4 Essential Gadgets Drivers Should Buy Before Winter

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Getting your car ready for the winter goes beyond just swapping to winter tires, getting your battery and coolant checked, replacing worn wiper blades, and ensuring your wiper fluid doesn't freeze. As this season brings its own set of challenges for drivers — including things like EV batteries draining faster – it helps to be prepared for the things you can actually control. Fortunately, there are tons of gadgets on the market that can help you stay comfortable and safe during the winter while you are in your car. We have picked some of the most essential options to help you get started.  

We selected our recommendations after considering buyer experience as well as expert reviews when available. We also focused on products that will come in handy for a wide range of consumers, rather than a niche set, and avoided smart car gadgets that you might already have in your arsenal or aren't necessarily meant for the winter.   

While a jump starter is a good investment for any season, it becomes particularly important during the winter, as freezing temperatures can slow down the chemical reactions in your car battery and reduce its output. The Noco Boost X GBX45 is a widely liked portable jump starter. It's compact, has a rugged IP65 build, and is recommended for vehicles featuring up to 6.5 L gas and 4.0 L diesel engines. Although its peak current rating of 1,250 amps is pretty modest, it will do its job in most modern cars. Moreover, you get a total battery capacity of 31.82 watt-hours (Wh), which the company claims can deliver up to 6 jump starts on a single charge.

Among other highlights, the jump starter comes with a built-in reverse polarity safety feature and a boost mode that can help when the car battery is completely drained. You also get a 100-lumen flashlight and support for charging your phone or a mobile accessory at up to 60 watts in a pinch. The same charging speed is available for juicing up the jump starter as well.

It carries a price tag of $125 and has received an average buyer rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon, based on over 15,000 reviews. Shoppers share it comes pretty handy during the winter and can easily restart dead batteries. That said, some buyers noted getting units that didn't hold charge effectively or stopped working after just months of use. Experts from Car Magazine UK also have good things to say about it, and the only notable concern they note is the relatively short jumper cables. Still, the clamps can easily reach both battery terminals.

If your car doesn't come with factory-installed heated seats, it's not a pleasant feeling sitting on cold seats in the morning. Fortunately, there is a solution that doesn't require significant investment or a trip to your dealership or neighborhood shop for a potential seat upgrade. SriGM offers handy heated seat cushions that you can install in your car and power using the 12-volt outlet. It offers three temperature settings, and you can choose one as per your liking.

The seat cushions are made from velvet, which gives a soft and comfortable seating experience. The cushion is also easy to install and uses straps to get tied down to your car seats. The SriGM offering will cost you $56 for a single unit. It has also garnered a decent average buyer rating of 4.3 out of 5 from Amazon customers. Buyers like its fit and finish and reasonable heating for an aftermarket solution. However, some shoppers aren't happy as their units stopped working within months, and in a seemingly isolated incident, one customer noted the cushion leaving burn marks on their car seats.

Although not a tech gadget, AstroAI's 2-in-1 Detachable Snow Brush & Ice Scraper is a handy winter gadget to have in your arsenal, particularly if you live in a location with tons of snowfall during the season. As the name suggests, it can help remove snow from your car and scrape any that might be turned into ice. Its brush and scraper are also detachable for easy storage and portability. Moreover, thanks to the no-scratch bristles of the brush, you don't have to worry about your car paint or the windshield getting damaged.

In other highlights, it features an ABS shaft and reinforced joints for enhanced durability, and the EVA foam handle offers solid grip. All this will cost you only $17, and you can choose from two sizes and multiple color options. Experts at Family Handyman have overall positive feedback of the AstroAI offering; besides its relatively shorter length, which you can rectify with the company's longer options, they didn't find any notable cons in this snow brush and ice scraper combo.

Amazon shoppers are pretty happy with it and have given the gadget an excellent rating of 4.6 out of 5. Buyers say it's well made and does its job well. That said, a small selection of buyers find the scraper not up to the mark or have durability concerns. The company has addressed some of these concerns in a newer, upgraded model that adds aluminum for better durability and a silicone squeegee. However, the newer model costs $26 and has received limited feedback from buyers.

Like a jump starter, a dash cam is a helpful gadget to have in your car all year round, but it makes even more sense in the winter when driving is a little more unpredictable. It will give you valuable evidence in case of a mishap. The Viofo A229 Plus is a solid dual-channel dash cam, meaning it can capture what's happening in the front and the back of the car, but not inside, like the triple-channel dash cams. It also records in 1440p resolution from both cameras and relies on Sony's reputable Starvis 2 sensor. There is also support for HDR and voice commands. You can use your voice to ask the dash cam to capture a photo, show input from front or rear cameras, and more.

Another highlight of the dash cam is its quad-mode GPS that leverages satellites from GPS, BEIDOU, GALILEO, and GLONASS for accurate location tracking. Moreover, there is an optional parking mode as long as you hardwire the dash cam and an optional hardware kit (purchased separately). Unfortunately, Viofo doesn't include a microSD card in your purchase, which you'll need for it to work and record. It will cost you $210 at list price; however, you can often find it at a discount.

Experts have good things to say about it. PC World, which reviewed a three-channel version of the same dash cam, liked its detailed captures in both day and night as well as easy phone connectivity. However, like most dash cams, it has a lot of wires that you'll have to hide. Amazon buyers have given it a decent rating of 4.3 out of 5, and appreciate its night vision quality, relatively easy setup, and GPS support. However, a small selection of buyers complain about getting units that fail after just months of use and the not-so-great companion app.

Winters bring their own set of challenges for drivers, whether it's snow on the road or the cold, hard car seats in the morning. While you can't control the weather, you can try making winters a little more bearable and your winter rides safer with the right gadgets. While picking the most useful winter gadgets for cars, we focused on devices that can deliver real value during the season, whether it's by keeping your car running, ensuring you have a proper record of a mishap, or by just helping snow off your vehicle. We refined our selection after considering Amazon shopper reviews and expert reviews when available. All our recommendations have received an average buyer rating of at least 4.3 out of 5.