Updated on Feb. 13, 2025
Our list of the best electric snow blowers has been personally and rigorously tested by our experts at their homes. Read on to learn why these six blowers blew away the competition.
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The best electric snow blower is a game changer when it comes to removing snow. When a winter storm rolls in, there’s nothing better than blasting the remnants away with a high-powered tool. After all, shoveling snow can be back-breaking work, and a snow blower quickly removes snow from your driveways, sidewalks, patios and decks. Additionally, recent advances in cordless and electric technologies have brought new options to the market and homeowners. Jason Swanson, Vice President of Global Product Development & Management for Greenworks, says buying an electric snow blower is frequently more economical than buying a gas model.
“The basic mechanics are the same whether the blowers are battery-powered or gas-fueled,” Swanson says. “An electric blower is easy to use: simply load your fully-charged battery, push start and begin clearing your driveway in seconds. There’s no need to mix gas and oil or deal with a pull cord like you do with a gas snow blower. Plus, there’s no gas smell and no maintenance required, and you never have to worry about bad gas or winterization.” Still, knowing what to look for in an electric snow blower can be tough. Below are the best electric snow blowers according to Family Handyman experts and testing.
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This EGO snow blower is the only two-stage snow blower in the line-up. That factor alone separates it from the others, which is why it’s our best electric snow blower. While the price is steeper than others, the capabilities of this blower are pronounced. Like many gasoline-powered two-stage blowers, it’s self-propelled, has methods to reverse and turn, and includes two sets of headlights, as well as heated hand grips.
This blower is a joy to work with. It looks and feels like a high-tech piece of machinery. The power of this machine enables it to be used both residentially and commercially, and the warranty covers both use cases. It’s ideally suited for big snow and/or large properties.
The EGO blower throws snow spectacularly far (up to 50 feet) and was fun to watch as I cleared my lengthy dirt driveway. The controls on the dashboard made it easy to adjust the auger speed as well as the pace of the machine, making it easy to work through icy, chunky areas in the snow. The reverse and turning mechanisms work well, and I thought it was my new “go-to” blower. If you’re new to this type of blower, here’s how to start a two-stage snow blower.
Check out my full review of the EGO Snow Blower here to learn more.
Weight: 198 pounds | Power: Two 10.0Ah ARC Lithium batteries (included) | Type: Two-stage | Throwing Distance: Up to 50 feet | Clearing Width: 24 inches | Intake Height: 20 inches
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The Kobalt is a 40v single-stage snow blower with a 21-inch clearing width. It can clear snow up to 11-1/2 inches deep and has a whopping 35-foot throwing distance. The blower’s brushless motor extends its life and enables quiet operation.
This blower is priced slightly steeper than most single-stage blowers. Replaceable parts keep it competitive with other brands, but the 5-year factory warranty stands out.
The Kobalt weighs in at nearly 50 pounds. Despite this, the blower was easy to work with and even easy to carry up and down stairs. It happily cleared snow on patio pavers, sidewalks and dirt driveways, making it a great addition to your collection of snow removal tools.
Weight: 52.10 pounds | Power: Two 4.0Ah batteries (batteries and charger included) | Type: Single-stage | Throwing Distance: Up to 35 feet | Clearing Width: 21 inches | Intake Height: 8 inches
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The Greenworks Cordless Snow Blower is a single-stage, 40v cordless snow blower with a slightly smaller clearing width than most of the blowers tested. This narrower clearing width boosted this machine’s power and made it easy to push through the snow. Its power left me wanting to find more snow to clear.
The blower is compact and easy to store, though it lacks bells and whistles like headlights and a handle-adjustable chute. It’s also small and super lightweight, making it ideal for transporting and clearing snow in small spaces like decks and patios. At just 27.9 pounds, this blower is manageable for most people.
Due in part to its small size, the 5Ah battery that comes standard with the Greenworks snow blower lasts an amazingly long time. I cleared a large driveway, patio and deck, and the battery was still running strong. The brushless motor keeps it quiet, and its streamlined chute rotation and angle make this a robust and user-friendly machine.
Check out our full Greenworks snow blower review to learn more.
Weight: 198 pounds | Power: 5.0Ah battery (battery and charger included) | Type: Single-stage | Throwing Distance: Up to 20 feet | Clearing Width: 16 inches | Intake Height: 8 inches
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The Worx Nitro cordless snow blower proved to be a worthy contender in the battle of the snow blowers. It uniquely uses two 20-volt batteries in serial to give it its 40 volts of power. Of the single-stage blowers tested, it had one of the widest clearing paths at 20 inches, allowing you to clear snow quickly.
Eight-inch wheels allow this machine to clear deep snow up to 10 inches, but I found it could do more. This machine had real throwing power. I pressed it forward in about a half foot of snow, and then it easily ate through the one-foot banks I made. Weighing in at 35.7 pounds, this machine is also transportable and easy for most to toss into a truck bed. The mechanical controls of this machine, including the rotatable chute at the handle, are sturdy and convenient.
Interested in learning more? Check out our full Worx snow blower review here.
Weight: 47.2 pounds | Power: 40 volts | Type: Single-stage | Throwing Distance: Up to 20 feet | Clearing Width: 20 inches | Intake Height: Not stated
There’s a lot to consider when buying a snow blower, including the power source, how wide a path the snow blower clears in each pass and how far it throws snow. You should also take into consideration how easy the machine is to maneuver, especially on turns.
Swanson also urges customers to think about the following before making a purchase:
When it comes to corded or battery models, there are a few things to consider to avoid common mistakes when removing snow. While corded snow blowers can throw several hundred pounds of snow quickly, it’s necessary to purchase a cold-weather extension cord and outlet—and the length of your cord may limit the space you can access.
Cordless snow blowers or battery models are great for convenience but don’t always do as well as corded or gas models in heavy and wet snow removal. Plus, you’re limited on time when it comes to battery life.
If you go with a corded electric snow blower model, you’ll need a winter extension cord to reach the distance of the areas you want to clear. In addition, your cord will need to be able to handle the rated amps of your snow blower.
Swanson notes that single-stage snow blowers are ideal for snow depths up to 8 inches and multi-person households with long driveways.
“Traditionally, single-stage snow blowers have been called snow throwers,” he says. “In these all-in-one snow thrower units, the auger breaks up snow and throws it as a single process.”
“Two-stage snow blowers have always been called snow blowers. These snow workhorses use both augers (stage 1) to shred snow and ice and an impeller to shoot it longer distances (stage 2). A two-stage blower will chop through ice, snow, and anything else a winter storm tosses your way.”
“If you’re looking for maximum snow power to tackle heavy snow storms and significant snow accumulation, we recommend this workhorse of battery-powered snow removal. Two-stage snow blowers easily move heavy, wet, or compacted snow and are self-propelling machines, ideal for roads and large spaces.”
In general, self-propelled machines are best for those with longer driveways or inclines, making pushing a snow blower difficult. Self-propelled snow throwers have a motor that propels the thrower forward, while non-propelled machines rely on the user and auger to propel them through the snow.
“Generally, 2-stage throwers include self-propelled modes because they’re larger units asked to remove greater amounts of snow, making them easier to use as you don’t have to exert as much effort to push them yourself,” says Swanson.
As a lifelong DIYer, homeowner, professional product tester and former landscaper, I have an affinity for electric tools and gobs of experience removing snow with both electric and gasoline-powered snow blowers. Having lived in Colorado, I know the cold and snow better than most and can tell you which snow blowers can truly handle harsh and heavy snowfall.
For this article, I also enlisted the help of Ethan O’Donnell, who has been testing equipment for Family Handyman for many years and is a senior editor for the brand. O’Donnell lives in the Midwest, which experiences just about every type of weather, including heavy, wet snowfall. Jason Swanson, Vice President of Global Product Development & Management for Greenworks, also helped determine what to look for in a snow blower.
Finding the best snow blower is dependent on each individual’s needs. We looked at a range of options that cover multiple budgets and driveway types. Those living in snowy Midwest areas typically require more heavy-duty electric snow blowers than those living in warmer climates, so we organized each pick by its best features for easy browsing.
While narrowing down our list, we considered well-loved brands from stores like Ace Hardware, Walmart, Amazon and Lowe’s.
Then, we evaluated over a dozen snow blowers with hands-on testing. From the Midwest with more moderate snowfall up to the Northwest with heavier snow and ice, each of the snow blowers on this list was tested in real conditions at our editors’ homes to remove snow of all types. In addition to performance, we also rated the ease of assembly and overall durability.
It depends on usage and the amp hours (Ah) of the battery. The higher the amp hours, the longer the run time. During our tests, most of the batteries lasted about 30-45 minutes.
You can leave the blower outside but be sure to remove snow and ice chunks from the machine so it’s ready for the next use. The batteries may be stored outside but typically need to be warm, but not hot, in order for them to charge and run the machine.
For our tests, we used only battery-powered electric snow blowers. In all cases, the batteries are removable and charged in a charging station. Therefore, it is not necessary to plug in an electric snow blower.
An electric snow blower is a great asset for clearing snow. It is economical, easy to maintain and easy to store. It can also ease the pain of snow removal, allowing you to finish chores quickly and get to playing in the snow.
