EZ Detail Brushes Review: Real Life Test & Review
In order to make cleaning wheels as easy as possible, it is important to have high-quality wheel brushes.
EZ Detail are among the market leaders when it comes to high quality durable wheel brushes (note EZ Detail of the USA are different from EZ Car Care based in the UK).
The EZ Detail brushes come in three size, Big EZ, Little EZ and Go EZ. All the brushes are multipurpose but have areas where they specialise.
They can be used for cleaning much more than wheels: engine bays, exhausts, motorcycles, and wheel arches are just examples of what these brushes can be used for.
My EZ brushes have stood the test of time cleaning alloy wheels, there has not been an issue with them whatsoever. The bristles are softer than you expect, making them perfectly safe to use on all wheel surfaces, there is a high-quality vinyl coating on the brushes, meaning there will be no scratching caused by exposed metal.
Prepmycar Rating: 8 / 10
EZ Detail Brushes
- 8.5 Ease of use
- 7.5 Ergonomics
- 8.5 Build Quality
- 8.0 Safety
- 7.5 Value for Money
- 8 OVERALL TEST SCORE
Pros
Cons
Testing process
I have used EZ brushes on a wide range of vehicles, from Toyota Supras to Ferrari 430s. I use the brushes in conjunction with a quality wheel cleaner and soapy water. I normally fill a bucket and add ordinary car shampoo, but dedicated wheel shampoos are available.
I always ensure the surface and any wheel components are cooled off before cleaning, as excessive heat can deform the brush.
With the wheel cool, I spray my wheel cleaner onto the wheel and allow it to dwell before agitating.
I take an EZ brush and add as many suds as possible to it before working top to bottom on the wheel spokes and barrel, rinsing with running water before adding more suds.
The wheel cleaners I use most frequently are KKD Brakeaway and Bilt Hamber Auto-wheel, both of which work well with the EZ brushes.
Test Results
Ease of use (8.5/10)
All of the EZ brushes are easy to use, they are lightweight, and all provide excellent cleaning ability. I have considered what I think to be good uses for the different brushes:
Big EZ is probably the most popular brush in the trio, and I would argue the most versatile. This is my go-to wheel brush and is often the only brush I need for wheels.
It is narrow enough to fit into most wheel spokes, with only the tightest proving difficult. The brush is also able to fit around most brake callipers with ease.
The length and flexibility of the Big EZ also make it suitable for cleaning around exhausts, within engine bays and motorcycle components.
Big EZ is 18 inches long and has a brush diameter of 4 inches.
Little EZ is a smaller version of Big EZ as the name suggests.
This is a specialised brush; it is not long enough to reach into the barrels of alloy wheels but is perfect for when the Big EZ cannot reach into tighter spots.
I have found it to be a bit more rigid than the larger brush, which can be useful when cleaning stubborn spots.
The Little EZ will be good for cleaning more intricate areas on motorbikes and in engine bays, or where there is very little room around an exhaust. Little EZ is 13 inches long and has a brush diameter of 2 ½ inches.
Go EZ is slightly different from the other brushes in that it looks a bit like a toilet brush. It is made of the same high-quality materials as the other brushes, however, and is 16 inches long, with a 4-inch diameter dome.
This makes it perfect for reaching up and cleaning wheel wells, or hard-to-reach engine parts.
It is completely rigid, which I think makes cleaning wheel wells easier. It has a rounded head, so can also be used to clean door jams or even wheel faces if no other brush is available.
Ergonomics (7.5/10)
As mentioned, all three brushes are easy to use.
The Big and Little brushes have a moulded handle that makes them easier to grip and manoeuvre, the Go brush has a uniform handle which makes it a bit harder to hold. EZ have textured the handle of the Go brush to make it less slippery, which is a good feature.
For me, the biggest downside to the EZ brushes is the splatter than often covers the user when pulling the brush out of a tight wheel spoke.
It can be quite irritating and warrants the use of safety goggles and gloves (which should be used anyway with wheel chemicals).
It is something I am happy to put up with, as I cannot see an obvious fix to this problem, other than using the smaller bush more often, as the bristles will not get pulled back as far.
Both the Big and Little brushes have a certain amount of flexibility, so can form around awkward shapes.
The Go brush is completely rigid, meaning more force can be applied for aggressive cleaning. The brushes also have a handy hole in the handle where the brush can be hung vertically to dry.
Build Quality (8.5/10)
The build quality of these brushes is excellent, they are leagues above many of the wheel brushes sold at UK auto parts stores and even by otherwise reputable manufacturers.
The brushers are made in the USA, which no doubt contributes to the build quality.
The bristles themselves are an extremely soft blend of nylon and nylex. They are also chemical resistant and can be easily cleaned using degreasers or solvents if required.
The vinyl coated handles are another improvement on generic brushes. It is not uncommon for the shaft of a wheel brush to be steel with a loose rubber tip on top which is easily lost, resulting in damage caused to the wheel. The Go brush is complexly free of metal.
Safety (8.0/10)
I mentioned the soft blend of the bristles, this makes them safe to use on all wheel surfaces. I recommend using a good amount of suds from the wash bucket to ensure the maximum lubrication.
The quality vinyl coating on the wire shaft makes it extremely unlikely any exposed metal will scratch the surface.
Value for Money (7.5/10)
Compared to many other wheel brushes on the market, the EZ brushes are reasonably priced given the quality.
Prices are generally around £24.00 ($26.64 USD) for Big EZ, with Go EZ and Little EZ both costing £15.00 ($16.65 USD), some retailers will offer a bundle deal where all three can be bought with some discount, so that is something to look out for.
My EZ brushes have certainly been a wise investment. I have used them for almost a year and there have been no signs of wear.
I have used cheaper wheel brushes that have fallen apart after only five washes. In terms of competitors, Wheel Woolies are another popular choice among detailers. The brushes are slightly different across the two manufacturers, but the pricing is similar for like-products.
Specialist Features
As mentioned, EZ brushes are multipurpose, other cleaning uses include:
- Exhausts
- Engine bays
- Wheel arches
- Motorcycles and scramblers
- Door jams
EZ Detail
EZ Detail are a US manufacture. The wheel brush trio is the only product they manufacture, so they are experts in this area.
Final Thoughts
Discovering the EZ Detail range was a real game-changer for me.
Having been frustrated so many times by cheaper products, I am glad I made the investment to these quality products.
I have been impressed with the softness of the bristles and would be confident using these on any wheel surface.
Having all three brushes is great as it allows me to switch to a smaller or a more rigid brush when needed. I realise, however, that buying all three at once is a big investment, I bought all three separately to spread the cost out.
If I had to choose only one brush to recommend, it would definitely be the Big EZ. It is the most versatile, has the longest reach, and the longest bristles, so would be my choice of brush.
Also, cleaning your wheels is only part of the job. For a pro finish, always be sure to use a good tyre dressing to finish off the job. Happy detailing!
FAQ
What are EZ Detail brushes made of?
The bristles on an EZ brush are made of nylon and nylex, which results in an extremely soft and safe brush. The handle of the brush is a wire coated in high quality vinyl.
Which EZ Detail brush is best?
The different EZ brushes have different purposes, so no brush is necessarily the ‘best’. With that said, if I could only choose one brush, I would choose the Big EZ.
Can EZ Detail brushes be used with acid cleaners?
The EZ brushes are chemical resistant so can be used with acidic cleaners, however it would be wise to rinse the brushes with clean water after every use.
Grab it Now
- Non-scratch bristles and rubber-coated stem
- Cleans narrow gaps as well as large openings
- Flexible bristles flatten to squeeze into small openings
