally fail-safe, and you might still find that snow or water can find its way under the cover if conditions are right. On that note, there is one major concern here.
The underside of the guard is a microfiber cotton lining. This is great for your vehicle’s paint, as it’s soft and won’t cause scratching. However, if water makes its way under the cover and freezes to your vehicle, you’re going to have a bad time trying to free it from your roof.
Another noteworthy feature of this guard is its interior door flaps. While most guards have them to prevent theft, Marksign accounted for a common problem with this security measure: water leaking into the car through the door flaps. The flaps being on the underside of the cover means that water won’t have a chance to make its way into your vehicle, should you have the guard on during periods of rainfall.

Pros
Larger than other frost guards
Interior door flaps prevent water from running in vehicle
Cotton lining is safe for vehicle’s paint
3-year warranty

Cons
Cotton lining can easily freeze to vehicle
Outer elastic lining may be ineffective

7. Most Stylish Frost Guard: FrostGuard NFL Windshield Cover

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Why we like it: On top of featuring your favorite NFL team’s logo, it’s sturdy and stable without sacrificing convenience.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: 4 side mirror straps (with mirror covers), 2 door flaps
Size: 60″L x 40″H (standard)/68″L x 40″H (XL)
Material: PVC
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
If you’re looking for a frost guard that’s effective, stylish, and brandishes your love for football, then look no further than the FrostGuard NFL Windshield Cover. This PVC-based cover amalgamates stability and convenience in a way that few other guards do. In addition to the team logo-adorned windshield cover, it also comes with a matching storage bag. There’s also two sizes available: standard and XL.
Ease of Use
One of the biggest advantages that FrostGuard’s NFL cover features over other frost guards is that it does not sacrifice convenience for stability or vice versa. Despite having multiple mirror straps, it’s really simple to use, even when you’re putting it on by yourself on a windy day, thanks to the weighted rods.
Stability
Those weighted rods we mentioned? They’re great for not only making it easy to put on, but for also keeping the guard stay flush against the windshield. Combined with the thick fabric, multiple mirror straps, and door flaps, it makes for a really solid frost guard that lives up to its promises of keeping your windshield frost-free.
Additional Considerations
Despite the superior combination of convenience and stability this has over other frost guards, the FrostGuard NFL cover is not without its flaws.
First, if you’re considering this product, then you’re probably a football fan. Unfortunately, you might not find a variant of your favorite team. Of the total 32 NFL teams, there are only 17 team variants. Furthermore, if you’re in the market for an XL guard for a larger vehicle, your choices are even more limited, with fewer team variants available in this larger size.
Aesthetic complaints aside, there seems to be an issue with sizing. While many frost guards aim to cover the entire windshield of your vehicle, this one seems to leave a gap on both sides of your windshield – a rather strange design choice. Fortunately, FrostGuard has very clear and concise sizing charts, but even at 68 inches in length for the XL variants, it seems rather small for large vehicles.

Pros
Stylish, stable, and easy to use
Weighted rods help keep it in place
Comes with an NFL bag
Multiple mirror straps for extra stability

Cons
Not all NFL teams are available
Sizing not adequate for all vehicles

8. Best Magnetic Frost Guard: Ice King Magnetic Windshield Cover

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Why we like it: It’s great for windy climates, thanks to the many strong magnets that keep wind from causing ballooning.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: Door straps (with interior tie straps), 13 magnets
Size: 70″L x 50″H
Material: PVC
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
The Ice King Magnetic Windshield Cover is the king of magnetic frost guards. Featuring 13 rare N52 earth magnets, extremely powerful magnets to keep it attached to your vehicle, this guard is built to withstand high winds and extreme weather. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you’ll have ample time to try it before fully committing to it.
Ease of Use
The Ice King guard is a fairly simple cover that’s easy to use as long as you’re not working with it in windy conditions. Since the cover itself is rather thin, it can be difficult to put on during windy conditions.
Stability
This guard is stable enough to weather most storms. The powerful magnets are where this guard really shines, as they should remain in place during blizzards and freezing rain. Combined with the door flaps and interior tie straps, it’s fairly stable.
The only thing we see wrong with this guard is the durability of the fabric separating the magnets from your vehicle. The fabric is rather thin and may wear out quickly compared to other magnetic guards, perhaps from prolonged use in high winds.
Additional Considerations
One of the biggest reasons this guard isn’t higher on the list is because of the dangers it presents to your vehicle’s paint job. With many other frost guards that include magnets, the most common problem is the magnets not being strong enough to weather storms.
Contrarily, the magnets on the Ice King are actually so strong, they can cause deep scratches to your vehicle’s paint if the wind manages to move the guard. Furthermore, the magnets may also lift paint off of your vehicle during the removal process. This isn’t a common problem, but it presents a risk you should consider.
If you have an old beater of a car, or you just don’t care about the paint on your vehicle, then this product is hands-down one of the best on the market. But if you have a shiny new car and want to keep it looking new, you might want to search for something less prone to scratching your vehicle.
For example, the Marksign Windshield Cover might not weather high-wind storms and blizzards as well as the Ice King, but it also presents less of a risk of damaging your vehicle’s paint job.

Pros
Works reliably in windy climates
Lots of strong magnets that keep it in place
Tie straps help prevent theft
30-day money-back guarantee

Cons
Can be difficult to put on in windy conditions
Magnets are strong enough to cause damage
Material covering magnets may wear out quick

9. Best Frost Guard for Year-Round Use: Cosyzone Windshield Snow Ice Cover

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Why we like it: Not only does it work well as a guard against frost and snow, but it’s a great sun shade for the warm summer months.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: Side mirror straps, door flaps, and 3 magnets
Size: 58.6”L x 47.2”H
Material: Aluminum foil and cotton
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: No
The Cosyzone Windshield Snow Ice Cover is another frost guard that’s extremely convenient to use. Built for all types of weather, it works well for both summer and winter months, and comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Ease of Use
In terms of simplicity, this guard places an emphasis on convenience. It might be difficult to put on in windy conditions, but in fair weather conditions, it’s easy and effective. Since it’s a sun-shield too, you won’t have to switch it out seasonally like you would the other guards on this list.
Stability
It’s thicker than some guards, and sure to withstand heavy snowfall and scorching heat, but windy conditions may render it ineffective, especially compared to a guard like the Ice King Magnetic Windshield Cover. While its weak magnets may not work well to secure it in high winds, the magnets also aren’t strong enough to ruin your paint job.
Additional Considerations
This frost guard doesn’t come with a storage bag, so you’ll want to find something to store it in when it’s not in use. It’s also rather small, and thus it’s most appropriate for smaller vehicles. If you own a large vehicle like a truck or SUV, you’re better off with something like the Marksign Windshield Cover.

Pros
Great for year-round use
Good for use in calm weather
90-day money-back guarantee

Cons
Doesn’t come with a storage bag
Not suitable for large vehicles
Won’t hold up in windy climates very well

10. Best Universal Fit Frost Guard: SnowOFF Windshield Snow Ice Cover

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Why we like it: It’s larger than other similar frost guards, and comes in multiple sizes for both small and large vehicles, making it easy to find the right fit.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
Fittings: Side mirror and wheel straps, door flaps (with interior suction cups), magnets
Size: 62″ x 50″ (Medium)/74″ x 57″ (Large)
Material: Nylon
Anti-theft protection: Yes
Storage bag: Yes
The SnowOFF Windshield Snow Ice Cover is another frost guard that comes in multiple sizes, both of which are larger than other similar guards we’ve found. Additionally, it’s long enough to cover your windshield wipers, and is the only frost guard with suction cups for your interior. This will help keep the guard secure and will go a little further in preventing theft.
Ease of Use
This guard is fairly simple to use in fair weather, but it may prove problematic in windy weather. With the various mounting methods this guard features, it will also take you more time to put on or take off the guard than others, like the FrostGuard Plus Winter Windshield Cover. However, the multiple mounts will keep it on your vehicle more securely than simpler guards like the FrostGuard Plus.
Stability
While the cover itself seems rather thin, albeit durable, there is a concern with the magnets not being strong enough to hold well on the vehicle. Since there are other mounting mechanisms, it should remain fairly stable, but high winds can render the magnets useless.
Additional Considerations
It comes with bonus gifts that other guards don’t: a microfiber cloth and an emergency thermal blanket. Who doesn’t like free gifts? Unfortunately, it feels as though its inclusion of these gifts are an unnecessary justification of the guard’s high price.

Pros
Larger enough for most vehicles
Comes with free microfiber cloth and thermal blanket
Has suction cups in addition to other mounts

Cons
Expensive, and free gifts feel like an unnecessary justification for higher price
Weak magnets
Relatively thin

Everything You Need to Know About Frost Guard Windshield Covers

So far, we’ve covered most of what you need to know about frost guard windshield covers. However, there are a few more things you should consider. We’ve outlined some potential problems and tips on avoiding common problems.
Problems to Watch Out For
As much as we’d love to suggest that these covers are foolproof products that’ll ensure you’ll never have to scrape ice off your windshield again, that’s simply not true. While they can curtail frosty windshields, problems may still arise.
Here are a few problems you should watch out for, and some solutions to them.
Door Flaps and Water Leaks
Door flaps are a great security measure, both against high winds and petty theft. However, they present an unforeseen problem in the presence of rain.
Because they go into your car doors, they can diminish the effectiveness of the rubber gaskets that keep your doors sealed. This can result in water finding its way into the interior of your car, leading to mold and mildew growth, among other things.
You might think this issue is limited to people with older cars, faulty seals, or loosely closed doors. But even brand new vehicles are susceptible, since vehicles aren’t designed with frost guards in mind.
For this reason, we recommend you try to avoid using these guards during rainfall as the best method for deterring this issue. However, that doesn’t account for unexpected overnight rain or high crime areas where door flaps are necessary. Not using the flaps can also diminish the effectiveness of the guard in general.
An alternative solution would be to test the flaps in a more controlled manner. Dumping multiple large cups of water on the secured door flaps, to simulate the effects of heavy rainfall, can help you determine whether this issue is present for you.
If you find water does not wick into the car through the flaps, then you’re presumably safe. If you do, then you can figure out if there’s a better way to position the flaps to prevent the issue.
Alternatively, you could choose a guard like the Marksign Windshield Cover to bypass this issue completely. It has door flaps located under the exterior cover, preventing water from making contact with the flaps and giving you peace of mind in knowing your cover and vehicle’s interior are safe.
Magnets
Magnets can be a great way to help secure your frost guard to the hood or roof of your vehicle. This can help prevent the guard from ballooning in high winds and help keep water from finding its way under the cover. However, weak magnets may be ineffective and may not hold up against strong winds.
Strong magnets do a better job of keeping the guard in place. However, they can present an issue with scratching or taking paint off of your vehicle. This is most likely to occur if debris sits between the magnets and your vehicle, or if the magnets are drug across the hood or roof.
Like the issue we outlined with door flaps, the best way to bypass this issue is to avoid them altogether. If you’d rather not risk magnets scratching your vehicle, then you might want to consider a guard like the Fedciory AutoClub Car Windshield Snow Cover.
However, you can further alleviate the risk of damage by ensuring the vehicle is free of debris when you place the magnets. You’ll want to avoid dragging the cover across the hood or roof when the magnets are engaged. You should also always check the cover for worn fabric where the magnets are located to ensure the magnets don’t come into direct contact with the vehicle, which may pull up paint or cause scratching.
Elastic Bands and Cold Weather
If you haven’t noticed, none of the covers we’ve included on this list solely rely on elastic bands to keep them in place. This is not only because elastic-only guards would present the risk of theft, but also because the rubber in elastic bands can suffer in cold weather and direct sunlight, and may not hold up to strong winds.
Because of this, we recommend using a frost guard that utilizes multiple points of contact with the vehicle and has a good warranty, such as the FrostGuard Plus Winter Windshield Cover. While the straps aren’t likely to break, you’re covered for 3 years after your purchase in case they do, to ensure you get your money’s worth.
Tips for Frost Guard Windshield Covers
Life is full of little things that we sometimes lose track of. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here are some common sense tips and reminders to help you with your frost guard windshield cover.
Remember to Measure Your Windshield Before You Buy
We mentioned this earlier, but we can’t stress how important it is to get a frost guard that’s appropriately sized for your vehicle. If you buy a one that’s too large or small, then it won’t work effectively, so measuring your windshield could save you money and hassle down the road.
Apply the Cover to a Dry Vehicle
You should make sure your vehicle is dry when putting your frost guard on. That means you might need to wipe down the areas where the cover will sit. If it’s raining or snowing and you can’t keep your windshield dry, think twice about putting it on. Otherwise you might end up with a frozen frost guard.
Freeing a Frozen Frost Guard
Listen, we understand that bad things happen regardless of how many precautions you take. The wind catches your frost guard just right, water makes its way in, and you wake up to your frost guard frozen to your windshield. What do you do?
You certainly don’t want to pull on it too much! Trying to rip a frozen frost guard off your car can ruin your cover and your mood. Instead, try warming your car up as normal and letting the heat melt the ice. If that doesn’t help or you simply can’t wait that long, you can also use a de-icing spray to help with the process (remember to wipe off the guard afterward).
Getting Frozen Wheel Hooks Unstuck
Just like your doors and locks can freeze shut, wheel hooks can freeze to your rims after freezing rain or other severe cold weather. You might be tempted to try to pry them off, but this could be seriously dangerous to you, your frost guard, and your vehicle. Instead, we recommend using a de-icing liquid to safely melt the ice and free the hooks.
Storing Covers That Don’t Come With a Bag
Almost all the frost guards on our list come with a storage bag. However, if you decide on one that doesn’t, you can simply store it in a grocery or garbage bag. It’s certainly not the neatest way to keep your frost guard stored, but it sure beats wet seats. There are also waterproof bags available online, if you’re so inclined.
Final Thoughts
Don’t forget to measure your windshield before buying and consider exactly how much protection you need. Whether you’re looking to protect yourself from a seemingly unending harsh northern winter or just a few weeks of sub-zero temperatures, there’s a frost guard on this list that should fit you and your vehicle perfectly.
Scraping a frosty windshield every morning before work can sure be a pain. That’s why you might want to consider a good frost guard windshield cover. Now that you have an idea of what’s available and what might work best for you, you can find the right cover to keep your windshield frost-free! More

At any age, two-way radios never lose their cool factor. Two-way radios, or “walkie-talkies,” are a fun (and functional) way to communicate with friends, family, or other amateur radio enthusiasts across the country. For a technology that’s been around for over a hundred years, two-way radios are still going strong. They provide users with the nearly unmatched capability to stay in touch with one another in remote areas where cell phone reception can be unreliable —or non-existent.
The two-way radio market is flooded with an astonishing array of products, catering to every possible age demographic, price range, and level of expertise. We’ve extensively researched and sifted through what’s available to bring you the very best walkie-talkies for both adults and kids.
Whether you’re an aspiring member of the (still thriving) ham radio community, looking for the perfect birthday present for your little one, or gearing up for a camping trip or hiking expedition, you’ll be sure to find something on this list that fulfills your particular needs.

Key Considerations When Buying a Walkie-Talkie
While there are a wide variety of bells and whistles to think about when deciding which two-way radio you’d like to purchase, it’s important not to overlook the fundamental considerations common to all these devices. Regardless of what type of walkie-talkie you’re after, the top things you’ll need to think about are:
Power Output
The wattage of your walkie-talkie is perhaps the most important factor to consider, as this determines the signal strength, range, and sound clarity of your device. Buyers should also be aware that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has slightly different rules and regulations for high and low-powered walkie-talkies.
For children, and the great majority of casual adult users, a two-way radio with a 0.5W to 2W power output should more than suffice. Any device at or below this 2W threshold (like the Radioddity FS-T1) is allowed to freely operate on the “Family Radio Service” (FRS) —a short-distance communications band that has been set aside for public usage. While your signal range will be more limited compared to higher powered models, such as the BaoFeng 8 Watt Ham Radio, FRS compliant walkie-talkies do not require a license to operate.
More serious two-way radio users who wish to communicate over longer distances will require a device with a power output above 2W. Walkie-talkies at this power level operate on the “General Mobile Radio Service” (GMRS) communications band. To legally use these public frequencies, users require a license from the FCC. Additional information on the FRS and GMRS systems —and how to obtain a license for the latter— will be detailed below.
Battery Life
As with any mobile device, the battery is one of the most crucial components of a walkie-talkie. Transmitting and receiving radio signals is quite an energy intensive process. Given that fact, it should come as no surprise that one of the biggest problems people encounter with walkie-talkies is their rather limited battery life.
The battery life of your two-way radio will depend on its power output, how frequently you use it, whether or not it’s equipped with any power-saving features, and (perhaps most significantly) what type of battery it uses. Models with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, like the BaoFeng BF-888S, are by far the best option for prolonged battery life.
Unfortunately, almost every walkie-talkie engineered for the children’s market uses either AA or AAA batteries. Although we’ve only chosen products with the best possible battery life available (such as the Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio) we would still recommend purchasing rechargeable AA or AAA batteries. You’ll be changing them quite frequently if your child uses their walkie-talkie on a daily basis.
Privacy Codes
As there are a finite number of publicly accessible radio channels, you’re likely to run into “interference” if you live in a densely populated area. This happens when two or more radio users within a relatively close proximity to one another accidentally overlap on the same frequency. They will be able to hear and speak to you, and vice versa.
In order to avoid this annoying occurrence, you —and the person to whom you’re communicating— need to use the same “privacy code” on a mutually agreed upon channel. These privacy codes automatically tune out anyone else who happens to be transmitting on that channel so that you can hear each other clearly.
This feature is particularly important for kid’s walkie-talkies. You teach your child not to talk to strangers on the street, and there’s no reason why the airwaves should be an exception to that rule!
All but one of the two-way radios included on this list are equipped to use privacy codes, many of which come preprogrammed on the device for easy plug-and-play use. Privacy codes will also be discussed in further detail below.
Now that you know what to look for, let’s get into our picks for the best two-way radios for beginners, experts, and everyone in between.

Top 10 Best Two-Way Radios 2020
1. Best Overall Radio: BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two-Way Radio

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Why we like it: This radio has ample power and is loaded with special features, all at a remarkably low price point.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: Yes
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: No
License Required: Yes
Maximum Range: 2-3 miles
Battery Type: 1800mAh, 8-10 hours, 7.4V rechargeable lithium-ion
Durability: Very good; water resistant; flimsy charging station
In terms of bang-for-your-buck, you aren’t likely to get better value than the BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two-Way Radio. Not only is this compact device extremely economical, it’s also high-powered, programmable, and comes with a great variety of cool extras.
Its substantial 5W power output gives the UV-5R excellent range, and makes it capable of dual band transceiving in the Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) ranges. However, due to its higher power level, you’ll need to get a GMRS license to legally use it. The UV-5R also has a power-saver mode, which turns it down to only 1W. This will significantly prolong its battery life, up to twelve hours or so —though its signal range will be much shorter.
The UV-5R boasts a whopping 128 channels, and can utilize a total of 154 analog and digital privacy codes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come preprogrammed with these, and the instruction manual can be overwhelming for beginners. To program it on your computer, you’ll need to purchase a specially-designed USB cable and install CHIRP —a free software program for two-way radios.
Other features include an FM Radio (listen only), a built-in LED flashlight, a keypad lock, a broad/narrowband toggle, an emergency siren and blinking light, and a Voice Activated Exchange (VOX) function that enables you to communicate without having to press the Push To Talk (PTT) button every time you speak.
The UV-5R is sturdy and resistant to light rain and splashes, but it isn’t completely waterproof like the ultra-durable Midland GXT1000VP4 Two-Way GMRS Radio. Unlike the device itself, the charging station is rather flimsily constructed.

Pros
High power output
Lots of privacy codes
Very good battery life
Extra features

Cons
Steep learning curve for programming
Flimsy charging station
Sold individually

2. Best Premium Radio: BaoFeng 8 Watt Ham Radio

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Why we like it: It’s extremely high-powered, super durable, and has a great battery life.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: Yes
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: No
License Required: Yes (Technician Class)
Maximum Range: 5-10 miles
Battery Type: 3,800mAh, 20 hour, 7.4v rechargeable lithium-ion
Durability: Excellent; water resistant; flimsy charge station
With a massive 8W power output, this BaoFeng product the most powerful two-way radio on this list. Its lithium-ion battery is significantlylarger than its predecessor, making it capable of lasting up to 20 hours on a single charge. It also has 3 different power modes to help conserve the battery. This radio can transmit over 128 channels, and can run a total of 155 analog and digital privacy codes — though you’ll have to program these in yourself.
Combined with this hefty battery (which makes it slightly less portable than the UV-5R), it’s got two antennas (6 and 15 inches) antenna that give it an excellent range of over five miles on the VHF and UHF frequency ranges. It’s a perfect choice if you’re a beginner ham radio enthusiast who wants to connect with FM repeater stations and broadcast over long distances.
It’s outfitted with a reinforced, durable outer shell, which makes it nearly invulnerable to being damaged if dropped from a reasonable height. It’s also water resistant. However, like the UV-5R, its charging station isn’t as solidly constructed as the device itself.
Be warned: the high power output might cause it to interfere with local emergency responder frequencies in your area if you aren’t careful. Before using it, you will need to program it to stay off these particular frequencies.
Because its power output is above 5W, you will need to obtain a Technician Class license in order to legally operate it.
In terms of programming, the manual controls aren’t very intuitive, and the instruction manual can be somewhat mystifying for beginners. Luckily, BaoFeng does offer concierge tech support on this particular model. Similar to the UV-5R, you’ll also need to purchase a special USB cable and install CHIRP in order to program it on your computer.

Pros
Extremely high-powered
Excellent battery life
Highly programmable
Very durable

Cons
Steep learning curve for programming
Possible interference with emergency responder frequencies
Bulky
Sold individually

3. Best Budget Radio: Radioddity FS-T1

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Why we like it: They’ve got great range and sound clarity for a lower powered device at a bargain price.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: Yes
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: No
License Required: No
Maximum Range: 5 miles
Battery Type: 1500mAh rechargeable lithium-ion, 2-5 hours
Durability: Good
The Radioddity FS-T1 is a great option for casual two-way radio users who want a good quality device without having to obtain a license from the FCC. For a walkie-talkie with only a 2W power output, it’s got a fairly good range of 2-5 miles, and the sound clarity is excellent within this distance. They come in a set of two.
The FS-T1 is compact and lightweight, making it convenient to carry around in your pocket. The mechanical construction is quite solid and it’s outfitted with a 1500mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that should last you through an afternoon of use.
This device doesn’t have an automatic scan function like the BaoFeng UV-5R, so channel surfing is done by turning the mechanical rotary switch channel selector.

Pros
Great range and sound quality
No license required
Economical

Cons
Poor battery life
No LCD screen
Privacy codes don’t sync with other brands

4. Best Radio For Kids: Obuby Walkie-Talkies for Kids

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Why we like it: These cute little walkie-talkies are super sturdy and completely waterproof.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: No
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: Yes
License Required: No
Maximum Range: 1.8 miles
Battery Type: AA, 3-5 hours
Durability: Excellent; waterproof
Obuby Walkie-Talkies for Kids come in a variety of cool colors and are great value for money, available in packs of 2 or 3. Not only are they designed to withstand the rough-and-tumble wear and tear of regular use by children, they’re also completely waterproof! Unlike many other walkie-talkies on the children’s market, you won’t have to worry about this one breaking after only a few days or weeks of use. To top it all off, they have excellent range and sound quality for a lower powered, FRS compliant device.
These two-way radios are ergonomically designed for small hands, with rounded corners and smooth rubber buttons. Your kids will have no trouble figuring out how to use these devices, as they have a very easy to use interface.
These walkie-talkies are equipped with an auto squelch function that cancels out background noise. They also have a built-in flashlight, ten different call tones, and a talk confirmation tone that automatically emits at the end of each transmission. While your kids will enjoy these funky noises, you unfortunately can’t turn them down.
Obuby Walkie-Talkie for Kids can transmit over 22 channels, and come preprogrammed with 99 different possible privacy codes for each. They also have a keypad lock, which allows parents to set these devices to a particular channel and privacy code in order to avoid interference with other radio users in your area.
One drawback with these two-way radios is the lack of a power-saver mode or automatic shut-off feature, so your kids will need to be diligent about turning them off completely when not in use. The battery life is also fairly short, at only 3-5 hours. Since each unit takes 4 AAs, we’d recommend investing in a set of rechargeable batteries.

Pros
Waterproof
Extremely durable
Great range and sound quality

Cons
Relatively short battery life
Can’t turn down call noises

5. Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio

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Why we like it: These are an affordable plug-and-play option for kids, with excellent battery life.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: No
Earpiece Included: No
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: No, and not capable of being programmed
License Required: No
Maximum Range: 0.5 miles
Battery Type: AAA, 18 hours
Durability: Average; water resistant
The cheap and cheerful Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio is a trimmed-down, bare-bones walkie-talkie without any complicated bells and whistles. If your child is a pre-teen (or just a particularly austere younger kid) who wants a two-way radio without all the cutesy, colorful stylings you usually find on a kid’s model, this walkie-talkie is the perfect choice. It looks nearly identical to Motorola devices for the adult market, and comes in a pack of 2.
The Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio does its job pretty well for a low powered FRS radio. It’s got fairly clear reception, though the signal strength is quite limited —while Motorola claims it can transmit up to 16 miles, it’s really more like half a mile in usual conditions.
It has an auto squelch feature to cancel out background noise, as well as a call tone and talk confirmation tone. These can be disabled if you find them irritating, but you have to do it every time you turn on the device.
The Motorola T100 Talkabout Radio is capable of transmitting on 22 channels. However, only 1-14 are designated FRS channels. While it’s legal for your child to listen to channels 15-22 (which fall under the GMRS band), you’ll need to instruct them not to transmit on these channels.
Unfortunately, these walkie-talkies are not capable of supporting any privacy codes. If you live in a crowded area with a lot of interference, you’ll have a hard time finding a free channel.
At 18 hours, the average battery life is incredibly good, especially for a model that runs on AAA batteries.

Pros
Excellent battery life
Adult-looking design
Reasonable sound quality

Cons
No privacy codes
No special features
GMRS frequencies not locked out

6. Retevis RT628 Walkie-Talkie for Kids

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Why we like it: They’re solidly constructed, have a good battery life, and get great reception despite their lower power level.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: No
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: Yes
License Required: No
Maximum Range: 1 mile
Battery Type: AA, 8-10 hours
Durability: Very good, water resistant
The Retevis RT628 Walkie-Talkie for Kids is a sturdy piece of equipment with a decent battery life and a good signal range. Sold in a pack of 2, it has a backlit LCD display and comes in black, red, silver, or camouflage.
For a low-powered 0.5W FRS compliant radio, it has a great range of up to 1 mile. The sound quality is terrific within this distance. The automatic squelch function effectively cancels out background noise to gives you crisp, clear reception —even in noisy areas. Unfortunately, you can’t turn down the call noises.
The Retevis RT628 operates on 22 channels, and comes with 121 privacy codes. The keypad lock feature allows parents to set it to a particular channel and privacy code, and prevents unintentional button dialing when it’s in your kid’s backpack.

Pros
Excellent battery life for AA batteries
Great sound quality
Durable enough to be used by kids

Cons
Can’t turn down call noises

7. Radio with Best Battery Life: BaoFeng BF-888S

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Why we like it: They’re incredibly affordable and have an excellent battery life.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: No
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: Yes
License Required: Yes
Maximum Range: 3 miles
Battery Type: 1500mAh, 3.7V lithium-ion, 48 hours
Durability: Very good; water resistant
For a basic, economical walkie-talkie, the BaoFeng BF-888S is extremely well-crafted. It has a 3W power output and is capable of dual band transceiving on UHF and VHF frequencies. The 1500mAh lithium-ion battery lasts about 48 hours and gives the device a range of roughly 3 miles. They come as a set of two, adding even more value.
The BaoFeng BF-888S has a power-saver mode, as well as a transmitter Time Out Timer (TOT), so you won’t completely drain the battery if the PTT accidentally gets pushed down for a prolonged period. An audible low voltage alert also lets you know when you need to recharge the device. It also has an emergency alarm, a broad/narrowband toggle, and a high illumination flashlight for nighttime use.
You scan through the channels using a rotary switch, while an English voice prompt lets you know what channel you’re on. There are 16 channels to choose from, and it comes preprogrammed with a total of 155 analog and digital privacy codes. While you can customize pre-set privacy codes for each channel, all programming must be done through a computer, since there isn’t an LCD screen.
Because it slightly exceeds the 2W limit for FRS radios, you technically need a license for the BaoFeng BF-888S. If you’re looking for an FRS compliant, license free two-way radio, try the newer BF-88ST model —it’s lower powered, but comes with a new integrated antenna and USB desktop charger.

Pros
Extremely affordable
Excellent battery life
Fairly good range

Cons
No LCD display
Requires a license

8. Selieve Toys Kids Walkie-Talkies

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Why we like it: These lightweight, compact radios are easy to use and ergonomically designed for children’s hands.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: No
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: Yes
License Required: No
Maximum Range: 2 miles
Battery Type: AA, 3-5 hours
Durability: Very good; not water resistant
Selieve Toys Kids Walkie-Talkies are a great choice for kids on the go. They’re very portable, weighing only 90 grams. They come in a wide variety of nifty colors, like blue, purple, orange, red, and pink, and are sold in packs of 2. They’re also very durable, and designed to withstand being dropped from up to four feet.
The soft rubber buttons and a built-in LCD display make these easy to use. They also have a built-in flashlight and a ring function with several different tones that allows your child to alert you to their location from a distance. While this is a great alarm system, its volume isn’t adjustable.
These Selieve Walkie-Talkies have a 2W power output, with a very good range and great sound quality. They take 4 AA batteries each, and are equipped with an auto power-saver feature that darkens the LCD screen if no transmission has been sent or received in over five seconds.
Finally, they operate on 22 channels, and are capable of using 99 different privacy codes on each.

Pros
Power-saver function
Good range and sound quality
Durable and attractive, making them great for kids

Cons
Ringer can’t be turned down

9. Best Wearable Radio: Wishouse Wearable Walkie-Talkie

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Why we like it: They’re great value, good quality, and equipped with a handy lanyard attachment.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes
Earpiece Included: No
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: Yes
License Required: No
Maximum Range: 3 miles
Battery Type: AA, 8-10 hours
Durability: Very good, water resistant
These brightly colored walkie-talkies come equipped with an extendable (and detachable) lanyard that allows your kid to easily carry it around, preventing them from losing it. Sold in a pack of 3 or 4, Wishouse Wearable Walkie-Talkies are terrific value for money, and are available in green, purple, blue, and orange.
These two-way radios are FRS compliant, with a 0.5W power output. Despite their lower power level, they’ve got a decent range of about half a mile —up to 3 miles in an open area. The reception and sound clarity are excellent within this range.
Wishouse Wearable Walkie-Talkies have a built-in flashlight and an auto squelch feature for reducing interference. Your kid can also adjust the sensitivity of the VOX function for easy hands-free communication. They are drop resistant and water resistant.
These two-way radios can operate across 22 channels, with 99 privacy codes for each. Parents can also set the keypad lock to keep their kids tuned in to a particular frequency.
Each unit takes 4 AA batteries. While there is a power-saver mode, you’ll still have to remind your child to switch these devices off completely when they’re finished using them, since they don’t shut off automatically.

Pros
Handy lanyard
Excellent price-to-value ratio
Good range for their power

Cons
No auto-off function
Low power

10. Most Durable Radio: Midland GXT1000VP4 Two-Way GMRS Radio

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Why we like it: This sturdy, splash proof two-way radio is perfect for rugged outdoor use.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:
VOX: Yes (adjustable)
Earpiece Included: Yes
Preprogrammed Privacy Codes: Yes
License Required: Yes
Maximum Range:
Battery Type: 700mAh, 6.0V lithium-ion (or 4 AA), 10 hours
Durability: Excellent; splash proof
The Midland GXT1000VP4 Two-Way Radio is a great pick for outdoor adventurers. Its 5W power output gives it terrific range and signal quality, while its tough, splash proof (misleadingly labeled “waterproof” in the product description) design make it a natural choice for braving the elements. It comes in a pack of 2 or 3.
A particularly cool feature with this two-way radio is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scan function, which will automatically find and lock onto the strongest available weather forecast channel for your region. It will alert you to severe weather risks in your area, too. It’s also equipped with an SOS siren for emergency situations.
The Midland GXT1000VP4 is designed for silent operation, and uses vibrations instead of caller tones. The “eVOX” (easy-VOX) feature has nine different sensitivity levels, allowing voice-activated transmissions even while whispering. This makes it ideal for hunting, bird watching, or simply maximizing your tranquility while enjoying the great outdoors.
The battery was a major issue with the Midland GXT1000VP4. Although it lasts almost 11 hours (thanks to its multiple power-saver settings), it takes just as long to recharge. You also can’t simply recharge the battery by itself, it has to be in the radio when you plug it in. While you can substitute the lithium-metal battery with 4 AA batteries, this reduces the power output to around 2W —the batteries will last longer, but the signal strength with be greatly reduced.
Lastly, this walkie-talkie has a total of 142 analog and digital privacy codes and operates on 22 different channels.

Pros
Splash proof
NOAA scanner/alert system
Silent operation

Cons
Slow battery recharge
Can’t recharge battery separately from device

Be a Knowledgeable (and Responsible) Two-Way Radio Owner
For a device that’s essentially just an antenna, a battery, a microphone, and a speaker linked together by some internal circuitry, there’s quite a lot to learn about walkie-talkies! Here we’ll break down the key factors behind improving the maximum range of your two-way radio, and give you a more detailed explanation about privacy codes and licensing requirements.
Range
Walkie-talkies work by converting your voice into radio signals —denoted in “megahertz” (MHz), or millions of cycles per second— and transmitting them over the airwaves to other devices tuned in to the same frequency. The distance over which you can transmit is determined by numerous different technical and environmental factors.
It’s important to realize that literally every two-way radio (on this list and elsewhere) greatly exaggerates the maximum range of their devices in the product description. The signal distance claimed by these companies is typically based upon theoretical “optimal conditions” —you’d only ever encounter these if you were in the middle of the prairies (or on the open ocean), under ideal weather conditions, with absolutely no obstructions anywhere in sight.
The range of your walkie-talkie depends on a number of different things:
Power Output
The wattage of your two-way radio is definitely the most important factor in increasing the range of your device. Not only does a higher power level increase the signal strength of your walkie-talkie, but higher frequencies like VHF and UHF have a limited ability to penetrate through concrete, trees, and other obstructions.
Terrain
The ideal place to maximize the range of your walkie-talkie would be on a tall mountain overlooking a flat, open expanse, clear of forests, buildings, and other obstructions. However, in most places (especially if you’re transmitting from a valley, or in a densely populated city) you’ll find any unevenness in the natural terrain and/or any nearby tall buildings will cut your signal range dramatically.
Atmospheric Conditions
Weather plays a key role in how far you’ll be able to transmit on your two-way radio. Rain and/or electromagnetic interference can be particularly disruptive in terms of attenuating your signal.
Antenna
If you don’t mind modifying your walkie-talkie with an after-market part, attaching a larger antenna will significantly boost your signal range. Diamond and Nagoya both offer antennas that are compatible with most devices on this list.
Battery Condition
If your battery is drained, or simply too old to hold a complete charge anymore, this will negatively affect the power output of your two-way radio, which will diminish its range. Using a power saver mode will also have this effect.
FM Repeater Stations
Amateur radio clubs across the country have set up a network of antennas at various TV and radio stations that are capable of re-broadcasting your signal over hundreds of miles. Higher powered devices (GMRS and above) are capable of using these networks.
Privacy Codes
Privacy codes work by attaching a low frequency, inaudible squelching sound to your radio transmissions that works like a signal identifier. When you and the person with whom you’re communicating set your two-way radios to the same channel and privacy code, you will mute anyone else broadcasting on that particular channel. This will allow you to talk clearly without any interference from other radio users.
CTCSS and DCS
If this feature is important to you, look for radios with a CTCSS (continuous tone-coded squelch system), or its digital equivalent, DCS (digital-coded squelch). While CTCSS and DCS fulfill the same function, they aren’t compatible with each other.
The analog CTCSS codes run from 1-38 and can usually be mutually accessed even if the person you’re communicating with isn’t using the same brand of radio.
DCS codes run from 39 to well over 100. Because they’re more numerous, you’re less likely to run into interference while using DCS privacy codes. However, DCS privacy codes often aren’t compatible with each other if you’re using different brands of walkie-talkies.
If a two-way radio (such as the Midland GXT1000VP4 Two-Way GMRS Radio) says it has “3,124 channel options”, this means that it’s capable of using 142 different privacy codes on each of its 22 channels (3,124/22 = 142).
WARNING
It’s very important to note that, while your transmissions will be “encoded” with this feature, they are not actually encrypted —only military-grade radios are capable of blocking out other transmissions this way.
Given the sheer number of different privacy codes, you’re much less likely to encounter interference than you would on an unencoded channel, but this is no guarantee. Someone could still accidentally stumble upon the same channel and privacy code and interrupt your conversation.
Please keep this in mind, and remember not to discuss any confidential or sensitive information on your walkie-talkie.
Licenses
In the United States, in order to avoid interference with military, police, and emergency responder radio channels, the federal government has reserved certain frequency bands for public use. The primary two are the Family Radio Service (FRS) and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).
FRS
The FRS band consists of 22 authorized channels at the 462 MHz and 467 MHz ranges. FRS compliant two-way radios don’t require a license to operate, and (unless you happen to be a representative of a foreign government) you’re allowed to use these frequency bands for either business or personal use regardless of how old you are —hence the name, “Family Radio Service”. Given that FRS devices cannot have a power output higher than 2W, their range is usually limited to only a few hundred feet.
GMRS
GMRS actually operates along the exact same frequency bands as FRS, just at a higher power output —up to 5W. This added power greatly increases the strength of your signal, allowing you to broadcast over much longer distances than FRS compliant devices. The GMRS frequency bands also allow you to connect to FM repeater stations (antenna set up on TV and radio towers by amateur radio clubs), which could theoretically relay your transmissions over a range of hundreds of miles.
However, in order to reduce congestion on the airwaves, the FCC requires GMRS users to obtain a license to operate on these frequencies. A few key details you should know:
You must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for a GMRS license.
Anyone in your immediate family (regardless of age) will be legally covered under your license.
Your GMRS license is valid for 10 years.
There is no examination required.
You will have to pay a one-time fee to the FCC.
Your GMRS license is only valid for non-commercial use.
You are only permitted to transmit on GMRS designated frequencies, and must stay within the power limitation assigned for each of them.
Getting a GMRS license is a fairly straightforward process:
Go to the Universal Licensing System (ULS) section of the FCC’s website.
Select “Register” and fill out the online questionnaire with your personal details.
You will be assigned an FCC Registration Number (FRN) after completing the one-page form. At this point, you must also set a password for your new account.
Once you have your FRN, login to your account through the “File Online” section of the ULS homepage.
Select “Apply for a New License”, and pick GRMS from the drop-down menu.
Finally, you will need to answer a few very basic questions, give payment for your GMRS license, and certify that the information you provided was correct.
A hardcopy of your GMRS license will then be sent to the mailing address you provided.
Technician Class License
If you decide to purchase a walkie-talkie with a power output above 5W (such as the 8 Watt Ham Radio), you will have to obtain a Technician Class License from the FCC. The process for this is rather more difficult, and involves passing an in-person 35 question examination on radio theory, regulations, and operating practices.
The national association for amateur radio in the United States, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), has a wealth of helpful resources about this licensing process on their website. These include everything from practice questions to finding an exam session in your local area.
Anyone considering taking up amateur ham radio as a hobby should seriously consider becoming a member of the ARRL. They provide all sorts of great instructional materials and tutorial guides for beginners that will really jumpstart your entry into the thriving subculture of ham radio enthusiasts.
WARNING
It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to obtain a license from the FCC if you intend to operate on higher powered frequency bands such as the GMRS. Failure to comply with this requirement can result in a severe fine, often in the tens of thousands of dollars.
“Over and Out!”
We hope that our helpful consumer guide to two-way radios has presented you with enough options and information to choose the right product for your particular needs. From young backyard adventurers to mature, serious hobbyists, kids and adults alike are sure to find walkie-talkies a fun and rewarding way to communicate with one another. More