The 10 Best Snow Shovel Options

If you live in a region where it snows, you will need to make sure to prepare for winter when it rolls around. Snow gets on your deck, driveway, walkways, etc., and you need to remove it to maintain your freedom of movement. While you may not necessarily jump for joy at the prospect of shoveling snow, it doesn’t need to get done.

I know not everyone needs, or even wants a single-stage snow blower or two-stage snow blower, because you just do not have the amount of snow removal to justify the price, or maybe it is one of the few ways you can get some exercise while you are stuck in the house for the season.

How do you know what makes a shovel the best? You’re about to get the answer to that and other questions you may have about your snow shoveling pursuits. Before beginning, it’s only fair to give a quick shout out to the True Temper 1625300 SnoBoss Snow Shovel, which has the honor of being the best overall option of them all.

True Temper 1625300 SnoBoss Snow Shovel – Best Overall

This design from True Temper is one of the best ergonomic shovels on the market, based on its comfortable handle design. While larger people can use the shovel as normal with many inches of snow present, small people can use it to push snow with significant effect.

This wide shovel boasts a 26-inch blade that bears a steel wear strip at its edge. Therefore, it helps with shoveling and pushing, but the blade is also conducive to breaking ice. The U-shaped, one-piece, ergonomic handle makes the snow shovel very comfortable to use. Not only does it mitigate lower back pain, but it also has grips at various levels to promote its functions as a pusher or as a lift and toss tool.

Pros

• 26-inch wide shovel blade for dealing with high volumes of snow
• Heavy-duty design, which means you can get years of snow removal from it
• Handle features ergonomic design to promote comfort and reduce the strain on your back
• Combination shovel that offers pushing and shoveling functions

Cons

• Steel wear strip is conducive to breakage

 

True Temper 1603400 Mountain Mover Snow Shovel

True Temper makes reliable shovels, which is why there’s yet another top pick from the manufacturer on the list. Unlike the previous make with a wide blade, this is a True Temper 18-inch model, which means the blade is reasonably narrower. Like the last entry, this one hits the nail on the head where comfortable and practical snow shovels are concerned.

It’s a good shovel with a lightweight design since the scoop is plastic. Therefore, it’s more accessible and easier to move around for smaller people. Though the blade is plastic, a galvanized steel wear strip lies at its end for protection. Therefore, the snow shovel shouldn’t crack or break easily. The 18-inch blade has a curved design, which means picking up more inches of snow with each scoop is no problem.

The durability is paired with immense comfort, thanks to the Versa grip handle covering the steel base. You can work with any hand position you choose, which means you can reduce back strain as you work.

Pros

• The 18-inch snow shovel has a curved blade that picks up more snow in each scoop
• The Versa grip handle has an ergonomic composition and helps to reduce back strain
• Lightweight and easy to use
• The long handle allows for multiple hand positioning options

Cons

• Edges are sharp and can present a hazard for your legs
• Not suited to heavy snow

Snow Joe SJ-SHLV01 Shovelution Snow Shovel – Best Ergonomic Design

Snow Joe provides one of the best snow shovels on the market for those who want to move large amounts of snow while trying to reduce back strain. The design is like that of most traditional snow shovel options with a typical straight handle. It has an 18-inch wide blade with a curve designed to get the job done when you want to collect large amounts of snow.

However, there’s a second handle on the Snow Joe Shovelution snow shovel’s pivoting rod. That second handle moves with your shoveling motions, thanks to its spring-assisted design. This function helps to counterbalance the weight that comes with every shovel full of snow.

Should you position your hand above the main Snow Joe shovel shaft, you can stand straighter while you shovel the snow. That’s one of the main reasons why this back strain reducing snow shovel is hailed for its ergonomic design.

Pros

• Allows you to get the job done faster
• Ergonomic handle design allows you to shovel away snow with a reduced back strain
• The curved blade lends itself to larger amounts of snow removal

Cons

• Questionable durability
• Strange shovel to get used to

 

Garant Yukon Ergonomic Snow Pusher

Snow pushers are popular alternatives to a snow shovel. Garant designed this one with an aluminum blade that is 24-inches wide. Instead of lifting and tossing the snow, you push it out of your way. It has a very long handle, which allows you to position yourself effectively to get the force you need behind the scoop.

Push shovels are designed for snow that isn’t too deep, so if you need to take care of many inches of snow, then a traditional snow shovel may be a better option. Still, the wide blade has impressive snow clearing properties. The snow pusher seamlessly moves large snow strips with each push.

The handle features an ergonomic design that allows you to protect your back as you push the snow.

Pros

• Very easy to use
• The ergonomic handle allows for a comfortable grip and no back strain
• 24-inch blade makes it one of the best snow pusher options for moving large snow strips
• The blade features a nylon wear strip, which helps to stop breakage

Cons

• Awkward to lift
• Questionable durability

 

Toro Power Shovel Electric Snow Thrower

As you’d expect with an electric shovel, it clears snow much faster than traditional shovel alternatives can with less effort too. If you live in an area that experiences snowstorms occasionally that aren’t too heavy, this electric shovel could be your best friend. The blade gets very close to the pavement, which means this snow shovel doesn’t leave a layer of snow behind.

Naturally, this electric snow shovel design makes it great for reducing the strain on your back. That’s because of the minimal effort that you need to get going with it. Note that the unit works best for medium-sized properties since its throw distance is 20 feet.

Pros

• Minimal effort required to handle the snow shovel, as the blade is efficient
• Lightweight design makes maneuverability solid
• Comfortable handle design

Cons

• Not good at handling larger areas
• Heavy snow presents a challenge for the shovel’s blade

 

Snow Wolf SW0310 Wheeled Snow Pusher – Best for Convenience

This is along the line of stranger options where aesthetics are concerned. However, it makes up for it by allowing you to get through the job very quickly. Even when there’s densely packed snow, you can push it right away. The design features a heavy gauge steel core, which lends itself to superb durability. You’d think a heavy steel core would make the tool difficult to use, but that’s not the case.

Even a small person can handle it effortlessly and take advantage of the efficient poly scoop. For a snow shovel that doesn’t require electricity, it does an impressive job, as you can go three times as fast as you could with a traditional shove. The dual-sided, comfortable handle is one of the reasons that you can push the snow so efficiently.

Pros

• One of the faster snow shovels available
• No lifting or twisting is necessary to get the blade to do its job
• Easy to use for small and large persons
• Foldable for storage

Cons

• The price point is high

 

Bully Tools 92814 Combination Snow Shovel

The final option is one of the best combination snow shovels on the market. It has a commercial-grade build, with a very durable fiberglass handle along with a 22-inch poly scoop. Shoveling snow should be as convenient as it would be with a sleigh shovel. However, this one is even better since you can lift the snow if you don’t wish to push it. The flexible blade allows you to do both seamlessly.

The fiberglass handle has a wide D-grip, which is one of the best designs for achieving comfort. While it may not be a full sleigh shovel, the handle is long enough for you to get a lot of power behind the blade. Additionally, the snow shovel forces you to adopt a good posture to eliminate back pain.

Pros

• End to end 56-inch ergonomic design to keep you comfortable
• Sturdy blade for push and lift functions
• Lifetime warranty

Cons

• Doesn’t do well with harder ice
• Wet snow sticks to the blade

 

How to Choose the Best Snow Shovel

As you can see, some of the best snow shovels come in different design types. True Temper alone designed two different styles that made it on this list. You can get a sleigh shovel, combination-type shovel, traditional shovel, etc. You can even get a snow shovel with wheels! So, how do you choose?

The answer is to think of what works best for your property, body, and budget. How large is your property? If it’s large, you may want to consider a pusher or something with wheels. A wider blade would also be best. A traditional shovel may be best for a small space.

If you want to mitigate strains and pains, an ergonomic snow shovel is a must. You want to get a shovel that allows you to maintain a natural body position as you use it. Additionally, the shovel must be affordable for you. If not, how would you even buy it?

Is a Manual Shovel Recommended?

Some of the best snow shovels sit on the manual side of the spectrum, while others sit on the electric or wheeled side. This is yet another choice that comes down to your specific needs.

A manual shovel is always going to cost less to operate. After all, your electricity bill isn’t taking a hit when you use one. Additionally, you get greater freedom of movement since you don’t need to have it plugged into anything.

On the flip side, you are almost always going to be shoveling for longer with a non-electrical option. Additionally, they are likely to present a more significant strain on the body since no electrical components contribute to the motion and remove the snow.

An electric shovel is likely going to give an even finish to a job that probably doesn’t take long. Additionally, they tend to “throw” the snow, which means the disposal procedure is no problem. You don’t need to worry about your body’s capabilities since the job is heavily assisted.

However, an electrical shovel tends to be more expensive to purchase and to use. Additionally, only the battery-operated ones offer free movement. Of course, they are less powerful than the corded ones.
The point is to think about what combination sounds more convenient to you.

What’s the Best Way to Use Each Shovel Type?

A traditional shovel is not meant to push anything. Therefore, your best bet is to use the lifting and tossing method, as tedious as it may be at times.

Pushers, as the name implies, should be pushed. Ensure that you pay attention and ensure you are pushing snow in a coordinated and consistent manner, as you can end up making a big mess that you didn’t intend you. Don’t lift these unless you want to feel awkward and waste your time.

Combination shovels allow you the freedom to choose between pushing and lifting. Nevertheless, it’s best to push snow with any shovel that lets you the choice, as that’s better for your health.

Shovels with wheels are also meant to be pushed. Again, it would help if you were careful and consistent here to avoid making a mess, but you should be done in no time.

An electric shovel is also pushed, but you don’t have to be so careful here. The unit is going to toss the snow far enough away for you.

 

Conclusion

Though all the options discussed are fantastic, the True Temper 1625300 SnoBoss Snow Shovel takes the win. It combines comfort with function. It may be a manual shovel, but its size makes it a powerhouse as either a pusher or a lift and toss shovel. It clears snow away nicely and is suited to various property sizes. The Snow Wolf SW0310 Wheeled Snow Pusher is also a great contender, but its high price takes away from the real value of the product. Finally, there is the Toro Power Shovel Electric Snow Thrower. While it works quickly and efficiently, it’s limited by its mobility and ability to suit only one property type.