The best snow shovels of 2019

The best snow shovels of 2019
The best snow shovels of 2019

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Snow is civilization's immortal enemy. You can defeat it (or the sun will for you), but every year, it keeps coming back in force for another fight.

The worst part, besides the dirty snow you get after it's been sitting around for a week, is having to move that dirty, wet snow after it's been sitting around for a week. That's where Reviewed comes in. No, we won't move the snow for you, but we found the best shovel for you to do it yourself.

We tested a number of shovels against the white stuff and while it came back again this year, we now have the best shovel to go to battle with and hopefully after reading this, you do too.

The best snow shovels of 2019: Shovel components
The best snow shovels of 2019: Shovel components

1. The best snow shovel of 2019: True Temper aluminum combo blade 20-inch shovel

The best snow shovels of 2019: True Temper aluminum combo
The best snow shovels of 2019: True Temper aluminum combo

Our favorite snow shovel is the True Temper aluminum blade shovel. It has an ergonomic shaft, a wear strip (True Temper says it’s the industry’s only steel wear strip for an aluminum blade—putting those two metals together usually means corrosion). It’s heavy and feels heavier than other shovels, maybe because it’s got a longer shaft or it balances differently. Either way, this is a good shovel that’s got it all on paper, but was less pleasant to use in practice. It wasn’t _un_pleasant, mind you, and its big scoop size and thick metal blade mean it should give you robust performance for many years.

The 18-inch iteration with a plastic blade also made our best-of list, with a lot of great features as well as a lower price.

**We also loved the Forest Hill homeowner aluminum scoop shovel, but it is currently out of stock. The two are very comparable, with the True Temper shovel coming at a much lower price. Both are metal and heavy, but are our two top choices.

Get the True Temper aluminum combo blade shovel from Home Depot for $32.97

Get the True Temper 18-inch mountain mover from Home Depot for $29.10

2. The Snow Joe Shovelution

The best snow shovels of 2019: Snow Joe Shovelution
The best snow shovels of 2019: Snow Joe Shovelution

This shovel easily breaks down for storage, making it great for an apartment closet or the trunk of a car. It’s light, with a plastic blade that’s got an aluminum wear edge. It also has a second handle on its own mounting bracket. The design appears well thought out for durability, with sturdy blade and handle mounting, and even a loop of cloth to keep the whole assembly tamed during storage. The second handle makes it easy for you to lift heavy shovelfuls and keep your back happy. The metal wear edge is an extruded piece of aluminum that’s crimped over the edge of the plastic blade, a high-quality detail. This is a good all-purpose snow shovel for heavy, slushy stuff or light, fluffy powder. It tucks away easily and should last a good, long time.

Get the Snow Joe Shovelution at Home Depot for $24.23

3. The Bully Tools 22-inch combination snow shovel

The best snow shovels of 2019: Bully Tools shovel
The best snow shovels of 2019: Bully Tools shovel

This compact shovel is handy and light. It’s got a blade of thick, durable plastic (it comes with a sticker showing a photo of a truck driving over it) and a fiberglass handle. The “boxed” design of the blade helps make tidy rows if you’re using it as a plow, and its light weight lets you move a lot of winter with less fatigue. A pair of bolts secures the shaft to the blade, and the oversized D-shaped handle is pinned through with a big rivet. You’re likely to have to work a little harder in certain conditions with an all-composite blade, but it’s made of thick, rugged plastic that should last a very long time.

Get the Bully Tools 22-inch snow shovel from Walmart for $22.84

Prices are accurate at the time this article was published, but may change over time.

This article features excerpts of product reviews published on Reviewed. To see thousands of other product reviews, check out Reviewed here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The best snow shovels of 2019