What Is The Best Snow Blower For Me? – All Your Questions Answered Here!

32 Comments

1. Mike

   Hi Paul,
   We need a new snow blower, and request your advice.
   Our location: We live in Barrington, IL in Chicago’s NW suburbs (60010). We have a 4+ car garage. Our 2 driveways (90 ft and 200 ft long) are 9 ft wide. They have a pronounced uphill slope.
   My old blower: Our 20+ year old, 10 hp 27” Noma got a bent auger axle in heavy, deep snow near the end of last winter. It was a good machine, but had issues. It needed to be muscled around some (no power steering), and had a “coffee grinder” chute crank I grew to dislike. It also sometimes really bogged down in deep or heavy snow, and clogged with snow or slush (needing to be dug out). Also, driveway-end snow plow “berms” usually first needed breaking up with a garden shovel.
   Our needs: Doing the driveways is not getting easier since we’re retired. We want a blower that can really power through snow, not clog, is easier to handle, has heated grips and better, easier chute controls, and will just get the job done faster. Reliability is also important.
   Request: What do you recommend? How big a deal is assembly (if needed)?
   Many thanks.
   Befuddled in Barrington,
   Mike

   November 4, 2019

   • Paul

     Hi Mike, Thanks for the detailed explanation. It makes my job easy.

     I have two snow blowers that I will suggest. Both will handle any snow you get. Both won’t clog – ever – on heavy wet snow. Both have plenty of power to throw the snow 50 feet. Both are easy to use and the chute controls are the best in the industry. Both snow blowers have the weight balanced over the drive wheels so they have great traction and won’t be nose-heavy like the old Noma.

     I suggest buying from a local dealer. They will set up the snowblower correctly and deliver it.

     The first model I suggest is the Ariens Platinum 30 SHO. I like the AutoTurn steering a lot. It makes this snow blower very easy to use. You can check it out here: Ariens Platinum snow Blower

     Here is a dealer I recommend. (I’ve bought a lot of stuff from Gravely of Chicago over the years)
     Gravely Of Chicago (2.9 Mi)
     Ariens Preferred Dealer
     22166 N Hillview Dr, Lake Barrington, IL 60010
     847-842-8035

     The second snowblower I recommend is the Toro Power Max HD 1028 OHXE (38841). It costs a little less because has a slightly smaller engine and uses a trigger power steering instead of the Autoturn. It’s still a great choice for your driveway and where you live. You can check it out here: Toro Power Max HD 1028 OHXE

     Toro: MOWERWORKS LTD(847) 842-803522166 N Hillview Drive | Barrington, IL 60010

     November 4, 2019

2. Joseph L Sayotovich

   Hi Paul, Thanks for the suggestions, I will let you know which i choose.

   October 12, 2019

3. Joseph L Sayotovich

   Hi Paul, Nice to read someone who isn’t selling. Here’s what i have, a two car sloped drive way about sixty feet long plus approximately 400 feet of sidewalk in the good old mid west, south east Wisconsin to pin it down for you. a suggestion would be appreciated. And i can’t move south.

   October 5, 2019

   • Paul

     Hi Joseph, If you live in town and don’t get a lot of drifts: Cub Cadet 28 in. 272cc Model# 2X 28″ HP or Ariens Deluxe 28

     If you get a lot of drifts or need to blow the snow as far as possible: Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO (dealer only) or Toro Power Max HD 928

     October 6, 2019

4. David Gossett

   Paul, thank you very much for your expert advice. I have ordered the Ariens Deluxe 28 inch SHO. Should have it in a few days. Passing along your website information to a couple friends of mine! Thanks again.

   March 6, 2019

5. David Gossett

   Hi Paul, found your site a few days ago while searching for a new machine. Very informative and useful! We live in west central Idaho. This month we are up to 60 inches of snow, a little above average for this time of year. Not sure of our annual snowfall, but pretty sure it’s well above 100 inches. We can (and do) get some very wet stuff. I have an MTD (Yardman) 357 cc 30 inch machine, about 7 years old that I share with my brother in law down the street. It works ok, but struggles in wet/slush conditions and “rides up” a lot. I am 64 years old and it just works me to death sometimes. I have a drive way that is pretty steep, 9 feet wide, 300 feet long that leads up to the “parking area” in front of garage that is 90 X 60. Looking at the Ariens Deluxe SHO 28″ or Deluxe 30″. Which of these would work best for me? Which is quicker and which handles the wet /slush better? My budget would be under $1,700. Thank you!

   February 25, 2019

   • Paul

     Hi David, Either machine will work well but the 28 SHO is a little lighter and throws snow a little farther (up to 55 feet). It’s a little smaller than your old unit but you won’t notice because you will be able to work faster – and the bucket won’t ride up. Both handle heavy/wet snow and won’t clog.

     If you really want a 30-inch machine look at the Ariens Platinum 30 SHO. ($1799) It has over-the-top power and throws snow 55 feet.

     February 25, 2019

6. Jeff

   Hi Paul. Based on your advice we bought an Ariens for our very long and steep drive. We bought the professional 28. It is lovely. I asked the salesman to have them put the shoes as low as possible. It still doesn’t get down to the concrete. My neighbor used his Deere on our drive when we were gone and his scraper got all the way down. What am I doing wrong? Thank you!

   February 17, 2019

   • Paul

     Hi Jeff, Most of us and probably your salesman adjust the skid shoes so there is about a 1/8 inch gap under the scraper bar that runs under the snow blower. That helps to prevent the snow blower from catching on edges of concrete etc. The thickness of cardboard is about the right gap. That said,

     If you want to adjust the shoes put the snow blower on a level surface here is a quick video to show you how:
     
     

     February 18, 2019

   • Matt Hayes

     Hi Paul, I live in the small town of Concrete in Washington state. It is on the west edge of the Cascades Mountain range so our snow varies yearly from zero to three feet and is often as heavy as cement for which the town is named. We have 200ft. of gravel driveway at our house plus several three car parking pads. I also would like to clear a gravel Church parking lot of 75 X 200. I have been considering the Toro 928 and 1028 OXHE as well as Airens 28 Deluxe SHO. Am I on the right track? There may be years when the machine is not used at all. Other years maybe we get 4″” of slush. This year we have 30″ of heavy snow. I’m getting too old to clear it all by hand. I really appreciate your insight and experience as well as the balanced view of reviewing the equipment. Matt H.

     February 21, 2019

     • Paul

       Hi Matt, I usually suggest planning for the worst. So, with the Snowcrete you can get I recommend more power the better. The Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO, Ariens Platinum 30 SHO, and Toro 1028 OHXE are the best choices. They will handle anything you get including the 4 inches of slush. The Ariens Deluxe 28 and Toro 928 will also get the job done – they just won’t be as fast compared to the other three.

       February 21, 2019

7. Charlie

   Hi Paul,

   Happy new year! I’ve spent a fair amount of time reading through your site and watching your videos and appreciate your thoroughness and dedication.

   I’m past-due to purchase a snow blower for my new house and would appreciate your confirmation of what I’ve gleaned from your past comments.

   My house is near Boston, MA. It has a 300 ft single-car straight driveway leading to a 60 x 60 ft turn-around area in front of the garage. Both the driveway and area are gravel/dirt and flat.

   Based on your advice, it sounds like a 28″ 2-stage model would be best for the long narrow section while still being maneuverable in the square area.

   My priority is being able to clear the driveway as fast as possible, even if it costs a bit more. A few questions:
   1) Would the Deluxe 28 SHO or Platinum 28 SHO RapidTrak be sufficient?
   2) Would there be a noticeable difference in speed in moderate thick snow on flat dirt/gravel comparing the wheeled Deluxe vs the larger engine but tracked Platinum?
   3) Or should I look at trigger-steer units to make the long straight section easier?

   Thanks again for all of the great information you’re providing here.

   January 2, 2019

   • Paul

     Hi Charlie,

     1) The Deluxe 28 SHO or Platinum RpaidTrak are great choices for your area.
     2) The RapidTrak is unique among the tracked snow blowers in that it is as fast as a wheeled unit. The larger engine will allow you to clear the 12 inch pus snow faster than the Deluxe 28 SHO.
     3) I personally don’t have any problems using the Auto-Turn on long straight sections but many people prefer the trigger steer. (I think it’s more what they know and are used to than that trigger steer is better.) The RapidTrak is really great for long stretches. With the tracks in “normal” mode it tracks straight and it won’t tire you out.

     If you really decide you need trigger-steer the Toro Power Max HD 1028 or Toro Power Max HD 1428 are the best choices for your area.

     January 4, 2019

     • Charlie

       Hi Paul,

       We finally had a proper snow here and the RapidTrak worked great! Chewed through the plow pile like a champ. Thanks for your help. Action photo attached:

       https://i.imgur.com/uTiId4e.jpg

       March 4, 2019

8. Ricardo Howell

   Dear Paul:

   I really appreciate your site and work. I’m hoping you can provide me with some first-snow-blower-purchase advice.

   We recently moved out of the city to a suburban house north of Baltimore and about 10 miles north of Rt. 70. Generally, this neighborhood gets more snow than the city. Our driveway is a relatively steep 120 feet blacktop descending from the street. At the house level the driveway widens out to a blacktop three-car width of about 30×40 feet. The house also has about 50 feet of paved walkway in front and a deck out back that is probably 60×10. Given that the deck is a few steps up from a gravel path, I think it’s unlikely that I can lift a blower up on the deck to regularly move snow there.

   I looked at the Toro 724 and the 824 at Home Depot. The 824 struck me as too big/heavy. I’m inclined to get the 724 but I’m concerned that it may not be adequate for the steep driveway or for big snows. Your site seems to suggest the Cub Cadet 2×24, which I haven’t seen in person, as a smaller but still powerful option. From the reviews, I’d also like to see the Craftsman quiet blower before I purchase. What would you suggest? And, is it unrealistic for me to think that a lighter/smaller machine is going to work for my situation? Do I just need to get two machines?

   Thanks for reading. I’ll hang up and listen.

   January 2, 2019

   • Paul

     Hi Ricardo, I’m going to discuss your driveway first then the deck. For your size area to be cleared I strongly suggest a 28-inch snow blower. The smaller 24 inch models will take you a long, long, long time to clear your drive.

     You don’t get a lot of snow so a less expensive 2-stage will work well. I’ll give you my three choices.

     1. No Power Steering: Troy-Bilt Strom 2860
     2. If your driveway is almost too steep to walk up with snow on it: Troy-Bilt Storm Tracker 2890
     3. Ariens Deluxe 28. This snow blower is well balanced so it has great traction. It has automatic steering so it is very easy to use. It has plenty of power and capacity for your area and will quickly handle all your snow including that heavy/wet stuff you get once in a while: Ariens Deluxe 28

     Your deck is long but not that wide so a regular snow shovel may be the best choice. You can just push the snow off the deck. A shovel like the Suncast SCF2950 easily rolls the snow off the deck and last years.

     January 4, 2019

     • Ricardo Howell

       Thank you, Paul. This is much much appreciated!

       January 9, 2019

       • Ricardo Howell

         Thanks. The Deluxe 28 really did the job during our recent snowfall. You were right about the size, too. Glad to have the wider machine…Really pleased with it.

         February 3, 2019

9. Dag Johnsen

   Hi Paul,

   I have a Simplicity Pro P1728E Signature With US made B&S 342cc 1650 engine. https://www.snowblowersdirect.com/Simplicity-1696240-Snow-Thrower/p8722.html
   If I want a blower that is better throwing wet snow, what would you suggest?
   The machine is rugged and unstoppable, only problem is very wet snow.

   Dag Johnsen

   December 23, 2018

   • Paul

     Hi Dag, The snow blowers I recommend are here: The Twenty Best Snow Blowers – September 2018 – Which Snow Blower Is Best For You? The Ariens Platinum and Toro Power Max HD snow blowers won’t plug on heavy/wet snow and both will throw much farther than your Simplicity. They are also built to last many years. If you want a Pro grade snow blower the Ariens Pro and Toro Power Max HD commercial are the best way to go.

     December 24, 2018

10. tony

    Where: Chicago
    Area: 100 feet of Alley
    40 feet of street parking
    50 feet sidewalk
    100 feet of gangway (side of house)

    Possible other neighbors but right now it is just the three adjacent houses from corner.

    Would love an electric but experience has said no.
    Been through several in the past. Not enough power, to clear or throw. Chute rotation is not enough! (I say 180 is low) Not enough power at the hard angles. The old electris were built by people who don’t understand them. Parts beside the engine are still important. Not afterthoughts. The Toro was built best considering all the parts. But its motor actually failed! (very mild use) The other brands didn’t seem to know how to build any part. They lasted less than one 3 inch snow when GF used it. (I got through a couple cause I could see the weaknesses in the way they were built/designed)

    Advantages: Lightweight; Maneuverable; Quieter(relative); No exhaust. Smaller, Storage….

    Tired of messing around.

    Almost ready to get the 24” efi Ariens. Maybe too much but do not want a poorly made machine. I want one that will walk through any snow or pile.

    There are many machines that could be a better fit. Certainly lighter. Worry about weight and speed. Price may be a bit too high. Surface cleaning two-stage compared to single-stage.

    Not worried about carburetor maintenance. Hoping for better running and lower emissions.

    I may be going overboard.

    About me. Past extensive snow removal efforts, means I appreciate what it takes to make a machine better than others and operation niceties. Bad back prevents me from any shoveling!

    Would love to know more and suggestions for the area. Are the Cub and siblings, Toro, okay? Costco had the Poulan Pro last year, and this year Jonesred but they seem to not get traction so my guess is they did not overwhelm anyone. There are certainly less expensive machines. Will I be missing out on anything if I pass up the others? Price, Maneuvering, surface cleaning, three-stage marketing/pile removal.

    I think a single-stage may work but want a machine that will answer every snow from light to heavy.

    Thank You

    December 22, 2018

    • Paul

      Hi Tony, You are on the right track. My first choice besides the 24 EFI would be the Ariens Platinum 24 SHO. It will handle anything Chicago can get and anything the city snow plows throw at you.

      If you are not in a hurry to get your snow cleared the Ariens Deluxe 24 is also a great choice. It has a smaller motor so it won’t clear the deep stuff as fast but it still will handle any heavy/wet snow you get without plugging.

      December 24, 2018

11. Steven Gall

    Hi Paul, what a great resource you are! I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area and for the last almost 30 years have been using a old Ariens 24″ snowblower which I feel has finally come to the end of it’s life (expected repair costs $400 -$600). My drive is on a little incline, it’s three cars wide at the top and narrows to a two car width at the bottom, 36 feet to the curb. Thinking about the Ariens Deluxe 24 or maybe the Troy Bilt Storm Tracker 2690 XP. Would appreciate your input. Thanks, Steve

    December 4, 2018

    • Paul

      Hi Steven, Thank You, The Deluxe 24 has excellent traction. All the weight is right over the drive wheels. It can handle heavy/wet snow really well.

      Although I like the Troy Bilt Storm Tracker 2690 XP I wish it had the 243cc engine. If you regularly get more than 10 inches of snow, drifting or heavy/wet snow it will get the job done but be fairly slow compared to the Ariens Deluxe 24.

      December 4, 2018

12. Dre

    Hi,

    Firstly, thanks for all your advice. I just bought a craftsman 600 on Black Friday for $390 after tax, which is a great price. However, after reading through this site, I realize that it is a cheap model and lacks features I’m looking for.

    We are in Brooklyn, NY and have a single car cement driveway about 20 feet long with no slope. I also shovel both of my neighbors’ sidewalks. My back tends to go bad a lot. What is your recommendation? I was thinking the Toro Snowmaster, but would love to hear your thoughts. The Craftsman will be delivered next week, but I’m willing to cancel to buy a better model.

    December 1, 2018

    • Paul

      Hi Dre, I’m not familiar at all with snow in a major city like Brooklyn so I’ll be more general. Feel free to write back if I’m off the mark.

      1. I’m going to guess you don’t get a lot of deep snow – 8-10 inches is the most you get at one time.
      2. I’m going to guess your sidewalks get a lot of foot traffic.
      3. I’m going to guess your end-of-driveway snow is very slushy and packs hard.
      4. You don’t get any drifting that’s more than 18 inches deep.

      If that’s the case then I am going to suggest a good single-stage snow blower. The Toro Power Clear 721 E 21 in. Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower (Electric Start) at The Home Depot will clear 8-10 inches of snow, clean your sidewalks right down to the pavement and can handle the end-of-driveway snow if you don’t let it freeze into a hard packed chunk of ice. This Toro is the best on the market and will last you many years.

      The SnowMaster is a good snow blower but it uses a floating scraper bar under the front. If your sidewalks get a lot of foot traffic it won’t clear down to the pavement. Where I live I don’t have any foot traffic and my driveway doesn’t get any traffic on it so the Snow Master works well for me.

      If you do go with this single stage just be aware you may want to go out and clear your driveway during a snowstorm if the snow is getting more than 8 inches deep.

      December 2, 2018

      • Dre

        Hi Paul,

        Your statement is pretty much correct with the exception of our sidewalk. While we do have some foot traffic, it’s not that busy as we live in a pretty secluded area (maybe 5 individuals daily). However, we are still required by law to clean the sidewalk, so it must be done.

        I appreciate your help and will take your advice on the Toro.

        December 2, 2018

13. EasyE

    Thank you, for your recommendations, Paul. I also thought Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO, would be a good choice for me, but wanted to hear your opinion as well… Actually, I was hoping that, based on my budged, you would suggest Toro Power Max 826 OXE (37799) instead, but since it didn’t make the list it’s out of contention now. One other concern relative to Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO is that I don’t want to look Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor-ish with a big machine in my 30 by 40 driveway 🙂 However, I want a blower that will last me for years to come (worry-free), so maybe I should explore Ariens Patinum 24 SHO option. It’s down to these two… Difficult decision, but I am certain regardless of which one I pick, it will be a good one. Thank you, again! Off to the dealer!

    November 27, 2018

14. Steve

    The list format is awesome! It’s a perfect reference list for the excellent information you provide. I’ve flagged the email in which it arrived and use it as my starting point for all things snowblower.

    September 15, 2018

    • EasyE

      Not sure it i posted it correctly the first time, but here is what i wrote:

      Hi Paul,
      I’ve decided to get a new machine this year and was very fortunate to come across your site – wealth of information! However after spending a couple (a few) hours reading all of your articles and questions/responses/recommendations I developed a severe case of Paralysis by Analysis, so I decided to ask you for, yet, another recommendation.
      I live in Muskegon, MI (which was mentioned in one of your articles), where we average about 100” of snow a year. Sometimes it’s only a couple to a few inches, sometimes it’s several and sometimes it’s quite a bit. My driveway is about 40 feet long and 30 feet wide. There are times, after being away from home for the weekend I have around 20” or so of snow (not to mention the issue with the city plow as so many people described) waiting to be cleaned up. To make matters more complicated I need to have a blower that would able to throw snow from one side of the driveway to the other (30+ feet)  So, to sum-up I need a blower to:
      1) be able to handle anything from 5 to 20 plus inches of snow,
      2) Deal with the early morning city snow plow “present” (sometimes it’s “snowcrete and sometimes it’s just slush,
      3) throw 30+ feet, and
      4) would like keep my budget under $1,200.

      Is there anything that would work for me or am I too delusional about my expectations?
      Thank you in advance.

      November 26, 2018

      • Paul

        Hi EasyE, My first choice is the Ariens Platinum SHO 24 but it’s out of your price range. It will handle any type of snow and throw it more than 30 feet ALL the time. My second choice is the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO. This dealer only model is slightly over your budget but has the power and clearing width to quickly get your snow off your driveway and way out into your yard.

        Finally, the Ariens Deluxe 24 will throw the snow 30 feet or more and handle heavy/wet snow. It’s well within your price range but… it won’t be quite as fast as the other two models.

        November 27, 2018