Snow Joe Shovelution Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01) Review

Name: Snow Joe Shovelution Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01)
Brand: Snow Joe

Snow Joe Shovelution snow shovel with a black 18-inch blade, blue handle and a second spring-loaded handle, with a small inset photo of it in snow

Who this is for

Steps, walks, decks and short driveways cleared by hand.

Skip if

Long, flat driveways where a wide pusher is easier, and thick ice. It's a snow tool: sandbags, mud and debris call for a digging shovel.

Preparedness Gear

Snow Joe Shovelution Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01)

Evaluated for household use · Affiliate links disclosed

A reliable option for most households

Why we chose it

Both hands-on tests we found say it lets you lift and throw snow with less bending, and lifting is where shoveling hurts backs.

Buy From

Amazon

Also available at

Snow Joe

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Why this matters

Why this matters in an emergency

Shoveling is the part of a winter storm that sends people to the ER. A national study from Nationwide Children's Hospital counted about 11,500 shoveling-related ER visits a year, with the lower back the most common injury and every death in the study heart-related.

You can't shovel your way out of the heart risk; that's a conversation with your doctor. But the back strain is partly about the tool. The same hospital says pushing beats lifting and that ergonomic shovels cut down on bending. A shovel that keeps you more upright for the scoops you can't avoid is a reasonable upgrade over a straight-handled one.

How We Evaluated

How we evaluated this

We researched the Shovelution through Snow Joe's own product page and assembly sheet, two independent hands-on tests (Bob Vila and Reviewed), and Amazon's summary of owner reviews, the same homework we'd do before buying one for our own house. We don't have hands-on time with it yet, and nobody we found measured back strain, so the "up to 30%" figure below is Snow Joe's claim, not a result.

Our pick: Snow Joe Shovelution Strain-Reducing Snow Shovel (SJ-SHLV01)

The verdict

The Snow Joe Shovelution is a reliable option for most households clearing steps, walks and short driveways by hand. Its second, spring-loaded handle lets you lift and throw snow with less bending, and that's what both hands-on testers we found noticed first. It's still a shovel you lift with, so push snow wherever you can, take breaks, and know that owners report the metal assist bar can break.

Strengths

Less bending, per two hands-on testers
Good on steps, walks and decks
Two-year warranty

Limitations

Owners report the assist bar breaking
Still a lifting shovel: push when you can
Awkward when flipped to chip ice

What it does well

It cuts down on bending. Bob Vila tested its shovels in upstate New York and Montana, on walks, a deck, a gravel driveway and snow packed down by a car, and ranked the Shovelution first. The tester went in skeptical and found it "required much less bending over compared to a traditional shovel," with plenty of leverage for scooping. Reviewed's tester used it on 3 inches of snow too wet for a snow blower and could scoop and throw a heavy load in one motion while standing almost upright.

The blade is 18 inches of poly with an aluminum wear strip on the edge, per Snow Joe. The handle is 41.3 inches and the shovel is 50 inches long assembled. Snow Joe says the spring-assist handle reduces back strain by up to 30%; no tester we found measured that.

What it does poorly

The extra handle gets in the way when you flip the shovel over to chip ice; Bob Vila called that its only complaint, and a strap holds the handle out of the way. Reviewed found the unusual design takes some getting used to, and says it isn't for every kind of snow. It's a lifting shovel at heart, so on a long driveway a wide pusher moves more snow with less lifting.

Where it shines

Steps, stoops, walks and decks, where you have to lift snow up and over something. Owners in Amazon's review summary single out steps and front stoops.

Where it frustrates

Big, flat driveways, where pushing is faster and easier on your body. And thick ice, where you'll want a steel-edged chipper or a melt.

What owners report

The pattern in Amazon's summary of owner reviews is clear on both sides. Owners like it, especially on steps and stoops, and say it takes strain off the back. The recurring failure is the metal bar on the assist handle breaking off. We can't say how common that is, and we found no long-term durability test.

Other options to consider

Manplow RevolutionX 24-inch snow pusher
A two-handled pusher that Bob Vila found strong on snow packed down by a car, but nearly impossible to scoop and toss with.

Longevity

How long will this actually last

Snow Joe backs it with a two-year warranty, per its own store. The weak point owners report is the metal assist bar: Amazon's summary of owner reviews says multiple buyers report it breaking off. Assembly is three parts and a knob. Snow Joe's assembly sheet warns that the handle ships spring-loaded under heavy tension, so hold it firmly before you cut the zip ties, and keep the strap for storage.

Questions people actually ask

Does it really protect my back?

It reduces bending, which both testers we found noticed. Snow Joe claims up to 30% less back strain; nobody we found measured it. Pushing snow instead of lifting it, warming up and taking breaks matter at least as much, per Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Is it good for a long driveway?

It'll do it, but a wide pusher is the better tool for flat, open pavement. The Shovelution earns its keep on steps, walks and decks where you have to lift.

Is shoveling safe if I have a heart condition?

That's a question for your doctor. The Nationwide Children's study found every shoveling death in its data was heart-related, and its author recommends checking with your doctor before you shovel, especially if you don't exercise regularly.

Is assembly tricky?

It's three parts and a knob. Hold the spring-loaded handle firmly before you cut the zip ties; Snow Joe's assembly sheet says it's under heavy tension.

Can I use it to fill sandbags?

No. It's a snow shovel with a poly blade, built for lifting and throwing snow. Filling sandbags, or moving mud and storm debris, is a job for a round-point or square digging shovel.

Will it chip ice?

A little. Bob Vila's tester found the extra handle awkward when the shovel is flipped for chipping. Thick ice is a job for a chipper or a melt.

Technical Specifications

Model	SJ-SHLV01, 18-inch, blue (Snow Joe)
Blade	18 in poly with an aluminum wear strip (Snow Joe)
Handle	41.3 in with a spring-assist second handle and D-ring grips (Snow Joe)
Assembled Length	50 in (Snow Joe)
Snow Type	Medium to heavy, per Snow Joe
Back Strain	Up to 30% less (Snow Joe claim; not independently measured)
Warranty	2 years (Snow Joe)

Sources we consulted

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