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2020 Snow Blowers – What’s new!
I want to start off with a warning. Most of us want a snow blower that will last years, clear the snow well and if it does break be able to quickly get it serviced. We want the best price and understand you get what you pay for in this industry.
So, If the price seems too good to be true – it probably is. Be extremely careful of 2-stage snow throwers selling for less than $699! Also, be very careful about a retailer or online store selling a “brand name” snow thrower for less than what most other retailers are selling that brand for. Or for that matter any snowblower selling for hundreds less than the brands you recognize. If the price is ‘too” good. If you don’t recognize the brand there is a more than likely chance the snow thrower is made in China. Service, parts, and repairs for it is non-existent or at best weeks away.
If you have any concerns feel free to ask in the comment section below this article. Please give me the specifics and/or link to where the snow blower is offered.
So, what’s new for 2020!
Cub Cadet (MTD)
Last year Cub Cadet finished upgrading their line to include more engine power on all their 2-stage snow blowers. They also changed their line so all the 2-stage machines have trigger power steering.
New! This year Cub Cadet has added two new snow blowers –
1. the 2X 30″ EFI. This 12-inch impeller, 2-stage snow blower comes with their 357 cc EFI, Intellipower engine which provides up to 18% more power and can be used with E15 fuels. (all other snow engines require E10 or less fuel) Check it out here: Cub Cadet 2X30 EFI
2. 2X MAX 30 in. 357 cc Two-Stage Gas Snow Blower with Electric Start, Power Steering and Steel Chute. This snow blower will compete directly with the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO and the Toro 1030 OHAE. 14 inch impeller. 14 inch auger. Cub Cadet dependable 357cc engine. MAX housing and all the extras you come to expect from Cub Cadet. All for $1499. Check it out here: Cub cadet 2X MAX 30 inch.
Cub Cadet snow blowers are available from the following places.
Great news! Besides buying online from The Home Depot, or from your local dealer, you can now order your new Cub Cadet snow blower online directly from Cub Cadet. When you order through the Cub Cadet site it will be uncrated, assembled, and inspected at an authorized Cub Cadet dealer. You may pick the snow blower up at the dealer – ready to work – or they will deliver it to you for a preset fee that is shown when you check out at cubcadet.com.
Cub Cadet Snow Blowers will also be offered through Tractor Supply Co.! Cub Cadet (MTD) was just named Tractor Supply Company’s top vendor partner of the year! You will be able to order your snowblower through tractorsupply.com and pick it up at your local TSC store.
Toro
With Toro’s 2020 additions to the snowthrower/snowblower product line Toro now offers seven electric and twenty-five gas-powered models of snow blowers!
Six new models!
- 12 inch, 60 volt MAX FlexForce Power Shovel. Offered with a 2.5 AH battery(39909) and as a bare tool (39909T), this snow thrower is about the size of your string trimmer and will be great for clearing steps, small paved areas, decks, and patios. It uses a 2-speed brushless motor and will run up to 45 minutes on one charge. Of course if you already the larger 6.0 and 7.5 AH batteries they will also fit.
- 26 inch Toro Power Max 826 OHAE (37802). Replacing last year’s 826 OAE This model now has heated handgrips and LED lighting. Automatic steering ( no levers to pull) this mid-sized snow blower is a great choice for Midwest winters with average (30-50 Inch snowfalls)
- 28 inch Power Max® HD 828 OAE (38838). Using Toro’s large capacity housing, large 14-inch impeller, and legendary Anti-Clogging System this new snowblower is Toro’s least expensive heavy-duty machine. Automatic – no trigger – steering, large drive tires, and 4-way joystick chute control. (This model does not have hand warmers and you can’t install them.)
- 30 inch Power Max® HD 1030 OHAE (38830). The 928 OAE was so popular last year that Toro has added a 30-inch version. The 30-inch version is just a little larger, has a little more power, and includes the heavy-duty ACS front auger, 14-inch impeller, automatic steering, and their great 4-way chute control. In addition, because you asked, HAND WARMERS!
- 28 inch Power TRX HD Commercial 1428 OHXE (38890). Last year Toro introduced the Commercial Power Max HD with the largest engine they have ever put on a snow blower. This year they’ve taken that proven design and added a hydrostatic transmission and 3-point, high-speed track drive. A Toro track drive snow blower has been a long time coming and it really looks like this model has been worth the wait. Trigger steering. Fully adjustable bucket height (transport, float, and dig-in.) Large track area for the most traction. Large track drive wheel for speed much greater than the comparable Honda, Husqvarna, or Cub Cadet snow blowers.
- 32 inch Power TRX HD Commercial 1432 OHXE (38891). All the features of the 1428 OHXE in a larger 32-inch width. Knowing what I know about the Power Max HD series this snow blower will be the highest capacity, fastest, most versatile, and longest throwing snow blower on the market.
Toro snow blowers are available from the following places.
- Your local Toro Dealer
- The Home Depot
- ACME Tools
Ariens
Ariens is adding three new snow throwers this year including a new single-stage snow thrower, a single/2-stage crossover, and finally – a Compact 24 with Power Steering (Auto Turn). This brings their product line to 25 gas models. This is a complete line of snow throwers and you will be able to find the right model whether you have a small patio, get huge amounts of heavy, wet snow, or have a long, long driveway to clear.
Three new models!
- I’m really excited about the new Ariens Crossover. The “small” 20-inch snowblower will clean sidewalks, patios, driveways, and other hard surfaces right down to the pavement without damaging it. Plus, it will be able to throw the snow much farther than a conventional single-stage machine. This is a new hybrid type snow blower that uses a rubber front auger/paddle so it will clear right down to the pavement but also leveraging two-stage style snow clearing. It’s a completely different from the Toro SnowMaster, which markets itself as a two-stage, although it’s really a single stage. At only 20 inches it will cut through deep, heavy snow with a lot of power. This snow blower is especially suited for most women for it’s smaller size and easier maneuverability. The price is $699. Here is the website link with more info: https://www.ariens.com/en-us/
power-equipment/snow-products/ snow-blowers/crossover - If you have been looking for a small, lightweight, single-stage snowthrower to clean your deck, patio, sidewalks, or just want to replace your snow shovel with a faster method that eliminates the heavy work of shoveling snow, the new S 18 Ariens single stage is the snowthrower for you. This is the smallest snow thrower in the Ariens line, yet it has all the reliability and long life you expect from Ariens Sno-Thro’s. At only 59lbs, so it’s very lightweight and extremely easy to use. Great for metro and suburban areas with small driveways, or for those of you that don’t see a ton of snow. I really like the looks of the machine itself. The price is $429. https://www.ariens.com/en-us/
power-equipment/snow-products/ snow-blowers/s18-single-stage - Finally, an Ariens Compact 24 with Power Steering! 24 inch clearing width, 20 inch intake, large 223cc Ariens AX engine, Auto Turn clears your driveway quickly, yet is easy to use.
Ariens snow blowers are available from the following places.
Get you new Ariens Here: Ariens Dealer Locator
Select models will also be available at Lowes, Ace Hardware, Fleet Farm, and other retailers.
Troy-Bilt (MTD)
Troy-Bilt continues to offer a complete line of reasonably priced snow blowers including some models with airless tires. They offer smaller models with hand warmers (that work.) Troy-Bilt has not updated its website at this time but I don’t expect any changes for this year.
Troy-Bilt snow blowers are available from the following places.
Besides buying online from The Home Depot, you can now order your new Troy-Bilt snow blower online at Troybilt.com. When you order through the Troy-Bilt site it will be shipped right to your door from Troy-Bilt’s warehouse. Assembly is easy and the only tools you need are a combination wrench or socket to adjust the skid shoes on the 2/3 stage snow blowers.
Husqvarna
Last year Husqvarna updated their entire line. They fixed the belt and handwarmer issues with the 200 series and added the wrap-around dash to all the models. They added a mid-range, disk-drive 300 series and moved all the hydro models to the 400 series. Finally, they redesigned the track drive models to eliminate the broken idler wheels and added an infinite bucket height adjustment lever.
For 2020 Husqvarna has done two things:
- Dropped all single-stage snow blowers from the line.
- In its place, they have added the 100 series 2-stage. This will be an economical snow blower with a friction-disk drive, 212cc engine, and manual chute. It is designed for light to moderate snows and looks to be directly competitive with the Troy-Bilt Storm 2410 and the Ariens Classic. It will have a $699 retail but I expect it to be heavily discounted to compete with the dozens of Chinese imports including PowerSmart and DR Power.
Husqvarna snow blowers are available from the following places.
Tractor Supply: Tractor Supply Snowblowers
ACME Tool: Snowblowers at ACME tools
Northern Tool Company (includes Tractor Mounted): Northern Tool Snowblowers
You Local Husqvarna Dealer: Husqvarna Dealer Locator
Various other retailers including Lowes.
Honda
Honda lineup hasn’t changed for the year BUT the 2-stage on-board electric start models are now available from The Home Depot and ACME tool.
Honda snowblowers are available from the following places.
Your local Honda Power Equipment Dealer.
The Home Depot: Honda Snowblowers at The Home Depot
ACME Tool: Snowblowers at ACME tools
Craftsman (Owned by Stanley, Black & Decker) (Built by MTD)
This year Craftsman has added one new snow blower – the 2X 30″ EFI. This 12-inch impeller, 2-stage snow blower comes with a 357 cc EFI, PowerStart engine.
I’m still warning you to completely understand what you have to do if you have a warranty issue with your Craftsman snow blower before you purchase your new machine. “Proof of purchase is required. Call 888-331-4569 for details.” These snowblowers are the ONLY American made snow blower brand without a local, nationwide service and parts network.
Please don’t misunderstand – I don’t have a problem with SBD or the Craftsman snowblowers. They just need to get a service and parts network that is easy to use.
UPDATE: I just found out from a reliable source that authorized MTD repair centers (Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, etc) are also able to order parts and do warranty work on Craftsman/SBD snow blowers. I still highly recommend that you check with your local repair center before you buy a Craftsman to make sure they will work on it.
Craftsman snow blowers are available from Menards, Farm & Fleet, ACE Hardware and Lowes.
Briggs & Stratton (B&S, Simplicity, Snapper)
Briggs & Stratton owns Simplicity, Snapper, and Briggs & Stratton snow blowers. The lines are not changing for their year but there is some major news about the company I have to let you know about before you decide to purchase from B&S this fall.
- Briggs & Stratton put the Simplicity, Snapper and B&S snowblower, mowers, and riding mowers up for sale in April
- B&S filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July
- B&S announced they are moving the lawnmower and snow blower lines back to the east coast.
- It’s unclear at this point if the snow blower you now own or may purchase this fall will be supported in years to come or if it will fade into the background just like the dozens of other brands that have gone before…
There are plenty of B&S snow blowers available around the country so buying one will not be an issue this fall. I have not had a chance to ask a Simplicity dealer if they were able to order snow blowers for this season or if they will be selling from existing stock.
Briggs & Stratton (B&S, Simplicity, Snapper) snow blowers are available from the following places.
Simplicity Snow Blowers are available from Simplicity Dealers
B&S snow blowers are available from The Home Depot and many other fine retailers nationwide.
EGO Snow Throwers
I will cover EGO and other electric snow blowers in a separate article.
PowerSmart (Amerisun)
PowerSmart has two new snow blowers this year and appears to be getting rid of all the rest. These models are 100% produced in China and are the cheapest snow blowers on the market. These snow blowers are consistently rated as the worst snow blowers on the market but people keep buying them because of the price.
- PSS2240 24 IN. 212CC 2-STAGE ELECTRIC START GAS SNOW BLOWER. Retail $499. On sale for $399 at The Home Depot.
- PSS1210M 21 INCH SINGLE STAGE GAS POWERED SNOW BLOWER Retail $399. On Sale for $349 at The Home Depot.
DR Power
DR Power does not have any new models this year.
DR Power snow blowers are available from the following places.
DR Snow Blowers are available directly from them online and at select DR Power dealers.
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TK
Hi Paul,
Great site and thanks for all of the info. I’m replacing my old machine because it just doesn’t throw far enough and quickly bogs down with wet heavy snow. I live in NJ so maybe we don’t get the most snow of all of your readers but it can be substantial, often wet and heavy. I have a long narrow driveway that i need to throw the snow down the length of the house and then out to the front lawn. From what I’ve read on the site so far, 14″ impeller is a must. Reading through your reviews, when i saw you noting that the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO Model 921048 throws much further than other similar machines, i figured that’s the machine for me. But, with what you shared about the new Cub Cadet 2x Max 30″ 357cc, which model do you think would be the better buy to fit my distance/ heavy snow needs? And do you have more faith in one brand over the other? Thanks for the insight.
Tom
Paul
HI TK, You will be very happy with the Deluxe 28 SHO.
Jeff Daniels
We’re currently choosing between Ariens and Briggs and Stratton for our next snow blowerl. Which one do you think is best for removing 18 inches deep of snow that’s is low-maintenance yet durable enough to last for at least a decade or more?
Paul
Hi Jeff, I’ll make this decision easy for you. Briggs & Stratton is going through bankruptcy right now. The snowblower division will be sold off or won’t survive. So maintenance items you need may not be available in 10 years.
I recommend an Ariens Deluxe, Platinum, or Pro series. These machines are built to last and will be the last snow blower you will ever buy.
Mike
My concerns about the Crossover are weight and paddle life. I used to run the heavy Toro Snow Commander single stages and they required a forward tilt feature to really bite in and propel the blower. This worked ok but paddles wore out quickly and you still had to push sometimes as you do with all single stages and they were HEAVY.
The Crossover looks like it will be a brute to maneuver in tight areas and I am not convinced the propel will work well with that heavy of a blower or paddle life will be abysmal.
Toro nailed it with their crossover design. The SnowMasters are self propelled, the paddles dont quite touch but the floating scraper bar catches most snow and the Personal Pace and Auto Turn and Chute design makes them almost effortless to operate
Paul
Hi Mike, You can have your opinion but let’s hold judgement until we get a chance to test it. I personally see great potential for the Crossover. It’s smaller, lighter, and shorter than the SnowMaster. I really like the large tires and even though I haven’t played with one yet I’ll bet it is perfectly balanced.
Speaking of the SnowMaster. I like a lot about the Snowmaster but I don’t like that it catches on every crack in my driveway and I can NOT get used to the Personal Pace. The Personal Pace is perfect for a mower but with the snow blower getting caught so often on cracks and not having the traction to push through the snow pile drifts the Personal Pace is almost worthless. (The front of the snow thrower is always bucking up) I even tried adding the hand grab found on the larger mowers to see if that helped – it doesn’t. In this case, I would prefer a bar under the handle I can squeeze with my hands to control the speed.
Adam
Paul, thanks so much for all the insights and responses! Looking to get an upgrade to my 10 year old 24in Poluon Pro.
Live in MIN with a 28 ft wide 55 ft driveway and torn between two Toro options – the PowerMax 826 OHAE or the PowerMax HD 828 OAE.
Seems like for $100 more I get a bigger auger and clearing width, but lose the creature comfort of the heated grips – is that really it?
Assuming I won’t be out there that long, I tend to think the 828 is the better choice. Any other considerations you’d suggest?
Paul
Hi Adam, You are on the right track. The Power Max HD 828 OAE will throw snow farther and handle heavy, wet snow better than the 826. It will also be a little faster.
If you get deep drifts or the snowplow always leaves you a big mound to clear you will appreciate the extra power of the Power Max HD 928 OAE 28 in. With the extra power, the 928 won’t bog down as quickly on the deeper/wetter snows.
Adam
Thanks, Paul! Now I just have to decide if I want to spend $300 or $100 more than I wanted to 😉
pimentel
hi Paul,
I have a question, will a wheeled snowblower with Vbar chains do better than a tracked snowblower ?
Paul
Hi Piemetal, No, it won’t have as good of traction as a tracked machine but it may be good enough for your property. The biggest thing to know about chains is they will scratch your concrete driveway and pavers. It may also gouge your blacktop and decks. Chains will also tear up your turf.
Anne Thomas
Hi Paul, thanks so much for this great website. We live at 8000 ft in Colorado and get a fair bit of snow, somewhere between 60-100 inches. We have a paved parking pad in front of our garage but the dirt driveway is about 100-120 ft Long. The dirt driveway is not even and ruts out with big precipitation events. We would love your advice on a good snowblower for our situation. Hoping not to spend more that $1500 but I am willing to consider more for the right snow blower. Thanks in advance!
Paul
Hi Anne, My fist choice for you is the Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI. It’s easy to use, has plenty of power, and will throw your snow exactly where you want it. Best of all, the EFI will automatically adjust the fuel/air ratio for your altitude so the engine starts well, runs well and has the power you need.
It is a little more expensive than your budget but it will last you many, many years.
Check it out here: Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI
Ben
I was hoping to see a bit more EFI engine releases.
No Ariens models are switching to them this year.
Toro still has no EFI motors at all. These seem to be otherwise best-of-class snowblowers. How much disadvantage is lack of EFI motors vs Ariens ?
Perhaps with covid supply-chain disruptions, fewer upgrades arrived ?
Paul
Hi Ben, I think the main reason there are not more EFI engines is the demand is not there yet. Second is the cost. Consumers will have enough to complain about with the price increases this fall because of supply-chain interruptions, slowing down of the assembly lines and other problems because of Covid-19. They are not going to be willing to pay an extra $250-300 for EFI on top of the price increase.
Craftsman has an EFI at $1300, Cub Cadet has one at $1500, Ariens at $1800 and Husqvarna has three at $2500-$3300. We’ll look at which one(s) sell the best this season.
Kelly McCann
Which steering system is the easiest to use?
Paul
Hi Kelly, The Ariens AutoTurn and Toro Automatic steering are the easiest to use. Why? Because you don’t have to pull a trigger or anything to steer it. You just aim the snowblower where you want it to go and it goes there. They turn as easily as a walk-behind lawnmower or a baby stroller.
The trigger system has been around a long time and to turn the snow blower you have to pull a trigger under the handle with your finger to turn the machine. It takes a while to get used to and doesn’t work that well if you wear mittens.
Mike
Hey Paul. How do you think the skinny tires on the new Ariens Crossover will perform?
I wish Ariens would come up with a decent chute system like Toro has. The Crossover looks good but I would use it in tight areas and around cars and roads where the QuickChute type design makes life much easier
Paul
Hi Mike, The biggest problem I’ve always had with single-stage snowthrowers is the tiny wheels they put on them. Wet snow builds up on those little wheels and makes the snow thrower impossible to pull through snow. These large wheels eliminate that issue.
Be aware the wheels don’t propel this snow blower – the front auger does. It’s a single-stage with the 2nd stage added so it throws snow farther.
Ariens does have a really nice quick-chute on the Platinum and Commercial models. I like it better than the Toro because it’s closer to your hand. That said, very, very, very few people will spend extra money for a quick chute on a single-stage snow thrower. Yes, this is not a quick-chute but I do like that you don’t have to bend over to use this one.
Mike
What I like about the chute on the SnowMaster and the Toro 2 stages VS the Ariens Platinum is that you can rotate the chute while at the same time changing spout height while moving up the drive. You can’t do that in the Ariens unless you have 3 hands.
Crossover looks interesting, just wish it had a good chute rotation like SnowMaster. I guess comparing it to the Toro singles it’s closer.
Paul
Hi Mike, that is one argument for a 4-way chute control. On the other hand, the Toro is almost too fast – especially for someone like me who is using all the different types of controls all the time. I tend to push down on the release to turn the chute and then accidentally move the defector. Most of the time I have to fiddle with it to aim exactly where I want it to throw snow and causes me to loose focus on what the rest of the snowblower is doing. That takes away from the single handle design.
Yes, the Crossover is a replacement for a single-stage that cleans down to the pavement. Since the Snow Master doesn’t clean it’s apples and oranges…
Mike
Yes. I’ve been using it for many years so it’s second nature. I can’t do without it now. I found the controls on the Ariens Platinum 24 disappointing in comparison.
With the Toro, I can move up the drive and precisely alter the spout height and the chute rotation simultaneously as I come between my house and the neighbours to put snow exactly where I want it. With the Ariens I constantly have to slow down or even stop to get the rotation and height of throw where I want it.
Do you know weight of Crossover ? I know turning and pulling backwards on my single stage gets tiring in tight areas after awhile. Discounting the extra deep snow ability, the crossover would basically handle like a very heavy single stage I fear.
Paul
Hi Mike, 129 lbs. The large rear wheels are going to make a BIG difference!