Moving snow off your driveway or backyard is a burden. There’s no enjoyable way to push, lift or throw inches of snow in frigid temperatures. However, there are certainly easier and more difficult ways to get the job done. Unfortunately, the easier ways tend to be the less expensive. A manual snow shovel will always cost less than a motorized snow blower. Therefore, the best of both worlds is the cordless snow shovel.
In this article, we’ll cover all aspects of cordless snow shovels. First, we will identify what to look for when choosing one. Then we’ll examine the best models we’ve found on the market. Lastly we will suggest a price point for you to aim toward. When you’re in an area with snowfall and don’t want to purchase a large snow blower, the cordless snow shovel is the best option.
What Is The Best Cordless Snow Shovel?
While we will discuss many snow shovels in this review, the Sun Joe model is the most impressive. It checks all of the criteria boxes for a cordless snow shovel and arrives at a modest price point.
- [DURABLE]: 2-blade high-impact, low-temperature paddle auger throws snow up to 20 feet and cuts a 11 in. X 7 in. Path
- [POWERFUL]: 400 W motor moves up to 1,620 lbs. of snow per charge
What To Look For In A Cordless Snow Shovel
When evaluating cordless snow shovels, you need to compare a few attributes. The essential criteria for a cordless snow shovel is as follows: width clearing path, battery runtime and throwing distance. Now we’ll pinpoint what threshold each of these need to be above for them to be in consideration.
Width Clearing Path: This measurement is the path of clearance generated by a single push down your walkway, driveway or backyard. Obviously, the smaller the width of the path, the more time it will require you to invest to clean your area. A strong width clearing path is 10 inches or above. The highest we’ve seen is 12 inches, but 10 is usually the normal. Anything less will require you to have multiple battery charging sessions in between cleaning a normal driveway length.
Battery Runtime: The longer your battery holds charge, the more space you can shovel. A higher battery battery runtime is preferable. A runtime of 20 minutes is the minimal you should accept. However, as battery technology continues to improve, up to 30 minute runtimes are becoming possible.
Throwing Distance: Many homeowners don’t consider the importance of throwing distance until they’re in the middle of their backyard or wide driveway. Throwing your snow 10 feet can sometimes require you to then follow it up with another shovel session. Therefore, the best snow shovels will throw between 20 – 25 feet.
There are always new products being developed and cordless snow shovels are no different. Regardless of if you choose the models recommended in this article, using this criteria will help you get a good product. There are many options that meet all of these requirements so be critical with your purchasing decision.
Best Cordless Snow Shovels Review
There’s a plethora of cordless snow shovels available for you to purchase. Unfortunately, most of them either have battery issues or aren’t effective at moving snow very far. Although, the cordless snow shovel market isn’t a total monopoly. There are 4 manufacturers that we feel comfortable recommending: Snow Joe, SuperHandy, Greenworks and AlphaWorks. These are all models that have been tested and live up to the attributes we identified earlier.
Overall, the Snow Joe snow shovel reigns supreme. It has a strong clearing path width of 11 inches to go along with good runtime and throwing distance. However, where it really stands out is the lower price point than its attribute-comparable competition.
Despite our preference toward the Sun Joe, all 4 of these cordless snow shovel models will do a great job. They each meet our requirements for batteries, throwing distance and clearing paths. If you’re prepared to spend $200 on a model, the Greenworks shovel has slightly better clearing paths and runtime.
How Much Does A Cordless Snow Shovel Cost?
There are a few rules of thumb when it comes to the price of cordless snow shovels. First, you can assume that any model below $100 is poor quality. Second, you do not need to pay over $200 for a cordless snow shovel. Paying below $100 or above $200 is an easy way to regret your purchase. Prepare to spend $150 – $200 for a high performance cordless snow shovel.
Cordless Snow Shovels Summary
If the runtime or clearing path is not quite where you’d like it to be, consider a large snow blower. While you will spend some more money, it will make the process of removing snow even easier. However, the Snow Joe model is much better than a regular shovel. Watch this video if you’d like to see the Snow Joe cordless snow shovel in action.
