So, it is snowing outside which means you have to shovel snow from your driveway before you go out for work. It does consume a lot of energy especially if you are a senior. Hence, with the best snow blower for elderly, this can be done with ease without requiring much effort and keeps to energetic for your work.
If you are buying it for the first time or having second thoughts on whether or not is it worth of purchase? Here is a guide to cater to the requirements of new buyers as well as to convince you how worthy an investment it is.
In this blog, you will find reviews for the following products
1. Snow Joe SB18 | Cordless Snow Blower
2. Greenworks 20 inches corded | Electric Snow blower
3. PowerSmart Snow Blower | Gas Powered
4. Worx WG471 40V Cordless Snow Blower
So, let’s start from scratch.
First thing first, you must be aware of the types so that you can narrow it down to a specific kind before jumping straight into the products.
Types of the best snow blowers
Snowblowers and throwers are categorized into three kinds
The single-stage snow blower is easy to use, compact, user-friendly, and ideal snow blower for elderly. They work with a metallic auger that scoops the snow and dumps it in the chute. People who have some physical issues can use this snowblower carefreely.
They are not recommended for gravel driveways.
The two-stage snow blower has an auger and a fan that works as an impeller that gathers the snow and throws it in the chute that powers up the machinery and makes it capable of cleaning around 23 inches.
Such snow blowers are self-propelled and feature forward and reverse speeds to push the icy snow and wet snow with the same effort. This can easily be used on every type of terrain to remove the fluffy snow.
Finally, the three-stage snow blower possesses the features of other two kinds, an auger, and an impeller, with an accelerator that turns the ice into small chunks and throws it away with the wet snow. It goes 23 inches deep, hence, this can be used for commercial use. They are more powerful and can work well on unpaved and even inclined surfaces.
For effortless or minimal exertion, consider single-stage snow blowers due to their convenience and compact size.
The best snow blower for elderly includes
1. Snow Joe SB18 | Cordless Snow Blower
Product specifications
· Dimensions: 23.6 x 19.7 x 20.8 inches
· Weight: 39 lbs.
· Cleaning Width: 18 inches
· Power source: Cordless, Battery Powered
· Throwing Distance: 20 ft.
· Battery size: 4.0 Ah x 2
· Volts: 28 V
Snow Joe is a popular brand for a snow blower, the one that I have selected is battery powered which is ideal for seniors. It clears the snow efficiently with the help of 4 blades rubber-tipped steel auger that makes the job done quickly. It can go 10 inches deep and 18 inches wide
It uses brushless motor technology of 1200 W that can process around 10.5 tons of snow approximately and throws it away up to 20 ft. away with the help of a rotating chute that can rotate at 180 degrees. This snow blower can be used in dim lighting as it comes with LED lights, making it easy for clearing snow from the surface.
As said, this product for the snow blower is battery-operated, it requires two lithium-ion batteries with a power of 48V both, rechargeable. However, the working time is the limited time which is up to 40 minutes. hence, this one is suitable for small passages only.
Pros
· Impressive run time of around 40 minutes
· Easy to use with a minimal clearance
· Rotating chute at 180 degrees
Cons
· Not suitable for wet surfaces and or heavy snow
2. Greenworks 20 inches corded | Electric Snow blower
Product specifications
· Dimensions: 31 x 21.6 x 37 inches
· Weight: 30 lbs.
· Cleaning Width: 20 inches
· Power source: Corded Electric
· Wheel size: 7 inches
· Type: Single stage
The snow blowers are expensive but this single-stage snow thrower is economical yet heavy-duty. For the areas where the snow falls lightly, this model of GreenWorks is a perfect choice.
It is affordable and compact with 13 Amp for clearing snow from space of 20 inches at a time and throws to 20 feet. This can be used in small walkways and your mid sized driveways.
Although it is an electric corded snow blower, it starts easily with a push button. With that, you also have the option of an adjustable chute. It is easy to move around due to its weight but the wire can get tangled and be an obstacle in the way.
Pros
· It offers an adjustable chute
· Starts with an easy push button
· Unlimited run time due to the power source
Cons
· The cord gets tangled and can get in the way
3. PowerSmart Snow Blower | Gas Powered
Product specifications
· Dimensions: 48.7 x 24.8 x 44.2 inches
· Weight: 143 lbs.
· Type: 2 stage snow blower
· Power source: Gas Powered
· Throwing Distance: 40 ft.
· Speed levels: 6
· Clearing width: 24 inches
The working of a gasoline powered snow blower is completely different (will discuss in a different article). They work with engines that are classified into different variants. This snow blower uses 212 cc engine which delivers 2400 lbs. of snow plowing capacity per minute.
It removes the snow fast from a broader area of 24 inches wide and 20 inches in height. This snow blower starts hassle-free with a single push button by connecting it to your outdoor extension cord.
It is self-propelled with a wheel forward 6 and 2 reverse speed settings that allow you to use it for large surface and slopes. This works on a two-stage strategy, attached to an all steel auger that helps to cut the icy snow and blow the snow up to 40 ft. away.
This one is ideal for heavy-duty.
Pros
· Powerful engine to clear heavy snow
· Anti-clog system that keeps the unit running
· Starts with an electric push button
Cons
· Only good for 12 inches or less
4. Worx WG471 40V Cordless Snow Blower
Product specifications
· Dimensions: 44.49 x 21.26 x 37.4 inches
· Weight: 46.8 lbs.
· Cleaning Width: 18 inches
· Power source: Cordless, Battery Powered
· Throwing Distance: 20 ft.
· Volts: 40 V
Another product that I am listing is sourced by a battery that acquires 40V in total that can work from 45 minutes to 1 hour.
It requires 2 batteries that are powerful enough to give you the same power as a gas powered snow blower and can clean heavy snow. However, they need to be fully charged for 2 hours or it will not as effective as advertised.
This snow blower is compact and lightweight, 40 lbs. only but it is not self-propelled. The chute also rotates in different directions but only at 180 degrees and throws the snow out 20 ft. away approximately.
To remove the snow from dark corners, you can utilize the LED lights installed. The best part is, when needed to store, it can become more compact to fit in tight spaces.
Pros
· The power is equivalent to a gas operated snow blower
· Can clear a long driveway when charged fully
· Built-in lights for working in dim light conditioning
Cons
· Limited running time, drains fast when if not charged fully
What is the purpose of a chute in a snow blower?
The chute determines where to throw the snow and controls the direction of the snow excretion. You can do it manually by turning its direction where you want to throw the snow after clearing the pathway.
How to choose the best snow blower for elderly? A Buying Guide
When there are a lot of options, no wonder it is difficult to select which one would be best. As I have mentioned the types, you might be familiar with what would you need. Here are some other factors that you should consider.
1. The fuel sources
Similar to the types, snow blowers for elderly, these are available with different fuel sources
The widely used and heavy-duty snow blowers for eldery are gas-powered snow blowers that are capable of throwing snow far away. The electric blowers work with an extension cord up to 100 ft. whereas finally, battery-powered ones are more portable and effective.
For convenience, battery-powered or cordless snow blowers are perfect but to shovel, the snow in a broader area, consider gas-powered machines.
The final decision will be taken by keeping the area of your driveways.
2. Tracks or Wheels?
Another feature that you can see in the snow blowers is wheels or tracks. The single stage snow blower usually comes with wheels to move forward and backward manually with ease. While the two stage snow blower and three stage snow blower mainly possess motors.
The two stage blowers and three-stage snow blowers have tracks that usually cover a large area and are the best snow shovels for gravel driveways.
3. Surface
Not every snow blower is suitable for every terrain due to its capacity and size. The single stage blower is perfect for flat, driveways, walkways, and paved surfaces.
The two-stage snow blower has a broader coverage for diverse surfaces including gravel and uneven passages.
4. Size
Prefer compact and lightweight snow blower. They are more user-friendly, and the heavy-duty snow blower is, on the other hand, difficult to set up.
The single stage snow blower is more convenient and is perfect for elder people, the electric snow blowers are especially lighter not more than 60 lbs.
The gas powered snow blower is a bit heavy with 100 to 300 lbs. but is capable of shoveling the snow from a large area.
5. Cleaning Capacity; Width and depth
This determines how much snow cleaning capacity a snow blower has. The width defines how wide they are while the depth is its processing.
A snow blower with a width of 11 to 22 inches can throw around 8 inches of snow and a width of 30 inches and can clean around 23 inches.
6. Self-propelled
Snow blowers with this feature mean that their wheels will turn without a manual push and produces propulsion. If you are planning to buy a two-stage snow blower, consider this feature a must-have.
7. Low maintenance
The cordless electric snow blower requires less and low maintenance as the only thing they need is to change their batteries. Rest are more likely to be clogged by the fuel when not in use. For hassle-free usage, consider the cordless.
How to maintain a snow blower?
No wonder how much you take care of your snow blowers, there is always something that may cause a problem. To keep your snow blower running properly, make sure
· When your snow blower is not in use (after being used regularly when you stow it), use a stabilizer in your fuel can as the carburetor thickens and breaks down and is likely to damage your snow blower.
· Use shear pins in two stage models, they protect the gearbox and engine from tripping if the auger strikes an object too hard.
Other than that,
· Replace the parts or tighten the loose
· Regularly clean or replace the fuel
· Replace the filters, fuel power, and spark plug
· Keep the machinery lubricated
This makes your snow blower long-lasting.
Frequently Asked Questions | Best Snow Blower for Elderly
1. What is the difference between a snow blower and a snow thrower?
The core purpose of both machines is the same but their working is different. A snow thrower is a single stage machine while a snow blower is a 2 stage machine.
The snow thrower picks the snow from the passage and throws it out from the chute in a single motion and is compact. While the snow blower works by scooping the snow through the auger and transferring it to the impeller which blows the snow off in the chute and is bigger
2. Is an electric snow blower better than gas snow blower?
Electric snow blowers are less complicated in terms of usage and weight than gas snow blower. They are designed to be compact similar to the batter powered but they work with corded electric and are easy to handle too. The only hassle that you can face is that the wire might get tangled, limits the movement, and is probably less powerful than the gas snow blower.
On the contrary, gas snow blowers are robust but could be smelly (the gas odor), if you are looking for seniors, it is recommended to go for electric snow blowers or battery-powered snow blower.
Conclusively; Best snow blowers for Elderly
For seniors, it could be difficult to shovel the driveways when it snows. Thus, this can be done with ease and less effort by counting on the snow blower. It is totally up to the user to choose what type of fuel source (electric, gas, or battery-powered) will meet the need.
Whether you are a new buyer or want to know about the working, this guide has been made to provide the readers with ease to know the product better and find the perfect from our list. So, instead of buying a snow removal
