Finds: The Snowmaster Snow Scoop
By Chuck Cage
I’ll quickly admit that I really don’t know that much about snow. In Texas it snows about once a year, and even then it’s “snow” in the same way a light, sprinkling shower is “rain” to New Orleans. I’ve used a snow shovel exactly once, but I do remember that it sucked in a major way. That said, I couldn’t help but wonder if this thing works.
As you can see, it’s essentially a big scoop with wheels on the bottom. The idea is that you roll it along to scoop up the snow, then flip it up to carry the snow away.
So have any of you actually used this thing? It’s apparently been around since 1990, but I can’t find that many places actually selling it. Froogle (as of this moment in time) finds one place selling it for $150 and some guy eBaying his for $60. A little Googling found one new for $100.
You’re gonna have to help me out in comments. Crap or gold?
Update: With two comments so far, the score is — “Total Crap” 2, “Buy it” 0.
The Snowmaster Snow Scoop [Corporate Site]
Street Pricing (such that it is) [Froogle]
“The Amazing Snow Scoop” [Clean Air Gardening]
Related:
January 13th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Pure crap I have owned one for about 8 years now, and after having paid $90.00 for it, I doggedly trot it out each first snowfall of the season. I give it a college try for about 30 minutes, then drag it’s useless self back into the garage and go back to using the Kawasaki mule.
I would say, Pure, unadulterated crap.
January 13th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Yeah, I would agree with Bill. I don’t have one, but can push as much snow as I can throw into a snow shovel. This looks like it would be hard on your back, no good on stairs, and not good at scraping down to the bare cement. The ergonomics look wrong on this.
This winter in Colorado was really the first time I ever had to shovel snow, and it isn’t much fun. Unless it drifts a couple of feet against the garage door, it can melt the next time.
January 13th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Don’t think I’d buy one. That dog peeking out from under the door looks pretty cute though. Border collie maybe? Now there’s a useful tool.
January 15th, 2007 at 8:58 am
If you really want to move snow, you need a snow scoop like they use in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The western U.P. gets an average 300 inches of snow so they really know how to handle it. These scoops work best with the powdery kind of snow. Get them here: http://www.silverbear.biz/index.html
January 16th, 2007 at 6:33 am
I just got one and it worked great for me. I have a flat driveway and a corner lot with a long sidewalk. I literally cleared both in about 10 minutes. The height is adjustable and isn’t hard on your back at all. That’s the whole point of this thing. Instead of constantly lifting snow, you just push the scoop at about a 30-40 degree angle. As you push, the snow climbs up the scoop. When it’s full, you just tip the scoop to the side to dump the snow. Think a wheelbarrow that scoops snow. Yeah, you’ll need a shovel for stairs or your front stoop, but you can’t beat this thing for $50. Just go on Amazon and type “smss snowscoop” into the search engine.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
I do know a lot about snow and Rick Ashby (above) has got it right. The design shown sucks, but the famous “yooper scooper” has been used for decades in the U.P. (Upper Penninsula of Michigan). I’ve lived in Minnesota for over 30 years and never owned a snowblower, just a snow scoop. Even in 2-3 feet of snow, I get my driveway done way faster and easier than all my neighbors with big expensive blowers. And my driveway is 70 feet long, double width. They cost less than 50 bucks, last forever, there’s no back strain, they are actually fun to use and help keep you in shape without straining like you do with a shovel. The only thing easier and faster is a truck or tractor mounted plow or blower….but I’ve never seen the need.