In search of... The Perfect Snow Shovel

[Maenad]

Electric "power shovel." It looks like a toy, only about 15" wide, but it's light, always starts, and throws snow far enough to avoid a big berm.

OMG I didn't realize things like this existed! We need to replace our shovel for our walkway and I'm seriously thinking of this. Between old back injuries and asthma, this may be my new toy.

 

[Spock]

You tie a snow shovel to the grill of your car and drive south.
When somebody asks what it is, you've gone far enough.
So... to answer your question, you look for the most aerodynamic shovel to reduce wind resistance while driving.

 

[splitwdw]

OP, We both still work and don't want to have to shovel the steps and walks before we go to work. We bought heated mats for the steps and brick walkway. They are both too hard to shovel. For most snows in our area they work fine. A few very heavy snows have overwhelmed them but they will eventually melt the snow. If I'm home I usually am impatient and give them an assist with a broom. I use a standard straight handle snow shovel, corn broom and snow blower for everywhere else.

 

[RAE]

I have lived most of my life in Michigan and Wisconsin, so I've shoveled a lot of snow. Never bought a snowblower, never had a plow. I've used a variety of different snow shovels over the years, but the one I use most now is a very simple, lightweight shovel that is similar to this one at Lowe's:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Suncast-20-in-Poly-Snow-Shovel-with-51-in-Steel-Core-Handle/4065596

I have two of these, that I bought at a moving sale a few years ago, for about 3 bucks apiece. One has the metal edge, and one is just plastic. The cheaper all-plastic one is actually my favorite, as it is lighter and there is no metal edge to catch on rough sections of the driveway/walkway. Of course, the plastic one will wear out sooner, so I'll have to keep my eye out for another one in a year or two. Fortunately, we are not here for the whole winter anymore (we head south for a few months now). My neighbor takes care of snow removal when we are gone, so that is great.

I used to use one of the big snow scoopers that someone else posted a photo of. Some folks around here like them, but I don't. Yes, you can move a lot of snow with one scoop, but it takes a whole lot of effort to do it, especially when the snow is wet. I'll stick with my little plastic model, which moves less snow but takes less effort per push. Might take me a little longer to clear the driveway, but I just pace myself and don't get all that tired doing it.

 

[braumeister]

 

[misshathaway]

Got this from QVC and it works great, saves my back!

I have the same style. The spring from the second handle helps. My driveway has walls on both sides so it helps to get the snow over the wall.

 

[Midpack]

I have found the curved handle shovel to be a real back saver and would buy it again. Sorry but it’s been a few years so I can’t answer the other questions.

We have two so we can both shovel when it's really deep (we woke up to 2½ feet in one shot once). We have a standard straight handle and a curved handle shovel (with a foam handle in the middle too), but the latter gets used the most. We've had them so long I don't remember what we paid for them.

 

[MRG]

A Toro 726.

Backfill with a grain shovel and a broom.. keep a shovel in both vehicles too.

 

[CaptTom]

I have lived most of my life in Michigan and Wisconsin, so I've shoveled a lot of snow. Never bought a snowblower, never had a plow. I've used a variety of different snow shovels over the years, but the one I use most now is a very simple, lightweight shovel that is similar to this one at Lowe's:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Suncast-20-in-Poly-Snow-Shovel-with-51-in-Steel-Core-Handle/4065596

YES! That's my favorite too!

I have two, but I'm always on the lookout for another one like that. Sometimes our Lowe's has them, WalMart and the local supermarket used to get a few in this time of year, but recently they've been very scarce.

Interesting how some folks like the "pusher" and the "back saver" styles. I have a brand-new back saver, same as the grey one in the link above, but with the S-shaped handle. Nice shovel. It was given to me by someone who tried it and hated it. I did the same.

The thing is, around here anyway, at some point you have no choice but to have to toss the snow as far as you can. Until that point, those other shovels seem like a great idea. But when you have to throw one shovel-full at a time up over the snow bank from the last storm, that bent handle becomes an impediment, the pusher is out of it's league, and the flat shovel just doesn't move enough volume.

 

[FI_RElater]

...almost

You tie a snow shovel to the grill of your car and drive south.
When somebody asks what it is, you've gone far enough.
So... to answer your question, you look for the most aerodynamic shovel to reduce wind resistance while driving.

I think that the best snow shovel is one propped up against a palm tree on the beach (or on the beach) in Hawaii

https://l7.alamy.com/zooms/4893c3331c444f44a99ec307339972d2/shovel-stuck-in-sand-h7wcef.jpg

on my acreage, it’s several hundred feet to get to the road, before getting the snowblower I had to shovel. (with a couple of storms laying down over two feet a couple of years ago, it was time for it. It took a couple of days to get it plowed out enough for the vehicles; also now have a good sized 4x4 with good clearance for the lighter stuff when we need to get out for errands.)

 

[RunningBum]

This works well for heavy or deep snow:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A1CENK

 

[Koolau]

DW gave me a snow thrower for Christmas back in 2000. It was a real back-saver (maybe heart saver). I gave it to the family business when we moved to Paradise. YMMV

 

[imoldernu]

HOA for our villa hasn't failed us yet. Driveway and sidewalk clear by 8 A.M. then continuous cleaning throughout any storm.

One of the benefits of a CCRC. $150/mo. takes care of lawn, bushes, plants, trees, leaves, garage lights, yard lamp post and snow.

Jeanie and I both like snow, as long as we can sit by the fireplace and not go out. Except... first 4 inch snow, I still go out and make a snowman, and she bundles up and makes a snow angel.

We missed our 6+6 snowbirding for the first few years, but have never regretted staying north to enjoy the seasons.

Shovel is also retired, though ready for action... just in case. Probably 50+ years old.

 

[Walt34]

You tie a snow shovel to the grill of your car and drive south. When somebody asks what it is, you've gone far enough.<snip>

That's a variation of my original retirement plan - put the snow blower in the back of the pickup and drive south until people started asking what that machine was for.

Sadly, DW didn't want to go that far from family. I tried to explain that's what they make airplanes for but that didn't work either.

 

[ls99]

Since DW passed away, snow up to around 6", I just drive over it with 4WD truck, or AWD car. If a lot more than that then use snow blower.
Pic is at my camp's driveway, but it gives the idea.

 

[splitwdw]

ls99, The 1 time I didn't shovel the driveway, we had a thaw then a freeze on the the snow ruts in the driveway. Wasn't fun to drive (4wd) or walk on. I try to clear the snow as soon as possible. I don't care if the weather guy says it will be in the 60 the next day, I shovel!

 

[ls99]

For 20 years before I got married I had the same routine of driving on the stuff. Yeah it is a bit bouncy when frozen, helps to wake me up ) Can't be bothered with such things.

 

[gerntz]

I have a short, deep rounded face shovel. It doesn't hold a whole lot. And that's good. It helps protect my back. If it takes a little longer with it, so what?

 

[Spock]

Nobody is touting non-stick coatings on snow shovels as their favorite?
It's been 25 years since I shoveled snow (or mowed a lawn) down here, but the major malfunction in shoveling was always the wet sticky stuff sticking to the shovel, reducing shovel capacity and making you shovel the same snow 2-3 times when it stuck to the shovel

 

[braumeister]

snow up to around 6", I just drive over it.

Back in my youth I w*rked for several years in Syracuse where it was common to get 8-12 inches overnight. Since I had to be in the office by 7 am, the plows rarely got to my commuting route in time. But no problem! I had a VW Beetle and the damn thing was so light it just drove right over the drifts. I passed people who had bogged down in "regular" cars all the time. Kind of funny.

 

[ls99]

Back in my youth I w*rked for several years in Syracuse where it was common to get 8-12 inches overnight. Since I had to be in the office by 7 am, the plows rarely got to my commuting route in time. But no problem! I had a VW Beetle and the damn thing was so light it just drove right over the drifts. I passed people who had bogged down in "regular" cars all the time. Kind of funny.

True, the only new car I ever owned was a 71 SuperBeetle. Was great in snow, though once I managed to spin a 360 on a snowy curve, only lost a hubcap which I found a month or so later when the snow melted.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

This thread has jinxed us here, I think! Suddenly they're predicting a foot of snow by the end of this weekend. A foot is a significant amount for us, and we don't normally get more than a dusting in December.

And wouldn't you know that DW and I have pretty much cleared out the refrigerator and were planning on a major grocery run tomorrow anyway. Now we'll be fighting hand to hand for bread and milk.

 

[MRG]

Nobody is touting non-stick coatings on snow shovels as their favorite?
It's been 25 years since I shoveled snow (or mowed a lawn) down here, but the major malfunction in shoveling was always the wet sticky stuff sticking to the shovel, reducing shovel capacity and making you shovel the same snow 2-3 times when it stuck to the shovel

Depends where you live and what kind of snow. In the NE snow was sticky where we lived. In the SW it's a dry snow.....

 

[6miths]

Have two snowblowers - one is the traditional 28" Toro and the second is a very useful Stihl gas powered leaf blower that is excellent for dry snow - especially on steps and walkways - right down to the bare surface. Standard wide, straight handled push shovels though time to pick up a new one at Costco.

 

[Idnar7]

For snow over two inches we have a plow service. For an inch or two I use the Dakota Snow Plow. I can do the entire driveway in less than 10 minutes.