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How Does a Snow Shovel Differ From a Regular Shovel?

Since their core purpose is to shift large volumes of snow, snow shovels are designed slightly differently to achieve this.

Blades are often made from aluminum to shave off a few precious pounds without compromising durability. Blades are also made from steel which is a strong performer.

You’ll notice some extra ribbing and reinforcement on some snow shovels, all part of the armory against the challenging work you’ll be putting it through.

Since snow is seldom as heavily compacted as soil, the overall design focuses on the narrow job at hand so a dedicated snow shovel will be well worth the nominal investment.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you could get the job done just as well with a standard shovel.

What To Look For In The Best Snow Shovel

Type of Snow Shovel

A straight-up snow shovel is by no means your only option.

The market is flooded with a broad spread of products catering to all needs. Here are some of the most common variants you’ll encounter…

• Snow Shovels with Ergonomic Shafts: Looking rather like the shaft has been bent and damaged, these ergonomic snow shovels take a lot of the strain off your back. The S-shaped shaft enables you to keep your back straighter as you work, and there’s often a second handle mid-way down to increase efficiency further. The space-saving design makes this type of shovel ideal for popping in the trunk of your car
• Push-Along Manual Snow Plow: These blades have a set of wheels behind them to make your life even easier. Think about the type of snow you get, though. The wheels work just fine on fresh and lightweight snow but if it’s packed down more, you might run into trouble
• Electric Snow Shovel: Give yourself an extra edge with a power-assisted take on a regular snow shovel
• Snow Shovels with Telescopic Handles: We’re all different shapes and sizes, and it can be tough to find a regular shovel that feels just right. Those packing telescopic handles allow you to find the perfect set-up so you can get more done in less time
• Manual Push Shovel: These variants have wide flat heads and they are designed to push snow out in front of you as you go. If you suffer from frequent, heavier snowfall, manual push shovels can act as an effective first line of defense
• Ice Scraper: If you need to scrape away heavy and packed-down snow, the small and thin head of an ice scraper is a powerful tool. You’ll be able to peck away at any compacted snow and ice but be careful you don’t damage the cement as you work

Get the type right and you should have no problem at all finding the most effective weapon to help you combat those tiresome drifts of snow.

Given that everything else in your buying decision is specific to the type of tool you opt for, we’ll round out with some simple tips on clearing snow the easy way.

Some Pointers on Moving Snow

If you just steam in and start shoveling indiscriminately, you’ll get the job done but there’s a more efficient approach…

Clear along one side of the area to create a strip. Work down to make another strip either tossing or pushing snow accordingly. The idea is to move as little as possible while clearing as much snow as you can.

If you need to call in the heavy artillery instead, check out our recent articles on snow blowers and snow plows.