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Your car is a loyal companion for most of the year, but the moment the temperature drops, it transforms into a personal, rolling icebox of misery. Suddenly, your seats feel like frozen slabs of granite, your windshield is perpetually encased in a thick layer of ice, and the floor becomes a swampy graveyard for slush and road salt.

Surviving the winter commute is a battle waged on multiple fronts, but you don't have to go into it unarmed. We've assembled the ultimate arsenal of clever gadgets and practical essentials designed to make your car a significantly less miserable place to be for the next several months. Prepare to reclaim your ride from the clutches of the cold.

Discover more in 24 Genuinely Brilliant Things You Should Probably Keep In Your Car This Winter

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Roadside emergency kit with jumper cables, tow strap, and other essential items to keep in your car this winter.

Review: "I wanted to purchase an auto emergency kit for an east coast driving vacation. I looked in auto shops, big box stores and online. The Thrive Roadside Assistance Auto Emergency Kit + First Aid Kit had all of my must haves (and that list was long) and more. It is a compact bag that will fit into the trunk of any car." - Eric

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    Woman wrapped in a blue blanket sitting inside a car, illustrating brilliant things to keep in your car this winter.

    Review: "I don’t know why I waited so long to buy this! My husband is always annoyed because I get cold in the car and turn my heat on when he is hot. This has fixed the problem. Very soft and cozy!" - AB

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    Portable NOCO Boost Plus jump starter connected to a car battery and charging, essential winter car item.

    Review: "No more need to ask others to jump start your car, this portable jump starter is easy to use, easy to charge, and it works every time. Keep one in your car at all times." - Aaron D.

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    #4

    The Flimsy, Tragic Little Ice Scraper You Got For Free At A Gas Station Ten Years Ago Is Begging To Be Replaced By The Better Ice Scraper

    Ice scraper tool resting on a car windshield covered in snow, essential for winter car safety and preparation.

    Review: "I love this ice scraper, it works great!! Fits the hand really well. The only negative is everything scrapes to the center of the windshield. If one is made with a long reach, I'm all over it!" - Kathie T.

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    Portable LED lantern with handle shown lit and unlit, ideal for winter car essentials and emergency preparedness.

    Review: "Small but mighty Easy to carry, just pull casing upward and light is on. Adjustable push down not as much light but still bright. Got it for when we lose power, take dog out late at night or just sitting around camp fire. Hood to carry in car for emergency" - Bethel

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    Two people wrapped in emergency blankets standing in snowy mountains, essential winter items to keep in your car.

    Review: "I forgot to pack sleeping bags on my last camping trip. We had blankets, but they weren't quite cutting it. Pulled out a couple of these and they worked perfectly. They're loud and thin obviously - but they held up fine for two nights of sleeping." - Christopher Berg

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    Compact emergency car safety tool in handheld design, a smart item to keep in your car this winter for safety.

    Review: "This took saved our son from being trapped in his car after a rollover crash (not his fault). He somehow remembered that he had the tool and smashed his way out of the sunroof. We recommend these in every vehicle because you never know. Hopefully you never need it, but hopefully you have it if you do need it." - C. Harrah

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    Red first aid kit with medical supplies, an essential brilliant thing to keep in your car this winter for safety.

    Review: "Great first aid kit! Came with a ton of necessary items you need in an emergency. All packaged in a small condensed bag. It even came with a mini bag perfect for my mommy bag that I take everywhere! It includes a compass, instant cold packs, CPR respirator protection, bandages of every size- including Band-Aids and other gauze pads, emergency blanket, whistle, metal scissors, glow stick, and many more items! Overall this is one of the best first aid kits I've seen." - Amazon Customer

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    #9

    That Little "Low Tire Pressure" Light That Loves To Pop On During The First Cold Snap Will No Longer Hold You Hostage With A Portable Air Compressor For Tyres

    Portable tire inflator in use on car wheel, one of the brilliant things you should probably keep in your car this winter.

    Review: "Just bought this, my Camry had all four tires <15 PSI. It comes with accessories I didn't need so for me it was plug and play! It took about 3 minutes per wheel coming all the way from 15 PSI but that wasn't an issue for me. Good product." - W

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    Car tire on snow with traction mats placed underneath to prevent slipping, essential winter car safety item.

    Review: "Great, got my car out of deep snow several times within a week of purchasing. Easy to carry and heavy duty." - Kevin

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    #11

    The Daily, Torturous Experience Of Gripping A Steering Wheel That Feels Like An Icicle Can Finally Be Over With A Faux Fur Plush Steering Wheel Cover

    Car steering wheel covered with a warm, fuzzy steering wheel cover, a winter essential to keep in your car.

    Review: "It's actually good!! So fluffy and soft. Just take a little bit efforts to put it in." - Zishu Gui

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    #12

    The Chaotic Jumble Of Emergency Supplies, Rogue Water Bottles, And That One Lonely Sneaker In Your Trunk Can Finally Be Tamed By A Car Trunk Organizer With 8 Pockets

    Car organizer with emergency cables, tire foam, cleaning wipes, rope, and storage pockets for winter car essentials.

    Review: "I just received this today in order to better organize trunk space. My previous organizer was a tote and, while useful, took up a lot of cargo space (and took away space from groceries when I went to the store). This Surdoca organizer allows me to still store and organize all my items without taking up cargo space in our 2016 Honda Odyssey. I was able to fit jumper cables, shop towels, tire shine, a tow rope, several microfiber towels, and a few other items and still have plenty of room to spare if I wanted to fit more in the upper row of compartments. The installation was easy and only took me a few minutes." - JC

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    #13

    The Daily, Squinty-Eyed Battle You Wage Against The Low Winter Sun Can Be Definitively Won With A Polarized Car Visor Extender

    Car sun visor extender attached inside windshield, improving driver visibility and safety during winter conditions.

    Review: "I struggle with the sun. I’m extremely sensitive to it and don’t love to wear sunglasses as they always leave red indents on my face and nose that take forever to go away. This solves this problem! It was simple to install if I can even use the word install. All you do is clip/slide it on! I wish it was slightly larger but can’t really complain as it’s nice to be able to look around it. It never felt in the way and didn’t obstruct any of my field if vision. I do wish it came in a brown tint as black tint is hard for me to see through sometimes but I’m getting really nit picky now. Even if you share a car it’s easy to flip away if you don’t want to use it! Overall fantastic purchase. Highly recommend to have on hand." - Lisa A Hammond

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    #14

    That Awkward, Arm-Straining Dance You Do To Clear The Snow From The Middle Of Your Windshield Can Be A Thing Of The Past With A Telescoping Snow Broom For Windshields

    Snow brush on a car windshield surrounded by snow in a winter setting, an essential item to keep in your car.

    Review: "Cleaned the snow from the top of my SUV with ease. Highly recommend. Next one I get will have the LED lights just in case my car is parked somewhere with no lights around." - Tess

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    #15

    You'll Get To Enjoy About Twelve Extra Minutes Of Sleep On Snowy Mornings While Your Neighbors Are Miserably Scraping Their Cars Thanks To A Windshield Snow Cover

    Car covered in thick snow with partially cleared windshield, illustrating essential winter car items for safety and convenience.

    Review: "This worked WAYYYY better than I was expecting, pictures of before and after instillation/snow. Would definatley buy again. My only recommendation to other buyers is to remove the flaps from your driver and passenger door BEFORE trying to take the elastic off the mirrors because there isn't much stretch to them." - Courteney

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    Car jack and tools beside a white car being lifted, essential items to keep in your car this winter for safety and repairs.

    Review: "This is the BEST floor jack I have ever used period. I recently had a flat in my 2012 Prius and had difficulty using the cheap jack which came with the car. I decided that this would never happen again. This little floor jack is GREAT! It comes in a plastic case that is very handy and it fits perfectly in the rear plastic tray compartment beneath the flooring. It is small but very sturdy and works fine. My Prius is very low to the ground and I'm elderly with arthritis in my knees and back. But I tried it out and it was very easy to use. It doesn't go very far underneath the car actually and extremely easy to jack up. Every small car and truck should come with one of these little gems. It's compact, but very sturdy and lifts up to 3,000 lbs. GRADE: A++" - CharlieCatfishRebel48

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    #17

    The Sad, Crumpled Graveyard Of Receipts And Snack Wrappers Currently Living In Your Passenger Seat Can Finally Be Contained With A Heavy Duty Car Trash Can

    Compact car trash bin with plastic bags placed behind vehicle seat, essential item to keep in your car this winter.

    Review: "I needed something shorter to go under the center console and with the long string as the console slides, so needed it to go all the way around." - CO Girl

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    #18

    Stop Your Car's Floor From Turning Into A Sad, Soggy Bog Of Winter Slush By Installing Some Deep Dish Heavy Duty Rubber Floor Mats

    All-weather car floor mats laid out in front passenger seat, essential winter car accessory for protection and cleanliness.

    Review: "I just purchased 2008 Toyota Camry from the dealer and came with no floor mats. This products are truly value for money. It’s thick and strong. I actually didn’t need to cut to adjust but if you need to do that. I seen many other reviews of people cutting them to fit their vehicles without any issues. Happy with my purchase!" - Moto Moto

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    #19

    That Giant, Emotional-Support Water Bottle That Currently Rolls Around On Your Passenger Seat Like A Loose Cannon Will Finally Have A Secure Home With This Cup Holder Extender

    Car interior showing gear shift, insulated mug, and organizer pouch, essential items to keep in your car this winter.

    Review: "I love this car cup and pocket. It comes in two pieces and it’s easy to slide the pocket onto the cup holder. I have a 2017 Ford Explorer and the cup holder fits like a glove. In one of my review photos, I have a wallet and Corkcicle coffee mug so you can see how items fit. The pocket can swivel in case someone in the passenger seat wants it to move away from them. This is one of my favorite Amazon purchases!" - PrincessSeaOtter

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    People using safety flares on a dark road next to a broken-down car, showing winter car safety essentials.

    Review: "Threw a 3 pack in all the cars thinking "you never know", 2 weeks later, late at night came across an accident on very dark highway with few cars. Immediately pulled out the flares and read the instructions, flared the road both directions in less than minute and then assisted. The 2 I used worked perfect and were super easy once I slowed down nd read the instructions on how to strike. Like lighting a match, a big match. I'm not sure how long the burn for but at least the 15 mins I was there." - B. Hol

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    Collapsible red snow shovel with black handle, an essential winter car item for emergency snow removal.

    Review: "I keep this shovel in my car for shoveling out of snow in an emergency. It takes up very little room and is very sturdy. Much better than previous collapsible shovels I've bought!" - Stephen Wheaton

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    #22

    The Miserable Choice Between Having Warm Hands And Being Able To Actually Use Your Phone Is A Sacrifice You No Longer Have To Make With A Pair Of Winter Gloves With Touch Screen Pads

    Winter gloves covered in snow resting on a snowy car surface, essential items to keep in your car this winter.

    Review: "I seam to buy a new pair of winter gloves every year and every year I am disappointed. But bought these at first good ratings and great price. But day I got them it was cold and snowing. I put them on and it was a perfect fit. No pundits attended but fit like my hand like a glove. Shoveled the show and my hands was the warmest part of my body in the 25°f cold and was perfectly dry too. Tocuch screen worked but with gloves that think I couldn't do much but answer the phone.. must buy if you need a good fitting warm gloves. So good I bought my wife a pair too." - Mike O

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    Jumper cables laid out on a dining table, one of the best things to keep in your car this winter.

    Review: "Why don't people carry jumper cables anymore? It's strange to me that 8 out of 10 drivers does not have emergency tools inside their vehicles. These cables I bought for my daughters first car. I won't have her unprepared. I inspected them and I will be buying a set for my truck and my wife's car just because I am impressed with the quality of these." - Jackie

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    #24

    That Soul-Crushing, Frozen-Leather-Seat Shock You Get On A Cold Morning Can Be A Distant Memory With A Massaging Seat Cushion With Heat Treatment

    Car interior showing a heated seat cover strapped to the driver’s chair as a winter car essential item to keep.

    Review: "This seat has been installed on my transit Van more than a week. It is using a smooth , soften and keep the heat out material that is awesome special in summer in Texas. The seat made me fun and relax when long driving. Btw, The controller just a little bit bigger for me." - Dave


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