Snow Joe iON18SB Snow Blower Review
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If you’re like most homeowners and don’t have all day to shovel your driveway (and don’t want to break your back trying), this snow blower might be a good option for you.
The Snow Joe ION18SB Snow Blower can be delivered straight to your front door, just in time for winter – making your life easier and your driveway safer for you and your family.
While most snow blowers use gasoline and require constant maintenance, no carbon emissions or tune-ups are required with this model. Plus, it’s much lighter than your average snow blower, weighing in at only 32lbs.
This beauty is battery powered with a 40V 4.0 Ah EcoSharp rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It will last you up to 50 minutes, so you’ll have time to help your neighbors out (if you’re nice). One of the most unique features is the 3W LED headlight which allows you to get the job done any time of day or night.
You’ll also have no shortage of fun since it doesn’t have an extension cord to hold you back. It will give you the freedom to move up to 500 lbs of snow per minute.
Plus, it can also make the snow fly up to 20 feet away.
Snow Joe At Your Front Door
When the Snow Joe iON18SB arrives at your home, you’ll probably be quite surprised by its lightweight frame, as it only weighs 32lbs.
You’ll also notice its ready-to-use right away. The only thing you’ll need to do is to add the handle to the body of the snow blower (with the two little knobs and washers provided). Since the battery comes partially charged, you’re all ready to go.
However, it’s best to charge it fully before operating.
If you have a large acreage, you could purchase a second battery for around $150 (if you have any other Snow Joe tools, the battery packs are interchangeable).
However, this won’t be necessary for the average person.
This snow blower conveniently shows you the remaining battery percentage (digitally displayed on machine for you to see), making it easy to know when to recharge.
The iON18SB Benefits
Since there is less daylight during winter, you probably find it hard shoveling your driveway when it’s dark. With the LED light attached, it gives you the freedom and comfort of getting the job done in the pitch black of night or early morning when it’s still dark.
The light can even be adjusted up and down, giving you laser focus so you can see what you’re doing.
The Snow Joe iON18SB has a unique motor allowing different levels of intensity. The single stage brushless motor makes for a longer lifespan. This will give you the peace of mind knowing you won’t have to repair your snow blower every year.
When starting this powerful motor, make sure to insert the safety key to start. Keep in mind that this key is very important and you will need it anytime you’re starting the motor.
You might even want to tie the key to the handle of the machine to make sure you don’t lose it while working away.
Snow Joe iON Performance
The Snow Joe iON18SB performs best with 4-10” of snow. To get the most efficient snow plow, make sure to keep the tires flat and avoid rocky areas as this can sometimes cause rocks and other debris to fly up.
The 180 degree chute is super useful on this snow blower. It gives you the flexibility to control where you want the snow piling up.
Keep in mind, if the snow on your driveway or walkways has been compacted, the snow blower doesn’t blast as well. It can be harder for the snow blower to remove snow that’s been driven over or walked on. It will always work best on untouched snow, providing you with a smooth, pain-free snow removal.
The machine doesn’t easily get clogged up with snow, or get tangled up in cords. However, you could always tape the protective door to the battery shut while it’s dry (before the snow blower goes into the snow to be extra careful).
Don’t get disheartened if you find the snow isn’t blowing as high each time. Sometimes the way the Snow Joe fires snow out of the chute can be inconsistent. Often times, this is because of how fast you’re walking while using the machine.
Believe it or not, the slower you go, the harder it is for most snow blowers to efficiently pick up and shoot out snow.
You will find the overall performance just as efficient as a gas-powered snow blower. However, the Snow Joe tops gas-powered snow blowers because it doesn’t require heavy maintenance.
Final Thoughts From Our Snow Joe iON18SB Review
Overall, you will find that the Snow Joe iON18SB is the ideal gift for a new homeowner that wants to keep snow off their driveway, patio, deck or sidewalk.
If you ever find your Snow Joe has any issues, you can always return it or get a new one because of the two-year warranty (just make sure to keep your receipt).
The lightness of the Snow Joe provides ease to removing snow (since it’s less clunky and heavy in comparison to others).
Even though it’s a higher price compared to other snow blowers, you will save money with the convenience of not needing to get gasoline or doing constant repairs. You’ll also save yourself from the common frustrations of other snow blowers (cords tangling, lack of light, and heavy machinery).
The Snow Joe iON18SB snow blower will give you the enjoyment of getting the job done with as little effort as possible.
You’ll be beaming in the dark with your LED light, cord-free, EcoSharp rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and steel auger with 2 rubber blades while moving up to 500 lbs of snow per minute.
If you’re thinking about taking the plunge to save your back and make your life easier this winter, the Snow Joe is definitely the way to go.
