The 8 Best Snow Shovels of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Yeoman BustR Snow Shovel

5

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

The Yeoman BustR Snow Shovel is our best overall pick, because it has a long handle with two comfortable grips and has reinforced blade to cut through tough snow and ice. Although we didn't receive as much snow as anticipated during our testing period with this shovel, we were still very impressed by its performance and design. The handle is made from steel and has a D-shape grip at the end with an additional foam grip in the middle of the handle. This shovel's blade is also angled slightly upward, making it comfortable to use as a push shovel in addition to a traditional scoop shovel.

As its name would suggest, we had no problem busting through ice and heavy, damp snow when clearing a two-car driveway. The steel wear strip made it easy to cut a clean path and efficiently shovel the driveway, despite this shovel's smaller blade width. If you have an oversized driveway, we recommend looking for a shovel with a larger blade to save time and energy. Although this shovel is relatively simple in design, we think it's a great option for anyone who is searching for a reliable, yet sturdy shovel to get through the winter weather.

Price at time of publish: $67

_{Type: Manual | Material: Poly and steel | Blade Width: 18 inches | Dimensions: 55 x 18 inches | Weight: 4 pounds}

Best Budget

True Temper 18- Inch Steel Snow Shovel

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.3/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

If you only have to shovel snow once in a blue moon, the Temper True Steel Snow Shovel is an affordable yet reliable model. This no-frills shovel has a lightweight 18-inch blade supported by a 36-inch straight wooden handle, and its steel wear strip helps to extend the life of the blade and break through stubborn patches of ice. It might not have the extra features of other shovels, but its metal, reinforced blade is strong enough to support areas that experience less severe winter weather. 

We noticed during testing that this shovel was slightly too heavy for comfortable, extended use, but the extra weight made it easier to clear impacted, previously driven-over ice. It's standard D-grip makes it easy to maneuver and use. While overall we found this shovel average in comfort, we note that the design wasn't built to be especially ergonomic. Although it's a standard shovel with no special features, we appreciate its durable build and think it's a great budget pick.

Price at time of publish: $50

_{Type: Manual | Material: Steel | Blade Width: 18 inches | Dimensions: 3.75 x 18 x 49.5 inches | Weight: 4 pounds}

Best Lightweight

Suncast SC3250 18-Inch Snow Shovel/Pusher Combo

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

While there are plenty of snow shovels designed with curved handles to prevent bending over as much, we especially like the Suncast's 40-inch-long steel handle, which should keep taller folks upright longer. We also appreciate the ridges in the handle, making this shovel very push-friendly and super-easy to maneuver. The handle's ridges help you keep a good grip on the shovel, plus it's extremely lightweight with a durable plastic blade. 

The galvanized steel wear strip lines the edge of the plastic blade to prevent it from cracking and chipping over time. However, we found that it makes removing wet, densely packed snow difficult, especially when it's over a layer of ice. The 18-inch scoop holds a good amount of snow, minimizing the number of times you have to toss it away. We also confidently used the scoop to chip away snow-turned-to-ice without worrying that the blade would break. While this snow shovel doesn’t come with a lot of bells and whistles, the ergonomic handle and deep scoop make clearing snow a less-painful process. 

Price at time of publish: $73

_{Type: Push | Material: Steel | Blade Width: 18 inches | Dimensions: 52 x 18 inches | Weight: 4 pounds}

Best Pusher

Bully Tools 27-Inch Fiberglass D-Grip Handle Snow Pusher

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  4.8/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  4.3/5

We used the Bully Tools 27-inch Poly Snow Pusher to clear a driveway of that had frozen into ice from a light snow and rain mix. Not only were we impressed by the high-quality materials, but also we never worried about breaking the blade on the ice. We found that with a little effort, we could get the coated-steel blade under the ice to thrust and break it up.

We don't expect the same performance when trying to break up solid, days-old ice, but we think this shovel could effectively clear snow and ice from most surfaces, combined with the appropriate use of an ice pick. The 47-inch-long handle, made of reinforced fiberglass, with a D-grip; and an extended-length ferrule contribute to this shovel's durability against compacted snow and ice. While we didn't become overly tired while using this shovel, we would have preferred a curved handle for less stress on our backs. We also appreciate the product's warranties: limited lifetime against defects in materials and workmanship, and an unconditional warranty on the wood-filled fiberglass handle.

Price at time of publish: $44

_{Type: Push | Material: Fiberglass, Alloy Steel | Blade Width: 27 inches | Dimensions: 57 x 27 x 4 inches | Weight: 5 pounds}

Best Wide

Garant NSP24D Nordic 24-Inch Steel Blade Snow Pusher

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

A wide snow shovel can make the world of difference between spending hours shoveling in the cold or staying warm inside after a quick 20-minute shovel job. We were particularly impressed by the Garant Steel Blade Snow Pusher, which is still lightweight enough to maneuver easily, but heavy-duty enough to clear a path in one sweep. We used this shovel several times in various snow conditions and continued to be impressed by its durability and consistency. In addition to easily clearing pavement, this shovel was also able to clear a pathway made from paver stones and a wooden deck.

Although the wooden handle was initially a concern for us, after unboxing, we found that it has a great stain coating on it to prevent rot and water log. We only had trouble using this shovel on stairs—especially narrow stairs—which were not easy to clear, given the shovel blade's weight. It actually chipped off pieces of the wooden stairs we were trying to clear, which speaks to the blade's strength. We recommend having a shovel with a plastic blade for any steps you may need to clear. Overall, we were very pleased with this shovel's width and blade weight.

Price at time of publish: $74

_{Type: Pusher | Material: Steel and wood | Blade Width: 24 inches | Dimensions: 54 x 24 inches | Weight: 7 pounds}

Best for Ice

True Temper 20-Inch Aluminum Combo Blade Snow Shovel

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  4.8/5

The True Temper 20-Inch Aluminum Combo Blade Snow Shovel may not look like much, but we've decided it is an essential snow-clearing tool for homeowners who experience the aftermath of snow plows at the bottom of their driveways and walkways. This shovel's aluminum blade was great at breaking up huge chunks of compacted snow, and it was also helpful for eliminating stubborn patches of thick ice slush.

We found it comfortable to push this shovel and use it as a traditional scoop, but we will note that it's not as effective as traditional pusher shovels with wide blades. The curve handle also provides added support for back fatigue, and the D-shape grip is oversized, so you can comfortably hold it while wearing thick winter gloves. Although you may find the aluminum blade flimsy at times, if overloaded with too much heavy snow, we think this shovel is sure to last you several seasons, plus it's relatively affordable.

Price at time of publish: $40

_{Type: Combo | Material: Aluminum, poly, and steel | Blade Width: 20 inches | Dimensions: 53.3 x 20.1 x 6.78 inches | Weight: 5.5 pounds}

Best for Cars

BirdRock 34" Folding Emergency Snow Shovel

4.5

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Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Durability
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

A collapsible snow shovel can be a convenient tool if you leave your office building to find your car covered in snow, or need to move snow chunks away from your car tires. The Birdrock Home 34-Inch Folding Emergency Snow Shovel can collapse to fit nearly in the trunk of a car or under a car seat. It has two locking positions to make it either 28 or 34 inches long for various needs while shoveling around your car.

We found that having this shovel in the trunk of a car offered great comfort during unpredictable winter weather, plus it's easy to lock into position for emergency needs. The metal blade makes this shovel great for pulling or scooping wet snow out from under car tires. While we didn't have a chance to test its effectiveness against ice, we think the metal blade should stand up well and be helpful for breaking chunks of ice around a car. We don't think this shovel would become damaged during use, but we expect that the red paint may chip or scrape over time. Although this shovel is slightly more expensive than we think is necessary, it is a great tool to keep in your car for emergency needs.

Price at time of publish: $40

_{Type: Compact | Material: Rubber and aluminum | Blade Width: 9 inches | Dimensions: 34 x 9 x 2 inches | Weight: 2 pounds}