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The 7 Best Ice Melts of 2024

For a safer driveway, sidewalk, and patio this snowy season

A variety of ice melts on floor near a door

The Spruce / Eric Brockob

When the temperature drops and you see the first flurries of the season, you know snow and ice are soon to follow. Aside from a winter coat, warm boots, and a hat (and making sure your car's ice scraper, and your snow shovel are handy), there's one other thing you'll need to brave the outdoors. We're talking about an ice melt, a product specially formulated to lower the freezing point of water. It turns ice and packed snow into liquidy slush and helps prevent more from building up.

Ice melts (sometimes called deicers or ice melters) can be sprinkled or poured onto your driveway, sidewalk, patio, porch, or any other outdoor surface you need to de-slick. They make concrete, asphalt, and wood platforms safer to walk and drive on. Many are eco-friendly, too.

Veterinarian Jeanne Budgin, DVM, explains that while pet-safe ice melts are available, you'll still want to be mindful when applying them if you have furry friends. "These products may directly irritate the paws, causing redness and dryness, but are also toxic if ingested in very large amounts," she says.

We researched different types (including salt, pellets, and liquid) with various active ingredients and melting temperatures to narrow down the best options for your needs.

What to Know Before You Get Started

Ice melts work by essentially lowering the freezing point of water—in turn, this lowers the melting point of ice. Though it varies slightly among brands and active ingredients, the lowest effective temperature for deicers is usually 10 to 20 below zero. The most common active ingredients include:

  • Sodium chloride. Sodium chloride (aka rock salt) tends to melt ice quickly, but it can be corrosive on hardscapes and damaging to plants.
  • Magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride is generally less corrosive on concrete than rock salt. It also has a minimal impact on plants and is considered a safer choice for pets.
  • Calcium chloride. Calcium chloride has been shown to be less degrading on concrete and asphalt and gentler on grass, plants, and other vegetation.
  • Calcium magnesium acetate. Deicers containing calcium magnesium acetate are generally less harmful to plants and less damaging to hardscapes than rock salt.

For more shopping help with ice melts, check out our What to Look for Section below.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Snow Joe Melt-2-Go Ice Melter

 Snow Joe 10 JUG Melt-2-Go

Amazon

What We Like
  • Researched-backed ingredients

  • Reduces plant damage and corrosion

  • Starts working immediately

What We Don't Like
  • May damage masonry patio

The best ice melt for your needs depends on a few factors, like where you plan to use it, how much ice or snow you're dealing with, and whether you have pets. That said, Snow Joe Melt-2-Go checks pretty much all the boxes. The crystals get to work immediately when sprinkled onto the ground. If inclement weather is in the forecast, you can melt solid ice and packed snow quickly or pre-treat your driveway, porch, and steps.

Made of earth-sourced ingredients, this eco-friendly ice melter is formulated to be safer for humans, animals, and the environment. In addition to deicing salts (sodium chloride and magnesium chloride), the blend contains calcium magnesium acetate. Deicers with this active ingredient have been shown to be less harmful to plants and less damaging to concrete than other compounds. Melt-2-Go also contains an anti-caking agent that helps disperse the ingredients while extending its shelf life.

This product comes in a jug, bag, or box ranging from 10 to 60 pounds. The granules aren't sharp, they don't get stuck in shoes, paws, or tires, and they won't leave behind a slimy residue. You can apply Melt-2-Go to most hardscapes and even sprinkle it onto your grass or fake turf. However, using too much on a masonry patio could prematurely corrode the stone, so don't overdo it.

Type: Crystals | Active Ingredient: Sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium magnesium acetate | Intended Surfaces: Concrete, grass, turf | Effective Temperature: -10 degrees F

Best for Concrete

Harris Kind Melt Ice Melter

Kind Melt Ice Melter

Amazon

What We Like
  • Works immediately on hardscapes

  • Less corrosive than other salts

  • Minimal impact on vegetation

What We Don't Like
  • Hard to open lid

If you ask us, Harris Kind Melt is the best ice melt for concrete. Its active ingredient is magnesium chloride harvested from the Dead Sea. According to research, the inorganic compound causes less corrosive damage to concrete than other deicing salts. Not only that, but magnesium chloride tends to be gentler on plants, grass, and other vegetation. Per the ASPCA, this ingredient is considered the most pet-friendly option. And unlike rock salts with jagged crystals, the rounded pellets won't scrape or cut your pet's paws.

This product is also OMRI Listed, meaning it meets the Organic Minerals Research Institute's criteria for organic processing and handling. Kind Melt works right away on sidewalks, driveways, steps, patios, and paved walkways. It's effective at lowering the melting point of ice at temperatures as low as 13 below zero. Just a heads up, like some other ice melts, the bucket lid is notably hard to remove—you might need pliers or a vice grip to get it off the first time.

Type: Pellets | Active Ingredient: Magnesium chloride | Intended Surfaces: Driveways, sidewalks, steps, balconies, patios, walkways, roadways | Effective Temperature: -13 degrees F

Best for Asphalt

Scotwood Industries Road Runner Ice Melt

Road Runner Ice Melt Calcium Chloride Blend

Walmart

What We Like
  • Formulated for roads, driveways, and parking lots

  • Fast and powerful yet non-corrosive

  • Environmentally safe and plant-friendly

What We Don't Like
  • Bags and jugs aren't very durable

Road Runner is meant for roads, driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, patios, and other concrete and asphalt hardscapes. This deicer is made with a blend of three chloride-based salts, which have shown to be reliably effective at melting ice in below-freezing conditions. Sodium chloride offers fast-acting, strong melting power. While it's not considered the best ingredient for plants, pets, and hardscapes, the addition of calcium chloride and magnesium chloride makes the formula all-around gentler.

In other words, you won't have to worry about this ice melt damaging your driveway or paved walkway. It shouldn't affect your plants or lawn, either. The colorless pellets turn ice and sleet into watery slush exceptionally quickly in temperatures as low as negative 15 degrees, allowing you to easily shovel it away. We should mention that the packaging and containers aren't very durable—buyers have noted both the bags and jugs were busted open upon arrival. That being said, you may want to transfer your pellets into a sturdy lidded bin.

Type: Pellets | Active Ingredient: Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride | Intended Surfaces: Roadways, driveways, sidewalks | Effective Temperature: -15 degrees F

Best Budget

Salt Depot Fire N Ice

Fire N Ice Ice Melter

Lowe's

What We Like
  • Biodegradable pigment for controlled application

  • Works quickly and provides instant traction

  • Won't degrade concrete or asphalt

What We Don't Like
  • Bag isn't very durable

On a budget? You can't go wrong with Fire N Ice. This wallet-friendly ice melt is made with a blend of minerals that are gentle on plants, animals, and humans but tough on ice and snow. The main ingredient in the purple granules is sodium acetate sourced from the Great Salt Lake in Utah. It boasts a faster melting time than rock salt on driveways, sidewalks, stone steps, and other hardscapes. As long as it's not used in excess, the compound won't prematurely degrade concrete or asphalt.

Skeptical about the violet hue? The organic, biodegradable pigment is supposed to help you see exactly where you've sprinkled the pellets. It disappears when the ice melts and won't stain your shoes, clothes, skin, or pet's fur. Fire N Ice is effective in freezing temps as low as negative 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides melting ice on outdoor surfaces, the large granules provide instant traction to help prevent slips.

One thing to note is that the bag isn't very durable. Since the seams burst easily, you might consider placing the granules in something sturdier, like a lidded bucket or bin.

Type: Granules | Active Ingredient: Sodium acetate | Intended Surfaces: Concrete, asphalt | Effective Temperature: -15 degrees F

Best Long-Lasting

Natural Rapport Pet-Safe Ice Melt

Natural Rapport Pet Friendly Ice Melt

Amazon

What We Like
  • Prevents more ice from accumulating

  • Formulated to minimize corrosion

  • Minimal impact on vegetation

What We Don't Like
  • Mysterious proprietary blend

  • Bucket is hard to open

This ice melt contains fast-acting sodium chloride, plus plant-friendly, anti-corrosion ingredients like calcium magnesium acetate and magnesium chloride. The blend works quickly to melt ice with minimal impact on vegetation or damage to hardscapes. It's also formulated with the brand's proprietary "ProtectRx organic technology." Though the specific ingredients are disclosed because they're protected by trade secrets, Natural Rapport claims ProtectRx reduces corrosion by 75 percent compared to regular rock salts. According to the brand, this is a non-hygroscopic ice melt, meaning it doesn't suck moisture from the ground and, therefore, won't dry out your grass or shrubs.

As the name suggests, this deicer is also made with pet safety in mind. If a little is tracked into your house, it's not an immediate hazard—though it's never a bad idea to clean your pet's paws or your floors. In addition to melting ice quickly, the time-release formula is designed to last longer (taking longer to dissolve) to prevent more ice accumulation. This helps you avoid continuously applying it during the snowy season. Like others on this list, the bucket lid can be hard to open, but it should be easier after the first time.

Type: Crystals | Active Ingredient: Calcium magnesium acetate, dolomite, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, proprietary ProtectRx | Intended Surfaces: Concrete, metal, wood | Effective Temperature: -18 degrees F

Best for Pets

Green Gobbler Pet Safe Ice Melt

Green Gobbler Pet-Safe Ice Melt

Amazon

What We Like
  • Naturally sourced active ingredient

  • Safer if accidentally ingested

  • Effective yet environmentally friendly

What We Don't Like
  • Lid can be hard to remove

Green Gobbler Ice Melt promises to liquefy ice on your driveway, walkway, or patio in temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees. This naturally sourced deicer calls on magnesium chloride from the Dead Sea. You can use a scoop to spread the pellets or use a seed spreader if you have a larger space to cover. (The small, round pellets are specially shaped to reduce jams and clogs in most spreaders.)

While no ice melt is 100 percent "safe" for pets, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says this product's primary ingredient can be less dangerous if ingested than some other chemicals. "The best solution is to rinse the feet well after a walk or to use pet boots," says Dr. Budgin. Magnesium chloride is also considered one of the better compounds in terms of not hurting plants. The bucket has a super-secure lid, which is great for keeping curious dogs or cats out. But it's almost too secure in that it's pretty hard to get open. Still, this is a practical, eco-conscious, animal-friendly product that gets the job done.

Type: Pellets | Active Ingredient: Magnesium chloride | Intended Surfaces: Driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, walkways | Effective Temperature: -15 degrees F

Best Liquid

Branch Creek Entry Liquid Ice Melt

Entry Fast-Acting Liquid Ice Melt

Amazon

What We Like
  • Alternative to visible, crunchy granules

  • Works fast and prevents refreezing

  • Doesn't leave a residue

What We Don't Like
  • Must be used with sprayer

  • Not for ice thicker than one-eighth inch

Though pellets can help you see where you've applied an ice melt while offering some traction to prevent slips, not everyone appreciates the crunchy texture—plus, the granules can get stuck in your shoes and tires. If you prefer liquid, this deicer from Branch Creek might be your best pet. Entry leans on a proprietary blend of active ingredients. While the exact compounds aren't disclosed, the brand says it's a chloride-free formula.

This ice melt is generally easy to apply, though you'll need to buy a sprayer separately. It promises to quickly liquefy ice in sub-zero temperatures while preventing slush from refreezing. But bear in mind it's only intended for thin layers of ice—nothing thicker than an eighth of an inch. The clear liquid isn't slimy and doesn't leave behind any noticeable residue. If you track some of the pH-neutral formula into your home, your floors won't be sticky, and you shouldn't have to worry about damage to the material. We also appreciate that it has an unlimited shelf life.

Type: Liquid | Active Ingredient: Potassium formate, proprietary formulation | Intended Surfaces: Concrete, floors, stone | Effective Temperature: Below 0 degrees F

Final Verdict

Our best overall snow melt is the Snow Joe Melt-2-Go Ice Melter. This fast-acting, effective, environmentally friendly deicer quickly liquefies ice on concrete, grass, or turf without damaging the surface beneath. If you were hoping to pay a bit less per pound, ​​Salt Depot Fire N Ice Ice Melter, our best budget pick, is an affordable option that gets the job done.

What to Look For in Ice Melts

Type

Ice melts usually come in the form of small granules. Depending on the size, shape, color, and ingredients used, they might be called pellets or even crystals, as with our best overall pick, the Snow Joe Melt-2-Go Ice Melter. The granules are meant to be sprinkled onto your hardscapes. They usually start working right away while the gritty texture provides immediate traction to prevent slips.

There are also liquid formulas, like our best liquid pick, the Branch Creek Entry Fast-Acting Liquid Ice Melt. This is a good option for those who don't like the appearance, texture, or general messiness of granules. However, liquid deicers typically need to be applied with a sprayer, which you might have to buy separately.

Melting Time

Many ice melts begin working on contact. While some melt ice in as little as 30 minutes, others may take up to an hour. The exact melting time depends on a few factors, like the current outdoor temperature, the thickness of the ice, and the surface being treated. As with Natural Rapport Pet-Safe Ice Melt, our best long-lasting pick, some formulas also help prevent more ice from accumulating.

Coverage Area

You'll get about 32 square feet of coverage per pound of granulated ice melt. So, for instance, the 15-pound bucket of Green Gobbler Pet Safe Ice Melt, our best for pets pick, will get you about 480 square feet of coverage, whereas the 35-pound container contains enough to cover 1,120 square feet. Be sure to check the size of the bag, jug, or bucket before ordering a deicer to compare the price per pound and ensure you'll have enough to cover your outdoor surfaces.

Most ice melts start working in around 30 minutes, depending on the temperature and depth of ice.

Surface Type

 Ice melts can be used on various hardscapes, including concrete, asphalt, and some types of stone masonry. They're all generally effective at melting ice on these surfaces in below-freezing temps. But in terms of preventing corrosion, the best formulas contain calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, or calcium magnesium acetate. Some deicers can be used on grass or turf, but double-check the brand's specifications before applying it to your lawn.

FAQ
  • How does an ice melt work?

    Some ice melts create heat as they combine with ice, which turns it into water. As the water melts, the solution spreads out over nearby surfaces and causes them to melt as well. Other ice melts break down the bonds between the ice and the surfaces they lie on, which are typically colder than the air. That allows the warmer air to melt the ice. Rock salt reacts with the ice to break the bonds between water molecules. That makes them move more rapidly, raising the ice’s temperature above freezing, causing the ice to melt.

  • When should you put down ice melt?

    The best time to put ice melt down is before it snows or freezes, to keep ice from forming. You can also apply ice melt on top of ice, although you should try to shovel away as much snow as possible to make it most effective.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This guide was written by commerce writer and product tester Theresa Holland. She's been contributing to The Spruce since 2019 and has several years of experience researching, testing, and reviewing home improvement products. For this story, she researched today's best ice melts, cross-referenced active ingredients, interviewed a veterinarian about pet safety, and combed through buyer reviews before narrowing it down to effective, user-friendly, eco-conscious, pet-safe options.

Our Experts:

Updated by
Nadia Hassani
Nadia Hassani

Nadia Hassani is a a Penn State Master Gardener with nearly 20 years of experience in landscaping, garden design, and vegetable and fruit gardening.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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  2. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Keeping Pets Safe during Winter: The Dangers of Ice Melts.

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  4. Zhang J, Wang W, Liu J, Wang S, Qin X, Yu B. (2023). Pavement Performance and Ice-Melting Characteristics of Asphalt Mixtures Incorporating Slow-Release Deicing Agent. Buildings. 13(2):306. doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020306