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My goal is not to tell you which snow blower is best. My goal is to tell you which snow blower is best for you!
I finally had a chance to finish putting together a video review of the Troy-Bilt Vortex 2490 3 Stage Snow Blower.
In the video I go through the key points that make the 3-stage MTD built snow blower unique. Watch the video and then read my conclusions below. Click on the bottom right corner to make it full screen.
Is a 3-stage better than a 2-stage? The answer is yes and no.
The 3-stage MTD snow blowers definitely are better than a residential 2-stage MTD snow blower. Is it better than other manufactures 2-stage units? The answer is – it depends.
Cub Cadet claims 50% more capacity than a two-stage. What most people miss in this advertising claim is they are stating “It clears deep snowfall up to 50% faster than a traditional Cub Cadet 2X™ two-stage snow thrower.” MTD is not making any claims that it clears snow faster than other brands. In my opinion “traditional” is the 500 series Cub Cadets. Does it throw better than a 900 series? Read on to find out.
The 3-stage Cub Cadet, 3-stage Troy-Bilt Vortex, Craftsman Pro 3-stage and Columbia 3-stage snow blowers have three features that make them different from the “standard” 2-stage MTD built unit.
- They have larger engines for the size. Extra power makes a big difference for the amount of snow you can move through a given machine.
- They have 4 blade impellers instead of three blades. The combination of the larger engine and 4 blade impeller lets it move more snow through the snow blower.
- They use a center front auger that rotates 10 times faster than the front augers on conventional MTD snow blower. The theory behind this is the center auger forces more snow into the impeller giving the snow blower more capacity.
- The front of the snow blower is open more which allows more snow to go into the machine compared to the closed flight system on the MTD built 2-stage snow throwers.
So, are the 3-stage machines better than a 2-stage.
- More homeowners today demand that snow blowers work faster and more efficiently than they did 20 years ago and each manufacture has developed a proprietary system to meet those needs.The 3-stage snow blowers DO NOT have a capacity advantage over the heavy-duty 2-stage snow blowers by Ariens, Toro, and Husqvarna. 3-stage snow blowers are not better but simply another way of increasing the capacity of a snow blower.
- The Ariens Deluxe and Platinum Series uses an open flight auger, larger 14 inch impeller and high horsepower engines to increase the capacity of their machines. In addition their SHO units have a specially designed impeller that allows even more capacity.
- Husqvarna uses open flights, a 4-blade cast iron impeller and high horsepower engines to increase the capacity of their 300 series machines.
- ToroPowerMax HD series uses open flights, a 14 inch impeller and a “relief valve” to keep the snow circulating inside the snowblower until the impeller can throw it out. “relief valve is Toro’s Anti-Clogging System.”
- The 900 series Cub Cadet snow blowers have a large 16 inch impeller but still use the closed flight front auger. I am going to guess that the 3X HD Cub Cadet 3-stage snow blowers (with the metal chute) will move more snow than the 900 series. I am going to guess the 900 series will move more snow than the Troy-Bilt Vortex, Craftsman Pro and standard Cub Cadet 3X snow blowers. (with the poly chute)
Closed Flight Auger
Open Flight Auger
- The 3-stage snow blowers definitively have more capacity than the 2-stage MTD units. Why? The 2-stage MTD snow blowers use a closed flight auger that metered the snow going into the snow blower and kept the snow blowers from plugging. The closed flight system also allows these snow blowers to use smaller engines and still get your driveway cleared. But the closed flights severely limit the amount of snow going into the machine. If you have owned one you know that many times the snow would build up in front of the snow blower and the snow blower would push the snow almost like a snow plow.
Open flight, ribbon verses closed flight, stamped augers. Open flight augers give an improved mix of snow and air. This makes the snow easier to handle for the snow blower and helps the snow blower move snow faster. The whole system is more efficient and handles the snow better. Open flight, ribbon augers mix air with the snow which allows the snow blowers to move more snow.
This special design is one of the biggest factors limiting the Chinese snow blowers trying to come into the U.S. and Canada. Yes, they can make snow blowers cheaper than we can here in the U.S. Yes, they look just like the snow blowers we used from 10-20 years ago. But they don’t have the industry leading engineering, capacity and durability of todays heavy-duty snow blowers.
What I like about the Vortex.
- Low handle height: The handle height is great for people less than 5″ 7″. If you are 6 feet or taller you have to bend over to push down the front of the snow blower to turn.
- The Vortex has plenty of power for the size.
- It likes snow – the more the better!
- It throws 2-3 inches of heavy wet snow well. (Farther than the new Toro SnowMaster but not as far as the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO)
- Trigger steering works very well. The snow blower travels in a straight line until you pull a trigger to turn.
- The snow blower is balanced making it easy to turn. When you push down on the handles to turn there is very little weight. Even small people can use this snow blower.
- If the snow is deep it does not push the snow in front of the machine like the 2-stage Craftsman, Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt snow blowers will.
- Large gas tank.
- Good traction. Even clearing a snow plow drift on the lawn it had plenty of traction.
- Overall this is a good snow blower for smaller than average people to use. If you are under 5′ 7″ and weigh less than 175 lbs this is a great choice for you.
What I don’t like about the 3-stage Vortex
- Snow Blower is balanced which sometimes cause the front end to ride up in deep snow.
- When blowing wet, “snowman” snow the 3rd stage auger throws snow into the top of the housing and it sticks making the front end heavy and hard to clean.
- The 3rd stage spins fast and causes some snow to be thrown to the left of the housing. When clearing 6 inches or more this will cause the snow to fall out the left side of the housing leaving a “windrow” that has to be cleaned up with a second pass. If you are clearing your driveway start in the middle and keep the uncleared area to your left. The 3-stage clears and cleans your driveway just fine. When you are clearing wet snow be sure you clean out the bucket when you are done. Snow gets packed all over and if you don’t clean it the snow will freeze into the snow blower and you will break shear pins or burn out a belt the next time you go to use it if you don’t.
- The 4-way joystick chute control is inconsistent. On some machines the side to side is easy to use, on others of the same model it is stiff and hard to use. I would like to see MTD’s electric chute control on all the 3-stage machines.
- The shear pin on the center auger is hard to change.
None of the items I mention above are intended to tell you not to buy this snow blower. All snow blowers are different and if you understand these little quirks you can decide for yourself if this snow blower is for you.
This snow fell out of the front housing after I cleaned heavy, wet snow.
So is the 3-stage better than a 2-stage Toro, Husqvarna or Ariens? No, it’s just a different way of doing of moving snow.
How I test these snow blowers:
When it snows I go out and clear my paved driveway, my neighbors gravel driveway, my brick patio and a large spot on the lawn for my dogs. When I get 15-20 inches of snow built up in the back yard I will also go out and compare throwing distance, clearing speed and traction. Each time the snow is different so over the winter I get a chance to try these snow blowers in all types of snow. I look at not only how it clears snow but how well it cleans the different surfaces, how easy the snow blower is to use and the little idiosyncrasies each snow blower has.
My methods are not “scientific” meaning I don’t use damp wood chip horse bedding to consistently test each snow blower. I don’t have a checklist to make sure I look at the same features every time. Because of that my opinions are different from Consumer Reports.
My goal is not to tell you which snow blower is best. My goal is to tell you which snow blower is best for you!
Feel free to ask questions about this snow blower in the comments below.
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Will
Paul,
I’m searching for a snow blower to assist in clearing 2.1 miles of sidewalk at our college campus on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have been reviewing different models and wanted to see what opinion you could recommend on a unit. Our sidewalks very in width from 4′ to 10′ wide. we just had a snowfall of 14″ and determined we need something better for clearing the side walks. We are looking to get 2 units, a large (32″) and a smaller (24″) one. Thanks for your feed back.
Paul
Hi Will, My first question is, do you have to keep the sidewalks completely clear of snow? My second question is, what are you using for mowing lawns and general maintenance around the campus? I’ll explain why in a little bit.
2.1 miles is a lot to walk. A roundtrip on the 4-foot sections and 2-3 passes on the 10-foot sections can easily add up to 6-10 miles of walking each time it snows. If you decide to walk you will need a Toro Power Max HD Commercial or an Ariens Professional just so they will last more than a season or two.
So, my first choice assuming you have to keep the sidewalks completely clear is a commercial power broom attached to a mower like the Toro Grandstand Multi-Force or a John Deere Utility tractor, or even a skid steer. Then a Toro Power Max HD Commercial or an Ariens Professional for cleaning the windrow of snow it leaves. With a broom, you may find you don’t need a 2-stage and a good single stage that cleans up the corners and walked on snow in front of the buildings/ handicap ramps is the best choice. I’ll post a few pictures below and feel free to redirect me if you want to discuss this farther. Sorry, I can’t adjust the picture size in the comments.
Will
Paul,
My question on the broom attachment, how well does it do on wet snow or semi compacted snow. We would be putting this on a Kubota compact tractor with bucket attachment. We do clear the side walks down to the concrete. The lawn equipment we use are Hustler mowers (standers & zero turns). We were leaning towards a good 2 stage blower to give some back up redundancy. We also have a CAT 247B3 Skid Steer we use as well for snow piles.
Paul
Hi Will, A rotary broom like the Landpride are ideal for wet and packed down snow. A stiffer bristle (not wire) works the best on driven-on snow. The standard poly brushes work very well on wet and walking traffic.
If you have the smaller Kubota Compact a 60 inch is a perfect size. It’s light enough so you can steer it easily and when tilted will clean the 48-inch sidewalk perfectly without tearing up the turf.
As a backup any of the Ariens Deluxe, Platinum, Pro models or the Toro PowerMax HD models will give you a good reliable backup that will handle wet snow, clean up after the brush and other corners the bucket loaders don’t clean well. You’ll find a 28-inch size to be a good size so that anyone can use it.
Mike
I live in Kingston NY. I just bought a reverbished Troy-bolt vortex 2490 from Lows. It looks and runs good. I have a small driveway and 100 feet of sidewalk, plus a second driveway about 75’ long. The snow here is both light and fluffy and heavy and wet. I paid $750.00 which seem to be a good deal. However I’m 6’ tall and it seem a little low. I read all the comments above.
I bought this because I thought I found a good deal.
1. Is this blower durable ?
2. Is it possible to raise the grips?
3. Will this blower handle my needs or should I stick with a 2 stage machine?
Thanks,
Mike
Paul
Hi Mike, $750 dollars is a great deal for that snow blower! Let me answer your questions.
1. Is this blower durable? Yes, For the amount you have to clear that snow blower will last many years. That snow blower is designed to break shear pins if it hits something so make sure you have extra on hand. Getting used to it you may break a few until you get used to your machine and the obstructions you have. I just tape a zip lock bag of them right on the handle. The hard one to replace is the shear pin on the back auger flite. (The white one behind the gearbox.) Figure out how that hole lines up with the front pin so you can easily find it if you break the pin.
2. Is it possible to raise the grips? No. The Troy-bilt’s all use drive cables and shift rods that are the same length so you can’t make the handles longer or drill another hole in the frame to tip them up. The only way to raise the handles is to install larger, 16 by 5 inch wheels and rims. I suggest the MTD made snow blowers to women because they have lower handles than the other brands.
3. Will this blower handle my needs or should I stick with a 2 stage machine? Yes, it will handle any snow or blizzard you get. My only real beef with it is it throws snow out the front when you are clearing only 2-4 inches. To compensate figure out what side it throws the snow too, then start in the middle of your driveway and go back and forth so the snow throwing out the front is always going on the area you have not cleared yet. On 6-10 inch snow it actually throws snow farther than most of the comparable two-stage machines.
Be sure you read the section in this article on fuel, fuel stabilizer and storing fuel. Before/when I buy a new gas snow blower what else do I need? Or, “my engine won’t start,” “my engine won’t stay running.”
Tom Schrader
I just bought my first 3 stage snowblower. Am I going to regret it? I bought a 3 stage Cub Cadet 357cc 3X. I have a long narrow driveway that I park parallel to the road. So I git a long snow plow berm
Paul
Hi Tom, Your comment fell into spam folder. I just found it.
The biggest thing to know about your new snow blower is that is does not like big chunks of ice. It will break shear pins (actually a good thing) I suggest that you get out and clear that snow plow berm as soon as you can – before it freezes into a huge chunks of ice. If it is frozen, take 1/4 or 1/2 passes at a time.
So, Number one, learn how to change all four shear pins on your snow blower. Tip the snow blower up on the handles and spend some time taking a shear pin out and replacing it. The shear pin behind the front gearbox is the hardest to change (but the hole lines up with the hole of the front shear pin)
Number two, Buy a dozen extra shear pins and remember where you put them.
Number three. Make sure the snow blower fan is clear of snow when you put it away after a snow. I actually put a heat lamp on the front to melt out all the snow
Woods 0151 18/2 SPT Clamp Lamp with 8.5 Inch Reflector, 150 Watt, 6 Foot Cord
BYB – 150W 110V Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter Brooder Coop Pet Infrared Lamp Bulb, Black or Exo Terra Heat-Glo Infrared Spot Lamp, 120-Volt
Kyle Adams
Hi Paul
I live in warwick ri and have 20 x 30 driveway…..because of storage issues i need the smallest machine with the largest horsepower….i hate not being able to throw wet heavy without clogging and of course my side of the street gets the most when the plow goes by….thx for any input.
Paul
Hi Kyle, The answer for you is very easy. The Ariens Platinum 24 SHO is the smallest snow blower with the most power and throwing distance. It’s also a very high capacity machine. You have to buy it through your local Ariens dealer. You can go to Ariens.com to find a dealer near you.
Kyle Adams
Thx Paul….I will get on it
Tim Steffen
Paul,
I live in Flagstaff Arizona. I am a trustee for my church which is situated on a corner. We have about 1500 feet of sidewalk. Most of the sidewalk gets the windrow from the grader that plows the road. Basically all the snow from the road! It’s usually chunky and frozen , unless it’s warm, then it’s chunky and slushy. It’s too narrow for my skid steer and borders a steep hill. We need a blower that destroys. I don’t mind making two passes but hate having to muscle the machine to get through it. Any ideas?
Paul
HI Tim, There are two that I can wholeheartedly recommend. They are not cheap but either one will last you many years. This time of year both may have to be ordered and you may have to order them through a dealer
Ariens: Professional Series 28 in. Two-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower (926038). This Ariens will clear the snow by brute force. The huge engine and capacity means it will throw wet, slushy, hard packed and good snow 40-60 feet.
Toro: Power Max HD 1028 28 in. OHXE Two-Stage Gas Snow Blower. This is also a commercial snow blower and it has a unique feature where it won’t plug even when blowing slush. It’s not quite as powerful so it may take 10-15% longer to clear the snow from the sidewalk. But it’s just as dependable and will also last for many years.
george
Paul, very informative. I live on long island in New York . We get some very dry and also some very wet slushy snow like we did today. my driveway is right next to my neighbors so I need something that has power steering for tight turns & maneuverability as well as good throwing distance for wet & dry snow as all the snow has to go out to the street as we have nowhere to put it..probably a three stage blower i think..thoughts?
Paul
Hi George, many people on Long Island like the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE. It handles the heavy wet stuff without clogging and is really fast cleaning the light stuff. If you get big snow plow piles that freeze many people love the Ariens Deluxe 24. It also will handle the wet heavy stuff without clogging.
The 3 stage machines are not better – they are just different. They will clog just as fast as a conventional 2-stage snow blower.
george
thanks paul,
which is the best with power steering for quick maneuverability. I basically have to slalom down the driveway between cars so there are some really tight turns.
ps. which ones throw the furthest as I have to go over the cars to my lawn
Thanks
Paul
Hi George, They both throw about the same. You can watch videos that I’ve done on both models here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLWXWK179A45edji0LEG6dQ.
The Troy-Bilt/Craftsman you pull the triggers to turn the snow blower. With the Ariens you just move the handles. In other words they both have power steering but the Ariens is automatic. It will work really well for what you have to do.
george
Paul,
didn’t realize that troy built was the same as craftsmen. what do you think of this model for my needs? I currently have a craftsman
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-28inch-243cc-dual-stage-snowthrower-with-quiet/p-07188394000P?SID=IMxdCx-CoreLawnGarden-V2-activeusers&utm_medium=2706_92012_CoreLawnGarden/.
Paul
Hi George, There are only four snow blower manufacturers in the U.S. MTD owns Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet, Columbia, Remington, yard machines and a dozen other names. They currently make all the 2 and 3 stage snow blowers for Craftsman. The Craftsman are similar and use a lot of the same basic parts but not the same.
You really did not tell me how large your driveway was, if you have any gravel or turf to clear. That Craftsman will handle the snow you get but once in a while it may plug in the really wet, heavy stuff. For me that’s not an issue because it may go years before you get that type of snow. It’s a very quiet snow blower to use but it does not have as much power and won’t throw as far as the Ariens. That snow blower is designed for areas up to 20 by 150 ft or so.
george
Paul,
Thanks again for your input. think I am leaning toward the ariens. What is the difference between the 24 & 28 besides clearing width?
Paul
@George, The Deluxe 24 and 28 the only difference is width.
David S
Hi Paul and thanks for your video and informative website. I live in Truckee, CA. We just received over 4ft of wet heavy snow in the last 2 days. That’s not a typo. I moved more snow in the last 48hrs than ever before. And we get this kind of snow often. The berm that the town plow leaves at the end of the driveway is a massive mound of icy messy thunderchunks of death snow…sometimes over 3-4 ft tall. I currently have a 13HP Ariens biggest one they make. It does great on the driveway and bogs a little on the really heavy wet snow. I want to know what is the most powerful walk behind blower recommended on the market? One that can ‘churn the burm’ and blow the heavy wet stuff when it’s over a foot deep. Thanks!