Choosing a Snowblower - What to Look for
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If you live in an area where there is heavy snow in the winter or if you are a homeowner who has difficulty clearing snow by hand you might want to consider buying a snowblower. For areas where the snow is lighter or for small areas a single stage snowblower should be adequate. If your area experiences very heavy snow or you have a large area to clear a double stage snowblower would be better choice.
When deciding on the type and model to be purchased consider the size of the area carefully. Match up the width of the pathway you need to clear with the clearing width of the snowblower model to minimise the number of passes you’ll need to make. Also consider the annual snowfall in your area and how ‘packable’ it is. If you experience about fifty inches of snowfall a year a single stage snowblower is adequate for the job, for much more than this or for areas where the snow is mostly wet you will really need a double stage snowblower with a motor of 7hp or above.
Types of Snowblowers
A rotating drum, an auger, in a single stage snowblower cuts the snow and lifts it to be discharged through the chute. In a double stage snowblower the snow is cut and lifted in the same way but then impellers take over to throw the snow into the chute. In this way the snow is thrown further and with greater force and the snow can be cleared much more quickly. For both types the discharge can be adjusted by direction and angle. A double stage snowblower requires more power so a larger motor must be used which increases the manufacturing costs.
Consider carefully the clearing path when you are purchasing a snowblower. Single stages have clearing paths between 20 and 22″ which is fine for small areas but would result in many passes for a larger area. They are fairly easy to maintain and being smaller and more compact are easier to store than a larger double stage snowblower. Look at the wheels. Larger wheels help the propulsion as the auger blades can bite into the ground better and help to propel the machine forwards. A single stage snowblower purchased new is between $300 and $600 with the higher priced machines having a wider clearing path and a more powerful motor.
For a double stage snowblower, clearing paths vary between 24″ and 30″ with motors from about 7hp to 13hp.
Prices range from about $600 to over $2000 for a hefty, heavy duty snowblower for very large area such as golf courses or parks. For most householders, with a larger area to clear, a more moderately priced medium range snowblower with a 7-9hp engine and a 24″ to 26″ clearing path should be adequate.
Engines
Craftsman snowblowers are equipped with Briggs & Stratton engines which need no pre-mixing of gas and oil and have lower emissions and less noise and vibration. Many of the models have electric starters which are much easier to use in colder weather than a recoil start. Honda snowblowers have Honda Overhead Cam engines which will run for about an hour and a half on one tankful of gas.
Check the weight of the machine before you buy it. Some are much heavier than others and if you have to move the machine up and down steps for storage a heavy machine will make this more difficult. Also make sure you have room to store your snowblower. Double stage snowblowers are large and take up much more space than the compact single stage machines.
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