Bought the model SJ621 a few weeks back at a big box club store as Amazon wasn't carrying the Snow Joe with a headlight.
First used this little fellow a couple days after receiving it on about 6" of wet, early season snow.
The Snow Joe did OK in clearing our driveway. It is a little small (18" width), which means you'll have to make more passes, and since it's electric, you might have to "double-pump" a bit, as in make a pass then make another one immediately afterwards.
Our snow was pretty wet, especially close to the driveway, so Little Snow Joe only threw it 10' at most, but using my head I was able to clear our 60x80' driveway in just under an hour. I'd imagine it will do better with drier snow.
Of course I had to go around after the Snow Joe with a shovel to clean up, but that's to be expected.
I wouldn't try wet snow any deeper than 6"...this morning I could tell this little guy was straining...this means any larger storms and you'll have to keep ahead of the snow in order to not overwhelm the Snow Joe.
I took the advice on the instructions and put some WD-40 on the pivot points of the chute and lever and it was easy to turn and aim.
Didn't need the light the first time I used it 'cuz it was daytime, but after use I noticed it was covered in snow, so I'm guessing when I do use the light I'll have to keep brushing it off.
I used a 12GA 100' extension cord and this seemed to work fine.
All in all, much easier than shoveling by hand, and at this price, a very good deal.
UPDATE 12/20:
Well, this little guy just took care of another 5" of wet snow. In addition, the headlight came in very handy tonight as it helped me see where the extension cord was...even with a bright yellow cord, it's hard to see it when it's snowing hard and dark. Still very happy with the purchase. I may make a video of the little fella in use during the next storm. Snow Joe SJ621 18-Inch 13.5-Amp Electric Snow Thrower With Headlight
Extremely pleased with this item. When it was delivered it was taken outside immediately and used as we just had snow.
It's lightweight, well built and very easy to use.
Electric is awesome. Have had other gas powered snow throwers that are touchy to start and often times don't start. Replacing spark plugs, etc. They are also very heavy to use.
Can't say enough about how happy we are with this product.
Reading the other reviews, sounds like maybe mine was a lemon. It did work great when I first took it out of the box, but after only a couple weeks use, its performance went down hill fast. I really wanted it to work, and I even installed a new electrical outlet outside in the middle of winter so I'd have a convenient place to plug this in. The problem was that the Snow Joe kept over-heating, and when that happened it would barely throw snow more than a couple inches! I could smell something overheating inside, so I'd need to stop using it and use a shovel instead, and then go back to it maybe 30 minutes later. But the over-heating got worse and worse, and came on more quickly each time I used it, so I returned it to Amazon for a refund. I do have a very large driveway, and I m not sure whether I just expected too much, or whether mine was defective. But I think my next one will be back to a Toro gasoline model. I loved the fact that electric means no oily smoke like my old one produced, and it was really light weight which was great. But it also was hard to manage the cord always being in the way, so there are pros and cons both ways I guess. If you do get one of these, I highly recommend the one with the headlight, because it helps avoid running over the cord when it is dark.
Though I believe the machine I purchased was NOT new (looked like it MAY have been a floor model since it was partially assembled and covered in dust and was missing ONE screw), I needed it for a snow fall that was already in progress...If you don't mind dealing with a power cord that always wants to get in the way, the unit did a FINE job on the light snow that was easily more than 10 inches deep...It did NOT throw heavier snow very far (which is not surprising for a single stage machine) but it did allow me to clear most of my 300 foot long driveway and garage area without breaking a sweat...I had to learn the best method of clearing a 10 foot path with an 18" machine...but it did the job...The housing is plastic and I imagine if I was pushing through heavier snow and ice I might end up writing a different review, but thus far it's been all positive. Maybe someone will figure out a way to keep a 200' cord in check so I don't have to stop and rewind the slack over and over. It's quite a workout! I will use it several more times this winter it appears and I hope that it does not give up or out before the season ends...
This machine is an absolute marvel. We didn't get our first real snow until late January, but it was a heavy wet one of about 7". This thing worked like a champ, I had my driveway and walkway done in less than an hour. It usually takes me about 2-1/2 hours for this. The Snow Joe is a real winner.
The Snow Joe SJ621 has met my expectations. It is small, lightweight and appears durable. Here in Dayton, OH we have had a combination of snow and ice recently and SJ has handled it well. It will take some doing to throw drifts over 6 inches but it works. I especially like the way it cleans down to the surface, though you have to tilt it off its wheels for best results. This unit came with a headlight which is a real plus. The unit has plenty of power and is easy to use. Because of vibration, the electric cord tends to come loose and disconnect; but that's the only negative so far.
It is a pretty good blower. It does not blow the snow as far as I would like but overall it saved me a lot of time and effort from shoveling.
It also does not go as deep to the ground as needed so you will need to go back over the area twice. - Electric Snow Thrower - Snow Blower - Snow Thrower - Snow Removal'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
