# Electric Snow Blowers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 25, 2026, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022 "2026-01-25T22:13:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/81 "2026-01-27T21:17:14Z")
Yeah. I knew a neighbor who had a stupid steep twisty driveway about 5 carlengths long. Impassable w even a touch of ice or wet snow. He tried an electric surface deicer. Expensive to buy, expensive to install, expensive to operate. And not very effective for all that. Ref the current thread on windshield de-icing, maybe we need roofs made of sheet glass with Rain-X applied w a mop before each storm. šŸ˜‰ Heck, if we blended in some long-lived radioactive waste, the glass would be self-heating for the life of the house. šŸ¤Ŗ ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/82 "2026-01-27T21:36:47Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > If I were really concerned about it, Iā€™d go for metal roofing, which is effective and looks pretty neat. I was going to say, i bought an aluminum roof, and now the snow basically slides off instead of creating ice dams. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/83 "2026-01-28T01:27:29Z")
Michigander here. Over the years Iā€™ve owned several battery electric snowblowers, including a 40v Snow Joe single stage, an 80v snow joe 2-stage, a 100v Snow Joe single stage, an ego 56v single stage, and my current setup, which is a Toro e21 60v single stage blower for most snowballs and a Toro 60v 2-stage 24 inch blower for the really serious shit. The Toro blowers are far and away the most powerful I have used, doing a much better job even than the EGO. The e21 will easily throw fluffy Snow up 3 feet and over 12 feet if needed, though you may need to take it off EGO mode for that. However it is not self propelled in any way, so you need to push it. In thicker, heavier snow that can be challenge for someone smaller (Iā€™m 6 feet and about 220 lbs of fat,muscle,and bone in that order). However, there is a reason I save the 2 stage for the worst snows. Those things are beasts to manage. Yes, they are self propelled but unless you find one with a turning axle, the self propulsion is in a straight line only. Sure, the snow helps you slide-turn it but itā€™s still heavy. Even the ones that are steering capable can be challenging to turn in a tight enough radius. Also, the 2 stage blowers with enough batteries to run them are expensive AF. Like 1500+. I got mine at an auction for about 900, and itā€™s not a steerable unit, so it only comes out if we get a doozy. Good luck in your search! ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/84 "2026-01-28T01:54:26Z")
I have a small iceberg blocking half of my driveway. I did maintain a clearing for one car to easily exit the driveway but the accumulation from the plows was constant and decided not to clear all of it. Now the accumulation is mostly ice. I was hoping it would gradually melt away but if we get another storm this weekend, it may actually grow larger. I am starting to think of it as a feature. I will refer to it as an ā€œArctic Outpostā€ and decorate it with plastic penguins. šŸ§ šŸ§ šŸ§ ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/85 "2026-01-28T01:59:24Z")
Anyone have opinions on the relative benefits of a wheel-driven vs auger-driven snowblower? ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/86 "2026-01-28T02:38:16Z")
Wheel driven are generally harder to turn around at thr end of the driveway/sidewalk. Auger driven wear out the auger more quickly and are really more auger ā€œassisted" than driven ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/87 "2026-01-28T13:25:12Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Our big problem is finding places to put the snow over the now 4 foot high snowbanks and the snowblower was able to move the snow over them easily. The problem I see is we get heavy wet snow, and I donā€™t know if the machine would be powerful enough for that. Yes. Snow storage. I recently lived in the mountains of Colorado, and that was a problem. I would plow and plow and plow. I had a Kubota tractor to move/break up the snow storage areas. We had a nice deck that was about 3 feet off the ground. We shoveled that, but it would get to the point that that shoveled snow had to be moved. Usually about twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/88 "2026-01-28T18:57:36Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > and I discard the unused gasoline thatā€™s still in my gas can. Do you actually discard it? I just put it into my carā€™s tank, even if itā€™s somewhat degraded over the past 6 months itā€™s diluted enough with the rest of the gas that itā€™s not going to cause any issues. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/89 "2026-01-28T19:08:17Z")
Same. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/90 "2026-01-28T19:19:09Z")
Also same. I try not to buy a lot more gas than Iā€™ll need for the lawn, and i burn it in my car in the fall. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/91 "2026-01-28T19:25:20Z")
Yeah, itā€™s a lot easier to plan out the gas for a lawnmower than a snowblower though. I buy a can of gas around November to get ready, sometimes I buy 4 more cans over the season, sometimes that can is still full in March. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/92 "2026-01-28T20:03:36Z")
For the snowblower, I just buy a couple of bucks of premium when a major storm is predicted. Iā€™m generally astounded at how little the blower uses, so I make a pint of not filling it up, so as not to have to burn it off in the spring. (Some years back I got tired of trying to siphon out the dregs.). If it hasnā€™t been used for a couple of months, I may empty the can into my car and buy another couple of bucks worth. Very happy when we bought this house, as our neighborsā€™ driveways are at the opposite sides of their houses from ours. So we can spray/pile snow however we wish without having to keep it off a neighboring drive. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/93 "2026-01-28T22:22:44Z")
Never ever had a problem with gas going bad. Never drained my string trimmer or anything else. Iā€™m all electric now so sort of a mooooow point "Cowā€™s donā€™t careā€™ ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/94 "2026-01-31T23:20:36Z")
I decided to hire a plow guy. It seems that a snowblower that would reliably move snow over my retaining wall would be expensive, hard to use, and hard to store. I hired the company they employs the guy who gave me a free half plow. They do the driveways of the next door neighbor and the guy across the street. They quoted us $25 per inch of snow that falls. I hope they donā€™t come by every time thereā€™s a dusting, but unless we get a ton of snow, thatā€™s going to cost less and be less work than getting a snowblower. The neighbor says they didnā€™t plow the driveway wide enough. But they also came by 3 times in the last storm, and got the driveways passable faster than i would have. And I donā€™t mind cleaning up around the edges. I donā€™t really mind shoveling if thereā€™s not so much i get worn out. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/95 "2026-01-31T23:23:39Z")
Also, i never buy more than a gallon at a time. If thereā€™s a lot of rain and Iā€™ve fertilized the lawn, i may buy gas a couple of times over the summer, which is good. That means itā€™s always reasonably fresh. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/96 "2026-01-31T23:24:42Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > They quoted us $25 per inch of snow that falls. That sounds like a lot, though perhaps thereā€™s little snowfall where you live? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/97 "2026-01-31T23:26:31Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > They quoted us $25 per inch of snow that falls. That seems like a lot. (ninjaā€™d) ETA: unless they are also carting the snow away. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/98 "2026-01-31T23:33:42Z")
Naw, they donā€™t carry it away. Last time, he dragged it into the street then shoved it into the snowbank ā€œdownstreamā€ of our driveway. (To the right, looking out from the house.) Weā€™ll see. Maybe we wonā€™t hire them next year. Based on what the neighbor said they charged for the previous storm, they round down the inches. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/99 "2026-01-31T23:52:18Z")
We would have paid over $750 for the two storms in the last two weeks at those prices! We have a ling driveway and a large 40ā€™ X 40ā€™ area at the top of it. We were quoted $175 for anything under 12 inches, and $250 for anything above that. I live in a really expensive town, top 10% town in one of the top 5 states for house prices. Everything is more expensive here. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022/100 "2026-01-31T23:54:50Z")
They were charged $50 for the first storm, and havenā€™t been charged yet for the recent one. Your prices seem more predictable. But Iā€™m going to see how this goes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-snow-blowers/1027022.md?page=4)