Need a Budget Electric Snow Shovel? These Three Corded 120V Power Shovels Cost the Least to Own

Why corded is the budget power shovel

The battery is half the price of a cordless snow shovel. Leave it out, plug into a 120 volt outlet and the same auger, the same 11 or 12 inch path and the same 6 inch bite cost a fraction as much and never run flat. That is the budget electric snow shovel: a 10 amp corded tool for the front walk, the steps, the deck and the first car length of driveway, anywhere within 100 feet of an outlet. The three here are the corded shovels worth buying at the bottom of the price range, from the long-running Snow Joe to a 12 inch newcomer, and the difference between them is weight, warranty, lights and how far they throw.

This guide is built from the published specifications of each shovel and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these shovels ourselves.

How the three compare

Snow Joe 324E: the budget benchmark

The Snow Joe 324E is the corded power shovel most people picture: a 10 amp motor that moves up to 300 pounds of snow a minute through an 11 inch path 6 inches deep, 14 pounds on an ergonomic back-saving handle, a 2 watt LED headlight for the dark morning and a shape that stands in a closet. There is no gas, no oil, no pull cord and no battery to replace in three winters. It is the lightest shovel here and the one with the longest record, and its limit is the fixed throw and an 11 inch bite that takes a few passes on a wide walk.

Westinghouse WSnow11S: the same job with a warranty

Westinghouse matches the Snow Joe spec, a 120 volt 10 amp motor, 300 pounds a minute, an 11 inch path 6 inches deep, and adds a stated 20 foot throw, an adjustable sliding handle so a tall or short user stands upright, a 2 year limited warranty, lifetime technical support and a nationwide service network. Westinghouse names driveways, sidewalks, porches and decks as its ground. For a budget tool that will be run hard on wet snow, the warranty and the adjustable handle are the reasons to pick it over the 324E.

Morakot 12 inch: a wider path, ETL certified

The Morakot clears 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep, an inch more per pass than the other two, throws light to moderate snow up to 20 feet with a dual-blade auger and runs on 120 volt corded power. The reason to consider a newer brand is that it carries ETL certification, which is the safety listing to look for on any corded tool that will be used in slush, along with an insulated handle. The listing does not state an amp rating or a weight, so it is bought on path width and the certification rather than on known power.

Cord handling, decks and walks

A corded shovel is only as good as its cord. Use an outdoor-rated extension cord, 14 gauge up to about 50 feet and 12 gauge to 100 feet for a 10 amp motor, plug into a GFCI outlet, and loop the cord through the handle lock or tie a loose knot at the plug so it cannot pull out. Start at the outlet and work away from it so the cord lies on cleared ground behind the shovel, and never pull the shovel backward over the cord. On a wood or composite deck keep the plastic auger a quarter inch above the boards and work with the boards, not across them. Clear 6 inches at a time; in a deeper fall take the top layer first. Dry the shovel and coil the cord indoors so the plug does not freeze.

Which one should you buy

Buy the Snow Joe 324E for the lightest, best-known corded shovel with a headlight. Buy the Westinghouse WSnow11S for the same spec with a 2 year warranty and an adjustable handle. Buy the Morakot 12 inch for a wider path and ETL safety certification at a low price.