#1) Husqvarna 24-Inch 208cc Two Stage Electric Start with Power Steering
#2) Briggs & Stratton Dual Stage Snow Blower
Review of Important Snow Blower Features
1) ELECTRIC vs GAS SNOW BLOWERS
A gas snow blower is generally recommended! Found out why below:
Electric Snow Blower Pros:
- Lightweight compared to gas snow blowers.
- Smaller and easier to store.
- Easier maintenance (no gas and engine oil to worry about).
- Less noisy.
Electric Snow Blower Cons:
- Limited to ~4 inches of snow or less
- Less movement because it needs to be plugged in. This is a major limitation!
- Overheats quickly.
Gas Snow Blower Pros:
- More powerful – removes more snow, faster.
- Fully mobility (you aren’t limited to areas near a power outlet)
- Ability to remove heavy snowfall
Gas Snow Blower Cons:
- More maintenance.
- More Noise.
2) SINGLE STAGE vs DOUBLE STAGE SNOW BLOWERS
Single stage snow blowers are best for moderate amounts of snow and smaller jobs such as clearing snow off of sidewalks and short driveways. It should only be used on paved, flat surfaces. The advantages of the single stage snow blower are that it’s lightweight, easier to store and great for clearing snow in smaller areas.
A two stage snow blower is ideal for clearing large amounts of snow on rougher surfaces. Two stage snow blowers typically have power assisted wheels to help plow through the snow. When the snow is collected a fan blows the snow away much faster and farther away than a single stage snow blower.
3) ENGINE CAPACITY
If you enjoy entertaining, then having a larger kettle that can hold around 12 cups is ideal. If you just need enough for 1-2 cups of tea then a smaller kettle would save space on the stovetop and in the cupboard.
4) MACHINE WIDTH
Wider is always better right? Most of the time. Think of how much faster you can clear the snow with a 28 inch auger versus a 20 inch auger! A wider auger can be a huge benefit just make sure that you have room in your garage or storage shed to store the snowblower. Additionally, to clear snow efficiently a larger snow blower requires a more powerful engine. A downfall of purchasing a cheap snowblower is that the engine might not be powerful enough for the machine, so make sure to compare the engine size to machine size before purchasing.
5) INTAKE HEIGHTS
For larger snow falls, it’s important to look for a snowblower with a greater intake height.