Snow is one of those things that you either love or hate. I will admit that I LOVE one good snow storm a year then I am good until the next year. This year I was really looking forward to a nice snow storm because I wanted to give my new Snow Joe 18 in 40-Volt Lithium Ion Hybrid Snow Blower a workout which I did.
I want to start off by saying that the snow storm we received dumped about 20 inches. The Snow Joe worked liked a champ as I used it in phases during the snow storm tackling 6-8 inches at a time. I did try to run in through an area that wasn’t touched during the storm and it had some difficulty but like I said we got 20 inches which was crazy. All is all I was really impressed with this snow blower and its performance.
The battery life was pretty good lasting somewhere in the neighborhood of 40ish minutes (didn’t time it exactly) but for my driveway it was more than enough time. You do have the option of plugging the snow blower in during use but to me that is a last resort espeically since it has a nice beefy 40 volt battery.
Like I always do I will list the specs for you tech geeks:
- Lightweight design to easily clear sidewalks, driveways and decks
- 40-Volt 4.0 Ah eco sharp PRO rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 52 minutes of whisper quiet runtime and is compatible with all iON tools
- No pull cords, gas, oil, tune-ups, carbon emissions or tangled extension cords
- Steel auger with 2 rubber blades moves up to 500 lbs. of snow per minute; cuts a path 18 in. W x 8 in. deep without damaging surface
- 180° auto-rotate directional chute throws snow up to 20 ft.
- 3-Watt LED headlight provides increased visibility for nighttime snow removal
- Powerful 500-Watt brushless motor increases battery efficiency, maximizes motor performance, decreases noise and vibration and extends motor life
- Contains electric capability for unlimited clearing time
The Snow Joe was really easy to use and not overly complicated so I let Shaun use it as well which was nice. I love the battery over gas because all you do is push a button and hold down the safety lever (similar to most lawn mowers) and it was ready for use. No need to fill it with gas and worrying if it would start up or not. I also like the environmental aspect of the battery over gas and its nice not to have to smell oil and gas mixture the entire time you are clearing your driveway.
Overall the Snow Joe is a beast and I am very impressed with its overall performance. When I was asked to give it a try I was a little hesitant due to the battery but that is no longer an issue anymore because that beefy 40 Volt battery was put to the test and out performed my expectations. It retails for $399 which is a really great price considering most gas snow blowers retail north of a $1,000 easily.
Looking for a snow blower that works great for a terrific price? It’s not to late to go buy your own Snow Joe as winter is still upon us.
