Tools & DIY
The Best Snow Shovels: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
We compared a wide snow pusher, two combination shovels and a spring-assisted lifting shovel on blade width and material, wear edge, handle, length and warranty, using each maker's published specs.
The short version
The SnowPlow 36" Original Snow Pusher is the best overall: a 36-inch UHMW polyethylene blade that pushes, scrapes and back-scrapes, with a 47.5-inch reinforced handle and parts made in the USA. The Suncast 24" Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher is the value pick, with a 24-inch blade that pushes and scoops, a powder-coated steel shaft and a galvanized steel wear strip. The Bully Tools 22" Combination Snow Shovel/Pusher suits taller users and composite deck owners thanks to its 56-inch length, thick poly edge with no metal strip and limited lifetime warranty, but it costs more than box-store combos. Skip the Snow Joe Shovelution: its 18-inch blade is the narrowest here and its spring handle is built around lifting and throwing, which is the motion a pusher lets you avoid. Best for: The SnowPlow for driveways and walks, Suncast for a low-cost all-rounder.
Our picks at a glance
- The SnowPlow 36" Original Snow Pusher - Buy. A 36-inch UHMW polyethylene pusher built to push, scrape and back-scrape snow without lifting it.
- Suncast 24" Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher (SC2450KDD) - Buy. A low-cost 24-inch shovel that pushes with its flat edge and scoops with its curved back.
- Bully Tools 22" Combination Snow Shovel/Pusher with Fiberglass Handle (92814) - It depends. A made-in-USA combination shovel with a thick poly edge, a fiberglass handle and a 56-inch overall length.
- Snow Joe Shovelution 18" Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01) - Skip. An 18-inch lifting shovel with a second, spring-assisted handle.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Type
- Blade width
- Blade material
- Wear edge
- Handle
- Overall length
Most snow shoveling strain comes from lifting and throwing, so the shape of the tool decides how hard the job is. Wide pushers move snow along the ground without lifting, combination shovels push and then scoop, and ergonomic lifting shovels try to make the throw easier. Blade material and the wear edge decide whether the tool lasts and whether it marks a deck. We picked a 36-inch commercial-style pusher, a budget combination shovel, a made-in-USA combination shovel with a long fiberglass handle, and a popular spring-assisted shovel.
A 36-inch UHMW polyethylene pusher built to push, scrape and back-scrape snow without lifting it.
Best for: Anyone clearing a flat driveway, sidewalk or patio who wants to push snow aside rather than lift it.
- The 36-inch blade clears a wide path on each pass, and JM Enterprises says snow slides off the UHMW plastic rather than sticking.
- The maker says the blade self-sharpens with use and works on concrete, blacktop, pavers, decks and more.
- It is designed, sourced and produced in the USA, and replacement blades, handles and braces are sold separately.
- It is a pusher, so it is not meant for scooping and throwing snow onto a high bank.
- A 36-inch blade is awkward on narrow paths and steps, where a smaller shovel works better.
- JM Enterprises does not publish a weight, and it costs more than typical store shovels.
A low-cost 24-inch shovel that pushes with its flat edge and scoops with its curved back.
Best for: Most households that want one inexpensive tool for walks, steps and small driveways.
- The blade combines a flat pushing edge with a curved back that collects snow, so one tool handles both jobs.
- A powder-coated steel shaft resists rust and a galvanized steel wear strip protects the blade edge.
- Suncast adds an angled rib pattern on the blade to resist snow sticking.
- Suncast lists only a 90-day warranty.
- Suncast does not publish the blade material or the weight.
- A steel wear strip can scratch soft surfaces such as composite decking.
A made-in-USA combination shovel with a thick poly edge, a fiberglass handle and a 56-inch overall length.
Best for: Taller users and anyone with composite or wood decks who wants a shovel built to last for years.
- The ultra-thick coated poly edge replaces a metal wear strip, which Bully Tools says makes it safe for composite decks.
- The fiberglass handle is coated in a polyester veil against splintering, and the D-grip is wide enough for work gloves.
- It is 100% made in the USA and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
- The 56-inch length suits taller users but can feel long for shorter people.
- At 3.6 lbs it is not the lightest combo shovel, and it costs more than budget combos.
- The 22-inch head clears a narrower path than the Suncast's 24 inches.
An 18-inch lifting shovel with a second, spring-assisted handle.
Best for: Only someone who must lift snow over a bank in a tight space and specifically wants a second handle.
- The second, spring-assisted handle gives leverage to your lower hand when you lift.
- An aluminum wear strip protects the edge of the poly blade.
- Snow Joe offers a 2-year warranty, longer than Suncast's.
- The 18-inch blade is the narrowest in this group, so clearing a driveway takes more passes.
- The design is built around lifting and throwing, while a pusher lets you avoid most lifting.
- Snow Joe says it reduces back strain by up to 30% but its product page gives no test method behind the figure.
- Snow Joe does not publish a weight, and the extra handle and spring add parts to a simple tool.
| Criteria | The SnowPlow 36" Original Snow Pusher Top pick | Suncast 24" Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher (SC2450KDD) | Bully Tools 22" Combination Snow Shovel/Pusher with Fiberglass Handle (92814) | Snow Joe Shovelution 18" Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | Anyone clearing a flat driveway, sidewalk or patio who wants to push snow aside rather than lift it. | Most households that want one inexpensive tool for walks, steps and small driveways. | Taller users and anyone with composite or wood decks who wants a shovel built to last for years. | Only someone who must lift snow over a bank in a tight space and specifically wants a second handle. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range |
| Type | Pusher | Combination push and scoop | Combination push and scoop | Lifting shovel with spring-assist handle |
| Blade width | 36 in | 24 in | 22 in | 18 in |
| Blade material | Virgin UHMW polyethylene | Not published | Polypropylene | Poly |
| Wear edge | Self-sharpening UHMW edge | Galvanized steel strip | Thick coated poly edge, no metal | Aluminum strip |
| Handle | 47.5 in reinforced, D-grip | Powder-coated steel shaft, D-grip | Fiberglass, poly D-grip | Two D-ring grips, spring-assisted |
| Overall length | Not published | 51.25 in | 56 in | 50 in assembled |
| Weight | Not published | Not published | 3.6 lbs | Not published |
| Made in | USA | Not stated | USA | Not stated |
| Warranty | Not stated on product page | 90 days | Limited lifetime | 2 years |
Which one is right for you?
- Anyone clearing a flat driveway, sidewalk or patio who wants to push snow aside rather than lift it. Buy it The SnowPlow 36" Original Snow Pusher
- Most households that want one inexpensive tool for walks, steps and small driveways. Buy it Suncast 24" Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher (SC2450KDD)
- Taller users and anyone with composite or wood decks who wants a shovel built to last for years. It depends Bully Tools 22" Combination Snow Shovel/Pusher with Fiberglass Handle (92814)
- Only someone who must lift snow over a bank in a tight space and specifically wants a second handle. Skip it Snow Joe Shovelution 18" Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01)
How we judged the field
Five things decide whether a snow shovel is worth buying. Tool type comes first: a pusher slides snow without lifting, a combination shovel pushes and scoops, and a lifting shovel is built to throw. Blade width sets how many passes a driveway takes and how heavy a full load gets. Blade material and the wear edge decide how long the edge lasts and whether it scratches a deck. Handle length and grip affect how much you bend and how well you can steer with gloves on. Warranty and replaceable parts round it out, since a cheap shovel that cracks mid-storm is no bargain.
The field splits into wide pushers, combination push-and-scoop shovels, and ergonomic lifting shovels. We picked The SnowPlow 36” as the pusher benchmark, the Suncast combo as the low-cost all-rounder, the Bully Tools combo for its made-in-USA build and deck-safe edge, and the Snow Joe Shovelution because it is a widely sold ergonomic shovel. Every spec comes from the maker’s own product page.
The SnowPlow 36” Original Snow Pusher is the tool to buy if most of your snow sits on flat ground. Its 36-inch blade is virgin UHMW polyethylene, which JM Enterprises says is highly wear and impact resistant, self-sharpens with use and lets snow slide off instead of sticking. You push, scrape and back-scrape, and the maker says it handles everything from fluff to packed snow and ice on concrete, blacktop, pavers and decks. The 47.5-inch handle is reinforced with twice the industry-standard wall thickness plus a plug insert, joined by a patented TUFFBRACE connector, and it bolts together in under five minutes with a wall clip for storage. It is designed, sourced and produced in the USA, and blades, handles and braces are sold separately. The trade-offs are that it is not built for lifting, a 36-inch blade is clumsy on steps, and no weight is published. For driveways, sidewalks and patios where you can push snow to the edge, this is the best choice here.
The Suncast 24” Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher (SC2450KDD) is the value pick because one inexpensive tool covers pushing and scooping. The flat front edge pushes snow, and the curved back of the 24 x 12 inch blade collects it so you can lift and toss the last pile. Suncast uses a powder-coated steel shaft to resist rust, a galvanized steel wear strip to protect the blade edge and an angled rib pattern to stop snow sticking, with a standard D-grip handle. Overall length is 51.25 inches. The limits are information and backing. Suncast does not publish the blade material or weight, the warranty is only 90 days, and a steel wear strip can mark composite decking. For walks, steps and small driveways, it is the easiest recommendation for most households, and it pairs well with a good pair of insulated gloves from our work gloves review.
Bully Tools 22” Combination Snow Shovel/Pusher with Fiberglass Handle (92814)
It dependsCheck price on AmazonThe Bully Tools 22” Combination Snow Shovel/Pusher is built for people who want one shovel to last for many winters. The 22 x 12.75 x 4.5 inch head is polypropylene with an ultra-thick coated edge, and Bully Tools left off the metal wear strip so it will not damage composite decks. The fiberglass handle has a polyester veil against splintering, the poly D-grip is sized for work gloves, and the head-to-handle joint is reinforced against wobble. It weighs 3.6 lbs, is 100% made in the USA and carries a limited lifetime warranty. The catch is fit and cost. The 56-inch overall length gives taller users leverage and less bending, but shorter users may find it unwieldy, and it costs more than box-store combos while clearing a narrower path than the Suncast. If you are tall, clear a deck, or are tired of replacing cracked shovels, it is worth the extra. Otherwise, the Suncast does the same basic job for less.
The Snow Joe Shovelution 18” Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01) is the one to skip. Its idea is a second, spring-assisted handle on the shaft that gives your lower hand leverage when you lift, with Snow Joe claiming it reduces back strain by up to 30%. The product page does not explain how that figure was measured. The blade is poly with an aluminum wear strip, the assembled length is 50 inches and the warranty is two years. The problem is that the whole design is built around lifting and throwing, and the 18-inch blade is the narrowest in this group, so a driveway takes more passes and more lifts. A pusher like The SnowPlow removes most lifting on flat ground, and a 24-inch combo like the Suncast pushes first and lifts only what it must. Snow Joe does not publish the weight, and the spring and second handle add parts to a simple tool. Snow Joe makes good gear, including the snow brush we recommend in our ice scraper review, but this is not the shovel to buy.
The SnowPlow (JM Enterprises) The SnowPlow 36” Original Snow Pusher vs Suncast 24” Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher (SC2450KDD): which should you buy?
The SnowPlow and the Suncast solve different problems. The SnowPlow’s 36-inch UHMW blade is built to push snow along flat ground without lifting, and it clears a wide path on every pass, which makes it the faster and easier tool on a driveway or long sidewalk. The Suncast’s 24-inch combination blade pushes too, but its curved back lets you scoop and throw, so it also handles steps, narrow paths and the heavy ridge a plow leaves at the end of the driveway.
If you clear a sizable flat area after every storm, buy The SnowPlow first and keep a smaller shovel for steps. If you clear a short walk and a few steps, or want a single tool at the lowest cost, the Suncast is enough. Many households end up owning both: the wide pusher for open ground, the combo for everything the pusher cannot reach.
What to look for
- Push versus lift: Choose a pusher for flat ground, and a combination shovel if you also need to scoop and throw.
- Blade width: Wider blades clear more per pass but get heavy when you lift wet snow, so match width to how you clear.
- Wear edge: Metal strips protect plastic blades on concrete, while a thick plastic edge is gentler on decks.
- Handle length: A longer handle reduces bending for taller users, and a D-grip should fit gloved hands.
- Replaceable parts: Separate blades and handles let you repair a good tool instead of throwing it away.
- Warranty: Terms range from 90 days to lifetime, which says a lot about how long the maker expects it to last.
Our final take
For most driveways and sidewalks, The SnowPlow 36” Original Snow Pusher is the shovel to buy, because pushing snow aside is easier on your back than lifting it and the wide UHMW blade clears a lot per pass. If you want one low-cost tool that pushes and scoops, the Suncast 24” combo covers walks, steps and small driveways. Taller users and deck owners should look at the Bully Tools 22” combo for its long fiberglass handle, deck-safe edge and lifetime warranty. Skip the Snow Joe Shovelution, whose narrow blade and spring handle make you lift more snow, not less.
Questions, answered
Is a snow pusher better than a regular snow shovel?
For flat driveways and sidewalks, a pusher usually means less work because you slide snow to the edge instead of lifting it. The SnowPlow 36" is built for exactly that and its maker says it is not meant for lifting or scooping. A pusher is weaker at steps, narrow paths and throwing snow onto a tall bank. Many people end up with a wide pusher for the driveway and a smaller combination shovel for everything else.
What size snow shovel should I get?
Wider blades clear more per pass but get heavy fast when snow is wet. A 24-inch combination blade like the Suncast is a good all-round size for walks and small driveways. A 36-inch pusher suits long, flat surfaces where you never need to lift. An 18-inch blade like the Shovelution's is easier to lift full but takes more passes on a driveway.
Will a metal wear strip damage my deck?
It can mark softer surfaces. Steel and aluminum wear strips protect a plastic blade on concrete and asphalt, but on composite or wood decking they can scratch. Bully Tools designed its 22-inch combo with a thick coated poly edge and no metal strip for that reason, and says it is safe for composite decks. If you clear a deck often, a shovel without a metal edge is the safer choice.
How do I shovel snow without hurting my back?
Push snow where you can instead of lifting it, take smaller loads when you must lift, and bend at the knees rather than the waist. A longer handle reduces how far you bend, which is why the Bully Tools combo's 56-inch length suits taller users. Ready.gov advises avoiding overexertion when shoveling snow to reduce the risk of a heart attack, so take breaks and stop if you feel unwell. For very large areas or heavy, repeated storms, our snow blower review covers machines that take the lifting off you entirely.
Is a plastic or metal snow shovel blade better?
Plastic blades are lighter and less likely to mark surfaces, and slick plastics shed snow more easily. Metal blades are better at chipping ice but are heavier and can scratch. Most modern home shovels use a plastic blade with a metal or thick plastic wear edge as a compromise. The SnowPlow uses UHMW polyethylene, which its maker says resists wear and sticking, while the Suncast and Snow Joe add metal strips to plastic blades.
Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: The SnowPlow 36" Original Snow Pusher vs Suncast 24" Combo Snow Shovel and Pusher (SC2450KDD).
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