The 6 Best Electric Snow Blowers of 2024
Updated: Apr. 17, 2024
Our list of the best electric snow blowers has been personally and rigorously tested by our experts at their very own homes. Read on to learn why these six blowers blew away the competition.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
The best electric snow blower is a game changer when it comes to removing snow. When a winter storm rolls in, there’s nothing better than blasting the remnants away in minutes with a high-powered tool. After all, shoveling snow can be back-breaking work for some of us. A snow blower makes haste of clearing snow from your driveways, sidewalks, patios and decks. And, recent advances in cordless and electric technologies have brought new options to the market and homeowners.
Jason Swanson, vice president of Global Product Development & Management for Greenworks, says that springing for an electric snow blower is frequently more economical than opting for a gas model.
“The basic mechanics are the same whether the blowers are battery-powered or gas-fueled,” he notes. “An electric blower is easy to use: simply load your fully-charged battery, push start, and begin clearing your driveway in seconds. There’s no need to mix gas and oil or deal with a pull cord like you do with a gas snow blower. Plus, there’s no gas smell or maintenance required. You also have the added bonus of never needing to worry about bad gas or winterization.”
It can be tough to know what to look for when shopping for a new snow blower. Luckily, we’re here to help. Below are the best electric snow blowers for driveways big and small, according to Family Handyman experts.
Best Overall Snow Blower
EGO Two-Stage XP Snow Blower
Pros:
- Powerful yet quiet
- Extended run time
- Useful features
- Multiple Ah battery options
- Great for large properties and commercial use
- Sturdy
- Lightweight
- Long warranty
Cons:
- Expensive
- Overkill for some users
This EGO snow blower is the only two-stage snow blower in the line-up. That factor alone separates it from the others. While the price is steeper than others, the capabilities of this blower are pronounced. Like many gasoline-powered two-stage blowers, it’s self-propelled, has methods to reverse and turn, and includes two sets of headlights, as well as heated hand grips.
This blower was a joy to work with. It looks and feels like a high-tech piece of machinery. The power of this machine enables it to be used both residentially and commercially and the warranty covers both use cases. It’s ideally suited for big snow and/or large properties.
The EGO blower throws snow spectacularly far (up to 50 feet) and was fun to watch as I cleared my lengthy dirt driveway. The controls on the dashboard made it easy to adjust the auger speed as well as the pace of the machine, making it easy to work through icy, chunky areas in the snow. The reverse and turning mechanisms work well and I found myself thinking that it was my new “go-to” blower. If you’re new to this type of blower, here’s how to start a two-stage snow blower.
Check out my full review of the EGO Snow Blower here to learn more.
Best Budget Snow Blower
Snow Joe 48V iON+
Pros:
- Economical
- Compact
- Quiet
- Easy to store
Cons:
- Small clearing path
The Snow Joe is a 48-volt blower with a 15-inch or 18-inch clearing path. A brushless motor keeps it quiet and it comes with two 4 amp hour batteries and charger. It utilizes a rubber-tipped steel auger and has headlights for early morning and evening snow blowing.
Ethan O’Donnell, a senior editor at Family Handyman reviewed this snow blower and says, “As a resident of the upper Midwest, I have had numerous conversations with individuals, both young and old about the challenges they face in starting and operating their gas snow blowers. Whenever I hear this tale, I always point people to the Snow Joe iON+ cordless snow blower.
It’s the perfect snow blower for most climates: Easy to use and transport, super quiet and maintenance-free. It can easily handle snowfalls of ten inches or less, and its long battery life allows it to clear almost any sidewalk or driveway. Moreover, due to its lightweight design, this item can easily be stored away in a large cabinet or rafters of your garage once spring arrives.”
Best Single-Stage Blower
Kobalt Gen4 Single-Stage Cordless Electric Snow Blower
Pros:
- Durable construction
- Cordless
- Great for smaller properties
- Quiet
- Replaceable parts
- Long warranty
Cons:
- Expensive
- Heavy
The Kobalt is a 40v single-stage snow blower with a 21-inch clearing width. It’s capable of clearing snow up to 11.5-inch deep and has a whopping 35-foot throwing distance. It has a brushless motor that extends the life of the blower, as well as enabling quiet operation.
This blower comes in at a slightly steeper price than most of the single-stage blowers. There are replaceable parts keeping it competitive among other brands but the 5-year factory warranty stands above most of the other blowers.
The Kobalt weighs in at nearly 50 pounds. Despite this, the blower was easy to work with and even easy to carry up and down stairs. It happily cleared snow on patio pavers, sidewalks and dirt driveways, making it a great addition to your snow removal tool collection.
Best Lightweight Snow Blower
Greenworks 40V Cordless Snow Blower
Pros:
- Small and maneuverable
- Great run time
- Compatible with Greenworks 40V Li-Ion system
- Quiet
- Economical
- Efficient
Cons:
- Not as wide of a clearing path
- No controls at the handle
- No headlights
The Greenworks Cordless snow blower is a single-stage, 40v cordless snow blower with a slightly smaller clearing width than most of the blowers tested. I found that this narrower clearing width boosted this machine’s power and made it easy to push through the snow. Its power left me wanting to find more snow to clear.
The blower is compact and easy to store and since it leaves off a number of bells and whistles like headlights and a handle adjustable chute. It’s small and super lightweight making it ideal for transporting and clearing snow in small spaces like decks and patios. At just 27.9 pounds, this blower is manageable for many.
Due in part to its small size, the 5Ah battery that comes standard with the Greenworks snow blower lasts an amazingly long time. I cleared a large driveway, patio and deck, and the battery was still running strong. The brushless motor keeps it quiet. The streamlined chute rotation and angle make this a robust and user-friendly machine.
Check out our full review of the Greenworks Cordless snow blower to learn more.
Best Snow Blower for Clearing Wide Paths
Worx Nitro 40V Power Share
Pros:
- Clears wide paths
- Great for smaller properties
- Durable construction
- Replaceable parts
- Cordless
Cons:
- Short battery life
- Clearing width is a little wider than its capabilities
The Worx Nitro cordless snow blower proved to be a worthy contender in the battle of the snow blowers. It uniquely uses two 20-volt batteries in serial to give it its 40 volts of power. Of the single-stage blowers tested, it had one of the widest clearing paths at 20 inches, allowing you to clear snow quickly.
Eight-inch wheels afford this machine the ability to clear deep snow up to 10” but I found it could do more. This machine had real throwing power. I pressed it forward in about a half foot of snow and then it easily ate through the one-foot banks I made. Weighing in at 35.7 pounds, this machine is also transportable and easy for most to toss into a truck bed. The mechanical controls of this machine, including the rotatable chute at the handle, were sturdy and convenient.
Interested in learning more? Check out our full review of the Worx Nitro cordless snow blower here.
Best Compact Snow Blower
Skil Power Core Single-Stage Snow Blower
Pros:
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to transport
- Economical
- Durable construction
- Replaceable parts
Cons:
- Only suited for paved surfaces
- Run time may be cut short depending on battery Ah
The Skil snow blower is a 40-volt single-stage blower with a 20-inch clearing width and is able to take on snow depths of up to 10.5 inches. With a 30-foot throwing distance, you can be sure to get the blown snow to land where you need it. Like most of the other cordless snow blowers we reviewed, a brushless motor runs this machine at low sound levels making it ideal for residential environments.
The auger on this device looks a little different. It is made from a sturdy, rubber-like material. This auger material and shape was just as capable as the other blowers. The blower easily cleared both fluffy and wet snow with ease on paved surfaces. It weighs in at the median compared to other blowers and was easy to load into the back of a truck or carry up and down staircases.
What to Consider When Buying an Electric Snow Blower
There’s a lot to consider when buying a snow blower, including the power source, how wide a path the snow blower clears in each pass and how far it throws snow. You should also take into consideration how easy the machine is to maneuver, especially on turns.
Swanson also urges customers to think about the following before making a purchase:
- How large is the area you need to clear? Do you have a single-, double-, or four-car driveway, or something larger?
- How deep is the snow usually? Do you typically get light-to-moderate snowfalls (less than eight inches)? Or heavy snowfalls, eight to 16+ inches?
- What kind of snow do you have to clear? Is the snow light and powdery? Or wet and heavy?
- What type of terrain is the snow on?
Cordless vs. Corded
When it comes to corded or battery models, there are a few things to think about to avoid common mistakes when removing snow. While corded snow blowers can throw several hundred pounds of snow quickly, it’s necessary to purchase a cold-weather extension cord and outlet—and the length of your cord may limit the space you can access.
Cordless snow blowers or battery models are great for convenience but don’t always do as well as corded or gas models in heavy and wet snow removal. Plus, you’re limited on time when it comes to battery life.
If you go with a corded electric snow blower model, you’ll need a winter extension cord that can reach the distance of the areas you want to clear. In addition, your cord will need to be able to handle the rated amps of your snow blower.
Single Stage vs. Two-Stage
Swanson notes that single-stage snow blowers are ideal for snow depths up to 8 inches and multi-person households with long driveways.
“Traditionally, single-stage snow blowers have been called snow throwers,” he says. “In these all-in-one snow thrower units, the auger breaks up snow and throws it as a single process.”
“Two-stage snow blowers have always been called snow blowers. These snow workhorses use both augers (stage 1) to shred snow and ice and an impeller to shoot it longer distances (stage 2). A two-stage blower will chop through ice, snow, and anything else a winter storm tosses your way.”
“If you’re looking for maximum snow power to tackle heavy snow storms and significant snow accumulation, we recommend this workhorse of battery-powered snow removal. Two-stage snow blowers easily move heavy, wet, or compacted snow and are self-propelling machines, ideal for roads and large spaces.”
Self-Propelled vs. Push
In general, self-propelled machines are best for those who have longer driveways or inclines that make it difficult to push a snow blower. Self-propelled snow throwers have a motor that propels the thrower forward, while non-propelled machines rely on the user and auger to propel them through the snow.
“Generally, 2-stage throwers include self-propelled modes because they’re larger units asked to remove greater amounts of snow, making them easier to use as you don’t have to exert as much effort to push them yourself,” says Swanson.
Why You Should Trust Us
As a lifelong DIYer, homeowner, professional tester and former landscaper, I have gobs of experience removing snow with both electric and gasoline-powered snow blowers. My admiration for electric tools has grown exponentially over the last few years. For this article, I also enlisted the help of Ethan O’Donnell who has been testing equipment for Family Handyman for many years and is a senior editor for the brand. Jason Swanson, vice president of Global Product Development & Management for Greenworks, also helped us determine what to look for in a snow blower.
How We Found the Best Electric Snow Blowers
Finding the best electric snow blower is dependent on each individual’s needs. We looked at a range of options that cover multiple budgets and driveway types. Those who live in snowy Midwest areas typically require more heavy-duty electric snow blowers than folks living in warmer climates, so we organized each pick by its best features for easy browsing.
While narrowing down our list, we considered well-loved brands from stores like Ace Hardware, Walmart, Amazon and Lowe’s.
Then we evaluated over a dozen snow blowers with hands-on testing. Each of the snow blowers on this list was tested in real conditions at our editors’ homes to remove snow of all types. In addition to performance, we also rated the ease of assembly and overall durability.
FAQ
How long do electric batteries last?
It depends on usage and the amp hours (or Ah) of the battery. The higher the amp hours, the longer the run time. During our tests, most of the batteries lasted about 30-45 minutes.
Can you leave an electric snow blower outside in the winter?
You can leave the blower outside but be sure to remove snow and ice chunks from the machine so it’s ready for the next use. The batteries may be stored outside but typically need to be warm, but not hot, in order for them to charge and run the machine.
Do you have to plug in an electric snow blower?
For our tests, we used only battery-powered electric snow blowers. In all cases, the batteries are removable and charged in a charging station. Therefore, it is not necessary to plug in an electric snow blower.
Is an electric snow blower worth it?
An electric snow blower is a great asset for anyone with snow to clear. They are economical and easy to maintain and store. And, they can ease the pain of snow removal allowing you to finish chores quickly and get to playing in the snow.
Rachel Brougham, freelance writer, contributed to this piece.
Originally Published: December 13, 2022
