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The best snow shovel is an 18 inch poly combination blade with a wear strip, like the True Temper 1603400, because it pushes light snow and still lifts a wet load without wrecking your back. Our picks below add a pusher for light snow, a metal blade for frozen crust, and two designs that spare your back.
Most people own one snow shovel and use it for everything, which is why shoveling feels worse than it needs to. Snow is not one job. Six inches of dry powder on a long driveway wants a wide pusher you never lift. The frozen ridge the plow leaves at the driveway wants a metal edge that cuts instead of skidding. This page is one stop on our fall yard cleanup tools checklist, which puts every fall job in order. At the far end of the scale, a quad with a blade clears a long drive in a few passes; our best ATV snow plows guide prices those by the inch.
One thing up front: we make garden spades, not snow shovels, so every pick below is somebody else's tool. We ranked them on blade width against blade weight, wear strip material, and handle geometry.
Best snow shovels at a glance
| Snow shovel | Best for | Blade | Handle | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Temper 1603400 (best overall) | Mixed jobs: pushing light snow, lifting the rest | 18 inch poly combination blade, nylon wear strip | 54 inch total, 37.4 inch ergonomic handle, oversized D grip | Check price on Amazon |
| True Temper 1603072 (bent handle) | Long sessions without stooping | 18 inch poly combination blade, steel wear strip | Bent steel handle, extra large D grip | Check price on Amazon |
| The Snowplow Original 24 inch (pusher) | Light snow on walks and short drives, no lifting | 24 inch virgin UHMW polyethylene, non-stick | Thick wall metal handle, patented brace | Check price on Amazon |
| WIKER Aluminum Snow Shovel (for heavy or wet snow) | Slush, packed snow, plow crust | Aluminum scoop with turned up sides | Fiberglass handle, D grip | Check price on Amazon |
| The Snowplow Original 36 inch (best sleigh style) | Long driveways, decks, rinks, no lifting at all | 36 inch virgin UHMW polyethylene, non-stick | Thick wall metal handle, patented brace | Check price on Amazon |
| Snow Joe Shovelution SJ-SHLV01 (for seniors) | Anyone who should be lifting less | 18 inch impact resistant poly blade, aluminum wear strip | Spring assist second handle, D ring grips | Check price on Amazon |
What is the best snow shovel?
The best snow shovel for most driveways is an 18 inch poly combination blade with a wear strip and an oversized D grip, like the True Temper 1603400. It pushes light snow and lifts the heavy stuff without the weight of a wide blade. Add a 24 inch pusher if your driveway is long.
That answer holds because 18 inches is the honest limit of a blade you plan to pick up. A shovelful of dry powder weighs almost nothing, so wide blades feel great in December. The same blade full of March slush is a heavy load swinging at the end of a lever. Buying one shovel means buying for the worst snow of the year, not the best.
The combination blade is the other half: a nearly flat pusher blade will not hold a load, and a deep scoop blade drags when you push it.
The best snow shovels, by job
1. True Temper 1603400: best snow shovel overall
Buy this one if you are buying only one shovel. The 18 inch combination blade is built for both shoveling and pushing, so one pass can shove the loose top layer down the walk and then lift what is left. At 54 inches with a 37.4 inch ergonomic handle, your upper hand sits high enough that you lever rather than bend, and the oversized D grip fits a winter glove.
The nylon wear strip is the detail that matters for anyone with a deck, a patio, or stamped concrete. True Temper says it prolongs blade life without damaging deck, patio, and other ground surfaces, so the same shovel goes from driveway to back steps without leaving marks.
Get it on Amazon. Where it loses: a nylon strip wears faster than steel on rough concrete, and 18 inches is slow going on a three car driveway.
2. True Temper 1603072: bent handle snow shovel
An ergonomic snow shovel earns its keep in the second half hour, not the first. The 1603072 puts an 18 inch poly combination blade on a bent steel handle, the shape True Temper sells as ergonomic. A bent shaft is the classic back saving shape, meant to cut how far you stoop for each load, though you still lift every one, and the blade shape lets you push as well as scoop.
Next to the overall pick, the difference is at the edge and the grip: a steel wear strip in place of the nylon one, and an extra large D grip for a gloved hand.
Available on Amazon. Where it loses: True Temper describes the nylon strip on the overall pick, not this steel one, as safe for decks and patios, so on composite decking, pavers and stamped concrete use the overall pick.
3. The Snowplow Original 24 inch: snow pusher for light snow
A pusher clears a driveway without a single lift, as long as you use it on the snow it suits: light, dry snow on a hard surface. Inside that window you walk the drive behind a 24 inch blade and never pick anything up.
This is pick 5's design in a narrower width: the same virgin UHMW polyethylene blade that snow slides off, the same patented TUFFBRACE connector where the handle meets the blade, and the same thick wall metal handle. Snowplow lists it for concrete, blacktop, pavers, decks, roofs and ice rinks, and at 24 inches it suits a front walk or a short drive that the 36 inch model is too wide for.
Available on Amazon. Where it loses: like any pusher it moves snow rather than lifting it, so on gravel, in wet heavy snow or against a tall bank you still want a shovel you can lift.
4. WIKER Aluminum Snow Shovel: for heavy or wet snow
Wet snow and plow crust defeat plastic blades for the same reason: a thick poly edge flexes and skids across a hard surface instead of getting underneath. The WIKER trades the poly for an aluminum scoop on a fiberglass D grip handle, and its listing mentions crusty plowed snow, packed snow and slush, and the hard pack a snowplow leaves at the end of the drive.
The scoop's sides turn up, and the listing puts the whole tool at 3.5 pounds. Once the snow is gone it works as a transfer shovel for mulch and wood chips.
Available on Amazon. Where it loses: its listing gives a 45 inch length, shorter than the 54 inch overall pick, so if you are tall, check the grip height against the rule under How to choose before a long session.
5. The Snowplow Original 36 inch: best sleigh style shovel for big driveways
A sleigh shovel is any wide blade on a frame you walk forward and never lift, and this is the version we would spend money on. The blade is virgin UHMW polyethylene, which Snowplow calls the highest wearing, impact resistant, cold weather adaptable material available, so snow slides off the face instead of clinging the way it does to generic plastic. Cold hands end a shovelling session before the driveway does, and our best heated gloves guide prices each pair by hours of heat. Cold feet end it too, and our best heated socks guide sorts pairs by job.
The build targets the failure point of every wide pusher, the joint where the handle meets the blade. Snowplow patented its TUFFBRACE connector for that and uses a metal handle with twice the wall thickness of industry snow shovels, rated for concrete, blacktop, pavers, decks, roofs, and ice rinks.
Available on Amazon. Where it loses: 36 inches is unmanageable on a narrow walk or a set of steps, and it cannot pick anything up.
6. Snow Joe Shovelution SJ-SHLV01: snow shovel for seniors
The Shovelution is an ordinary looking shovel with a spring assisted second handle on the shaft. That handle changes the mechanics of the lift. It acts as a fulcrum, so the load pivots over it instead of hanging off your lower back, and Snow Joe puts the lifting leverage in your lower hand. The D ring grips and overall geometry are designed to improve posture and reduce how far you bend.
That is the right feature set for anyone who should be lifting less, including older gardeners and anyone who has learned what a driveway does to a back. The 18 inch poly blade is impact resistant and carries an aluminum wear strip, Snow Joe lists it for medium to heavy snow on driveways, walkways, steps and garden paths, and the better technique is built into the handle rather than something to remember at hour two.
Available on Amazon. Where it loses: its listing gives a 50 inch length, so tall users should check the grip height against the rule under How to choose.
What is the best snow shovel for heavy snow?
Heavy snow is a load problem, not a width problem. Wet snow fills every inch of a blade, so what helps is a blade you can still lift when it is full, a metal edge for the crust, and help with the lift itself. Two picks above take that job:
- Packed snow, slush and plow crust: pick 4, the WIKER aluminum shovel. Its listing mentions crusty plowed snow, packed snow and slush, and the hard pack a snowplow leaves behind, and its scoop's sides turn up.
- Heavy loads you have to lift: pick 6, the Snow Joe Shovelution. Snow Joe lists it for medium to heavy snow, and its spring assist handle works as a fulcrum, so more of the lift comes from your lower hand and less from your back.
Whatever you use, lift less per scoop. Clear during the storm rather than after it, take a partial blade when the snow is wet, and push it wherever you can instead of lifting and throwing it. The pushers, picks 3 and 5, are for the lighter snow you never lift, and a coat of wax on a poly blade keeps wet snow from packing onto it (see the FAQ below).
Ergonomic snow shovels for seniors and bad backs
Three designs on this page take strain off your back, each in a different way, so choose by the motion that hurts.
- Bent shaft: pick 2, the True Temper 1603072, puts its blade on a bent steel handle that True Temper sells as ergonomic. It changes the angle you work at, not the weight, so you still lift every load.
- Second, spring assist handle: pick 6, the Snow Joe Shovelution. Snow Joe says the extra handle acts as a fulcrum and gives the lifting leverage to your lower hand, easing the load on your back and arms. It is the design for anyone who still has to lift.
- No lift at all: picks 3 and 5, the Snowplow pushers. On light snow, walking a pusher down the drive replaces lifting with pushing.
Handle length matters as much as handle shape: stand the shovel beside you and check that the grip lands between your waist and the bottom of your ribs, as How to choose explains below. And the shovel is only half of it. The American Heart Association's advice on who should not shovel at all, and on how to pace it if you do, is in the FAQ below.
What are the types of snow shovels?
This page covers five shapes in six picks, with the pusher in two widths. Match the shape to the job first, then the brand.
| Type | Lift or push | The job | The pick here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combination blade | Both | Mixed snow on most driveways and walks | 1. True Temper 1603400 |
| Bent shaft combination | Both | Long sessions with less stooping | 2. True Temper 1603072 |
| Pusher, 24 inch | Push only | Light snow on walks and short drives | 3. The Snowplow Original 24 inch |
| Metal scoop | Lift | Packed snow, slush and plow crust | 4. WIKER Aluminum Snow Shovel |
| Wide sleigh style pusher, 36 inch | Push only | Long driveways, no lifting | 5. The Snowplow Original 36 inch |
| Assist handle shovel | Lift, with a second handle | Heavier loads with less strain on your back | 6. Snow Joe Shovelution SJ-SHLV01 |
Width follows the type: 18 inches is the ceiling for a blade you lift, and 24 to 36 inches is the range for one you only push.
Which snow shovel for a deck, pavers or a gravel driveway?
Choose the edge for the surface, because the wear strip is the part that touches it.
- Composite or wood decks, pavers and stamped concrete: a plastic edge. Pick 1's nylon wear strip is the one True Temper says does not damage decks, patios and other ground surfaces, and Snowplow lists both of its pushers (picks 3 and 5) for pavers and decks. True Temper makes that claim for the nylon strip, not for pick 2's steel one.
- Plain concrete and asphalt: any pick here works.
- Gravel: a cordless snow shovel is out on gravel: our cordless snow shovel guide (linked in the bottom line) notes that its auger works close to the ground and throws stones.
- Long driveways: the 36 inch Snowplow (pick 5), or a snow blower once the drive runs past two or three cars.
Where a garden spade beats a snow shovel
Our own tool is not on this list because the Spear Head Spade is a garden spade, not a snow shovel, and a 40 inch spade is a poor way to move powder. It earns a place in the winter shed for the jobs a snow shovel is bad at: chipping the packed ice a plow leaves at the mouth of a driveway, cutting the vertical face off a snowbank so it stops collapsing across the walk, and breaking a frozen crust into pieces small enough to lift. The blade is a sharpened spear point in tempered carbon-manganese steel, 33 percent thicker and 25 percent harder than standard shovel stock, sharpened tip to tail. Break the ice with the spade, then move it with the shovel.
How to choose a snow shovel
Five decisions cover it. Get these right and the brand matters much less.
- Blade width against blade weight. Eighteen inches is the ceiling for a blade you lift, and 24 to 36 inches is the range for one you only push. Every extra inch is a faster pass and a heavier load, so buy width for pushing and restraint for lifting.
- Wear strip material. The strip along the leading edge is what dies first, and where metal versus plastic gets decided. Steel lasts longest and cuts packed snow and ice, and it will also scratch composite decking, pavers, and stamped concrete. Nylon and coated poly suit light dry snow and wooden decks, protect the surface underneath, and wear out sooner.
- Handle length for your height. Stand the shovel up beside you. The grip should land between your waist and the bottom of your ribs. Too short and you stoop over every load, too long and you cannot get the blade under anything. Most 54 to 58 inch shovels suit adults around six feet.
- D grip against straight shaft. A D grip gives you a defined hand position and control when you turn to dump a load, and it is the only sensible choice in thick gloves. A straight shaft is lighter and lets you slide your hand to change leverage. For weak grip strength, choose the D.
- Storage and reach. The shovel you actually use is the one hanging inside the garage door, not the one behind the mower. Folding and knock down models exist for a reason, and a 36 inch pusher needs a wall you have measured.
One habit worth building: clear early rather than deep, because two passes during a snowfall move half as much weight per pass as one heroic effort afterward. If the driveway runs longer than two or three cars, a machine earns its space in the garage, and our guide to the best snow blowers sorts single stage and two stage models by driveway size and snow type. Our guide to winterizing the garden covers what to do before the ground freezes, and our ergonomic tools and techniques guide goes deeper on working without paying for it the next day. The packed film a blade leaves behind is a job for chemistry rather than steel, and our ice melt picks cover which products stay safe on concrete, plants and paws.
Frequently asked questions
Is a metal or plastic snow shovel better?
Plastic is better for most people: it is lighter, it does not stick as badly, and it will not gouge a wooden deck or pavers. Metal wins on packed snow, ice, and frozen crust, where a thin hard edge cuts instead of skidding. Many gardeners keep one of each.
What size snow shovel should I buy?
Eighteen inches is the right width for a shovel you lift, and 24 to 36 inches for one you only push. Wider blades clear faster but load heavier, and wet snow at 24 inches is more weight than most backs want. Match the width to the job.
What is the best snow shovel for seniors?
A light shovel with a second assist handle or a curved shaft, so you push and lever instead of lifting and twisting. The Snow Joe Shovelution adds a spring assisted upper handle that carries part of the load. Pair it with a pusher and lift as little as possible.
How do you shovel snow without hurting your back?
Push more than you lift, keep every load small, and turn your feet toward where the snow is going instead of twisting at the waist. Lift with your legs rather than your back, hold the shaft close to your body, and clear in layers during a long storm rather than one deep pass.
Do snow shovels need wax?
No, but a coat helps. Silicone spray or paste wax on a poly blade makes wet snow slide off instead of packing, which is the main reason shoveling gets slow. Reapply every few storms. A non-stick blade with ribbing does most of this on its own.
Is shoveling snow hard on your heart?
It can be. The American Heart Association says research shows the exertion of shoveling snow may raise the odds of a heart attack or of sudden cardiac arrest, and that cold air narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure. It singles out people who already carry heart risks (a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking now or in the past, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, or a past heart attack or stroke), and it says anyone with known or suspected heart disease or its risk factors should have someone else clear the snow. If you do shovel, it advises starting gradually and pacing yourself, and pushing or sweeping snow instead of lifting and tossing it. It says to stop at once for chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat, and to call 911 if the symptoms do not ease shortly after you stop.
Are powered snow shovels worth it?
For light snow on decks, steps, walks and a short paved driveway, they can be: a cordless snow shovel clears a path about a foot wide and throws the snow off to one side, so you never lift it. It is not the tool for a long driveway, gravel or deep snow, where a snow blower does the job. Our guide to the best cordless snow shovels, linked in the bottom line, compares the battery models.
What makes a snow shovel heavy duty?
The words on the box mean little on their own, so read the materials. Two picks here carry heavy duty in their listing titles: pick 4, the WIKER, an aluminum scoop on a fiberglass handle, and pick 6, the Shovelution. Past the label, look for a metal blade or a steel wear strip for packed snow and ice (pick 4), a steel or fiberglass handle, and a reinforced joint where the handle meets the blade, which is what Snowplow's patented TUFFBRACE on picks 3 and 5 is for.
The bottom line
If you buy one snow shovel, buy the True Temper 1603400: an 18 inch combination blade with a wear strip and a handle you can hold in gloves. If your driveway is longer than two cars, add a Snowplow pusher, the 24 inch or the 36 inch. If your back is the limiting factor, start with the Shovelution. And if the plow keeps sealing the end of your driveway in ice, that is a job for a sharpened garden spade, not a snow shovel. Considering a powered option? Our guide to the best cordless snow shovels covers what a battery can and cannot do, and our snow removal tools guide covers every other winter job. If the snow is piling up on the roof instead, our guide to the best roof rakes covers pulling it down from the ground.
Disclosure: some links in this guide are affiliate links to Amazon. This is at no extra cost to you, and it never changes our honest recommendations.
