Snow Joe SJ621 Review

(Rated: 4.4 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Result Quality
Check Price
Related pages: Best Electric Snow Blower, Best Snow Blower, Electric Snow Blower Reviews, Snow Blower Reviews, Snow Joe, Snow Joe Snow Blowers,

Electric snow blowers have a number of advantages over gas powered snow blowers: they are much quieter, produce no emissions at the point of use, and cost far less to run and maintain. Many consumers are reluctant to make the switch to electric snow blowers, though, because they are concerned that these machines do not have what it takes to deal with heavy snow fall or tackle bigger driveways. This does not have to be the case, though. The Snow Joe SJ621 has a powerful 13.5 amp motor and an extra wide 18 inch clearance, along with a high 10 inch snow cut depth, which will allow it to quickly and efficiently take care of whatever Mother Nature can dump on you during the colder months. In addition, this snow blower has the kind of very affordable price tag that even my more frugal readers will consider a great deal.

Review Summary

The Snow Joe SJ621 is a plug in electric snow blower that offers a number of distinct advantages to its user. It has an eighteen inch wide clearance, which will allow you to clear a big driveway quickly and efficiently. And it has a 10 inch snow cut depth, so even those readers who live in regions that receive a lot of snow fall through the winter will be able to rely on it to get through even the heaviest storms. These dimensions are backed up by a powerful 13.5 amp motor that gives the snow blower the kind of robust ability that allow it to throw up to 650 pounds of snow per minute up to 20 feet away.

Because of its robust ability, the Snow Joe SJ621 is one of the bigger electric snow blowers in its class, and it weighs more than most other snow blowers. This may make it a bit difficult to find adequate storage space for the machine, and some users may find it is challenging to maneuver it. It also may struggle with wet, heavy snow.

The Snow Joe SJ621 has one of the more competitive price tags for a machine of its size and ability, which will make it attractive to frugal readers. Compared to similar models, it is also one of the most powerful and can move more snow than many other snow blowers.

Specifications

The Snow Joe SJ621 is an electric snow blower with dimensions of 45 x 19 x 38 inches. It has a 13.5 amp motor with a push button start. Its clearing width is 18 inches and it has a snow cut depth of 10 inches. The snow blower has a capacity of 650 pounds per minute and can throw snow up to 20 feet.

The Snow Joe SJ621 has a manual push drive and an adjustable, ergonomic handle. Its snow chute rotates 180 degrees via a manual handle. The snow blower has compact wheels and a 20 watt halogen headlight. It weighs 33.3 pounds. It comes with an industry standard 2 year manufacturer’s warranty.

Description

The Snow Joe SJ621 is an electric snow blower with impressive dimensions and a powerful 13.5 amp motor. The motor provides enough power for the snow blower’s auger to throw up to 650 pounds of snow per minute as far as 20 feet. The snow blower’s snow chute rotates a full 180 degrees so you can tackle even the widest driveways without forcing you to go over the same snow more than once. The Snow Joe SJ621 has an extra wide 18 inch clearance that will ensure you can clear big jobs in fewer passes and more quickly and be back indoors where it’s warm in less time. It has a 10 inch snow cut depth so that you can rely on it to handle even the heaviest snow fall with ease. In addition, the snow blower is very quiet and produces no emissions at the point of use, so you can reduce your household’s overall carbon footprint by switching over to it. It has convenient features such as an ergonomic handle and powerful 20 watt halogen headlight to improve the overall snow clearing experience.

Because it is such a robust, powerful machine, the Snow Joe SJ621 is on the bigger, heavier side. It has overall dimensions of 45 x 19 x 38 inches and it weighs 33.3 pounds. This may make it a bit difficult to find enough storage space in your garage or tool shed, and the weight may prove difficult for some users who are older or not particularly strong. But overall it is a fairly maneuverable machine with very few drawbacks.

In addition to its excellent features, the Snow Joe SJ621 has a competitive price that places its cost slightly below average for an electric snow blower in its class. Yet even with this affordability, you still get the kind of power and reliability you need to tackle big jobs with heavy snowfall easily every time.

Pros

There are a number of features that either make or break a snow blower in terms of performance and quality. Chief among them are the machine’s clearance width and snow cut depth, but you also have to consider how much power the auger has behind it. The Snow Joe SJ621 delivers in all of these important areas, and it also provides a number of other convenient features that help make it one of the better electric snow blowers available today.

1. 18 inch clearance width and 10 inch snow cut depth : When you are purchasing a snow blower, these are two of the most important considerations. The wider clearance on the Snow Joe SJ621 will allow you to clear your driveway in fewer passes and less time, which will get you out of the cold and back indoors sooner. And the ten inch snow cut depth means this snow blower will be able to handle just about anything Mother Nature can throw at you without much difficulty.
2. Powerful 13.5 amp motor : The main drawback of using electric snow blowers over gas powered ones is the potential loss of power and performance that comes with them. But the Snow Joe SJ621 has a powerful 13.5 amp motor, making it one of the more robust electric snow blowers available today. It has enough power to throw up to 650 pounds of snow per minute up to 20 feet away.
3. Quiet and environmentally friendly : And unlike a gas powered snow blower, with the Snow Joe SJ621 you do not have to worry about a high noise factor or deal with gas fumes and carbon emissions. This snow blower is so quiet you can use it anytime a storm hits, day or night, without worrying about disturbing your neighbors. And it produces zero emissions at the point of use, so you can significantly reduce your household’s carbon footprint by switching over to it.
4. Convenient 20 watt halogen headlight : Because you never know when a winter storm is going to drop several inches of snow, you may occasionally find yourself clearing the driveway in the dark, especially when winter days get very short. With the convenient 20 watt halogen headlight, you will be able to see what you are doing, even if you are clearing snow after nightfall or early in the morning before you can leave for work. This makes the job safer and easier.
5. Competitive pricing : For all of its size and robust power, the Snow Joe SJ621 is still a fairly affordable snow blower that is slightly below average in terms of price for machines its size. It packs a powerful motor and the kind of size and efficiency you know you can rely on to tackle even the heaviest snow fall, and yet it does not cost an arm and a leg to get it.

With the wide clearance and high snow cut depth on the Snow Joe SJ621, you will be prepared to tackle just about any snow storm that should come your way, and be able to quickly and efficiently clear your property. This machine offers a lot in terms of performance and power, but it does not have the kind of high price that will make it difficult to own. It offers all of these pros at a reasonable price.

Cons

In spite of all of its high performance and excellent quality, there are a few drawbacks to the Snow Joe SJ621 that ought to be discussed. For the most part, none of these Cons is going to take away too much from the outstanding Pros, nor will they negatively affect performance, but I do think they are worth mentioning so you are aware of what this snow blower offers as a complete package. Let’s take a detailed look at each one.

1. Large overall footprint : Let’s face it: the Snow Joe SJ621 is a pretty big machine. It has overall dimensions of 45 x 19 x 38 inches, making it one of the larger electric snow blowers in its class. While it is this size because it supports a powerful motor and big snow clearing abilities, you may find that it is somewhat difficult to find enough storage space for it in your garage or tool shed. And in tighter corners of your property, you may find it is a bit difficult to maneuver.
2. One of the heavier snow blowers for its size : The Snow Joe SJ621 is not only big, it’s fairly heavy as well: at 33.3 pounds it is definitely above average for snow blowers in its size class. While most users should not find that its size and weight will pose too much of a problem in terms of pushing it around their driveway, older users or those without the necessary strength level may have problems using it. If that sounds likely, you may want to consider a smaller machine.
3. Leaves a thin layer of snow behind : Unfortunately, for all of its snow clearing ability, the Snow Joe SJ621 does have trouble leaving a completely clean surface behind it, which can be problematic. In order to counter this, you may have to go over the same ground twice, or else put down rock salt after you have cleared your driveway and sidewalks. This is not a huge performance issue, but it is nevertheless a frustrating one, since you want to spend as little time as possible clearing your property.
4. Has difficulty with heavier, slushy snow : This is a bit of a chronic problem with electric snow blowers, and the Snow Joe SJ621 is no exception to it. When you use this machine to clear heavier, slushy snow, the snow blower tends to struggle with it, and cannot throw it the full twenty feet. I recommend clearing snow as soon as it has stopped falling, while it is still as dry and light as possible to counter this problem.
5. The power cord takes some getting used to : Clearing snow with a plug in electric snow blower can be a bit of a hassle, particularly in terms of dealing with the power cord. Not only is it limited in its range by the length of the cord, you also have to be careful not to go over the cord with the snow blower, which could be disastrous. Fortunately the halogen headlight helps you to avoid the cord in the dark, and with practice you get used to it.

The big footprint and weight of the Snow Joe SJ621 are part of what one has to deal with when they own the kind of powerful snow blower that can cut a wide swath through the snow, deal with heavier snow fall, and throw a high capacity per minute as far as this one can. While there are minor issues with its clearing performance, I don’t think they take away too much from its overall ability. And I think most users will quickly adapt to the power cord.

Product Comparison

In addition to detailed Pros and Cons lists, one of the best ways to determine whether a particular product is right for you is by doing some careful comparison shopping. By comparing an appliance to similar models manufactured by a couple of its competitors, you can get a pretty clear picture as to how it stacks up to what else is on the market. The following table compares the Snow Joe SJ621 to the Power Smart DB5003 and the Worx WG650.

	Snow Joe SJ621	Power Smart DB5003	Worx WG650
Dimensions	45 x 19 x 38 inches	43 x 17 x 35 inches	45 x 19 x 37 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Motor	13.5 amp	9 amp	13 amp
Clearing Width	18 inches	13 inches	18 inches
Snow Cut Depth	10 inches	6 inches	9 inches
Capacity / Minute	Up to 650 pounds	Up to 400 pounds	Up to 650 pounds
Throw Distance	Up to 20 feet	Up to 20 feet	Up to 30 feet
Drive	Manual push	Manual push	Manual push
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Chute Control	Handle 180°	Handle 60°	Handle 180°
Wheels	Compact wheels	Compact wheels	Compact wheels
Light	20 watt halogen	n/a	n/a
Weight	33.3 pounds	26 pounds	29.6 pounds
Warranty	2 years	1 year	2 years

The Snow Joe SJ621 is the biggest and heaviest of the three machines, but it also has the most powerful motor, one of the highest clearing widths and the biggest snow cut depth. Along with the Worx, it has the highest snow clearing capacity per minute, although the Worx can throw snow up to 50% farther than the Snow Joe SJ621. The Snow Joe SJ621 is the only machine with a headlight of any kind.

Conclusion

In the areas that are the most important and effect snow blower performance the most, the Snow Joe SJ621 really delivers well. It has a high clearance width and snow cut depth, and it has the kind of powerful motor that can throw a lot of snow per minute. Let’s take another look at the Pros and Cons of the Snow Joe SJ621.

Conclusion Pros

1. 18 inch clearance width and 10 inch snow cut depth.
2. Powerful 13.5 amp motor.
3. Quiet and environmentally friendly.
4. Convenient 20 watt halogen headlight.
5. Competitive pricing.

The Snow Joe SJ621 has an eighteen inch wide clearance and can deal with up to 10 inches of snow fall easily. It has the kind of powerful motor necessary to support that size. In addition it’s quiet and produces zero emissions. It has convenient add-ons like a headlight, and it is affordably priced.

Conclusion Cons

1. Large overall footprint.
2. One of the heavier snow blowers for its size.
3. Leaves a thin layer of snow behind.
4. Has difficulty with heavier, slushy snow.
5. The power cord takes some getting used to.

In part because it is such a big, powerful snow blower, the Snow Joe SJ621 does have some issues concerning its size and weight. It has a big overall footprint and is heavy. It may leave a thin layer of snow on the ground and struggle with heavier snow. And using the power cord takes getting used to.

Final Word

Switching to an electric snow blower has several advantages: these machines are quieter than gas powered snow blowers, they produce zero emissions at the point of use, and they are cheaper to run and maintain. But a lot of the time, consumers are worried that they will have to sacrifice power and performance to get these benefits. But with a big, powerful snow blower like the Snow Joe SJ621, which has a 13.5 amp motor, eighteen inch clearance width, and ten inch snow cut depth, you do not have to lose anything in terms of ability to enjoy the advantages of electric. This snow blower also has convenient additional features such as a 20 watt halogen headlight and comfortable, ergonomic design points. In addition, the Snow Joe SJ621 is not a very expensive snow blower, which means it will be affordable for the vast majority of consumers. All things considered, this is a solid machine at a fair price.

Best Price

It’s unfortunate that so many electric snow blowers have the kind of high prices that makes them seem unaffordable to more frugal households. With the Snow Joe SJ621, however, it’s easy to see why this does not have to be the case. This snow blower has a price tag that is slightly below average for a machine of its size and ability. That means you can get the kind of power and performance you need to keep your driveway clear of heavy snow fall without paying a premium price to get it. And not only do you save money up front, you will also enjoy the savings of using an electric snow blower, which costs a lot less to operate and maintain than a gas powered snow blower.