We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Home Products Patio Furniture & Outdoors We Braved Snow, Wind, Sludge, and Sleet to Find the 5 Best Snow Blowers of 2024 Our winner is easy to use and plowed through thick piles of snow with ease By Cai Cramer Cai Cramer Cai Cramer is a shopping writer at PEOPLE.com with 2 years’ experience in journalism and digital media. She regularly tests the best and buzziest products in the beauty and lifestyle spaces and has researched and written about moisturizers, blow dryers, clothing, and luggage, among many other popular products. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 23, 2024 11:42AM EDT In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Add to Cart What to Know Behind the Scenes Why Trust PEOPLE? What Is PEOPLE Tested? Photo: People/Anna Knief Instead of hauling out a cumbersome snow shovel this winter, you can pull out your winter boots, heated coat, and a snow blower and clear your driveway and sidewalks with the push of a button. To find the best snow blowers available, we took to our driveways to determine which ones plowed through thick piles of snow with ease. According to Cheryl Higley, director of education at the Snow and Ice Management Association, anyone in the market for a snow blower should consider “the type of snow, the accumulation amount they plan to clear, and the surface type they’ll be clearing” when picking the right machine for their needs. We braved snow, wind, sludge, and sleet to find the absolute best snow blowers, rating them on performance, ease of use, safety, and value. In the end, we were left with five top-performing machines. Keep reading to find the best snow blower to clear your paths with ease. Our Top Picks Best Snow Blower Overall: Cub Cadet 2X IntelliPower Snow Blower at Cubcadet.com Jump to Review Best Budget Snow Blower: EGO Power+ Cordless Single-Stage Snow Blower at Amazon $700 Jump to Review Best Cordless Snow Blower: EGO Power+ Cordless 2-Stage Snow Blower at Amazon $1,500 Jump to Review Best Self-Propelled Snow Blower: Ariens Classic Snow Blower at Amazon $1,495 Jump to Review Best Snow Blower for Heavy Snow: Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO at Amazon $1,825 Jump to Review Best Ice Scraper: Moyidea Extendable Ice Scraper Snow Brush at Amazon $15 Jump to Review Best Heated Jacket: SALE Ororo Classic Heated Jacket at Amazon $200 $160 Jump to Review Best Snow Blower Overall Cub Cadet 2X IntelliPower Snow Blower PHOTO: People / Anna Knief View on Cubcadet.com $1,300 at Farmandfleet.com View on Acmetools.com Star Qualities Very easy to maneuver with steering assist Multiple speed options allow you to clear snow at your own pace Tires have deep treads, which helps ensure they don’t slip Red Flags Takes a bit of time (and some tools) to assemble One of the trickiest parts of clearing snow from a driveway is maneuvering the snow blower. But the Cub Cadet snow blower was shockingly simple to maneuver thanks to steering assist, and the multiple speed options allowed us to plow through varied snow thicknesses with no trouble. It turned on a dime with barely any effort on our part. We tested this machine through 7 inches of powdery snow on a -5-degree day and had no trouble turning it on with the helpful electric start. The choke was easy to adjust, and the tires had plenty of grip on ice, slush, and snow and never slipped. Even on a day with thicker, wetter snow, we had no trouble guiding this machine to clear it all without needing to adjust anything. This machine came mostly assembled, but the tube frame that all the controls are mounted onto needed to be unfolded, levered into place, and then secured with bolts. Some of the control wires that run from the handles to the various systems had to be shifted around so that they didn't catch on anything. Power Source: Gas | Weight: 227 pounds | Dimensions: 35 x 28 x 48.5 inches | Throw Distance: 40 feet | Ideal Snow Depth: Up to 12 inches PHOTO: People / Anna Knief PHOTO: People / Anna Knief Best Budget Snow Blower EGO Power+ Cordless Single-Stage Snow Blower PHOTO: People / Katie Bowler $700 $599 at Amazon $31 at Walmart $599 at Ace Hardware Star Qualities Very quick setup Uses rechargeable batteries instead of gas Small footprint makes this snow blower easy to store Red Flags Doesn’t have as many features as more expensive options This snow blower gets the job done — and for a fraction of the price of other machines. The Ego Power+ Peak snow blower took just 10 minutes for us to assemble and quickly cleared 3 inches of powdery snow from a two-car driveway. Powdery, light snow is naturally easier for snow blowers to tackle, so we brought this machine out for a second time after a particularly dense, wet snowfall. This time, we had to adjust the chute and fiddle with the auger speed. We were pleasantly surprised at how well this budget-friendly model cut through the denser snow, though when the snowfall got above 4 inches, we had to go over those patches with the machine a few times. Another helpful feature of this machine is an attached headlamp to light your path through the dark. Even on a -25-degree day, we were able to easily start this blower with a push-start button. While it might not have as many bells and whistles as the more expensive options, the Ego Power+ Peak snow blower has everything we need to clear away light and heavy snow with no clogging, slipping, or dead batteries. Power Source: Battery | Weight: 60 pounds | Dimensions: 45 x 35 x 22 inches | Throw Distance: 35 feet | Ideal Snow Depth: Up to 8 inches People / Katie Bowler Best Cordless Snow Blower EGO Power+ Cordless 2-Stage Snow Blower PHOTO: People / Anna Knief $1,500 $1,399 at Amazon $85 at Walmart $1,399 at Ace Hardware Star Qualities Rechargeable batteries mean no gas, fumes, or smell Batteries held up through our 45-minute test Red Flags Took a bit of adjusting to make it work on different surfaces Rechargeable batteries are to thank for the Ego Cordless 2-Stage Snow Blower’s power — which means no gas, no fumes, and no smell. This model is more expensive than the other Ego cordless snow blower we tested, but it can handle 10 more inches of snow than the cheaper model. The batteries lasted through 45 minutes of testing without needing a recharge. We were able to successfully clear a 10-foot-wide one-car driveway and 35 yards of hilly sidewalk with this machine. Our one complaint with this two-stage snow blower was the manual adjustment required to position the skid shoes (the plastic shims that govern how far the snow-sucking mechanism is lifted from the pavement). The sidewalk that we tested this machine on was uneven, and this required us to go back and adjust the skid shoes a few times so that it would remove enough snow without dragging on the pavement. Power Source: Battery | Weight: 150 pounds | Dimensions: 45 x 26 x 49 inches | Throw Distance: 50 feet | Ideal Snow Depth: Up to 8 inches PHOTO: People / Anna Knief PHOTO: People / Anna Knief Best Self-Propelled Snow Blower Ariens Classic Snow Blower PHOTO: People / Ashley Craiger $1,495 at Amazon $1,149 at Lowe's $1,149 at Ace Hardware Star Qualities Self-propelling feature makes for easy maneuvering Compact design takes up less space for storage Cut through large piles of snow easily and quickly Red Flags Setup took about 40 minutes before first use The Ariens Classic snow blower blew us away (pun intended). Two thick-treaded wheels lift the base of this machine off the ground, and a self-propelling feature offers six forward and two reverse speeds to help you easily go up or down driveways and sidewalks at an incline without any strenuous pushing. On the day we tested this snow blower, we faced 4.3 inches of wet snow covering the driveway and more than a foot of snow piled at the end of the driveway. The Ariens Classic easily cut through heavy, wet snow down the driveway and handled the foot-high pile of snow within just a few minutes. While this machine cleared the snow quickly, it took about 40 minutes to set up. The snow blower comes with both paper and video instructions and requires you to have a few tools at home to assemble. Power Source: Gas | Weight: 187 pounds | Dimensions: 44 x 26 x 54 inches | Throw Distance: 40 feet | Ideal Snow Depth: Up to 12 inches People / Ashley Craiger The 6 Best Electric Fireplaces We Tested for Cozy Warmth and Ambiance Best Snow Blower for Heavy Snow Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO PHOTO: People / Jodi Espinosa $1,825 at Amazon View on Ariens.com View on Aeoutdoorpower.com Star Qualities Can clear a large path in seconds Offers both choke and electric start options Great extra features like LED headlights and auger-control grips Red Flags Very large machine might be hard to store Heavy-duty snow piles were no match for this tough snow blower. The gas-powered machine easily cut through tall end-of-driveway snow piles, and though the machine itself is quite heavy, the self-propelling feature made it feel light and easy to maneuver. We tried out both the electric start and choke-start options and found that both turned the machine on quickly and easily. The electric-start option might come in handy during colder temperatures because it doesn’t require the tugging of a choke start. The machine’s chute has a lever on the side that makes it easy to direct the snow away from the path, and it comes with an ice scraper to remove any possible clogs in the machine. Another handy feature is an auger-control option on the handle grips that allows you to keep the self-propelling function going without the auger. This machine also comes with LED headlights for plowing any time of day. Overall, this machine was easy to set up and use, and we recommend it to anyone who wants a snow blower that can easily tackle big jobs with minimal effort. Power Source: Battery | Weight: 267.5 pounds | Dimensions: 45 x 30 x59 inches | Throw Distance: 55 feet | Ideal Snow Depth: Up to 14 inches People / Jodi Espinosa The 13 Best Women’s Winter Coats and Jackets of 2024, Tested and Reviewed Add to Cart While a snow blower can drastically reduce the time it takes to clear your driveway, using one will still require you to be out in the cold for a bit. To make braving the cold temperatures more bearable, we recommend the following PEOPLE Tested cold-weather winners. Moyidea Extendable Ice Scraper Snow Brush $15 at Amazon Ororo Classic Heated Jacket $200 $160 at Amazon View on Ororowear.com View on Acmetools.com What to Know About Snow Blowers Types of Snow Blowers Traditionally, snow blowers (much like lawn mowers) relied on gas and oil as the sole source of power. Nowadays, you can also find a handful of electric-powered options on the market. Both gas and electric snow blowers have pros and cons: Gas-powered snow blowers are often more powerful than their electric counterparts but also give off fumes that can negatively affect the environment. While electric snow blowers are more eco-friendly, Higley tells us they’re only recommended for light, fluffy snow because they’re less durable than their gas-powered counterparts. Single-stage snow blowers use an auger to pick up and propel the snow out of your path. They usually can't handle quite as much snow as double-stage machines. Double-stage snow blowers use an auger to pick up the snow and a separate fan-like mechanism to throw the snow away from your path. Double-stage machines can typically throw the snow further than single-stage machines. Surface Type While snow blowers can be used on concrete and asphalt driveways without worry, Higley says gravel driveways are a different story. “If you're clearing a gravel driveway, you will need to choose a two-stage blower,” Higley says. “The paddles on electric and one-stage blowers make contact with the surface, so you risk throwing rocks and gravel with these machines.” Our top pick for a two-stage blower is the Cub Cadet 2X 26-Inch IntelliPower Snow Blower. Climate The right snow blower for you is highly dependent on the climate that you live in — whether you get lots of snow or just a sprinkling (or if the snow tends to be moist and dense or light and powdery). If you live in a climate that tends to get a lot of sun and snow during the winter, you should keep in mind that melted snow that freezes over can turn into icy sludge that might require a tougher machine. Each snow blower is rated for different depths and types of snow, so it’s important to keep that in mind when choosing the right machine for your local climate. Price Range While most double-stage snow blowers are in the $1,000-$1,700 range, you can find less expensive singe-stage models for around $600, including our pick for the best budget snow blower, the Ego Power+ Peak Power 21-Inch Snow Blower. People / Anna Knief The 8 Best Men’s Winter Coats, Tested in the Cold Behind the Scenes We tested the best snow blowers on the market to narrow it down to the five top-performing machines. We rated each snow blower on design, performance, ease of use, value, and safety. Setup: We began our tests by removing the snow blowers from their boxes and thoroughly reading any instructions and safety information. Using a stopwatch, we timed how long it took to assemble the snow blower. Once the snow blowers were charged or filled with gas, we waited for a snowy day to put them to the test on our driveways and sidewalks.Performance: Not all snowfall is the same — wetter snow can be more difficult to pick up than dry, fluffy snow and icier conditions create more challenges — so we took that into account when assessing each snow blower. We also took note of the size of each driveway and sidewalk that we plowed so that we had a clearer picture of how long each machine took to clear the driveways. We tested each snow blower multiple times during different snowfalls and took careful note of how easy each snow blower was to push, how many times we had to go over the same area to fully clear it, and how easy each machine was to store. At the end of our winter testing period, we determined the five best snow blowers to clear your path quickly and efficiently. Our top pick, the Cub Cadet 2X 26-Inch IntelliPower Snow Blower, impressed us with its power and maneuverability. Why Trust PEOPLE? Cai Cramer is a staff shopping writer for PEOPLE who covers the beauty, fashion, health, and lifestyle spaces. To compile this article, she consulted our testers for their opinions on a range of snow blowers, considering design, ease of use, performance, and safety. Cai grew up in snowy Colorado and knows from experience how frustrating large snowfalls can be when clearing your driveway. During her research, she also spoke with expert Cheryl Higley. Our Expert Panel Cheryl Higley is the director of education at the Snow and Ice Management Association. What Is PEOPLE Tested? We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs. But we don't stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we've awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square. In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.