Best Electric Snow Blower: Which Type for Your Driveway, and What It Costs to Run
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Amazon links on this page are affiliate links; buying through them does not change the price you pay. How we handle affiliate links.
Match the machine to the snow. A cordless snow shovel such as the EGO SNS1201 handles steps, decks and light snow. A single-stage blower such as the EGO SNT2112 (21 inches wide, ideal snow depth 8 inches) suits most 1- and 2-car driveways. A two-stage machine such as the self-propelled EGO SNT2416 (20-inch intake) is for long driveways and deep or heavy snow. Running cost is tiny: a full charge of the EGO SNT2112’s two batteries is 560 watt-hours, about 10 cents at the US average electricity price, so 15 storms cost about $1.50. Corded models such as the Westinghouse WSnow20 cost about as little to run and never run out, but you work around the cord. For a snow shovel alone, the EGO SNS1201 claims the most per charge of the battery shovels here, and the corded Snow Joe 324E and Westinghouse WSnow11S clear an 11 by 6 inch path with no battery to charge.
- 12 in wide
- 56V x 2.5Ah = 140 Wh
- 21 in wide
- 2 x 56V x 5Ah = 560 Wh
- 24 in wide, 20 in intake
- 2 x 56V x 10Ah = 1,120 Wh
- 20 x 10 in path
- 1,800 W
- 22 x 13 in path
- 15 A at 120 V
Most snow blower reviews list features. This guide sorts electric snow blowers by the job, uses each maker’s own stated width, depth and battery size, and works out what one actually costs to run in your state. It also covers how to use one safely: according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 4,700 people were treated in emergency rooms for snow blower injuries in 2022.
Snow shovel, single-stage or two-stage
| Type | How it works | Typical width and depth | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordless snow shovel | A small auger on a handle that throws snow forward | 12 to 13 inches wide; VOLTASK lists an optimal depth of 6.5 inches | Steps, decks, walks and light snow; EGO says its shovel clears up to a 3-car driveway with 6 inches of snow on one charge |
| Single-stage | One auger scoops the snow and throws it out of the chute | 18 to 22 inches wide, about 8 to 13 inches deep | Most 1- and 2-car driveways with moderate snow |
| Two-stage | An auger feeds a separate fan (impeller) that throws the snow farther; often self-propelled | 24 inches wide; the EGO SNT2416 has a 20-inch intake | Long driveways and deep or heavy, wet snow |
Width and depth figures are the makers’ own.
The best electric snow shovels
An electric snow shovel is the lightest way to clear steps, decks, walks and light snow. The makers’ own figures:
| Shovel | Path | Power | What the maker says it clears | Cost to run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EGO SNS1201 | 12 in wide | 56 V × 2.5 Ah = 140 Wh | Up to a 3-car driveway with 6 in of snow per charge; throws up to 25 ft | 3 cents a charge |
| VOLTASK 48V (CSS004) | 16 × 8 in | 2 × 24 V × 4 Ah = 192 Wh | Up to 30 minutes a charge; throws up to 26 ft; has wheels | 3.5 cents a charge |
| VOLTASK SS-20B | 13 in wide | 24 V × 4 Ah = 96 Wh | Optimal depth 6.5 in; weighs 9.3 lb | under 2 cents a charge |
| SKIL SNS1000B-13 | 10 in wide | 20 V × 4 Ah = 80 Wh | A 1-car driveway with up to 3 in of snow per charge; throws up to 20 ft | under 2 cents a charge |
| Snow Joe 324E (corded) | 11 × 6 in | 10 A at 120 V | Up to 300 lb of snow a minute; 14 lb | about 11 cents for 30 minutes |
| Westinghouse WSnow11S (corded) | 11 × 6 in | 10 A at 120 V | Up to 300 lb a minute; throws up to 20 ft | about 11 cents for 30 minutes |
A battery shovel is the easiest to carry around; a corded one never runs out but needs an outdoor extension cord within reach. For more than light snow on a short driveway, a single-stage blower clears a wider, deeper path. Corded costs assume the motor draws its full rated 10 amps (1,200 W) for 30 minutes.
Battery or corded
- Battery machines go anywhere and start at the press of a button. Run time depends on the battery: Westinghouse says its 18-inch model runs for about 15 minutes in 7 inches of snow on its two included 4 Ah batteries, while EGO says its two-stage model clears up to a 24-car driveway with 8 inches of snow on its two 10 Ah batteries. EGO says its two-stage blower takes any EGO 56V ARC Lithium battery. Recharging takes time: Westinghouse says 1.8 hours for its pair.
- Corded machines never run out, but you have to manage the cord as you go, which is easier on a short, simple driveway. Use an extension cord rated for outdoor use and for the motor’s current, as the manual specifies.
What it costs to run
Electricity for a snow blower costs very little. A battery’s stored energy is its volts times its amp-hours; refilling it costs that energy times your electricity price, plus a little lost in charging.
| Model | Energy | Cost | 15 storms |
|---|---|---|---|
| EGO SNS1201 snow shovel | 56 V × 2.5 Ah = 140 Wh | 3 cents | about $0.38 |
| EGO SNT2112 single-stage | 2 × 56 V × 5 Ah = 560 Wh | 10 cents | about $1.53 |
| EGO SNT2416 two-stage | 2 × 56 V × 10 Ah = 1,120 Wh | 20 cents | about $3.06 |
| Westinghouse WSnow20, corded | 1,800 W × 30 minutes = 900 Wh | 16 cents | about $2.46 |
The picker above uses your state’s price and your number of storms. Even in the most expensive states, a winter costs a few dollars.
Electric or gas
A gas snow blower refuels in a minute and runs as long as you have fuel. Electric models have no exhaust, no gasoline or oil to store, and no engine to winterize. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns never to run a gas snow blower in an enclosed area, because its exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes, and never to add gasoline to a running or hot engine.
Using one safely
CPSC counted more than 4,700 snow blower injuries treated in emergency rooms in 2022, 36% of them to the wrist, hand or fingers. Its advice:
- Never clear the discharge chute with your hands. CPSC says this is when most snow blower injuries happen. Switch the machine off, wait for the auger to stop, and use the clearing tool or a stick.
- Read the manual before the first storm.
- Check for recalls on cpsc.gov/Recalls before bringing out an older machine.
Our picks
Widths, depths, batteries and claims below are from each product’s own Amazon listing, checked on 7 October 2026.
- 12 in wide
- 56V x 2.5Ah = 140 Wh
- 13 in wide
- 24V x 4Ah = 96 Wh
- 16 x 8 in path
- 2 x 24V x 4Ah = 192 Wh
- 10 in wide
- 20V x 4Ah = 80 Wh
- 11 x 6 in path
- 10 A at 120 V
- 11 x 6 in path
- 10 A at 120 V
- 21 in wide
- 2 x 56V x 5Ah = 560 Wh
- 18 x 10 in path
- 2 x 24V x 4Ah = 192 Wh
- 24 in wide
- 2 x 56V x 10Ah = 1,120 Wh
- 20 x 10 in path
- 1,800 W
- 22 x 13 in path
- 15 A at 120 V
- 20 x 10 in path
- 15 A
How these were chosen
We picked electric snow blowers and snow shovels from established brands whose Amazon listings state their clearing width, depth or ideal snow depth, and battery size or motor rating, and that were offered on 7 October 2026. No independent efficiency rating exists for snow blowers, so running costs use each listing’s battery size (volts × amp-hours) or motor rating and the EIA US residential average for January to July 2026, 18.19 cents per kWh; one full charge per storm is our assumption. Safety figures and advice: Consumer Product Safety Commission release 24-057 (December 2023).
Sources
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, release 24-057: winter safety tips (21 December 2023)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average residential electricity price by state
How we pick products for every buying guide: our buying guide standards.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your snow and your space. Of the battery shovels here, the EGO SNS1201 claims the most per charge (up to a 3-car driveway with 6 inches of snow), the VOLTASK 48V clears the widest path (16 by 8 inches) and the VOLTASK SS-20B is the lightest at 9.3 lb. The corded Snow Joe 324E and Westinghouse WSnow11S never run out but need a cord. A full charge costs a few cents.
For most driveways, yes. Single-stage battery models clear 18 to 22 inches wide and about 8 to 10 inches deep by their makers’ figures, and battery two-stage models with intakes up to 20 inches handle deeper, heavier snow.
Cents. A battery’s energy is its volts times its amp-hours: the EGO SNT2112’s two 56 V 5 Ah batteries hold 560 watt-hours, about 10 cents of electricity at the US average price of 18.19 cents per kWh. Fifteen storms cost about $1.50.
A single-stage machine uses one auger to scoop and throw the snow. A two-stage machine adds a separate fan (impeller) that throws the snow farther, handles deeper snow and is often self-propelled. Single-stage suits most 1- and 2-car driveways; two-stage is for long driveways and deep or heavy snow.
Cordless is easier to use anywhere and starts instantly, but run time is limited by the battery. Corded never runs out, but you have to manage the cord, so it suits shorter, simpler driveways close to an outlet.
Switch it off, wait for the auger to stop, and use the clearing tool or a stick, never your hands. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says clearing the discharge chute by hand is when most snow blower injuries happen.