The 5 Best Power Snow Shovels [Ranked]
Electric snow shovels are perfect tools to clean out snow from your property steps, sidewalks, patios and decks without the hassle & back pain of shoveling.
Generally, they have 7.5 to 10-amp motors and are equipped to move upwards of 300-600 pounds of snow per minute.
Contents
Buyer Advice
We should caution, however, that electric snow shovels are great for light powder, but if you have really dense and heavy snow and ice packs it really doesn't have the power to deal with that. In that case go for a single-stage snow blower.
Another common complaint that users have is that if you are working in really windy areas, a heavy dusting can get thrown back in your face.
One other issue is that these are actually pretty small with devices which means that you have to do a couple of passes to get a sidewalk cleared. If you are clearing out the driveway of some light snowfall it could take a while, as well.
Benefits
However, there are some significant positives to using an electric shovel- you don't have to deal with gasoline, it's easy to store away, it's a cinch to pull out of storage and quickly clear out some light snowfall, and they are much more affordable than a heavy duty blower.
Our Top Pick: The Snow Joe Cordless Snow Shovel
- Engineered for quick, easy, and cordless snow cleanup on steps, decks, patios, and sidewalks
- Includes a 40V EcoSharp rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Pros: Doesn't have any annoying pull cards, messy gas, or tangled extension cords
- A 2-blade paddle will throws snow up to 25 feet away
- Designed to be lightweight and ergonomic- easy on the back
- On a full charge, it can run up to 52 minutes
Let's take a look at 5 of the best-selling electric shovels and see how they compare!
Comparing The Options
| Electric Snow Shovels | Our Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | The GreenWorks 26022 Corded Snow Shovel | 4.0 | $ |
 | The Snow Joe iON13SS Electric Cordless Snow Shovel | 4.3 | $$ |
 | The Earthwise SN70014 Electric Power Snow Shovel | 1.6 | $ |
 | The GreenWorks 2600802 Corded Snow Shovel | 4.0 | $ |
The 5 Best Snow Shovels
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
The 13 pound, 7.5- amp Electric Toro snow thrower is a handy tool to buy for your home with its 300 pounds per minute snow throwing capacity.
Its users find the snow removing capacity from walkways quite efficient for light snowfalls, but note that it can blow off the snow all over the place and jams when used in heavy snow. The snow shovel can clear a space 12 inches wide and go up to a depth of 6 inches.
This power shovel from Toro is a choice to consider if you are looking for a moderately effective electric snow thrower.
Pros
- Moves snow from walkways easily
- Does not need any assembly. It can be used right off from the package. You need to just plug it and use
Cons
- Difficult to direct the shovel
- Blows snow everywhere
- Keeping the lever depressed is very annoying
- Is not very effective for clearing heavy snowfall
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
The 16-inch, 10-amp GreenWorks snow shovel is an easy to use shovel when compared to gas-powered throwers and sports a powerful motor.
Its users find the quiet and efficient operation of the corded Greenworks snow shovel a big advantage, but also note that the design could have been sturdier and convenient. The 16-inch clearing width enables easy clearing of medium and small-sized yards and sidewalks.
The premium powered snow shovel from GreenWorks is a good option to consider if you are in search of a cheap, quiet and moderately efficient thrower for your home.
Pros
- Cheap price
- Quiet during operation and does not produce carbon emissions
Cons
- The design is not sturdy hence needs to be used carefully
- Cannot set blowing direction, as it blows in one direction only
- The safety power on and off switch is difficult to use with gloves on
- One user complains of the nuts loosening easily and getting lost
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
This 4.0 Ah, 40 V cordless Snow Joe shovel is an efficiently designed snow thrower option that works effectively on walkways and sidesteps.
Users like the 2-blade hybrid battery, which does not need any tune-ups, cords or oil for working, but also note that the design could have been tweaked for better performance. The battery-powered shovel can work nonstop for 52 minutes on full charge.
This carbon emission free snow shovel from Snow Joe is a good option if you need it for removing light and flaky snow particles alone.
Video Overview
Pros
- Powerful motor that throws snow effectively
- Lightweight and hence is easy to carry around and use
- Assembling is easy
- Cordless function enables convenient use around the yard
Cons
- One user has reported loosely fitted battery shield that keeps dropping off, while using the snow thrower
- Handle tends to shift when used on heavy snow
- Not possible to direct the snow thrower
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
The 12 amp, 14-inch electric Earthwise snow shovel is an eco-friendly option that clears your driveways, walkways and any other paved surfaces effectively.
Its users find the adjustable discharge vanes in three positions very useful but also note that the parts are not of good quality.
The Earthwise shovel comes with transport wheels of six-inch diameter making it easy to move around. This electrically powered snow shovel is a good option to consider if you are looking for a cheap shovel that can take care of light snow conditions.
Video Overview
Pros
- 30 feet throwing distance helps to clear snow in driveway and walkway easily
- Position of snow throw can be easily adjusted
- Powers up easily
Cons
- Blade is not of good quality and one user complains of the blade chipping within 15 minutes of using it
- Difficult to assemble
- Blade malfunctioned for some
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
The 8 amp, 10-inch impeller corded GreenWorks snow thrower is a well-made snow shovel that has a clearing depth of 4 inches and width of 12 inches.
Its users find the corded snow thrower’s 8 amp power is just appropriate for their homes but also note that the 300 lbs snow throwing capacity is not sufficient for clearing heavy snow. The zero carbon emission snow shovel has a four year warranty period with a discharge distance of nearly 20 feet.
The Greenworks snow thrower is a great option to consider if you experience just mild snow storms.
Video Overview
Pros
- Works effectively in throwing off loose snow
- Inbuilt circuit protector helps to prevent power issues while using it
- Well-designed reset button
- Is pre-assembled so is ready to use out of the box
Cons
- Snow spade made of plastic wears down easily especially when using on concrete pathways
- The length is a bit short for convenient use
- It is difficult to control blade speed
How To Use
If you are looking to purchase an electric thrower, make sure you check out our comparison table and read our reviews on this page to get a sense of the best heavy duty snowblower on the market today. These corded, electric-powered tools are great for light snowfall and clearing out driveways and walkways. While not ideal for heavy snowfall, they do have the advantage of being inexpensive, portable and easy to operate.
One of our top picks is the Toro 38361 Power Shovel- the manufacturer states that it can clear out a 50 x 20' driveway in around 20 minutes, with an ability to move 300 pounds per minute, blowing it up to 20 feet away.
Typically these electric snow shovels will include height adjustability, adjustable operator handles and cord lock systems to ensure that the electric shovel doesn't come unplugged while in use. One user that we surveyed explains that it was able to remove dense packs right down to the ground, helping to clear out his driveway and garage entrance fast and easily.
Though the blade was plastic, he says that seems pretty durable and hasn't been degraded by encountering rocks or other hard objects in its path. It is, he says, a great alternative to gas-powered snowblowers or snowplows, although they do take a lot more time to sit around same amount of terrain.
If you have an elderly relative, this is also another positive use case for automatic snowthrower- it lets them perform some light clearance without too much physical exertion, especially if you're not able to visit them and do the clearing for them.
