GREAT snowblower for its class! Performs well above the Greenworks 40v 20" machine in my opinion.
I recently purchased a Greenworks 40v 20" battery snowblower from Walmart.com for $159. I initially gave it a very good review, but after using it twice (and getting bucked in the abdomen quite forcefully after running over an ice chunk) I decided to return it. It was underpowered and, despite its 20" clearance width, would only produce a shallow rounded cut of maybe 14-16" in wetter snow. Anything really challenging would trip the automatic shutdown continuously - got annoying fast. It's a decent tool for many but, after more testing, it just didn't seem to suit my needs.
In the meantime, I ordered this Snow Joe 24v x 2 18" machine from Amazon. At the time, it was on sale for an incredible $185 for the "TV bundle" (machine, two 4ah batteries plus dual charger, cover and scraper) so I thought "why not?" Well, it sat in the box, unopened in my entryway for a week or so. Given my experience with the Greenworks 40v model, I was prepared to just send this back to Amazon untested and go out and spend the money on a "real" gas powered Toro machine. But... it was just sitting there, curiosity got the best of me, so I busted it out and gave it a try. So glad I did!
Assembly took about 5 minutes out of the box (mostly due to those stupid hitch-pins they're using now for the chute control rod instead of thumb screws - have a pair of needle nose plyers on hand). I made sure both batteries were warm and fully charged and then took it out on its first job early this morning. (1-2" of fresh overnight snow with about 6-8" of old, compacted snow underneath, and 2-4" of VERY compacted snow and ice under that.) It worked great for about 10 minutes or so in the regular snow and even started cutting up the icy stuff on my walkway. Then the auger hit my cement step - and it quit - and wouldn't start back up. It was doing so well and I was so disappointed because I thought I had busted it right out of the box! I waited a few minutes, popped the batteries out and back in, and... it started. I continued where I left off but without much success, as the machine would then stall out under any kind of significant load. I called it quits after about 5 more minutes. I took the batteries out to recharge and warm back up, and brought the machine back into my garage to defrost and "rest". Wishful thinking, I guess, but since I had already broken it out I decided I would at least give it a second chance later.
I must say that I was shocked when I took this thing out for a second trial tonight. We had received about 4-5" of more wet snow during the day so I was less than optimistic. I started off slow, going down my driveway and removing about 4-6" of top snow with little effort per pass. I then turned to my walkway which was buried in 2-3 feet of new and old snow. With some decent effort, I was able to carve out a 3 foot plus path/cave out of that huge drift. Not once did it stall out during this second trial, despite the fact that I was working the absolute hell out of it. It did bog down under heavy loads, but kept running and fought through whatever I put in its path. It worked flawlessly, without any loss of power, for about 15-20 minutes before my ungloved hands started to freeze and I had to quit. When I removed the batteries and took them inside, they both still had 1 bar left, so I probably could have gone at least another 10+ minutes. Again, I was really working this thing hard the second time around - not just casually dusting off 3-4" of light snow!
In contrast to the Greenworks 40v machine, I think this Snow Joe model has a few advantages that make it a somewhat superior tool in this class...
- The motor: The SJ motor just seems like it feels and sounds more "robust" when it starts up. It has a bit slower start-up to it (< a second difference) but a more solid, lower pitched "hum" once it's running. The GW 40v tends to have a high pitched "schrill" to it that, to my ear, just sounds "cheaper" to me for some reason, especially under more challenging loads.
- The power: The SJ is 48v (2x24v) while the GW is 40v. I'm not an electrical engineer, so I can't really comment intelligently on any difference that this 8v difference would have in everyday use. The only "apples to apples" data I could find by means of comparison is that the GW motor is listed at 1.08 KW while the SJ is listed at 1.20 KW. I do wonder if the SJ 18" model enjoys an additional advantage of having to distribute power over a somewhat shorter auger than the GW 20"? I don't know.
- The auger: The SJ has a steel, rubber-tipped auger assembly while the GW uses plastic/poly. In theory, the steel auger of the SJ should have a somewhat greater ability to crush-up wetter, icier snow. In my limited use of both machines, I found this to be somewhat true. The SJ auger just tended to "eat through" the tougher stuff with a bit less effort than with the plastic GW and did not stall-out when moderately challenged (at least during the second trial of the SJ).
The trick to this (or similar) snow removal machines is technique. You can get so much out of this if you just know how to use it properly and aggressively. Things to remember to remove lots of snow and "tunnel-out" walkways are:
- Angle-up and ride-up to remove the upper levels of lighter, fluffier snow drift first. This is a relatively light machine, so if you're still young and strong enough to do so without risk of injury, you can potentially remove ALOT of lighter top snow drift.
- Straight ahead with level snow. It'll get through even the tougher stuff with short, measured pushing once you get the hang of it.
- Angle down a bit to clean closer to pavement if so desired. Personally, I'm only looking to "de-bulk" the snow on my driveway. I'll drive over some slush and ice out of my garage - I don't care - and I'm only looking for a machine like this to clear a walkable path for delivery personnel and the rare neighbor kids who lost a ball over my fence.
Make no mistake - this is NOT a replacement for a gas-powered machine by any means, or even a heavy-duty battery powered blower from the likes of Toro or EGO. Even Greenworks and Snow Joe both make MUCH heftier and capable battery powered machines. This one by SJ is simply a decent light- to medium-duty tool for the average homeowner at a reasonable price point. In my opinion, it does outperform the roughly equivalent GW 40v tool to some degree, but both are great brands. If you can grab this machine for a good deal like I did, you should do so without reservation. It will serve you very well if you learn how to use it properly.
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB18-TV1 24-Volt IONMAX Snow Blower Bundle (w/ 2 x 4.0-Ah Batteries, Dual Port Charger, Cover, Ice Dozer)
4.1 | 442 ratings
Price: 238
Last update: 07-22-2024
About this item
Item Package Dimension: 27.30L x 25.85W x 21.43H inches
Item Package Weight - 40.60 Pounds
Item Package Quantity - 1
Product Type - SNOW BLOWER
Item Package Weight - 40.60 Pounds
Item Package Quantity - 1
Product Type - SNOW BLOWER
Product information
| Brand | Snow Joe |
|---|---|
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Product Dimensions | 40"D x 19"W x 40"H |
| Item Weight | 38.1 Pounds |
| Color | Blue |
| Engine Type | 4 Cycle |
| Maximum Throw Distance | 20 Feet |
| UPC | 842470126428 |
| Item Weight | 38.1 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Snow Joe |
| ASIN | B09SBV6FRY |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 24V-X2-SB18-TV1 |
| Batteries | 22 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews |
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars
441 ratings
4.1 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #14,863 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden) #1 in Snow Blowers |
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