Is 'Useful electric snow blower" an oxymoron?

[elkduds]

I have a big gas (as distinct from big-ass) snow blower, pull start, which I don't use because it takes longer to start and with more effort than shoveling. Are any of the electrics worth having? Here in Canon City we rarely get more than 8" overnight, so I need one that can move a foot of dry to medium wet snow. Shoveling walks and double wide driveway. Or is electric start gas blower a better option? Thanks in advance.

 

[Mudranger1]

I have one but I never use it. Use my shovel 99.9% of the time

 

[Art Vandeley]

I got an electric last winter and do not regret it. I don’t think it would do much with a foot of wet snow but has handled 6” of wet snow. Does good with dry snow. I need to be able to lift it in a pickup by myself which is why I went with the electric, the gas options available to me at the time were bigger/heavier.

 

[NoWiser]

I’ve had great luck with the old Toro 2-cycle single stage snowblowers. They never take more than a pull or two to start, can handle that kind of snow, and can be had for cheap. Easy to load in the back of a truck by yourself, too.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I have a big gas (as distinct from big-ass) snow blower, pull start, which I don't use because it takes longer to start and with more effort than shoveling. Are any of the electrics worth having? Here in Canon City we rarely get more than 8" overnight, so I need one that can move a foot of dry to medium wet snow. Shoveling walks and double wide driveway. Or is electric start gas blower a better option? Thanks in advance.

I have electric start gasser. Works great cause when it's stubborn to start I just let the electric starter do all the work.


I end up using it for almost all snow falls cause it's easy

 

[Treeshark]

I can foresee my next lawn mower possibly being electric, but I don’t think an electric snowblower would cut it up here.

Perhaps someday, but the ones now only look like they would handle a few inches of snow.

 

[Ben Long]

I have one of each, a gas blower at the lake house and an electric one at home. So far the electric one serves the purpose in town. It's en E-go from Ace. Not cheap but it starts and goes. Two batteries wear out about when I do. I have a small lot and also clear several feet of a cul de sac. Also I appreciate not stinking like exhaust when I'm done.

 

[brymoore]

@elkduds How much are you snowblowing?

I have a little plug in electric snowblower for my deck. No way would it do a foot of snow.

I have a large Ariens for my driveway. I don’t think an electric snowblower would have the battery life to do my driveway.

I have looked into the new robot snowblowers too. Cost and battery life aren’t there yet for me to convert. I can see switching to a robot at some point.

 

[Waspocrew]

When I lived in Cleveland, my neighbor picked up a cheap (like $50) electric snowblower in the local classifieds. The battery life wasn't great, but I was definitely jealous when I was shoveling snow all the time.

First winter in Billings last year wasn't bad - may eventually pick up a snowblower at some point, but I'll keep using the shovel for now.

 

[elkduds]

@elkduds How much are you snowblowing?

I have a little plug in electric snowblower for my deck. No way would it do a foot of snow.

I have a large Ariens for my driveway. I don’t think an electric snowblower would have the battery life to do my driveway.

I have looked into the new robot snowblowers too. Cost and battery life aren’t there yet for me to convert. I can see switching to a robot at some point.

View attachment 349506

5-10 storms/year, maybe 15-20 days of removing 4-10 inches of snow/morning. I was thinking corded electric for higher amperage, more power. I have a corded leaf blower and chain saw, not an inconvenience to me.

 

[Aperventure]

Depends on moisture content of snow more than depth.

Here is SLC UT electric works for 3-4” wet/dense snow if it’s not been walked on or packed down.

If it’s dry snow maybe 1.5x-2x that depth it’s effective. Gotta go slow tho. I borrowed neighbors electric before making decision to buy a gasser. Also got it used from neighbor moving to TN for $100 so that was easy decision

But for those 1-2’ dumps we get you gotta get a gas powered. Or shovel & chiropractor. No electric.

Yes electric lawn mower tho.

 

[44hunter45]

Got my AC powered electric free and it's worth what I paid for it. Runs a few minutes and thermal trips. I've never gotten any real work out of it.

 

[mtmuley]

I know the electric/ battery is coming. For me. No. mtmuley

 

[406dn]

For nearly as long as we have lived in our present home, I've used a large gas blower for most of the work, and a small 2 cycle gas blower for the deck. We have about a 70 yard gravel driveway.

The large blower is likely out of a job, since I purchased a Kubota L2502 tractor this past spring. I intend to use the front end loader and box blade for most of snow removal.

I don't see an electric snow blower in my future.

 

[Raisin Bran]

I have one of each, a gas blower at the lake house and an electric one at home. So far the electric one serves the purpose in town. It's en E-go from Ace. Not cheap but it starts and goes. Two batteries wear out about when I do. I have a small lot and also clear several feet of a cul de sac. Also I appreciate not stinking like exhaust when I'm done.

I second this!

 

[NR_Hunter]

My old man has an E-go one that I think has 4 of their batteries on it, and I'm pretty amazed at how well it works. My folks don't have a huge drive way so maybe that helps. I was really skeptical but I've been very impressed the few times I've used it.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Don't know about the snow blower, but I have EGO lawn mower, leaf blower, and a chainsaw recently purchased as gift for my wife, all with interchangeable batteries and chargers. They work greatl
For snow removal at our place ... we just have the basic ball-bearing snow thrower, fueled by antelope steak and ibruprofen!

 

[thusby]

You might as well call an electric blower a snow sweeper. If snow is heavier than what you can move with a broom, it becomes pretty useless.

 

[brocksw]

When an electric can handle this….im in.

 

[jpc01101]

I have a plug in electric that I got on a discount site about 10 years ago, it is awesome for the 2 snows we get a year in KY. I don’t think I’d want it if I lived in Wisdom, MT.