Snow Joe SJ623E 18-Inch 15-Amp Electric Single Stage Snow Thrower w/Headlights, Blue Clearing Width, Motor
Brand | Snow Joe |
Power source | Corded Electric |
Product Dimensions | 48.3D x 66W x 138.4H Centimetres |
Item weight | 34 Pounds |
Colour | Blue |
About this item
- Ideal for clearing snow off mid-to-large sized driveways and walkways
- No gas, oil or tune-ups make it effortless to start and maintain.No Load Speed (rpm):2450
- Powerful 15-amp motor moves up to 720 lbs of snow per minute. Certifications and Listings: CSA, ETL
- 180° adjustable directional chute throws snow up to 25 ft; Maximum Extension Cord Length (ft.): 100
- ETL approved; Full 2-year warranty.Body Material:Plastic. Compact wheels for easy maneuverability
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From the manufacturer
Snow Joe + Sun Joe
Snow Joe + Sun Joe specialize in developing innovative outdoor tools to keep your home looking beautiful throughout the year, whether the snow is falling or the sun is shining. Our expansive line of outdoor power equipment, which includes manual, cordless, and electric tools such as lawn mowers, trimmers, tillers, and snow blowers, aims to simplify your yard routine to make it quick and easy to get your outdoor chores done.
When It Comes To Snow - Go With Joe!
MORE POWER! Make quick work out of the heavy white stuff nature throws your way with our most powerful electric snow thrower, the Snow Joe Ultra SJ623E. Boasting a 15-amp motor, this snow-throwing dynamo can move up to 720 pounds of snow per minute! Its durable, 4-blade rotor, constructed of heavy-grade steel, cuts a full 18-inch wide by 10-inch deep swath of snow with each pass. Easy-glide wheels make the Snow Joe Ultra super easy to turn and maneuver.
- Ideal for clearing snow off mid-to-large sized driveways and walkways
- No gas, oil or tune-ups make it effortless to start and maintain
- Powerful 15-amp motor moves up to 720 lbs of snow per minute
Key Features
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PowerPowered by a 15-amp motor, this snow-throwing dynamo can move up to 720 pounds of snow per minute! |
4-Blade Steel AugerCuts up to 18 inches (45.7 centimeters) wide and 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) deep in one pass. Clear right to the ground without damaging surface. |
Instant StartAt the push of a button, the SJ623E delivers the performance of a gas machine with the convenience of electric power. No gas, no oil, no maintenance, no fuss! |
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Product details
- Is discontinued by manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 138.43 x 48.26 x 66.04 cm; 15.42 Kilograms
- Date First Available : Nov. 3 2012
- Manufacturer : Snow joe
- Place of Business : EDISON, NJ, 08817 US
- ASIN : B008FV5R2C
- Item model number : SJ623E
- Best Sellers Rank: #30,103 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)
- #27 in Snow Blowers
- Customer Reviews:
Product description
MORE POWER! Make quick work out of the heavy white stuff nature throws your way with our most powerful electric snow thrower, the Snow Joe Ultra SJ623E. Boasting a 15-amp motor, this snow-throwing dynamo can move up to 720 pounds of snow per minute! Its durable, 4-blade rotor, constructed of heavy-grade steel, cuts a full 18-inch wide by 10-inch deep swath of snow with each pass. Easy-glide wheels make the Snow Joe Ultra super easy to turn and maneuver. The scraper blade at the base of the unit efficiently scrapes the snow clear to the ground without damaging your deck or pavement. Equipped with a 180º adjustable discharge chute, the Ultra SJ623E throws snow up to 25 feet away in the direction you want it to go. An on-board chute clean-out tool is included to help you free up a clogged chute in the event of a snow jam. This fully-loaded unit also features an on-board 20 W halogen headlight so you can clear paths day or night. Delivering the performance of a gas machine with the convenience of electric power, the Ultra SJ623E is the smart, choice for snow removal this winter. No gas, no oil, no maintenance, no fuss! GET EQUIPPED with the Snow Joe Ultra and clear out fast from tough winter messes. ETL approved; Full 2-year warranty. Your Snow Joe Ultra has a decibel rating of 100 dB.
Top Brand: Snow Joe
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This Item Snow Joe SJ623E 18-Inch 15-Amp Electric Single Stage Snow Thrower w/Headlights, Blue Clearing Width, Motor | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | — | $594.33$594.33 | $579.99$579.99 | $269.00$269.00 | -16% $261.00$261.00 List: $311.99 | $275.99$275.99 |
Delivery | — | Get it Apr 16 - 30 | Get it by Monday, Apr 1 | Get it by Thursday, Apr 4 | Get it by Monday, Apr 1 | — |
Customer ratings | ||||||
Easy to assemble | 4.7 | — | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | — |
Light weight | 4.5 | — | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.4 | — |
Manoeuverability | 4.2 | — | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.0 | — |
Sold by | — | SUSU INC | Amazon.ca | Amazon.ca | Amazon.ca | Amazon.ca |
power source | Corded Electric | AC | Battery Powered | Corded Electric | Battery Powered | Corded Electric |
engine type | 4 Cycle | 4 Cycle | 4 Cycle | — | — | 4 Cycle |
max. throw distance | 25 feet | 30 feet | 20 feet | 20 feet | — | — |
weight | 34 pounds | — | 47.2 pounds | 30 pounds | 30 pounds | 33.3 pounds |
Customer reviews
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FIRST RUN: The first run of my SJ went smoothly without incident. It was a light job of moving only 1 and half to 3 inches of light dry snow. Still, I am glad I got the 15 Amp version especially for clearing the bottom of my driveway for after the snow plow has gone through. Looking forward to tackling bigger and heavier jobs. I think and hope that my snow shoveling chores just got a whole lot easier. The biggest challenge was learning how to manage the cord while operating to avoid any accidents. Will post updates in the future to share the experience.
I am giving this product an initial overall 4-star rating pending further review after I have used it over a more extended period. So far it has met all my expectations and made a strong positive impression. I hope and expect to upgrade it to 5 stars all around.
UPDATE#1: My second outing with my new SJ was at night on 3 to 6 inches of moist snow. Again the SJ handled the job with no difficulty. I was being careful not to overload the unit going through the thicker patches. The 20 watt LED headlamp proved useful in illuminating the path directly in front of the unit. I look forward to testing the unit under heavier and wetter snow conditions. So far, so good.
UPDATE#2: The day of the first big test arrived when 10 to 12 inches of heavy wet snow fell overnight. As I surveyed my 12 by 40 foot driveway and 32 feet of sidewalk, I could already feel the pain in my arms, shoulders and back if I had to do this job by hand. Fortunately, my SJ was ready to go. I first cleared a swath down the center of my drive, taking it slowly in small bites so as not to overload the machine. After this I was able to go up and down my driveway shaving off 12 inch swaths and blowing the snow to the sides. By being careful not to overload the machine, my SJ easily cleared the heavy wet snow. I was impressed by how well the steel blades cleared the snow right down to the pavement. The chute clean-out tool came in handy for clearing the discharge chute of wet snow blockages. Although it took a couple of hours to clear most of the snow, I was grateful for the pain and suffering my SJ helped me avoid. The ultimate challenge lay ahead in clearing out the 2 and half foot drift of heavy, compacted slushy snow left across the bottom of my drive by the snow plow.
UPDATE#3: From the start I knew that clearing the drift left by the snow plow was too big a job for my SJ to handle alone. So my strategy was to use a shovel to break up the drift into bite-size chunks and create a 6 inch high swath for my SJ to clear. This strategy worked well and again my SJ had no problem in clearing wet snow including the heavy slush. Again I was grateful for the pain and suffering avoided if I would have had to lift and shovel all that heavy wet snow by hand. Three cheers for my small but mighty Snow Joe!
FINAL VERDICT: After having tested my SJ under a variety of conditions from mild, medium to extreme, the SJ has met and even exceeded my expectations. It is definitely up to the task of handling the full range of all my snow removal challenges, using a measure of common sense in heavier conditions. Therefore I am upgrading its overall rating to 5 stars. This upgraded package with the 15 Amp motor, head light and chute clean-out tool is well worth it and should more than satisfy the needs of home owners with small to medium size snow removal challenges.
P.S. I have attached a photo of my SJ hanging on a metal bracket inside my garage next to the main door and the electrical power outlet where it is always ready to go on a moment’s notice. As space is extremely limited for storage inside my garage, I really appreciate this space-saving aspect of the SJ due to its small light-weight design.
Reviewed in Canada on February 26, 2023
FIRST RUN: The first run of my SJ went smoothly without incident. It was a light job of moving only 1 and half to 3 inches of light dry snow. Still, I am glad I got the 15 Amp version especially for clearing the bottom of my driveway for after the snow plow has gone through. Looking forward to tackling bigger and heavier jobs. I think and hope that my snow shoveling chores just got a whole lot easier. The biggest challenge was learning how to manage the cord while operating to avoid any accidents. Will post updates in the future to share the experience.
I am giving this product an initial overall 4-star rating pending further review after I have used it over a more extended period. So far it has met all my expectations and made a strong positive impression. I hope and expect to upgrade it to 5 stars all around.
UPDATE#1: My second outing with my new SJ was at night on 3 to 6 inches of moist snow. Again the SJ handled the job with no difficulty. I was being careful not to overload the unit going through the thicker patches. The 20 watt LED headlamp proved useful in illuminating the path directly in front of the unit. I look forward to testing the unit under heavier and wetter snow conditions. So far, so good.
UPDATE#2: The day of the first big test arrived when 10 to 12 inches of heavy wet snow fell overnight. As I surveyed my 12 by 40 foot driveway and 32 feet of sidewalk, I could already feel the pain in my arms, shoulders and back if I had to do this job by hand. Fortunately, my SJ was ready to go. I first cleared a swath down the center of my drive, taking it slowly in small bites so as not to overload the machine. After this I was able to go up and down my driveway shaving off 12 inch swaths and blowing the snow to the sides. By being careful not to overload the machine, my SJ easily cleared the heavy wet snow. I was impressed by how well the steel blades cleared the snow right down to the pavement. The chute clean-out tool came in handy for clearing the discharge chute of wet snow blockages. Although it took a couple of hours to clear most of the snow, I was grateful for the pain and suffering my SJ helped me avoid. The ultimate challenge lay ahead in clearing out the 2 and half foot drift of heavy, compacted slushy snow left across the bottom of my drive by the snow plow.
UPDATE#3: From the start I knew that clearing the drift left by the snow plow was too big a job for my SJ to handle alone. So my strategy was to use a shovel to break up the drift into bite-size chunks and create a 6 inch high swath for my SJ to clear. This strategy worked well and again my SJ had no problem in clearing wet snow including the heavy slush. Again I was grateful for the pain and suffering avoided if I would have had to lift and shovel all that heavy wet snow by hand. Three cheers for my small but mighty Snow Joe!
FINAL VERDICT: After having tested my SJ under a variety of conditions from mild, medium to extreme, the SJ has met and even exceeded my expectations. It is definitely up to the task of handling the full range of all my snow removal challenges, using a measure of common sense in heavier conditions. Therefore I am upgrading its overall rating to 5 stars. This upgraded package with the 15 Amp motor, head light and chute clean-out tool is well worth it and should more than satisfy the needs of home owners with small to medium size snow removal challenges.
P.S. I have attached a photo of my SJ hanging on a metal bracket inside my garage next to the main door and the electrical power outlet where it is always ready to go on a moment’s notice. As space is extremely limited for storage inside my garage, I really appreciate this space-saving aspect of the SJ due to its small light-weight design.
I bought this because last winter I woke up one day to a driveway I could not clear up with my shovel: I laboured for 3 hours and eventually had to stop, exhausted, only having cleared a small stretch. Then the neighbour came along and cleared my driveway for me in short order with a big gas snow thrower. I was hoping I won't be caught unprepared again with a decent snow thrower of my own, but unfortunately this one would not have been able to get me out of this particular situation. It would still have made it easier, though, maybe easy enough so that I wouldn't be in needed of saving.
So far I have used it twice to clear 6-7 inches of snow at a time and it has been a pleasure to use. The cord is unpleasant to handle, as usual, but once you get the hang of it, it is not too bad. You do need a 12/3 outdoor cord for cold weather, and you do need to use it on a GFI outdoor outlet only. Once I had to clear a snow drift that was taller than the snow thrower and I had to do it in stages, being very careful not to stall the motor, but eventually I got the job done. Still, it was more than obvious that the snow thrower cannot handle much more than the very rare snow drift: 10 inches is the absolute maximum.
The snow thrower is quite light, it has no mass, so I find I have to lift its wheels off the ground slightly and push it forward with my body weight, almost the way I push my shovel, to get it to do its job. Even so, I still have to clean up with a shovel after it in some places (e.g. edges, places with accumulation of snow). In terms of construction, it is a combination of metal and plastic, mostly plastic. The chute mechanism is all plastic and is quite flimsy: the crank does not always work well. Also, some people have complained that the isolation on the cable cracks from the cold: I wound insulating tape along the entire length of every exposed piece of wire, hoping it would either prevent this from happening, or at the very least let it short-circuit without electrocuting me. Time will tell. I think the motor would fail first, though: this seems to be weak link here. In any case, for the time being it works quite well and I have no major complaints.
EDIT: It's a year and a half into my purchase. I was enjoying my snow thrower and was able to negotiate quite a lot of snow with it, until a rock buried under the snow got caught in the blades. One section of the blade got bent badly out of shape and dug into the plastic of the snow thrower and got stuck, making a nasty gash on the plastic and cracking it one place. Pretty nasty. I managed to repair it, but now it vibrates a little bit more than it used to, I guess I didn't do a good enough job. Lesson learned: this snow thrower can't handle rocks. On the upside, while having the snow thrower apart I noticed the motor has what looks like overheat protection and there is something I think is an ingenious auto-shutoff for when the blade gets stuck. This snow thrower is built well and with a lot of thought, but it's mostly plastic and there are no replacement parts for it. Maybe I can get another year out of it.
EDIT 2: I’ve had this snow thrower for a little over 5 years now and this time I think it died for good. The rotor stopped spinning on me today, leaving me to clean up by hand. It’s been loosing power during the previous 2 snowfalls, the rotor was getting progressively easier to jam with snow. Now it stopped spinning. It’s not burned out, the motor keeps running as normal. I think something got stripped in the transmission and this time I will need a replacement part. There are no replacement parts for that, so this is probably the end. My next one is probably going to be gas, though looking at my cramped garage and the price tag of a good gas one, I am giving this one a very hard look.
EDIT 3: It seems Snow Joe is selling replacement parts for my snow thrower now, including replacement wear surfaces and the auger pulley that got stripped! This was quite a surprise! The replacement parts were overpriced (why?), shipping was ridiculously expensive (why???) and when the parts finally came, there were no instructions with them (why??????). I figured out what to do and am waiting for the next snowfall to really try out my old-new snow thrower. It is definitely showing its age: there is rust in places and I had to cut a corroded bolt, but the motor is still going strong and maybe I can get another season or two out of it. That would make it a very long-lasting snow thrower indeed!
It is light weight enough for me to carry into my basement and let it dry out. I trust a gas powered snow blower to withstand the elements. Electric, not so much; which is great because of it is light weight and compact enough to fit into a small storage space. Out of the elements means less wear and tear. It is plug in electric which instantly takes the complication level down to close to zero, no carburetor , no spark plug, no oil, gasoline, no pull start. Simple plug in, pull trigger and push. It is also far less expensive that gas powered machines. Are there cons? Yes.
1)It will not bite thick packed ice/snow banks (my solution was to use a shovel to break down and spread the snow enough for the machine to throw.when the street plow packs snow at the end of my driveway it’s a quick and easy fix’and I’m not buying a gas powered machine for just that 2) It’s not self propelled. You will have to push it through the snow. For the taller and heavier packed stuff I just push it into the snow, pull back and push again. 3) no auger, to move the snow into the blades, but even without that it still throws snow very well. R)Everyone on your street will think that you bought the wrong machine for the job until they realize that you didn’t. It looks like it can’t handle heavy or large amounts of snow, but this machine does it with ease. If you are looking for an inexpensive and powerful snow thrower, definitely consider this one.
Top reviews from other countries
I don't have a lot of room to store things, so I loved how small and light this item is! It takes up very little room in my small, one car garage compared to traditional snowblowers. And, it sort of "unfolds" so you can hang it up in the garage so it takes up no floor space. I love that it is electric, so I don't have to worry about running out of gas and it is much quieter! I usually have to be at work before dawn, so I don't worry so much about the noise of this motor bothering sleeping neighbors. And, I was surprised that despite it's small size and electric motor it handled all my snow removal needs. It pitched really light snow, and even moderately heavy snow, further than I expected, pitching it a little too far! I had to really be careful not to dump it into my neighbor's driveways.
However, understand it doesn't eliminate all the effort on the handler's part. The wheels are not motorized and you still have to push, which may be tiring. And, you have to squeeze the handle the whole time, which can cause some hand cramping. Also, if you have very deep snow you have to go slowly, rocking back and forth and angling the opening and taking small "bites" from the top layer then go over again and again until you get down to the ground, despite being light this maneuvering can be sweaty work. After all that, it still may leave a thin layer of snow as it skims along the ground. All said and done, it may not be fast or effortless, but it is still way easier than moving the snow with a traditional shovel, especially if you have a lot of snow over the course of the winter, and develop tall piles along the sides of your driveway and sidewalks, this will definitely save your back from lifting snow.
The only big con, in my opinion, is just the limits of the cord. You do have to watch where your cord is as you go and be careful not to get it caught. Also, depending on the length of your cord, you can only go so far. The longer the cord the more power drop off you could have, so I kept it to 50 feet, which serves 95% of my needs. Note, I did do my research and took care to buy an appropriate cord (I bought a 12/3 15 amp heavy duty cold weather rated cord, which was about half the price of the snowblower itself, but worked like a champ). But this is just the trade-off for being electric, so if you don't want to hassle with a cord, go with a gas engine.
A couple of minor cons: The part that holds the snow blower chute angle in position broke and the screw for the chute directional crank handle kept vibrating loose. For the part that adjusts the angle of the shoot I was able to rig it into a permanent upward angle, but no longer could adjust it on the fly. The screw holding the crank handle for the direction of the chute I caught vibrating loose before it fell out completely and got lost and I was able to apply some Loc-tite and it was fine after that. Overall these seem like minor things but are reasons for just 4 stars.
Now, one must accept that this thing is not really meant for hard core work. It's definitely got its limits. Apparently the limit is moving a 2 foot high, 1 foot wide, 25-30 foot long, hard-packed, icy berm of snow plow debris. Chewing through that on several occasions and accidentally catching some large-ish rocks eventually did it in. But it was not until after almost three winters (consisting of roughly 12-14 months of snow moving on a very regular basis) and tackling all sorts of snow conditions that this little machine finally conked out on me. But, I am not disappointed nor surprised. I used and abused it. And, if you figure considering the original price I paid for the snow blower and the cord together, the equipment cost came to roughly $11-13 per month for snow removal. I don't think that's bad at all.
As a testament to how pleased I was with this snowblower, I just ordered the exact same model as a replacement for my first one that died last week (perhaps I could see if the original one could be repaired, but I am pretty sure that just the labor would cost $50-75, plus parts on top of that, so repairing it probably wouldn't save much money). In fact, if the second one lasts me another 3 years, and I continue to have to replace them every 3 winters I will still consider this an excellent deal.
So to sum up, if you have a small driveway and just a few sidewalks, this could be a great snowblower for you. If you have a huge driveway, or have to plow areas further than 50 feet from an outlet, it's probably not the right equipment for you.
The SJ623E arrived just in time for the second attack of snow - nearly 2 feet! Because of its 10" height, two feet of snow towered over the top of the unit, which meant I needed to run the machine into the pile, back it up and forward again to get the stack of snow down to the ground. Because it's relatively light, that wasn't a very big deal. The real test was at the end of the driveway which had been plowed in overnight. That required several passes to get through the heavier stuff, but it cleared it with relative easy as well. While the auger did noticeably slow down when I would move it into the heavier stuff, it still was able to launch it roughly 10 feet in the air - compared to double that (at least) in less dense snow.
Even after a few days (and another snowfall) later, I was able to eat away at a bit of the snow pile left from previous storms that included some ice chunks. It was a little tough to get it through, but using a shovel to knock down pieces of the wall, I worked it slow and steady until I ate away enough room to put trash and recycling bins out of the street. I even cleared most of the street in front of my house which was soft and smushy snow (not yet slushy) that plows and 4-wheel drive vehicles had left.
I love that this machine has a safety handle - as soon as I let go, the motor stops and the auger slows to a halt. The throwing direction can easily be changed from the handle, and because its relatively light, I was even able to pick it up and place it on top of the 10 foot pile of snow to knock it down to a more manageable level that let me throw more snow on top of it!
Things to keep in mind:
1. Gas is always going to be more powerful, but the tradeoff you'll get is a low-maintenance machine that starts every time with a push of a button. Your only limitation is the length of your extension cord.
2. 15 amp motors take a lot of power - and can max out most household outlets if anything else is plugged in. Avoid using this and, say, a coffee maker on the same circuit. Know where your circuit breaker panel is, and be sure to use a sturdy outdoor cord.
3. Watch out where your cord is - running over it will mean your cord will get chewed up and likely torn apart - not to mention you risk damaging the auger.
Pros:
No fumes, less noise, clean to operate, much less maintenance
Lighter and smaller for storage in garage or shed
Easy to maneuver
Costs much less even for 15 Amp Unit
Will totally prevent you from straining your lower back, arms, shoulder, etc.
Cons:
Not as powerful as gas powered models
May need to clear snow in two installments
The 12 gauge cord I use is a little hard to put away in sub-freezing weather
All in all I am very happy with my purchase. My main reason was that I hated shoveling my driveway since it had the potential of unnecessarily stressing my lower back. And I did not want to spend a grand or close to it for a large heavy smelly noisy and harder to maintain gas powered machine. This did the trick. I would recommend this. By the way I live on Long Island in NY.
UPDATE 2-6-14
How does it work on very heavy, wet icy snow? Here in Long Island NY we just had another snowfall and it was like that. After five-six inches fell I went out there and the Snow Joe did a fine job, albeit I had to go slow. The key was to only "eat" one-third to half a "gulp" with each pass as I went up and down the driveway..Also I had to "nudge" it harder a few times to get through the packed ridge left by city plows at the end of my driveway. It was 1 PM and still snowing lightly. By the time it was time to drive out next day it had snowed another few inches but that just required a very light snow throw finishing touch, primarily to make tire tracks (I could have driven out no problem but I knew it was going to freeze later so I wanted to clean it up). All in all I was surprised at how well the Snow Joe performed for such an economical and "lightweight" machine. Again, it takes longer than it's gas powered more powerful big brothers, but it saved my lower back, which would have been devastated scooping up a driveway full of what was the heaviest snow I can remember in a long time.
The snow was turning "blue" in places, meaning it was moderately wet--not powder dry, but not completely sodden, either. My driveway pavement is broken and uneven (!), but this snow thrower seemed to pretty much "ignore" the divots while doing a fast, reasonable job of moving any undisturbed accumulation (about 6 inches) out of the way. The chute mechanism worked easily and smoothly to redirect the snow stream as I worked. It threw the snow a reasonable distance in my cramped yard--I'm guessing anywhere four to eight feet, depending on the angle of the chute. I did have one chute clog which was cleared quickly and easily with the supplied tool. This Snow Joe is stable when being pushed but not so heavy as to be exhausting to wrangle.
I still needed to shovel packed edges (on testing, this little machine didn't touch that), but the undisturbed portions of the driveway were cleared quickly and relatively efficiently. I was able to conserve my energy by using this blower, which was a primary goal in purchasing. Being a life-long New Englander, I had no illusions with a machine of this size that I'd completely avoid shoveling.
This small thrower is probably a step up from a power shovel. (I cannot compare, though, having never used a power shovel.) If you are considering this unit, be realistic about what you are expecting from a snowblower. If you want something that will confidently chew through whatever pile is thrown at it, this machine will disappoint. It works efficiently and well, but it doesn't have the oomph of a gas-fueled powerplant (something I rather expected).
But if (like me) you're looking
*to clear a short paved sidewalk and small short driveway without spending a fortune on help or equipment,
*to start the blower easily,
*to avoid the maintenance hassles of a gas-powered model, and
*you don't mind shoveling packed snow and edges,
this single-stage electric machine is worth your consideration.
Some notes as you are deciding which one to buy....
It is narrow. Seriously only as wide as a shovel. I intend to buy a wider one (with batter option) in a year or two once we have a bit more room in our budget. If you have room in your budget, I would suggest one with a batter option and/or a wider clearing area. That said, unlike a shovel, I just push this and the snow is cleared - so far I have tried it up to not quite five inches.
It needs a cord. Read the other reviews by people who know electricity and suggest the correct amp/watts/etc for how long of a cord you need. Don't forget to measure or overestimate how much cord you will need to get everything cleared. Also, a reel or something might be a great splurge. I have yet to figure out a good way to handle the cord. (I have only used it for three or four snows so far- each time it gets easier, but each time I wish I had gotten a cord on a reel or something.)
It feels light and flimsy. But it has a manufacturer warranty, and I added the Amazon extended warranty, so it should last. And there are people who spend their careers devoted to making things lighter. So lighter isn't necessarily bad or flimsy... it is just easier to push. (And I have tipped it over a few times as I untangled the cord - seems to be just fine as the handle is metal.)
The electric start is AWESOME!!! Seriously. No yanking strings, pulling bars, turning keys, nothing. Just hold the handle and push the button. Power tools can be electric and battery powerd - why not a snowblower? I am hooked and don't think I would ever go to a gas powered option (unless of course someone wanted to give me a lawn tractor, 4x4, or SUV of some sort with a plow attached to test to see if it could compare to the ease of the start button :) ).
Long story short- this is great. It works. If you can afford either an option that can be unplugged when using it, a nice cord with reel or something, or a wider one -go for it. But if this is the extent of your budget, this is the snowblower you are looking for.
****Update, I was struggling with how to store the cored. I tried an expensive winder/storage thing that said it would work for 100' of 12/3 cord. It was over $30 and did not work. I ordered a hose reel with a detachable reel (so it mounts to the wall, but the reel can come off). Not perfect, but for $10 that was the perfect inexpensive solution to the cord storage. You can find cord reels on here for $60+ but since it will never be running while on the reel, I am not worried about melting the plastic or anything, so for $10 the hose reel wins for me.