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What Type of Snow Blower Should I get?

Deciding on the best snow blower for your conditions, need not be a difficult process if you set about it correctly. At first, you may be bewildered by all the options available to you. Terms like single-stage and two-stage snow blowers might not make any sense. Then there are all the other specs to consider – depth, width, electric or gas.

By approaching it logically, you can eliminate the features or specifications that you don’t need and narrow your search down to the snow blowers that are right for you. From here, it will be much simpler and you’ll be able to make your decision based on user comfort, price and a few other factors that may be important to you.
Let’s start by assessing your needs to determine what type of snow blower is going to be your best option. Snow blowers or snow throwers, as some prefer to call them, can be divided into 3 categories.

Electric Snow Shovel
Electric snow shovels are small snow blowers and are more commonly referred to as snow throwers. They do the same job as an old-fashioned shovel. It’s just that they use an electric motor to do the heavy lifting and throwing, thereby saving you a lot of time and effort. They are best for smaller jobs like clearing walkways, stairs, porches, and decks. They will usually clear a path of between 12 and 15 inches, roughly the same as a regular shovel. An electric snow shovel has the advantage of being able to get into small spaces where a large machine won’t be able to gain access. They are also lightweight machines, making them easy to carry and they are small enough to store anywhere. An electric snow shovel is not that practical for clearing large areas like driveways. They also are not able to clear heavy snow and ice – they seldom cut deeper than 6-inches.
Single Stage Snow Blower
A Single stage snow blower is one step up from an electric snow shovel. These machines clear a wider path and can often go a bit deeper than an electric snow shovel. They’re called single-stage blowers because they use an auger to lift the snow and ice from the ground and blow the snow away in one single action. This method is the same as an electric snow shovel. The only difference is that a single stage snow blower can take on bigger jobs. A single stage snow blower can clear an area up to about 18-inches, depending on the model. This makes them better for driveways but they are still not the best at clearing large volumes of heavy snow.
Two Stage Snow Blower
· A two stage blower uses an auger to lift the snow and a separate impeller to blow the snow away. This makes them more powerful and they can clear heavy snow much faster. They also have the widest clearing paths, larger two-stage snow blowers can clear a path of 20-inches or more. They also cut deeper into the snow than all the others – up to about 12-inches. So you’ll need to look at the type of area where you intend using the snow blower. Clearing small volumes of snow close to your house or narrow areas in your yard will require an electric snow shovel. Light to medium snow that needs to be cleared from your driveway will mean using a single-stage snow blower, or a two-stage snow blower for heavy snow and longer driveways.

The smaller machines will be electrically powered – this can be snow shovels, as well as single and two-stage snow blowers. The larger single-stage and two-stage snow blowers will usually have a gas engine to give them the extra power that they need. Most homeowners can get away with using an electric snow blower which is cheaper than a gas-powered machine. They’re also less noisy and less hassle to use and maintain.

If you’re choosing to go for an electric snow blower, you then need to decide whether you prefer a cordless or corded snow blower. Corded machines are always cheaper than battery-powered equivalents. Though if you’re using an electric cord, you can’t work too far from an electrical socket and extension cords can be troublesome – snagging on trees, rocks and other obstacles around your yard. Battery-powered snow blowers give you much more freedom of movement. When using a cordless snow blower, you should check how much working time you’ll get from the battery. It’s often a good idea to have more than one battery to extend your working time.

After deciding on the type of snow blower and what type of power source you prefer, the decision becomes more personalized. Having handles with height adjustment can be important. Fortunately, most snow blowers have adjustable handles. The type of handle can make your life easier – padded handles are going to be more comfortable if you’re using the snow blower for long periods of time. Portability is affected by the weight of the machine as well as the wheels. Larger wheels are going to make the snow blower easier to move around your yard. Good tire tread is important, especially on larger snow blowers, this makes them handle better in low traction situations.

Durability isn’t always that easy to assess but is very important. The best way to see if a snow blower is worth its price in terms of durability is to read up on them. Credible product reviews can go a long way in helping you make an informed decision.

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