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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

Before the invention of power steering, driving a vehicle took a little more effort. If you’ve ever tried to turn a steering wheel while the engine is off, you know the challenge.
Today, for the most part, we don’t have to worry about strong-arming a steering wheel when going around a corner or backing out of the driveway unless, of course, the power steering fluid is leaking.
When you have a power steering fluid leak, you’ll eventually notice that turning the wheel becomes more difficult. Therefore, you’ll want to repair the leak and top-up your fluid as soon as possible, not only for convenience, but for safety as well.
Here’s a look at the best power steering fluid stop leaks on the market today.

Things to Consider When Buying Power Steering Fluid Stop Leak
Losing power steering fluid can hinder your vehicle’s performance and make it more difficult to drive. You’ll really have to reef on your steering wheel to get it to respond, which is a shock if you’ve never experienced it before. These systems have only existed since 1951 and have evolved to be ever more sophisticated and effective over that time.
In the early stages of a leak, you won’t notice any difference in the car. The only clue you’ll encounter is a pool of red or brown liquid under your vehicle, an early sign that something is leaking.
Later on in the process, you might notice a screeching or squealing sound when you turn the wheel.
There are numerous power steering fluid stop leaks available, and you’ll want to consider each option thoroughly before deciding on what to buy.
Effectiveness
Firstly, selecting a product that actually works is of the utmost importance. There’s no point in going through with the purchase if there isn’t a good chance of the stop leak meeting your needs.
In most cases, the effectiveness of the product depends on the size and type of the leak. Generally, these products work by restoring the rubber seals within your system but won’t work on larger leaks where you blow a gasket, or a hole develops in one of the hoses.
Of course, you’re more likely to have success with a premium option like ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks than with lesser-known brands.
Protects and Conditions
Before making your selection, you might look at whether or not the product protects and conditions your power steering system. As a general rule, most of these products will condition the rubber inside your power steering system, at least temporarily. The problem is that not all products work for preventative maintenance because they’ll cause the seals to overexpand and eventually burst.
Have a look at each product’s recommended uses to ensure you’re selecting the right option to meet your needs.
Amount Needed
Generally, you’ll only require a small amount of power steering fluid stop leak to get the job done. Most of the bottles are relatively small, and you’ll only need a few ounces every time. However, some products could take multiple applications before they stop your leak, which can add up if you’re using a product that requires you to add a lot of stop leak to your reservoir.
Compatibility
While many modern power steering fluid stop leak products are compatible with every make and model of vehicle, products like Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak are formulated for specific makes of cars, formulated to condition the rubber compounds of a particular manufacturer. You’ll want to read your owner’s manual and the packaging to ensure you end up with a compatible product.
Other Uses
Some power steering fluid stop leak formulas work on other parts of your car. For example, Hapco Pro-Seal can stop leaks in your transmission, engine, differential, or hydraulic system, as well as your power steering system.
There are positives and negatives to these versatile formulas. Since the products can be used in multiple applications, they’re worth keeping around the house in case you experience an issue. At the same time, they might not perform at the same level as a designated power steering fluid stop leak.
Making a Decision
When selecting the right product to meet your needs, start by looking for something compatible with your power steering system and proven to work. From there, you can look at how much of the product you’ll need and how much extra protection it provides.
Power steering fluid makes it easier to control your car by ensuring your power steering system works. When you run out of fluid, either because of a leak or the product naturally breaking down, the vehicle becomes more difficult to steer and the absence of power steering fluid could ruin your pump.
As soon as you notice a leak in your power steering system, investing in a stop leak product is a must because it can save you thousands of dollars in repairs when applied correctly.

Top 10 Best Power Steering Fluid Stop Leaks 2020
1. Best Overall Power Steering Stop Leak: Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak

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Why we like it: Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak is guaranteed to stop seal leaks
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One or two 12-ounce bottles per repair
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak is a high-end product that does an excellent job repairing leaking seals inside your power steering system. The fluid is 100% guaranteed to stop any seal leaks you encounter, and the results are often immediate.
One problem is that the product is difficult to use because you have to wait until the power steering reservoir is nearly empty or drain it beforehand. You could also require multiple bottles to repair the leak.
Key Features
For pure performance, few items can match Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak. The product stops most power steering leaks immediately, and it can prevent rack and pinion issues, too. The result is a quieter car with more responsive steering. As a pure stop leak formula, few products can match the performance of Lucas.
Verdict
You can’t go wrong when using Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak because it performs at an extremely high level. Although waiting until the reservoir is nearly empty is a pain, the product’s performance is worth the hassle. You might require two bottles for your first application, but it’ll save you hundreds of dollars in repairs from a mechanic, making it worth the initial expense.

Pros
Guaranteed to stop your power steering fluid leak
Conditions and repairs the system
Improves steering performance
Works immediately

Cons
For use on an empty reservoir
Could need multiple bottles

2. Best Premium Power Steering Stop Leak: ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks

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Why we like it: ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks is a premium product that repairs rubber seals and gaskets in multiple systems within your vehicle.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One eight-ounce bottler per eight quarts of fluid
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks repairs leaks in rubber seals and gaskets in your power steering system, in addition to your engine, transmission, differential, and hydraulic system. Keeping a few bottles of this product on-hand ensures that you can handle repairs in a hurry if you end up with a leaking seal. However, keep in mind that the product isn’t formulated for use with power steering fluid, so it might not offer the same level of protection as a steering-system specific product.
Key Features
You’ll find ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leak easy to use because you can add it directly to your power steering fluid reservoir. From there, you’ll have to run the vehicle for about five hours to have it seal your rubber gaskets. The product doesn’t contain petroleum, so it won’t harm any internal components in your steering system by over-swelling if you add too much, and depending on your car’s make and model, you might not require an entire bottle for the repair.
Verdict
ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks is one of the top power steering stop leaks on the market because it efficiently repairs worn and dried out rubber seals. Just remember that it isn’t formulated for your power steering system like Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak, so it might not perform as well.

Pros
Versatile product
Professional strength sealer
Doesn’t over-swell

Cons
Not formulated for power steering

3. Best Budget Power Steering Stop Leak: Bar’s Leaks Power Steering Stop Leak

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Why we like it: Bar’s Leaks Power Steering Stop Leak is an economical way to restore all types of seals in your power steering system.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One 11-ounce bottle per three quarts of fluid
Protects and conditions: No
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
At under $7 per bottle, Bar’s Leaks Power Steering Stop Leak is one of the most cost-efficient products on the market. The product stops gasket and O-ring leaks within your system and can make the steering system quieter, as well. However, despite one 11-ounce bottle treating three quarts of fluid (the typical car contains about 1 or 2 quarts of fluid), you might have to apply more because it doesn’t always work the first time.
Key Features
Bar’s Leaks Power Steering Stop Leak is an excellent product for small leaks because it does a great job of restoring gaskets and O-rings that are on their last legs. The result is that you can avoid expensive repairs to your steering system. The product prevents other steering leaks from occurring in the future once you apply it and can help your system’s interior components avoid corrosion.
Verdict
You might find that Bar’s Leaks Power Steering Stop Leak doesn’t work as quickly or as well as high-end products like ATP AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks. However, you can’t go wrong with the price because even if you need to reapply a few times, you’ll still have your power steering system repaired for under $20.

Pros
Inexpensive
Repairs all power steering system seals
Prevents corrosion

Cons
Might need more than one bottle
Slow to work

4. Best Power Steering Fluid and Stop Leak in One: Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak

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Why we like it: Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak is a power steering fluid plus stop leak two-in-one, making it an incredibly convenient fix.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: Vehicle dependent
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: Ford, GM, and Chrysler
Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak is a two-in-one product that often stops leaks in one application and can prevent further damage to your system. A potential issue is that the product doesn’t meet the service requirements of some global vehicle manufacturers. You’ll need to consult your owner’s manual to see how much of the product your car requires, as it’s a function of how much power steering fluid your car’s system needs.
Key Features
Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak has a lot going for it, including its anti-wear agents, sludge-preventing antioxidants, and anti-foam agents. The result is a highly-functioning power steering fluid stop leak that also doubles as a standalone power steering fluid. The product can help maintain your current system, preventing leaks on high-mileage vehicles, too.
Verdict
Overall, Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak is a reliable product at an affordable price point. It works well to fix seals that are leaking and will do the entire power steering system some good. However, it’ll take a bit of research to ensure the product is compatible with your car, and you might have to entirely drain your power steering reservoir for the best results.

Pros
Protects and conditions the power steering system
Rejuvenates all seals
One treatment is often enough

Cons
Not compatible with every type of fluid
The amount required depends on your car

5. Best Seal Conditioning Stop Leak: NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak

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Why we like it: NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak stops slow leaks and conditions your seals so they don’t leak again in the future.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One 16-ounce bottle for five quarts
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak is a solid product that can stop small or slow leaks within your power steering system. The product is easy to use, as you just have to pour it into your power steering reservoir, and it will begin repairing your leaking fluid problem. However, you might find that the product doesn’t work well on more substantial leaks. It can also take multiple days for this fluid to fix the problem after application.
Key Features
In addition to stopping power steering fluid leaks, NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak protects your system from leaks by conditioning your seals and gaskets. As a result, you can use the product in your preventative maintenance to keep your power steering system functioning at optimal levels.
Verdict
NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak works on many small leaks, but it isn’t the most efficient product on the market. You might require multiple bottles before you notice a slowdown in the leak, making this option more expensive than others, too. It could also take numerous days for NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak to repair your seals, during which time more fluid will leak onto your driveway.

Pros
Seals small leaks
Conditions your seals and gaskets
Can be used for preventative maintenance

Cons
Doesn’t work on large leaks
Works slowly

6. BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak

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Why we like it: BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak provides a permanent repair on leaks in your power steering system.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One-third of an eight-ounce bottle
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak offers a permanent repair of power steering fluid leaks of all sizes. The product is easy to use, and since you only need one-third of a bottle to see results, it’s an inexpensive option, at least on the surface. Unfortunately, you might end up having to reapply the formula multiple times to get it to work, and there are situations where it won’t stop the leak at all, however, this is possible with all stop-leak products.
Key Features
You’ll find that BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak works quickly, as it seals leaks in the power steering system within a couple of hours. In the case of more severe leaks, it could be up to two days to see results. The product won’t damage your power steering system, so you can keep adding more if it doesn’t work the first time around. The product provides a permanent solution to many leaks, helping you to avoid a trip to the garage.
Verdict
When BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak works, it’s a real money-saver because it can permanently repair your system. On the other hand, there are situations where the product doesn’t work at all, mainly when dealing with larger leaks. Overall, BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak is worth a try, but keep an eye on your power steering fluid levels during use to get the gist of its efficacy.

Pros
Aims to repair leaks permanently
Small amount required
Works quickly

Cons
Doesn’t always work
Sometimes takes multiple applications

7. Best Universal Seal Conditioner: SealLube Seal Expander

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Why we like it: SealLube Seal Expander works to seal leaks in all types of fluid systems in your vehicle.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One eight-ounce bottle for eight quarts
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
SealLube Seal Expander is a high-end product that not only repairs leaks in your power steering fluid system but also handles transmission, engine, air conditioning, differential, and hydraulic system leaks. This utility makes the product a valuable addition for any car owner. At the same time, since the product isn’t specifically designed for power steering systems, it might not work as well as specialized products like NO LEAK Power Steering Stop Leak.
Key Features
SealLube Seal Expander works by restoring flexibility to the seals within your car’s various systems. Once the flexibility is restored, the seal becomes more robust and less likely to crack. It also conditions your power steering system to prevent future leaks if you use it proactively. The product works quickly once applied.
Verdict
The good news is that SealLube Seal Expander works with all power steering fluid brands and will expand and condition your rubber seals to prevent leaks. However, the product doesn’t work on seals that are too far gone (no stop-leak does), and it’s more expensive than many other options. There’s also the issue of the product not being specifically designed for power steering fluid leaks, which could reduce its effectiveness.

Pros
Works quickly
Expands seals efficiently
Works with all fluid brands

Cons
Expensive
Not designed for power steering reservoirs

8. Hapco Pro-Seal

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Why we like it: Hapco Pro-Seal is a high-end product that expands and restores rubber seals to repair leaks efficiently.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: One ounce of product per quart of system capacity
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
Much like SealLube Seal Expander, Hapco Pro-Seal works on power steering systems, transmissions, engines, differentials, and hydraulic systems. The product won’t clog your system, as it’s designed to soak into rubber seals and expand them to slow or stop leaks. The product is compatible with all fluids and restores and conditions the rubber, as well. It could require multiple applications, however, making it an expensive option.
Key features
Hapco Pro-Seal is a quick and easy-to-use additive that you’ll put directly into your power steering fluid reservoir. Once there, the product conditions and expands the rubber seals inside to repair them. The product comes with a money-back guarantee and won’t clog your system so that you can use it for preventative maintenance, too.
Verdict
You’ll be happy to know that Hapco Pro-Seal stops all kinds of fluid leaks and works in a hurry, making it a great product to try. You might have to apply it multiple times to achieve a leak-free power steering system, which could make it costly. Overall, it’s worth keeping around the house because of its versatility.

Pros
Seals all types of rubber gaskets
Works in various systems
Restores worn rubber

Cons
Expensive
Might require multiple applications

9. STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak

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Why we like it: STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak is a two-in-one stop leak and power steering fluid that protects the system from future damage.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: Seven ounces per quart of power steering fluid
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
You can use STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak instead of your regular power steering fluid, making it one of the most straightforward products on the market to utilize. Once in your system, the product will restore and repair damaged seals, fixing and preventing leaks. STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak works better as a preventative product than a stop leak, however, so you might look elsewhere if you already have a leak.
Key features
First and foremost, STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak is a high-end power steering fluid that performs well in most circumstances. The product has the added benefit of protecting and conditioning the power steering system’s seals, preventing leaks from developing. It can also stop minor leaks if they occur, but shouldn’t be relied upon if you have a severe ongoing leak.
Verdict
How STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak works for you depends on the severity of your problem. If you’re driving a high-mileage vehicle and haven’t noticed a power steering fluid leak, pre-emptively using this product could keep it that way. However, you’ll find that other products like BlueDevil Power Steering Stop Leak work better if you’re already developing problems within your power steering system.

Pros
Works as a power steering fluid
Can prevent leaks from developing
Restores your seals

Cons
Isn’t good at repairing significant leaks
More of a power steering fluid than a stop leak

10. Motorkote All Seal Stop Leak and Leak Preventor

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Why we like it: Motorkote All Seal Stop Leak and Leak Preventor works to prevent seals from cracking and can repair already leaking components within your power steering system.
Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts
How much you’ll need: Two ounces for every one ounce of capacity
Protects and conditions: Yes
Compatibility: All power steering fluids
Motorkote All Seal Stop Leak and Leak Preventor is usable in your power steering reservoir, in addition to your engine, crankshaft, and transmission. The product works by softening and expanding rubber seals within these systems, stopping minor leaks. You’ll find that Motorkote All Seal Stop Leak and Leak Preventor struggles to repair significant leaks in your system, however.
Key features
As a preventative measure against power steering fluid leaks, Motorkote All Seal Stop Leak and Leak Preventor is a high-end product that gets the job done. It conditions and restores the rubber gaskets and O-rings inside the system, keeping the fluid inside where it belongs.
Verdict
If you plan to use Motorkote All Seal Stop Leak and Leak Preventor on a significant leak, you probably won’t have much success. However, this product is useful when preventing power steering fluid leaks on older vehicles or stopping a slow leak. A bonus is that it works on other systems, so you can use your bottle to fix leaking rubber components in your car’s engine and transmission if necessary.

Pros
Multiple uses
Inexpensive
Don’t need much of it

Cons
More for maintenance than repairs
Not for large leaks

Guide to Buying the Best Windshield Washer Fluids

You should know a few more things before investing in a power steering fluid stop leak product. After all, the right product could save you thousands of dollars in repairs, while a bad one could make the problem even worse. Doing your research to find the right one is beneficial.
First, you should know how to tell if you have a power steering issue, and then you should get to the bottom of why it’s occurring.
You’ll then want to look at the best products on the market and come to a conclusion based on your analysis. You should also have a plan if the product doesn’t work.
Signs Your Power Steering System is Broken
Much like other problems with your car, an issue with your power steering system will start slowly. Initially, you might notice a squealing sound when you turn the wheel. The noise might not occur every time, as it often begins as an occasional annoyance.
Air getting into your power steering pump is the reason for this noise, and the air gets through because there’s fluid leaking. The pump should be full of fluid, which it moves to various parts of your system. When the pump isn’t full of liquid, air gets in and makes noise as it advances, much like the wind.
Keep in mind that air can damage your power steering pump, too, because the device isn’t meant to pump it. When you run into power steering pump damage, though, a full repair is necessary. Stop leak, unfortunately, cannot fix your power steering pump.
Why Your Power Steering System Needs a Repair
Are you aware of why your power steering system requires a repair in the first place?
Well, it really depends on the type of issue you’re encountering and how advanced the problem is. Your entire power steering system contains lines and hoses that connect to each other with rubber seals, gaskets, and O-rings.
For a stop leak application to work, you’ll have to catch the problem before there’s physical damage to your seals or O-rings. Once these seals crack or break, you’ll have to head to your mechanic for a pricey repair.
Stop leak works on seals that are starting to shrink and become brittle. As your car ages, things will begin to dry out a little. The rubber components inside your power steering system can start to wither, and fluid will start escaping.
The role of the stop leak formula is to swell the rubber and make it less brittle. Most products also condition the seals to prevent them from becoming breakable in the future.
The gist is that you need a power steering repair because your seals are old, worn, and starting to leak, and a stop leak formula can help.
What to Do If It Doesn’t Work
Applying a power steering fluid stop leak can repair many leaks in your power steering system. However, it’s essential to know that the product only works on these seals and won’t fix more extensive issues.
For example, if there’s a physical break in one of your hoses or lines, there’s nothing you can do besides replace the hose. The same goes for the pump and its housing and bearings, as damage to these components is far too complicated for a liquid additive to address. Stop leak will be most effective with small leaks.
If your power steering fluid doesn’t work the first time, it’s safe to try it again. Make sure you put the optimal amount of product into your reservoir and then top-up your power steering fluid. When multiple applications don’t seem to affect your leak, a visit to a mechanic might be your only option.
Pro Tip: Place some cardboard or newspaper under the front of your vehicle after applying some power steering fluid stop leak. Doing so allows you to see if any leaks develop overnight or if your repair is a success.
How to Use Power Steering Fluid Stop Leak
Using these products is relatively easy, as it begins by opening your hood and finding the power steering fluid reservoir. The reservoir is labeled, and there a dipstick that allows you to see how much fluid you’re losing.
If your power steering fluid levels seem low, there’s a good chance you have a leak of some type that you should address. Power steering fluid doesn’t just disappear.
You can apply most stop leak products to a nearly full reservoir of power steering fluid. However, you’ll want to remove an amount equal to the amount of stop leak you’ll be putting into your car to prevent overfilling. The instructions vary by brand and type, so make sure to read the product’s instructions.
Keep in mind that Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak works best if you empty the entire reservoir and then fill it with fluid afterward. It’s a bit of a pain, but the product does an excellent job of repairing leaks.
Once you have the stop leak product in your vehicle, you’ll need to drive around so it circulates throughout your system. The amount of time this process takes depends on the formula, your car, and the severity of the leak, but you’ll generally want to give it a few days before reapplying.
Pro Tip: Wear eye protection and gloves while putting the stop leak product into your power steering reservoir. These products can irritate your skin and eyes. It’s best to be safe, so you don’t have to deal with the aftermath.
Other Lifesaving Car Products
Ever since cars have been breaking down, clever inventors have come up with smart ways to fix and avoid those breakdowns. If you love to drive high-mileage cars, or if you just want to make sure you’ve got something on hand for every scenario, check out some of our favorite maintenance and repair-related products.
Radiator Stop Leaks: Plagued by mysterious drips and leaks? Pick up an inexpensive radiator stop leak that can at least get you back on the road, if not completely fix your problem.
Oil Stop Leak Additives: The most common leak issue and, therefore, the one most likely to ruin your day is an oil leak. If you’re power steering fluid is leaking and you’ve got a high mileage vehicle, your oil pan might not be far behind. Pick up an oil stop-leak additive to plug up pesky drips.
Garage Mats: While a leak is no fun for you or your vehicle, your garage floor might take the brunt of the abuse, soaking up fluids and oils of all types. Pick up a garage mat to protect your floor, they’re quite inexpensive.
OBD2 Code Readers: Any garage mechanic worth their salt (or anyone just looking to save money) should pick up an OBD2 code reader. If something’s going wrong, you’ll at least know what.
Is the Power Steering Fluid Stop Leak Permanent?
You might have noticed that some products claim to provide a permanent fix for leaks in your power steering system and wonder if these assertions are factual.
The answer is yes, to an extent.
When one of your seals is old and brittle, it needs the attention that power steering fluid stop leak provides. That seal will then be rejuvenated and returned to an optimal state. The other seals within the system will receive the same treatment, so you shouldn’t have similar problems with them in the future.
However, different problems can arise with these seals and other elements within your power steering system, causing leaks.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking your power steering system is now leak-proof because you’ve used a stop leak product. The truth is that even a product that claims to be permanent won’t stop all leaks, as you can still blow gaskets, break your pump, crack your reservoir, or have a hose form a leak.
These products do work for their intended use, but they won’t make your power steering system invincible.
Power Steering Fluid and Stop Leak in One
Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak and STP Power Steering Fluid & Stop Leak are included on this list as power steering fluid and stop leak two-in-one products.
The benefit of this type of product, of course, is that you can use it just like a traditional power steering fluid, except it will condition and repair your seals. As your vehicle ages, you might consider switching to one of these products as part of your preventative maintenance plan.
However, the drawback of these products is that they don’t work well as a standalone stop leak once your seals are already leaking. That’s because these applications are a power steering fluid, first and foremost, that condition your seals as a bonus.
For that reason, it’s essential to look at what a stop leak formula attempts to accomplish before selecting one. Consider the age of your vehicle and any leaks you’re already encountering before making your selection.
Wrapping Things Up
A power steering fluid stop leak is a valuable tool to have available to you when you run into car problems. When used in their designed applications, these products work well as they can stop seals and gaskets within your power steering system from leaking. At the same time, these products aren’t miracle cures for all power steering problems, so you’ll want to carefully consider the type of leak you’re dealing with before going in this direction. More

You don’t need to be a car enthusiast to wash your vehicle regularly. By washing it regularly, you’ll preserve the condition of the paint job, which will preserve the value of the car if you ever plan on reselling it. A washed car will also look a lot newer.
The longer that you allow the dirt, dust, tree sap, bird poop, and other contaminants to sit on the surface of your car, the more damage they will cause. Some of these contaminants can actually eat away at the paint. If you’re leasing your car, you might be on the hook for a new paint job if the paint looks scraggly and old.
You don’t need to be a professional to keep your car looking new and clean. You also don’t need to bring your car to a professional detailing service at all if you don’t want to. The cheapest way to clean your car is to do it by yourself with some car wash soap. The process is relatively easy and straightforward, and you’ll see the results immediately.

How to Choose the Best Car Wash Soap
There are so many car wash soaps to choose from, but each bottle and jar will have different features and characteristics from the next. Knowing what you’re getting can really help make your job a lot easier. A good car wash soap will lift away dirt, debris and other contaminants, so you can use less elbow grease to get the job done. The car wash soap may even give your car a temporary seal that’ll protect it from environmental elements.
A car wash soap is so much more than just soap. Let’s take a look at some of the defining features that you should look for when making a purchasing decision.
Product Features
The first thing that you should do when looking at car wash soaps is to figure out the type of features that they have to offer. Car wash soaps do more than just wash your car. The intensity of the wash will differ from one soap to the next. Some of the features that you should look for include:
Foaming Action
Foaming bubbles lift debris and dirt off the paint and away from your car. Car wash soaps that offer a thick and rich lather tend to be gentler on your car and are less likely to cause any scratches.
Waxing Agent
Car wash soaps that contain a waxing agent will save you time and money in the long run. The wax protects the paint and prevents it from oxidizing. It also makes your car look a lot shinier.
pH Level
Car wash soaps that are alkaline are more effective at breaking down dirt and grime; however, you want to avoid any soaps that contain too much alkalinity or acidity as they may end up damaging the exterior of your car. Go for a neutral formula with just a dash of alkalinity for the best results.
Water Spot and Streak Resistance
Quick-drying soaps with water spots and streak resistance will not leave behind any marks that take away from your car’s beautiful paint job.
Eco-Friendly Ingredients
Most car wash soaps end up in the gutter, so look for one that will have the lowest impact on the environment as possible.
These are just some of the product features that you’ll find with car wash soaps. Some car wash soaps may boast the ability to protect and even enhance the color of your car. Others may have a specific scent that you love.
Ease of Application
Those purchasing car wash soap for their personal vehicle likely do not have any special tools or equipment at home, like a pressure washer. Car owners who will be washing by hand should pick a soap that is as easy and straightforward to use as possible. For example, you shouldn’t have to worry about having to learn any special cleaning methods or having to avoid certain paint colors or exterior materials.
Concentration and Volume
A concentrated product will not only last longer but will also be more effective at removing dirt, dust and grime from your car’s exterior. You’ll also notice that you’ll typically get more bang for your buck with a concentrated solution. Just make sure that you read the instructions carefully to better understand the recommended soap to water ratio.
The volume of product that you get will also determine whether you are getting good value for your money. Sixty-four ounces of car wash soap will generally last you up to a year.

Top 10 Best Car Wash Soaps 2020
1. Best Overall Car Wash Soap: Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Super Suds Shampoo

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Why we like it: It’s affordable, contains no waxes and will leave behind no residue. Its advanced foaming technology easily lifts away dirt, debris and contaminants.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
The Mr. Pink formula is tough on dirt and contaminants but gentle on wax and sealant. It contains super-slick polymers that lubricate abrasive debris and prevents damage resulting from improper washing.  It’s super concentrated and easily recognized by its bright pink color. You can use this car wash soap on a weekly basis.
Product Features
This car wash soap is pH neutral, so it’s gentle on your car, and it has advanced foaming technologies inside that will lift away debris and dirt without scratching or damaging the exterior of your car at all.
This car wash soap doesn’t contain any waxing agents, which can be both a benefit and a drawback. Without any waxing agents, you may need to wax your car after washing it with this soap. This may be too much extra work and effort for some people. If you’re looking for a car wash soap with waxing agents, the Chemical Guys Extreme Bodywash & Wax is a great alternative.
However, since it doesn’t contain any waxing agents, you can safely remove contaminants from the exterior of your car and bring it alive with a premium wax. This car wash soap won’t leave behind any wax or residue on your car that can take hours to remove.
Ease of Application
This car wash soap is super easy to use. You can use it in bucket washes or with a foam gun. All you have to do is mix the soap with some water and use a washing mitt or even some type of towel to lather the soap onto your car.
If you are using a foam gun, choose one that has a psi over 1,700 for the best results. A high-pressure gun will give you a richer lather.
Concentration and Volume
This car wash soap comes in four different sizes: 4 ounces, 15 ounces, 64 ounces and 1 gallon. The 64-ounce bottle will last you an entire year. Best of all, this car wash soap is incredibly concentrated. One ounce of soap is all you need to add to a 5-gallon bucket.

Pros
Neutral pH for a gentle wash
Leaves behind no residue
Compatible with both bucket washes and foam guns
Advanced foaming technology
Concentrated and effective

Cons
Does not contain any waxes

2. Best Budget Car Wash Soap: Chemical Guys Strawberry Margarita Maxi Suds II

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Why we like it: This is a super affordable car wash soap with a decent amount of advanced foaming action. It’ll lift dirt, debris, and other contaminants easily from the surface of your car.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
This is one of the more affordable car wash soaps from the Chemical Guys. It’s super concentrated, so you only need a little bit of soap to wash your entire car. This car wash soap has the same type of foaming technologies as other Chemical Guy options and is super affordable. It’s a great choice for those who are on a budget.
Product Features
This car wash soap smells like strawberry margaritas. It’s high-performing and an all-purpose cleaner that will cut through grime, heavy dirt and road film with ease. The pH neutral formula is safe for all waxes and sealants. This car wash soap is also formulated with water softeners that can reduce water from streaking on the surface of your car.
This soap works by suspending dirt, dust and grime within super polymer bubbles, so they can be effortlessly rinsed away.
While this car wash soap has advanced foaming technology, the suds are a bit weak. This car wash soap doesn’t produce as much lather as the Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Auto Wash, and the suds don’t last as long, so you need to work quickly.
Ease of Application
Before you begin, rinse the vehicle with water to remove as much loose grit and contaminants as possible. Then, wash your car from top to bottom with the soapy water. It’s important to rinse the product frequently for best results. Do not allow any of the soapy water to dry on your paint.
If you find that rinsing your car regularly is too much work, you might want to try a product like the Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax, which doesn’t require any water at all.
You can use this soap with the bucket method or with a foam cannon.
Concentration and Volume
This car wash soap is quite concentrated, and 1 ounce of the formula should be added to 5 gallons of water. If you’re using a foam gun, add 1 to 3 ounces of soap into the gun, and it should do the trick!

Pros
High performance, all-purpose cleaner
Cuts through road film, grime and heavy dirt
Advanced foaming technology
Safe for waxes and sealants
Formulated with water softeners to reduce water streaking

3. Best Premium Car Wash Soap: Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Auto Wash

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Why we like it: You’ll get a crazy amount of lather and suds from this soap. It smells great and doesn’t leave behind any residues at all.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
This product is so versatile that it can be used on more than just cars. You can use it to clean your truck, SUVs, off-road vehicles and more. It’s safe on all vehicle surfaces, like paint, rubber, vinyl, glass and plastics.
The only real downside about this product is that it’s a bit costlier than many other alternatives on the market. If you’re on a budget, our budget pick will do an equally good job at cleaning your car although it doesn’t produce suds that are as rich as this soap.
Product Features
This car wash soap contains advanced foaming technologies that produce some of the richest suds available. The soap foams up beautifully and a little bit of the product will go a long way into creating mountains of foam that easily lift away dirt, dust and other grime from the surface of your car.
The formula rinses clean with no residue and is safe for waxes and sealants. It’s pH neutral, so it is gentle on all types of paint. The foam is so intense and thick that it will encapsulate airborne dust, dirt and grime, so you can rinse it off your car without much effort.
It also smells like honeydew!
Ease of Application
This is probably one of the easiest soaps to work with. Since it produces so much foam, it’s perfect for touchless washes as well. You can also use the two bucket method or a foam cannon wash. Simply lather up your car and rinse off the dirt. It’s that easy!
Concentration and Volume
Like many other Chemical Guy car wash soaps, this car wash soap is very concentrated. Mix 1 ounce of this with every 5 gallons of water that you use. Each jar contains one gallon of product, so one jar can easily last you several years, depending on how often you wash your car.

Pros
Advanced foaming technology with lots of suds
Highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way
Nicely scented
Rinses clean with no residue
Safe for waxes and sealants

4. Best Waterless Car Wash Soap: Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax

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Why we like it: If you’re in a water-restricted area, this waterless car wash soap will get the job done. It’s easy to use and highly effective.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
Not everyone may have the luxury of being able to use as much water as they want when washing their car. Some people live in areas with water restrictions. Others, like those who live in apartment buildings, may not have easy access to a water source. This car wash soap doesn’t require any water at all. It’s super convenient and can be used anywhere!
Product Features
This product is so easy to use and great for those who want to wash and wax their car quickly. You can use this product anywhere, as you don’t need any hoses, buckets or rinsing. It’s really convenient.
The formula contains spot-free agents that will clean road grime and dust without scratching your car. It also contains advanced polymer technologies that will leave behind a beautiful, glossy wax layer that lasts weeks.
Ease of Application
This is a waterless car wash soap, but it’s still really easy to use. You’ll need two microfiber towels and just one bottle of this product.
Start by misting the upper surfaces one section at a time. Spread the product with a clean microfiber towel folded into fourths. This should begin to remove some of the dirt and grime. You’ll want to use a second dry microfiber towel to go over the section again in order to wipe it dry. The first towel should be used to remove dirt every time, and the 2nd towel should be used to dry and buff the surface once you’re removed dirt from it.
You may need more than two towels if your car is extremely dirty. Make sure that you expose a clean side to clean and dry each section of the car.
Concentration and Volume
In comparison to liquid car wash soaps that require water, this type of product is not concentrated at all. There is nothing to dilute it with. Instead, you’ll have to spray the product directly onto the car. The spray nozzle does distribute the soap evenly on your car. With that said, you’re going to be using a good amount of each bottle when washing your car.

Pros
Waterless for optimal convenience
Contains waxing agents that protect your car
Safe for all paints and finishes
No equipment needed
Protects surfaces against swirling and scratching

Cons
Not concentrated at all so each wash uses a lot of product

5. Best Conditioning Car Wash Soap: Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash

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Why we like it: Clean and condition your car all at once. The ultra-rich conditioner can make your car look like new again.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
Another popular car wash soap produced by Meguiar is the Gold Class Car Wash soap. It offers a mild scent that’s not offensive at all and leaves your car with a glow thanks to its powerful conditioning abilities.
Product Features
This car wash soap not only cleans your car, but also conditions it at the same time, so your paint looks more vibrant. It cleans your car without stripping any of the existing waxes or sealants, and offers a rich lather that gently removes even some of the toughest dirt, road grime and contaminants.
Ease of Application
This product is fairly easy to use. All you have to do is add some soap to the bucket, and begin washing your car from top to bottom with a wash mitt or a microfiber towel. Once you’re done washing the car, rinse it thoroughly by spraying water from the top of the car down. This will promote sheeting action. Although this product is very easy to use, it is prone to water spots. For best results, you’ll want to immediately dry your car with a 100% cotton terry towel.
If you’re concerned about water spots, the Rain-X Spot Free Car Wash adds a water repellent layer to your car that prevents this problem entirely.
Concentration and Volume
This is a really affordable product, as you get a lot at a fairly low price; however, you need to know that this product isn’t super concentrated, so you will run through a jar fairly quickly depending on how often you wash your car.
If you’re washing your car using the bucket method, you should use one ounce of soap per one gallon of water. If you’re using a foam cannon, dilute the product 5 to 1. If you’re looking for something that is a lot more concentrated, you can’t go wrong with the Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss.

Pros
Cleans and conditions your car at the same time
Produces a rich foaming soap that is gentle on the car
Neutral pH that prevents streaks and scratches
Does not strip away waxes and polishes
Boosts overall polish

Cons
Not super concentrated
Prone to water spotting

6. Best Concentrated Car Wash Soap: Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss

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Why we like it: A little really does go a long way with this product. Add one cap of this to 5 gallons of water!
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
This is a super-concentrated car wash soap that will practically last forever if you’re not in the habit of washing your car regularly. It’s another product by the Chemical Guys, so the quality of it is excellent. It smells like citrus, which is another welcome bonus. It’s also great for use in a pressure washer.
Product Features
The citrus-based formula not only smells great, but lathers up really well. It does a great job at lifting dirt, dust and grime away from the car’s surface and will even enhance the overall gloss for a beautiful finish.
It uses natural citrus cleansers that will wash away easily without leaving behind any streaks or residues, and the powerful formula can easily access hard-to-reach areas to give you a very thorough clean. This formula has an ultra-high foaming capability, which is why it is very popular amongst those who use foam guns. The suds are rich and last a long time. They’ll lift even the most stubborn stains and dirt without creating any scratches or swirl marks.
Ease of Application
You can add a bit of this soap into a bucket of water or into a soap gun. A little goes a long way. As it contains citrus-based cleansers, it doesn’t leave behind any streaks. You also don’t have to use any elbow grease to wash your car, as the ultra-thick foam easily penetrates deep into hard-to-reach areas.
This product produces so much foam that you may need to use a lot of water to rinse everything off. If you’re living in an area with water restrictions at the moment, you might have an easier time working with a waterless car wash soap like the Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax.
Concentration and Volume
In terms of concentration, this car wash soap is as concentrated as it comes. You only need to add one cap of this soap into a 5 gallon bucket of water. As each jar contains 1 gallon of soap, you’ll get years of use from this one purchase even if you were to wash your car several times a week.

Pros
Highly concentrated formula lasts a long time
Lovely citrus scent
Hyper concentrated gloss enhancer
Biodegradable formula that’s safe for the environment
Rich foam for scratch-free rinsing

Cons
May require a lot of water to rinse off

7. Best for Colors: Chemical Guys Extreme Bodywash & Wax

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Why we like it: This car wash soap enhances the color of your car and adds a beautiful shine to it.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
This car wash soap lathers up very well to remove dirt, grime and debris without getting any swirls or scratches on your car. It gives you that showroom shine that you’ve been looking for, and will offer a slick, scratch-free finish. This soap is able to enhance high gloss shines on practically every paint color out there.
Another plus is that this car wash soap smells like berry, which is great since a lot of other soaps on the market have a pungent, chemical odor to them.
Product Features
This is a very interesting car wash soap from the Chemical Guys. They wanted to recreate that “brand new car sitting in a showroom” look, and this car wash soap is able to do just that. It contains two different types of waxes, carnauba wax and a synthetic wax, that will enhance and brighten the color of the paint.
The carnauba wax is like a sunscreen for your car. It protects the paint from harsh UV rays and also other environmental elements. The synthetic wax, on the other hand, increases the durability of the paint and also enhances the condition of any existing waxes to give your car that beautiful, freshly-waxed look.
The pH-balanced formula will clean your car without leaving behind any spots or stains. The ingredients lather up very well and are gentle on the car and won’t remove any existing waxes or sealants either. Some people have claimed that this soap sometimes leaves behind some residue if they’re not careful. If you find this is a common occurrence for you, consider trying the Rain-X Spot Free Car Wash instead, as the water repellent layer leaves behind no residues at all.
Ease of Application
Once again, the Chemical Guys have hit it out of the park with this car wash soap in terms of simplicity. This product is super easy to use. All you have to do is pour some in a bucket of water and you’re good to go. The formula contains a lot of ingredients that make rinsing it off a breeze. You can also use it in a foam gun if you’d like. In fact, this product works very well in a foam gun.
Concentration and Volume
This car wash soap is super concentrated, so you’ll get a lot of use out of just one bottle. You should mix only 1 to 3 ounces of it per every 5-gallon of water you use. In general, most people will only use one ounce or so every time that they wash their car. As each jar contains 64 fluid ounces, you could easily wash your car once a week and still have a fair amount to spare at the end of the year.

Pros
Synthetic wax protects the car
Enhances color and gloss on every paint color
Does not strip away any existing wax or sealant coatings
Can be used in a foam gun or in bucket
Produces a rich lather and lots of suds

Cons
May leave behind some minor residues

8. Best Water Repellent Coating: Rain-X Spot Free Car Wash

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Why we like it: It’ll leave a water repellent coating that’ll prevent rain from streaking on your car. It’s highly concentrated and easy to use.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
If you’re looking for a spot-free finish every single time, then this is the product for you. It’s a great choice for beginners who may not necessarily have the expertise on how to dry their car properly and are afraid of introducing micro-scratches to the paint.
Product Features
This car wash soap adds a water repellant layer to your car, so you won’t have to worry about the rain for a while. It also means that you won’t have to towel dry your car at all, which will save you a lot of time.
The product produces a lot of suds that easily lift dirt, grime and dust off your car with ease. It’s specially formulated to give you a spot-free shine every time, and it’s safe for all car finishes. It doesn’t strip away any of the existing waxes or sealants on your car either.
The formula is also biodegradable and pH balanced, so you won’t have to worry about it damaging the environment.
Ease of Application
In terms of application, this product is really easy to use. First, you’ll want to rinse your car to remove loose dirt and then wash your car with a sponge or a wash mitt dipped in a bucket of soapy water. Last but not least, rinse the car thoroughly. The water should literally slide off your car and your car should dry before your eyes. No towel drying is necessary at all.
Concentration and Volume
In terms of concentration, you’re not getting a whole lot with this product. It’s recommended to use one ounce of product per gallon of water, so you’ll be using anywhere from 3 to 5 ounces each time you wash your car. This bottle contains 48 fluid ounces, so you’ll only get anywhere from 9 to 16 washes per bottle. If you’re looking for something that’s a lot more concentrated, check out the Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss.

Pros
Specially formulated for a spot-free shine every single time
Safe for all car finishes
Does not strip waxes or sealants
High foaming action
No towel drying necessary

Cons
Not very concentrated at all

9. Best Biodegradable Car Wash Soap: Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax

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Why we like it: This car wash soap is biodegradable and eco-friendly. You don’t have to worry even if this soap gets washed down the gutter.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
If you’re looking for a beautiful waxy finish, this product is definitely something you should pick up. It contains a high concentration of carnauba wax that will protect and seal your car while you’re washing it. You’ll get a beautiful, glossy finish, and you can skip the step of having to wash your car.
Product Features
Car wash soap gets washed down the drain and gutters a lot. Many people are concerned about the environmental impact that may come with washing their cars. This is not a problem at all with Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash and Wax. The formula is powerful, ultra-sudsy, but more important biodegradable and pH balanced. You can wash the soap down the gutter without worrying one bit about the impact that it may have on the environment.
The carnauba wax does a great job at giving your car that beautiful wax finish that you may be looking for. It also protects your car from environmental elements and UV rays. The formula has a neutral pH, so this car wash soap won’t leave behind any watermarks, streaks or swirls.
Ease of Application
Much like with every other car wash soap, this product is fairly easy to use. You can use it in a foam gun or place it in a bucket. Both methods are equally as easy to work with. Simply spray or wash your car with the soap and then rinse off the soap afterward.
This product is great for both beginners and professionals, as it is easy to use. The formula ensures that you don’t have to do anything special with the soap to get the results that you want.
Concentration and Volume
Here’s where things get a little tricky. This product doesn’t come with any clear instructions on how to dilute it; however, most people go with a 1 ounce to 1 gallon ratio, so they’ll use 1 ounce of soap for every gallon of water that they have in the bucket.
This means that this product is definitely not as concentrated as some other alternatives, like the Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss. You may run out of it rather quickly.

Pros
Biodegradable
Ultra-sudsy, powerful formula offers a very clean wash every time
Contains carnauba wax, which will protect the car’s exterior
Gives your car a beautiful, glossy shine
Neutral pH leaves behind no watermarks

Cons
Doesn’t really have instructions on dilution ratio

10. Best No Rinse Car Wash Soap: Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax

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Why we like it: You don’t have to spend any time drying your car with this car wash soap. It’ll dry on its own.
Editor’s Rating:

Overview
Optimum really hit it out of the park with this no-rinse car wash soap. It saves a lot of time, money and water while still producing incredible results. The extra wax in the formula will protect your car and give it an unsurpassed gloss.
This car wash soap can be used on not only cars, but also trucks, motorcycles, RVs, ORVs, fiberglass or wood boats and airplanes.
Another interesting fact about this product is that it smells like melons, which is a welcome feature considering that many car wash soaps smell very pungent.
Product Features
This car wash soap has a no-rinse formula for optimal efficiency. It does not require any rinsing at all since there are no soapy surfactants that you need to remove from your car. This is great for those who live in areas with water restrictions or for those who want to save the environment by using less water. You can use just one bucket to wash an entire car.
The formula contains polymer technologies that provide UV protection. It also contains carnauba wax, which will not only protect your car from environmental elements but also give it a beautiful glossy shine. There are also substantive polymers that will attach and bond with the paint to prevent it from getting scratched.
This soap cleans, shines and protects your car all at the same time. It offers an unsurpassed gloss and protection that will make your car look fantastic.
Ease of Application
This car wash soap is incredibly easy to use. Add the soap to some water and wash one section of your car at a time until it’s completely clean. As it has a no-rinse formula, you don’t even need to rinse it off or dry it. With that said, if you would like to expedite the process, you can always dry your car with a clean microfiber towel.
Due to the nature of this car wash soap, you’d only use it if you’re washing your car with the bucket method. This car wash soap is not compatible with foam guns, as it doesn’t sud up. If a foam gun is an integral part of your cleaning process, you’ll want to take a look at alternatives like the Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax.
Concentration and Volume
This product is definitely not as concentrated as some other car wash soaps like the Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss. You’ll need to add an entire ounce of this product to just 2-gallons of water. You’ll run through an entire bottle a lot quicker than with other car wash soaps.

Pros
Cleans, shines and protects all in one
No-rinse formula saves money
Contains carnauba wax for a fantastic shine every time
Offers UV protection
Produces a beautiful glossy finish

Cons
Not as concentrated as some other soaps
Not compatible with a foam gun

A Complete Guide to Car Wash Soap

Other than a decent amount of foaming action, there are many other things that you need to look for in a good car wash soap. A large jar of car wash soap will usually last you a good year or two, depending on how often you wash your car. Those who live in sunny climates tend to wash their cars more frequently than those who live in rainy environments.
Washing your car more often can really help preserve its overall condition and look. Once you’ve gotten the hang of washing your car yourself, you’ll find that the process is incredibly straightforward and easy. You can basically wash your car in under 30 minutes if you’re in a rush. Or you can take your time and take several hours. It really depends on how detailed you want to be.
Other Factors to Consider
Other than the factors mentioned above, there are some additional things that you should consider when making a purchase. By taking every factor into account, you’ll be able to easily narrow down your choices and find a car wash soap that meets all of your needs and expectations.
Types of Soaps for Cars
That’s right! There are different types of car wash soaps. They differ in the type of ingredients that they contain, the way that they can be used and the type of finish that they can provide. Let’s take a look at some of the more common types of car wash soaps below.
General Use Car Wash Soap
General use car wash soap is designed for weekly and monthly washes. It usually won’t strip away any sealants or waxes and will only have some type of foaming action to get rid of dirt, dust and other contaminants that have collected on the surface of the car. Most of these soaps tend to have a concentrated formula, so a little will go a long way.
Wash and Wax Car Wash Soap
If you want to save some time and recoat your car with some waxing agents, a wash and wax car wash soap like the Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax will do the job.
The waxing agents protect your car from environmental elements, like dirt and grime. They’re highly recommended for those who live in hotter climates. With that said, do keep in mind that a wash and wax car wash soap cannot compare to a full-strength car wax application. You should wax your car once a year to keep it shiny and scratch-free.
Strip Shampoo
This type of car wash soap will remove sealants and waxing agents from the exterior of your car. They’re quite strong and ideal for situations where you want to reapply wax on your car or to polish away scratches and imperfections.
Waterless
With climate change, more and more cities in America are facing droughts. If you live in a place that’s under water restrictions, a waterless car wash soap may be a better choice. Waterless car wash soaps are similar to regular ones and will do the same job. The only difference is that you usually just spray the product onto your car and wipe off the dirt.
No Rinse
If you’re not a fan of waterless car wash soap, but want something similar, you can also try a no rinse car wash soap that will allow you to leave your car as-is after washing it. You won’t need to dry it at all! These car wash soaps are super convenient, and they’re also a great choice for those who are scared of accidentally micro-scratching their cars when drying them.
Scented
Car wash soaps can have very strong, pungent fragrances. Those who have allergies or respiratory conditions may want to stay away from fragrant soaps, as they can cause them to feel nauseous or sick. Scentless soaps tend to be better options for those who have sensitivities. Sweet-smelling car wash soaps, like strawberry margarita, are also usually a big hit among consumers.
Manufacturer
While the identity of the manufacturer may not necessarily guarantee the car wash soap’s quality, it can tell you a bit about the soap. Choose a manufacturer that has a good reputation amongst the auto community and is known for using high-quality ingredients. Some of the more popular manufacturers include the Chemical Guys, Meguiar and Optimum.
A manufacturer that specializes in producing car wash soap only will usually offer more varieties and specialty soap. The more time that they spend on their products, the better the product usually is.
Common Equipment Needed for Washing Your Car
Washing your car shouldn’t be difficult or hard. It should be as straightforward and simple as possible. Other than the car wash soap, you’ll only need this other equipment:
Two buckets. One of the buckets should be filled with soapy water and the other should be filled with clean water, so you can rinse off the soap.
A hose. Connect a hose to a water source to quickly rinse off the car wash soap from your car.
A microfiber washing mitt or a microfiber towel. Make sure that you choose something that is made from microfiber, as anything coarser than that can result in micro-scratches on your car. These micro-scratches are almost impossible to get out. A microfiber washing mitt will fit your hand like a glove and will expedite the car washing process.
A grit guard. This can prevent loose contaminants and debris from collecting on your mitt or towel every time that you rinse.
A drying cloth. Unless you’re using a no rinse car wash soap, you’ll want to get as much of the soap off of your car as possible.
A foam gun. This is entirely optional. A foam gun can lather up your car quickly and efficiently.
If you already have all of the equipment you’ll need, you can get started right away. Take a look at the video below for a walkthrough on how to wash your car like a pro! Your car will look brand new if you follow the instructions in the video.
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Tips and Tricks for How to Effectively Wash Your Car
[ADD IMAGE: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-cleaning-car-microfiber-cloth-detailing-1611573358 Alt text: shiny car after getting washed and waxed]
After washing your car, you want it to look like the one above: glossy, shiny and uniform. The one thing that you definitely want to avoid is getting micro-scratches on your car. These scratches are super small and are basically scratched into the paint. They’re almost impossible to remove. To do so, you’ll need to rewax your car. Depending on the amount of micro-scratches that are present, you may even need to re-polish it.
Washing your car shouldn’t be too difficult if you follow the instructions below:
Add dirt traps to the bottom of two buckets, and fill them with clean water. Add soap into one of the buckets. The dirt trap will prevent dirt from getting back onto your mitts and towels. These small particles are responsible for most of the micro-scratches that you see on cars.
Rinse your car from top to bottom with a hose.
Lather up a microfiber mitt or towel and start washing your car from top to bottom. This way, the dirt and dust will fall downwards.
Wash and rinse your car in quarters to prevent water spots and dried streaks. Make sure you go from top to bottom to get rid of all of the soap.
Wash the wheels with a brush and then rinse off the soap. Make sure that you always do this step last because you don’t want to accidentally transfer brake dust or dirt from the wheels to the paint. This will scratch off the enamel and also cause micro-scratches to form. Some people will even go as far as using a different brush or towel.
Rinse the entire car from top to bottom again.
Use a microfiber towel to dry the car and another one to detail dry.
Unfortunately, even if you follow the instructions perfectly, you may still end up with micro-scratches. We’ve come up with some additional tips and tricks that can help prevent them.
#1. Watch What You Wear
Be mindful of what clothes you’re wearing when washing your car. You want to wear old clothes that are made of soft material, so they don’t scratch up your car if you accidentally lean on it. Jeans, for example, are some of the biggest culprits for micro-scratches because they have metal parts.
#2. Always Use a Microfiber Towel or a Mitt
Don’t use a giant brush or go to a gas station car wash. If you don’t use the right type of brush or towel to wash your car, you’ll end up scratching it. Brushes often collect dirt, rocks and other contaminants that can easily scratch the enamel.
#3. Don’t Forget the Wheel Wells or Underneath the Car
If you’re going to wash your car, do it right from the beginning and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches in the future. Don’t forget the wheel wells and underneath the car. These areas are often forgotten or ignored; however, they actually are the parts that require the most cleaning. These areas are often hit the hardest with dirt, grime and other contaminants.
#4. Wash Your Car in the Shade
This might sound funny, but washing your car in the shade can prevent water spots. If the area that you live in has a lot of hard water, which essentially means that the water contains a lot of minerals, the minerals can stay on your car when the water evaporates. This causes ugly water spots to form. If you wash your car under the shade, the water will be less likely to evaporate before you’re done drying it. This reduces the appearance of water streaks.
#5. Wet Your Microfiber Towel for Drying
Trying to dry your car with a completely dry microfiber towel will drive you insane. It takes a lot of time and effort. It’ll also feel like the towel isn’t really soaking in any water. The trick is to spray it with water first and then wring it dry. Microfiber towels are much more absorbent once they’re wet.
#6. Use Compressed Air to Dry Your Car
If you want to be extra careful and avoid micro-scratches altogether when drying your car, use compressed air to dry it. This will make sure that nothing can rub against the paint at all. You’ll get perfect results every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Should You Wash Your Car?
There really isn’t a clear-cut answer to how often you should wash your car.
Most experts recommend washing your car at least every two weeks, although many car owners may wait until their car looks dirty or has a layer of dirt on it. Some car enthusiasts, who are very particular about how their car looks, may wash their vehicles every week or even more frequently.
If you see tree sap, bird poop or bug guts on your car, you should wash it as soon as possible, as these contaminants may corrode the paint.
Why Should You Wash Your Car?
You don’t have to wash your car just because there’s a thick enough layer of dirt on it for drawing an image. You can wash your car to get rid of animal droppings, dead bugs, dirt and mud, pollen, rain, tree sap, tar and other road grime and brake dust. Tree sap, in particular, is a common thing you’ll find on cars that are parked underneath trees. When the sap hardens, it’ll irreparably damage the paint
By washing these contaminants and debris off the exterior of your car, you’ll prolong the life of your paint job. Your car will look newer, and the paint is less likely to fade or stain.
Why Can’t I Wash My Car with Regular Dishwasher Soap or Body Soap?
Different types of soaps do very different jobs. Body soap is gentle on the body and does not aggressively get rid of dirt or grime. As a result, it’s not going to be a good choice for tackling the sap that’s hardened on your car.
Dishwasher soap, on the other hand, is meant to remove food particles. It can actually dry out certain exterior car materials. It may also leave behind a residue on your car.
Do Different Colored Cars Need Different Types of Soap?
The answer to this is both yes and no.
Technically, there is no difference between washing a light-colored car and a dark-colored car. You’ll follow the same routines and basic principles. Dark-colored cars, however, are very vulnerable to scratches. Even the smallest grain of sand can scratch the paint.
Due to this reason, there are some car wash soaps that are technically better for dark-colored cars, as they are gentler and less abrasive.
Final Thoughts
A good car wash soap will get rid of all contaminants on the surfaces and will make your car look like new. It should also be straightforward and easy to use. You should have no trouble washing tree sap and even bird poop off your car without having to take it to a professional. If you wash your car by yourself, you could also save yourself some money.
Once you’ve found the perfect car wash soap, you’ll find that washing your car becomes a breeze. In fact, you might even start to enjoy the process. Many of the car wash soaps on our list have unique features that make them stand out from competitors. They’re worth looking into and could possibly be the answer to your prayers if you have a dirty car. More

Everyone loves a clean car. Most people don’t love the time it takes to clean them, though. You drive through a local car wash, but the brushes are a serious risk to your paint, and brushless ones never do a good job. Also, they are expensive, especially if you like having your car clean for more than one month out of the year.
For those looking for a better option, there’s good news! There are a ton of great brushes that can speed up the car cleaning and detailing process, and most of them cost less than a run through a gas station carwash.

A Quick Guide to Brush Types
Believe it or not, there are many different types of brushes for washing your car. Choosing the right one usually depends on how big your vehicle is and how much you want to spend. We’ll go through the different types so you can find the one that fits your needs. We’ll also list our favorite brushes on the market to help make your shopping as easy as possible.
Why Use a Brush?
The obvious reason is that it makes reaching all parts of your ride easier. Tall truck? A long pole will get right up to the roofline. Deep crevices in the bodywork and wheels? A long brush will get into those tight spaces where a sponge or mitt wouldn’t fit.
The other reason is that it’s safer for paint than most other methods while still being inexpensive and convenient. Pressure washers are great, but they are costly (check out our favorite pressure washers here). Sponges are very cheap, but unless you buy a dedicated soft sponge, they carry a high risk of scratching the clear coat. Brushes are inexpensive and when used properly have very little chance of damaging your paint.
Kinds of Brushes
There are two parts to every brush, the handle and the brush itself. There’s a bit of variety in form and function concerning each component. There’s really no such thing as the best brush, there are only the best brushes for specific purposes. Let’s talk about the types of brushes first.
Bristle
A bristle brush is your standard everyday brush. They look like shop brooms and can either be fixed in place or swiveling. When you are washing cars, you want to make sure to get soft bristles. The softer, the better. It makes it slightly harder to scrub the dirt off, but it lowers the risk to your paint.
Bristle brushes are better for large areas and lots of grime. There’s really no substitute for a good brush if you need to clean grease or mud off.
Mop
Mop-style cleaning brushes look like the mops you use for cleaning hardwood floors. They hold water better but have a more difficult time with curves and complicated geometry. Many people like using cotton mops because you can use them dry as a duster.
Microfiber
Most bristle brushes are synthetic–the days of horsehair are gone, but there are two main styles when it comes to mops. Standard cotton mops retain more water and are less likely to collect debris that can scratch things. Microfiber is softer than cotton but can sometimes pick up debris that will cling to the fabric like Velcro.
Handles
Generally, you will choose a handle based on how far you need to reach. If you have a lifted 4×4, there’s no reason to get a short-handled brush that won’t reach the roof, but there are other attributes to a handle that are worth considering.
Material
The material that the handle is made from is usually a minor consideration. Aluminum handles are the most durable, but plastic is inexpensive. Wood is less durable than either and doesn’t play well with water. It does look good, though.
Length
Short Handle Brushes are perfect for getting into places that a larger brush won’t, getting in between wheel spokes and around mirrors, etc. Even if you already have a long brush, getting a dedicated short handle brush for wheels is a good idea.
Long Handle Brushes are good for general cleaning. They won’t increase your reach much, but you shouldn’t have any issue washing most cars’ entire surface.
Poles are long enough to reach across the roof and up to high places. Most poles are telescoping, so they can adjust to any length you need. A 4ft pole is usually enough to reach across the average vehicle. If you have an RV or big rig, you’ll need at least a 6ft pole.
Flow-Through
Flow-through handles hook up to a garden hose and allow water to pass through them. It can make washing your car faster since you can scrub and rinse away debris simultaneously. Some brushes even have soap reservoirs that automatically add the soap to the water as it passes through the brush.
Other Features
Innovation is the name of the game in the modern world. The companies that make brushes are no different; there are a ton of little features that get added to brushes to do all sorts of things that are supposed to make cleaning easier. Some are mostly a gimmick. For instance, the Fochutech brush on our review list spins when water flows through it. Some features are far more useful, though, like brushes that swivel in every direction, or brushes with novel.

Top 10 Best Car Wash Brushes 2020
1. Best Overall Brush: Carrand Deluxe Car Wash Dip Brush

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Why we like it: Carrand’s Deluxe Brush exemplifies simple done well. It’s a solid brush that works for a wide variety of situations.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Super soft bristles
Handle type: Aluminum pole
Handle length: 36” – 65”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
The 10” brush head and the long pole make it perfect for most situations. The Carrand Deluxe is really just a good general-purpose tool. It’s not quite long enough for RVs, and it’s not small enough for detailed work, but for giving your car a weekend scrub, you can’t go wrong with this product.
Standout Features
Like we said previously, there isn’t anything that really stands out other than this product being a fantastic, general-purpose option. The pole is a great length and made of aluminum, so it’s not likely to break, and the brush head can be unscrewed and replaced if need be. That’s not unique to this brush, but it’s a good feature to have.
Our Thoughts
Sometimes simplicity is a tool’s greatest asset. When you wash a car, a stout brush to clean the dirt off that can reach the entire surface is really all you need. The Carrand is exactly that. It’s inexpensive, it has soft bristles, and extends to 6ft. Take care of it by rinsing and drying the brush immediately after using it, and it will last years.
The only thing you might miss are some of the features found on more fully-featured brushes. A swiveling head, like the one found on DocaPole brushes can help a lot, making it really easy to keep the bristles on the car no matter where you stand. No swiveling isn’t a deal-breaker by any means, and most people will be very happy with the value they get from the Carrand brush.

Pros
Super soft bristles are very unlikely to scratch your car
Aluminum pole is long enough for most situations
Inexpensive

Cons
Low on features
Brush head does not swivel

2. Best Dry Brush: California Car Duster

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Why we like it: The California Duster is the perfect tool for keeping your car clean between washes.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Cotton mop
Handle type: Wood handle
Handle length: 26”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
Every car can benefit from dusting from time to time. Most cars and light trucks are small enough that you can reach all the way across them with the California Duster. If you have a big truck, though, you might find the reach lacking. You’d be better off with a long-range duster like the one Matcc offers.
Standout Features
The California Duster doesn’t need any water or cleaner to work. You just drag it over the surface of the car, and it picks up dust. The brush head is big enough, and the fibers are long enough that dusting only takes minutes, so keeping your car clean between washings is best taken care of by another tool.
Our Thoughts
If you already have a Carrand brush and a wheel brush like the Mother’s long-handled one, then the final piece of kit you need for general car care is the California Duster. Dirt and dust collect on your car constantly, and most of the time, you don’t have the time to give it a wash.
This duster only takes minutes to wipe down your entire car, so it’s perfect for maintaining cleanliness. You use it dry, so you don’t even need access to water. Just throw it in your car and keep it around for a touch up at any time.
The only thing that might give you pause is the price. It’s a bit expensive for a bit of wood and some cotton, and you can get other dusters like the Mattcc mop for less. The California Duster quality is unrivaled, though, which is why we rate it so highly.

Pros
High quality
Works dry, and works fast
Long fibers make it perfect for any surface

Cons
A tad on the expensive side
Short handle isn’t suited for large vehicles

3. Best Small Brush: Mother’s Long Handled Brush

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Why we like it: The Mother’s Long Handled Brush is perfect for cleaning the areas a bigger brush can’t reach.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Soft bristle
Handle type: Plastic handle
Handle length: 18”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
Every vehicle has nooks and crannies where a large brush can’t fit. For detailing, we have two small brushes in our recommendations list, this one and the Chemical Guy’s short-handled one. The Mother’s has a long handle, which makes it more suited for scrubbing hard to reach places that are up high or deep inside the car.
It also makes a great wheel brush if you have an RV or dually. The bigger wheels found on larger vehicles are easy to clean with the long handle and soft brush.
Standout Features
The long, no-slip handle is what sets this Mother’s product apart. You can use it as a giant toothbrush to clean details. The non-slip rubber is a nice feature for a handle, especially since soap and water tend to make things hard to hold on to.
Our Thoughts
If you already have a large brush, it’s good to have a second smaller brush for details. If you already have a detail brush, it’s good to have a separate brush for wheels and tires so you don’t risk contamination and scratching paint.
The Mother’s brush can easily fill either of those two roles. A smaller brush like the Chemical Guy’s short handle might be better for wheels and tires that are shallow, but you can’t beat the Mother’s brush for general cleaning. The long handle price is a bit steep though, the Mother’s is almost twice as much as its shorter counterpart.

Pros
The long handle makes it perfect for recessed areas
The non-slip handle is easy to hang on to
Soft bristles make it perfect for any surface

Cons
Expensive compared to other detail brushes
Long handle might get in the way

4. Best Premium Brush: DocaPole Car Cleaning Kit

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Why we like it: The DocaPole kit includes everything to clean anything, and the quality is top-notch.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Microfiber bristles, cotton mop, and cotton mitts
Handle type: Aluminum pole
Handle length: 5’ – 12’
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
It’s an entire car care system, but the ultra-long pole makes it perfect for large vehicles. The squeegee attachment can allow you to quickly clean the windows of even the biggest trucks, and the swiveling duster is perfect for general purpose cleaning inside and outside of large RVs. The kit even includes wash mitts for detail work, making this a single purchase and complete cleaning system.
Standout Features
There are many great features that the DocaPole offers, but the two that stand out are the variety of attachments and the high quality, ultra-long pole.
First in line are the attachments. In the kit, you get a soft bristle brush, a squeegee, and a mop that can be spun onto the pole. That gives you the hard scrubbing power of a brush, the dusting and polishing of a mop, and easy window cleaning of a squeegee all in one box.
Second, the high-quality pole. Unlike other telescoping poles, the aluminum DocaPole uses metal locks and has a swiveling head. That makes it durable and great for general cleaning, but what really makes it a standout is the length. The standard pole is 12ft long, and you can get ones up to 30ft. There’s nothing you can’t reach with that kind of height.
Our Thoughts
Let’s start with the bad. First off, it costs a lot. If you don’t need the length, it’s cheaper to source each part separately than buy the entire kit. The second thing that’s a bit of a con is the size. 12ft is actually too long to be useful for detail work and even collapsed, the pole is still 5’ long. That means scrubbing low areas of your vehicle will require you to either take the head off and use it by hand or awkwardly fight with a long pole.
If you are willing to pay the price, though, it’s a really great kit. The quality is top-notch, and the included parts can tackle any job. You get the best parts of the Carrand Brush and the long reach of the Matcc Mop.

Pros
High Quality
Can reach up to 12ft
Has attachments for any job

Cons
Pole is too long to be used on smaller vehicles
Very expensive

5. Best Budget Brush: House Day 2-in-1 Car Wash Mop

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Why we like it: The House Day brush converts from a pole brush to a hand brush, and it’s very reasonably priced.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Microfiber mop
Handle type: Aluminum pole or nylon strap
Handle length: 21” – 44”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
The microfiber mop is great for both dry dusting and cleaning with soap water, and the pole extends to 4ft. That’s great for most cars; you’d have no problem reaching every part of a Civic or small truck like a Ranger.
You will need more reach for taller vehicles, and the shape of the mop head makes it hard to get into detailing. It’s nothing simply adding a small brush like the Mother’s brush can’t fix, but it is hard to get the big mop head around mirrors and other protruding objects.
Standout Features
The microfiber mop head swivels on the pole and can be detached and handheld with the simple nylon strap. Since it can be used dry as a duster or as a wet brush, it’s a great buy if you just want an easy tool for cleaning your car and don’t care too much about getting a perfect shine.
Our Thoughts
The House Day Brush is the microfiber mop equivalent of the simple Carrand brush. It does have a few advantages over the Carrand. The mop head swivels, and it can be detached easily to scrub things down by hand. The soft microfiber mop can be used as a duster too, so if you think you will be doing a lot of dry dusting, this one is a better buy.
The plastic parts are not as durable as the more sturdy spin on heads, so they might wear out if you use it a lot. It’s so cheap that it’s easy to replace in case it does break, though. Just be sure to avoid rocks and twigs. They will stick to the microfiber strands and can scratch your clearcoat if you drag them across the paint.

Pros
Inexpensive
Mop head swivels for easy out of position scrubbing
Converts into a handheld pad

Cons
Mop head has trouble getting into details
Not as sturdy as other brushes

6. Best Inexpensive Flow-Through: Camco RV Flow-Through

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Why we like it: The Camco Flow-Through works great and is about half the price of competitors.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Soft bristle
Handle type: Flow-through aluminum pole
Handle length: 43”-78”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
As the name suggests, this is perfect for RVs and large trucks. The 6ft handle makes it easy to reach up high on the larger vehicles, and the flow-through design means you don’t have to awkwardly dance with the long pole to dip it into a bucket.
The flow-through design can be convenient for any application, but the 4ft minimum length can get in the way if you are washing smaller vehicles. Take a look at the Carrand flow-through instead if you have a small car.
Standout Features
Like other flow-through brushes, the biggest feature is the flow-through design of the brush and handle. You hook it up to a garden hose and turn the water on. You can adjust the pressure in the handle, and the water will flow through the brush head, making it easy to scrub and rinse at the same time.
Our Thoughts
The Camco’s length is convenient if you have a large vehicle, and the soft bristle is great for general purpose cleaning, even without the water flowing. It’s with the flowing water that the real benefits of this brush reveal themselves. You can easily scrub and rinse simultaneously, making the entire cleaning process fast and effortless.
Quality is the Achilles heel of the Camco. It’s inexpensive, which is good, but the lower cost compared to other flow-through designs comes from slightly weaker materials. The Carrand flow-through is more durable and extends nearly as long, but it’s more expensive.

Pros
Inexpensive for a flow-through
Good length for large vehicles
The flow-through design makes washing faster

Cons
Some plastic parts are weak compared to other brands
Handle does not collapse far enough to be convenient for small cars

7. Best Wet or Dry Brush: Matcc 62” Car Wash Mop

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Why we like it: The Matcc Car Mop can be used as a wet brush or as a duster, making it perfect for just throwing into your main travel rig and keeping clean on the open road.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Microfiber mop
Handle type: Aluminum pole
Handle length: 20” – 62”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
The Matcc has all the benefits of the House Day mop we mention but extends to a full 5-foot length, meaning you can reach to the top of larger vehicles. Since they are otherwise identical, it’s fair to say that the Matcc is for larger cars and trucks, and the House Day is for smaller ones. Simple.
Unfortunately, it suffers from the same drawbacks as its sibling product. It’s not good for detailed work, as the mop head covers a large area that cant contour to curves or tight spaces.
Standout Features
As a microfiber mop, so you can use it dry as a duster or as a wet mop, which is always handy. The mop head can be detached and used as a hand sponge, so it’s easy to get up close and personal with things. The thing that sets the Matcc apart is the long pole it’s attached to.
Our Thoughts
A microfiber mop is still the best thing to buy if you just want some general-purpose cleaning from time to time. The Matcc has everything else you could want too. The head swivels to conform to any angle, and the long handle can get the mop anywhere.
It is a bit on the expensive side. If you don’t need the extra length, there’s not much reason to buy the Matcc over others.

Pros
Length is good for large vehicles
Good for dry dusting or soap and water
The mop can be detached for easier work on small surfaces

Cons
A little expensive for a simple mop
Not good for detail work

8. Best Wheel Brush: Chemical Guy’s Body and Wheel Flagged Tip

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Why we like it: Having a dedicated wheel brush is a good way to avoid scratching your paint. The Chemical Guys Wheel brush is inexpensive and works great.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Soft bristle
Handle type: Plastic
Handle length: 6”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
Anything with wheels benefits from a good short handle brush. The size makes it perfect for touching up and scrubbing detailed areas. You won’t want to wash an entire car with it, just get the Carrand brush for that, but this is for everywhere that bigger brushes can’t reach.
Standout Features
The small size and brush head shape make it perfect for getting into small areas. There’s not much more to it. The plastic handle isn’t likely to break down, and the soft bristles won’t scratch even the shiniest metal.
Our Thoughts
Unlike the Mother’s brush, the Chemical Guys brush is small enough to really get anywhere with its short handle. That makes it a perfect second brush. It’s still soft enough for paint, and it’s durable enough to last a long time. Plus, it costs less than $10, so there’s practically no reason not to grab one.
The short reach can almost be too short for a lot of scenarios, though. You’ll have to really reach in to clean deep-set wheels, and there are other cheaper products that can serve ‘dirty job’ purposes.

Pros
Compact and perfect for cleaning wheels
Inexpensive
Soft bristles are perfect for any surface

Cons
Might be too short to stay dry during car wash day
Not good for large areas

9. Best High-Quality Flow-Through Brush: Carrand Flow-Thru

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Why we like it: The Carrand Flow-Thru is really well designed and easy to use.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: 3-sided soft bristle
Handle type: Flow-through aluminum
Handle length: 48” – 71”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
Like the other Carrand product on our list, the Carrand Flow-Thru is a great general-purpose tool that is good for a wide range of vehicles. The near 6ft reach can get just about anywhere, and the tri-head brush makes it easy to attack a problem from any angle.
Like with other long poled brushes, though, it does not collapse far enough to be good if you do a lot of detailed work. You can take the head off and awkwardly scrub at things by hand, but at that point, save yourself the embarrassment and just by the Mother’s brush we listed.
Standout Features
In addition to all the benefits a flow-through handle can bring, the Carrand Flow-Thru has one of the most versatile bristle brushes on our list. It has bristles on 4 sides, so even though it doesn’t swivel, you can still brush from any angle. You can also scrub multiple surfaces at once, like between the spoiler and the car’s body. Washing a car with this brush will allow you to be about as fast as is possible without going through a giant mechanical wash.
Our Thoughts
Carrand makes great cleaning products, which is why they have the honor of appearing twice on our list. Their Flow-Thru brush here is likely the fastest and most versatile car wash tool here. You can scrub in any direction, and the water flow will keep the surface clean as you go. The length is great too. It’s nearly as long as the other flow-through product on our list made by Camco.
It’s just a lot more expensive than the Camco, and even though it does collapse a little shorter, it’s still too long for detailed work. The quality is quite a bit higher, though, and that shows in the finishings. The plastic parts are made of higher quality material than similar products. If you are having trouble deciding between this Carrand flow-through and the Camco brush, choose the Camco if you plan on doing a lot of detail work. With the money saved, you can buy a small brush to go with it. Choose the Carrand if you need something that can withstand abuse.

Pros
High-quality
One of the most versatile brushes out there
Makes cleaning fast

Cons
Expensive
Still not great for detail work

10. Best High Tech Brush: Fochutech Car Wash Brush

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Why we like it: The Fochutech has its own soap reservoir, automatically dispenses water and spins. It’s a neat car wash gadget that feels futuristic.
Editor’s Rating:

At a Glance
Brush type: Spinning soft bristles
Handle type: Plastic flow-through
Handle length: 47”
What Vehicles Is This Brush Best For?
Even though it works really quickly, the small size makes it annoying for large vehicles. The brush head itself is only about six inches in diameter, making it smaller than even the tiny Chemical Guy’s detail brush, so it takes ages to clean large areas.
It can be faster than a larger brush just because of the power washing feature, but the truth is you are probably better off just buying a larger standard brush like the Carrand bristle brush if you need to wash large surfaces. Carrand even makes a flow-through brush if you want the hose hookup.
Standout Features
There are so many components to this thing that it is hard to know where to start. First, you can attach it to a hose to let water flow through the brush head, or you can take the brush head off and just spray soapy water at your car. It has a detergent bottle so you can automatically add soap to your wash, and it has a reach of nearly 4ft. But all of that pales in comparison to the coolest feature: the brush head will spin as water passes through it. It’s like a giant electric toothbrush for your car.
Our Thoughts
The Fochutech Car Wash Kit is gimmicky and those just looking for a single solution will have a hard time justifying the high price. At the end of the day, the spinning brush really doesn’t add anything to the washing experience. The bristles are too soft to really scrub hard, so anything that isn’t washed away with a simpler brush won’t be persuaded by more scrubbing. Which is good, don’t get us wrong. You don’t want to scrub off the clear coat.
It’s a really cool tech gadget, though. If you love crazy gadgets and funky tools and already have some workhorse products, you might really enjoy having a big automatic toothbrush for your car.

Pros
The detergent bottle makes adding soap to your car easy
The brush spins while water flows through it
4ft reach is adequate for most applications

Cons
Expensive
The high-tech features aren’t really worth it unless you like high-tech gadgets

Tips, Tricks, and Accessories
Now that you’ve chosen a great tool for keeping your car sparkling, check out some of our favorite tips and tricks for getting the most out of your brush.
Brush Tips
Like any tool in a garage, there are things you should do to make sure your brush stays in good working condition. If you’d like tips on actually cleaning your car, The Mighty Car Mods put out a great video on the topic here. Otherwise, follow these tips.
Keep an eye out for debris: Brushes that pick up sticks, leaves, and rocks become a hazard for your paint, getting stuck and scratching pristinely maintained clear coats.
Let brushes dry after use: Water will break down bristles over time. They are great for use in the short term, but if you let them sit in water for long periods, they will tangle and become useless.
Use a separate brush for tires and wheels: Tires and wheels pick up a lot of chunks and grease. That grease contaminates the brush and can be harmful to paint.
Rinse the brush before and after using: Rinsing it prior to use will make sure you aren’t adding dirt to your wash, and rinsing after will make sure the soap doesn’t dry and harm the bristles.
Store it upright out of the sun: Don’t let the bristles get smashed by storing with the weight on top of them. If you can, store it out of the sun to avoid damage caused by UV rays
When using a brush, be aware of the handle: It’s easy to get lost in the moment and accidentally hit an antenna with the handle. Don’t do that, they will bend.
Don’t overdo it: If you are having an issue getting a dirty spot clean, the answer isn’t more scrubbing. A gentle scrub across the entire vehicle is the best method to wash a car. If it needs deeper cleaning, it’s better to let it soak and wipe it down. Too much scrubbing can lead to micro-abrasions.
Brush Alternatives
Brushes aren’t the only way to clean a car, but they might be the most convenient. Still, it’s good to know the alternatives and why you might keep them around as well.
Wool Pad
A wool pad is great because it carries very little risk of scratching if it’s new. The problem with a wool pad is the very thing that makes it great at cleaning also makes it a hazard, it’s very good at picking up debris. Sharp debris can scratch paint, and that’s bad, although there are products that help fix scratches.
Cleaning Mitts
Cleaning mitts are usually either microfiber or wool and offer a great way to get very close and personal with your car. The DocaPole kit we recommend even comes with them, and many microfiber mops like the House Day Car Mop can be used as a sort of pseudo-mitt. You will get wet, though, and lots of people prefer to avoid that whenever possible.
Sponge
Sponges make a great cleaning tool, especially large ones like grout sponges. They do carry a slightly higher risk of contamination because they can absorb dirt and mud, but they are much easier to maintain than a brush. Just like with a cleaning mitt, you will get messy.
Dish Rag
It’s the tried and true tool of the average driveway car wash. There’s nothing wrong with using a rag to clean a car. It’s just that there are a ton of better options. A rag has all the downsides of a sponge and none of the upsides.
Great Brush Accessories
Great car care doesn’t just stop at a quick scrub. There are some great accessories to make your car wash experience great.
A good tray: Some brushes won’t fit into a standard 5-gallon paint bucket, so getting a washing tray like this one can speed up the process greatly.
Microfiber rags: A good lint-free rag is perfect for drying, detailing, and applying wax. Getting a pack of them like these are great to just have on hand.
A good car wash soap: If you’re in a pinch, dish soap works great at removing mud and grease. A dedicated car wash soap like this will work better and be safer for the plastics and paint.
A chamois or drying towel: You should always dry your car after washing to avoid spots. A chamois like this one can last the lifetime of your car.
A spray wax for that ultimate shine: We wrote all about them here, so take your pick. A good spray wax will complete the washing process and make your car’s shine the envy of your neighborhood.
A step stool: Even if you have the gigantic DocaPole brushes we talk about, there are times where having a ladder will come in handy.
Have Fun, Stay Clean
Cleaning your own car can be a zen experience, and it leads to a sense of accomplishment. No one likes a dirty car, so add fun convenience to the experience with a good brush. Unless you hate cleaning your car, then it’s probably not a zen experience. But even then, a good brush will still help; the extra speed will let you get it over with faster. It’s a win-win, so get scrubbing. More