Peladow Calcium Chloride Pellets, 50 lb Review
The professional-grade ice melt: 90%+ calcium chloride pellets that work to -25°F and melt through ice instead of sitting on it.
The verdict
Rock salt stops working around 15°F. Calcium chloride keeps melting to -25°F, generates heat as it dissolves, and — in pellet form — bores down through ice to break its bond with the pavement. Peladow is the reference product: what highway crews and facility managers use, in a 50-pound bag. It costs more per pound than rock salt and needs careful use around plants and concrete, but when the steps are a sheet of ice at 5°F, it's the one that works.
Typical price: ~$51 (typical street price — current price shown on Amazon)
Buy on AmazonWhat we like
- +Effective to about -25°F — far below rock salt's limit
- +Exothermic: releases heat as it dissolves for fast action
- +Pellet shape penetrates ice rather than sitting on top
- +Professional-grade, 90%+ pure calcium chloride
- +Small doses go a long way — a little covers a lot
What to know
- −More expensive per pound than rock salt
- −Harsh on lawns, plantings, and pet paws — apply sparingly, rinse paws
- −Corrosive to metal and hard on new or low-quality concrete
- −Absorbs moisture; reseal the bag or it turns to a brick
Full review
Most homeowners buy whatever ice melt is stacked by the door and wonder why it doesn't do anything in January. The answer is chemistry: sodium chloride — rock salt — is effective to roughly 15–20°F and slows to nothing below that. Calcium chloride works to about -25°F, and it's exothermic, releasing heat when it hits moisture, which is why a handful of pellets visibly melts through a sheet of ice while salt just sits there. Peladow is Oxy's brand of calcium chloride pellets and the product the professionals default to.
Pellets matter as much as the chemistry. Flakes and crystals melt across the surface; pellets concentrate weight and heat in a small spot and drill down through the ice to the pavement, breaking the bond so you can shovel or scrape the slab away. A light, even broadcast — a few ounces per square yard — does more than a heavy hand, and overuse is where people run into trouble with corroded railings and burned lawn edges.
Use it with care. Calcium chloride is harder on pet paws, plants, and metal than the blends marketed as 'safe,' and it should never go on concrete less than a year old. Sweep up the residue after the ice is gone. But for the real job — ice on the steps at 5°F, a frozen drainage path, a driveway apron the plow glazed — it's the product that actually solves the problem.
Best for: Steps, walks, and driveway aprons in deep-cold regions where rock salt quits — and for breaking up existing ice, not just preventing it.
Specifications
| Active ingredient | Calcium chloride, 90%+ (pellet) |
|---|---|
| Effective to | ~-25°F |
| Bag size | 50 lb |
| Form | Pellets |
| Action | Exothermic, penetrates ice |
| Pet / plant safety | Use sparingly; rinse paws; keep off beds |
| Concrete | Avoid on concrete under 1 year old |
| Typical application | ~2–4 oz per sq yd (light, even spread) |
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~$51 typical price
Buy on AmazonHead-to-head comparisons
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