Not the same material of blade/scoop. Just looked at doing the same, the pusher versions are way more robust than the scoops. No personal use however, but the plastic seems more brittle.

I use baking soda to leach the taste or smell out of the cheap stainless stuff I have. Works really well. Dump a bunch in, fill full with hot water, shake vigorously and let it sit. Usually fixes the problem completely and sometimes permanently.

Agreed. That downspout will cause issues with the foundation as well. It is probably a combination of water directly affecting the column and also the porch, as the May pic the joints on the steps seem tighter. Make sure water is not entering on the top of the column somehow and keep snow and ice away from the base of it. Exterior caulk is your friend now.