Suppose you’re looking to buy the best eraser wheel in today’s market. In that case, you need to understand what an eraser wheel does and the differences between each brand. Read on to learn about both those points and many others that will help you make an informed purchase!
An eraser wheel is a round-shaped tool that often gets attached to a power drill for use, as seen below.
Contents
What Does an Eraser Wheel Do?
Eraser wheels are one of the best tools for removing worn-out decals and other forms of adhesive from a vehicle’s body without causing damage to the paint.
Many vehicles have decals to spice up their look and give them some uniqueness, but even if you maintain decals as best as possible, age and attrition will start to get the best of them. Eventually, a decal reaches a point where instead of making the vehicle look better, it does the opposite. This is when the eraser wheel comes into play.
How Does it Work?
Eraser wheels come with a small shaft attachment that allows them to attach to the end of a power drill. Once connected, you place the side of the eraser against whatever material you want to get rid of and start the drill.
Because the drill performs the work of actually moving the eraser, you don’t have to do anything other than watch as it does away with whatever decal or pinstripe you are removing. And because the eraser’s base material is rubber, it will act similarly to a pencil eraser and leave lots of eraser shavings behind. Luckily, the shavings are easy to clean off.
Who Makes the Best Eraser Wheels?
Brand (Insert brand name and photo) | Features | Advantages | Disadvantages | Price |
3M | Size, thickness, and compactness. | Can handle 4,000 rpm and works with most drills. | Does not work on fiberglass. | $37.11 |
Wonder Wheel | Fast, safe, and easy to use on even the hardest of decals. | Has a wider surface, comes with an adapter, and works on baked decals | Does not hold up well at 4,000 rpm. | $13.85 |
Whizzy Wheel | Has a grooved design that makes it usable on most surfaces. | Grooved design creates better airflow, causing less heat generation at higher rpm. | Not the best for longer projects | $29.90 |
ABN | Made from plastic, handles 4,000 rpm, and works well on acrylic enamel and urethane paintwork. | Larger diameter allows for more surface area coverage. | Not as durable as other eraser wheels. | $11.48 |
Canopus | Versatile jack of all trades and has a grooved design. | Newer than other eraser wheels. | Cannot handle 4,000 rpm for sustained periods. | $19.99 |
The question of who makes the best eraser wheels is hard to answer, so below is an extensive amount of information that will help you answer that question for yourself.
Complete Brand Reviews
Here are reviews of the five best brands for eraser wheels.
3M
Despite there being many other great options, the 3M eraser wheel is arguably the best available eraser wheel on the entire market.
Features
It’s four inches in diameter and 0.63 inches thick, which may seem relatively small, but do not worry, as its compactness does not impact its effectiveness. In addition to removing decals and stripes from your vehicle, this eraser wheel can also do away with tape, vinyl, and graphics.
Pros
The 3M eraser wheel can reach a max of 4,000 rpm depending on what type of drill you pair with it, and it also works with most drills, meaning you won’t have to worry about compatibility.
It comes with a 3/8-16 threaded mandrel that allows for attachment to drills without hassle, so it won’t take more than a few seconds for you to get it up and running.
Cons
There aren’t any major drawbacks to this eraser wheel, which is why most people who use it hold it in high regard. However, one downside is that it is not suitable for use on fiberglass.
Price
The 3M Stripe Off Wheel currently costs $37.11 on Amazon, which is more expensive than some other eraser wheels. You are paying a premium with this eraser wheel though, so the moderately higher cost is getting you what you pay for.
Verdict
You cannot go wrong with the 3M Stripe Off Wheel, as it does so much right and almost nothing wrong. If you want one of the best of the best, then this eraser wheel is one you should certainly keep in mind.
Wonder Wheel
Made by Whizz Wheel, the Wonder Wheel is another great option on this list, mainly due to the level of effectiveness that it brings by being fast, safe, and easy to use on even the toughest of decals within minutes.
Features
The Wonder Wheel is four inches in diameter and weighs 6.4 ounces, which is a bit heavier than other eraser wheels. Rubber is the base material, so it won’t damage factory finish paintwork, and its wider surface allows it to reach more surface area in a shorter amount of time.
Pros
An adapter for drills comes with the wheel, so you will not need to worry about going out and buying an adapter yourself.
It even works on decals baked onto vehicles, which is worth noting because many of its competitors do not possess that added capability.
Cons
The Wonder Wheel is not suitable for plastic or fiberglass, so do not use it on either of those surfaces. Additionally, while the Wonder Wheel can reach 4,000 rpm, many users recommend staying closer to 2,000 rpm to avoid having the wheel break in two.
Price
The Wonder Wheel currently costs $13.85, making it one of the cheapest and most affordable eraser wheels available. Despite the lower price, you can still expect to get a lot of quality work done with this particular eraser wheel.
Verdict
If you’re looking into getting an eraser wheel for the first time and want to test the waters, the Wonder Wheel is an excellent choice at its price. It might not rank at the absolute top performance-wise, but it will still get pretty much any job done reliably.
Whizzy Wheel Car Decal Remover
Similar to the official Wonder Wheel made by Whizzy Wheel, the Whizzy Wheel Car Decal Remover is another excellent pick that excels in many areas.
Features
Its design features grooves that allow for more airflow than standard eraser wheels, and it has a soft rubber material that makes it safe for use on most surfaces.
Pros
The Whizzy Wheel Car Decal Remover features many of the same pros as its original counterpart, but it is much better for the environment than the original. As already mentioned, the new grooved design is also a substantial update that cuts down on the amount of heat the eraser wheel produces.
When using for extended periods and at higher RPMs, you won’t have to worry as much about burning the surface you are using the wheel on, but do still use caution.
Cons
One Whizzy Wheel Car Decal Remover won’t last if you are trying to get rid of full signages or a vast number of decals that are all baked on and extremely old. However, that is not necessarily a con, as the design of the eraser wheel is not to do the bulk of the work on such long projects.
Price
Being an updated version of the Wonder Wheel, the Whizzy Wheel Car Decal Remover is naturally more expensive, but it currently costs $29.90, which is not an incredible hike in price.
Verdict
If you are not content with the already stellar offering of the original Wonder Wheel, the Whizzy Wheel Car Decal Remover will bring all those same offerings and more to the table. It is also still an excellent wheel for someone new to eraser wheels, so it’s hard to go wrong with this choice.
ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel
Being 4.8 inches in diameter, the ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel is the largest wheel on this list by a fair amount.
Features
The ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel has all the features one might expect to find with an eraser wheel. It is made from plastic, has a standard circular design with no grooves, works well on acrylic enamel and urethane paintwork, and can withstand usage at 4,000 pm.
Pros
The ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel’s size gives it an advantage over most other eraser wheels when it comes to how much surface area it can cover at one time, and that allows it to work faster than many of its counterparts.
On top of its larger size, this eraser wheel also comes with a stop-use line so that you won’t overuse it by accident.
Cons
The greatest con to the ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel is that its durability is not quite as strong as other eraser wheels, even though it is larger.
Price
Costing $11.48, the ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel is the cheapest eraser wheel on this list. However, it still offers some unique features to make it stand out from other wheels on the market.
Verdict
When it comes to paying as little as possible for a product that still gets the job done, the ABN Rubber Eraser Wheel fits the bill. You certainly won’t get the best of the best if you buy this wheel, yet you will feel as though paying just $11 for it is a steal. And to be quite honest, that’s because it is.
Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel
The Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel is an environmentally friendly eraser wheel that requires no added chemicals to perform.
Features
The Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel comes with an adapter for easy attachment to any standard power or pneumatic drills, and it has a grooved design for improved airflow. It’s safe to use on chrome surfaces, metal surfaces, paint, windows, and car wrappings.
Pros
If any eraser wheel deserves the title of ‘jack of all trades,’ it’s the Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel. It is not particularly larger or smaller than other wheels on the market, and it can get up to the standard 4,000 rpm. However, using it at such high rpm constantly can prove risky.
That said, it is a few years newer than the other products included on this list. So, it has been able to mold itself after the success of the eraser wheels that preceded it and now offers a total package.
Cons
Just as being a jack of all trades is the Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel’s biggest pro, that same trait is its biggest con. You won’t get any particularly unique benefits with this eraser wheel.
Price
The Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel is not the most expensive or least expensive from a price perspective. It sits right in the middle at $19.99.
Verdict
Overall, the Canopus Decal Remover Eraser Wheel is highly recommended by those who purchase it. If you want an eraser wheel that is reliable in all areas, then you need not look any further than this one!
Where to Buy Eraser Wheels
You can find eraser wheels at your local auto parts or home improvement store, but you can also get all the ones covered on this list on Amazon.
Eraser Wheel FAQs
Now that you know the top five eraser wheel brands, let’s cover some questions you might still have.
Will an Eraser Wheel Damage Paint?
No, an eraser wheel will not damage paint so long as you use it properly and follow the instruction manual.
How Do You Remove Eraser Wheel Residue?
To remove eraser wheel residue, you can brush it off with your hand. You can also try rubbing alcohol. If you find a lot of residue every time you use the eraser wheel, try lowering its rpm.
What is an Eraser Wheel Made Of?
Rubber or plastic are the bases of most eraser wheels.
Can You Use an Eraser Wheel on Fiberglass?
You should never use an eraser wheel on fiberglass because fiberglass cannot handle the heat that an eraser wheel generates, and the glass will receive burns from the rubber.