Consumer Reports Cites RainX Latitude

Oct. 8 - Every minute of the day, 1 billion tons of rain falls on the earth. The total amount of precipitation received each year as snow, hail, and rain is equivalent to 10 million gallons of water for every person in the United States. So, why do we ignore our windshield wipers the way we do?

Consumer Reports tested replacement windshield wipers on 185 staffers’ cars. Researchers reported that all of the windshield wipers provided very good or excellent performance when new, but most quickly degrade after six to nine months of regular use. The RainX Latitude was the only wiper that began with very good performance and maintained that level through six months. All others dropped in performance after six months.

In addition, purchase price was not a clear predictor of performance. In the group of 15 wiper models tested, three of the top four were among the least expensive. That includes the top-rated Valeo 600 Series, the Anco 31 Series, and the Michelin RainForce.

The people at RainX suggest that an easy way to remember to proactively change your wiper blades is to replace them on Groundhog Day. When wiper blades no longer make proper contact with the windshield surface, they can begin to squeak, chatter, skip, smear or streak reducing driving visibility. Whether the Groundhog predicts six more weeks of winter or an early spring, new wiper blades are necessary to prepare you for 6 weeks of harsh winter driving conditions or 6 weeks of Spring showers.