Snow Shovel Recommendations ?

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Dwight_Frye

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I did a search in this area and also in the Tool Time Forum and didn't see the topic covered, so here is my question:
I just moved from sea level to a small California mountain community. We are at between 5000-6000 ft. of elevation so we get a little snow each year. Yesterday we received about 5 inches.

I was at Home Depot a few days ago and they didn't have any snow shovels for sale. The snow is already melting but I want to be ready for the next time. The streets are plowed so I just need to shovel my concrete walkway and driveway, especially the apron where the snow gets built up from the city snowplow.

I am seeing a lot of 18" wide shovels for sale at Lowes and Home Depot but that doesn't seem wide enough to me. Also a lot of fiberglass or plastic shovels. I understand the weight savings aspect but are those tough enough to hack through some frozen over berms at the end of my driveway ? Being that my home is at about 6000' elevation I also don't want to get a heart attack trying to shovel more weight and volume than I can handle so maybe an 18" plastic shovel makes sense ? I lived in Buffalo as a kid but living in SouCal for more than a half century has done a pretty good job of erasing my memory of the chore of shoveling the driveway.

What are you guys who just need a light duty snow shovel using ?
 
I use a 26" or so curved plastic shovel from a nearby mom and pop hardware store. The plastic is a bit thicker than the box store versions it seems, but I prefer plastic over the shovels with the metal strip on the bottom. the metal strip will get caught on uneven sections of driveway and make it harder to push snow while the plastic one will slide much easier.

The one I have looks almost exactly like this:

Snow Shovel 26"
 
^ I agree on plastic for a push shovel. They slide easier and conform better to the underlying pavement so they clean better.
 
Unless it's got a metal wear edge on it, plastic snow shovels are junk after a winter or two for me.

I bought (mail ordered) a heavy-duty metal 30" pusher about 10yrs ago. Garant brand I believe? The scraper edge is a bit worn out, but it's still a monster snow mover.
 
As Randy mentioned, my main shovel is an aluminum push type with a steel wear strip. I've had the shovel over 20 years, having replaced the wear strip about four times.

It's good to have other types on hand as well. For the deep dry snow I use a flatter shovel.

Any snow shovel should have a "D" handle. They're a pain to use without it.
 
Originally Posted by Dwight_Frye
I did a search in this area and also in the Tool Time Forum and didn't see the topic covered, so here is my question:
I just moved from sea level to a small California mountain community. We are at between 5000-6000 ft. of elevation so we get a little snow each year. Yesterday we received about 5 inches.

I was at Home Depot a few days ago and they didn't have any snow shovels for sale. The snow is already melting but I want to be ready for the next time. The streets are plowed so I just need to shovel my concrete walkway and driveway, especially the apron where the snow gets built up from the city snowplow.

I am seeing a lot of 18" wide shovels for sale at Lowes and Home Depot but that doesn't seem wide enough to me. Also a lot of fiberglass or plastic shovels. I understand the weight savings aspect but are those tough enough to hack through some frozen over berms at the end of my driveway ? Being that my home is at about 6000' elevation I also don't want to get a heart attack trying to shovel more weight and volume than I can handle so maybe an 18" plastic shovel makes sense ? I lived in Buffalo as a kid but living in SouCal for more than a half century has done a pretty good job of erasing my memory of the chore of shoveling the driveway.

What are you guys who just need a light duty snow shovel using ?


Wider isn't always better. As the snow piles up as you push it, eventually, you need to scoop it up and lift it and throw it aside. So, you want something just wide enough that with the snow, it's not too heavy for you.
 
The snow plowed over at the end of my driveway is often too hard and dense to handle with a traditional snow shovel. I often use a square point dirt shovel.
 
Originally Posted by Kestas
The snow plowed over at the end of my driveway is often too hard and dense to handle with a traditional snow shovel. I often use a square point dirt shovel.


Yessir. We rust-belters have the need for shovels for every condition.
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Originally Posted by Kestas
The snow plowed over at the end of my driveway is often too hard and dense to handle with a traditional snow shovel. I often use a square point dirt shovel.


Yessir. We rust-belters have the need for shovels for every condition.


Yeah, I have a wide plastic shovel for "just snow", a spade for busting ice, a flat-end metal shovel, and a scoop-shaped plastic one small enough to dig under my bumpers and rockers if my car gets stuck.

The plastic gets brittle due to UV and can break at the most inopportune time, so I keep spares as well.

OP should not buy gimmick shovels like the bent-handle "back saver".
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Originally Posted by Kestas
The snow plowed over at the end of my driveway is often too hard and dense to handle with a traditional snow shovel. I often use a square point dirt shovel.


Yessir. We rust-belters have the need for shovels for every condition.

Ain't that the truth.
lol.gif


I looked at that shovel link to Lowes and thought that it's good for light snow, but anything wet/heavy and one can hurt oneself. I've got a pusher, a regular snow shovel. a smaller square one to break apart clumps that are blocking my driveway *and* an ice-chopper. In addition to my trusty Toro snowthrower.
 
Originally Posted by JTK
Originally Posted by Kestas
The snow plowed over at the end of my driveway is often too hard and dense to handle with a traditional snow shovel. I often use a square point dirt shovel.


Yessir. We rust-belters have the need for shovels for every condition.



Yep and you guys to the east of us can have whatever is leftover.
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
OP should not buy gimmick shovels like the bent-handle "back saver".
Apparently "The Heft" is legit. I've never tried one though

The shovel needs that metal strip so it can scrape snow that has been walked or driven on. The grain scoop is good, but you can't push anything with it. I'm lazy and I would rather push the snow around than lift it.
 
Under certain conditions like ice/snow my 4 years old shovel that is half width is perfect for scraping. Too bad the handle is half length as it kllls my back.
 
The answer is: whatever shovel does the job best at the time. Any shovel is better than no shovel.

My main shovels are a 30" wide steel pusher (no d handle) and an aluminum grain shovel (for lifting and throwing snow).

I generally push/plow out to the sides and then clean up and throw with the grain shovel.

A flat blade garden shovel for scraping packed snow and ice along with an ice chopper.

There are some heavy duty plastic pushers that are ok dut they can be pricey. Anything low cost plastic, wear strip or no, and I'll break it within a few weeks. All junk.
 
I try to always get my babe's opinion on shovel selection. She always has everything shoveled that the toolcat can't get too by the time I get home from work.
If it snows on the weekend and I'm not working (shame shame) my favorite is the aluminum grain shovel.
 
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