Available individually? No
If you want the classic metal arms on your windscreen wipers, rather than the single rubber blade that’s more common today, these are a great option. They’re awkward to fit compared with the Halford and Bosch wipers, but the instructions are fairly clear and we still got them on within a few minutes.
The blade also stays in contact all the way along to the very tips of the blades, and they give a clean wipe of the windscreen. They also didn’t whistle or wobble at higher speeds. They’re great ‘old fashioned’ wipers, if a bit pricey.
4 stars
Halfords essentials Standard Wiper Blades
Available individually? No
You might want to take Halfords up on its in-store fitting service if you want these traditional metal-armed wipers, as they’re not so easy to attach, and don’t come with instructions, either. These took us longer to fit than almost any other, but once they were on they did a perfectly good job of keeping the windscreen clear.
The far tip of the passenger side wiper didn’t quite touch the windscreen at all times, and it’s a shame that they’re not cheaper.
3 stars
Vipa wiper blades
Available individually? No
Fitting is no problem with these Vipa blades, as they simply slide on to the wiper arm and lock-on with a clip-down plastic body – just the same as with the Bosch wipers. But the plastics around the hinge for the lock are quite fragile and easy to damage, so be very careful not to force anything when you’re fitting them.
Still, it is a straightforward job to get them attached, and there’s a useful video tutorial on how to fit them if you do get a bit stuck. They cleaned the windscreen effectively and quietly, and dealt easily with heavy rain at motorway speeds.
