Windscreen wipers

New flat blade technology, where a metal shaft within the rubber keeps it pressed to the screen, is sweeping through the wiper designs, with versions available for original equipment replacement and retrofitting. We tested them for noise, fitting and wipe to find a winner. You can view our full tests on replacement fit and original fit blades by clicking on the respective links.

Our winner
Bosch Aerotwin
Price: £28.75
Contact: www.wiperblades.co.uk
Rivals barely came close to these superb blades, which are available in model-specific packs. It was impossible to fit them incorrectly, and the clips were impressively sleek. Add in a great wipe action with a wear indicator on the driver’s side, and they’re a clear winner.

Commended
Halfords Flat Wiper Blade Set
Price: £24.99
Contact: www.halfords.com
Keen price saw the Halfords blades scoop second spot in our original-fit flat-blade test. It was close, as these are very similar to the Valeo blades, with their easy-to-use instructions, good wipe and a blade you can’t fit the wrong way round.
 

Bosch Super Plus
Price: £14.65
Contact: www.wiperblades.co.uk
Sweeping all before it, the Super Plus blades pick up a commended award in our standard blade test. They may still have an old-fashioned framework keeping the blade on the glass, but the wipe was still excellent at motorway speeds. Also one of the quietest on a dry screen.

Valeo Compact Revolution
Price: £20.98
Contact: www.wiperblades.co.uk
Our favourite upgrade flat wiper was particularly well matched to the screen of our test car, giving a near-perfect wipe. It was also one of the quietest over dry glass. Only one clip was included in the Halfords-sourced packs and fitting instructions are really easy to follow. Good, but not cheap.