Top positive review
2 people found this helpful
Blow out your drive, not your back!
By J. M. on Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2025
I’m giving this 18” Snow Joe a “Conditional” five-star rating instead of a full on, heart felt, clear conscience four star rating. Here’s why. I confess, this was my first experience with an electric snow blower. When I lived in northeast Ohio I used larger walk behind gas powered blower to clear 8”+ deep snow. Those machines require significant strength to maneuver but are 100% effective. Living now in southwest Missouri, a “heavy” snowfall for us is around 6”. More typically we get a couple of rounds of 3” of snow during the season. Santa has to think twice about sledding here. Out of consideration for my back, and because the price was even lower during cyber monday, I figured I would take a chance on this 18” Snow Joe. Our first snow this year dumped 6” of heavy snow. Great for snowmen. Deadly for your back. I pulled this thing out, plugged it in and Shazam! I’m blowing snow without blowing out my back. So here’s my take on some of the specifics and why I’m giving it a Conditional Five-Star. 1) Plug it in, press the safety “on” button, and pull the hand trigger. Even a toddler could do this (though that’s not recommended because they wouldn’t be able to see in front of the blower well enough to make a straight line, which anyone who has ever shoveled or blown snow knows is an absolute requirement to manhood, or even just personhood) The trigger was easy to use and maintain engaged while working. Super light weight. 2) The 18” Snow Joe is pretty darn quiet. At the very least it is quieter than a group of toddlers pleading for a snack while visiting their grandparents… I don’t know where that came from. 3) The 18” Snow Joe had the power to throw 6”x18”(100+ cubic inches) of heavy snow about three feet. That was pretty impressive because this is the kind of snow that Eskimos pray for. I would argue that, with some patience, they could use this Snow Joe to cut a new back door in their igloo. I cleared 6” of heavy snow from my slightly inclined driveway measuring 25’ x 35’ in approximately one hour. Then I cleared my elderly neighbor’s driveway of the same size…because my back was not broken from shoveling! And because I love them. 4) The adjustable chute was important. However, the stick mechanism and the engagement point that causes the chute to rotate left or right is a bit too “sticky”. Maybe it just needs to be broken in a bit more… just don’t want to see it get broken off. 5) The angle of attack of the front scoop at times requires some additional/aggressive movement. Two things; One, there should be a stiff metal trim on the mouth of the scoop. I’m about ready to remove the strip from my shovel and screw it on to the mouth of this baby, like Post Malone’s grill. Two, the wheels on the back provide the angle of attack based on the design. So, it either needs slightly larger wheels or a bit more of an angle of attack. Otherwise the bottom lip of the mouth doesn’t get down to the concrete. This leaves a half inch base of snow that packs into ice. So you have to back up and go over the same spot while lifting the back a bit. As a user, I vote that the risk of getting snagged on a crack in the sidewalk is worth the payoff of getting completely under the snow on the first pass. Otherwise there’s a bit too much manhandling required for a toddler to level up to the manhood (or personhood) required for this task. 6) My final requirement for a full on, heart felt, clear conscience Five-Star rating is a combo adjustable cup holder/cellphone holder (link below) which I believe would ensure that every toddler might have an equitable opportunity to become a man (or a person) if they should choose to do so. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086TZXKMJ?ref=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_CYR19GXZTNMQAYJRX1GQ&ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_CYR19GXZTNMQAYJRX1GQ&social_share=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_CYR19GXZTNMQAYJRX1GQ&language=en-US&skipTwisterOG=1&newOGT=1 In conclusion: Even though there are a few items that I believe could make this 18” Snow Joe the machine it wants to be, I’m giving it a Five-Star rating because I want Joseph C to know that I believe in him and I want to provide the kind of customer feedback that will motivate and encourage him and his team in Hoboken to continue to pursue ever greater levels of excellence in design and utility for toddlers everywhere and for people who blow snow.
Top critical review
36 people found this helpful
Not for Minnesota
By F. R. Gallo on Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2023
I own many SnowJoe products and they have all performed exceptionally well, no matter how much I have overworked them. This machine, however, couldn't handle what I gave it. I have a 90 foot long, nine foot wide, driveway. In November of 2019, I purchased the Snow Joe SJ627E Electric Walk-Behind Snow Blower w/ Dual LED Lights, 22-inch, 15-Amp. I also purchased the required 12 gauge-15 Amp electric chord, and the five-year warranty through SnowJoe. It was simple to assemble out of the box. I do not know how many times I used the machine (not many), but sometime in January of 2020, the machine stopped working altogether. I made a request for replacement under the warranty. After a discussion to verify the machine did not work and that I was using the correct chord, SnowJoe sent a replacement. I used the replacement a few times (less than five) over the course of the rest of 2020 and the winter of 2021/2022. In November/December of 2022, the machine just could not handle the snow load. Although the auger would turn, at first, it no longer had the power to throw the snow through the chute. It acts like an inside mechanism is stripped. I shoveled for the rest of the winter; not wanting to deal with the phone call for replacement or having to pack up the machine for return. May 18, 2023, I dug out the box and made the call. Although the phone rep was indeed pleasant, "I understand..."she repeatedly would say in her struggled English; the only resolution was for me to wait until the model was back in stock AND for there to be snow on the ground (to again test the machine!?) for them to offer another replacement. I did not want a replacement, because I expect to only again have problems with the snow load I have here. I offered to return the machine for partial refund and without my receiving a replacement, so they could refurbish it and I could get rid of it. Because I purchased through Amazon, even though it was from SnowJoe on Amazon, I could not get any amount of refund (I would have taken $50) for this more than $269 investment. I told them it was unacceptable for me to have to wait until the snow fell and be left without a snowblower while they determined that in fact the machine did not work (even though it again would be me telling them it did not work), and that I just wanted to get rid of it. I told them they were simply leaving me in a position to have to buy another machine anyway. After almost an hour I was told they would replace it with a lesser model (same machine but without lights). I told them I would accept that and just sell the SnowJoe machine with the warranty that was remaining. In the overall, I liked the machine. Not having to deal with gas machines and the problems that go with them was a blessing. I learned long ago how to manage a chorded lawn mower, so using a chorded snowblower was no problem. Customer service has been there when needed, but they put you through LIKELY NECESSARY paces for replacement. My problem was the machine just could not repeatedly handle the amount of snow we get here in Saint Paul, Minnesota. If you buy this snowblower: Be certain to use the correct electric chord. If you haven't before used chorded machine, practice and plan for chord management before winter comes (knowing that the chord will also stiffen). Do not buy this for deep snow, even if you think you can just take little bites out of it. Please, PLEASE, hang onto your box and all packing materials. Lastly, be sure to buy the SnowJoe five-year warranty. These you will not regret. My three-star rating is based upon the ease of assembly and use; the access to customer service, and their willingness to continue discussion and their ability to understand your problem; and that the machine works great when it works. I took off two stars because I do not believe the machine itself works as promised, in that it cannot handle heavier snow, or deep snow, and that it is not the proper machine for all environments.
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