Tempered vs. laminated glass explained

Car accidents where a vehicle is submerged in water or erupts into deadly flame are rare. But a simple tool to break your own car window could be life-saving in such an emergency. The only catch: not all car windows are created equal. 

This week, Rosie talks to Wirecutter editor and emergency preparedness expert Jen Gushue about the high-stakes world of car glass breakers. Jen enlisted a firefighter to help smash dozens of real car windows to find out which tools actually work when put to the test on different types of glass. 

This episode covers: 

• The difference between tempered and laminated glass: Traditional tempered glass is designed to shatter into small, dull pieces for safety, while modern laminated glass consists of a plastic interlayer sandwiched between two glass sheets. Laminated glass is nearly impossible to break with standard tools.
• How to identify what’s in your own vehicle: A small key in the corner of your car window should contain information about the type of glass it's made of. You can also look down at the window from above.
• The specific tools that work for each scenario: While portable spring-loaded tools are highly effective on tempered windows, only specialized tools are capable of punching through the reinforced laminated glass found in many newer vehicles.

Be sure to read Jen’s guide for more details on how to tell what kind of glass is in your vehicle.

Products we recommend:

• A spring-loaded, hand-protecting tempered-glass breaker: Lifehammer Evolution
• A handy keychain that works on tempered glass (with compromises): Resqme
• The only practical laminated-glass cutter: Lifeline Evac-Pro

Additional reading:

• The 3 Best Car Window Breakers, Tested on Real Car Windows

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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