To bring you the best ice scrapers for sidewalks and driveways, we’ve done the research and consulted with experienced users to see which ice scrapers cleared the most ice, relieved the strain on your hands and which ones were durable enough to stand up to the elements for long term use.
And with that in mind, our top pick and #1 choice is the Snow Joe Shoveloution Strain Reducing Shovel, a combination snow shovel and ice scraper with an innovative fulcrum handle that gives you extra leverage when shoveling snow from walkways and driveways.
Top 7 Best Ice Scraper for Sidewalk Compared
#1 Snow Joe SJ-SHLV01 Strain Reducing Snow Shovel
Award: Top Pick
WHY WE LIKE IT: This snow shovel and ice scraper for sidewalks reduces the strain of shoveling snow thanks to its comfortable 41” handle, which means you don’t have to bend and stoop. It’s great for people who need to shovel thick, ice covered snow in the winter..
- Best for icy snow
- Ergonomic 41” handle
- Broad, steel shovel base
- Takes up more space than the Birdrock Home (our #3 pick)
- Heavier than plastic and aluminum ice scrapers like our #2 pick, the Multifun
- Not as long as the Gymax 47” Ice Chopper (our #5 pick)
A snow shovel and ice scraper with a handy spring assist mechanism to make the shoveling process easier, this winter home and outdoor tool from Snow Joe helps make shoveling snow easier and quicker, and is especially helpful for thick or wet and dense snow that’s partially iced over. Great for clearing down to the pavement of driveways and sidewalks, as well as cleaning snow off of patios, outdoor steps and porches, it’s one of the most highly recommended snow shovels and ice scrapers for the elderly, thanks to its ability to make a potentially grueling task physically easier.
In addition to a broad shovel base made of long-wearing steel, it has a comfortable 41” handle, meaning that less bending and stooping is required to get the job done. Unlike ice scrapers made of polyethylene, its performance holds up in below zero temperatures. It is a necessary piece of outdoor gear.
#2 Multifun 3-in-1 Snow and Ice Scraper
Award: Honorable Mention
WHY WE LIKE IT: One of the most handy and versatile ice and snow tools out there, it includes a snow brush, show shovel and ice scraper in one simple, easy to store tool. It’s great for those who want to carry a multifunctional ice and snow shovel that’s easy to store as part of an emergency kit.
- 3-in-1 design
- Comfortable 44.5-inch overall length
- Non scratching jaws on the ice scraper
- Bulkier than some single purpose ice scrapers
- Snow shovel is polyethylene not metal
- Requires some assembly
This 44.5” Multifunctional snow and ice tool is a must have for your winter emergency kit. It’s great for traveling by car or to keep at home for routine use as an ice scraper for sidewalk or driveway. A sturdy, corrosion resistant three foot tall aluminum shaft is the centerpiece, and the handle is made from durable plastic that won’t deform or become brittle in sub-freezing temperatures.
While some assembly is required, due to the nature of this 3-in-1 tool, it offers unmatched snow and ice clearing versatility. Plus, it takes up very little space and can be stored in your foyer or in the trunk of your car or even behind the seats of a single cab pickup, far more easily than three separate tools. The included snow shovel is over 10” wide so you can effectively clear a path through the snow. The ice scraper is effective at breaking up and clearing away ice, yet promises a non-scratching surface so as to avoid damaging pavement or sidewalks. To get ice off of your car, you’ll want the best de icer car spray.
#3 Birdrock Home 34” Emergency Shovel
Award: Best Portable
WHY WE LIKE IT: A lightweight, folding aluminum shovel that helps make quick work of breaking up ice and shoveling snow to free your sidewalk or driveway. Designed to be part of emergency kits, it’s great for those traveling by car to areas where it might snow.
- Folds down to 23”
- Durable aluminum construction
- Textured rubber high grip handle
- Lacks a pick tool to break up ice
- Shorter than our top pick, the Multifunctional Snow and Ice Scraper
- No brush included, as with the Multifunctional snow and ice scraper
A handy and super compact tool for winter emergency kits, this collapsible snow shovel and ice scraper makes quick work of packed snow on walkways and paths, and is a great thing to carry with you when driving through the mountains. An essential for going off-roading or 4-wheeling, it fits easily in Jeeps, trucks and even stows in ATVs and snowmobiles.
The lightweight aluminum handle collapses to give a total length of only 23.” When fully extended, the Birdrock Home Emergency Shovel measures 34.”
While this snow shovel is light and easy to maneuver, it’s considerably shorter than the 3-in-1 tool from Multifun, and therefore it may not be as comfortable to use, requiring more bending and stooping. It also lacks a dedicated ice scraping and breaker function. The best snowblower can also help with sidewalks.
#4 Mysbiker Car Snow Brush and Ice Scraper
Award: Best Budget
WHY WE LIKE IT: A simple, inexpensive solution for how to remove ice from your porch, sidewalk or windshield. It’s great for people who drive in areas that receive occasional overnight snowfall or icy weather.
- 2-in-1 ice scraper & brush
- Plastic scraper won’t scratch windshields
- Too short to use for walkways comfortably
- Polypropylene construction means it may be less durable in sub-zero temperatures
- Lacks a shovel
This simple ice scraper and snow brush is easy to store in any car or closet and comes in handy when you have to scrape ice off your windshield or want to brush snow off of hand railings or mailboxes. It measures just under 16 inches total, with an 8 inch coarse brush on one end and a four-inch hard plastic ice scraper on the other.
The scraper is tough enough to get through ice while being easy on your hands, and it won’t scratch your windshield. The brush is stiff and effective for wiping away loose snow, and makes for a much easier job brushing off snow than it would be for using just your hands. Compared to the larger snow shovel/ ice scraper tools on our list of the best ice scrapers, this one is smaller and less expensive. That makes it a great budget choice, or a useful part of an occasional winter travel kit. Whether on a sidewalk or the best wheelchair ramp, you’ll get the ice off.
#5 Gymax Ice Chopper
Award: Best Long Reach Ice Pick
WHY WE LIKE IT: This 47” ice and snow shovel is equipped with a durable metal shovel head, a true ice pick and scraper, and a broad handle that comes with a shock absorbing spring. We love it because of its versatile design and powerful steel blade.
- Spring-loaded handle
- Steel ice scraper blade
- Long handle for good leverage
- No plastic strip to protect surfaces
- Bulkier to store than our #2 pick, the Birdrock home
- No snow brush feature
The Gymax Ice Chopper is a heavy duty 47” ice scraper and snow shovel that assembles easily and is made of light, but sturdy and durable steel. Unlike plastic ice scrapers, it won’t become brittle in temperatures between 0 and -40 degrees F. Thanks to the long handle and especially because of its unique, shock absorbing grip, this ice scraper and snow shovel may prove more comfortable to use on driveways and walkways and in clearing off iced-over steps.
While it boasts some important performance advantages over smaller ice scrapers like the Mysbiker snow brush (our #3 pick) the Gymax is less portable. It does come apart, but the central shaft is one-piece for solidity and so it doesn’t fold or become really compact for storage. That said, it will still fit in any hall closet, SUV cargo area or truck bed, many tool lockers and in some car trunks. This is one that belongs in your lawn and garden supplies. Speaking of that, the best compost bin for outdoor is a great choice for warmer weather.
#6 Vermo Extendable Snow Brush Ice Scraper
Award: Longest Ice Scraper
WHY WE LIKE IT: A lightweight but telescoping handle gives this combination snow brush and ice scraper the longest reach of any tool on our list. It’s great for those who need to brush snow and ice off an SUV or hard to reach sidewalk area.
- Telescoping handle
- Removable triangular ice scraper
- Rotating brush
- No snow shovel function
- Plastic construction
- Light weight makes it less useful for clearing ice off walkways and driveways
Designed mainly for clearing light snow and ice off of cars, trucks and SUVs, out of roof gutters and roof racks, this telescoping ice scraper and snow brush has the distinction of the longest reach of any ice scraper on our list. That makes it great for de-icing windshields, windows of buildings and brushing snow off of roof racks and gutters. It reaches over four feet when extended.
The Vermo ice scraper features an interchangeable ice scraper head and a rotating snow brush head. The scraper, made of hard plastic, has an innovative triangular design with a hole in the middle so you can scrape ice around windshield wiper blades. Its edges are designed to ensure it doesn’t scratch your window glass. While all-metal ice scrapers like the Gymax (our #4 pick) promise better durability in extreme conditions, the ABS-plastic of the Vermo extendable should hold up better than polyethylene. The right tool needs the right job, after all, you wouldn’t want to scrape the ice with the best riding lawn mower. Get the right tool.
#7 Carlisle Ice Shovel
Award: Best Heavy Duty
WHY WE LIKE IT: A simple and heavy duty ice shovel designed for industrial and food service uses, its one-piece construction and broad, 13” shovel make it work well for scraping and shoveling ice and snow off of outdoor patios, steps, and cars. It’s a durable outdoor snow shoveling tool for the yard and garden.
- Very durable
- Rust-free polypropylene
- Broad 13” Shovel
- Handle not as long as with other snow shovels
- Lacks the versatility of the multifunctional tools like our #3 pick, the Multifun 3-in-1
- More expensive than the other ice scrapers and snow shovels on our list
Though somewhat pricey for what you get, this one-piece polypropylene ice shovel boasts unmatched durability and is suitable for heavy loads of ice and slush. It can be stored in a shed or garage without worrying about rust as well, unlike with some steel snow shovels. Originally designed for food service and industrial ice use, the Carlisle Ice Shovel has a 2-foot handle with a molded grip and a 13” by 10” shovel blade.
It can be used to scrape ice off of sidewalks, steps and driveways, though it may not be as comfortable to use as the Snow Joe spring assist snow shovel (our top pick.) The handle’s grip is thinner than with the Birdrock Home (our #3 pick) and this may make it more strenuous to shovel snow with. The best landscaping lighting can help while clearing ice in early hours.
How We Decided
In order to choose which were the best ice scrapers for driveways, sidewalks, around the yard and for travel, we narrowed down to ice scrapers with a smooth, impact resistant surface. This way, you can repeatedly break the ice and scrape down to surfaces like sidewalk cement or windows without damage.
We selected ice scrapers that were at least one foot long, so that they improved leverage somewhat over just using your hand. We included only ice scrapers and snow shovels with broad and somewhat comfortable handles measuring at least 4. We picked ice scrapers made of polypropylene, aluminum, coated steel or ABS plastic. Plastic ice scrapers for car windows work well, while metal ice scrapers for sidewalks and driveways tend to be the most durable.
Best Ice Scraper Buying Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Handle Length
When looking for an ice scraper for sidewalks and driveways, make sure the handle is of a comfortable length for the task. For de-icing car windshields or for a snow shovel for your winter emergency kit, on the other hand, a shorter handle may be more appropriate - Material
The best ice scrapers are typically metal, ABS or Polypropylene plastic. Aluminum is good for lightness, as with the Birdrock Home ice scraper (our # 3 pick) and steel is good in that it preserves its hardness and impact resistance at winter outdoor temperatures. Polypropylene has the advantage of being rust-free and somewhat lighter.
Ice Scraper for Sidewalk FAQs
Do these products have any year round uses?
When it comes to ice scrapers and snow shovels, their usefulness doesn’t end when the cold weather does. The Snow Joe shovel, for example, while designed to shovel ice and snow, also makes common gardening tasks easier like planting and repotting.
Do any of these make a good primary automotive ice scraper?
Yes, both the Birdrock Home (our #3 pick) and the budget-minded Mysbiker car ice scraper and snow brush (our #4 pick) as well as the telescoping Vermo (our #6) are designed with automotive ice scraper use in mind. A good ice scraper and snow shovel combo like the Birdrock Home or the Gymax (our #5 pick) is also handy for digging out your car from a snowbank.
Can Car ice scrapers be used for Sidewalks?
Some car ice scrapers can be used for sidewalks, but you save yourself a lot of work and frustration by investing in an ice scraper designed for sidewalks and driveways, like the Snow Joe Strain Reducing Snow Shovel, our top pick. With a longer handle and more leverage than a car window ice scraper, it makes the job of de icing your sidewalk much easier.
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