Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Morton Action Melt Elite Ice Melt vs Scotwood Industries Road Runner Ice Melt
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Ice Melt Products: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
Action Melt Elite pairs a stated -15F rating with a stated coverage figure from a major brand. Road Runner matches the -15F and names its three actives, in larger bags.
Morton Action Melt Elite Ice Melt
Buy itA purple-dyed three-ingredient blend that Morton rates to -15F and lists with a stated coverage figure.
- Morton's own page states it works down to -15F, which covers the cold snaps that stop plain salt.
- The page states roughly 355 square feet from a 12 lb jug, one of the few coverage figures a maker prints for a home product.
- The purple crystals show where you have already spread, which cuts down on overapplying.
- The page calls it an advanced three-ingredient blend but does not name the ingredients, so you need the safety data sheet to see what is in it.
- The page makes no pet-safe or concrete-safe claim, so treat it as a regular chloride-type melter around paws and new concrete.
- Image text on the page says 365 square feet while the copy says about 355, so use the coverage number as a rough guide.
Scotwood Industries Road Runner Ice Melt
Buy itA blend of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and sodium chloride that names every ingredient and rates to -15F.
- Scotwood's page lists all three actives: calcium chloride pellet, magnesium chloride pellet and sodium chloride.
- The page lists a melting point of -15F, matching the best rating in this group.
- It comes in 10, 20, 40 and 50 lb bags plus a 12 lb jug and a 50 lb pail, so you can buy by the season rather than by the weekend.
- The page makes no pet-safe or concrete-safe claim at all.
- Coverage comes from an area calculator that outputs pounds or cups, and the page says all results are approximate, so there is no single per-bag figure.
- Because it contains calcium chloride, it is not the product to reach for if a pet-paw claim is your main reason to buy.
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Morton Action Melt Elite Ice Melt Our pick | Scotwood Industries Road Runner Ice Melt | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Homeowners in cold climates who want a name-brand melter with a stated low-temperature rating and a coverage number to plan with. | Buyers who want the ingredient list and a -15F rating printed plainly, and who go through enough product to want bigger bags. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Active ingredient (per maker page) | Three-ingredient blend, not named | Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride |
| Lowest temperature stated | -15F | -15F |
| Pet claim on page | None | None |
| Concrete claim on page | None | None |
| Coverage stated | About 355 sq ft per 12 lb jug | Calculator, approximate (120 / 240 / 400 sq ft by area) |
| Sizes | 12 lb jug, 20 and 40 lb bags | 10 to 50 lb bags, 12 lb jug, 50 lb pail |
| Extras | Purple crystals | Pail and jug options |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Morton Action Melt Elite Ice Melt if
homeowners in cold climates who want a name-brand melter with a stated low-temperature rating and a coverage number to plan with.
Know before buying: the page calls it an advanced three-ingredient blend but does not name the ingredients, so you need the safety data sheet to see what is in it.
Pick the Scotwood Industries Road Runner Ice Melt if
buyers who want the ingredient list and a -15F rating printed plainly, and who go through enough product to want bigger bags.
Know before buying: the page makes no pet-safe or concrete-safe claim at all.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Morton Action Melt Elite Ice Melt - A purple-dyed three-ingredient blend that Morton rates to -15F and lists with a stated coverage figure. Choose the Scotwood Industries Road Runner Ice Melt instead if buyers who want the ingredient list and a -15F rating printed plainly, and who go through enough product to want bigger bags.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Ice Melt Products: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).