Electric Snowblowers: Are they any good?

February 12, 2006 11:47 AM

Electric Snowblowers: Are they any good?

Considering the blizzard outside right now it's a bit late to ask. I've got about 130' of sidewalk and a 20' driveway to keep clear. I don't like the idea of a big gas powered beast taking up space in my garage and I've seen electric models that are quite compact. I'm in Northern New Jersey right across from NYC so it's not like we get a ton of snow.

Does anybody have experience with these things?

posted by HK10036 to home & garden (8 comments total)

You'll probably hear from folks that tell you that electric blowers are great, that small gas engines are the worst polluters out there, etc. I'm here to tell you that dragging 150' of extension cord sucks plus you'll have some voltage drop. Couple that with a smaller motor and narrower auger and you might as well use a shovel.

I just finished doing my 50' driveway with my neighbor's 3.5 hp gas powered blower and I was wishing for more power. Sure, 16" storms are rare but a well maintained blower will last for many years. My neighbor bought his used for $125. I bought an air filter, changed the oil and spark plug and we're good for another winter.
posted by fixedgear at 12:39 PM on February 12, 2006

Last week, Home Depot marked their snowblowers down to 50% off their regular price because there wasn't any snow this year and they weren't selling. (I doubt they have any left now, but it might be worth a trip if you want one.) I went there Tuesday night and they had a few electric models left, but I was unimpressed... they looked like carpet sweepers.

If storage is an issue, the compact size might be a plus, but I wasn't confident that they'd be able to move much more than 3" of snow, because their intake was only a few inches high. I guess I'm too concerned with what other people think of me, but I would have been embarrassed to be out there this morning pushing what looked like a cheap vacuum cleaner with a cord when my other neighbors are out with their manly gas-powered machines.

I ended up getting a 8 HP gas model and I was really pleased how quickly I was able to clear my 150' driveway. I did notice an older lady buying an electric model when I was there, and I'd say it was probably a decent choice for her, because the bigger gas powered models are pretty heavy (200+ pounds).

I guess I'm overly paranoid, too, because it just doesn't seem all that wise to mix electricity and wet preciptation.
posted by MegoSteve at 12:58 PM on February 12, 2006

I just watched my neighbor struggle with one. Push into the snow a couple feet, pull back, repeat. He's got a very short driveway, but it still didn't look like much fun.

Granted, this is a heavier storm than usual, and you might not see this much snow again for a couple of years. I think I'd stick with a gas blower. Anything is better than a shovel though.
posted by Eddie Mars at 1:24 PM on February 12, 2006

After round two of shoveling, a big ole gas fired beast is sounding better all the time. Thanks for the info.
posted by HK10036 at 3:09 PM on February 12, 2006

They are no good at all when the power goes out in the blizzard.
posted by fshgrl at 3:18 PM on February 12, 2006

I just used an electric snowblower to clear my driveway today. We got around 10-12 inches of wet snow. The blower worked just fine. The extension cord really isn't much of an issue.

The best part is that the blower is very quiet. And after spending many a summer pushing 2cycle gas lawn mowers around, it's really nice to not stink of oil smoke when you're done.

Another plus for electric: starting a 2-cycle gas engine that has been sitting dormant in the garage for a year isn't always the easiest thing.
posted by jsonic at 3:20 PM on February 12, 2006

I'm out on Long Island, and given that this area really doesn't get that much snow, maybe a better investment is to pay a plow guy. I did a deal with my mechanic, who also plows. $40 bucks. I've only needed it done about twice a year. Much cheaper than the care and feeding of a snowblower.
posted by Marky at 4:15 PM on February 12, 2006

FWIW, I live in a part of Norway where we get quite a bit of snow, and nobody even considers an electric snowblower. Internal combustion all the way!

Also the tractor-for-hire scheme works fine, as a snowblower is both an investment and needs a bit of maintenance. The only problem is that if you're far down on the tractor guy's list, your driveway won't be cleared in the morning, and may not even be done when you come home from work.
posted by Harald74 at 9:34 AM on February 13, 2006