Winter is Coming: Check out the A.M. Leonard Snow Removal Buyers Guide

Snow removal gear sorts itself into five jobs: moving snow, spreading material, choosing what to melt with, breaking up what bonds to the pavement, and marking edges before they disappear. Buy for the job and the surface, not the storm you remember, and most properties need fewer tools than they think.

This guide covers the tools A.M. Leonard carries in each of those five areas, the specs that separate them, and which one to buy for residential walks, commercial lots, and grounds crews.

JUMP TO Shovels & Pushers Salt Spreaders Ice Melt & De-Icers Scrapers & Roof Rakes Stakes & Markers

Snow Shovels, Pushers & Snow Movers

Lift what you have to, push everything else.

The first decision is whether the snow has to be lifted or can be pushed. Lifting is the hard part of shoveling, so any surface with an open edge to push toward, such as a driveway, sidewalk, or parking lane, clears faster with a pusher. A shovel earns its place on steps, around parked cars, and wherever snow has to be thrown over a bank.

Blade width sets how much snow moves per pass, and how much effort each pass takes. The Heavy-Duty Poly Snow Shovel, 18in Wide Head with Fiberglass Handle weighs 2.8 pounds and is sized for lifting. Its companion, the Heavy-Duty Poly Snow Pusher, 24in Wide Head with Fiberglass Handle, is 3.0 pounds with a 24-inch blade. The 42" Extra Wide Snow Pusher with Fiberglass Handle covers nearly twice that width, which pays off on long, open driveways and walks. In deep or wet snow it loads up faster than most people can push.

Shovels, pushers, and snow movers compared

Product	Blade width	Blade material	Handle	Weight
Heavy-Duty Poly Snow Shovel, 18in	18 in (13.5 in long)	HDPE, anti-stick additive	46 in fiberglass, D-grip	2.8 lb
Heavy-Duty Poly Snow Pusher, 24in	24 in (11 in long)	HDPE, anti-stick additive	46 in fiberglass, D-grip	3.0 lb
Poly Scoop Shovel, 17in x 14in	14 in (17 in long)	One-piece poly	25 in D-grip	4 lb
Snowcaster Blue Heavy-Duty 30" Snow Pusher	30 in (9 in tall)	1/4 in UHMW poly	Fiberglass, reinforced D-grip	5 lb
PRO Snow Pusher, 32in Blade by MANPLOW	32 in (13 in tall)	HDPE composite, replaceable edge	Aluminum, U-handle	8 lb
42" Extra Wide Snow Pusher	42 in	1/4 in UHMW poly	Fiberglass, reinforced D-grip	7 lb (shipping)
Snow Mover, Wheeled, 36in	36 in, angled flip blade	UHMW poly	Powder-coated steel	9 lb
Snowblade, Blue, 3ft Width by Snowcaster	36 in (7.5 in tall), pivoting	Poly, 6 in wheels	45 in	12 lb

HDPE versus UHMW blades

Both are polyethylene, but they wear differently. The 18-inch shovel and 24-inch pusher use HDPE with an anti-stick additive, which keeps wet snow from building up on the blade and keeps the tool light enough to lift. The 30-inch and 42-inch pushers and the wheeled Snow Mover use 1/4-inch UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight) poly, a denser material chosen for wear resistance. That is the better blade for a crew that drags a pusher across concrete for hours at a time. None of the poly pushers on this list has a metal wear strip. For scraping packed snow, choose a steel-edged tool (see Scrapers & Roof Rakes) or the steel wear plate on the BustRPoly Snow Shovel with Heavy-Duty Wear Plate, Case of 6.

Wheels change the math on large, light snowfalls

Wheeled movers ride on the pavement instead of being carried, so the operator walks upright and only steers. The Snow Mover, Wheeled, 36in uses an angled flip blade that pushes snow to one side from either direction, which makes it well suited to long walkways. The Snowcaster Snowblade pivots its 36-inch blade on 6-inch wheels to turn more easily. A.M. Leonard's product page lists the Snow Mover for "removal of light snow from large areas." Neither mover is the right tool for heavy, wet accumulation, where the weight of the load works against the wheels.

Same call on decks, pavers, and broken concrete

Use a pusher that won't catch or gouge

The MANPLOW PRO Snow Pusher has a 1.5-inch-wide EZ Glide edge that rides over aggregate and broken concrete without catching. According to the manufacturer, the edge won't damage wood or composite decking. The edge is replaceable and rated for 300 to 350 hours of use.

Handles are the part that breaks

The 18-inch shovel and 24-inch pusher share the same 46-inch, 0.110-inch-wall fiberglass handle. When one snaps, the Replacement D-Grip Fiberglass Handle fits both, so there's no need to replace the whole tool. Fiberglass also stays warmer in the hand than a steel handle, which matters with an 8-hour crew.

Which one to buy

For most homeowners, the 24-inch Heavy-Duty Poly Snow Pusher clears a driveway, and the matching 18-inch shovel handles the steps. Both use the same replaceable handle.

For grounds crews on concrete, the Snowcaster Blue 30" Pusher is the pick. Its 1/4-inch UHMW blade holds up to daily scraping, and its reinforced D-grip survives gloved hands and hard shoves.

For decks, pavers, and rough aggregate, go with the MANPLOW PRO 32", since its glide edge is built for surfaces that catch a standard blade.

For long walks and light, frequent snowfalls, the Wheeled Snow Mover, 36in covers the most ground with the least lifting.

Salt Spreaders

Match the spreader to the square footage and to the material you load it with.

A spreader's job is to put down less material, more evenly, than a scoop and a bucket can. Choose it on three specs: how it mounts (hand, push, ATV/UTV, hitch, or truck bed), how much it holds, and whether it gravity-feeds or uses an auger. That last one decides which materials it can handle.

Walk-behind units cover sidewalks and small lots. The SaltDogg WB155BG Walk-Behind 100lb Salt & Ice Melt Spreader broadcasts up to 24 feet from a 1.5 cubic foot hopper and has 3-sided adjustable deflectors to keep salt off lawns and beds. The Walk-Behind Drop Spreader with 200lb Capacity by SaltDogg drops material in a 44-inch band instead of throwing it. That is slower on open pavement but puts salt exactly where you aim it, which counts next to storefront entries, plantings, and door thresholds.

Salt spreaders by mount, capacity, and spread width

Product	Mount	Capacity	Spread width	Feed / controls
Earthshaker Hand Spreader	Handheld	80 oz	Hand-directed	Adjustable dial
SaltDogg WB155BG Walk-Behind	Push, 13 in pneumatic tires	100 lb / 1.5 cu ft	Up to 24 ft	Enclosed gearbox, 3-sided deflectors
Walk-Behind Drop Spreader, 200lb	Push, 13 in pneumatic tires	200 lb / 2.5 cu ft	44 in drop	Stainless trough and agitator
ATV All-Purpose Spreader, 15-Gallon	ATV rack, 12V	15 gal	5 to 30 ft	Gravity, seat-mounted controls
UTV All-Purpose Spreader, 2in Receiver	2 in receiver, 12V	15 gal (about 2 cu ft)	Up to 30 ft	Gravity, on/off
SnowEx 12-Volt Spreader, 3 Cu. Ft.	2 in receiver, 12V	3 cu ft / 240 lb	Up to 25 ft	Flow gate, on/off; bagged material only
Tailgate Spreader, 4.4 cu ft	1-1/4 or 2 in receiver, 12V	4.4 cu ft	Up to 14 ft	Gravity, on/off; #1 free-flowing rock salt
PRO Tailgate Spreader, 4.4 cu ft	2 in receiver, 1/2 HP 12V	4.41 cu ft	3 to 30 ft	Vertical auger assist, variable-speed in-cab
Tailgate Spreader, 11 cu ft	2 in receiver, 3/4- and 1-ton trucks	11 cu ft	3 to 30 ft	Horizontal auger, vibrator, variable-speed in-cab
SHPE Series 1.0-Cubic-Yard Hopper	Truck or UTV bed (55.5 in min.)	1.0 cu yd	5 to 30 ft	Dual-motor auger, closed-loop in-cab

Gravity feed versus auger

Gravity-fed spreaders rely on material flowing freely through the gate. The standard Tailgate Spreader, 4.4 cu ft is rated for "#1 free-flowing rock salt," and damp or clumped salt will bridge over the opening and stop feeding. The PRO Tailgate Spreader has the same hopper size but adds a vertical auger assist, a 1/2 HP motor, and a variable-speed in-cab controller. It also accepts an optional vibrator kit. That combination keeps material moving when it's wet, and lets the driver change the application rate without stopping the truck.

Beyond that, the Tailgate Spreader, 11 cu ft uses a 3-3/4-inch horizontal auger in a stainless trough and a 200-pound vibrator. It is rated for bulk salt, 50/50 sand-salt mix, and ice melt. The SHPE Series 1.0-Cubic-Yard Electric Hopper Spreader moves into the truck bed. Separate motors run the auger and the spinner, and an automatic auger reverse clears jams. The SHPE line runs from 0.40 to 2.0 cubic yards, so size it to the truck's payload and bed length.

Same call if you buy ice melt by the bag

Check that the spreader takes bagged material

The SnowEx 12-Volt Spreader is rated for bagged ice melt and calcium chloride pellets, not bulk salt. If you buy salt loose by the ton, go with an auger-fed unit like the PRO Tailgate or the 11 cu ft Tailgate.

ATV and UTV spreaders double as turf tools

The ATV All-Purpose Spreader and UTV All-Purpose Spreader each carry a 15-gallon poly hopper and spread up to 30 feet. SaltDogg rates them for salt, grass seed, fertilizer, and other free-flowing materials, so the same unit works year-round. The UTV version ships with an 8.5-foot wiring harness, and the product page notes that some UTV models need a longer one. Measure from the battery to the receiver before you order.

Which one to buy

For sidewalks and small commercial walks, the SaltDogg WB155BG is the best fit. Its 24-foot throw and adjustable deflectors cover open pavement without salting the lawn.

For storefront entries and walks lined with plantings, the 200lb Walk-Behind Drop Spreader is the right call, because a drop pattern keeps chloride out of the beds.

For a pickup doing residential routes, choose the PRO Tailgate Spreader over the standard 4.4 cu ft model. The auger assist and in-cab speed control are what keep damp salt flowing.

For contractors running bulk salt or sand-salt mix across lots, start with the 11 cu ft Tailgate Spreader. Step up to an SHPE hopper once refill trips start eating into the route.

Ice Melt & De-Icers

The pavement temperature picks the product. The surface and what's next to it pick the blend.

Plain rock salt (sodium chloride) is the baseline, and it has a hard floor. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency puts it plainly: "Temperatures below 15°F are too cold for salt. Most salts stop working at this temperature." The same guidance says about 12 ounces, roughly a coffee mug, treats a 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares, about 1,000 square feet. It also says to shovel and scrape first, since the less snow is left, the less salt it takes.

Below that 15°F line, a blend with magnesium chloride or calcium chloride keeps working. The HotRock EcoGuard + CMA Granular De-icer combines sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and corn-derived additives, and is rated to -20°F. For bulk accounts it is also sold as a pallet of 49 50lb bags.

Granular and liquid de-icers, by active ingredient and manufacturer-stated working temperature

Product	Form	Active ingredient	Stated working temp.	Best use
HotRock Rock Salt, 50lb	Granular	Sodium chloride, 98%	15°F and above (MPCA guidance)	General pavement, roads, lots
HotRock EcoGuard + CMA, 50lb	Granular	Sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, corn-derived additives	-20°F	Commercial walks and lots in deep cold
HotRock PawGuard, 8lb Jug	Flake	Magnesium chloride, 100%	-15°F	Entries, steps, pet traffic
Natural Alternative Ice Melter, 20lb	Granular	Four-ingredient blend (not itemized)	-16°F	Near lawns, beds, and water
Bare Ground Mag Plus, 5 Gallon	Liquid	Magnesium chloride with inhibitor	-13°F	Pre-storm anti-icing, roofs and eaves
Bare Ground BOLT Calcium Chloride, 5 Gallon	Liquid	Calcium chloride, 35%	-20°F	Anti-icing and fast post-storm spot melt
Bare Ground Clear Way Potassium Acetate, 5 Gallons	Liquid	Potassium acetate, chloride-free	-4°F freeze point	Bridges, runways, sensitive areas

Liquids work best before the snow falls

Liquid de-icers are applied before a storm to keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement, which makes plowing and shoveling much easier. Bare Ground Mag Plus is labeled to stop accumulation of up to 3 inches, with a residual effect of 10 to 14 days. Bare Ground BOLT, at 35% calcium chloride, is rated to stop 1 to 2 inches before it accumulates and also works as a fast spot de-icer after the storm. Both come in sizes from 2.5-gallon jugs up to 275-gallon totes (Mag Plus tote, BOLT tote), so a crew can buy for one property or a whole route.

Bare Ground Clear Way is the chloride-free option. It is potassium acetate, meets FAA specifications for runways and taxiways, and is labeled as safer for bridges and roadway surfaces. The tradeoff is its stated freeze point of -4°F, the highest of the liquids here.

Same call around pets, lawns, and plantings

Use a gentler product, and use less of it

HotRock PawGuard is 100% magnesium chloride, labeled as gentler on paws and safer for concrete and vegetation than rock salt. Natural Alternative Ice Melter is labeled at 1 to 4 pounds per 500 square feet and claims no damage to lawns, vegetation, hardscapes, or cured concrete when used as directed. Mag Plus can be diluted 50% with water near delicate shrubs and trees.

Store it dry, near where you use it

Granular de-icers that absorb moisture clump, and clumped material won't feed through a gravity spreader. The SnowEx Salt Box & Storage Container 12 Cu Ft is made of UV-protected, non-corrosive polyethylene. It has a lid handle sized for gloves, a hasp for a padlock, and molded forklift pockets, so it can sit at a building entry for the whole season. There is also a 3 cu ft size.

Which one to buy

For general pavement that rarely drops below 15°F, HotRock Rock Salt does the job. Apply it at the coffee-mug-per-1,000-square-feet rate, not by the scoopful.

For commercial walks that see subzero nights, HotRock EcoGuard + CMA keeps working down to -20°F, where rock salt has already stopped.

For entries, steps, and anywhere dogs walk, use HotRock PawGuard. The 8 lb jug is sized for spot treatment, not whole lots.

For crews that can treat before a storm, Bare Ground BOLT is the pick. It works to -20°F and doubles as a post-storm spot de-icer.

Ice Scrapers & Roof Rakes

For the ice that a pusher slides over, and the snow that stays up on the roof.

A poly blade rides over bonded ice. Breaking that bond takes a forged steel edge and some weight behind it. The TRU PRO 7in Forged Sidewalk and Ice Scraper by Truper has a one-piece forged head with a wide chamfered edge on a 48-inch hardwood handle, at 3.3 pounds. The TRU PRO 7in Forged Steel Scraper goes to high-carbon tempered steel on a 54-inch handle at 4.6 pounds. The extra length and weight let it chop thicker ice with less effort from the operator.

Scrapers and roof rake specs

Product	Head	Handle / reach	Weight
TRU PRO 7in Forged Sidewalk and Ice Scraper	7 in forged steel, chamfered edge	48 in hardwood	3.3 lb
TRU PRO 7in Forged Steel Scraper	7.1 in high-carbon tempered steel	54 in hardwood	4.6 lb
MinnSNOWta Dynamo Roof Razor	2 ft aluminum blade, 10 ft slide	Four 6 ft poles	15 lb (shipping)

Roof snow comes off from the ground

The MinnSNOWta Dynamo Roof Razor cuts into roof snow with a 2-foot aluminum blade. The snow then slides down a 10-foot woven-fiber chute to the ground, with no pulling it back toward the operator. Its 2-inch wheels keep the blade off the shingles, and four 6-foot poles let you reach up the roof from the ground.

Which one to buy

For sidewalk ice and general chipping, the TRU PRO 7in Sidewalk and Ice Scraper is the lighter tool to swing all day.

For thick, bonded ice at loading docks and building entries, get the TRU PRO 7in Forged Steel Scraper. Its high-carbon edge and extra 6 inches of handle do more of the work.

For residential roofs with heavy accumulation, choose the Dynamo Roof Razor, since the slide carries snow off the roof without pulling it toward whoever is standing below.

Reflective Stakes & Markers

Mark it while you can still see it.

Plow and pusher damage to lawns, curbs, irrigation heads, and hydrants usually happens because an edge was buried. Reflective stakes mark those edges for operators day and night. Choose the length based on how much snow the property usually holds, and the diameter based on how much abuse the stakes will take.

Stake and marker specs

Product	Length	Diameter	Material / reflectivity	Pack
Reflective Fiberglass Driveway Marking Stakes, Yellow, 4ft	4 ft	1/4 in	Fiberglass, 360° reflective strips	25
Reflective Fiberglass Snow Stakes, Yellow, 6ft	6 ft	1/3 in	Fiberglass, 360° silver reflective stripes	25
Reflective Fire Hydrant Stake with Premium Spring, 5ft	5 ft	3/8 in	Fiberglass/polyester, 3M Scotchlite film, steel spring	1

Taller and thicker for plowed lots

A 4-foot, 1/4-inch stake like the 4ft Yellow Driveway Marking Stakes works for residential driveways. For large accounts, the pack of 100 covers more properties per order. Commercial lots where snow gets piled higher need the 6ft Yellow Snow Stakes, which add 2 feet of height and a thicker 1/3-inch shaft. Both come in orange (4ft, pack of 100; 6ft, bag of 25) for sites where yellow blends into signage or curb paint.

Hydrants need their own stake. The Reflective Fire Hydrant Stake mounts on a steel spring, so it flexes back upright after a plow or pusher hits it, and uses 3M Scotchlite reflective film.

Same call for every property you stake

Stake before the ground locks up

The Driveway Stake Driver Tool is a 35-inch, 3/8-inch rod with a welded step. You press it in with body weight to make a 7-inch pilot hole, so there's no hammering stakes. A.M. Leonard's product page quotes a customer who cut a 300-foot driveway from 2 to 3 hours to about 30 minutes.

Which one to buy

For residential driveways, use the 4ft Yellow Driveway Marking Stakes. They are tall enough for typical snow cover, and the pointed tip goes into firm soil easily.

For commercial lots with plow banks, choose the 6ft Yellow Snow Stakes. The extra height and thicker shaft keep the edge visible after the piles grow.

For any crew staking more than a few properties, add the Driveway Stake Driver Tool, which turns staking into a walking job instead of a hammering job.