Thumbs Up for Old Man Winter with the EGO 2-Stage Snow Blower
We've been waiting for some good snow to test the EGO 56V Level 2 Snow Blower with Peak Power and Ol' Jack Frost finally delivered!
advantage
- Excellent power on par with similarly sized gas models
- 24" cleaning tape
- Excellent run time with 7.5Ah battery
- 5 screw speed
- 5 chute vertical corner stops
- 200° chute rotation
- Lighter and better wheel balanced than gas units of similar size
- More durable design than other battery-operated snow blowers
shortcoming
- The chute drifts during use
- Prices may be too high for some shoppers
EGO Level 2 Snow Blower Power Supply
The EGO SNT2405 2-Stage Snow Blower demonstrates what a cordless snow blower can do. The company claims to have gone for muscle and durability while making the system easy to use.
This marks the second battery-powered two-stage snowblower ever to hit the market (the first, from Snow Joe, launched in 2018 to mixed reviews).
The kit comes with a pair of 56V, 7.5Ah ArcLithium batteries to power the dual brushless motors. One of the motors drives the variable-speed steel auger and steel impeller, while the other drives the power to the wheels.
Using a 7.5Ah (or 10Ah) battery is key for the best experience. This unit is much more powerful, and using the smaller battery pack probably won't give you enough juice to do the job.
EGO Level 2 Snow Blower Performance
Editor's Note on 2-Stage vs. Single-Stage Snow Blowers <br>Two-stage snow blowers have an auger that collects snow and a fan that expels snow through a chute. These joint operations tend to throw snow faster — and therefore farther away.
As far as power goes, the SNT2405 can throw snow up to 50 feet away while clearing a 24-inch swath of your driveway. With multiple power settings, this snow blower can quickly do the heavy chores of yesteryear and keep nature out of your driveway.
The 24-inch wide steel deck reduces the number of times you have to go over it compared to other battery-operated snow blowers. It measures 26 inches at its widest point, but everything else is hidden behind a 24-inch deck.
Drive System
Every storm is different, so there are many control options to suit your situation. Whether you're clearing heavy, wet snow, just hauling from the shed to the driveway, or something in between, the EGO has you covered at the speed you need.
The fastest setting is brisk walking speed, which is probably a bit faster than what you'd use if you're actually blowing snow. Lower speeds are better in terms of control during operation. As with all snowblowers, you may stop abruptly if you spot rough concrete joints or sidewalk cracks under the snow.
EGO equipped the unit with a reverse gear, which is great for getting out of some slippery situations. In both forward and reverse, the knobby tires seem to grab on to anything and keep going.
Tal she blows!
The unit glides effortlessly through soft powder like it doesn't even exist. You'll notice a difference if the snow is wet or icy, but nothing seems to stop the auger. This thing will even eat the frozen chunks left by snowplows, chew it up into pieces, and spit it out where you want to puke.
It can avoid getting bogged down in heavy snow better than similarly sized gas-powered versions we've used. The gasoline-powered version has more lag when the throttle is opened to handle the extra load, while the EGO's brushless motor responds quickly for higher torque.
Compared to other battery powered options, the unit was never clogged with wet snow which easily stopped my Snow Joe 40v single stage snowblower. The EGO team has certainly demonstrated that it is possible to fill the power gap without losing the energy advantages of lithium-ion.
Now we have more snow…
After a Category 2 winter storm, we had about 8 inches of snow to blow as another test. The first 2 inches are compacted ice and the other 6 inches are wet powder, so more pressure than previous tests. This beast of a snow blower is still just munching on the winter concoction before it hits the sidewalk!
EGO claims the unit has enough run time to clear 8 inches of snow from an 18-car driveway on a single charge. We haven't snowed high enough to verify this. However, based on our experience, this seems to be true.
I was able to clear 6 different 4 car driveways with 4 inches of wet snow including the sidewalk in the middle and snow plows that were icy at the end of each driveway. That much work does completely drain the battery, but my neighbors and I are happy with the clean driveway.
When hitting wet snow, ice, or frozen drift, you'll hear the motor work harder, which affects run time. To see how much, we repeated the test on 4 inches of soft powder on the same 6 lanes.
As the snow receded, we kept the speed of the auger low to avoid shooting snow into neighbors' houses or sending it high into the air. Same 6 lanes with powder snow and low auger speed, only using 20-30% of the battery! Obviously, results vary with snow conditions, but our team was impressed with this test, especially when comparing it to other battery-powered setups.
heavy load
The effect of auger speed on battery life became clear in my second test with extra snow and ice. The top 6 inches of wet powder can be eaten in "Eco" mode, the auger's lowest setting, but more power is required to dig into the underlying ice.
First, I pick up the snow blower slightly, point the bucket at the ice, and get under the ice. Once I'm under it, I then put the wheel back on the ground and let the drive motor do the work. With the extra thickness of ice and higher auger speed, which drains the battery faster, I can only do 4 different 4-car lanes, including sidewalks and embankments.
My suggestion for extending battery life is to lower the speed of the auger as much as possible and only turn it up if you hit something heavy or you see snow being pushed around it instead of into the bucket and out the chute.
short walk home
After the battery died, I trudged back to the shed on flat sidewalk just fine. Climbing up a gentle hill is a chore, however, without the drive wheels to assist with climbing.
Even so, it's easier than you'd expect from gas-powered versions, since they're heavier than this unit. On the other hand, if the petrol-powered version runs out, you can grab a gas tank and refill it on the fly. Of course, the same goes for getting another battery if you have other EGO 56V products to use.
Storing the EGO 2-Stage Snow Blower
The control handle has four handwheels that can be disassembled, and the chute is also detachable, reducing the disassembly height. These features make it a slightly more compact fit for those who don't have much storage space, though it's not as compact or as easily packable as the smaller SNT2114.
In addition to the torque advantage, battery-powered units have a clear advantage over comparable gas-powered units in terms of maintainability. Basically not much! Despite years of working on small engines, I've been switching to battery powered everything because I'm tired of winterizing, de-wintering, cleaning and tuning small engines, not to mention pulling the starter cord until my back hurts. This unit is a welcome addition to replace another pneumatic outdoor tool in my shed.
EGO 2-Stage Snow Blower Build and Weight
EGO has increased the durability of this snow blower. It has a 21" tall steel case with retractable cutter (sold separately). EGO also tells us that everything that isn't steel is made of ballistic-grade polymers to prolong their life. It even comes with beefy 15″ x 5″ wheels and a limited-slip differential to keep you on track for the job at hand.
Although the build is clearly an upgrade, it's not overly heavy. At 150 pounds, it's still lighter than similar gas-powered versions.
As long as we're on the subject, one big difference is that the unit is excellently balanced compared to the petrol model. It takes very little effort to lift the front end and maintain lift when you're blowing through soft ground or taking it back to the shed.
compulsive control
EGO knows that even the most powerful snow blower needs to engage the user, so they've enhanced the controls to make it more comfortable to operate. With the EGO 2-Stage Snow Blower, you can keep the blower running with one hand while controlling the chute's target with the other. Once you initiate the power sequence to rotate the auger, the same hand that engages the drive handle also holds the auger handle in the active position, freeing the other hand to control the chute.
With a throw distance of 50 feet, you need to be aware of your surroundings. If your neighbors live close together, you might be able to sprinkle snow on their driveways! 5 auger speed settings, 5 chute nozzle stops and 200° chute direction let you throw snow where you want it Not really a problem.
oh slide
The chute rotation is the only area we think needs improvement. When blowing big, wet snow, the whole unit will vibrate more. It does hit the chute though you don't feel much on the handle. When you go downhill and encounter heavy snow, the chute will slowly rotate from side to center.
This can be problematic if you end up throwing snow where you don't want it. The chute design is free floating with 1 anchor point controlled by the chute rod only, no positive brakes.
We also found that the chute pushes towards the center when hitting a pavement crack or concrete joint, but this is true on almost every snow blower I've used, depending on how hard you hit it.
While we haven't received it yet, we've seen reports of EGO offering component repairs through its warranty service.
Additional features
- Handle adjustable to 3 heights
- Selectable front LED levels
- Onboard Cleanup Tool
EGO Level 2 Snow Blower Price and Warranty
Lowe's and other EGO retailers sell the Level 2 snowblower for $799 bare-bones or $1299 for a kit with two 7.5Ah batteries and a dual-port charger. EGO backs it with a 5-year limited warranty.
the bottom line
The EGO Level 2 Snow Blower raises the bar for battery powered snow blowers. If you've been waiting for a gas alternative, it has the power to make the shift.
Combined with their excellent line of compatible lawn care equipment, now including legal zero-turn lawn mowers, EGO can take you from spring to winter without filling up the tank.
EGO 56V 2-Stage Snow Blower Specifications
- Model: EGO SNT2400 (SNT2405 kit model)
- Power: EGO 56V batteries (2 x 7.5Ah included in the kit)
- Inlet: 24 x 20 inches
- Auger Speed: 5
- Screw Type: Steel
- Chute control: 200° rotation, 5 vertical angle stops
- Drive mode: forward and reverse self-driven
- Throwing Distance: Up to 50 feet
- Wheels: 15 x 5 inches
- Warranty: 5 years
- Price: $799.99 bare, $1299.99 kit