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Pros

• Long runtime
• Powerful snow removal
• Long throw distance

Cons

• Heavy
• No wheels

If you don’t mind its hefty build, this electric shovel from Greenworks Pro runs longer on a single battery than any other cordless electric snow shovel out there.

With a large 80-volt 2.0-Ah battery powering a brushless motor, you’ll get about 45 minutes of run time on a single charge. Clearing a 12-inch path through up to 6 inches of snow, then blowing it 20 feet away, this snow shovel is ideal for uncovering a large area after a light snowfall.

Just remember that with great power and runtime comes great weight. With the battery loaded, this machine weighs more than 19 pounds, so moving it around for 45 minutes can turn into a real workout.

Key Specs

Type	Cordless
Clearing Width	12 in.
Clearing Depth	6 in.
Weight	19.2 lb

Pros

• Good for wet slushy snow
• Long throw distance
• Wide and deep snow intake

Cons

• A little heavy

If you want the most clearing power possible from an electric snow shovel, Earthwise is your brand. This corded model can carve a 16-inch-wide path through snow up to 8 inches high, which is significantly more than what you can expect from other brands. It’s also significantly more powerful, moving up to 430 pounds of snow per minute.

For reference, most of our other picks move around 300 pounds per minute. As a result, it can handle deeper, slushier snow than most electric snow shovels. It also has a longer throwing distance than most corded or cordless electric snow shovels out there.

At 16 pounds, it’s pretty heavy, but like other heavy models, it has a pair of wheels so you can push it most of the time. In short, it offers the best snow removal capability of any machine this side of a snowblower.

Key Specs

Type	Corded
Clearing Width	16 in.
Clearing Depth	8 in.
Weight	16 lb

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Pros

• Long runtime
• Two speed design
• Quick recharge time

Cons

• Heavy

Toro’s electric snow shovel offers a longer-than-average runtime thanks to a brushless motor and Toro’s RunSmart technology, which maximizes battery life by automatically adjusting motor RPMS and torque to suit the job.

Whereas other electric snow shovels peter out after about 30 minutes, the Toro runs for up to 45 minutes. And if that’s not enough time to get the job done, the battery recharges in just one hour, about half the time of other chargers, so you can get back to work quickly.

Its 12-inch clearing width makes it nimble enough for clearing narrower walkways, while its ability to launch snow 25 feet makes it suitable for handling bigger jobs, such as clearing a four-car driveway.

Key Specs

Type	Cordless
Clearing Width	12 in.
Clearing Depth	6 in.
Weight	18 lb

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Pros

• Wide clearing path
• Equipped with rear wheels for support
• Long throwing distance

Cons

• User reviews complain that safety switch is difficult to hold down

Most electric snow shovels max out with a fairly narrow clearing width and low clearing depth, potentially forcing you to do multiple passes to clear a proper path. This Earthwise model is an exception.

With a broad clearing width of 16 inches and depth of 8 inches, it’s capable of clearing paths through deeper snow. And since it launches snow up to 32 feet away, you can use this machine to clear small driveways along with your walkways, deck, and patio.

On the other hand, this electric snow shovel is quite heavy. It has wheels, though, which make it easier to push and maneuver. It’s a tradeoff, but one that pays off if you live in an area that routinely gets 6-8 inches of snow in a night.

Key Specs

Type	Cordless
Clearing Width	16 in.
Clearing Depth	8 in.
Weight	19 lb

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Pros

• Light overall weight
• Ergonomic handle design

Cons

• Short runtime

The lightweight design of this cordless electric snow shovel makes it a great option if other electric snow shovels are too heavy for you to manage. Whereas most electric snow shovels weigh around 18 pounds, this one weighs just 13.5 pounds.

Along with being lighter, the Snow Joe electric snow shovel also has a dual handle design that allows you to operate it while standing up straight, taking pressure off your back. Despite its lighter weight, it can still clear a foot-wide path of snow up to 6 inches deep. The Snow Joe does have a shorter runtime than most, which limits it to lighter-duty snow removal, such as clearing walks, decks, and patios.

Key Specs

Type	Cordless
Clearing Width	12 in.
Clearing Depth	6 in.
Weight	13.5 lb

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Pros

• Lighter than average
• Versatile dual battery design
• Dual speed trigger

Cons

• Shallower max clearing depth

With its two 20-volt rechargeable batteries, the Worx electric snow shovel is both versatile and powerful. It can clear a path a foot wide and up to 6 inches deep and throw snow up to 25 feet, so it’s suitable for clearing tighter spaces.

The two-battery design gives you the option to mix and match larger capacity 20-volt Worx batteries to increase this shovel’s run time for larger jobs, such as clearing small driveways. It also comes with a dual charger, so you can charge both batteries simultaneously for a shorter turnaround time.

Another plus is that this model’s batteries are compatible with other 20-volt Worx yard machines, making it a great option if you’ve already bought into the Worx product line.

Key Specs

Type	Cordless
Clearing Width	12 in.
Clearing Depth	6 in.
Weight	17 lb

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What to Consider

Popular Mechanics; Ryobi, Worx

Limitations of an Electric Shovel

We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that this whole category of yard machines has some limitations. Most electric snow shovels can only handle snow depths up to 6 inches—8 inches if you’re lucky—and lack the power to handle heavier slushy snows. They are ideally reserved for powdery snow on walkways, patios, decks, and maybe a small driveway. If you see heavy snowfalls regularly or have a large number of driveways and parking spaces to clear, get a snowblower before you buy an electric snow shovel. For big jobs, go with a gas snowblower. An electric snowblower works for small to moderate-sized driveways.

Corded vs. Cordless

Corded electric snow shovels plug into a standard three-prong outlet, giving you unlimited runtime, so long as you stay within the range, which is about 100 feet at most without an extension cord. It’s also a pain to drag and orient the cable as you move around. They tend to be cheaper than cordless models, with many costing under $100.

Cordless electric snow shovels, like all cordless outdoor appliances, run on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This frees you from being tethered to an outlet, but limits the snow shovel’s runtime. Most cordless electric snow shovels only last around 30-40 minutes on a single charge. (In most cases, you can buy extra batteries to keep charged and extend your runtime.) Cordless models are also generally more expensive, costing over $100.

When push comes to shove, we recommend looking for a cordless electric snow shovel, rather than a corded one. Having the freedom to move without worrying about a cord makes the whole shoveling or snowblowing process much easier. That said, if you’re on a tight budget or only need to clear a short walk or a small patio or deck that’s near an outdoor outlet, you can get by with a corded model.

Clearing Widths and Depths

Much like a snowblower, electric snow shovels are rated by how much snow they can move. The wider the shovel, the fewer passes it takes to clear an area. Most electric snow shovels move a 10- to 16-inch-wide path of snow. A small, narrow shovel is lighter and more nimble, making it useful for creating pathways. Wider, larger models are better equipped for clearing a patio or driveway, but are also heavier and more difficult to maneuver in tighter spaces.

Electric snow shovels can handle snow banks around 4 to 8 inches high, depending on their clearing depth. Technically, you can remove deeper snowfall with these machines, but you’ll have to make more passes to do so.

Throw Distance

For an electric snow shovel to be useful, it should be able to propel the snow far enough that it’s off the deck, walkway, or driveway that you’re clearing. Most electric snow shovels launch their snow between 20-30 feet, which is on par with entry-level, corded electric snowblowers, but shorter than cordless and gas snowblowers that can throw snow a distance of 40 feet or more. With that in mind, consider the route you plan to take while clearing, and make sure you’re moving the snow somewhere out of the way so it can sit until spring arrives.

Weight

Electric snow shovels process and throw snow like a snowblower, so you won’t need to bend over and scoop up snow as you would with a shovel. However, you should still look for the lightest possible option. While you won’t have to lift and throw snow as you would with a conventional snow shovel, you have to hold it upright and apply some force to push it through the snow. At the very least, you should look for a shovel that you can lift easily whenever you need to clear steps or multiple levels of patio.

Electric snow shovels typically weigh between 10 and 20 pounds. As you might expect, more powerful shovels that can move more snow and feature large batteries tend to be heavier than smaller, narrower models. Some large electric snow shovels have a set of wheels mounted to the rear of the base for standing upright on their own, so you can maneuver the machine with minimal lifting.

Handle Options

Similar to standard snow shovels, electric models come in both straight and curved handle varieties. A curved handle allows for standing more upright while operating the machine, putting less strain on your lower back and decreasing the risk of injury. A straight handle gives you more leverage for lifting loads of snow, but since an electric snow shovel has an auger that lifts and blows the snow for you, it’s not an advantage for electric models.

Snow Shovel FAQs

How do electric snow shovels work?

Electric snow shovels operate similarly to single-stage snow blowers. The shovel end of the machine has an auger that’s powered by an electric motor. As you push the shovel through the snow, the rotating auger collects snow, mashes it up, and then propels it through a shoot that throws the snow off to the side

**How much snow can an electric snow shovel move? **

The average electric snow shovel can churn through about 300 pounds of snow per minute. That means a snow shovel with a 12-inch wide intake and a clearing depth of 6 inches can remove about 4 inches of powdery snow from a 1,000 square foot driveway in about 20 minutes.

Just keep in mind that a shovel’s snow-clearing ability varies depending on certain conditions, such as the heft of the snow itself.

Do I still need a snow shovel if I have an electric one?

It’s never a bad idea to have a standard snow shovel around. While the electric snow shovel can reach most spaces that a standard push-behind snowblower can’t, it may not always be able to clear hardened snow or wet slush.

Plus, a manual shovel ensures that you can always dig out in an emergency, like when you’ve lost power after a snowstorm.

David is a Reviews Editor for Hearst’s Enthusiast Group, contributing to Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Best Products, and Biography. He has over 25 years of experience writing about and reviewing consumer electronics, kitchen appliances, DIY products, outdoor gear, and more. He also spent years covering the ever-changing world of online retail. To relax, he loves experimenting with new recipes, tweaking his smart home setup, and spending time outdoors on his bike or camping.

Tony Carrick is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in technology, home improvement, DIY, home security, and outdoor recreation. He’s tested and written about everything from home security systems to power tools to gas grills. His product guides, how-to articles, and feature stories can be found in such publications as Bob Vila, Angi, U.S. News and World Report, Field & Stream, Futurism, and Switchful. When Tony isn’t writing, he can be found working on his latest home improvement effort at his home in North Carolina.