Winter may be coming to a close in my area, but thanks to one of the biggest storms we've had in nearly a decade, I still had plenty of snow left to test a second cordless electric snow shovel.
Back in January, I tested the Wild Badger cordless snow shovel and was impressed with its performance, but I wanted to see what other brands had to offer. So, I picked up the Worx WG460 to see how it compared.
Here are four things I liked about the Worx snow shovel, and two things I didn't.
What is it?
The Worx WG460 is a cordless snow shovel. Smaller and lighter than a snowblower, it's meant for smaller storms, but ones where using a regular shovel might take too much effort.
Voltage |
40V |
Clearing depth |
6 inches |
Clearing width |
12 inches |
Throw distance |
Up to 25 feet |
Weight |
17.21 pounds |
Batteries |
Two 20V 4.0 Ah |
What I liked
It has adjustable fins
The biggest feature missing from the Wild Badger snow shovel was the lack of adjustable fins, which lets you direct the snow to either side, rather than blowing it directly ahead.
Worx' model does have these fins, and they worked well, blasting snow to the left and the right. I also liked that the handle to move the fins was nice and large, which made it easy to use when wearing heavy gloves.
It's quiet
I was impressed that the Worx was really quiet when I turned it on; the paddles whirred softly as they spun around. While electric-powered devices are in general quieter than their gas-powered equivalents, the Worx seemed even quieter than most.
It's powerful
If your driveway is long or wide, you'll need a machine that can send snow far. The Worx does just that; it threw snow a good 15 to 20 feet away, even fairly wet snow. Owing to its density, a fine layer of snow would get sprinkled over the area where I had already plowed, so if you're blowing snow to one side, be sure to start at the point furthest away, so you don't have to go over any ground a second time.
I was able to get through up to six inches of snow on the Worx' high power setting; there's also a low-power mode if you don't have as much snow to clear and want to save some battery.
It was comfortable to use
I liked the WG460's trigger — it was large and in-line with the main shaft of the shovel, and was easy to keep depressed while I was working. The WG460 also felt well-balanced; instead of using a single battery, it has two smaller batteries at the far end. While this means you may have to swap them out more often, you can also use them with Worx's other power tools, such as its drills and impact drivers.
I stand about six feet tall, and never felt any discomfort as I shoveled my driveway and patio.
What I didn't like
It felt flimsy in one spot
For the most part, the Worx felt solidly built, except for where the pole met the head; as I pushed it against heavier packs of snow, the connection seemed to wobble just a bit — I don't think it will fail at any point, but it seemed a bit too flexible for my liking.
It's sold out everywhere
The Worx retails for $329, but it's been listed for as low as $239, is a very good price for an electric snow shovel. However, there's one big caveat.
I looked at multiple retailers — Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and even at Worx itself — and it's not available anywhere. At this time of year, it's the same for many other highly rated electric snow shovels, so hopefully you won't have need of one imminently.
Bottom line
If you're tired of manually shoveling snow each winter, but don't get enough to justify a full-blown snowblower, then an electric cordless snow shovel may be in your future. Having tested a couple now, I would recommend you find one that has movable fins, so you can direct the snow where you want it.
And, if you can, find a snow shovel that's made by the same company as your other power tools, so you can use the same batteries for all your devices.
That is, if you can find one at all right now.
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