When winter rolls around, so too does another dreaded chore: shoveling snow.
Whether you live somewhere with just a little or a low of snowfall each year, it means you need to get out the bulky and heavy shovel and get to work each morning clearing a path.
Although nobody likes to shovel snow, it’s an unfortunate necessity and becomes an essential part of your daily schedule during winter. Thankfully, someone has made this task a lot easier by adding electricity to it and developed the electric snow shovel to help you out.
So, what is the best electric snow shovel on the market?
An electric snow shovel works similarly to a snow blower, helping you quickly and efficiently move snow out of the way of pathways, steps, porches, and driveways. To find the best one, it should have enough power and shoveling width to suit your needs, as well as comfort and ease of use while operating it.
With our help, we can help you acquire the best rated electric snow shovel to make short work of the snow and precipitation at your house.
This handy device takes the hard work out of shoveling snow, so you have more time for the other winter festivities, and all without straining your back or bank account.
Electric snow shovels aren’t exactly a new invention, but these newer models have ironed out a lot of the problems that the original design had to make them better than ever.
We’ve hand-selected some of the best electric snow shovel models on the market today that combine efficiency, ease of use, and affordability, giving you a great range to choose from.
Table of Contents
Best Electric Snow Shovel – Reviews & Buying guide for 2021
Best Cordless Electric Snow Shovel: Snow Joe Cordless Snow Shovel
- Power: 400W
- Weight: 15lbs
- Type: Cordless
The best rated electric snow shovel under $200 has to be the Snow Joe Cordless Snow Shovel, offering a compact but powerful way to make short work of your winter blues.
This 15lbs snow shovel is the perfect size and capable of getting through many inches of snow without putting any strain on your back. The cutting path is 13 inches x 6 inches which suits moderate to low snowfall, and means you don’t have to bend and heave any longer just to clear a path.
According to customers, the Snow Joe Cordless Snow Shovel was one of the easiest shovels they’ve ever used, and incredibly lightweight to push through the snow.
It turns on with a push of the button and is ready to go right away. You can see the snow flying away as it carves a path and there’s no manual labor required by you to get this usually tedious job done.
Customers also loved how versatile it was compared to traditional slow blowers and other devices, and allowed them to get into smaller spaces.
You can tackle decks, steps, and patios, as well as the larger jobs, so there’s no area too big or too small for the Snow Joe to handle. If you’ve used snow blowers in the past and found them too powerful and only suitable for driveways and pathways, this will change all that.
What happens to the snow after it’s shoveled is where some customers were unhappy, and hoped that in the future there would be a directional shoot to move it away.
You’ll need to spend some time learning how to maneuver it so you don’t get any of the blowback from snow you’ve already moved and, in the meantime, be covered up with an extra layer when you go outside to use it.
If you have a larger home to plow through, you might want to invest in a second battery to cover this ground.
According to reviews, the battery lasted around 20 minutes which wasn’t enough for everyone to get the job done, and since it takes a while to charge back up to full again, you won’t be able to finish it all at once.
The Snow Joe Cordless Snow Shovel uses a lithium-ion 24-volt battery which runs for around 22 minutes on the standard setting.
With a 400W motor it’s powerful for something of such a small size, and on one charge, is capable of moving up to 1,620lbs of snow. This would be ideal for low to moderate snowfall areas, and a job done in mere minutes.
This snow shovel operates with a two blade high impact paddle auger that cuts into the snow and throws it in the air, with an expected height of around 20 feet.
Snow Joe offers a customer promise that your new cordless snow shovel will last for two years, and they back it up with a warranty. They also offer ongoing customer support should you have any issues, and there are spare parts available to purchase.
If you want the easiest and best electric snow shovel on the market, and prefer the cordless variety, the Snow Joe Cordless Snow Shovel is our favorite.
It offers free shipping, free returns, and all parts included, it’s one simple investment that will make your winter months a whole lot easier. This compact accessory from Snow Joe might look small, but it packs a punch and saves your back from years of strain when winter comes around.
Runner Up: GreenWorks Pro Cordless Snow Shovel
- Power: 80V
- Weight: 15lbs
- Type: Cordless
If you want the best lightweight electric snow shovel to get rid of the pains of winter, one of the best out there is the GreenWorks Pro Cordless Snow Shovel.
Measuring around 63 x 14 x 10 inches and weighing just 15lbs with the battery included, it’s incredibly light, which means it’s a lot easier to push through heavier loads of snow.
Greenworks are known for developing powerful and convenient electric tools to make life easier, and they’ve achieved just that with their cordless snow shovel.
The best thing about this electric snow shovel was the power of it, operating with an 80V rechargeable battery that made shoveling a cinch.
When you’re used to using a manual shovel to get this job done, you’ll notice an instant and massive difference with the GreenWorks Pro Cordless Snow Shovel in your hands, and know that you’ve gotten your money’s worth.
As one of the more expensive options in the cordless snow shovel market, you can feel how well made this tool is as well, proving that your money is worth it.
Customers were thrilled to find it was heavy duty and powerful, which is ideal when dealing with heavier snowfall situations, and not once did anyone report that it felt flimsy or like it wouldn’t get the job done.
On the downside, the shoveling width of this tool isn’t as big as others on the market, and especially when you’re looking at this price range. While it does help it to get into tight spaces, it means you have to spend longer shoveling snow, which can still be a pain even when you’re using an electric shovel.
Another negative point that customers commented on was that the battery required room temperature settings to work.
Considering this is a device made specifically for the snow and usually being operated in cold temperatures, keeping it at room temperature is hard to do. Some mornings, you might find it takes a little time to start, which defeats the purpose of buying a time-saving tool like an electric snow shovel.
Despite these flaws, there are lots of noteworthy features on the Greenworks Pro Electric Snow Shovel, including a snow depth reach of around six inches.
This makes it ideal for heavier snowfall conditions and means you’ll get down to the ground with ease. The width is around 12 inches, which could be longer, but will still make it a lot easier to clear the pathways and driveways that have been covered in fresh powder.
There are two options when purchasing this snow shovel, so you can buy it with the battery or without.
If you already have a lithium-ion battery that fits this device and own some other Greenworks Pro power tools, there’s no need to spend the extra, otherwise, it costs around $80 to have the battery power pack included.
Greenworks designs all of their tools to use the same battery which is a great money-saving tactic if you’re someone who has a lot of them handy.
You’ll get free shipping to your door, free returns, and a one year limited warranty from Greenworks to cover you should anything go wrong. When your main goal for an electric snow shovel is something lightweight and good for heavy conditions, the Greenworks Pro Cordless Snow Shovel is our top choice.
Alternative: Snapper Cordless Snow Shovel
- Power: 82V
- Weight: 25.9lbs
- Type: Cordless
If you favor comfort over all else, you’ll love the Snapper Cordless Snow Shovel to take care of your home during winter.
There are loads of features that make this one of the most supportive and user-friendly, including an ergonomic rubber handle to keep you comfortable, and a weight distribution that makes the Snapper easy to cut through loads of snow with.
The 82V battery means minimal work to cut through snow, although it’s a little on the heavier side which can add some toil.
By far the best thing about this cordless snow shovel is the battery, making it a lot more efficient than others we’ve reviewed.
Customers were ecstatic to find that the Briggs and Stratton battery included with the snow shovel ran for around 45 minutes on full use, which was ample time to clear the front of your house from snow, even in the heaviest conditions.
People loved how this unique snow shovel was designed, thanks to Snapper placing the motor at the bottom of the unit. This made it easier to maneuver and helped keep a balance, which can be very useful when you’re trying to get through inches of heavy snow.
If you’ve found other electric snow shovels to be off balance and requiring too much thought to operate, this is one feature you’ll appreciate.
Although the distribution of weight was good and allowed you to control the path better, the overall weight of the product was not. The combined weight of the snow shovel and battery pack was around 25lbs which far exceeds the others we’ve reviewed.
When the goal is to make less work for yourself and take some of the strain off your back, a lightweight option is best, so if you’re someone injured or feeling weak, this might not be the best choice.
Customers also found the clearing height to be a little small considering the overall size of the snow shovel, as well as the price. With a clearing ability of around four inches of snow possible, it’s not that good for anything more than moderate snowfall.
If you purchased this thinking its bulk and size would mean it could go deeper, you’ll be disappointed with the result.
The Snapper Cordless Snow Shovel has a width of around 12 inches for clearing snow, making it comparable with others in this price range. When you’re plowing through the powder, it’s capable of throwing snow up to 20 feet to clear a path, with very little ending up on the user.
The included 82V lithium-ion 2.0 battery will give you consistent power for around 45 minutes and only takes 30 minutes to reach a full charge, so you’ll never run out, and it’s more than enough to do even larger properties.
Included with this snow shovel from Snapper are the battery kit and ergonomic handle, giving you everything you need to start clearing snow the next day. The dimensions of the electric shovel are 60.5 x 14 inches with a 12-inch clearing width, and it comes in a red and black design to fit in with the rest of your power tools.
If you want a more comfortable way to shovel snow and a powerful battery behind it, the Snapper Cordless Snow Shovel is one of the best.
Snapper offers a one-year limited warranty on the shovel with additional protection plans to purchase from Amazon, so this one investment can last through many years of snowfall.
Best Corded Electric Snow Shovel: Snow Joe Electric Snow Shovel
- Power: 10amp
- Weight: 13.6lbs
- Type: Corded
When power is the dream for your new electric snow shovel and you don’t mind dragging a cord around, the Snow Joe is a great option.
This amazing electric snow shovel is powered up with 121V of power and a 10amp motor which makes light work of heavy powder, and it’s the best electric snow shovel for deep snow and heavy falls.
This is one of the best choices for deep snow, and it cuts through noticeably easier than the cordless varieties. Snow Joe has packed it full of safety and comfort features as well, so even if you’ve never shoveled snow before they’ll make it a breeze.
The most impressive thing about this snow shovel is its power and capabilities.
According to Snow Joe, this electric shovel can move up to 300lbs of snow per minute, which means you’ll have a clear pathway, driveway, patio, and home in no time at all. It’s even more exciting to watch and operate for yourself, so you’ll be guaranteed to have a lot of fun clearing snow this year.
You might think something this powerful was going to be heavy to move around, but you’d be wrong.
According to reviews, this was one of the lightest electric snow shovels they’d ever used, especially in the corded variety, and although it’s capable of shoveling through hundreds of pounds of snow a minute, it doesn’t feel like it.
At less than 14lbs and with no bulky battery attached, it’s a lot easier than the old method of lugging around an oversized shovel, and more effective as well.
Although the Snow Joe Electric Snow Shovel is considered a powerful force, it doesn’t have the widest clearing path, which could mean more work for you.
With only 11 inches of space covered in each pass, you may need to do a few laps to get the job done, especially if you’re working on larger areas like the driveway. If you were hoping for something wide and easy to do in one go, the Snow Joe electric model isn’t the one for you.
The Snow Joe Electric Snow Shovel comes equipped with 2W LED lights which help to guide your path, which is a nice feature that other brands should get on board with.
These lights are a huge bonus that will save a lot of guesswork and make it safer to shovel day and night, meaning you can even get out there early in the morning to get the job done without straining your eyes or your back.
This corded snow shovel from Snow Joe comes with a two-blade paddle auger to cut through the snow, and it gets about six inches of depth or more.
Snow Joe has included an ergonomic and adjustable handle so you can get it exactly to the right height, and there’s no need to bend over and get uncomfortable just to shovel snow with this device. To start the device, you only need to push a button, and it comes with a safety switch in case you have to turn it off urgently.
Snow Joe offers a two year comprehensive warranty on their shovel, and it comes with their customer promise. You can contact the brand for ongoing customer support as well, so they don’t just stop once you’ve made the purchase.
Runner Up: Greenworks Corded Snow Shovel
- Power: 8amp
- Weight: 14lbs
- Type: Corded
Greenworks Corded Snow Shovel is an affordable way to keep your home free of snow, as long as you don’t mind having the cord attached.
With a powerful 8amp motor it’s a lot faster at cutting through heavier snowfall than the cordless types and weighs around 14lbs in total so it’s easy to push around for hours. Because it’s corded and doesn’t rely on a battery that needs to recharge, you can work all day with it if you have to.
What customers loved most about the Greenworks Corded Snow Shovel was how far it threw the snow for something so small.
People were able to clear an easy path without getting sprayed with snow as other shovels do, so if you’d rather stay away from the flying powder that comes with this job, you’ll love how neat the Greenworks makes it.
The compact size of this snow shovel made it easy to tackle more places, and it was one of the more versatile models we’ve found.
Reviewers mentioned using it on places like stairs, underneath the car, and in small spaces where others usually don’t fit. If you have more narrow pathways and places to shovel snow from, you’ll love how much of a dynamo it is for something so small.
However, with an 8 amp motor, it’s not exactly the most powerful of all the corded snow shovels out there. Some people found it was just as hard to cut through the snow as a regular shovel, although that might be exaggerating a bit.
If you want something that makes this job a breeze and don’t want to put in any extra elbow grease, you’ll probably want to choose another with a more powerful motor.
Another minor issue is more of a design flaw and doesn’t impact the way the snow shovel works, but more how it has to be held.
Because the cord comes so close to the unit, you’ll need to make sure you’re holding onto it tight, otherwise, it can get caught up in it. This is a minor inconvenience but one that needs to be seen in future models, so you can place more attention on the job at hand.
Greenworks makes all of their products with pride, and this company is known for their quality and reliable power tools. The Greenworks Corded Snow Shovel is no exception and built to the same standards, with a warranty and customer guarantee included.
Provided you don’t need a portable snow shovel, having a corded device like this is a good way to save money and improve the power of an electric snow shovel, so it’s worth consideration.
To start the Greenworks Corded Snow Shovel, all you have to do is plug it in and push a button, without ever worrying about the battery running low. The power cord is long enough to reach as far as you need at around 64 inches, but for those extra long driveways, it’s easy enough to attach an extension lead.
If you want a compact and fun way to shovel snow and don’t need the portability of a battery operated device, the Greenworks Corded Snow Shovel is a great pick. It includes free returns and free shipping to your door, Amazon is the best place to pick this up.
Greenworks has proven yet again that they know how to make a reliable power tool, and you want hours of shoveling snow to be a thing of the past, it’s an easy way to guarantee it.
FAQs of Electric Snow Shovels
Electric snow shovels were designed to take care of an age-old problem that everyone had to deal with when winter rolled around, and make short work of shoveling snow.
If you’ve never used one of these time saving devices before, you’ll need to educate yourself, so check out the answers to some commonly asked questions below.
An electric snow shovel works with motorized blades and panels that turn to move snow out of the way and blow it to the side or back, all powered by a motor.
Although they’re ideal for light and medium snow conditions, those with heavier snowfall around their house that usually requires a deep shovel to lift might not find them as effective.
To remove snow with an electric snow shovel, position the device at the start of the path you want to clear.
Turn it on and slowly walk through the snow, watching as the blades scoop and throw the snow away to the side. Continue pushing the snow shovel through until the entire area is clear, and get into tight spaces easily thanks to their compact size.
The running time of a cordless snow shovel depends on the size and requirements of the motor and the power of the battery.
A standard cordless snow shovel with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery usually runs between 30 to 45 minutes on a single charge which is more than enough time to clear the area around your house.
A corded electric snow shovel usually has a more powerful motor, and due to their electricity connection, can be used as long as required.
If you have more than moderate snowfall to clear each day, using a corded model might make the job easier because of its added power.
Snow shovels, snow throwers, and snow blowers are all similar tools designed to clear snow without having to use a shovel and pick it up manually.
An electric snow shovel clears the path with small rotating panels and blades that pick up the snow and throw it to the side. Snow throwers and snow blowers work the same, but on a larger scale, so their name implying that they blow the snow is a misnomer.
Dealing With Snow the Easy Way
Winter brings with it so many joyful things, including the magic of snow, but it also means more work as we try to clear it off our porches, steps, and driveways each morning.
The electric snow shovel means we get to enjoy all of the good parts and make light work of the bad stuff, so you’ll never have to strain your back ever again.
Our recommendations for the best corded and cordless electric snow shovels can help you do just that, and give you more time to enjoy the fun parts of winter instead. These powerful devices help you clear snow in mere minutes and turn this once-dreaded task into something fun and easy.