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Winter Car Kit: 16 Things to Keep in Your Car Before the First Snow
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items The best time to put together a winter car kit is before you need it. This list covers clearing snow and ice quickly in the morning, what to have on hand if you get stuck or your battery dies on a cold night, and a few comfort upgrades that make wint...
Sections
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Snow & Ice Removal
If You Get Stuck or Stranded
Comfort & a Cleaner Car
Snow & Ice Removal
An extendable snow brush with a pivoting head lets you clear the whole roof and windshield without leaning against a wet car. The ice scraper on the other end handles frost, and the foam grip stays comfortable with cold hands. Leaving snow on the roo...
Snow MOOver 39" Extendable Snow Brush & Scraper
Put it on the windshield the night before a forecast frost or snow. In the morning, peel it off and the glass underneath is clear. No scraping, and no waiting for the defroster. The security flaps tuck inside the doors so it can't blow away or be eas...
FrostGuard Pro - Premium Winter Windshield Cover
A compact aluminum shovel that breaks down to fit in a trunk bag. Use it to dig out from a plowed-in parking spot or clear snow from around your tires. It's lightweight, but sturdy enough for packed snow at the curb.
Overmont Folding Emergency Snow Shovel 32"-42"
Summer washer fluid can freeze in the reservoir and lines. Switch to a winter-rated fluid with de-icer before the first cold snap, and keep a spare jug in the trunk, because salty road spray means you'll use a lot more of it.
Rain-X All Season 0°F 2-in-1 De-Icer & Bug Remover
A glass cleaner that leaves a water-repellent coating, so sleet and road spray bead up and blow off instead of smearing. It's also easier to scrape ice off treated glass. Do the inside of the windshield too, since a clean interior fogs up less.
Rain-X 2-in-1 Glass Cleaner & Rain Repellant 23oz
If You Get Stuck or Stranded
Cold weather is hard on car batteries, and a dead battery in an empty parking lot is the classic winter breakdown. This compact lithium jump starter lets you start the car yourself, no second car or cables needed. It has spark-proof clamps and double...
NOCO Boost GB40 12V 1000A Portable Jump Starter
If your wheels are spinning on ice, slide these grippy tracks under the drive wheels for something to bite into. They roll up into a small bag in the trunk. They're far more effective than the old trick of kitty litter or floor mats.
M-AUTO Tire Traction Mat 24" for Vehicles
Each one folds to the size of a wallet, so a five-pack takes up almost no room in the glovebox. If you're stuck waiting for a tow on a cold night, wrapping up in one helps hold in body heat. Cheap insurance, and you'll hopefully never need it.
Science Purchase Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets 5 Pack
Air-activated hand warmers that heat up for hours once you open the packet. Keep a few pairs in the glovebox for scraping windows, roadside waits or cold stadium seats. The 40-pair bulk pack lasts all winter and is easy to share.
HotHands Hand Warmers Bulk Pack, 40 Pairs
It gets dark early in winter, and a phone flashlight isn't great when you need both hands. This rechargeable work light has a magnetic base and a fold-out stand, so you can stick it to the car body while you change a tire or clip on jumper cables. It...
LED Magnetic Rechargeable Mechanic Work Light
Tire pressure drops as temperatures fall, and that's why the low-pressure light so often comes on during the first cold week. This cordless inflator lets you set the target PSI and stops automatically when it gets there. It also works for bikes and b...
AstroAI Cordless Tire Inflator 160PSI 12V
Comfort & a Cleaner Car
Winter means more wrappers, tissues and hand warmer packets piling up in the door pockets. This leak-proof bin hangs on the back of a seat or sits on the console, has a lid, and the side pockets hold wipes or a spare scraper.
EPAuto Waterproof Car Trash Can w/ Lid, 2.5 Gal
A spare pair that just lives in the glove box for the morning you forget yours. The fingertips work on a phone screen, so you can use maps or answer a call without pulling them off. Thin knit, so they are for driving and scraping, not deep cold.
TRENDOUX Winter Touch Screen Thermal Gloves
Dark winter commutes are a bad time to be glancing down at a phone in your lap. This clamps onto an air vent and holds the phone at eye level for navigation. Bonus in winter: with the heat on, the vent air keeps a cold phone battery from dying early.
LISEN Universal Car Vent Phone Holder, Black
Snow, slush and road salt get tracked into the car all winter. These trim-to-fit rubber mats have deep grooves that hold the melt and salt off your carpet, and they hose clean in spring. Trim them with scissors for a better fit.
WeatherTech Semi Universal All Weather Floor Mats - 4-Piece Black
Heated seats without buying a new car. This cushion plugs into the 12V outlet and warms up within minutes, so an older car feels less brutal on freezing mornings. It has a simple high/low controller. Unplug it when you park so it doesn't drain the ba...
HealthMate IN9438-2 Velour 12V Winter Seat Cushion