Electric corded snow blowers

[tearapin]

I have finally gone over the hill in terms of shoveling hurting the old back too much. I am thinking of purchasing a corded blower. 18 to 21 inch width. I have been researching reviews and of course they are all over the place.

Does anyone have a machine in this class that can give me some real world experience/ reviews/ recommendations?

 

[zendriver]

Other than the cord, it sounds like a good idea.

 

[Pantsfall_McFixit]

As a user of a corded snowblower for a decade, get a cordless one. Sure you have unlimited power with a cord, but the hassle of moving the cord around and out of the way slows down the blowing process. Cordless ones finally exist and they work. If runtime is a concern, get another set of batteries.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

No experience with them, but having used a corded push mower and leaf blower when I was younger I can only see the cord being a huge hassle. A cordless blower would probably do the job for 2-4" of snow. Any more than that and I'd be looking at a small gas snowblower with electric start.

 

[DIY]

I'm in the same condition as you. My back just can't take shoveling large amounts anymore (live in the interior of BC, Canada). I purchased the Toro E-21 / 60v single stage cordless snow blower with the all metal auger. Plenty powerful enough for 12" (powder snow) and the battery easily lasts for a long 2 car driveway using the supplied 7.5ah battery. Scrapes down to the bare concrete which is good for walkways with no need for the final shovel follow-up that you need to do for gas 2 stage blowers. Relativity light and easy to store compared to a gas snow blower. A bit wimpy for the end of the driveway (EOD) snow banks but the all metal auger really helps compared to the rubber augers on most corded/cordless snow blowers in this size range.

 

[Kurt4440]

I know two women in their sixties who have corded snow blowers. They both use a shovel instead. Location and intended use would greatly influence the usefulness of such a tool.

 

[Firebrick43]

I'm in the same condition as you. My back just can't take shoveling large amounts anymore (live in the interior of BC, Canada). I purchased the Toro E-21 / 60v single stage cordless snow blower with the all metal auger. Plenty powerful enough for 12" (powder snow) and the battery easily lasts for a long 2 car driveway using the supplied 7.5ah battery. Scrapes down to the bare concrete which is good for walkways with no need for the final shovel follow-up that you need to do for gas blowers. Relativity light and easy to store compared to a gas snow blower. A bit wimpy for the end of the driveway (EOD) snow banks but the all metal auger really helps compared to the rubber augers on most corded/cordless snow blowers in this size range.

Gasoline power has nothing to do with the “final shovel follow-up” It has to do with design and adjustment of the scraping edge.

I had a Honda blower at my moms house that that did a fine job cleaning to pavement and eating the EOD monsters. Started first pull as well for years until she sold the house.

 

[Steve_P]

IIRC, one of the Ego battery models was the best that was tested by Consumer Reports. If you actually want to buy a cordless model.

 

[P0234]

I had a corded Toro for over a decade, got used on average 4-5 times a year, sometimes with snow that was twice as high as it was. It was a great machine, I hated to get rid of it but my new driveway was too much for it. I agree, cordless is the way to go, but you have to take care of the batteries or you'll be dumping a whole lot of money into new ones. My dad has a single stage Honda, and that thing is really awesome, if I could go back in time, that's what I'd get instead of the Toro.

 

[ptabatcher]

I broke down and got a corded Snow Joe during a sale a few years back after hurting my back. Other than some 12”+ storms, it’s handled pretty much everything except some super heavy slush.

I live in an urban area so houses are close together with a fairly long and narrow drive. For about 2/3 of the drive, I can’t just shoot the snow to the side without hitting the neighbors house. So, I end up having to throw it down the drive until I get clear of the houses. This weekend, we had about 4” and it handled that fine.

Because of my layout, I can’t just go down and back. I need to do the full width making short passes. Push forward, pull back. Reset. And then do that again. That makes dealing with the cord manageable for me.

Cordless would be great. But, I only use it a couple of times a year so paying less was worth it for me. On the plus side, as long as I have power, it’s always ready.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I just don't understand the HATE for gasoline snow throwers! I have an old Toro 2 stroke, 5 HP. I ABUSE the hell out of it! Chunks of ice. Hard pack "boulders" the plow leaves at the end of the driveway. I don't think any electric could do that.

Sure, I have to replace the scraper (wear bar) every couple of years and I am on my second set of paddles after about 20 years. The things starts first or second pull every time, even when the temp is ZERO !

The one thing Toro left off, was a fuel shut off. Added one so I can run it dry in spring.

 

[RAS61]

I just don't understand the HATE for gasoline snow throwers! I have an old Toro 2 stroke, 5 HP. I ABUSE the hell out of it! Chunks of ice. Hard pack "boulders" the plow leaves at the end of the driveway. I don't think any electric could do that.

Sure, I have to replace the scraper (wear bar) every couple of years and I am on my second set of paddles after about 20 years. The things starts first or second pull every time, even when the temp is ZERO !

The one thing Toro left off, was a fuel shut off. Added one so I can run it dry in spring.

I've owned a Toro 2 stage gas blower for about 20 years and it's been awesome - can handle 2 ft of snow, throws it wherever I want, and has no problem with the berm at the street from the city plow. Starts up easy with the pull cord or electric start, and maintenance has been no problem or bother for me

I think the decision of battery vs gas first comes down to how big of a job you're tackling. I have about 120' of driveway plus a parking area for 3 cars and probably 50-60' of walkways. I'd think that would be a bit much for a battery machine, but for something smaller cordless electric certainly would have it's appeal. And then there's also the pros and cons of each type - probably replacing expensive batteries down the road (if they haven't changed the platform and they're still available) vs gas machine maintenance (changing motor and gear oil, and running the carb dry at the end of the season). So ultimately it comes down to the size of the job and personal preferences, but for me, even if I had a smaller drive, I still like the assurance of never being under gunned with my gas machine in a record snow; that would really ****, especially if you have a bad back! Good Luck with whatever you choose!

 

[isb cornbinder]

The fastest way to "wind up the extension cord" is to run the machine over it. Can you believe, "Only seconds?" and you are done.!

 

[Nodakdad]

I've had a couple, bought them to use for small amount instead of dragging out my 2 stage. But they broke and the cord is a pain. Picked up a small 21 inch has single stage gas at a clearance at Menards last year. Wouldn't go back to a corded,

 

[theoldwizard1]

So ultimately it comes down to the size of the job and personal preferences,

Size of the job and how much snow you get at one time ! Also need to factor in how big the pile the plow leaves at the end of your driveway.

My buddy has a close to 200' driveway, but a smaller parking pad. He almost never gets more than 6" at a time (or he does it during the storm). He has a single stage Toro 3650 (6.5 HP). Works fine but you do need to push a little. The pile the plow leaves at the end of the driveway can be a challenge.

 

[zendriver]

I tried a corded leaf blower for a (short) time and found it almost nightmarish managing the cord.

Anything more than a very short sidewalk, dragging an electrical cord around through the cold and snow, just seems like a no go.

 

[P0234]

I tried a corded leaf blower for a (short) time and found it almost nightmarish managing the cord.

Anything more than a very short sidewalk, dragging an electrical cord around through the cold and snow, just seems like a no go.

I agree with it on the leaf blower because you need it for a much larger area. But for a small driveway and the linear pattern of use, corded works.

Also in deeper snows I seem to recall neighbors going in with half done driveways, presumably to charge.

 

[RAS61]

Also in deeper snows I seem to recall neighbors going in with half done driveways, presumably to charge.

How do these machines handle heavy snows higher than the mouth opening? I've done well over 2 ft with gas, just do a second pass to clean up the "overflow"

 

[P0234]

How do these machines handle heavy snows higher than the mouth opening? I've done well over 2 ft with gas, just do a second pass to clean up the "overflow"

You just do it in layers, its clumsy, but I've done 36-40" snow with the little Toro. The light weight of the unit works in your favor by not sinking in.

 

[Harley94]

I've had the Toro 1800 Power Curve for almost 10 yr now. I only use it to clear my elevated deck, but it works really well, luv it.. I've never had a cord problem, but then again it's only 50ft. Just pay attention.,

 

[Steve_P]

I just don't understand the HATE for gasoline snow throwers! I have an old Toro 2 stroke, 5 HP. I ABUSE the hell out of it! Chunks of ice. Hard pack "boulders" the plow leaves at the end of the driveway. I don't think any electric could do that.

Sure, I have to replace the scraper (wear bar) every couple of years and I am on my second set of paddles after about 20 years. The things starts first or second pull every time, even when the temp is ZERO !

The one thing Toro left off, was a fuel shut off. Added one so I can run it dry in spring.

I don't think anyone would say that gasoline isn't the best under some circumstances- like if you lived in Buffalo and could do the maintenance on a gasoline engine. But, if you are only going to use it once or twice a year on 6" of snow, they might not be the best in that case. Plus, many people forget to drain or run out the gas, and then next year they won't start. I worked at a small engine shop in NYC, not exactly a warm climate, and this was the number one issue with snowblowers with probably a 50X factor over the next issue- carburetor, carburetor, carburetor.... every time. Yes, easy to avoid, but the reality is that many people forget.

 

[LB-1911]

I have finally gone over the hill in terms of shoveling hurting the old back too much. I am thinking of purchasing a corded blower. 18 to 21 inch width. I have been researching reviews and of course they are all over the place.

Does anyone have a machine in this class that can give me some real world experience/ reviews/ recommendations?

My only contribution is Choose your extension cord wisely, amp rating for length, flexibility & visibility.

I've had the Toro 1800 Power Curve for almost 10 yr now. I only use it to clear my elevated deck, but it works really well, luv it.. I've never had a cord problem, but then again it's only 50ft. Just pay attention.,

ETA follow up by OP;

AWG and a snowblower. How necessary is it?

My neighbor has an electric snowblower. It says it is 13 amps. Using the chart in the manual it says for a 75 foot run he needs a 12 AWG cord. He has been using a 16 AWG for years. So you can probably guess that I now have a blower where the chart in the manual calls for 12 AWG. I am...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[theoldwizard1]

Plus, many people forget to drain or run out the gas, and then next year they won't start.

For less than $10 and an hour of time, you can add the shutoff valve that the manufactures "cost thrifted" away !

 

[Kurt4440]

I don't think anyone would say that gasoline isn't the best under some circumstances- like if you lived in Buffalo and could do the maintenance on a gasoline engine. But, if you are only going to use it once or twice a year on 6" of snow, they might not be the best in that case. Plus, many people forget to drain or run out the gas, and then next year they won't start. I worked at a small engine shop in NYC, not exactly a warm climate, and this was the number one issue with snowblowers with probably a 50X factor over the next issue- carburetor, carburetor, carburetor.... every time. Yes, easy to avoid, but the reality is that many people forget.

When I joined Garage Journal, members were required to pass an entrance exam which included small engine maintenance.

This past week in Buffalo, NY.

 

[Steve_P]

For less than $10 and an hour of time, you can add the shutoff valve that the manufactures "cost thrifted" away !

I worked on small engines in the 1980s-90s when most snowblowers still had them. Just because it's there doesn't mean people remember to use them, which is my point. You can just remember to run the engine dry at the end of the season- that's easy and "free". But the reality is that many people just don't do this. You should be able to accept that most people are not of the GJ mindset of proper maintenance, etc. Again, actually having to deal with this, dealing with the masses, I'm realistic on what most people actually do, vs what they should do.

 

[Steve_P]

When I joined Garage Journal, members were required to pass an entrance exam which included small engine maintenance.

This past week in Buffalo, NY.

I lived in NYC in the early 70s - late 80s. We only had one substantial snow of about 2', and a 6-8" one every few years. I had a cousin that lived in Ithaca at that time, and he'd have 6' of snow piled up in his front yard nearly every March In my prior location a battery mower, snowblower, leaf blower..... totally makes sense now. And the small engine shop that I worked at will probably be gone in 20 years because of that.

Ego does make two stage snow blowers. I'm sure it won't keep up with a 10 HP gas model, but for some I'm sure it's just fine. The bottom line is that battery OPE is just fine for some applications. I have an Ego leaf blower that I bought last year and LOVE it. And I have a lot of deciduous trees and a .57 acre lot. It has more power than my gas powered handheld Echo.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I just don't understand the HATE for gasoline snow throwers! I have an old Toro 2 stroke, 5 HP. I ABUSE the hell out of it! Chunks of ice. Hard pack "boulders" the plow leaves at the end of the driveway. I don't think any electric could do that.

Sure, I have to replace the scraper (wear bar) every couple of years and I am on my second set of paddles after about 20 years. The things starts first or second pull every time, even when the temp is ZERO !

The one thing Toro left off, was a fuel shut off. Added one so I can run it dry in spring.

I got tired of my old '80s two strokes always needing something when I needed them, so I got a plug in snow joe single stage to get me through a winter. it lasted 3 years before I got tired of using it and gave it away (pretty painful to use in heavy snow).

I replaced it with the eGO 24" 2 stage the year it came out. it's a freakin' BEAST. I do my 100' long driveway, the sidewalk, the sidewalk curb cuts after the city plows them in, and the occasional neighbor who gets "forgotten" by their contractor. occasionally I take it out to eat the bumper-eating ice boulders that get left in the street. the toothed ribbon work wonders.

the only thing I changed on it was adding armor skids for the sidewalk. I can run it full speed in light snow/cleanup passes instead of crawl speed, hitting the scraper on every cut.

 

[MarkH]

Years ago when I was a young boy, dad bought a corded electric snowblower. He had a dream my mother, a fairly small woman would be able to run it. Years later I told him he most likely got the sucker of the year award by the person who sold it to him. We had 150 feet of cord on it and with the wheels locking up and making it hard to push it got too much for my mother very quickly. Dad had a disability that limited his mobility. So guess who got nominated to run it.

Rather than get a gas powered snowblower that I could run, he had me use the useless blower. Well it would clean the driveway but a 20 minute job with an average gas blower took with the electric at least 2 hours if you were lucky. It was reliable and could do snow higher than it which was not too much about 15 inches. Outside of that it was a pain and I did run over the cord a couple times. The wheels froze up so many times I took them off. It actually handled easier that way.

As I got older I found a quicker way when told to go blow snow off the driveway. I would snowmobile or drive to the farm and climb in a tractor cab. That 8 foot blower behind the tractor with 100+ hp to lean it looked good. I could drive to the farm, drive the tractor to town, blow the driveway and 1/2 of the yard so snow would not drift over the driveway, drive back to the farm with the tractor then get back to town in less time than I could blow out only the driveway with the electric one. That time also included blowing out a couple drifts on the road the county had not gotten to yet. This method involved a lot less cussin. Snow moving is one of those jobs in our area that works best with more horsepower. With the tractor I once did a cut that was so deep you did not see the tractor, only the radio antenna on top of the cab above the snow drift. The tree claim had really caused an extra large drift that year.

 

[Kurt4440]

I lived in NYC in the early 70s - late 80s. We only had one substantial snow of about 2', and a 6-8" one every few years. I had a cousin that lived in Ithaca at that time, and he'd have 6' of snow piled up in his front yard nearly every March In my prior location a battery mower, snowblower, leaf blower..... totally makes sense now. And the small engine shop that I worked at will probably be gone in 20 years because of that.

Ego does make two stage snow blowers. I'm sure it won't keep up with a 10 HP gas model, but for some I'm sure it's just fine. The bottom line is that battery OPE is just fine for some applications. I have an Ego leaf blower that I bought last year and LOVE it. And I have a lot of deciduous trees and a .57 acre lot. It has more power than my gas powered handheld Echo.

I lived in NYC from the sixties until the mid 1990's with a few years in other locations. Most people just shoveled snow in the city back then.

In the Buffalo area a snowblower makes sense especially when you are trying to carve out a driveway entrance, or have a large driveway.

These conversations would benefit from location and use requirements being stated, but, typically, they are not.

What shop did you work at?

 

[Glemon]

I was just about to pose the same question. I too have had corded lawn equipment and said never again, but I have a relatively short driveway and no sidewalk (other than the walk to my house which I can do by hand easily). Driveway is 43' long and 35' wide (triple) going down to double and 20 feet or so about halfway down.

I live in Nebraska. Snowfall is pretty variable. maybe 4-8 shoveling events a year. Probably about 50/50 that we get over 10" at a time in a winter, but every few years we get a couple with storms over a foot.

I have always shoveled by hand, but these days I don't scoop so much as push as much can (62). I don't mind the exercise usually, but after the third storm in about two weeks I am thinking more seriously about a blower.

Options would be a good used (which seems to plentiful at $150-250) a single stage gas, or a corded electric. I don't really want to pay a lot for a battery blower then have to buy a new battery or have an expensive door stop a few years down the road.

Off topic, but I had a South facing garage at my old house, and I have a North facing garage at the new. If you are designing a place or have a choice and you live in snow country point your garage South (or West). If I don't get it up before it gets packed and icy it lingers a long time.