I've got a 2 stage Husqvarna and it's great!

Engine/motor maintenance is going to be an important factor. Where do you plan to store it when not in use.

dual stage honda

Get an electric. No maintenance. Keep the batteries inside.

If you have a garden tractor, get a snowblower attachment for it. If you don’t have a garden tractor, get a garden tractor and then get a snowblower attachment for it. And chains. And suitcase and wheel weights. But once set up I was throwing snow into my neighbor’s yard, plowing through ice and sloppy wet snow, and the stuff the plow left at the end of my driveways. I had a Bercomac snowblower on a husqvarna tractor. Electric lift was nice.

If you don't want to think about it, why not an electric one? Less maintenance definitely.

There are corded ones, but none two-stage, ego make a cordless two-stage but then at least you have to think about charging the batteries.

If your town really gets serious snow think about 3 stage and more width. I think a lot about my life passing by before my eyes as I do lots of passes to clear my driveway all winter long. Do u want the snow gone in a hurry or will you "enjoy" being out there in the cold blowing the snow around? Just something else to consider.

Noted! In the garage, or shed.

Thank you. What size engine and inlet would you recommend?

I like this idea, but are electric snow blowers ready for prime time?

What brand?

Do they have enough power to grind up the icy mound of packed snow at the end of the driveway? (from the street plows)

This is an interesting approach, thank you. I do have a rider mower.

Appreciate the reply! I'm hesitant to buy electric because I don't know if it will have enough power. Will it chew through the packed, icy snow that accumulates at the end of the driveway from the street snow plows?

I have an Ego cordless weed wacker and frankly, it really sucks. It's underpowered and I regret the decision.

Edit: Check one this model, it probably has most everything you are looking for and scored above the $3300 Honda in consumer reports. Toro 38842 Snow Blower $2400

Growing up we had an Ariens 2 stage 8hp 30inch with techumsa (sp?) engine. It lasted 20 years.

Definitely get chains on the tires. get a slicing bar, it'll help guild you in drifts and lock of the higher snow into the auger assembly. Get one with hand warmers and a light!!

I checked consumer reports for you. Top rated are a couple Toros and an Ariens. Honda is in there as well but it's not rated any better, has tracks and costs 1200 more than the others.

What you'll hate. Insane vibration and really really loud. You must wear hearing protection. Really good quality hearing protection and like I said get one with hand warmers because you will freeze your fingers off using these thing. Also be prepared to manhandle the heck out of it. All of them are heavy and cumbersome though youll want that weight to push through the heavy stuff.

30"-32' width is the sweet spot imho.

Feedback from someone from the N. E.

You get it!!

We don't get serious snow like Wyoming or Montana, but we do get a couple of 8-12" (or more) dumps per year, plus the regular 4" snowfalls.

I read something early in my research about 3 stage that put me off for some reason. I read a lot of comments about 2 stage being better.

Beyond the stage type, how should I think about the brands?

Ego. Dunno.

Great advice!!!

Thanks for checking Consumer Reports for me! I couldn't get myself to buy a full year subscription for the snowblower recommendations.

Great point about the noise. I use my Bose noise canceling headphones when I mow the lawn with my Deere rider mower.

Thanks for demystifying the engine size. So I should focus on width size, got it. How long do people spend learning their driveways? Can you help set my expectations here? What am I getting into? 15 minutes or more like an hour?

Run the gas tank dry at the end of every season to prevent the (ethanol) gas from rotting the lines and going bad in the tank. Check oil level every time before you use it.

I bought an Ego brand weed wacker over the summer, and I've not been happy with it. It's underpowered and I regret the decision. I liked the idea of not having combustion exhaust in my face, but it feels like the tech is not there yet.

Thank you! If I use Stabil, will can I avoid running it dry?

That's what I do, haven't had any issues.

If you're mechanically handy, used snowblowers that need a carburetor clean or a shear pin can be found all over Craigslist in my area. Complete bolt on replacement carbs can be found for $25 on eBay. I paid $100 a few years ago for a 28" Craftsman that's an absolute monster, took about an hour to fix everything wrong with it.

Just keep in mind, noise canceling headphone don't actually offer any protection.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the width. On a 50x60 area, you will do 23 long passes with a 32" and 26 passes with a 28", so it's not a significant difference to me. My main concern would be how far it can throw the snow, which requires power. If it cannot throw it 25 feet away then you will have to move the same snow twice instead of just once. And if you have to send it diagonally to your own property instead of sideways to the neighbor's parking then it needs to throw even further (also higher because snow banks get taller over the course of winter). Your main regret would be to have bought something under-powered for your needs.

Really? It seems much quieter. Can you explain?

Ahh that’s a good idea, and if I didn’t already have so many projects, I’d probably do that!

Highly advised to run it dry. Better yet, run it dry with some ethanol-free gas on the last run of the season. It's the only method I've ever found that works every single time.

I feel like based on that experience and the comments from others about pretty big ones and three stage ones, the answer is probably not.

It is a slight annoyance to me that more stuff isn't high-power electric and corded, for the right application it's great and saves the inconvenience of charging batteries and you can draw more power.

There were some drawbacks:

1. It sucked to convert from lawnmower to snowblower and back twice a year. Especially in the fall. Had to use the lawnmower to suck up leaves until right before the first snow, so the switchover was always cold, the lawnmower deck weighs a ton (as does the snowblower), the rubber bands that gave the tire chains tension were hard to manipulate. It got to be such a pain I eventually bought a second tractor so I wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore. And then we moved! LOL
2. At least with my setup, the snowblower could only lift a couple of inches off the ground. My driveway was pretty flat but if you have much incline be aware that this might be an issue.

But if I had to do it again I’d definitely go that route. So much easier physically and faster, since the snowblower was 45 or 50” wide!

Not my video but here’s a good idea of how it works:

https://youtu.be/yReUExpxNS0

Glad to help. Noise cancelling is not gonna do it. You will absolutely need over the ear, ear muffs. These things are definitely louder than a Deere. Over 85db.

Our driveway was 150' x 8' plus two parking spaces and took a solid hour with our 8hp Ariens. Obviously the lighter the snow the faster you go. The deeper and heavier the longer it'll take.

Also about the slicer bar I spoke of, if available, it helped the most at the end of the driveway where we'd get plowed in.

Lastly, don't be surprised if you start being charitable and removing the super heavy stuff for your neighbors.

Keep the questions coming.

Also, make sure to have any maintenance done end of season and a check before next season.

Run the gas take till empty at the end of season . change oil and plug begining of every season. Keep extra sheer pins on hand and use stabil in the gas.

Some units might need gearbox greased etc. Check owners manual. Take care of any chips off the paint asap to me prevent rusting.

I hadn’t considered this! Just what I needed to hear! Thank you thank you.

Thanks!!

It's quieter because it produces opposing soundwaves or something to that effect, essentially canceling out the loud noises. A google search can explain it better than I can. But those sound waves are still hitting your ears.

Oh and only use non-ethanol fuel

Not been my experience. Got that and the mower. They rock. Got a hedge trimmer too. Works great. Perhaps you aren’t keeping an eye on the battery or storing it in a suitable area?

Holy shit @ that video! That's no joke!!

How much is that setup? My Deer rider mower is just their entry level ($2,000) model. Not sure if that is adequate? Model is the E110.

https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/lawn-tractors/e100-series/e110/

https://www.lowes.com/pd/John-Deere-E110-19-HP-Side-By-Side-Hydrostatic-42-in-Riding-Lawn-Mower-with-Mulching-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000368403

Well, I bought both tractors and the snowblower used. I want to say I had 22 or 24 hp tractors? Pretty powerful. They’d still chug a little like the one in the video if you really pushed through heavy wet snow. I think bercomac has recommendations for power and that limits the width of the snowblower you can use? BTW, husqvarna and other tractor makers make their own snowblower attachments. But I’ve never used one and in the spirit of the sub the Berco snowblower was BIFL. Super thick gauge steel. I bought some sheer pins and a spare belt and some transmission oil but it would take a lifetime to break or wear out anything important on it. I was very happy with my Husqvarna tractors too. Pretty sure I sold all for the same amount or more than I paid after years of use!

Honda is the best - reliable and durable, but pricey.

Some of the electric ones have improved so if you want simplicity and totally low maintenance, maybe look at an EGO’s 2 stage blower. They share batteries with their lawn mowers so you can use the same batteries year round.

Very curious how this works. If the waves are cancelled, how are they reaching the ear?

Thanks for the info! I will keep this in mind. Can’t beat that depreciation schedule!! :)

depends on snow load. we have the biggest tracked model you can get as we measure snow in feet, not inches (local joke).

Get non ethanol gas for your gas equipment if you can.. a few stations in our area carry it. Definitely helps the situation too.

I'm not an expert. I personally have a toro. But I bought it from a local independent shop that is known for quality and honoring warranties. The big big boys get the kind that are on tank tracks. Which look cool but I've never had one of those.

Or get the good stuff ethanol free!

Get one with a true Top mounted oil dipstick pretty happy with this model OP

https://www.simplicitymfg.com/na/en_us/product-catalog/snow-blowers/singlestage-snow-blowers-with-snowshredder--auger.html

Buy vintage. Old Toros and Ariens are simple and strongly built. New carb, new drive, polish up the blades, new spark plug, probably get another 30 years out of most of them.

Wow! Our weather is not that intense. Snowfalls are usually a few inches, and a few storms each season that leave a foot or more.

I'd really like to go this route, but too busy for this kind of project right now. Appreciate the reply!

Are you happy with your Toro?

I looked around for independent shops, but only found snowblowers at the big box stores. I'd prefer going the route you did.

Non-ethanol gas, wow. Never considered that. Appreciate the tip!

lol yeah one winter we got 40 feet season long. but I'd still recommend a honda, they make amazing small engines and quality gear. there are others that aren't bad but it's hard for anyone to say that something is better than a honda blower.

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Well, if one is handy, it's about a two hour project. Alternatively, almost every town in a wintery area has a small engine repair shop that probably has a few vintage snowblowers for sale. Place I live when I'm working (population 5000) has a couple of shops where one could buy fine vintage machines all set to go for around $300-400 U.S.

I own the old single stage Ego snowblower. It performs exactly the same as the gas powered equivalents it was designed to replace (one of which I owned previously), without any of the headaches associated with small ICE maintenance.

I have no experience with the new, larger 2 stage model, but I suspect its performance is on par with its gas powered equivalents.

The old model is perfectly sufficient for my needs - about 1,000 sq ft of driveway and sidewalk in the Chicago area. I don’t know if the new model will suffice for your situation, but you should not dismiss this option simply because it’s battery powered. There is no miracle snowblower solution to the hard ice pack problem you referenced - ICE or otherwise. That situation requires a tile scraper and elbow grease.

Current battery technology is capable of powering a best in class pick up truck (check out the F150 lightning), so nobody should be surprised that it can power a decent snowblower.

I have entirely replaced my small fleet of ICEs with battery powered tools. Mowers, blowers, trimmers, edgers, chainsaws. All of these tools work flawlessly, and I have no need to store and track any fuels, lubricants or additives, which deteriorate and evaporate, and eventually become a headache to dispose of. I will also never visit another small engine repair shop to deal with the inevitable spring start up problems that accompany seasonal landscaping equipment.

If you conclude that you need an ICE for your application, I agree completely that Honda is likely to be best in class.

FWIW, I live in NE Ohio and keep my mower and snowblower tanks full in their off seasons, but treat my gas can (and the tanks before putting them away) with a splash of StarTron. My engine guy swears by it. Both machines are 7+ yrs old and start on 2nd pull of the season.

40 feet! That's nuts!

Appreciate your advice!

Hmm... OK, you've got me reconsidering Ego. I know the lawnmower is well regarded, and at least one YouTuber/reviewer I saw remarked that it didn't get bogged down as much as his gas mower.

I really hate ICEs, they should all go away. I'm with you on all those ancillary maintenance items that required, and frankly a hassle. I never want to rebuild a carburetor ever again.

We clear snow commercially and I will say that the cub cadet 3x blowers work very well. They chew thru some of the heaviest and hardest stuff that has sat for days.

They have heated grips. Trigger steering And most models even have a power cable to plug in and start

This toro

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/toro-snowmaster-724-qxe-24-inch-212cc-single-stage-gas-snow-blower/1000839932?eid=PS_GOOGLE_D00+-+E-Comm_GGL_Shopping_PLA_EN_All+Products_All+Products__PRODUCT_GROUP_pla-488082539672&gbraid=0AAAAADhdmz7T7WDcav7DRw2gUAt9b_rup&gbraid=0AAAAADhdmz7T7WDcav7DRw2gUAt9b_rup&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1-_54-De-wIVCOTICh2BsgAGEAQYByABEgJTl_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Is also an incredible blower It will handle a full mouth of snow and it’s cheap and easy to use.

My dad just spent about an hour bragging about his Honda snowblower that no one else in town could get their hands on. Old ones sell within the hour they’re posted and for thousands still.

Tbh I don’t know much about it but my dad definitely does and he would laugh out loud at your question. I live in Alaska and used the Honda one he was bragging about recently and it was pretty sweet. If it’s not going to destroy your finances, I know he would recommend it.

I have a 30 year old 36" 12HP Ariens. Wouldn't trade it for anything made today.

You can still do well with a used unit sold as fully refurbished, for waaay less than a new one.

A number of years ago I made the switch to a snowblower from hours of shoveling, but started inexpensively with a used refurbished unit advertised from a motor repair shop - $200 for a 24" Simplicity 2-stage, 8hp I think, with electric start (highly recommend!), probably late 90s vintage.

Well, it's about 7-8 years on, and it has worked flawlessly every season with plenty of use (upper midwest), starts right up every time, and I haven't had to do anything to it since I got it. I have about ~2000sqft to clear. A "little" snowfall of 2-4 inches I can do in 15-20min, a 12" snowfall maybe an hour, going at the slowest speed. For your place maybe a 28" would be optimal for weight and ease of maneuvering it around vs cleaning speed.

You don't necessarily need to drop $2k+ on something brand new, unless your budget makes it not an issue of course.

Edit: one more note... I start mine once about every 1-2 months in the off season, and let it run a few minutes till it gets hot. I run it dry at the end of winter, and then to start it in summer, I just add a very tiny bit of gas, and run it dry again. Best to not let ethanol fuel sit in the carb for months, or it WILL gum up and corrode things.

A couple years back, I got an old Craftsman snowblower off Craigslist for $250. Forget the exact stats. It's from the mid 90s, 8hp, electric start, 26" wide, 24" tall. Fired up on the first pull. Bought it in November while it was still warm outside. Fixed a handful of small stuff on it, lubed up every joint, tossed some paint on the rust spots. Runs great.

Awesome, thanks for the input! The Toro brand is in the lead right now. I don't think I can justify a Honda.

Ahhh the Honda! You make it so difficult to decide. :)

I don't live in Alaska though...

We get about ~ 25 inches of snow in an average year.

This is really great information, I appreciate your thoughtful reply.

Good call on the ethanol... I've rebuilt carburetors before, and it's not a task I particularly enjoy doing.

And thanks for the time estimates! It really gives me a sense of what to expect. So much of this is being a rookie. After two good snowfalls, I'm sure everything makes much more sense. :)

Than maybe an electric one or off brand would suit your needs better. Like I said, I’m not the expert, my dad is.

Hope whatever you choose works out for you

Haha thanks again!

Be prepared for a good workout, I always felt it was as much work as shoveling but YMMV. We are spoiled to have someone paid to do it now. Also I recommend waterproof gloves if you don’t have those.

These are such great ideas, but alas, I'm not handy enough to do those tasks in 2 hours. I like the small engine repair shop/vintage snowblower idea! If only I had a pickup truck...

It sucks that they stopped making them, but the Wovel actually works. https://wovel.com/ I had one for years living in an area with lots of snow. If not for you, others here would want to know. But arg, why it isn't available (and why they tried a ridiculous name change to "Snow Wolf"), I don't know. :(

As much work as shoveling?! Oh no that’s not what I’m looking for…

How much do you spend per year in snow removal?

How many inches/year does your area get?

If ever you want to browse consumer reports, just google "consumer reports library login", and you can find plenty of options to log in and browse with.

Well if you have a very straight flat driveway it’s not more work than shoveling but if you have to turn the plow a lot or work on a pile left by a street plow it’s hard work. We probably spent like $100 or so per storm last couple seasons but we didn’t get many storms.

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There are corded electric snowblowers out there but they are only powerful enough for single stage models. Dual stage requires more power than can be safely delivered from a 110v outlet. Hence the batteries on dual stage blowers. Not to mention that you need really high quality thick gauge extension cords to run even a single stage electric blower.

I second a garden tractor with attachments. I like the older IH Cub Cadets. The early MTD Cubs (80's-mid 90's) are really good too. Currently have a 1976 Cub Cadet 1450 and love it - it's a tank. Takes about 2 minutes to remove the mower deck. My son and I put the snowthrower on in about 10 minutes. You can get a snow blade for it as well if you just want to plow. You can find a decent one for anywhere between $500-$1000 on FB marketplace. Very simple to work on and it eliminates different machines not being used in the off season taking up space. 👍😎👍

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Or buy pure fuel (0% ethanol) and keep the tank topped off to prevent condensation. Ever since I've done this I have had zero issues with startup the next season.

Do NOT buy Troybilt. As far as homeowner grade snowblowers go, I've had good lucky with Murray, Ariens, John Deere, and Cub Cadet. For commercial models, we stick with Ariens, John Deere, or Simplicity. One think I definitely do is spray my equipment with Fluid Film or something similar before/after each storm. Keep treated fuel and shear pins on hand, check tire pressure and oil before each storm etc

Thanks! I appreciate your perspective. It sounds like the consensus is the older stuff was made much better!

Whoa, really?

Like through a local community library, or how does that work? Very interested to know...

This is good to know... We get about 25 inches/year, so nothing crazy like Alaska or Wyoming, but given the area (about the size of a tennis court) anything more than a dusting is going to be an effort. Occasionally we have 15-20"+ storms.

I kinda figured it would be about $100 per storm to pay someone, and with some napkin math, concluded a $2,000 machine would pay for itself in 3 years.

Most likely would. You might want to see if anyone’s selling a used one near you, that’s how I got mine and I paid about $500 I think for one sized like what you’re describing.

If only I had a pickup truck... :)

From what I understand, they are reaching the ear, but there is noise being applied on the opposite spectrum to cancel the noise out? Think of sound as a wave in a graph, it goes up and down. From my understanding active noise cancelling is just seeing where that graph is and playing(?) A sound the opposite of that exact wave lenght and therefore canceling it out? So you don't hear it . I may be completely off here this is just what was explained to me and until this second I took it as well okay that's how that works.

My neighbor has one. Not sure if bilf but definitely weak and doesn’t throw well.

The Ego, you mean obviously. Honda has a monster throw.

That’s a pity. I was hoping they’d have improved more the way EV cars have.

Just to confirm, we’re talking about the 2 stage Ego snowblower, right? That have a single stage which is seriously weak; it was their first try and it really didn’t do much.

Edit: I have an Aries 28” that I’ve had for 6 years. I’ve had to replace belts and obviously change oil but it has worked relatively well. I have been eyeing going electric with my mower and snowblower. Mowers are about there but super pricey and snowblowers - well, I’m not sure about them.

If I were buying a snowblower knowing what I know now, I’d buy a Honda over an Ariens. They just last forever - as close to BIFL as you can get.

Fyi you may have access to consumer reports through your library’s website!

I don't know where these libraries actually are, but many libraries have their own subscription to it for their community to use, and quite a few of them provide said subscription login/password openly on their website. So all you need to do is find one of those, and then just log in from wherever you are. I've used it a bunch, has worked for many years.

Some of those motor repair shops will deliver for you for a small fee. Or, if you're in a big enough town, you can find local delivery help on taskrabbit or something for maybe $20-30, or rent a pickup truck from home depot, $19.95 for 2 hours I think.

Noted!! Thanks

https://www.pure-gas.org/

I've had the single stage EGO for ~4 years and just replaced it last weekend with an Ariens 2-stage because the batteries could no longer do my driveway in one go with more than a few inches of snowfall. IMO even if their 2-stage is a solid machine (I agree their single-stage sucks ass), the main weakness will be the batteries needing replacement every 4-6ish years at $250+ each ($350 for the 7.5 Ah batteries recommended for the 2-stage).

I think single stage. The things is awful

If you’re in Michigan my partner has half a dozen to sell! All new, one damaged but restored store display. Couldn’t tell you a thing about them except the one restored one is a big battery powered Toro that normally cost more than we spend on entire vehicles for our family, and if he doesn’t get them out of my storage ASAP we’re gonna have an issue! /s 😂

Haha appreciate the offer! If only I could!

I have a 15-year old Toro that I bought used several years back for $600 Canadian from a small engine repair shop. The thing is a tank compared to the Craftsman (MTD) I had before. If it broke today I would buy another Toro in a heartbeat. Probably one of their battery electric ones.

I remember when I bought it asking the guy about getting shear pins to have on hand. He said Toro doesn’t need them because of the way they are designed. He even said you can throw a brick in them and it will keep going. I thought, “yeah, right.” Then last season I ran over a garden trowel that was buried in the snow. The thing bent the metal trowel almost in half and threw it 20 feet. Didn’t even slow the engine.

This is really great to know because……. I bought the Toro! :)

No snow yet, but it sounds like I’m well prepared. I got the one with electric start, electric steering, and 2 stage.

I especially liked the idea of the “no shear pin” design. It’s great to hear of your experience with the trowel! That’s wild!!

I just want to thank you again for all your awesome snow blower advice!!

I bought a 2-stage Toro, with electric start, and electric steering.

Now a dumb question: I still need a shovel, right? What kind to buy? Thinking a "pusher shovel", what do you think?

Congratulations!

I don't known your driveway/walkway layou but the only shovel I needed during our new england winters was for the front stairs.

I was always able to get close enough to and around the cars etc with the snowblower that I could get into and shuffle the cars around then finish up with the snowblower.

Someone else may have other feedback but that's what I always did.

OK that is perfect! I was wondering if I needed a shovel for the leftover snow that the snowblower leaves behind (due to the "shoes" keeping the blade a fraction of an inch off the ground).

Those shoes/skids are adjustable. Set them as low as you can without the front blade getting caught on the pavement.

Did you order an extra set of shearpins? If not, I'd recommend it. One is bound to shear off at some point.

Thanks for the tip!

As for the shear pins, Toro has "extra strong" gears, so there are no shear pins!

Enjoy and don't break any windows, unless you hate your neighbors. ◉⁠‿⁠◉

Hahah thanks again and happy holidays!!