The Benefits Of Electric Snow Shovels: Is It Time To Get One?
The winter months can be brutal, not only because of the biting chill but also the heavy snowfall. Nobody likes to go out and shovel their driveway, so many people opt to pick up a snow blower. These are nice to have, but they can be very expensive. A good middle ground is an electric snow shovel. You're not going to spend nearly as much as you would on a blower, but you'll get some of the benefits it has to offer. For starters, you won't have to exert as much energy wiping the snow away your driveway and sidewalk. That's a huge bonus, but you're also not going to be clearing the amount of real estate as you would with a larger blower.
For example, Ryobi offers an electric snow shovel that can clear out an area that's a foot wide and six inches deep. It costs $279 from Home Depot, and that's quite a bargain when compared to a full-sized option. Ryobi's electric snow blower will cost you $449, so you're looking at almost a $200 difference. The price gets even higher as you start looking at some of the more feature-rich blowers. If you're looking for an option in between a shovel and a blower, something around $300 starts to look really nice. While Ryobi is a fine option for your snow blowing needs, there are also other brands with potential deals.
Is it time to make the leap?
Anybody who is still using a manual shovel to clear out snow can benefit greatly from an electric snow shovel. The biggest difference you'll see is how fast and smooth the process goes. You won't have to worry about straining a muscle because there's not going to be as much manual energy being exerted pushing a battery-powered device along. It's essentially a miniature snow blower, and there's a whole lot to like about that. You'll also be able to ditch the gas of a snowblower and switch to electric. This will result in a quieter machine, and you'll save yourself the trouble of having to go to the gas station in the midst of a blizzard.
If you have a small driveway, you may be fine using a traditional shovel, and you may not feel the need to splurge on an electric option. However, if you're dreading the winter and don't have the time to spend hours time outside shoveling — the electric snow shovel is a perfect option for you. It'll ultimately come down to personal preference. It's a guarantee the electric shovel will vastly speed up the process regardless the size of the job, and that's well worth the price for many people. But you'll also want to account for whether you're in an area that's regularly getting a ton of snow or just a little as the electric shovel will fall vastly short of a snowblower if you're trying to clear a couple feet of snow multiple times a year.