6 Best Snow Blowers Under $500 – Affordable yet Powerful

By
Nora Held
Nora Held
Research Writer
Apart from being our main writer, Nora also works for a number of gardening-related sites and magazines, sharing her experience as an owner of a small farm in North Carolina read more
reviewed
Reviewed By
Bruce Williams
Bruce Williams
Expert Consultant
Bruce owns a small farm and loves to grill since his early childhood. He’s a professional cook, but hiking and enjoying the great outdoors is his no less favorite part of read more
Last updated: August 09, 2023
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Have you been experiencing frequent challenges with snow every winter? The best snow blower could be what you direly need. The top-performing machines are efficient and can quickly work on the snow in a short moment. An excellent snow blower will clear the driveways in a quarter the amount of time you would spend shoveling it.

However, the challenge comes in establishing the right model for your work. Although the snow blowers under $500 can scoop snow and shoot it out for long distances up to 40 feet away, there is a considerable difference between the machines. How will you differentiate them? This comprehensive guide comes to equip you with the insights you need to make the right decision while buying your next snow blower for under $500. This article also looks at vital factors such as BTUs, warranty, dimensions, and fuel types to offer you the information you need to make an informed decision.

Quick Summary

Top 6 Snow Blowers under $500 Review 2024

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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 9770 people in the past 30 days
9.9
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Customer Feedback
9.4
Brand Reputation
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9.4
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.7
9.9
Features
  • Size: 50 x 20 x 28 inches
  • Weight: 32 lbs.
  • Clearing width: 18 inches
  • Plowing capacity: 495 lbs./min

More features: cordless; lightweight; auto-rotate chute; quiet runtime; two-year warranty

It is light in weight, allowing you to clear your decks, driveways, and sidewalks quickly. Besides, it is equipped with a lithium battery that can last up to 50minutes enabling you to work optimally. Importantly, it works quietly, providing a conducive environment for you and your family.

The auto-rotate chute feature is useful as it clears the snow throwing it up to 20 feet away. It can cut up to 7cm wide and 20.3cm deep in a given pass, making it convenient for your working. Notably, the device comes with a warranty covering up to years since the purchase date. It is indeed a suitable, easy cordless device that will clear snow out of your way and the snow day. It is the best residential snowblower under $500.

Suppose you are looking for an innovative tool to keep your home looking appealing all through the year. Whether the snow falls or the sun is shining, you will be stress-free. It is expansive powerful equipment comprising a manual, cordless, and electric tool, just like the lawnmowers and tillers. It will quickly get your outdoor activities done.

What we liked: The device is equipped with a lithium battery that can last up to 50minutes while working quietly.

What could be better: It could be better if the battery could last longer to enable one to clear the sidewalks in one charge.

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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 2183 people in the past 30 days
9.8
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.4
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.4
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.5
9.8
2
Premium Pick

PowerSmart PSS2240-X

Features
  • Size: 33 x 26 x 26 inches
  • Weight: 160 lbs.
  • Clearing width: 24 inches
  • Plowing capacity: not specified

More features: gas-powered; 4-cycle engine; 180 chute rotation; adjustable; two-year warranty

It is yet another powerful tool equipped with a 212cc engine that can powerfully clear the snow in a simple action. The blower allows clearing of snow up to a width of 24 inches while removing depth of 20 inches, making it a handy tool for you to work on your heavy snow ways.

It’s a versatile tool that allows six forward and two backward speed variations, enhancing driving, making it more convenient. The 180chute rotation allows better snow-blowing control. The device is equipped with a push-button for an electric start or as a manual starter. The inflatable tires can easily deep in the snow while the tread bites through the slippery terrain. Besides, it has an adjustable metal skid shoes that enable alteration in the working height for ease of use on various surfaces. If you are looking for a tool designed to conquer winter’s challenge, PowerSmart is the device for you. It is the best gas snow blower under $500.

What we liked: It is easy to assemble once you read through the manual.

What could be better: If the reverse could be improved to work efficiently, it could be better.

Also Product Ranking:
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 5673 people in the past 30 days
9.5
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.1
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.0
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.3
9.5
3
Most Versatile

Snow Joe iON100V-21SB-CT

Features
  • Size: 29.8 x 21.75 x 37.4 inches
  • Weight: 62 lbs.
  • Clearing width: 21 inches
  • Plowing capacity: not specified

More features: battery-powered; powerful motor; LED light; auger assisted drive; two-year warranty

It is an outdoor tool designed to keep your home beautiful throughout the year, whether sunshine or winter. It is a comprehensive tool that comes with instructions manual, cordless to make snow clearing much easy. It will quickly get your outdoor chores easily done.

Equipped with a powerful motor with a capacity of 2800w and a motor that increases battery efficiency, it maximizes motor performance and produces low noise levels while working. It also extends motor life. The dual lead headlights offer increased visibility in case you want to use it at night.

Equipped with max auger speed, the speed runs up to 16tons per charge and a minimum of 12.5 tons per charge. It is indeed the winter weather warrior of their generation and a legend in the line of cleaning tools. Besides, the rechargeable power makes it a handy tool for your usage. The lithium battery offers no-fade power and high performance while giving zero carbon emissions for cleaner air. It can last up to 60minutes as you clear the clear.

What we liked: The big battery pack and the varying auger speeds makes it an efficient tool.

What could be better: If only it could have self-propelled wheels, it could be better

Also Product Ranking:
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 5120 people in the past 30 days
9.4
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.0
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.0
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.2
9.4
4
Features
  • Size: 28 x 23 x 22 inches
  • Weight: not specified
  • Clearing width: 21 inches
  • Plowing capacity: not specified

More features: gas-powered; powerful; versatile; 80-degree rotating chute; 2-year warranty

Yet another handy snow blower to help you conquer the challenge of snow removal. Equipped with a 196cc engine, it is a powerful snow remover providing high-level performance snow removal. It can clear up to 13-inch depth while making optimum clearing to leave a virtually spotless surface.

The complete clearing width also makes it a useful tool. Its blade can clear a width of 21inches while throwing the snow up to 25feet away.  The strong threaded wheels make it easy to move it in varying terrains.

The 180 degrees chute control works perfectly for snow displacement, and the snowblower can easily adjust to allow you to change the direction and the distance. Being a versatile tool, you can use it to quickly clear your walkways, patios, and sidewalks, and commercial places with much ease.

PowerSmart snowblower is a safety feature to prevent accidents while starting up, and you can quickly stop the auger and the impeller when you release the handlebar grips.

What we liked: Equipped with a safety switch makes a safe tool to use.

What could be better: The scraper is not adjustable, which makes it hard to use as it digs in the pavement. If only it could be adjustable, it could be better.

Also Product Ranking:
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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 3066 people in the past 30 days
9.3
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.0
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
8.9
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.2
9.3
Features
  • Size: 40 x 19 x 40 inches
  • Weight: 40 lbs.
  • Clearing width: 18 inches
  • Plowing capacity: 700 lbs./min

More features: battery-powered; 1200 W brushless motor; durable; adjustable; LED headlight; steel auger

When you want to deal with ice, go with this useful snow blower. It boasts the latest revolution of cordless snow blowers, which efficiently clear your walkways and pavements.

It is powered by a lithium battery that provides up to 40 minutes of working; the battery is also rechargeable. It gives zero carbon emissions hence clean air. The cordless cord makes it an efficient tool since it overcomes the challenge of extension limits and can go anywhere.

It is equipped with a heavy-duty, rubber-tipped steel blade auger, enabling it to clear a wide range in just a single pass. The brushless motor plows up to 14tons of snow per charge. The unit works efficiently without causing damage to your deck, driveways, and the pavement.

Equipped with 2w headlights, the tool is safer for use even at night when you need to clear snow. When you have a lot to do, you can boost the battery with the more options available online.

What we liked: It is equipped with a safety switch that makes it secure to use it.

What could be better: It is a 1 stage blower, so it needs help against plow piles.

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Consumer Engagement
Chosen by 5591 people in the past 30 days
9.2
Customer Feedback
Customer Feedback
9.0
Brand Reputation
Based onweb analytics
9.1
Features & Benefits
Product Review
9.0
9.2
6
Features
  • Size: 47.8 x 23.1 x 40.7 inches
  • Weight: 93 lbs.
  • Clearing width: 22 inches
  • Plowing capacity: not specified

More features: single-stage; remote chute rotation; rubber-edged auger; push-button electric start; compact size

You need not let the little snow be a distractor on your way, you can easily power through the cold in a fast and effortless manner using this snow thrower since it is equipped with a powerful engine, has easy controls, and also features an electric starting making it super convenient for your use.

The device has what it takes to clear the winter’s snow with much ease. Besides, it is compact, making it easy to maneuver, and it’s easy to use. The sturdy construction ensures that the snowblower can readily perform over the years efficiently. The electric start makes it convenient every time you want to start. The auger drive system is wears and tear-resistant since it is rubber-edged, which helps clear snow down the pavement quickly since it helps propel the snow blower forward. Simple to control and ease of changing the chute direction from left to right allows fast adjustment while remotely located. The device is reliable since the engine is designed for harsh winter applications. The handle is designed to allow you to change the direction of throwing the ice quickly. You can also change the height and the distance the snow is thrown with a simple squeeze on the chute mounted handle.

What we liked: It is equipped with an engine designed to withstand harsh winter applications.

What could be better: If only it could be two stages, it could be better.


Things to Consider

If your walkways and driveways are all covered with snow, you only need to get you snowblower out of the garage, clean them and get back to the house comfortably, knowing your family members can enjoy clear paths within few minutes. Therefore, the snow blowers are genuinely a blessing for anyone living in the snow prone areas with low temperatures. That is why this article comes to inform you on how to get the best snow blower in the market since it will indeed be worth having one.

Advantages of a snowblower under $500

6 Best Snow Blowers Under $500 - Affordable yet PowerfulIt saves you time – With a snowblower, you can easily remove snow from the traffic areas on your walkways. Even a simple machine can remove a huge amount of snow in just a minute. You can clean the driveways and walkways on your property over and short time. Saving time is invaluable for a modern person who needs to attend to other things. You will never be late taking care of your paths. You spend little time clearing the snow and n spare some time for your family.

Snow free environment – A snow blower is a perfect tool for clearing snow in your driveways and walkways efficiently. It offers flawless results for your walkways and driveways. The fore part scoops the snow while the auger breaks it. Besides, the front part is equipped with a scrapper that scraps the snow so that not even the thinnest layer is left behind.

Broken snow is thrown through the auger. Since the machine is powerful, the snow is thrown up to 30 feet away from the cleared area. Within a few minutes, you have clean driveways and walkways, and they will eventually get dry easily once the snow is removed. You can be sure your family is perfectly safe when using outdoor traffic.

Overcome all challenges – Feel great as you handle all challenges dealing with cleaning snow and all kinds of challenges from deep snow accumulations in your traffic areas and even the most difficult areas to clean. You only need a kind snow blower to deal with all these challenges. With the two-stage snow blowers, you can easily remove high snow accumulations and efficiently climb virtually all sloped. They can also efficiently clean all sorts of pavements eliminating massive amounts of snow.

Features to consider before you buy a snow blower

While dealing with snow blowers, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. Performance and user-friendliness are crucial factors. The performance can be assessed in terms of performance-oriented features such as steel augers, the bar’s adjustability, and the speed settings being some of the attributes you will need to keep in mind. However, snow blowing being a challenging task, you might want to do it with much comfort. Therefore, you will need to look at comfort-based features. In that case, you might look for a blower that has a quick start button, hand warmers, or headlights. Other factors we look at include the size, weight, clearing width, plowing capacity, and accessories and warranties to see how they make a snow blower useful.

Size

6 Best Snow Blowers Under $500 - Affordable yet PowerfulThe size of your driveway and walkways determines the size of the snow blower you need. As a homeowner, you can benefit from a single-stage snow power blower, which usually features a clearing width of 18 to 22 inches, making it easy to clear wide paths more quickly. Snow Joe iON18SB measures 50 x 20 x 28 inches, making it a useful tool for clearing snow in your home.

A two-stage and tree stage snow blowers feature more powerful engines, which will help to offer excellent performance in rough terrains.

Weight

As you intend to buy a snowblower, you might be wondering how much it weighs. It happens mainly when you are searching for a new blower, and you want to consider weight as a main factor in making the purchase decision. However, there is no universal weight for all snow blowers. The weight will depend on the type, the model, make, and the brand. Typically, snow blowers weigh between 80 to 100 pounds for 20 you 21-inch blowers. However, the weight can change depending on the size of the blower. It is worth noting that lightweight snow blowers will not always be ideal for your work. Snow Joe iON18SB snow blower weighs 32lbs, which makes it light enough to work with easily. The snowblower you decide to pick can give extra work.

Lightweight snow blowers tend to pick a thick layer of snow, which means extra work. A heavier snowblower will be intact with the ground and cut through the snow to the snow pile’s lowest level.

Clearing width

The clearing path width is an important factor depending on how wide a walkway or a runway is to allow you to clear the snow with just one pass. It varies from 21-30 inches, depending on the type of snowblower. Even though a few inches might not matter, it is important to look for one with a large area since it can clear a wide area quickly. PowerSmart PSS2240-X has a clearing width of 24 inches, making it an efficient tool to quickly clear your walkways.

Plowing capacity

Lately, manufacturers have shifted their focus towards making less fussy, noise-free, easy starting, and less polluting cycle motor Snow Joe 24V-X2—SB18-Volt + cordless Snow Blower Kit gives you excellent performance without gas fumes, noise and needs only least maintenance. The blower has a comprehensive intake, and the chute swings trough 180 degrees, which makes it an efficient unit for clearing your walkways and driveways. Boasting 700 lbs./min plowing capacity, it is a powerful tool that will clear your sidewalks and walkways in a few minutes.

Accessories

Are you looking out to getting a snowblower? Several factors make come as great accessories and can help improve your snow removal experience. Some will enhance the working of your machine while others will give comfort while operating the unit. Some accessories include snow cab, tire chains, non-stick spray, melt buddy, snow blower cover, drift cutters, front weight kit, snow blower gloves, airless tires, and chute clearing tool, and ski goggles. Snow Joe iON100v-21SB-CT is equipped with LED lights, making it possible to use it when it is dark already.

Warranty

Warranty is a factor worth considering when buying a snow blower since it saves you the expensive repairs. Therefore, you will need to look at the best warranties to avoid a situation where a bad situation worsens if the blower gets damaged. A good warranty will serve the purpose of keeping you financially protected in case something goes wrong with your blower. Snow Joe iON100V-21SB-CT comes with two years warranty. Additionally, it works as an indicator of how confident the manufacturer is about its products’ quality.

When companies attach good warranties to products and services, it indicates how they are strongly confident about their products.

Long repairs indicate that they feel certain about their products; they will need extensive repairs for that warranty period. A good warranty is thus necessary to ensure your financial stability and also ensure that you are getting the best snow blower in the market.
 

FAQ

How to use a snow blower safely?

It is snow season, and you need to dust off the snow using blowers. Unfortunately, each year, most people suffer severe injuries on their various body parts, including fingers, hands, and backs, following improper handling of the snowblowers. Normally, the injuries occur when the snow is heavy, wet, and has accumulated several inches. But how can you keep yourself safe?
  • Ensure you don’t wear loose clothing-loose pants, and jackets that can easily interfere with the snow blower’s moving parts.
  • Wear footwear with good traction-a sturdy footwear will prevent slip, falling, and getting injured. You can consider wearing boot grippers since they will reduce the risk of slipping and falling.
  • Ensure you maintain your focus while working-pay close attention to the task at hand and keep off drugs and alcohol.
  • Start operating the machine while outside the garage – don’t start your snowblower inside the garage.
  • Mind the area where the snow is blowing to and change if it gets to properties that can get damaged.
  • Keep the children away while removing the snow.

Do you need to clean a snow blower?

Absolutely yes! If you are looking forward to buying a snow blower, it is vital knowing that it requires cleaning as part of its maintenance practices. You will need to perform things before, during, and after use, which contributes to ease of use and the safety of the user. Even if the tools come with a warranty, they are not maintenance-free. Both the gas-powered and the electric-powered models need some level of upkeep. Your machine needs to be cleaned after use. Also, you will need to cover it after use. If left unattended, the snow and ice will harden around the auger and the impeller when in storage in the shed. Build up snow or ice can affect the device’s ability to function properly or start-up next time when you need it. Once you have turned it, use a long-handled brush to clean the tool, clear off all the snow and ice, and ensure the machine’s inside and outside is clean.

Is it difficult to change a battery in a snow blower?

The manufacturing companies pay great attention to designing the battery pack of your snow blower and ensuring they supply batteries that are safe for your use. The battery cells have aside from a range of safety devices. Each of the cells is initially formatted and bears electrical characteristics curves recorded. The data is used to be able to assemble and get the best possible battery packs. However, despite all the safety precautions, there is a need to be cautious when handling the battery. You will need to adhere to the given guidelines when changing the battery strictly. Note that safety can only be guaranteed for an unopened battery. Improper handling of the battery can lead to cell damage. To install the battery pack, lift the door cover at the back and insert the battery with the label facing the door. Slide it until you hear a click sound. To change the battery, press the battery door cover, press the release button, and it makes some noise while letting the battery lift. You can change the battery that easily.

Our verdict

Now that you have read and gotten some insights on how to get the best blower in the market, it will be much easy to decide which blower will efficiently work for you. In the vast market of best snow blowers, this article will help you determine what will work for you. However, following a thorough review of the best snow blowers under 500, the editor’s choice is Snow Joe iON18SB 40-Volt iONMAX Snowblower Kit. It is a cordless, lightweight, auto-rotate feature and operates quietly. Our premium pick is PowerSmart PSS2240-X since it is gas-powered, has a four-cycle engine, 180 chute rotation, and comes with two years warranty. For the best value, we settled for Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB18 48-Volt Ion + Cordless Snow Blower Kit since it boasts of features such as battery-powered, 1200 w brushless motor, durable, and has LED headlights.

9,9
Total Score
Snow Joe iON18SB 40-Volt iONMAX Snowblower Kit - Editor’s Choice
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