Remember when you were a little kid, and you loved when it snowed? Oh, how times have changed. These days, you probably think of snowfalls as nothing but another chore on your list. What you might not realize is that having a great snow blower can take almost all the sting out of big winter storms. The expert product reviewers at BGR tested 33 different snow blowers to find the very best options out there.
Our top picks
- Best overall: Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 in. Gas Snow Blower
- Runner-up: PowerSmart DB7109A Gas Snow Blower
- Best electric snow blower: EGO Power+ SNT2112 Cordless Snow Blower
- Best cheap snow blower: Snow Joe SJ627E Electric Snow Blower
- Best electric snow shovel: Earthwise SN74016 Cordless Electric Snow Shovel
Out of all the different options we tested, those were clearly the cream of the crop. Keep reading to find out what makes each of those snow blowers so impressive.
1. Best overall: Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 in. Gas Snow Blower
Pros: Powerful, easy to use, easy to start, reliable, Quick Stick chute control is awesome
Cons: Expensive, loud
Of the 30+ snow blowers we tested while putting this guide together, one model stood out from the rest. It’s the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 in. Gas Snow Blower and it’s the clear winner.
Toro is the best in the business, and this is our favorite Toro snow blower right now. It offers the perfect balance between power, performance, and price. Ahh yes, the three Ps that are so important when shopping for a new snow blower.
When it comes to power, the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE has it in spades. It packs a 252cc OHV 4-cycle engine that catapults snow up to 45 feet through the air. It’s so easy to push and maneuver, thanks to Toro’s self-propelled PaceSystem, which keeps pace with you no matter how fast or slow you walk.
Quick Stick chute control is one of our favorite features of this model, allowing you to change the chute direction with one push or pull of a lever. This model also has great traction, it’s easy to start, and it has excellent build quality that will last.
On the flip side, you’ll have to be willing to pay the price if you want the best. This model retails for $1,149, and don’t expect to find any discounts if you buy one anytime in the fall or winter months. Also, like any gas snow blower you buy, this model is very loud. A good pair of safety earmuffs will go a long way to protect your hearing.
2. Runner-up: PowerSmart DB7109A Gas Snow Blower
Pros: Inexpensive, reasonably powerful, two-stage, self-propelled, easy to start
Cons: A bit underpowered for deep snow, loud
Our runner-up definitely wasn’t on par with our top pick (Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE) in this guide. But the PowerSmart DB7109A Gas Snow Blower makes up for it with value. At $699, this model is truly a steal.
PowerSmart’s 24-inch DB7109A gas snow blower is perfect for people with small and medium-sized properties to clear. It’s easy to start and easy to control thanks to a self-propelled drive system with six forward speeds and two reverse speeds.
Clearing light snow is a breeze with this two-stage snow blower. It also did a great job with heavier snow as long as it wasn’t too deep.
That brings us to the main downside: apart from being loud (like any gas snow blower), this model is a bit underpowered for deep snow or overly wet snow. The manufacturer says it handles up to 12 inches of snow, but we struggled to clear snowfalls that deep, especially when the snow was a bit wet. Considering how inexpensive this model is, however, it definitely overperforms for its price.
3. Best electric snow blower: EGO Power+ SNT2112 Cordless Snow Blower
Pros: Shocking amount of power, great price, long battery life, comes with two 5Ah batteries
Cons: Not self-propelled, build quality isn’t the best
If you’ve used electric outdoor tools, you know that they’re almost never as powerful as their gas-powered counterparts. That’s what makes the EGO Power+ SNT2112 Cordless Snow Blower so shocking.
Despite being an electric, battery-powered snow blower, the EGO Power+ SNT2112 has a ton of power. It might not deal with deep snow like a gas snow blower, but anything under 8 inches will be rocketed through the two-stage clearing system and blasted up to 40 feet through the air.
We were also very impressed with the value this model offers. At $749, it comes with two 5.0Ah batteries that provide more than enough juice for long driveways and sidewalks.
Now, for the bad news: this snow blower isn’t self-propelled. That’s fine for average properties, but you might want to look elsewhere if you have steeper surfaces to clear. Also, while the build quality is more than decent, it’s not on par with the likes of Toro and other market leaders.
4. Best cheap snow blower: Snow Joe SJ627E Electric Snow Blower
Pros: Crazy-cheap, decent power, lightweight, easy to use
Cons: Corded, build quality isn’t great, not self-propelled
If you have a small driveway to clear or you just want to spend as little as possible, the Snow Joe SJ627E Electric Snow Blower is a terrific option. It’s not going to win any performance awards, but it retails for $249, and you can sometimes find it on sale for even less than that.
This Snow Joe model is all about value and simplicity. It’s a plug-in electric snow blower, so you’ll obviously need a long extension cord that’s outdoor-rated. You’ll be surprised at how decent the power is at this model’s ultra-low price point.
That being said, you’ll definitely want to tackle big snowfalls several times over the course of a storm. Once snow piles up deeper than five or so inches, you’ll start running into trouble. It’s also not self-propelled, so deeper snow would be difficult anyway.
Where build quality and durability are concerned, the Snow Joe SJ627E snow blower is just adequate. It’ll still last if you take care of it, and there’s nothing else that performed this well in the sub-$250 price range.
5. Best electric snow shovel: Earthwise SN74016 Cordless Electric Snow Shovel
Pros: Good power, battery-powered, good design, works well
Cons: Pricey, it’s not a snow blower
In addition to snow blowers, there’s another type of snow removal tool that is becoming very popular these days. If you want an electric snow shovel instead of a full-on snow blower, you should definitely check out the Earthwise SN74016 Cordless Electric Snow Shovel.
This isn’t the cheapest electric shovel on the market, but it outperformed every other model we tested. It’s also battery-powered, so you don’t have to worry about maneuvering with a long extension cord attached to the shovel.
The included 4.0Ah battery should have enough juice to tackle your walkway and sidewalks, but you obviously shouldn’t expect to clear a large driveway with this shovel. Also, it’s not designed to be used with overly deep or wet snow.
