Best winter driving kit UK (2026) — compared & price-tracked

Battery faults are the biggest single cause of winter breakdowns: the AA puts them at 24% of its December-to-February call-outs, and both the AA and the RAC say cold makes a weak battery worse. If your car does short trips or sits for days, a maintainer on overnight every week or two is the prevention, and CTEK's MXS 5.0 is the long-standing choice: 5A, temperature-compensated, IP65 and a five-year warranty. It's a home item, not boot kit. It needs mains power, and CTEK rates it for +5°C to +50°C, so use it in a garage or porch rather than on a frosty drive.

Best for Keeping a short-trip car's battery healthy through winter

• Five-year warranty from CTEK
• Charges and maintains 12V lead-acid
• Adjusts its voltage for temperature

• Needs mains: home kit, not boot kit
• Rated for +5°C to +50°C ambient
• Lead-acid only: check your handbook

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your car does long, regular drives: the alternator keeps the battery topped up, and jump leads or a jump starter in the boot are the better spend.

A genuinely versatile concentrate rather than a single-use product: dilute it weak for everyday summer topping-up or strong for real freeze protection, so one small bottle replaces several seasonal screenwashes. A sensible, low-drama boot-kit staple.

Best for Drivers who want one bottle that handles both summer bug/grime removal and proper sub-zero winter screen protection.

• Adjustable dilution covers -1°C (weak mix) right through to -45°C neat, so it works year-round
• Concentrate makes up to 8 litres, working out cheaper per litre than ready-mixed jugs
• Safe on paintwork, trim and headlight washer jets

• You have to measure and mix it yourself — no ready-to-use option at this size
• Stronger winter dilutions use the bottle up faster than a pre-diluted jug

Who shouldn't buy it: You'd rather not measure and mix — buy a pre-diluted 5L winter screenwash jug instead and skip the dilution step.

A well-regarded premium chain from a specialist Alpine maker — the self-tensioning design makes fitting and driving noticeably easier than basic manual chains, though you pay for that comfort. Not something most UK drivers need for an ordinary British winter.

Best for UK drivers taking a car to the Alps or mountain Europe in winter who want a quick-fitting, comfortable metal chain rather than a fiddly manual one.

• Self-tensioning ATC system re-centres and tightens the chain as you drive, cutting rattling and the need to stop and re-tighten
• Anti-scratch wheel-shield protects alloy wheels
• Certified to Ö-Norm V5117, CUNA NC 178-01 and UNI 11313 (TÜV-tested, ABS/ESP-suitable) — the approvals Alpine countries check for metal chains specifically

• Priced well above basic manual chains in the same size
• Must match your exact tyre size to König's size-105 chart — the wrong size code simply won't fit

Who shouldn't buy it: You only drive in the UK — chains aren't a legal requirement here (Highway Code rules 228-231 cover winter driving) and using them on cleared tarmac can damage the road surface, your tyres and the chain itself, so take them off as soon as you're back on clear tarmac; for occasional UK snow, winter tyres or grip mats do more for less.

A sensible, low-cost basic. The wide TPU blade clears more glass per pass than a narrow plastic scraper and won't scratch, which covers most UK winter mornings – Highway Code rule 229 requires all windows clear before you set off, and this does that job without fuss. It's not a substitute for de-icer fluid on a hard freeze.

Best for A cheap, always-in-the-car scraper for routine morning frost, not heavy snow or thick ice.

• Wide 13cm blade clears a windscreen faster than narrow scrapers
• Soft TPU won't scratch glass or paintwork
• Cheap and compact enough to leave in the car permanently

• No de-icer fluid – thick, bonded ice still needs patience or a spray first
• No brush included, so heavier snow needs a separate tool

Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you regularly face heavy snowfall – this is a basic frost scraper for glass, not a snow-clearing tool, so you'll want a brush alongside it for anything beyond a light dusting.

GOV.UK's winter driving advice is warm clothes and blankets for you and every passenger, and National Highways and the RAC list blankets too. A foil blanket is the minimum; this is the proper version, a synthetic-filled blanket Snugpak describes as windproof and water-repellent, packing to 15 x 15cm and weighing 700g. Budget one for each person you regularly carry, and treat it as insulation, not heat: if you're stuck in snow, the British Red Cross says stay in the car, run the engine only a few minutes at a time, and keep the exhaust clear of snow.

Best for Staying warm through a long wait in a cold car

• Packs to 15 x 15cm, 700g
• Windproof, water-repellent (maker)
• Big enough to wrap an adult

• Water-repellent, not waterproof
• One per passenger adds up
• Keeps heat in; makes none

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you want a token blanket for a short town commute: a foil blanket costs far less, though it's far less comfortable.

MAXTRAX boards are the recovery tool 4x4 and overlanding professionals actually carry — properly tough, and as useful pulling a car out of a snowed-in driveway as they are off-road. They're a serious purchase for a specific problem, not a general winter-driving essential for most UK motorists.

Best for 4x4, SUV and overlanding drivers who genuinely get stuck off-road or on ungritted rural/farm tracks in winter

• Genuinely strong construction, widely used by professional off-road recovery teams and rated for heavy 4x4s
• Works across snow, mud and sand rather than ice alone — one tool for several stuck-vehicle scenarios
• Doubles as a lever or digging aid; UV- and temperature-stable so it holds up to repeated use

• Expensive for what's essentially a pair of moulded boards — several times the cost of a shovel-and-grip-mat kit
• Bulky and heavy for a normal car boot; really suits 4x4/SUV owners or those with roof-rack space

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you drive a normal car mainly on gritted roads and just want occasional-icy-driveway cover — the UK has no legal chain/sock requirement for ordinary driving (Highway Code rule 229 just advises caution), so a set of snow socks or a compact grip mat plus a shovel covers that job for a fraction of the price and boot space.

AutoSock's textile traction aids are EN 16662-1 approved and accepted as a snow-chain alternative across most EU Alpine countries and Switzerland, which is the main reason UK drivers buy them. In Britain there's no legal requirement to carry chains or socks — Highway Code rule 229 covers winter driving generally — and fitting either on cleared, gritted tarmac just wears them out for no benefit.

Best for UK drivers taking a car to the Alps who need a legal, chain-alternative traction aid — or anyone facing occasional untreated snow at home who'd rather not fit metal chains.

• EN 16662-1 approved as a snow-chain alternative in most Alpine countries (Austria is the notable exception, which still requires metal chains)
• Fits over the tyre in a few minutes without jacking the car up, and packs down small when done
• Reusable and machine-washable, and far gentler on cleared roads than metal chains

• Size 698 covers a range of tyre width/profile/rim-diameter combinations rather than one specific size — you still need to check AutoSock's fitting tool against your exact tyre dimensions before ordering, not just your car model
• Designed for loose snow and ice, not for sustained driving on dry tarmac — they wear quickly if used off-snow

Who shouldn't buy it: You only ever drive on UK roads that get gritted or cleared — there's no chain law here and traction aids won't do anything useful on bare tarmac. Buy only if you're driving somewhere with a chain/traction-aid requirement (typically Alpine passes) or regularly face untreated rural roads in snow.

A genuinely useful piece of kit from a brand with a long track record in tools — the telescopic handle means it stows small but extends to a comfortable working length, and the aluminium blade keeps it light. It's a car-boot shovel, not a driveway shovel, and does that job well.

Best for Keeping in the boot as a compact, reliable way to dig a car free of snow or ice.

• Aluminium blade and plastic shaft keep it lightweight — easy to keep in the car without adding noticeable weight
• Telescopic handle (79.5–98.7cm extended) collapses down for compact boot storage
• Moulded plastic grip, suited to cold, gloved hands

• 29cm blade is narrower than a full-size garden shovel, so it's slower going on deep or heavy snow
• Plastic grip and telescopic joint are less rugged long-term than an all-metal shovel

Who shouldn't buy it: You need to clear a long driveway or deep snow at home regularly — a full-size garden snow shovel will do that faster and with less effort; this one is sized for the car, not the drive.

A well-established textile traction aid rather than a novelty — AutoSock is EN 16662-1 approved and accepted as a snow-chain substitute across the EU (Austria excepted) and in Switzerland, so it earns its place in a UK winter kit for anyone driving to the Alps or through occasional home snowfall. Buy the exact HP 645 size for your tyres — fit is size-specific, not vehicle-specific.

Best for Drivers who occasionally meet snow, ice, or an Alpine chain-law zone and want a lightweight alternative to metal chains they can actually fit themselves.

• No roadside practice needed — pulls on in a couple of minutes, even in gloves
• Folds down to about the size of a rolled jumper for boot storage year-round
• Meets EN 16662-1 and is accepted as a chain alternative in Switzerland and most EU states

• Rated to roughly 30mph and for use only while snow/ice is actually on the road — not a chains-off-tarmac substitute
• Not accepted as a chain alternative in Austria, where metal chains are still required by law

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy if you're driving in Austria's Alpine zones and need a legally compliant chain alternative there — check the destination country's rules before you rely on socks alone. In the UK itself, remember chains and socks are both optional extras, not a legal requirement (Highway Code rule 229 covers winter driving generally) — and using either on cleared, dry tarmac just wears them out for no grip benefit.

A quick, tarmac-friendly way to get traction in snow without lugging metal chains you'll rarely use. They go on in under two minutes provided you've bought the right size — just don't expect chain-level grip through deep or prolonged snow.

Best for Drivers who want a light, easy-to-fit backup for occasional snow or ice, including Alpine trips where socks are accepted as a chain alternative

• Fits in well under 2 minutes, no jack or tools needed
• EN 16662-1 approved and accepted as a snow-chain alternative in France and Spain — check local rules before relying on them elsewhere in the Alps
• Fabric construction won't scar cleared tarmac the way metal chains can — and the UK has no legal requirement to fit chains at all, so socks are a sensible default for routine UK winter driving

• Each size covers only a narrow range of tyres, so check your exact tyre against Michelin's chart for Evo 3 before buying
• Less hard-wearing than metal chains over long distances on deep, compacted snow

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your tyre size isn't on Michelin's chart for Evo 3, or you're heading somewhere that specifically mandates metal chains rather than socks — some Alpine regions still do, so check the destination country's rules before you travel.

The heavier answer for engines beyond the light-duty standard: a 30mm² cable rated by Maypole at 600A and up to 6 litres, 3.5m long for awkward parking. The conductors are copper-coated aluminium rather than solid copper, which carries less current at the same size, so the thick cable is doing the work. The RAC's rules apply as with any leads: both cars 12V, red to the flat battery's positive first, the last black clip on bare metal on the flat car's engine, and never a damaged or leaking battery.

Best for Diesels, larger engines and vans

• Rated to 6-litre engines (maker)
• 3.5m reach for awkward parking
• Thick 30mm² cable, insulated clips

• Copper-coated aluminium, not copper
• Bulkier than light-duty leads
• Ratings are the maker's own

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your car is a small petrol hatchback: the lighter AA set does the job and takes less boot space.

AutoSock's textile socks are EN 16662-1 approved and accepted as a legal alternative to metal chains in a number of Alpine countries — genuinely useful if you're driving to the Alps, though acceptance varies by country and can change, so check the current rules for your route before you travel. The UK itself has no legal requirement to carry chains or socks; Highway Code rule 229 simply advises extra care in ice and snow, and chains can damage cleared tarmac, so this is sensible kit for a specific trip or a snowy postcode rather than something every driver needs.

Best for SUV, pickup and larger 4x4 drivers who want a lightweight, quick-fit emergency traction aid for snow or for Alpine chain-law zones

• EN 16662-1 certified — the recognised European standard for a snow sock used as a chain alternative
• Much lighter, quicker to fit and easier to store than metal snow chains
• Reusable and washable across multiple winters

• Which countries accept a snow sock as a chain alternative (and which still mandate metal chains) varies and can change — check the rules for your specific route rather than assume they're accepted everywhere
• This larger AS870 size carries a real premium over AutoSock's smaller car sizes; worth price-checking the official UK distributor against marketplace listings

Who shouldn't buy it: Skip this if your route requires metal chains specifically — check the rules for each country you'll drive through, since acceptance of textile alternatives varies and can change — or if you rarely encounter snow in the UK; socks and chains aren't a legal requirement here, just a sensible option for genuinely bad conditions or a specific Alpine trip.

A compact folding shovel that does the job it's meant for: clearing snow from around the wheels or gaining traction when stuck. It's not a substitute for a full-size spade, but it's sensible, low-effort winter insurance to leave in the boot.

Best for Leaving permanently in the car boot as a backup for clearing snow from around wheels or digging out a stuck car.

• Folds small enough to live in the boot year-round, with a pouch
• Serrated carbon-steel blade helps break up packed snow or ice
• Powder-coated against rust, and the handle locks with a collet

• Small blade — not built for heavy or frequent digging
• At about 1kg it's heavier than a plastic car shovel

Who shouldn't buy it: You regularly need to clear a driveway or dig out deep snow: buy a proper full-size snow shovel, as this is a compact emergency backup, not a main tool.

Rule 228's winter kit includes jump leads, and these name the standard they meet: BS AU 237a, BSI's light domestic duty specification, which covers engines up to 3.5 litres petrol and 2.5 litres diesel. That suits most family cars. The listing says up to 3,000cc for diesel too, but the standard it cites stops at 2.5 litres, so a bigger diesel or a van wants the heavier Maypole set. Like all leads, they need a second car with a 12V battery, and the RAC says not to use a hybrid or electric car as the donor unless its maker allows it.

Best for Most petrol cars and small diesels, when a second car can help

• Names a British Standard: BS AU 237a
• Fully insulated, colour-coded clamps
• 3m reach, with a storage bag

• Light duty: diesels to 2.5 litres
• Needs a second car to help

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you often drive alone or somewhere a second car can't reach: a jump starter needs no donor, and our jump starters page compares them.

K-Summit is König's flagship 'zero-clearance' system, built for cars where ordinary chains rub the bodywork. It's a genuinely clever design, but it's a specialist, premium-priced buy — check your exact vehicle and tyre fit against König's fit chart before ordering the K34 code.

Best for Drivers with low-profile tyres or tight wheel-arch clearance heading to the Alps, where a bulky full wrap-around chain won't fit.

• Fits cars with tight wheel-arch clearance that rule out bulkier full-wrap chains
• Metal chains are accepted wherever 'chains required' signage applies across the Alps, without the country-by-country ambiguity some snow socks face
• Certified to Ö-Norm V5117 (Austria) and UNI 11313 (Italy), with TÜV approval

• One of the more expensive snow chain systems on the market
• Fitting needs the correct wheel-nut adapter for your specific vehicle, and some vehicles need one purchased separately — an extra thing to get right before you buy

Who shouldn't buy it: You only ever drive in the UK. There's no chain requirement on British roads — winter driving is covered generally by Highway Code rule 229 — and metal chains will mark clear tarmac. A set of EN 16662-1 snow socks or a good winter tyre covers a typical UK winter better and cheaper.

A genuinely well-insulated, tough stainless flask that will outlast a multi-hour hold-up on the hard shoulder. It's priced and sized more as an everyday lifestyle piece than a dedicated car item — at 9.4cm across the base it won't fit a standard car cup holder, so plan on a door pocket, footwell bag or boot instead.

Best for Drivers who want a hot drink that's still properly hot after a long delay or a roadside wait, not just for the first hour

• Manufacturer-rated to keep drinks hot for up to 24 hours, not just an hour or two
• Durable 18/8 stainless steel, backed by a 1-year guarantee
• Insulated outer lid doubles as a drinking cup — nothing extra to carry

• Heavy and bulky next to a dedicated travel mug
• Wide base (9.4cm) won't fit a standard car cup holder

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you only want a bare-minimum boot flask for emergencies — a £12–15 basic stainless flask keeps a drink hot overnight too, and this is priced for daily use as much as for the glovebox.

A well-regarded fabric traction aid that fits in minutes without lifting the car — the trade-off is that size 0 only covers small wheels, so check your exact tyre size before ordering. Not something most UK drivers need day-to-day, but sensible kit for anyone driving into snow.

Best for Small-car owners heading to snowy minor roads or an Alpine ski trip who want a lighter, no-jacking-required alternative to metal chains.

• Fits over the tyre in a few minutes, no jack or wheel removal needed
• Sold as meeting EN 16662-1, accepted as a metal-chain alternative in some Alpine chain-control zones (check local rules before travelling)
• Doesn't scar cleared tarmac the way metal chains can if left on too long

• Snow/ice only — needs removing promptly once you're back on dry, gritted road
• Chain-control rules vary by country, pass and season — some Alpine routes may still require metal chains or certified equivalents, so check current requirements before travelling

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy the size-0 version without checking Michelin's size chart against your actual tyre size first (it only fits roughly 13–15in wheels) — and if you only ever drive on UK roads, which are gritted rather than chain-mandated, this is optional kit rather than a necessity (Highway Code rule 229 covers general winter driving prep).

A reliable, no-fuss trigger-spray de-icer that clears frosted glass and frozen locks in seconds. It's a routine boot-bag staple rather than anything special, and works best paired with a manual scraper on badly iced screens rather than relied on alone.

Best for Drivers who want a fast, cheap fix for a frosted windscreen or a frozen door lock on cold mornings

• Clears ice and frost from screens, windows and mirrors in seconds
• Doubles as a lock de-icer for frozen door locks — genuinely useful on hard-frost mornings
• Cheap and sold almost everywhere, so easy to keep a spare bottle topped up

• Doesn't replace a scraper on thick ice — best used together for a fully clear screen

Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you get hard, prolonged frosts and want the coldest-rated cover — Holts' 600ml aerosol de-icer is rated to -20°C, versus this trigger spray's -10°C.

A straightforward, keenly priced magnetic windscreen cover that does the basic winter job well — clears the palaver of scraping. Worth confirming your bonnet is bare metal before buying, since magnets won't grip a plastic or composite panel.

Best for Drivers with a steel-panel bonnet who want a quick-fit, budget frost cover.

• Magnetic edges make fitting quick, even in the dark or rain
• Four-layer thick, waterproof material with a reflective face gives solid frost, ice and sun protection
• Budget price makes it easy to keep one in the boot as a permanent winter fixture

• No wing-mirror covers or storage pouch included — it's windscreen-only, and folds flat into the boot or footwell loose rather than in a bag
• Magnets need a genuine steel bonnet; grip is weaker or absent on plastic/composite front panels (common on some SUVs and hybrids)

Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if your car's bonnet is mostly plastic or composite — the magnets need bare metal to hold properly, and a strap-on or elasticated cover will serve you better.

Every winter list we checked, from rule 228 to National Highways, includes a torch, and the Met Office's RAC-written advice notes a phone light does little at a dark roadside. This one sticks to the bodywork by its magnetic base, leaving both hands free for a wheel or a bonnet, and recharges from USB rather than relying on batteries that die in a glovebox. It's micro-USB rather than USB-C, and a rechargeable torch is only as good as its last charge, so top it up each autumn; the RAC's own preference is spare batteries or a wind-up torch.

Best for A hands-free light for roadside checks

• Magnetic base for hands-free work
• 500 lumens, with a strobe mode
• Rechargeable: no batteries to go flat

• Micro-USB, not USB-C
• Needs topping up before winter
• Strobe isn't red or amber

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you'll forget to charge it: a wind-up torch, or one with spare batteries, never meets you flat.

Cheap, light and needing no charge, five pairs live in a glovebox all winter, and each gives hours of heat once opened (HotHands says up to 10). They fill the gap between gloves and a blanket. Use them as UK retailers' safety wording says: inside gloves or pockets, never against bare skin or while sleeping, and not for babies or small children.

Best for Keeping fingers working while you wait for recovery

• No charge or batteries needed
• Five pairs in one glovebox pack
• Hours of heat from each (maker)

• Single use
• Never against bare skin
• Not for babies or small children

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you'd rather not keep buying them: rechargeable hand warmers, on our keeping-warm page, last for years.

The AA, the RAC and National Highways all put a charged phone and an in-car charger on their winter lists, and this is the small, known-brand version: one USB-C port at up to 30W and one USB-A, from a 12V socket. Two cautions. There's no cable in the box, and it only charges while the socket is live: the RAC warns that chargers left plugged in can drain a battery, and if you're stuck in snow the engine should run only briefly. A charged power bank is the engine-off answer.

Best for Keeping a phone charged on long winter journeys

• 30W USB-C plus a USB-A port
• Charges two devices at once
• Anker's ActiveShield protection

• No cable in the box
• Works only while the socket is live
• Unplug it when parked (RAC)

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your car already has fast USB-C ports: carry a charged power bank instead, for when the engine's off.

The tool this page was missing. Highway Code rule 229 advises removing snow that might fall into other road users' path, and a scraper can't reach a roof. This brush extends from 77cm to 95cm with a scraper on the other end, enough reach for most cars and many SUVs. It's a marketplace brand on sale for under a year, with no independent review we could find, so treat it as a sensible, cheap tool rather than a proven one.

Best for Brushing snow off the roof before you set off, SUVs and vans included

• Published reach: 77cm to 95cm
• Brush and scraper on one handle
• Head detaches to store flat

• Marketplace brand, under a year on sale
• Not independently reviewed yet
• Use the brush, not the scraper, on paint

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your car sleeps in a garage or you already own a snow brush: a scraper and de-icer cover the glass, which is the part the law requires.

A straightforward, honestly basic chain rather than a premium fast-fit design — you tension it by hand and re-tighten after the first few hundred metres, same as most chains at this price. Fine for occasional use if you match the size correctly.

Best for Drivers who want a no-fuss, budget pair of chains sitting in the boot for an occasional severe-snow day or a European ski trip.

• Simple diamond-pattern design that's easy to understand and cheap to replace if damaged
• Manual tensioning keeps the mechanism basic, so there's less to go wrong in the cold
• Certified to Ö-Norm V5117 and EN 16662-1:2020, so it satisfies Alpine mandatory-chain rules even where textile snow socks alone aren't accepted

• Manual tensioning means stopping again after a short drive to re-tighten — slower than premium self-tensioning König ranges (K-Summit, Easy-Fit)
• You must match the exact size (104) to your tyre width/profile/rim — get it wrong and it won't fit or will damage the tyre

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your car rarely leaves cleared, gritted UK roads — chains damage bare tarmac and are unnecessary for it; buy a proper fit-checked set (or consider snow socks) only if you're actually driving on snow/ice, including Alpine trips where local rules require them. Also give it a miss if your car has limited wheel-arch clearance — the 104 needs room to fit; check clearance first, or look at König's fast-fit K-Summit range instead.

A straightforward, inexpensive aerosol de-icer that does the basic job of clearing light frost fast. Two cans means one by the door and a spare in the garage, at a price that makes it easy to just keep buying.

Best for Drivers who want a cheap, no-fuss aerosol de-icer to keep by the front door or in the garage for frosty mornings.

• Low cost per can for a genuine two-pack
• Clears light-to-moderate frost quickly

• Own-brand formulation with no independent lab testing found, unlike established names such as Autoglym or Holts
• Aerosol format — check local recycling rules for empty cans

Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if your car is thickly iced most mornings — a scraper plus a full-size de-icer clears a heavily iced screen faster and more reliably than a small aerosol alone. Highway Code rule 229 requires every window, mirror, light and number plate (plus snow off the roof) fully cleared before you drive, so a quick spray alone often won't be enough. A £2 scraper and brush, or a windscreen cover to stop ice forming overnight, usually does the same job for less — this spray suits unexpected frost, not a daily heavy-ice routine.

Four layers across the windscreen with covers for both wing mirrors, held by nine magnets and side flaps that tuck into the doors. The RAC calls an overnight cover one of the easiest ways to stop frost forming, since most of it comes away with the cover. Magnets only grip steel, so it won't hold on an aluminium bonnet, and as a marketplace brand it has no independent review behind it. Check the size against your screen: the 148cm cover is listed beside a 157cm one.

Best for Keeping frost off the screen and both mirrors overnight

• Wing-mirror covers included
• Nine magnets plus door flaps
• Folds flat into the boot

• Magnets need a steel bonnet
• Two sizes listed: check yours
• Seller's specs, no independent review

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if your car has an aluminium bonnet or sleeps in a garage: the magnets won't grip, and a garage keeps the frost off anyway.

Rule 229 advises demisting the windows thoroughly before you set off, and the RAC lists a demister pad in its snow-driving kit. The heater and air conditioning do the real work, and the RAC warns that wiping the inside of the windscreen can leave smears, so think of this washable microfibre pad as the quick fix for a side window or mirror while the screen clears.

Best for Clearing the last of the mist from side windows and mirrors

• Washable and reusable
• Lint-free microfibre
• Small enough for a door pocket

• Slower than the heater on a big screen
• Wiping can smear the inside glass

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you expect it to replace the heater: run the blowers and air conditioning first, as the RAC advises.

A budget, flexible traction board pair that rolls flat for the boot and gives a spinning wheel something to bite on. Useful cover for an icy driveway or a muddy gateway, but the flexible TPR won't match a rigid board under a heavy, loaded vehicle. UK drivers don't need snow chains by law and chains can damage bare tarmac (Highway Code rule 229 covers winter driving generally) — boards like these are a legal, road-friendly alternative for occasional grip.

Best for Drivers who want a cheap, packable get-unstuck option for occasional snow, mud or a boggy field — not regular off-roaders.

• Affordable way to carry basic wheel-recovery kit year-round
• Rolls up small with a carry bag — easy boot storage, doesn't take up the space a rigid board would
• Works across snow, ice, mud or sand rather than one surface only

• Flexible TPR flexes more and grips less than a rigid ABS board under a heavy or loaded vehicle
• Budget import — check current reviews before buying, as batch quality on these can vary

Who shouldn't buy it: You regularly tow, drive a heavy 4x4, or go green-laning — a rigid ABS recovery board will last longer and grip harder in deep mud. This 60cm pair is also TANGZON's shortest of four lengths (60/85/100/107cm), so it's really for a shallow slip on the driveway or a slushy car park rather than a serious bog-down; for a heavier vehicle, deeper snow or a genuinely buried wheel, the 85cm pair costs a little more and gives you more board to grip on.

Highway Code rule 228 puts a shovel in the winter kit, and the RAC suggests a foldable one if the boot is small. At 0.58kg, with the handle stowed inside the head, this is the lightest way to follow that advice. The trade-offs are reach and strength: a 67cm handle means working bent over, and the plastic tray is for snow, mud and sand rather than packed ice, where Draper's steel shovel is tougher.

Best for A light boot shovel when space is tight

• Light at 0.58kg
• Handle stores inside the head
• Wide tray for snow, mud and sand

• Short reach: 67cm extended
• Plastic tray, not for packed ice
• Mind your fingers on the slider

Who shouldn't buy it: Don't buy it if you expect to dig out packed ice or frozen ruts: a steel folding shovel like Draper's takes that punishment.