The best car de-icer for UK winters

If you park on the drive or the street, you already know the routine: you are ready to leave, you open the front door, and the car is white with frost. Looking for the best car de-icer usually starts on a morning like that. This guide compares every common option used by UK drivers, what each one costs over a winter, how much effort it takes and where it falls short. We sell IceWave, so we have been careful to say where other options are the better choice.

All car de-icer options at a glance

There is no single answer for everyone. The right car de-icer depends on where you park, how early you leave, how hard the frost is where you live and how much you want to do on a cold morning. The sections below take each option in turn.

De-icer spray

De-icer spray is the most popular choice in the UK and you can buy it at any supermarket or petrol station. It works by lowering the freezing point of water so the ice turns to slush that you can wipe or squeegee away.

• Good: quick on light frost, cheap per can, easy to keep in the boot.
• Not so good: you keep buying it all winter, it struggles on thick ice, cans can run out at the worst moment and some leave a smeary film on the glass.

Most drivers end up using spray and a scraper together. Read our IceWave vs de-icer spray comparison for the cost over a full winter.

Ice scraper

A plastic scraper costs very little and never runs out. It is still the tool every driver should carry, even if you use something else most mornings.

• Good: cheap, reliable, works on any ice.
• Not so good: slow, cold on the hands, hard on stiff shoulders and wrists, and grit trapped under the blade can leave fine scratches in the glass over the years.

Never use a metal tool, a credit card or the edge of a CD. See IceWave vs ice scraper.

Windscreen frost cover

A cover stops frost forming on the glass in the first place, which is why “windscreen cover” is one of the most searched winter products in the UK.

• Good: very effective when fitted properly, low cost.
• Not so good: it has to go on every evening, before you know whether it will freeze, and come off wet and sometimes frozen in the morning. Wind can lift it, and you then need somewhere to put a soggy cover.

Compare in detail: IceWave vs windscreen cover.

Heated windscreen

A heated windscreen has fine wires built into the glass. It is excellent: press a button and the screen clears within minutes. The catch is that it has to come with the car. It cannot be added to most cars later, and replacing one after a stone chip usually costs more than a normal screen. More in IceWave vs heated windscreen.

Running the engine and heater

Many people start the car, turn the heater to the windscreen and go back inside. It works, but it takes time and fuel. Rule 123 of the Highway Code says you must not leave a parked vehicle with the engine running unnecessarily. An unattended running car is also an easy target for thieves and many insurers will not pay out in that situation.

Solar ultrasonic de-icer (IceWave)

IceWave is a small device that sits on your dashboard. When the temperature drops below 0 °C it switches itself on and sends 28–35 kHz ultrasonic vibration towards the windscreen. This is designed to disrupt the bond between frost and the glass, so there is far less to clear in the morning. It is charged by its built-in solar panel or by USB, so there is nothing to wire in and nothing to buy again. See how it works.

It is not magic. In very heavy frost you may still need a quick wipe, and snow must always be brushed off. That is why every order has a 30-day money-back guarantee. See IceWave prices, from £59 with free UK delivery.

Which car de-icer should you choose?

• You leave late and only see the odd frost: a spray and a good scraper are probably enough.
• You leave early, park outside and hate the morning routine: something that works overnight saves the most effort. A cover or IceWave.
• You don't want to handle a wet cover every day: IceWave stays on the dashboard all winter.
• You are buying a new car: ask if a heated windscreen is available.

Whatever you use, keep a scraper and a can of spray in the boot as a backup.

What never to use

Never pour hot or boiling water on a windscreen. The sudden temperature change can crack the glass, and the water refreezes on the ground where you walk. Don't drive off with a small “porthole” cleared either. The Highway Code says all windows must be clear before you drive, along with lights, mirrors and number plates.