Snow Blowers Buying Guide

Snow blowers have come a long way from the first one built by an enterprising farmer in rural Canada in the 1920s. Snow blowers, or snow throwers as they are also referred to, are the perfect solution for snow clogged driveways. However, that does not mean that any snow blower will do. There are several points to be analyzed before you find the perfect snow blower for your driveway and the weather conditions of the place you live in. Manufacturers of snow blowers make both lightweight and heavyweight models to suit differing weather conditions.

Toro takes the credit of manufacturing the first domestic snow blower.

Single Stage Snow Blowers The two basic types of snow blowers are single stage and double stage blowers. Also, snow blowers may be either gas powered or may run on motors powered by electricity. Single stage snow blowers are generally used in areas that receive light snowfall. Single stage snow blowers can also be used to maintain short walks or driveways in areas receiving heavy snowfall.

Double Stage Snow Blowers Double stage snow blowers are used to clear heavy snowfall. However, these tend to be very expensive and may not be the most economical choice if you intend to use it just to clear out the driveway.

The part of snow blowers that cuts into snow and lifts it up is called an auger. It rotates constantly and has curved blades fitted on to its drum-shaped surface. Some snow blowers are propelled forward as the auger comes into contact with the surface of the snow laden path. Not all surfaces are conducive for using snow blowers of this kind. Also, some snow blowers need to be pushed by the user to move on ahead.

The snow that is loosened and picked up by the snow blower is directed away from the path by the discharge chute. This chute is operated by rotating a crankshaft. A small wheel with blades is fitted behind the auger to propel loosened snow into the discharge tube. This bladed wheel is known as an impeller. Some models are fitted with drift cutters that help the auger slice neatly though snow drifts.

Snow blowers that use only an auger to collect and discharge snow are known as single stage snow blowers/throwers. Two stage snow blowers/throwers have both augers and impellers. The power rating of the engine that a snow blower is fitted with gives an indication of the kind of performance you can expect from the machine in question.

Some snow blowers use continuous electric supply to operate. With electric snow blowers the most obvious advantage is that you do not have to worry about gas and oil supplies. Electric snow blowers are also much quieter than their gas powered counterparts. Being relatively light weight, electric snow blowers are easy to use and store. This feature makes them a preferred choice for elderly people.

There are quite a few restrictions placed on the user while using electric snow blowers. Of course the area of reach of an electric snow blower is confined to the length of the cord since there is a limit to how far you can move away from the electrical socket. This length is usually between 100'-150'. So, it will not be possible to use electric snow blowers to clear driveways that are over 150' in length. Users have to be careful with cord placement too, running the snow blower over the cord is a possibility if due care is not taken. Extension cords may be used but with due caution to avoid mishaps of any kind.

Gas powered snow blowers are generally powerful machines. They tend to be a bit unwieldy especially when you have to lug them out from a garage or over the patio steps. Once on the driveway, however, they finish the clearing job in a jiffy. Gas powered blowers can handle even wet snow quite well. Snowfall that measures more than 6 inches on average calls for the use of powerful gas powered snow blowers.

Snow blowers come in different sizes for paths of differing widths. The sizes are further classified on the basis of the engine power. In areas that receive a snowfall of 60-75 inches, a light single stage snow blower with an engine capacity of 5 to 8 HP is the usually preferred choice. Areas that get to see an average of 150 inches of snowfall will need at least a 7 HP double stage snow blower to be able to maintain a driveway in usable condition. The type of snowfall can also make a difference to your requirement of engine power. Wet snow will need powerful machines to clear while dry snow can be managed with less power.

Basically, a snow blower loosens up packed snow, lifts it and flings or blows it away from a snow packed path. Snow blowers that are equipped with very powerful engines will fling the snow quite a distance away.

Single stage snow blowers are the ideal choice for homes that have small spaces to be cleared. The many features in their favor are that they are lightweight, compact, easy to use and easy to maintain. Heavier snowfall can be handled by multiple runs over the same area.

An average sized driveway in a heavy snowfall region will need a medium sized snow blower. An engine capacity of up to 8 HP will suffice for clearing up after even heavy snowfall. Medium sized snow blowers generally provide clearing paths of 24 to 26 inches. Machines of this size are two stage blowers. They may have wheels that use high traction tires or they may be equipped with rubber tracks that ease movement.

If your home sports a long driveway or has long sidewalks and you are in a heavy snow region, a 9 HP and more snow blower would be essential. Depending on the size you need, you can opt for a 26-30 inch clearing path or even a 33-45 inch clearing path. The expense that these heavy duty snow blowers entail will be justified when usage shows you good value for all the money that you have spent.

Whatever type of snow blower you are looking at, look for a comfortable height at the handles. Try out the handles, controls and grips and see if it would suit your gloved hand. The next feature to check is weight, especially if you have to lug it up and down a flight of stairs every time your pathway needs clearing.

Check for added features which can help in making your clearing task easy and more efficient. Drift cutter kits, chains that reduce wheel spinning, shear pins and locking pins are accessories that are a real value for the money. These might just do the trick on heavy snow fall days when just your snow blower seems no match for nature’s white carpet in front of you.

If you need to clear light snowfall from a small pathway, small electric snow throwers in the $100-$125 price range will suit you admirably. Snow Joe makes small compact models to suit customers who need light machines.

For slightly heavier clearing jobs 3-3.5 HP single stage snow blowers would be ideal. All the top manufacturers like MTD, Ariens, Craftsman, Toro and others make models of this kind and these are generally priced around $275-$350.

MTD offers customers multiple brands like White Outdoor, Troy-Bilt, Yard Man and Yard Machines. A varied range of models with differing features are available under all these brands. A variety of models right from simple single stage models costing $350 upwards to large heavy duty dual stage snow blowers in the $1000 plus price bracket can be found under the MTD umbrella.

Ariens has around fourteen models of single and dual stage gas powered snow blowers for you choose from. All of Ariens’ snow blowers have rubber tracks to ensure that driveway surfaces do not get damaged due to the running of the snow blower. These machines also have a unique feature called the ‘Power Brush’ that lets you clear light snow and even leaves. A 5.5 HP dual stage snow blower of this kind could cost around $700-$800.

Toro offers a few unique features like special trigger for releasing wheel power, an omni directional joystick for aiming the discharge chute and a heavy duty gear box. Toro’s models range from compact models to heavy duty dual stage ones. Small compact electric models that push snow as you move ahead can be bought for $100-$150. Heavier machines from Toro that weigh around 24 pounds but need propelling by the user cost around $300-$325. A 5 HP gas powered single stage model from Toro weighing around 71 pounds falls in the $550-$650 price band. Heavy duty dual stage snow blowers from Toro weighing 220 pounds can set you back by $1000-$1200. The feature packed models in this price range with features like multiple forward and reverse speeds, electric and recoil starts, headlights, joystick controls and the like bring you excellent value for money.

Murray’s snow blowers come with an exclusive feature called ‘creeper speed.’ This feature makes it easy to plough through tightly packed deep snow. John Deere snow blowers have features like an engine block heater and their performance is optimized due to maintenance of constant temperature in the carburetor and in the engine. The use of reliable engines like Briggs and Stratton Intek Snow engines and Tecumseh Snow King engines makes John Deere snow blowers a dependable choice.

The snow blowers made by Honda use Honda engines that guarantee fuel economy. Variable speeds and logical control layouts are another distinctive feature of Honda snow blowers.

If new features are what you are looking for then Simplicity snow blowers might have just what you are looking for. Snow depth and density sensors, engines that are specially equipped for quick starts and silent runs, and special handles for releasing power to one wheel are a few interesting features that Simplicity snow blowers sport. Top of the line snow blower models that cost upwards of $2000 come equipped with the above mentioned features. The $2000 plus price band can bring you powerful machines with 13-15 HP weighing 250-300 pounds. Such heavy duty machines will give you a clearing path of at least 32 inches, shoveling your driveway of all that thickly packed snow in a matter of minutes.

The warranties offered by most manufacturers ranges from two years to five years. Manufacturers like Craftsman have service agreements with companies like Sears. So service of Craftsman snow blowers is never a problem.

On one hand, top of the line powerful snow blowers can clear snow at the rate of two tons per minute and blow it away to a distance of 45-50 feet, on the other hand, there are lightweight machines that can clear up light powdery snow too. Whatever your snow clearing requirement, there is a snow blower out there that can handle it efficiently.

Toro, Craftsman, Ariens, Honda, MTD, John Deere, Murray and Simplicity are among the top manufacturers of snow blowers. All these manufacturers make both single stage and double stage snow blowers providing buyers a wide range of models to choose from.