You May Want To Reconsider Buying This DeWalt Tool (According To Users)

No one likes having their driveway, walkway, or deck completely consumed by snow in the cold season. Your car gets trapped in the garage, it's hard to walk through, and lots of dead bugs and plants accumulate under it all. The solution, of course, is to remove it with either a snow blower or a simple shovel, though neither option is exactly eloquent. Single-stage, 2-stage, and 3-stage snow blowers are large, unwieldy, and expensive, and just using a shovel can take an entire day or more, depending on the density of the snow. In an effort to meet a middle ground between size and functionality, hardware brand DeWalt offers the MAX Cordless Snow Shovel.

On paper, this gadget is a perfect remedy for snow-covered driveways. It's small and light enough to hold in your hands, its battery power eliminates the need for gas, and, at least according to its Home Depot page, it can throw snow up to 20 feet away, more than enough to clear the way for your car. However, according to Home Depot user reviews, as well as users on platforms like Reddit and YouTube, the Cordless Snow Shovel's snow-moving efficacy may be a bit oversold. 

Based on 201 user reviews collected on the DeWalt MAX Cordless Snow Shovel's Home Depot page, the tool has accrued a 3.3 out of 5 user rating. While that's not horrible, it's not exactly a shining endorsement, either. The reason for this middling rating is that, while this tool is capable of removing snow, it can only remove certain types and depths of snow.

One user explains that, for light and powdery snow accumulated on a small area like a porch or walkway, the Cordless Snow Shovel works fine. However, when this tool is subjected to denser, heavier snow, it starts to hit a wall very quickly. Whether the snow is wet and soggy or crusted over with ice, if it's anything thicker than a light and simple powder, the Cordless Snow Shovel can't move it, at least not with the degree of speed and efficiency you would hope for.

One Reddit user tested the Cordless Snow Shovel with about an inch of somewhat crusty snow, and the resulting stream was a far cry from the advertised 20 feet of throwing distance, one of the most common problems that arises when using any snow blower. They went through the process of returning and replacing it with another Cordless Snow Shovel just to make sure, but unfortunately, this second one functioned no better, repeatedly stopping dead when trying to move this small quantity of snow.

YouTuber The Average EV tested the Cordless Snow Shovel on his driveway, but while he was more positive with his analysis of it, he conceded that it would be better for a household that only gets minor snowfalls. He also noted that it took two batteries just to remove most of the snow on his driveway.

It's unfortunate that the DeWalt Cordless Snow Shovel falls short of user expectations, as it's a good concept. A snow blower that doesn't require gas and is smaller and more maneuverable than the traditional designs definitely has its appeal. While DeWalt's tool may not work for you, though, there are similar snow blowers available at Home Depot with higher ratings that may suit your needs a little better.

For example, a similar device available at Home Depot is the Westinghouse Corded Snow Shovel. This device has both a higher rating and more reviews from Home Depot shoppers, 4.5 out of 5 and 478, respectively. Users generally like how powerful this tool is, with one noting that it was able to partially break up a layer of ice under the primary layer of snow they were removing. The only obvious drawback is that, unlike DeWalt's tool, the Westinghouse Snow Shovel does need to be plugged into a power outlet to function. However, the tool is designed to receive bulky extension cords, so as long as you have an extension cord handy, you should be able to get the coverage you need.