After Utah’s historically wet and snowy winter last year that literally ended the state’s drought, this winter has so far been relatively dry. Finally, snow had arrived (it snowed literally all weekend with some rain on Sunday), and it was finally time to see how the Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48-Volt MAX IONMAX Cordless Single-Stage Snow Blower Kit would fare against Utah’s heavy winter storms.
Before I got started, I referred to this Snow Joe as a snow “blower” because it is in the title of the product. But the reality is, it’s actually a snow “thrower.” You can read our piece for a full, in-depth breakdown on snow blowers vs snow throwers, which is helpful if you’re unsure which one is right for you, but here’s the TL;DR version – snow throwers are less powerful and don’t throw snow as far out of the chute. For more traditional models, head to our best snow blower guide.
I tested the Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48-Volt MAX IONMAX Cordless Single-Stage Snow Blower Kit over a weekend of seemingly endless snow. In total, where I live, we probably got 10 inches to a foot of snow. I used the snow blower a few times on three to four inches of settled snow at a time, with the last use cleaning up wet snow (but more on that later in the review). I tested how well the machine maneuvered, how far it tossed snow, how well it removed snow and the battery life.
After a full weekend of cleaning snow, I have a clear picture of whether you should consider the Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48-Volt MAX IONMAX Cordless Single-Stage Snow Blower Kit to be your snow removal machine of choice. And that choice largely depends on where you live. Read on to get the deets.
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22: Key specs
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22: Price & Availability
The Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48V Max Cordless Snow Blower has a list price of $659 from the Snow Joe website. The model we tested included the snowblower, two batteries, a battery charger to charge both batteries simultaneously, and a chute cleaner.
For discounts on products like this, head over to our snow blower deals page.
Score: 1/5
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48V Max Cordless Snow Blower: First Impressions
Out of the box, the Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48V Max Cordless Snow Blower comes close to being fully assembled. All you really need to do is put the handle together, but with the twisting knob and bolts, that takes all but a few minutes. The machine is powered by two 24V batteries. The entire body, including the wheels, is made entirely of plastic. Other than the handle, the only other metal piece is the rotating auger that propels the snow. But even that is surrounded by plastic that is bolted to the blade. With the plastic built and battery power, I was curious about how well the machine would actually perform.
The model I tested came with a little chute cleaner that clips to the side of the handle. Initially, I didn’t think much of it, but it ended up being a rather convenient feature. Instead of having to manually remove snow with your hand (always turn the blower off while doing so) and getting your hands and gloves all wet, the little chute cleaner was conveniently ready for me to grab and use and quickly snap back into place on the side of the handle when I was done.
The lack of any kind of self-propulsion was another thing I initially noticed. Thankfully, the snow blower is so light that maneuvering it around isn’t too difficult, but for heavily sloped driveways, trying to carry the extra 45.2 pounds back uphill would wreck you after a few passes.
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48V Max Cordless Snow Blower: Design
I wasn’t thrilled about the largely plastic makeup of the device. Snow, especially when it comes to removing snow from the mouth of a driveway, can have a lot of ice, rocks, and other debris inside. All of that debris, over time, can create wear and tear on plastic parts. After one weekend of use, I already started to notice the black coating coming off of the blade axle from debris hitting the inside of the machine.
The placement of the safety button in relation to the trigger – you have to press and hold the button and pull the trigger to start the machine – is odd and uncomfortable. The button is next to the trigger but far enough away that you have to awkwardly stretch your pinky out to press it and use the rest of your hand to pull the trigger. And if your hands aren’t big enough, you’d have to reach over and cross with your other hand just to press the button.
You can adjust the direction the chute is pointing with the hand crank that protrudes just beyond the handle. It feels a little janky when you’re turning the chute, but it worked fine for me. You can also adjust the angle at which snow is thrown. Again, this is another plastic knob that loosens so you can adjust the angle and tightens back, locking itself into place into another rigid plastic piece.
Although I mentioned this above as well, it’s not a big, heavy machine, so it was quite easy to maneuver around. My driveway is slightly sloped, and I didn’t have any issue getting it up and down.
Score: 2/5
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48V Max Cordless Snow Blower: Performance
Snow had arrived, and it was finally time to take this single-stage snow blower out for its first test run. The first time I used it, there were roughly three inches of snow on my driveway and sidewalks. When it came to the fresh, powdery snow, it didn’t have any issue at all removing it. Even though the manufacturer says it can toss snow up to 25 feet, my best estimation (taking a measuring tape and measuring where the bulk of the snow was being thrown to) was that I recorded roughly 15 feet. That’s plenty of room for a single-car driveway. For my situation. I had to make a few extra passes to remove the snow I had tossed back into my driveway because it didn’t reach the yard.
I was curious to find out if the batteries would last long enough to clear the entirety of my property. Living on a corner lot means having twice as much sidewalk to clear as everyone else. We also recently added new cement parking, which added more space to clear the driveway. On a full battery, I was able to clear my entire driveway and all of my sidewalks.
Providing an exact time for how long the battery life is difficult for a couple of reasons. The battery life will certainly change based on how much snow you have and how wet the snow is. The harder the engine has to work, the quicker the battery will get drained. The other reason is the machine will start to shut itself off when you’re trying to remove snow, and the battery is getting too low to properly power the machine for the job. In my testing, the battery wouldn’t be completely dead – I could still turn the machine on – but once the snow started getting too heavy for the lowered battery, the machine would shut off.
For me, the machine lost power for the first time after 27 minutes. By this time, I was already essentially done with the entire job. At this point, I was clearing snow out beyond the mouth of my driveway into the road before it died. I was still able to make a few more quick passes before the machine shut itself off regularly. I was pleasantly surprised I was able to clear out my entire property on a single charge.
On Sunday, we got a mix of rain and snow. The snow was particularly wet and heavy. I have a little back patio area that was covered with about three to four inches of wet snow. The Snow Joe was really only able to toss the snow a lowly five or so feet from the chute. Essentially, I was mostly tossing snow just in front of me or to the side of me. The snow was simply too wet and heavy for the machine to have a real helpful impact.
While operating the machine, I used a decimeter to measure how loud the engine gets. The first measurement I took was from where one would normally stand behind the machine as you push. The decimeter recorded about 77.3 decibels of sound or the equivalent of someone singing loudly. When placing the decimeter next to the engine, the decimeter recorded about 88 decibels, which is about the equivalent of a car engine. Overall, the operation is much quieter when compared to the likes of a gas engine.
Score: 3/5
Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 48V Max Cordless Snow Blower: Cleaning & Maintenance
One thing that is incredibly nice about cleaning and maintenance of battery-operated snow blowers is there really isn’t much. You don’t have to worry about ensuring you are putting fresh gas in the motor and checking the oil like you would with a gas-powered option.
Before I started snowblowing, I sprayed a coat of Silicone Spray into the mouth and chute of the machine. This helps to prevent snow from sticking in the chute. After you are done with a snow removal job, removing any access snow from the snowblower is key. I did this with a leaf blower (after watching my neighbor clear snow off his car with a leaf blower), and it worked fantastically (thanks for the tip, Bob). Next, you’ll want to dry off any excess water with a towel. Sitting water can lead to rusting of bolts and corrosion. After that, I removed the batteries, placed them back on the charger to recharge, and moved the snow blowers into a dry, covered area.
Before the winter season starts, I would suggest spraying all bolts on the auger and body with a rust breaker and preventer. Also, spray the mouth, augers, chute, and exterior body with a silicone spray, and wipe down the outside body afterward. This will form a moisture barrier prevent snow and water from sticking to your machine throughout the season, and make your snow blower look shiny and clean.
How does the Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22 compare?
I also tested the Greenworks Elite Sn-200-T battery-powered snow blower over the same weekend. I preferred the Sun Joe to the Greenworks snow blower. The Sun Joe was easier to push, threw snow farther, and had a wider mouth. You’ll save over $200 going with the Greenworks model, though.
The gas-powered Hykolity snow blower is a two-cycle, gas-powered snow blower that is cheaper than the Sun Joe. With this gas-powered machine, you get more power, a wider 24-inch mouth, as well as a machine that is self-propelled. It can also throw snow up to 40 feet compared to the 25 feet (manufacturer) or roughly the 15 feet I achieved from the Snow Joe.
The PowerSmart 40V 21-inch Single Stage Snow Blower is another battery-powered model that offers similar run times (up to 30 minutes), can toss snow up to 30 feet (manufacturer), and is $350 less than the Sun Joe model we tested. When you compare this specific Sun Joe model to others, the Sun Joe is expensive. Plain and simple.
Should you buy the Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB22?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
How I tested the Snow Joe 48V Max
I tested the snow blower over a weekend of snowstorms. I removed snow from my driveway and walkways, measured how far the Snow Joe tossed snow and timed how long the battery lasted during regular use.
For the battery testing, I set a timer and used the Snow Joe to remove snow from my property. I stopped the timer once the snow blower could no longer remove snow without the engine shutting down. Technically, there was still enough battery to start the engine, but there wasn’t enough to remain functional.
To measure how far snow was being thrown, I adjusted the chute to the maximum distance throwing angle. Then, as I walked and removed snow at a relatively normal pace, I used a tape measure to measure the distance the snow was thrown from the blower’s position.
Read more about how we test
