Snag a New Shovel Before the Snow Starts Falling

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As a Southerner who packed it all up and moved to the Midwest after college, I quickly learned the art and science of shoveling snow. Now that the snow has started to fall in some parts of the country (as evidenced in part by the storm that hit the Northeast recently), it's important to have a snow shovel that lets you clear walking paths and your driveway efficiently without putting too much strain on your body–especially your back. I’ve felt the pain of using a sub-par tool, and the lingering effects that can last for days afterward.

Though shoveling will always be hard work, a great shovel can make the job a little easier and minimize the toll on your body. To find the best snow shovels for clearing snow and ice, I talked to a number of experts in the field, including ergonomists, landscapers, and snow removal professionals. Picking the right one comes down to a number of factors—including your body type–so we've gathered a wide array of options to suit as many people as possible.

Read quick info below on the best snow shovels from our testing. Then keep scrolling to find buying advice, safety tips, and in-depth reviews.

The Best Snow Shovels

• Best Overall: True Temper 18-inch Ergonomic Mountain Mover Snow Shovel

• Best Value: Emsco Group Bigfoot 18-inch Combination Snow Shovel

• Best Lightweight: Garant Yukon 18-Inch Ergonomic Snow Shovel

• Best For Heavy-Duty Jobs: The Snow Dominator

• Best For Back Pain: Ergieshovel 48 in. Steel Shaft Impact Resistant Snow Shovel

More Gear to Get You Through The Winter: Best Snowblowers ● Best Winter Coats ● Best Heated Gloves

What To Consider When Choosing A Snow Shovel

Snow Shovel Blades

Most snow shovels fall into one of three categories, based on the end of the shovel, also known as the shovel blade. JP Sanieski, vice president of operations at a Long Island, NY-area snow removal firm, says that the type and volume of snow is important when choosing your tool for the job.

"Pusher shovels are best for clearing light, fluffy snow from large areas quickly," Sanieski says. "Scoop shovels are better for heavier, wetter snow."

Scoop/Traditional: When you picture a snow shovel in your head, you’re probably thinking about a “scoop” shovel, which has a slightly curved blade that makes it easy to scoop and lift snow. Though they can get the job done, we generally recommend the more modern combination design as your go-to, as it’s more versatile.

Push shovels: As the name implies, push shovels are designed for pushing snow out of the way, rather than lifting and piling up. They tend to have short, wide blades that allow you to "plow" snow to edges of a driveway or out into the street.

Combination: The “combination” snow shovel is a modern, best-of-both-worlds design. It has a deeper, curved shovel blade that you can use to both push and scoop large quantities of snow effectively. (Though it will not push as well as a dedicated push shovel.)

Handle and Grip

Sanieski says that you should carefully examine the grip at the end of the shovel before you buy it, as that tends to be the first thing that starts to bother you during a long job. When choosing a shovel, make sure that your hand can easily fit the handle and that it feels sturdy, as it's often the first thing that breaks if you opt for a cheaper tool.

Almost all of our below picks feature a “D-grip,” which is the most popular and effective grip style for a variety of tasks. Named for its shape, the D-grip curves outward from the handle to meet the sides of the grip, forming a shape similar to the letter D. You may also find shovels with a “T-grip,” where the grip fits flush against the end of the shovel’s handle so it looks like a “T.”

We prefer D-grips because they are generally easier to hold for long periods of time without straining your hands, and allow for more control.

Size and Material

Sanieski says that the physical size and material construction of your snow shovel are often more important than the design.

"The size significantly impacts the usability of a shovel," he says. "Larger shovels clear larger areas more quickly, but they're heavier and difficult to maneuver. It all depends on your physical ability."

He generally recommends that residential owners stick to plastic polymers rather than metal or metal-edged tools, as they can rust without proper maintenance, and get caught on grass or bumps on paved surfaces. Keep in mind that some combination shovels do come with a metal cutting edge on the tip of the blade to help break up ice.

Martin Tirado, CEO of the Snow & Ice Management Association, recommends that residential shovelers resist the urge to buy the largest shovel possible. Using a larger shovel can lead you to pick up larger, heavier scoops of snow, increasing the likelihood that you’ll injure yourself by the time you finish shoveling.

"When it comes to a snow shovel, you get what you pay for," he says. "It's more important to get the job done than to injure yourself by not knowing your limitations."

Tirado recommends picking a shovel with a blade width between 18- and 24-inches for smaller jobs, like clearing your driveway.

Staying Safe When Shoveling Snow

All our experts agree: Shoveling snow is serious work. The Nationwide Children's Hospital estimates that shoveling leads to an average of 11,500 injuries that require hospital treatment each year. While it might seem like a relatively harmless chore to some, it causes dozens (if not hundreds) of deaths a year in the US alone. Tirado suggests that people tend to get hurt because they underestimate how much effort goes into shoveling.

"It's only natural that most of us get less exercise during the winter months, which means that we're a little out of shape," he says. "You're getting off the couch and lifting heavy amounts of weight in cold conditions, it's easy to do too much."

Regardless of what shovel you use, take frequent breaks to avoid straining yourself. When shoveling snow, you should always lift with your legs, bending your knees and keeping your back straight. Don't throw the snow over your shoulder, either.

If you feel pain or discomfort, go inside and allow your body to recover. If you are concerned about the amount of shoveling you’ll have to do, consider upgrading to a shovel with an ergonomic handle, or even a snowblower. You should also strongly consider hiring someone to shovel for you if you have an injury or have more work than you can handle.

After clearing a path, it's also important to use de-icing products like sodium chloride (rock salt) or magnesium chloride so your neighbors (and your mail carrier) don’t slip on the cleared path. Generally, rock salt is recommended for temperatures above 15 degrees, and magnesium chloride works at colder temperatures. Be careful, though: De-icers can hurt your greenery or pets.

Shovel Weight and Ergonomics

According to Canadian ergonomist Marnie Downey, there is no one "ergonomic" snow shovel. The proper ergonomics for any task depend largely on the person doing it, so she suggests that would-be shovelers keep their physical capabilities in mind when picking out shovels.

"If you have your young child shovel with you, you wouldn't have them use an adult-size shovel," Downey says. "Similarly, we should not expect a smaller individual to use the same shovel as a tall individual, or an elderly individual to use the same shovel as a young adult."

Downey recommends that less physically capable individuals look for shovels that weigh less than 3 pounds, with a smaller blade. Our other experts also recommended thinking twice before buying the largest possible shovel. The heavy scoops of snow you’ll pick up with an extra large shovel may tire you out faster, and make it more likely that you’ll strain your back.

Downey also notes that ergonomic shovels with bent handles may not work for every person. The bend may be awkward for people above or below a certain height. Ultimately, she recommends that you try using a shovel before you buy it if possible, and consider buying multiple shovels for different use-cases. Specifically, she says you should invest in a pusher shovel and use it whenever possible, as it allows you to clear snow without lifting it.

How We Selected The Best Snow Shovels

We picked the best snow shovels based on recommendations from a small panel of experts, including snow removal specialists and an ergonomics consultant:

JP Sanieski is the vice president of operations at East End Group, a snow removal and commercial maintenance firm in the Long Island, New York area. He's worked in the snow removal industry for more than 20 years, including blowing, shoveling, and operating commercial equipment.

Martin Tirado is the CEO of the Snow & Ice Management Association, a trade association that focuses on training and establishing best practices for the snow removal industry. He has worked in organizational management for over 25 years.

Marnie Downey is a certified professional ergonomist with ERGO Inc., a Canada-based ergonomics consulting and training firm. She is a Certified Canadian Professional Ergonomist with over 28 years of ergonomics consulting and training expertise.

In addition, I combed reviews from product testers, average users, and message boards for professionals like Snowblower Forum, to find the right shovels for all kinds of scenarios.

The True Temper 18-inch Mountain Mover checks many of the boxes that our experts recommend for clearing snow. Its ergonomic design features a curved shaft and solid handle, so it's great for scooping and pushing without straining your back. The 18-inch blade will pick up a manageable amount of snow, and excels at all snow removal tasks.

It’s made from lightweight plastic, which is durable enough to stand multiple seasons of clearing an average walk and driveway. It may not last so long if you plan to go around and help shovel around the neighborhood, but the mountain mover should easily help most of us dig out through a few winters.

While you can find very, very cheap snow shovels, our experts say spending at least $20 to $30 dramatically reduces the risk of picking out a lemon. If you're looking to spend as little as possible on a shovel that can clear your porch or driveway, you should consider the Emsco Bigfoot. Its combination blade works well for scooping and pushing, and it has earned great reviews from consumers.

It lacks the ergonomic curve that might save your back some strain, and the materials may not be as robust as what you'll find with our other picks, but it's a good basic option that will work fine for light-to-medium snows.

The Garant Yukon 18-inch ergonomic snow shovel has a lot in common with our top pick, but there are enough differences for it to earn its own recommendation. At merely 3 pounds, it's significantly lighter than most similarly sized shovels. The deep curve in the blade allows you to pick up a lot of snow with each heave.

This is both a positive and a negative, as you can quickly tire yourself if you routinely lift more than you can handle. On the plus side, its curved ergonomic handle will help you handle the weight a little better. If you avoid overdoing it, though, the Garant Yukon can make the process of shoveling a bit easier.

Sanieski recommends this shovel for professional shovelers, as it's particularly good at scooping and throwing a large volume in a short period of time. That snow-moving power comes at a cost: The snow dominator is heavier than most of our picks, making the process a little more taxing, and it lacks an ergonomic handle that will spare your back.

That could spell trouble for folks who overestimate their fitness and underestimate the job. If you’re going door to door, though, the Snow Dominator will help you move snow faster.

If you have back pain or tend to strain it when you shovel, you may want to consider a dual-handled shovel that allows you to pick up snow without bending over. The Ergieshovel, as an example, features a second handle that extends from roughly halfway down the shaft, allowing you to grab the shovel from a standing position, which reduces the chance that you’ll lift with your back.

"I recommend shovels that are easy to grip and reduce bending," say Marnie Downey, our ergonomics expert. "If a shovel has a bent [ergonomic] handle, you should make sure it's not in an awkward location for you. Most importantly, you should make sure you aren't lifting too much snow at a time."

The shovel feels durable and well-made, though it is heavier than average for a snow shovel. Its polycarbonate blade has a slimmer-than-average curve, so you won’t be able to pack as much snow into each scoop. That may not be a bad thing, though: You should take a slower, steadier shoveling pace if you’re worried about your back. (That said, our experts and I recommend hiring professional shovelers if you experience back pain regularly or have any other injuries.)

Having a push shovel around will save you a lot of time when you only need to move an inch or two of unpacked powder. If you find yourself clearing light dustings regularly, all of our experts recommended the Snowplow snow pusher as an obvious go-to.

Sanieski says the 36-inch snow pusher is ideal for clearing large amounts of light, fluffy snow quickly. Another snow removal company rep told me that it’s the only shovel that his teams use on most jobs. It's wide, it's sturdy, and it's reasonably priced. You can use it to push surprisingly large amounts of snow without having to scoop and lift it.

Push shovels, in general, have limitations: They can only plow lightweight layers of snow, and aren’t made to cut through the icy, hardened crust of a frozen snowbank. Realistically, this makes it a secondary tool that you'll use in tandem with a combination shovel, rather than a replacement for one. In the right situation, though, this is the fastest way to clear your driveway.

As someone who lived in Minneapolis for years and parked on the street for years, I know how important it is to keep a good snow shovel in your car if you live in the city. Though you can buy a small shovel that's inexpensible and replaceable, I think it’s worth it to shell out for something nicer. (You don’t want to get stuck with a crappy shovel when you have to dig out after a snow storm.)

The Voile Telepro Mini Avalanche is perfect for small jobs or snow emergencies. It’s easy to assemble or disassemble, and will fit in your trunk or even under a front seat.

The aluminum blade is significantly better at cutting and scraping ice and heavy snow than that of other portable shovels. It certainly isn’t cheap–you can easily buy a small plastic shovel for less–but it's the kind of shovel you want to find in a car, or a shed, or anywhere that you might stash a “backup” shovel.

Generally speaking, our experts recommended that most people stick to plastic-bladed shovels, since metal ones tend to be heavier, and can damage soft surfaces like wood decks. That said, if you’re worried about breaking up large sheets of ice, True Temper's 20-inch aluminum combination shovel, a slightly larger metal version of our best overall pick, is easy to recommend.

It can shatter and cut through hardened snowbanks and ice more effectively than most plastic shovels. It is, of course, heavier than most of our picks, which may make shoveling a bit more arduous. Still, it’s a nice option to have around for tougher conditions.

In addition to buying a new, more ergonomic snow shovel, accessories like the BackEZ ergonomic handle can make it a little easier for you to wield your snow shovel. The BackEZ is a secondary grip handle, similar to one you’d find on the end of a snow shovel: It clamps to the shaft of any shovel and allows you to lift heavy snow without relying as much on your back. (You can also attach it to a rake, or any tool with a long handle.) It encourages better form, helping you avoid twisting and bending, which Downey says can lead to back strain over time.

Keep in mind that, while sparing your back, lifting from the front handle may cause you to rely on your shoulders and arms more. That can lead to other injuries if you aren’t careful. Remember: No matter how you grip your snow shovel, you should always lift with your legs.

Snow Shovel Q+A With Our Experts

How many snow shovels do I need?

Realistically, you only need one. We recommend getting a combination-style snow shovel with a plastic blade as your primary, do-it-all shovel. Depending on how often it snows where you live, and how much snow you see on average, it can be helpful to buy a couple of extras for specific circumstances.

If you have a long sidewalk or driveway, a push-style shovel will clear light snow quickly and without much effort. It also may help to keep a metal shovel handy for when you get snowstorms overnight, and have to clear piles of hard, ice-crusted snow. (That said, you can also get a separate ice scraper, which can break up ice for your plastic shovel.) Ultimately, it all comes down to budget and personal preference.

Where should I store my snow shovel?

It might be tempting to leave your large snow shovels in a garage or shed, but you want to store them somewhere that will stay completely dry. This is doubly important if you have a metal shovel, as it will eventually start to rust.

Similarly, it's best to hang your shovel off the ground if possible to keep its cutting edge sharp, perhaps on a closet hook or rack. These are all small things, but they go a long way to keeping your shovel weather-ready for seasons to come.

What are some other tools that I need for proper winter readiness?

Though every snow shovel on our list will help you make it through a long winter, there are some other items that can help. For example, many people forgo a metal shovel in favor of a dedicated sidewalk ice scraper, which you can use to break up ice and hard snow before you shovel.

Similarly, a snow broom or roof rake can help you remove snow from your roof before it builds up too much. And, of course, as we already mentioned, de-icing products like rock salt are a must-have.

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