The top rated snow blowers by review sites are not the best snow blowers for most people. 

“Best” means different things to different people. Some of you look at Amazon’s best-selling snowblowers, while others read every word of Consumer Reports Recommended Snow Blowers list. Please remember, the best snow blower as rated by a review site, online review or even by MovingSnow.com is not the always the best snow blower for you. It may be too big or too small for your particular driveway/area to be cleared. There are many factors that you should consider including the area you want to clear, the surface you want to clear and how much snow you usually get.  MovingSnow’s goal is to help you find the best snow thrower for you. You can read this article to help: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS

This top 20 list is based on my hands-on reviews over the last 10 years, plus discussions, interest, intent to buy and sales of residential snow blowers on MovingSnow.com. This list is not reflective of actual sales by the manufactures or retailers. Other websites and forums will have a different viewpoint than MovingSnow.com. Please assume that if I send you to another website and you purchase a snow blower there that I make a little commission from that sale.

One more paragraph about “the best” or “top rated” or Recommended.” All of these “best buy” lists including mine only cover residential snow blowers. Specifically, economy, homeowner and a few heavy-duty models.  No list that I am aware of covers all the snow blowers currently for sale. For example, there are a dozen or so heavy-duty snow blowers that are never covered in reviews. In addition there are other commercial and industrial grade snow blowers that Consumer Reports and I don’t cover. In general you can’t buy these extreme snow blowers at your local Sears, Home Depot or Lowes.  If you need to make money with a snow blower. If you have miles of sidewalks to clear. If you pay someone to operate your snow blowers for hours at a time feel free to ask and I can point you to snow blowers that will last for you.

Don’t let the advertising hype or dealer sales pitches fool you. A 3-stage is not better than a heavy-duty 2-stage – it’s just different. Remember a dealer is always going to tell you their snow blower is better than the guy’s across the street.

One more thing. If you have used a snow blower before you know that how far a snow blower throws the snow is very dependent on the type of snow.  Most snow blowers will only throw snow at the “listed” distance when everything is perfect. In other words it will throw normal snow well, heavy wet snow ok, really light snow not as far and slush barely at all. If you step into a pile of snow and it splashes – most snow blowers are not going to throw that slop and will most likely plug. If the snow is that wet you can always use it as a plow to push the slush off to the side.

Note: This list was updated 09/15/2017. We are at the start of the snow season so there may be a couple of changes between today and November 1st.

Top Twenty Snow Blowers for 2017-2018

Click on the name to read more about the snow blower

1. Troy-Bilt 2860. See video here. The more I use this snow blower the more I like it. It’s very easy to use and has plenty of power. This is a great “basic” snow blower and one for the best value snow blowers for 2017! Options like, power steering, single stick controls, heated hand grips and hydrostatic transmissions, etc. are nice but think about whether you actually need them. This model has just the basics for a reasonable price.  28 inch, 243 cc new quieter engine. It features the new airless tires and very simple and long lasting chute control. Extended chute, and good hand warmers. No power steering or complicated 4-way chute controls. Of course it has electric start. This is a nice size snow blower for most driveways that is surprisingly easy to use with the new airless tires – even though it does not have power steering. I consider this a great snow blower for most areas of the country that get 40-70 inches of snow a year. It can easily be adjusted for cement, blacktop, gravel driveways. It will fit through the 32 inch side door on your garage. With the long wearing poly skid shoes you can also use it on your stained concrete or nice patio. You can even adjust it for clearing a section of the lawn for your dogs.  Note: This is not a high capacity snowblower. It is a very good choice if you live in Minneapolis, Omaha, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh or Long Island. If you live in areas that get 100-200 inches like Boston, Buffalo, Salt Lake and Lake Tahoe please look at the heavy duty machines.  BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at TroyBilt.com to find a store near you:
   FREE SHIPPING – Troy-Bilt 2-Stage Electric Start Snow Blower with Airless Tires – 26in., 243cc Engine, Model# 31AM56P3766
2.  Toro SnowMaster 724 QXE 24 inch, 212 cc single stage. Even though this is my number two pick this snow thrower is for a very specific buyer. Who is it for? It’s really fast to use if you have hard surface, smooth driveway that get lots of snow. It throws snow as well as a $700-$900 2-stage machine. With Toro dropping the price to $699 I feel it is one of the the best value snow blowers on the market.  It may not be the best for you because it’s so lightweight it will run out of traction trying to clear 10 inches of more of heavy/wet end of driveway snow. You can clear gravel and lawn without damaging the machine but with the Personal Pace controls it’s very hard to do. If you go “offroad” with your snow blower  – buy the Ariens Classic,  Craftsman Model 88173 or Husqvarna ST224P instead.  The SnowMaster will clear 2 inches to 14 inches well. There a another model,  Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 inch, 254 cc single stage – with a larger engine it’s my pick for areas that get 2-18 inches of snow at a time. BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at Toro.com to find a store near you: SnowMaster 724 QXE 24 in. Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower
3. Husqvarna ST224P 24 inch, 208 cc. For two years in a row now this is the highest rated gas snow blower on Amazon. 4.7 out of 5 Stars! Works well for a 2-car by 80 foot driveway. This model has power steering and can handle any type of driveway including gravel and turf. It will clear any amount/type of snow. There is also a model without power steering for a little less money: Husqvarna ST224. BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at Husqvarna.com to find a store near you: Husqvarna ST224P
4. Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI. 30 inch with 15 ft. lb. EZ-Launch EFI Engine. This snow blower engine will not have the starting issues carbureted snow engines have on today’s fuels. This is one of my favorite large area snow blowers. Auto-Turn makes it simple to use. Dual belt drive and simple chute controls make it dependable and easy to use. Works well for a 2-car by 200 foot driveway. BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at Ariens.com to find a store near you: Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI.
5.  Ariens Platinum 24 Sno-Thro 24 inch, 369 cc with EZ-Launch EFI Engine.  This heavy duty 24 inch snow blower with Electric Fuel Injection will not have the starting issues carbureted engines have on today’s fuels. Plus, this one has over-the-top power and can handle any type of driveway including gravel and turf. It will clear any amount/type of snow. Because it has a larger engine and more capacity than most 24 inch machines it works well for 2-3 car wide by 80-120 foot driveways. Please use the dealer locator at Ariens.com to find a store near you:
6. Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm XP™ 34 Snow Thrower.  34 inch, 420cc. This machine will redefine large area residential snowblowers because it’s a very heavy duty, high capacity machine at a very competitive price.  Very easy to use. For any size driveway and any amount/type of snow.Consumer Reports has rated the 30 inch version as their best 2-stage pick.  (and I like it and the Craftsman also) UpDate: There is a Craftsman version with better lighting and without the electric chute control Craftsman Pro Series 30.
7. Ariens Deluxe 28 and Deluxe 28 SHO. 28 inch 254/306 cc. This is the standard heavy-duty snow blower that everyone else is trying to beat. For driveways up to 150 feet and 100 inches of snow a year. The Deluxe SHO is one of the farthest throwing snow blowers on the market.
8. Craftsman Model 88394   28 inch, 243 cc quiet engine. Full featured, including power steering, but average power. If you want a gas powered snow blower that won’t wake the new born this is the quietest. Great machine for midwest and east coast areas that get 40-60 inches of snow a year. Will clear gravel and turf areas.
9. Toro PowerMax 826 OXE 26 inch, 254 cc. Automatic Steering. One of the best chute controls in the industry. Some people have complained that the chute is too easy to use.
10. Craftsman Model 88173 24 inch, 208 cc. Still one of the best value snow blowers. For all types of snow, about 60 inch average and will clear gravel and turf areas. It does not have power steering.
11. Briggs and Stratton 1696614 Dual-Stage Snow Thrower with 208cc Engine and Electric Start. Excellent Value Machine. This is one of the more popular 2-stage snow blowers on Amazon. It does not have power steering.
12. Craftsman 88640 24 inch, 208 cc. Like the Craftsman 88173 but also has power steering and a headlight.  Anyone who can walk and use their hands can operate this snow blower.
13. Ariens Deluxe 24. There are only three heavy duty 24 inch snow blowers on the market. This is one of them. 
14. Toro PowerMax HD 1028 OHXE 28 inch, 302 cc. Toro’s large area homeowner snow blower that is good enough to also be their commercial machine. Throws snow a long, long way and does not clog. Very easy to use.
15. Husqvarna Model# ST327T 27in. 369cc Engine. The ST327T will fit through a 32 inch door, the ST330T a 36 inch door. These are the best for any terrain. Driveways, turf, hills, ditches –  Pulling your car out of the ditch. (Am I kidding?) also Husqvarna Model# ST330T, 30 inch, 414 cc engine. The ST327T will fit through a 32 inch door, the ST330T a 36 inch door. These are the best for any terrain. Driveways, turf, hills, ditches – The ST330T is one of the highest power, largest capacity snow blowers on the market and will go where no other walk-behind snow blower will go. It has more under chassis clearance and more capacity  than the Honda HSS928ATD or Honda HSS1332ATD
16. Toro PowerClear 721 E   21 inch, 212 cc. There are only 3 single stage snow throwers good enough for this list. The Toro SnowMasters and this one.
17. Husqvarna Model ST227P, 27-Inch   27 inch, 254 cc. Good all-around residential snow blower. 60 inch or less snow.
18. Troy-Bilt Storm 3090 357cc 4-cycle Electric Start Two-Stage Snow Thrower. Also 3090 XP and Craftsman 88396.   30 inch, 357 cc These are all basically the same snow thrower – just different paint and repair support.
19. Briggs and Stratton Model 1696619 27 inch, 250cc. Just a good value machine. It does not have power steering.
20. Troy-Bilt 2410 or Craftsman 88172. If you must have the least expensive snow blower, this is the BEST least expensive snow blower available. There is no need to even consider a Chinese made snow blower anymore. For $549-599 you get a good 208cc engine, 6 speeds forward, 2 reverse, good tires, poly skids and a machine that will handle your 40-60 inch Midwest winters. It’s simple, easy to operate and has an excellent review rating at Lowes. It does not have power steering. (The Craftsman 88173 at #8 is similar but has a better chute, single hand control and a better service network)
21. Undecided. What do you think of the new Cub Cadet HD models with hydrostatic drive?

EGO 21 in. 56-Volt Lithium-Ion Single Stage Electric Snow Blower with (2) 5.0Ah Batteries. I originally had this cordless electric on my list but research has shown it’s not quite what I thought it was.  I’m leaving it in the last position not because it’s a good machine but because every other blog and YouTuber is raving about it.  So why have I changed my mind? It looked like a great machine at GIE-EXPO but I didn’t ask the obvious question – how is it different from a gas single-stage snowthrower. This snow thrower has the front rubber paddles but they don’t contact the ground and pull the unit forward like the gas powered single stage snow throwers do.  It’s like the other power shovels that you have to push yourself. It will be hard to use on old snow and driveways that are not perfect. Since you have to push it through the snow I would be scared of trying to push it up a driveway for fear that I would slip and fall. So I am only going to recommend it for smooth, level driveways, sidewalks, and patios. I can’t recommend it for older, rougher driveways, sidewalks and patios with cracks and other parts that stick up and catch the snow thrower. I can’t recommend it for sloped driveways.  If you are still interested please watch this video. The owner doesn’t push it up-hill and it leaves a little snow like a 2-stage machine. EGO 56 volt snow blower. Here is another practical video. Watch the sections where he is trying to clear the end-of-driveway snow.  EGO 56Volt snow blower,,,   I’m not saying “don’t buy” I am saying that this is not like the snow blower you now own. If you can always get out and clear your snow right away, don’t drive over it with your car, and don’t let the snow plow pile freeze this may work for you.  This one has enough battery capacity to easily clear a 2 car, 50 foot paved driveway.  There is a second model with larger batteries here. EGO 21 in. 56-Volt Lithium-Ion Single Stage Snow Blower with (2) 7.5 Ah Batteries

Here is a typical end-of-year review of the EGO Snow Thrower: ”

“I too love cordless-the only gas equipment I have left is my lawn mower and snow-blower. I was eager to try this. However, the auger not touching the ground is a big problem for me. My single stage 208cc gas does and it helps pull it along. I have a 75ft single driveway and 200 ft of sidewalk (double lot on a corner). It had enough juice to do it, but constantly having to push, push, push to get through the snow-it was a major workout. It threw the snow fine-no problem there. But wow-it was a major pain pushing this thing. We’ve had over 100 inches of snow this winter (so far), so I’m glad I returned it.”

I’m guessing they don’t let the auger touch the ground because it would just use too much battery power…

I want the Snow Joe iON24SB-XR 80V Max  to be on this list. But I have some real issues with how slow it travels. I have spent some time with it clearing cement, blacktop, gravel and an old, rough patio. It throws snow really, really well. It’s a very unique snow blower so I have some thinking to do. Here is a video: Snow Joe iON 80V 2-stage tested in snow – Is it for you?. I’m hoping the 2017 Black versions will have the speed issue fixed.

Honda HSS928ATD, Honda HSS724ATD, and Honda HSS1332ATD. Yes, the Honda 2-stage machines did not make the list yet. They are just too expensive for no electric start, under powered and using an antique track system.. I’ve also read the impeller/housing clearance is too tight and although it throws snow well, gravel is tearing up the housing. Just so you know, the models Home Depot is carrying this year do not have electric start. You can actually buy the Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm XP™ 34 Snow Thrower. for half the price and have a higher capacity, more heavy duty snow blower. If you need a tracked machine check out the

Poulan Pro Snow Blowers have dropped off the list. The snow blowers continue to be good machines but you can now buy a Husqvarna with better dealer service for the same price. Husqvarna and Poulan Pro are made in the same factory and Husqvarna’s have more features.

Gas Can: No-Spill 1405 2-1/2-Gallon Poly Gas Can (CARB Compliant)

Snow Shovel: Suncast SCH2790 20-Inch Snow Shovel/Pusher Combo with Shock Absorbing Spring D-Grip Handle And Wear Strip

The consumer is now in charge.

 Today’s buyer doesn’t go to the dealer first. Instead they do all their research online and only go to the dealer if they can’t get the product online or at a local retailer. Today’s buyer wants the online interaction of the manufacture, dealer, and retailer. It’s no longer what a report or article says is best. The consumer can now do the research and make the decision without ever looking at the info hidden behind a subscription or walking into a dealer.  Today’s consumer talks not only to his neighbor but also his peers, family and friends. And they are all just a keystroke away.

People are reading and listening to what others like themselves say on the internet. Top ten reviews and ratings from review organizations don’t have as much influence as before. Five years ago a magazine could tell you an item was great and they sold thousands. Today if 5 people on Facebook state the snow blower has problems it negatively affects sales.  Case in point, Two years Husqvarna had a good snow blower but there was an apparent problem with the auger belt. This is not a major issue, because it didn’t happen on every machine and only happened under a heavy load, but Husqvarna is not being transparent with the belt issue. Because of that the Internet discussion groups caused large numbers of customers not to buy. (Husqvarna still feels the best way to handle it is through one dealer service bulletin which only the service department got.)  If I were a company like Husqvarna (or Toro, Honda, Ariens, Cub Cadet) I would get the problem out in the open, state the real cause and blast the info on how to fix it on the company blog, newsletter and Facebook group as quickly as possible. 

Faster and easier to use is the wave of the future. The Toro SnowMaster is just the beginning……

Comments are open for this article until December 1st.

The post The Twenty Best Snow Blowers – September 2017 – Which Snow Blower Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

What’s New For 2017 Ariens Snow Blowers?

Ariens has been very busy:

1. New Classic Series: This looks like a model they have had before – but it’s not.  New engine, new metal chute, better capacity and throwing distance. For the price and features this may become my new “best value” 2-stage snow blower.
2. New Engine on Compact Series: New more powerful 223cc Ariens AX engine. This snow blower has always been built well so it can handle the extra horsepower.
3. Deluxe and Platinum Series: The Deluxe and Platinum Series snow blowers were tweaked last year so there are no changes. These are arguably the best 2-stage snow blowers if you need a heavy-duty machine.
4. Professional Model Upgrades: New 414cc Ariens AX EFI: Two Professional Models now with Ariens AX EFI engines
5. RapidTrak: Two new Professional models with RapidTrak adjustable track drive. This exciting new track drive gives you the speed and maneuverability of a wheeled snow blower with the traction and drift digging power of a tracked machine. In addition these new snowblowers have over-the-top power and the largest per hour capacity. If you have large areas that need to be cleared, triple digit average snowfalls or just want the best on the market this is clearly the new snow blower that lives up to Ariens “King of Snow” slogan.
6. Professional 21 inch Single Stage:  This a is a newly designed single stage snow thrower that is purpose-built specifically for the snow contractor but it has many features homeowners may like. Many snow contractors carry a snow thrower in the back of their plow truck for cleaning up corners and sidewalks.  These snow throwers are often just tossed in and out of the truck and don’t last long. Because of that the Professional 21 was constructed with strength, durability and light weight in mind. The new design includes metal reinforced housing sides. Large, high impact wheels and a reinforcing steel rod inside the auger housing to help with the durability. The Smart Lift handle design allows a single person to lift the machine in and out of a truck with ease. One of the features I really like is a heavy-duty spring-loaded scraper bar to adjust to the contours of the ground. In addition the Professional 21 snow thrower also features commercial grade auger paddles. These paddles that are twice as thick as residential single stage snow throwers and you can tilt the machine up so it cleans stuck on snow off the hard surfaces. All this without increasing the weight.

How this article is laid out:

This is a very comprehensive article so it will take you a while to read through it. I’m going to start with the new Classic Series and Compact Series models. After that I’ll review the heavy-duty Deluxe and high performance Platinum models. Then the Professional (Commercial) models including the Professional 21 single stage. I’ll leave the single stage Path Pro for last.

Reading Ariens Snow Blower Reviews:

1. When you read snow blower reviews you are going to find reviews that state “the engine would not start,” “the engine won’t stay running.” and “the engine runs rough.” You will find these reviews for all brands and sizes of snow blowers. 98% of the time engine problems with name brand snow blowers are either fuel or operator related. Snow engines run/operate differently than your lawn mower engine and because of that I suggest educating yourself on how to store fuel, how to keep your fuel clean and how/why your snow blower engine runs the way it does will go a long way to liking your new snow blower. Please read this article to learn more: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS – Read This For The Truth
2.  Aggregate reviews. Many websites scour the web for reviews and then post them on their website. In other cases one disgruntled owner will write the same or similar review in as many places as they can. So what you end up is many reviews about one specific issue from only one person. I see this quite a bit on The Home Depot and Ariens sites.  Just remember, for every bad review there are thousands of Ariens snow blowers sold and doing well. Please read the date the review was written and the wording to determine if there is an actual problem.
3. Auto-Turn Problems. All Auto-Turn problems were fixed two years ago. There were no issues in last years snow blowers. The Auto-Turn (DI300 differential) is now used in many snow blowers from many different manufactures.  So if you read or hear anyone slamming Ariens because of the Auto-Turn just walk away.
4. Don’t bother to read Ariens reviews that are negative and more than 2 years old.  Just so you know, Ariens is a company that really listens to their dealers, reads reviews and interacts on Social media.  So, when there is an issue they identify it quickly, immediately root cause it and determine if there is a product problem or training issue. Then it gets fixed.

By The Way – All Opinions are Mine.

Keeping up with snow blowers is almost a full time job. The U.S. manufactures currently sell about 140 different models made here in the U.S. alone. In addition, there are always another dozen or so foreign manufactures trying to wedge their way into your pocketbook. By the way – a quality $500 two-stage snow blower no longer exists. The base regular price is now $649-$699.

I normally spend most of July and August talking to the different snow blower manufactures about the new models they have coming for the fall. Usually, in September the manufactures are shipping the new models to the dealers and I spend the time I need to inspect the new models as local dealers put them out on the sales floor. Sometimes that also involves traveling to the manufactures assembly plants or corporate offices to look at, demo and talk to the snow product managers. For example, last week I traveled over to the Ariens plant in Brillion, WI. I spent the day with Amanda Marsicek, Snow Product Manager. In October, I travel to the GIE-EXPO in Louisville, KY. GIE-EXPO is the largest lawn and garden equipment dealer show. There I get a chance to demo machines plus talk to the engineers and company management about all the features, fixes and new rumors.

Ariens now has a place where you can go and see all the new Ariens products in one location. The Ariens “Concept Store” is located right across the street from the factory in Brillion, WI

In addition, I keep 12-15 of the current snow blowers at my home for testing and answering your questions. I use these snow blowers when it snows and post those videos on YouTube.

Path Pro Single Stage Snow Throwers

Since 95% of you reading this article actually need a 2-stage snow blower I am going to move the single stage Path-Pro models to the end. The Path-Pro’s have not changed for 2017

2017 Ariens Classic/Compact Series

Even though the new Classic and the Compact Series are different I’m throwing them into this one section for easy reading.

At first glance the Classic looks a lot like the Sno-Tek line sold at The Home Depot but it’s actually a very different snow blower. First, it’s an all metal snow blower. The 4-way chute, dash and all other parts are metal.  Other small features like the discharge chute gear cover have been upgraded to the heavy-duty Ariens parts. It has a high-speed impeller and according to my calculations will actually move more snow per hour than the $2399 Honda HSS724AW/HSS724AWD. It’s really a good value at $699.

If you are looking for a good machine that will clear your 2-car, 60-80 foot driveway, sidewalks, patio and also go out on the lawn to clear a section for your dogs. The Classic snow blower can easily be adjusted for gravel driveways. I recommend this size for areas of the country like Chicago, Omaha, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Long Island that average 40 to 60 inches of snow per year.

I would compare the Ariens Classic to the Craftsman 88173, Toro Powermax 724 OE, Troy-Bilt Storm 2460 , Cub Cadet 524 SW, Husqvarna ST224 and the Honda HSS724AW. All of these snow blowers including the Ariens are solid axle snow blowers and have no power steering.  The Ariens Classic one of the lightest 24 inch 2-stage snow blowers in this group so most people can turn it without an issue.

The Compact series adds a few features including the legendary Ariens cast iron gear case, larger tires and a new larger engine.

The Ariens Compact (and most likely the Classic) has an image problem.  Why?  When you walk into a typical Ariens Dealer or read a snow blower forum thread most of the time the first thing they say about the Compact Series is, “You don’t want a Compact – get the Deluxe instead.” But the truth be told – they are trying to oversell most of you.  In reality, the Ariens Classic and Compact are very capable and affordable snow blowers for people not living in a snow belt. If you have watched my videos on YouTube you see that the Classic or Compact will work just fine on my property and I’ll bet they’ll work well for you also. 

Model Name	Classic	Compact 20	Compact 24	Compact Track 24
Ariens Model Item #	920025	920026	920027	920028
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Buy Here:	Dealer Only	Buy Here:	Buy Here:
Amount/Type Of Snow	All Types 50 in per year	All Types 60 in per year	All Types 60 in per year	Midwest with steep slope
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX223	Ariens AX223	Ariens AX223
ENGINE POWER	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 inch	20 inch	24 inch	24 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	20 inch	20 inch	20 inch	20 inch
THROWING DISTANCE	3-40 ft	3-40 ft	3-40 ft	3-40 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	205	205.00	205	205
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	13 in x 4 in	15 in x 5 in	15 in x 5 in	15.5 in three point track
TIRE TYPE	Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Track
STEERING	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	51.9 in	53.9 in	53.9 in	53.9 in
WIDTH	26.4 in	22.4 in	26.4 in	26.4 in
HEIGHT	43.3 in	44 in	44 in	44 in
WEIGHT	180 lbs	183 lbs	187 lbs	220 lbs
GEAR CASE	Top Loaded Aluminum	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	3-blade high speed	Steel 3 blade	Steel 3 blade	Steel 3 blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	12 inch	12 in	12 in	12 in
AUGER DIAMETER	11 in	11 in	11 in	11 in
AUGER TYPE	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	58 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$699	$799	$899	$1399

2017 Ariens Deluxe Series

Most 2 and 3-stage snow blowers use a 12 inch or smaller impeller. Most have relatively small discharge chutes. The Ariens Deluxe Series is different. If you are always complaining about your current snow blower plugging up I strongly suggest looking at the Deluxe Series with a 14 inch impeller. The Ariens Deluxe is an economical heavy-duty 2-stage snow blower that uses the large impeller and other components to give you an all metal, high-capacity, heavy-duty snow blower.  If you are willing to spend a thousand dollars or more for a snow blower the Ariens Deluxe Series gives you a lot of bang for the buck.

These snow blowers work very well in areas that get moderate snowfall but the snow is typically heavier, wet snow and your yearly snow fall is 100 inches or less. Boston, West Virginia, Lake Erie shore, Muskegon, MI, Portage, IN, Alsip, IL, Flagstaff, AZ are areas of the country that get snow like this. This series also works well in places that get lots of drifts like southern Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas and other Plains States. If you average more than 100 inches I suggest moving up to the Ariens Platinum or Professional Series. The Platinum and Pro models have larger engine and high output impellers to move a lot of snow fast.

Personally I like the Auto-Turn feature on the Deluxe, Platinum and Professional Series a lot. Auto-Turn is power steering simplified. All you do is steer the snow blower with the handles. There are no triggers to pull, no extra cables to fray and little plastic levers to break.

I have a lot of readers ask, “What’s better – Auto-Turn or the Trigger Style Power Steering?” My answer is always, “It depends ”  If you have a long, crowned driveway or need to clear across a longer sloped area the trigger steering is nice because the snow blower continues in a straight line until you tell it to turn by pulling one of the little steering triggers. The Auto Turn works OK in those situations but you will need to have both hands on the handles when walking along those slopes.

Auto-Turn works really well if you have a lot of maneuvering to do. You don’t have to think about pulling a trigger to steer, the snow blower does it automatically when you move the handles. The Auto Turn is so simple to use you don’t even know it’s there.

You already know with a solid axle (locked or pin lock) snow blower when you turn the snow blower the inside wheel keeps turning at the same speed as the outer wheel. That can be hard to use, especially if you are smaller or not as physically fit as the average user. Power steering releases that inside wheel so it is easier to turn he machine.  With a trigger style power steering you have to pull both triggers to zero-turn. The Auto Turn does it automatically. If you want to turn around in-place the snow blower lets you without any extra input on your part.

There were no changes made to the Deluxe Series this year.

Model Name	Deluxe 24	Deluxe 28	Deluxe 28 SHO	Deluxe 30	Deluxe 30 EFI
Ariens Model Item #	921045	921046	921048	921047	921049
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Buy Here:	Buy Here:	Dealer Only	Buy Here:	Buy Here:
Amount/Type Of Snow	All Types 80 in per year	All Types 80 in per year	All Types 100 in per year	All Types 80 in per year	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX254	Ariens AX254	Ariens AX306	Ariens AX306	Ariens AX306 EFI
ENGINE POWER	254cc (12.5 ft/lbs)	254cc (12.5 ft/lbs)	306cc Gen 3 (15 ft/lbs)	306cc Gen 3 (15 ft/lbs)	306cc EFI/E-Gov (15 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 inch	28 inch	28 inch	30 inch	30 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 50 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°	200°	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in
TIRE TYPE	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	58 in	58 in	58 in	58 in	58 in
WIDTH	26.4 in	29.9 in	29.9 in	32.4 in	32.4 in
HEIGHT	45 in	45 in	45 in	45 in	45 in
WEIGHT	245 lbs	250 lbs	268 lbs	276 lbs	276 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade	Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill	2.5x Ice Drill
TONS PER HOUR	62 Tons/Hour	65 Tons/Hour	72 Tons/Hour	71 Tons/Hour	71 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$999.00	$1,099.00	$1,199.00	$1,399.00	$1,699.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK	Model # 921045	Model # 921046	NA	Model # 912047	Model # 921049

Accessories For Ariens 2-Stage Snow Blower Buy Here:

Ariens 2-Stage Snow Cab Enclosure Gas Snow Blowers

Ariens Non-Abrasive Skid Shoes

Ariens Shear Pins

Ariens Sno-Thro Deluxe/Platinum Drift Cutters for Snow Blowers

2017 Ariens Platimun Series

The Ariens Platinum Series takes the Deluxe snow blower and adds “creature features, larger engines and high output impellers to give you snow blower that will pretty much take on any type of snow and amount of snow. For example, if you need the larger capacity of the Deluxe because your old machine plugs up all the time but also want heated handgrips, Quick Chute control, etc. the Platinum is the snow blower for you. In addition to more features these snow blowers have over-the-top power and capacity for their size. If you ever get the chance to use one of these snow blowers on 20 inches of “Nore-easter” snow or Lake Tahoe snow you’ll quickly understand what I mean. I recommend these snow blowers for any “snow belt” area like Buffalo, NY, northern Idaho, Boston, Northern Michigan and so on.

If you see a picture in a newspaper on the Internet of an orange snow blower throwing snow up and over a 15 foot snow blank you can bet it’s one of these Platinum Series snow blowers.

Model Name	Platinum 24 SHO	Platinum SHO EFI	Platinum 30 SHO	Platinum Track 28 SHO
Ariens Model Item #	921050	921053	921051	921052
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only
Amount/Type Of Snow	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr	Snow Belt 120-200 in per yr	Snow Belt with steep slope
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX369 EFI	Ariens AX369	Ariens AX414	Ariens AX369
ENGINE POWER	369cc (17 ft/lbs)	369cc EFI/E-Gov (17 ft/lbs)	414cc Gen 3 (17 ft/lbs)	369cc EFI/E-Gov (17 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 in	24 in	30 in	28 in
HOUSING HEIGHT	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)	21 in (53.3 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)	3 ft – 55 ft (.9 – 15.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	5.5 in 3 point track
TIRE TYPE	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Track
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	58 in	58 in	58 in	58 in
WIDTH	27 in	27 in	32.4 in	29 in
HEIGHT	45 in	45 in	45 in	45 in
WEIGHT	286 lbs	286 lbs	294 lbs	307 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm	3 yr Consumer 90 Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	73 Tons/Hour	73 Tons/Hour	83 Tons/Hour	77 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$1,499.00	$1,799.00	$1,799.00	$2,099.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK

2017 Ariens Professional Series

Other manufactures have snowblowers that are named Pro. These snow blowers are true Professional/Commercial snow blowers. Square tube, extra strong handlebars. Largest 16 inch serrated front auger. Choice of Hydrostatic or Disk-O-Matic Drive. These snow blowers will clear up to 102 tons of snow per hour and throw snow 60 feet. (That is a higher capacity and throwing distance than the $8000 Honda HS1336iAS.) These are the biggest and baddest walk-behind snow blowers you can get.

Model Name	Professional 28	Professional 28 Hydro EFI	Professional 32	Professional 36 Hydro EFI
Ariens Model Item #	926065	926068	926071	926070
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only	Dealer Only
Amount/Type Of Snow	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens Polar Force B&S	Ariens AX420 EFI/E Gov	Ariens Polar Force B&S	Ariens AX420 EFI/E Gov
ENGINE POWER	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	28 in	28 in	32 in	36 in
HOUSING HEIGHT	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 4.8 in	16 in x 6.5 in	16 in x 6.5 in
TIRE TYPE	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Hydrostatic	Disc-O-Matic	Hydrostatic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	Variable	6 forward 2 reverse	Variable
LENGTH	60 in	60 in	60 in	60 in
WIDTH	30.2 in	30.2 in	34.2 in	38.2 in
HEIGHT	47 in	47 in	47 in	47 in
WEIGHT	339 lbs	352 lbs	333 lbs	353 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	16 in	16 in	16 in	16 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn	Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	79 Tons/Hour	79 Tons/Hour	91 Tons/Hour	102 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$2,199.00	$2,799.00	$2,499.00	$3,499.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK

2017 Ariens Professional RapidTrak

Ariens has developed a new track system for 2017 that will change the way track drive snow blowers are used. The new RapidTrak system will not only give you the digging traction and flotation of a tracked snow blower but also the speed and ease of turning of a wheeled machine. Combined with a heavy-duty hydrostatic transmission and Auto Turn you can adjust the speed of this snow blower to whatever you need from a slow crawl to a fast walking pace.

RapidTrak has three positions or modes. 1. In regular mode the track is flat against the ground for  good traction when clearing snow. 2. In wheel mode the rear of the track is raised giving you the same “footprint” as a regular tire. This allows it to be just as easy to turn as a wheeled unit. 3. The third position, called “dig-in mode” puts all the weight of the snow blower on the rear portion of the track. This give you the ultimate in pushing and digging power when working with hard packed drifts and driven on snow.

You can very easily switch between the modes with a metal lever below right handlebar.

Read more about the Ariens RapidTrak here: Ariens RapidTrack Series

Model Name	Professional 28 RapidTrak	Professional 32 RapidTrak
Ariens Model Item #	926060	926069
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Dealer Only	Dealer Only
Amount/Type Of Snow	Commercial Snow Belt	Commercial Snow Belt
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens Polar Force B&S	Ariens Polar Force B&S
ENGINE POWER	420cc (21 ft/lbs)	420cc (21 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V Electric	120V Electric
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	28 in	28 in
HOUSING HEIGHT	23.5 in (59.7 cm)	23.5 in (59.7 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)	3 ft – 60 ft (.9 – 18.2 m)
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	200°	200°
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	5.5 in wide	5.5 in wide
TIRE TYPE	High Speed Adjustable	High Speed Adjustable
STEERING	Auto-Turn	Auto-Turn
DRIVE TYPE	Hydrostatic	Hydrostatic
SPEEDS	Variable	Variable
LENGTH	60 in	60 in
WIDTH	30.2 in	34.2 in
HEIGHT	47 in	47 in
WEIGHT	337 lbs	341 lbs
GEAR CASE	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm	5yr Cons, 5yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	High Speed Steel 3 Blade	High Speed Steel 3 Blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	14 in	14 in
AUGER DIAMETER	16 in	16 in
AUGER TYPE	Steel Serrated	Steel Serrated
SKID SHOES	Commercial Reversable	Commercial Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm	3 yr Consumer 1 yr Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	Quick Turn	Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	79 Tons/Hour	91 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$3,099.00	$3,399.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK

2017 Ariens Professional 21 Single Stage.

This is a new single stage snow blower that’s built for the commercial snow plow operator. Why do they need a special snow blower?

When I owned snow plow trucks in the Chicago area we always kept a single stage snow thrower with us in the pickups. We’d clear the driveways and parking lots and then pull the snow thrower out and cleanup around the mailboxes, sidewalks and in front of businesses. It was so much faster than using a snow shovel. We were very hard on these snow blowers – throwing them into the truck and dropping them on the pavement. At the time (mid 90’s) there was only one model that would hold up for more than one season.

Too make a long story short, a while back Ariens found that many of the snow plow operators in Chicago were still clearing snow the same way. Clear the large areas with the truck and then clean up with the single stage. Because of that they introduced the single stage Path Pro a few years ago. It has been a good machine at a good price point but  the Professional Operators still wanted something more rugged. More metal, longer lasting paddles, easy service and easier to get in and out of the truck. (Today’s 4-cycle snow throwers are about 25 lbs heavier than the old 2-cycle units I used)

Pro 21 Smart Lift

The bottom of the handles are smooth so they won’t catch on your tailgate or trunk lip. It has built in grips to make loading easier. Look at the handles closely. Extra welded plates at the bottom – extra brackets where the handle bolts together. Locking nuts, cable guides for the safety bar. Then there is the additional brace from the wheel axle to the housing….If you are a homeowner this is a great idea so you can pull it up onto your deck or even the step from the back patio to the garage.

Reinforced Steel Housing. Not just stampings in the sides for rigidity but also steel rods to give it extra strength. You will be able to wear down the side of the housing and the rod will keep it from wearing too far.

These auger paddles are much thicker than other brands.

Easy to maintain open engine design. Larger wheels than the only other competing commercial snow thrower.

Model Name	Professional–21	Professional–21
Ariens Model Item #	938024	938025
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Yes	Yes
Amount/Type Of Snow	Any- Commercial 6 in Homeowner	Any- Commercial 6 in Homeowner
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX208
ENGINE POWER	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	Recoil	Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Single	Single
CLEARING WIDTH	21 inch	21 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	12.1 inch	12.1 inch
THROWING DISTANCE	3-35 ft	3-35 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	210	210
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Manual	Manual
TIRE SIZE	7.5 in x 2 in	7.5 in x 2 in
TIRE TYPE	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic
STEERING	Free Wheel	Free Wheel
DRIVE TYPE	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled
SPEEDS	NA	NA
LENGTH	50.8	50.8
WIDTH	21.2	21.2
HEIGHT	41.7	41.7
WEIGHT	87 lbs	89 lbs
GEAR CASE	NA	NA
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	NA	NA
IMPELLER PROFILE	NA	NA
IMPELLER DIAMETER	NA	NA
AUGER DIAMETER	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)
AUGER TYPE	Thick Rubber Paddle	Thick Rubber Paddle
SKID SHOES	NA	NA
SCRAPER BAR	Spring Loaded Floating	Spring Loaded Floating
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial
CHUTE ROTATION	Manual	Remote
	Smart Lift Handlebar System, Hour Meter	Smart Lift Handlebar System, Hour Meter
TYPICAL PRICE	$599.00	$649.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK	Model # 938024	Model # 938025

2017 Ariens Path Pro Single Stage Snow Throwers

THE SINGLE-STAGE BLOWER THAT PERFORMS LIKE A TWO-STAGE.

In my opinion if the Path Pro had the same intake height as the Toro SnowMaster you would not be able to tell the difference in snow clearing ability.

It’s lightweight and easy to move. But it’s no lightweight. With a beastly Ariens-built engine, a 12.2” housing height and 8.375” paddles, the Path Pro clears up to 9” of snow all the way to the pavement. Available electric start. Blows snow up to 35 feet and features a clearing width of 21”. Starting at an affordable $399.

Model Name	Path-Pro	Path-Pro	Path-Pro	Path-Pro
Ariens Model Item #	938034	938031	938032	938033
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Not Sure	Yes	Yes	Yes
Amount/Type Of Snow	6 in Homeowner	6-9 inches Homeowner	6-9 inches Homeowner	6-9 inches Homeowner
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX136	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX208
ENGINE POWER	136cc (7.0 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V/Recoil	Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Single	Single	Single	Single
CLEARING WIDTH	21 inch	21 inch	21 inch	21 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	12.2 in (31 cm)	12.2 in (31 cm)	12.2 in (31 cm)	12.2 in (31 cm)
THROWING DISTANCE	3-35 ft	3-35 ft	3-35 ft	3-35 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	210	210	210	210
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Manual	Manual	Manual	Manual
TIRE SIZE	7.5 in x 1.75 in	7.5 in x 1.75 in	7.5 in x 1.75 in	7.5 in x 1.75 in
TIRE TYPE	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic	Semi-pneumatic
STEERING	Free Wheel	Free Wheel	Free Wheel	Free Wheel
DRIVE TYPE	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled	Auger Propelled
SPEEDS	NA	NA	NA	NA
LENGTH	35.5 in (90.17 cm)	35.5 in (90.17 cm)	35.5 in (90.17 cm)	35.5 in (90.17 cm)
WIDTH	23.5 in (59.69 cm)	23.5 in (59.69 cm)	23.5 in (59.69 cm)	23.5 in (59.69 cm)
HEIGHT	23 in (58.42 cm)	23 in (58.42 cm)	23 in (58.42 cm)	23 in (58.42 cm)
WEIGHT	91 lbs	91 lbs	95 lbs	97 lbs
GEAR CASE	NA	NA	NA	NA
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	NA	NA	NA	NA
IMPELLER PROFILE	NA	NA	NA	NA
IMPELLER DIAMETER	NA	NA	NA	NA
AUGER DIAMETER	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)	8.375 in (21.3 cm)
AUGER TYPE	Reinforced Rubber	Reinforced Rubber	Reinforced Rubber	Reinforced Rubber
SKID SHOES	NA	NA	NA	NA
SCRAPER BAR	Polymer Adjustable	Polymer Adjustable	Polymer Adjustable	Polymer Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial	3 Year Consumer, 1 Year Commercial
CHUTE ROTATION				Remote
TONS PER HOUR
TYPICAL PRICE	$449.00	$469.00	$499.00	$599.00
BUY AT HOME DEPOT LINK		Ariens Path-Pro SS21 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower Model# 938031	Ariens Path-Pro SS21E 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower Model# 938032	Ariens Path-Pro SS21E 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower Model# 9380323

The post 2017 Ariens Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

What’s New For 2017 Toro Snow Blowers?

Toro has made a few incremental changes for 2017. They’ve made major changes over the last 3 years by adding the SnowMaster line and adding the Automatic Steering to the Power Max line. The entire line continues to be made of good, solid, durable machines:

1. New Power Max 824 OE (37793): Higher horsepower is all the rage right now and many new owners are opting to buy snow blowers with much larger engines that we had in the past. This new 24 inch 2-stage snow blower sports a larger 252 cc engine and wider tires. This larger engine will handle wet, heavy snow very well. This model does not have power/auto steering
2. New Tires on Power Max 826 OXE (37797): I’ve had hundreds of readers comment how small the tires were on the Toro Power Max snow blowers so I’m very happy that Toro finally has decided to use larger wheels. The 15X5 inch tires combined with the Automatic Steering will make this one of the better snow blowers for most people.
3. Power Max® HD 1028 OHXE (38806) Commercial Version: The Toro Power Max HD snow blowers have been the machine of choice for institutions and large businesses for many years. They are easy to operate and will run for years and years without a lot of upkeep. This new model is specifically for the commercial operator and has a reinforced handle, cast iron skid shoes, drift cutters and a commercial warranty.

How this article is laid out:

This is a very comprehensive article so it will take you a while to read through it. I’m going to start with the Snowmaster Series. After that I’ll review the Power Max models. Then the Power Max HD models including the new commercial 38806. I’ll leave the single stage Power Clear for last. I will not cover the corded Power Curve and Power Shovel.

Reading Toro Snow Blower Reviews:

1. When you read snow blower reviews you are going to find reviews that state “the engine would not start,” “the engine won’t stay running.” and “the engine runs rough.” You will find these reviews for all brands and sizes of snow blowers. 98% of the time engine problems with name brand snow blowers are either fuel or operator related. Snow engines run/operate differently than your lawn mower engine and because of that I suggest educating yourself on how to store fuel, how to keep your fuel clean and how/why your snow blower engine runs the way it does. This information will go a long way to liking your new snow blower. Please read this article to learn more: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS – Read This For The Truth
2. By the way: The Toro snow blowers sold at a dealer are the exact same snow blower as sold at the retail stores like The Home Depot and ACME Tools.
3.  Aggregate reviews. Many websites scour the web for reviews and then post them on their website. In other cases one disgruntled owner will write the same or similar review in as many places as they can. So what you end up is many reviews about one specific issue from only one person. I see this quite a bit on The Home Depot and Toro sites.  Just remember, for every bad review there are thousands of Toro snow blowers sold and doing well. Please read the date the review was written and the wording to determine if there is an actual problem. If there ever is a recurring problem Toro identifies it and makes the changes so it gets fixed. In other words, negative reviews more than two years old are not worth your time to read.
4. My Toro snow blower won’t throw snow. I have read two reviews where the Toro snow blower won’t throw snow or it plugs constantly. Two reasons I that may be happening. 1. Toro 2-stage snow blowers are among the best for not clogging but even they will not throw all types of snow well. Slush or snow that is more water than snow won’t go through your snow blower. That’s the type of snow where you stomp your foot in the snow an it just spatters. You see this snow at the end of your driveway or/and the day after when the temperatures are above freezing. 2. It won’t throw snow at all. Over the last ten years I have seen this only three or four times but it’s still listed on the reviews. When brand new this is usually an assembly error at the factory. If the new owner has used the machine it’s usually due to something the snow blower picked up in the snow and that object is plugged in the snow blower.
5. Don’t bother to read Toro reviews that are negative and more than 2 years old. Two items of note: 1. Toro’s Sub Zero Poly Chute. Don’t bother to listen the “old farts” who say “plastic chutes are junk. You have to have metal ones.” Chute, deflector and ACS are made of a special cold-weather material durable to -104˚ F and guaranteed for life. It is also rust-free, so there’s no binding, and snow and ice won’t stick. I know a couple of dealers who sell hundreds of Toro’s a year and have not had an owner with a chute issue for years.   2. Since Toro has switched to their own labeled engine all engine issues have gone away. Toro’s engine are made by Loncin – one of the most respected small engine manufactures in the world.

By The Way – All Opinions are Mine.

Keeping up with snow blowers is almost a full-time job. The U.S. manufactures currently sell about 140 different models made here in the U.S. alone. In addition, there are always another dozen or so foreign manufactures trying to wedge their way into your pocketbook. By the way – a quality $500 two-stage snow blower no longer exists. The base regular price is now $649-$699.

I normally spend most of July and August talking to the different snow blower manufactures about the new models they have coming for the fall. Usually, in September the manufactures are shipping the new models to the dealers and I spend the time I need to inspect the new models as local dealers put them out on the sales floor. Sometimes that also involves traveling to the manufactures assembly plants or corporate offices to look at, demo and talk to the snow product managers. In October, I travel to the GIE-EXPO in Louisville, KY. GIE-EXPO is the largest lawn and garden equipment dealer show. There I get a chance to demo machines plus talk to the engineers and company management about all the features, fixes and new rumors. In addition, I keep 12-15 of the current snow blowers at my home for testing and answering your questions. I use these snow blowers when it snows and post those videos on YouTube.

I also spend a lot of time reading reviews from owners, reading and watching video YouTube reviews from other websites and of course keeping up with Consumer Reports latest test and reviews. Over the last ten years I’ve become pretty good at sorting out honest reviews from the otherwise biased, paid, only here to make money, and only here to complain ones.

I want to caution you about one type of review website in particular. There are dozens if not hundreds of sites that are only interested in making money through Amazon. If you read an article or watch on YouTube about a “Top 10” review or a “2017 Best” review and the ONLY place they send you is Amazon assume they did no research and are only trying to get you to buy something on Amazon through their affiliate link. Don’t get me wrong, Amazon is actually a great place to buy certain snow blowers but don’t believe the sites that only send you to Amazon. 

So – The snow is already falling in Montana. Relax, grab some hot chocolate and let’s get started on the 2017 Toro Snow Blowers.  You know how long-winded I can get.

2017 Toro Power Shovel/Power Curve Corded Electric Snow Throwers

1800 Power Curve® (38381)

I am not going to cover the corded electric Power Shovel/Power Curve in this article. If you physically can’t use a pusher style snow shovel they can be a good option for clearing 2-6 inches of snow off a raised patio or deck but otherwise I don’t recommend these small electrics for anything else. The Toro’s are best on the market and will last you many years. Toro does not make a cordless electric snow shovel at this time.

The Power Shovel/Power Curve’s have not changed for 2017. Home Depot Link: Toro Power Shovel/Power Curve  Acme Tool Link: Toro Snow Blowers

2017 Toro Power Clear Single Stage Gas Powered Snow Throwers

Since 95% of you reading this article actually need a SnowMaster or a 2-stage snow blower I am going to move the single stage Power Clear models to the end. The Power Clear’s have not changed for 2017

2017 Toro SnowMaster Snow Throwers

SnowMaster® 824 QXE (36003)

The Toro SnowMaster is the first snow thrower I grab when I want to clear 2-8 inches of snow off my cement driveway. It will throw the snow as fast as I can walk and with its compression scraper clears down to the pavement without getting stuck often on the cement edges sticking up. It also throws normal snow all the way across my 2 car driveway and off into the lawn. It clears the end of driveway snow easily if I get at it right away. It also works well on my brick patio out back. It’s as simple and easy to use a Toro Personal Pace lawn mower in these conditions.

The Toro SnowMaster has changed the topic of “What makes a good snow blower?” forever but I have developed a love/hate relationship with it. Yes, most of the time it is 20-30% faster than a typical 24-26 inch 2-stage snow blower and it’s is so easy to use, but it has a few limitations that keeps if from being my number one pick on the The Twenty Best Snow Blowers – September 2017 list.

It has three “features” that keep it from being the perfect snow thrower for most people.

Lightweight: I recommend it a lot to people in the Midwest and other areas that typically get good snow but I don’t recommend it in places like Long Island where you get a lot of heavy, wet snow falls. The 2017 Toro SnowMaster weighs about 120 lbs. A typical 24 inch 2-stage weighs about 200 bs.  This makes the SnowMaster a very easy to use machine but when the snow gets packed down, heavy or wet the snow blower does not have enough weight to push itself through more than 10 inches of snow. For example, overnight last winter I received 12 inches of heavy, “snowman” snow and after one pass up and down my drive I put the SnowMaster away and grabbed a 2-stage. The SnowMaster threw the snow well enough but didn’t have the weight to push itself through the snow. I also had the same issue a few times cleaning the end of driveway snow. This lightweight/lack of traction is one of the reasons it is not the best choice for clearing your lawn for your dog. So, if this was the only snow thrower I owned I’d learn to deal with it – only take a half pass – don’t get in a hurry, etc.

Two Stage Technology: If you need to always throw your snow more than 20 feet or so look at a different machine. Toro calls this “Two Stage Technology.” Actually this is a single stage snow blower but the front auger is built differently than Toro’s Power Clear machines. The outer edges of the auger are metal. They chew up the snow and move it to the center section. The center section grabs the snow and throws it out of the machine.  Also, the front auger is a larger diameter than their Power Clear snow throwers so it does throw most snow farther than the Power Clear. It’s also completely open in front so it will take on an 18 inch drift and does not plug up clearing really wet snow like some 2-stage machines will. It even handles slush OK. But, it does not have a second stage impeller that throws the snow long distances.

Personal Pace: If you own a Toro lawn mower with the Personal Pace you will love this snow thrower but if you’ve never used a Personal Pace mower let’s talk.  I’ve tried the Personal Pace mowers in the past and personally hate the Personal Pace System. Why?

1. I’m the type of person who slows down when I walk so having a self-propelled mower/snow blower that sets the pace for me works the best for the way I walk. The Personal Pace system goes as fast as you walk so I tend to go slower and slower and slower……
2. I have learned to grab the snow blower handle and then engage the transmission. The snow blower takes off and “pulls” you along. With the Personal Pace system you just grab the handle and start walking. It goes the speed that you are walking – instead of you going the speed the snow blower is moving.
3. It does not work well on turf and gravel. Because the Personal Pace works by you starting to walk and then it responds – if the front scraper of the snow blower sticks (on grass or other obstructions) you push on the Personal pace controls. That causes the front of the Snowmaster to buck up. This can be a very frustrating experience. Yes, you can mitigate it somewhat with experience and by grabbing the bar underneath the Personal Pace but it can be very frustrating if you have a good-sized area to clear.
4. There is a solution: Some of Toro’s 4 wheel drive and large area walk behind mowers have a Traction-Assist Handle. You can grab that handle to allow the Personal Pace to help you set an even pace. I’m hoping they will put that on future versions of the Snow Master.

So, in summary. Even though this is my number two pick this snow thrower is for a very specific buyer. Who is it for? If you mainly get “normal” snow. If you get a lot more 2-6 inchers than 12+ wet snow falls. Because of the light weight you’ll want you get right out and clean your driveway after a heavy snow. If you only need to clear a short path to the shed or over to the mailbox it will work OK. It throws snow as well as many $700-$900 2-stage machines. It has extremely simple controls. With Toro dropping the price for 2017 I feel it is one of the best value snow blowers on the market.  But, It may not be the best for you because it’s so lightweight and it will run out of traction trying to clear 10 inches of more of heavy/wet end of driveway snow. You can clear gravel and lawn without damaging the machine but with the Personal Pace controls it’s hard to do. If you go “off-road” a lot with your snow blower I strongly suggest you look at a 2-stage instead. I’ll keep the one I purchased for a long time and use it every year – but I’ll have a 2-stage sitting next to it for the snow clearing it doesn’t do well.

Toro has three models of the SnowMaster. I’ll give you links to two Internet retailers I trust or you can purchase them at your local Toro dealer.

SnowMaster® 724 ZXR (36001)

• 212cc Toro® OHV Engine
• 24″ Clearing Width & Up to 40′ (12 m) Throwing Distance
• Automatic Steering
• EZ Turn Chute Control

Buy at Home Depot: SnowMaster® 724 ZXR (36001)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

SnowMaster® 724 QXE (36002)

• 212cc Toro® OHV Engine
• 24″ Clearing Width & Up to 40′ (12 m) Throwing Distance
• Automatic Steering
• Quick Stick® Chute Control

Buy at Home Depot: SnowMaster® 724 QXE (36002)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

SnowMaster® 824 QXE (36003)

• 252cc Toro® OHV Engine
• 24″ Clearing Width & Up to 40′ (12 m) Throwing Distance
• Automatic Steering
• Quick Stick® Chute Control

Buy at Home Depot: SnowMaster® 824 QXE (36003)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

2017 Toro Power Max 2-Stage Snow Blowers

Power Max® 826 OXE (37797)

Capacity-wise the Toro Power Max snow blowers are a good choice for most of you reading this. They will handle normal yearly average snowfalls up to 60-80 inches well. The snow blowers are built very well and will last you a long time.

Personally, I like the Power Max® 826 OXE (37797) a lot. The new larger tires will help it with traction clearing the end-of-driveway snow plow pile and the Automatic Steering is the easiest power steering to use. (FYI, it uses the same General Transmissions DI300 automatic differential as the Ariens Auto-Turn :). It has plenty of capacity and throwing distance for areas that get 60-100 inches of snow a year.

But, I am not a big fan of the other four Toro Power Max 2-stage snow blowers. Why? It actually has nothing to do with the snow blowers themselves and the problems I have with them can easily be fixed without changing the machines

1. The OE models are over priced. The OE models do not have power steering. You can purchase a comparable Ariens Classic, Craftsman 88173, or Troy-Bilt Storm 2460 for $100 less. You will have the same performance and capacity for less money.
2. The Toro sales brochure is misleading. The current 2017 Homeowner Sales Brochure highlights the automatic steering but that steering only comes on the highest priced OXE models. The rest of the Power Max snow blowers (OE) models have pins that hold the wheels on the axle. You have to insert these pins to use the snow blower. On the sales floor these pins are pulled so that you can move it around freely. When you want to use it to clear your drive you insert the pins into the axles and both wheels drive. The biggest complaint I read is no one explains these pins to the new owner. So, when they get the snow blower home and go to use it the snow blower will not move or only one wheel turns.
3. The snow blowers typically do not come set up ready to blow snow. The Quick-Stick Chute control is the easiest chute control on the market but many people or the assembler at the retail store does not get it assembled correctly. It’s actually very easy to assemble – if you read the directions. Yes, I’m as bad as most people. I typically don’t read the assembly instructions. But in this case it is affecting the reviews of these machines. If the chute control on your new snow blowers doesn’t work smoothly and move all the way from side to side please get out the instructions and reassemble the controls.

Toro has five current models of the Power Max. Three models (OE) do not have power steering (OXE). I’ll give you links to two Internet retailers I trust or you may purchase them at your local Toro dealer.

Power Max® 724 OE (37779)

• Toro Premium 212cc OHV 4-cycle engine
• 24″ clearing width & up to 40′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6-12″ of snow at a time on a driveway made of concrete, asphalt or gravel surfaces that can park up to 4-10 cars
• Locked/solid axle. No power/automatic steering

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® 724 OE (37779)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® 824 OE (37793) New!

• Larger Toro Premium 252cc OHV 4-cycle engine
• 24″ clearing width & up to 40′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6-12″ of snow at a time on a driveway made of concrete, asphalt or gravel surfaces that can park up to 4-10 cars
• Locked/solid axle. No power/automatic steering

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® 824 OE (37793)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® 826 OE (37780)

• Toro Premium 252cc OHV 4-cycle engine
• 26″ clearing width & up to 40′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6-12″ of snow at a time on a driveway made of concrete, asphalt or gravel surfaces that can park up to 4-10 cars
• Locked/solid axle. No power/automatic steering

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® 826 OE (37780)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® 826 OXE (37781)

• Toro Premium 252cc OHV 4-cycle engine
• 26″ clearing width &up to 40′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6-12″ of snow at a time on a driveway made of concrete, asphalt or gravel surfaces that can park up to 4-10 cars
• Automatic steering allows smooth, tight turning without pulling or strain

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® 826 OXE (37781)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® 826 OXE (37797) New!

• Toro Premium 252cc OHV 4-cycle engine
• 26″ clearing width &up to 40′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6-12″ of snow at a time on a driveway made of concrete, asphalt or gravel surfaces that can park up to 4-10 cars
• Automatic steering allows smooth, tight turning without pulling or strain

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® 826 OXE (37797) New!

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

2017 Toro Power HD Max 2-Stage Snow Blowers

Power Max® HD 1028 OHXE (38806)

I like the Toro Power Max HD snow blowers a lot. They are premium snow blowers and have long been known as some of the best snow blowers in the industry. They have been around for over 10 years and other than a few engine changes they have not changed. They are among the most dependable snow blowers made. In fact, I had one dealer who sells hundreds of snow blowers a year complain that once he sells a Power Max HD, “They are so dependable that I never see it again!”

The Toro Power Max HD snow blowers are heavy-duty, high-capacity machines. These snow blowers look big but are actually very easy to use. They are balanced very well and have excellent traction in all conditions. I have no problems recommending them to any person who can walk behind a snow blower and use both hands.

They are very comparable to the Ariens Platinum Series and in my opinion will out perform the new Honda 2-stage snow blowers.  Consumer Reports currently does not have a review on the Power Max HD models.

A few features that make the Toro Power Max HD unique compared to other “heavy-duty” snow blowers:

1. The Toro Power Max HD does not use shear pins. The entire front auger/gearbox/impeller system is built tough enough that these snow blowers do not need them. These snow blowers are tough enough that the only difference between the residential model and the commercial model is a reinforced handle and cast iron skid shoes. These snow blowers last years for schools, hospitals, municipalities and park services.
2. These snow blowers do not need high horsepower engines to do the work. The design of the Anti-Clog System inside the housing allows the impeller to off-load snow if there is too much. That gives the snow blower a consistent output without requiring an excessively large engine. These snow blowers are very fuel-efficient.
3. Like the other heavy-duty snow blowers on the market the Power Max HD series use a 14 inch impeller and 14 inch auger to give it more capacity and throwing distance than the residential grade snow blowers.
4. The Anti-Clog System does not plug. It handles all types of snow including heavy, wet slushy snow well.
5. The Toro Power Max HD will throw more snow just as far as the Honda HSS928AW/HSS928AWD and costs almost $1000 less.
6. Toro uses a different type of steel than the other brands. This allows them to have a very tough snow blower without the thicker gauge used by others. This results in a huge weight savings. For example the Toro Power Max 1028 OHXE Commercial Model 38806 weighs 60 lbs less than the Ariens Professional 28 Model 926065.
7. Toro uses a unique Quick Stick Chute Control and Sub Zero material for the chute and controls. This combination makes the  chute the easiest to control and it doesn’t break or wear out. The Chute and Deflector are Guaranteed for Life!
8. The Toro Power Max HD snow blowers all use a trigger style power steering system. The snow blower goes in a straight line until you pull one of the handle mounted triggers to turn. You can pull both triggers to release both wheels at the same time to zero-turn.

Toro has four models of the Power Max HD. I’ll give you links to two Internet retailers I trust or you may purchase them at your local Toro dealer.

Power Max® HD 826 OXE (38805)

• Toro Premium 252cc OHV 4-cycle
• 26″ clearing width & up to 45′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6+ inches of snow on a 6+ car driveway made of concrete, asphalt, or gravel

Buy at Home Depot: Not Available through THD

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® HD 928 OHXE (38801)

• 265cc 4-cycle OHV Toro Premium Engine
• 28″ clearing width & up to 45′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6+ inches of snow on a 6+ car driveway made of concrete, asphalt, or gravel

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® HD 928 OHXE (38801)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® HD 1028 OHXE (38802)

• 302cc 4-cycle OHV Toro Premium engine
• Wide 28″ clearing width
• Up to 45′ throwing distance and up to 2100 lbs per minute
• Ideally used to clear 6+ inches of snow on a 6+ car driveway made of concrete, asphalt, or gravel

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® HD 1028 OHXE (38802)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

Power Max® HD 1028 OHXE (38806)

• 302cc 4-cycle OHV Toro Premium engine
• Wide 28″ clearing width
• Up to 45′ throwing distance
• Ideally used to clear 6+ inches of snow on a 6+ car driveway made of concrete, asphalt, or gravel
• Includes Drift Cutters, Cast Iron Skid Shoes and offers a 1 year commercial warranty.

Buy at Home Depot: Power Max® HD 1028 OHXE (38806)

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

2017 Toro Power Clear Single Stage Gas Powered Snow Throwers

Power Clear® 721 QZE (38744)

I first started using the Toro single stage snow throwers in the early 90’s and I have always liked how well they throw snow for a single stage, how well they clear right down to the pavement and how much abuse they will take. In the late 90’s I had one in the back of every snow plow truck and could count on them working when needed.

The Toro Power Clear 721 RC is still the snow thrower of choice for thousands of snow removal companies. This year Ariens has introduced a Professional single stage that appears more rugged but otherwise no one else has anything that compares.

Single stage snow throwers work the best for 6 inches or so of good snow. The relatively low intake height limits them to about 9 inches in one pass and they don’t like the end of driveway snow pile the municipal snow plow leaves.  All of the Toro’s are auger propelled. That means you push the snow blower but if you raise handles the front paddle contacts the ground and will pull you forward reasonably well. This is great if the snow is packed onto the pavement because it cleans right down to the bare concrete or black top.

Single stage snow throwers will pick up gravel, turf and frozen dog dodo and throw it throw it through your glass window so don’t try to use it on unpaved areas.

Toro has six models of the single stage Power Clear. I’ll give you links to two Internet retailers I trust at the end or you may purchase them at your local Toro dealer.

The Power Clear® 518 ZR (38472) and 518 ZE (38473) is a tiny little 18 inch snow thrower. It won’t throw snow very far but it’s great for a raised deck, porch or to throw in the car trunk. It has a 99 cc, 4-cycle gas engine (no gas/oil mix) and only weigh 54 lbs. The 518 ZE does have electric start!

Power Clear® 721 R (38741)

• Recoil Start
• 212cc Toro Premium 4-cycle OHV
• 21″ Clearing Width & Up to 35′ Throwing Distance
• Ideally used to clear 3-9″ of snow at a time on a driveway that can park up to 8 cars
• Powerful enought to handle big jobs but small enough for easy storage.

Power Clear® 721 E (38742)

• Electric Start
• 212cc Toro Premium 4-cycle OHV
• 21″ Clearing Width & Up to 35′ Throwing Distance
• Ideally used to clear 3-9″ of snow at a time on a driveway that can park up to 8 cars
• Powerful enough to handle big jobs but small enough for easy storage.

Power Clear® 721 R-C (38751)

• Recoil Start with long life paddles. This model was made for contractors and owner who use it constantly on large areas.
• 212cc Toro Premium 4-cycle engine to power through heavy snow
• Extended life paddles last up to twice as long as standard paddles
• Enhanced reflective ergonomic handle
• 1-Year Limited Commercial warranty

Power Clear® 721 QZE (38744)

• Electric Start and Quick Shoot control. This control works very, very well. If you have to throw the snow in different directions on every pass this is a great choice
• 212cc Toro Premium 4-cycle OHV engine
• 21″ Clearing Width & Up to 35′ Throwing Distance
• Ideally used to clear 3-9″ of snow at a time on a driveway that can park up to 8 cars
• Powerful enough to handle big jobs but small enough for easy storage

If you feel a single stage snow blower may be the best choice the Power Clear 721 Series is available here:

Buy at Home Depot: Toro Single Stage Snow Throwers at The Home Depot

Buy at Acme Tools: Toro Snow Blowers At ACME Tools

The post 2017 Toro Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

What’s New For 2017 Husqvarna Snow Blowers?

Husqvarna has made no incremental changes for 2017. But that is not a bad thing.

1. The current ST224P is one of the highest rated snow blowers on Amazon!
2. Husqvarna completely rebuilt their snow blower line three years ago. Just remember, Husqvarna was the first to introduce the long lasting LCT engines, quiet mufflers, adjustable height handles, two easy to understand grades of residential snow blowers, and heavy-duty tracked snow blowers. They were also the first to introduce cast iron impellers on the heavy duty models. When they rebuilt the line they also fixed some of the long standing bugs like sticky power steering on the old Crown series. The improvements in the snow blowers listed here made the rest of the industry take a “step up” and they still continue to lead the pack.

How this article is laid out:

This is a very comprehensive article so it will take you a while to read through it. I’m going to start with the single stage, then the 200 series residential and finally the 300 series landowner.

Reading Husqvarna Snow Blower Reviews:

1. When you read snow blower reviews you are going to find reviews that state “the engine would not start,” “the engine won’t stay running.” and “the engine runs rough.” You will find these reviews for all brands and sizes of snow blowers. 98% of the time engine problems with name brand snow blowers are either fuel or operator related. Snow engines run/operate differently than your lawn mower engine and because of that I suggest educating yourself on how to store fuel, how to keep your fuel clean and how/why your snow blower engine runs the way it does. This will go a long way to liking your new snow blower. Please read this article to learn more: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS – Read This For The Truth
2. By the way: The Husqvarna snowblowers sold at a dealer are the exact same snow blower as sold at the retail stores like The Home Depot and Acme Tools.
3. My Husqvarna snow blower won’t throw snow. I have read a few reviews where the Husqvarna snow blower won’t throw snow or it plugs constantly. Three reasons I can see. 1. A new owner may not be aware that snow blowers will not throw all types of snow well. Slush or snow that is more water than snow won’t go through your snow blower well. That’s the type of snow where you stomp your foot in the snow an it just splatters. You see this snow at the end of your driveway or/and the day after when the temperatures are above freezing. 2. It won’t throw snow at all. Over the last ten years I have seen this only once or twice but it’s still listed on the reviews. When brand new this is usually an assembly error at the factory. If the new owner has used the machine it’s usually due to something the snow blower picked up in the snow and that object is plugged in the snow blower. 3. The new owner hit something and sheared one of the front auger shear pins. If your snow blower is not blowing snow, it pushes snow in front of the snow blower, or the front end wants to ride up instead of cut into the snow drift the most likely cause is one or both front shear pins are broke. Frozen newspapers, a can of soda, chunks of solid ice, landscape bricks, your kids toys are examples of stuff that will shear those pins. It’s not a fun task when you forget to pick up your garden hose and you find it with the snow blower. The Husqvarna snow blowers are designed to break those pins so you don’t wreck much more expensive components.
4. Don’t bother to read Husqvarna reviews that are negative and more than 2 years old. The two complaints you will read were fixed in 2014 and 2015. Those two items were: 1. When the 200 series first came out in 2014 the ST230P was immediately breaking belts. This unfortunately happened to many people during the Boston Blizzard that year.  The problem was a root cause of a drive pulley that was too rough, the very wet, heavy snow Boston received and that the 200 series is designed for areas that get typical 10-14 inch snowfalls – not the 24-30 inches Boston received all at once.  The problem was identified and fixed for the 2015 machines. The was also a service bulletin sent to all Husqvarna dealers identifying the problem.  2. You will read articles and posts on snow blower forums that state the power steering is sticky. That problem was with snow blowers made before 2014 (the old Crown series.) The power steering was completely re-engineered when the 300 series came out in 2014 and they have had no problems since.
5. The snow blowers are shipped in a crate. When you buy from Amazon, Acme Tools and Northern Tool the snow blower is shipped to you in a crate. You will have to attach the discharge chute, the handle and adjust the skid shoes.  Read the directions before you take the unit out of the crate and the process will go quickly and smoothly. Over the last 3 year we have had very, very few problems but if the shipping broke, bent or lost a part call the phone number in the assembly instructions and Husqvarna will quickly get the new part to you.

By The Way – All Opinions are Mine.

Keeping up with snow blowers is almost a full time job. The U.S. manufactures currently sell about 140 different models made here in the U.S. alone. In addition, there are always another dozen or so foreign manufactures trying to wedge their way into your pocketbook. By the way – a quality $500 two-stage snow blower no longer exists. The base regular price is now $649-$699.

I normally spend most of July and August talking to the different snow blower manufactures about the new models they have coming for the fall. Usually, in September the manufactures are shipping the new models to the dealers and I spend the time I need to inspect the new models as local dealers put them out on the sales floor. Sometimes that also involves traveling to the manufactures assembly plants or corporate offices to look at, demo and talk to the snow product managers. In October, I travel to the GIE-EXPO in Louisville, KY. GIE-EXPO is the largest lawn and garden equipment dealer show. There I get a chance to demo machines plus talk to the engineers and company management about all the features, fixes and new rumors. In addition, I keep 12-15 of the current snow blowers at my home for testing and answering your questions. I use these snow blowers when it snows and post those videos on YouTube.

I also spend a lot of time reading reviews from owners, reading and watching video YouTube reviews from other websites and of course keeping up with Consumer Reports latest test and reviews. Over the last ten years I’ve become pretty good at sorting out honest reviews from the biased/paid/only here to make money/only here to complain ones.

I want to caution you about one type of review in particular. There are dozens if not hundreds of sites that are only interested in making money through Amazon. If you read an article or watch on YouTube a “Top 10” review or a “2017 Best” review and the ONLY place they send you is Amazon assume they did no research and are only trying to get you to buy something on Amazon through their affiliate link. Don’t get me wrong, Amazon is actually a great place to buy certain snow blowers but don’t believe the sites that only send you to Amazon. 

So – Relax, grab some hot chocolate and let’s get started on the 2017 Toro Snow Blowers.  You know how long-winded I can get.

Why Buy A Husqvarna Snow Blower This Year?

Why The Brand: Husqvarna is the world’s largest Outdoor Power Equipment brand.  HusqvarnaGroup is an easy to understand organization because it is publicly traded and they spend a lot of time explaining what their market is and who they build products for. Here is their take on the U.S. Market  “The retail landscape is highly consolidated in North America and competition in the mass consumer segment is fierce with a strong emphasis on price.” 

Their snow blowers are designed and made here in the U.S. They are sold worldwide. Husqvarna focuses on residential gas snow blowers and offers a complete and very easy to understand line. They only make 12 walk behind snow blowers. Three single stage, four economy residential models, three heavy duty residential models and two heavy-duty tracked snow blowers. Even though the current models have been around for three years they are still “state-of-the-art” and have proven very reliable. In fact the Husqvarna ST224 and ST224P are the two highest rated snow blowers on Amazon. (2-stage gas Snow Blowers with more than 10 reviews.)

Where to Buy: Please note, I will only send you to online retailers that I trust and that have a good relationship with the Husqvarna dealers.  Click on the link to read more. Husqvarna has a large dealer network. In addition the snow blowers are sold through Husqvarna Snow Blowers at Amazon.com, Acme Tools, acmetools.com and Husqvarna at Northern Tool. When you buy through the links on this page I make a small commission from the sale. That helps keep this website up and running.

Acme Tools has been offering mail-order/online since 1999 and is one of the most well-respected companies for Rural Lifestyle and Small Business. Acme Tools and Amazon are intent on becoming two of the best online stores. I trust both companies to deliver you a great product and an even greater buying experience.  acmetools.com

Northern Tool is also farm supply and tool company I trust.  They make many of their own products under the North Star brand. I’ve been buying from them since 1988 and have always been happy with the products and service. Husqvarna at Northern Tool

Lowes tends to sell the most popular/least expensive machines while Acme Tools and Amazon carry the complete line.

Overall, the Husqvarna residential and heavy-duty residential lines are good value gas-powered residential snow blowers.  That means they are not the cheapest or the heaviest-duty on the market. As a homeowner they will give you your money’s worth and with a little maintenance last years. The fact that many are the top rated snow blowers on Amazon says a lot about the quality.

FYI: Husqvarna Group also sells these snow blowers under the Poulan Pro brand. But: The brand usually has fewer features than the Husqvarna branded snow blowers.

When sized to the amount of snow you get and the area you have to clear you can always feel good that you made the right decision in purchasing a Husqvarna. They do not make a commercial snow blower though the 300 series tracked machines are as heavy-duty as they come.  They do not have electric snow throwers listed on their website at this time but Husqvarna is heavily invested in electric technology for the landscape market. I expect to see something from them soon.

Parts – Service: Husqvarna has a well established parts and repair network.  You can quickly set up service or get parts through the support tab on Husqvarna.com.  Acme Tools, Northern Tool and Amazon are very easy to work with if you have a problem with your new machine.

Owner Reviews: Depending on the model, Husqvarna Snow Blowers averages 4 out of 5 stars or better at Lowes.com and Amazon.com. In fact, the two 24 inch models are the best reviewed 2-stage gas snow blowers on Amazon.  Again: If you read any reviews about an auger belt breaking.  That problem was only in the first year of production and has been fixed.

All Husqvarna gas engine snow throwers have a 4-cycle engine.  All 2-stage machines have a fuel shut-off valve. Please use a fuel stabilizer when storing the snow blower with fuel in it.

The Complete 2017 Husqvarna Snow Thrower List:

My goal is to help you find the right snow blower for you. You can get the best deal but if it is on the wrong snow blower it’s a lose/lose for both you and the company you purchased it from.  Before I get to the list I would like to remind you about the snow blower facts article that will help you decide on the right type and size snow blower for you. The article will answer most of your questions about what size or type of snow blower you need for your property. Check out the FAQS page for questions like “How large of snow blower do I need?”

Please Note: If a snow thrower is listed on Lowes.com I will try to note it here but I have no relationship with Lowes.com (U.S.) so I will not insert a link to Lowes.  I do have a relationship with lowes.ca (Canada) Acme Tools  Northern Tool and Amazon where I make a small commission if you buy through this site.  My readers and I have had great luck buying through ACME, Northern Tool and Amazon but it is up to you to find the best place for you to purchase your snow thrower. 

2nd Note: Amazon carries 10 of the Husqvarna snow throwers and offers free shipping through Amazon Prime BUT There are also private sellers who also sell on Amazon.  Those private sellers may not have free shipping and the snow blowers may not have the Amazon A-Z guarantee. (this issue is not exclusive to Amazon. Many other websites use what the industry calls “endless aisle” where they stock certain items but also list similar products from other companies. Please be a savvy shopper and check twice where you are buying from retailers I don’t list here.) If you have any questions please ask.

Yes, I do recommend the 2-Year Lawn & Garden Extended Protection Plan on Amazon if offered.

So, here is the list of the 2016 Husqvarna snow blowers. You may ask any questions about these models in the comments section at the end.

2017 Single Stage Husqvarna Snow Throwers:

Husqvarna offers three single stage gas snow throwers this year.  Remember, single stage snow throwers only work on hard surfaces like a black top driveway or cement sidewalk. They do work well if you have people who walk on the snow before you clean because the front rubber auger actually touches the ground. No matter what the manufacture states a single paddle snow thrower will only handle about 6 inches of snow at a time. If you get more snow than that you will have to go out in the middle of the storm and clear snow.  They also don’t work well on that frozen pile of snow the snow plow truck left you about 10 pm last night. It will clear it OK if the pile has not frozen but if it has frozen solid take a snow shovel with you to break up the snow so the snow thrower can move it for you.

The Husqvarna single stage snow throwers are good machines but they are no my first choice for a single stage unit.  Why? They clean the pavement well, they are easy to use,etc., but they use a scraper under the snow blower to clean all the snow off the driveway. This scraper is about 2 inches behind the paddles and always leaves a small pile of snow 2 inches wide and about 1/2 inch tall. This means that if you are a fanatic for having a perfectly clean driveway you will have to go back out with a shovel or broom to clean up a few inside corners where the snow thrower left this small strip of snow.

Husqvarna ST111

The post 2017 Husqvarna Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

What’s New For 2017 Cub Cadet Snow Blowers?

Cub Cadet has made a few important changes for 2017. First and foremost they have changed the dash so that the light(s) now shine on either side of the discharge chute on the latest models. Second, they have added to the lines so that this year they have 31 different offerings!

1. All snow blowers added this year now have a metal chute and power steering: I was once told by an MTD executive that the Yard Machines line was aimed at the economy minded buyer, Troy-Bilt was aimed at the residential/suburban buyer and Cub Cadet was aimed at farmers and owners who wanted the best. In fact, Cub Cadet was known for many years as one of the best lawn and garden equipment lines. But, over the last 7 years, I watched the entire MTD snow thrower fleet melt into one homogeneous mass.  Thankfully, it appears that is changing. I can see that Cub Cadet has now reached back into their great history, listened closely to their customers and refocused on offering you the features you really want in a Cub Cadet. (disclaimer: My uncle was one of the young engineers who developed the first Cub Cadet lawn tractor for International Harvester so I am a little biased on what makes Cub Cadet great.)
2. The 2017 models all have a new locking deflector control. I have no idea why that old friction wing nut is still out on the deflector!  The new deflector control has notches on the dash so it stays in place and doesn’t “creep” like the old models. The 4-way chute control is also gone on all but one model.
3. All two and threes stage snowblowers have power steering: Cub Cadet no longer has any models listed with solid axle propulsion.
4. Some models have new, taller tires. This raises the handlebars a little and gives the snow blower better traction.
5. All snow blowers added this year now have two LED headlights: Cub Cadet’s new dash is pretty “cool.” All the controls are robust and easy to reach. You’ll really like the dual LED headlights that shine around the discharge chute. The 4-way pistol grip chute control is gone in favor of a new dual control that is strong and very easy to use.
6. Commercial Warranty is available for all models in the line: I don’t know if this is new or I just haven’t been paying attention but every snow thrower in the line has at minimum a 3-year residential/1 year commercial warranty (5 years on the front gearbox). To me, that states, “Cub Cadet is very confident in the quality of their snow throwers.” Their exclusive non-marking, cool-blue skids shoes continue to be the most long-lasting poly shoes on the market.
7. The Heavy-Duty 30 and 34 Pro Models are also available with Hydrostatic Transmissions: Toro Power Max HD snow blowers have been the machine of choice for institutions and large businesses for many years but these new models will give the Power Max HD a run for its money. These new models come with a FIVE YEAR commercial warranty.

By The Way – All Opinions are Mine.

Keeping up with snow blowers is almost a full-time job. The U.S. manufactures currently sell about 140 different models made here in the U.S. alone. In addition, there are always another dozen or so foreign manufactures trying to wedge their way into your pocketbook. By the way – a quality $500 two-stage snow blower no longer exists. The base regular price is now $649-$699.

I normally spend most of July and August talking to the different snow blower manufactures about the new models they have coming for the fall. Usually, in September the manufacturers are shipping the new models to the dealers and I spend the time I need to inspect the new models as local dealers put them out on the sales floor. Sometimes that also involves traveling to the manufactures assembly plants or corporate offices to look at, demo and talk to the snow product managers. In October, I travel to the GIE-EXPO in Louisville, KY. GIE-EXPO is the largest lawn and garden equipment dealer show. There I get a chance to demo machines plus talk to the engineers and company management about all the features, fixes and new rumors. In addition, I keep 12-15 of the current snow blowers at my home for testing and answering your questions. I use these snow blowers when it snows and post those videos on YouTube.

I also spend a lot of time reading reviews from owners, reading and watching video YouTube reviews from other websites and of course keeping up with Consumer Reports latest test and reviews. Over the last ten years, I’ve become pretty good at sorting out honest reviews from the otherwise biased, paid, only here to make money, and only here to complain ones.

I want to caution you about one type of review website in particular. There are dozens if not hundreds of websites and youtube videos that are only interested in making money through Amazon. If you read an article or watch on YouTube about a “Top 10” review or a “2017 Best” review and the ONLY place they send you is Amazon assume they did no research and are only trying to get you to buy something on Amazon through their affiliate link. Don’t get me wrong, Amazon is actually a great place to buy certain snow blowers but don’t believe the sites that only send you to Amazon. 

Is 3-Stage Better Than 2-Stage?

I’m going to skip the section in this article on how to read reviews and instead talk about my viewpoint on the 3-stage snow blowers.

1. 1. 3-stage is not better than competing 2-stage snow blowers – it’s just different. Every U.S. manufacture tries to make the best snow blower for the price and or the best snow blower for certain buyers. Because of that, there have been many different designs over the years. Cub Cadet advertises the 3-stage to be better than a 2-stage but when you read the fine print the claim is against their own 2-stage snow blowers – not other brands. They offer 2-stage, 3-stage and 3-stage heavy duty snow blowers. So, feel free to ask in the comments below if the Cub Cadet 3-stage or another option from another brand is the best choice for you.
   2. Consumer Reports and their love affair with 3-stage snow blowers. If I decided to design a snow blower that would beat Consumer Reports test, the Cub Cadet 3 stage is a very good design. Consumer Reports uses a very specific method to test snow blowers. Their testing method is very consistent, meaning every snow blower is tested the exact same way. But the tests don’t use actual snow so their tests may not be that practical for determining the best snow blower for you. To give CR credit where credit is due, they now have a 3-stage list and a 2-stage list so there are now 2-stage machines that rank almost as well in their test as the 3-stage models. One other item to note about CR reviews – Their ratings are based on the models they have tested – not all of the snow blowers on the market. In particular, there are high capacity and commercial snow blowers that have never been tested by them. (For example the Toro Power Max HD 1028 EXLT and Ariens Commercial Series)
   3. Is the 3X snow blower durable? Yes, When sized properly for the amount of snow you have to clear and the size of your property a Cub Cadet snow blower will last many years. All Cub Cadet snow blowers are designed to break shear pins if it hits something that may damage the machine so make sure you have extra on hand. You may break a few until you get used to your machine and the obstructions you have. One positive feature is when it does break a pin most of the time it throws the entire broken pin out of the hole. (Some other brands leave a piece in the hole that you have to tap out with a drift punch) I just tape a ziplock bag of them right on the handle. The hard one to replace is the shear pin on the back auger flite. (The yellow propeller behind the gearbox.) Before you go out and clear snow the first time please figure out how that hole lines up with the front shear pin so you can easily find it if you break the pin.
   4. I’m over 6 feet tall. Is it possible to raise the grips/handlebar on the two-stage machines? No. Cub Cadet uses drive cables and shift rods instead of sheathed cables like the Husqvarna 200 series so you can’t make the handles longer or drill another hole in the frame to tip them up. If you are under 6 ft the handles are just the right height. Many of the new models have taller wheels this year so the handles will be taller.
   5. Will a 3-stage snow blower handle my needs or should I stick with a 2-stage machine? Yes, in general, 3-stage heavy-duty models will handle any snow or blizzard you get. My only real beef with it is the front “propeller” on the 24-inch models 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 to the area you have not cleared yet. On 6-10 inch snows, it actually throws snow very well.

Be sure you read 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.”

2017 Cub Cadet – How this review is laid out.

This is a very comprehensive article so it will take you a while to read through it. Because Cub Cadet offers so many models this year the only logical way to go through the units is by size. Note: It appears that Cub Cadet still has a lot of inventory left from previous years. (Trust me, they are not the only one) I’m only going to cover the latest models in this article. In my viewpoint, the ONLY differences between the NEW 2017 models and the older stock are the metal chute, the new easy engine controls, and the new dash with dual LED headlights.

• 21″ single stage
• 24″ two and three stage
• 26″  two and three stage
• 28″ two and three stage
• 30″ three stage
• 33″ two stage
• 34″ three stage

Canadian Snow Blower Buyers:

Cub Cadet snow blowers in Canada are similar but not always exactly like the models offered in the U. S. You can see the models offered at Lowes.ca and HomeDepot.ca here:

LINK: Snow blowers at Lowes Canada

 LINK: Snow Blowers at The Home Depot Canada

2107 Cub Cadet 21″ single stage

31AS2M5E710_1X™ 21

31AS2M5E710_1X™ 21 – It’s lightweight and easy to move. Auger-propelled so the rubber auger touches the surface and cleans right down to the pavement. With a 123cc electric start engine, a 13” intake height and 9” paddles, the 1X 21″ clears up to 9” of snow all the way to the pavement. Blows snow 15-25 feet and features a clearing width of 21”.

This is a small, lightweight snow thrower good for hard, smooth surfaces like decks, patios, and short sidewalks. It makes a great compliment to your larger 2 or 3 stage snow blower for getting into areas you can’t get with the larger machine.

Buy at The Home Depot: Cub Cadet Single Stage Snow Throwers

31AS2S5C710_1X™ 21 HP

31AS2S5C710_1X™ 21 HP – If you average 20-30 inches of snow a year this is one of the standards for single stage snow throwers. Auger-propelled so the rubber auger touches the surface and cleans right down to the pavement. With a 179cc electric start engine, a 13” intake height and 9” paddles, the 1X 21″ HP clears up to 9” of snow all the way to the pavement. Blows snow 15-35 feet and features a clearing width of 21”.

This is a lightweight snow thrower good for hard, smooth surfaces like decks, patios, small paved driveways and sidewalks that don’t get snow thrown on them from the city snow plow.

Buy at The Home Depot: Cub Cadet Single Stage Snow Throwers

31AM2T6D710_1X™ 21 LHP

31AM2T6D710_1X™ 21 LHP – If you’ve owned a single stage snow thrower and liked it but always felt you could use a little more power this is a good choice. It’s also one of the few snow singles stage snow throwers with a remote chute deflector and a headlight. Auger-propelled so the rubber auger touches the surface and cleans right down to the pavement. With a 208cc electric start engine, a 13” intake height and 9” paddles, the 1X 21″ LHP clears up to 9” of snow all the way to the pavement. Blows snow up to 35 feet and features a clearing width of 21”.

This is a deluxe single stage snow thrower with plenty of power for hard, smooth surfaces like decks, patios, small paved driveways and sidewalks that don’t get snow thrown on them from the city snow plow. It’s fast and very easy to use.

Buy at The Home Depot: Cub Cadet Single Stage Snow Throwers

2107 Cub Cadet 24″ two and three stage

31AM5BTR710_2X 24

 2X-24.  This 2-stage snow blower with power steering is one of the best values on the market. It’s a great price at $799. It’s been around for a long time and it’s always my first choice for people who average about 60 inches a year with a 2 car 60-foot driveway and want an easy to use snow blower. It works well for gravel, hard surface and turf. It’s balanced well and the handlebars are lower than most other snow blowers so it works well for shorter people. In fact, if you are under 6 Feet, can walk and use both hands you can use this machine. It comes with long-wearing poly skid shoes that won’t scratch your delicate pavers or leave brown rust stains on your concrete. It has all the features of the more expensive machines except hand warmers but they can be installed by your local Cub Cadet dealer.

Buy at The Home Depot: Cub Cadet Model # 2X 24 24 in. 208cc 2-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Power Steering

There is another version available at homedepot.com with the metal chute and crank chute rotation and pitch control for $899.

Buy at The Home Depot: Cub Cadet 2X 24 in. 208cc Two-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Power Steering and Steel Chute

31AH54VC710_NEW 3X™ 24

3X-24. This is the same snow blower as the Troy-Bilt Vortex™ 2490 Snow Thrower but with the new metal chute, new chute controls, new dash with LED headlights, longer warranty and new quieter, easy to use engine – all for the same price. This is not one of my favorite snow blowers only for the fact that it tends to be a little “dirty” when cleaning 2-6 inches of snow. What that means is the front auger spins at the same speed as the impeller so it will throw snow out the front of the machine to one side when cleaning smaller amounts. The design of the 3X also always leaves a little snow when you clear into a corner. If you can live with those two small issues it is actually a pretty good machine. I have the Vortex version here and it’s fun to stick it into 12 inches of heavy snow and watch it throw the snow 40 feet. It looks like a fire hose when it’s in deeper snow.

Buy at The Home Depot: Home Depot does not have this model listed yet, but they should after they sell through the 2016 models with the old-style dash. You can use this link to check if they have it available: Cub Cadet Snow Blowers at The Home Depot.

31AH54VK710_NEW 3X™ 24 HD

3X™ 24 HD. New High Capacity? I can’t find any difference between this snow blower and the 3X-24 except for the taller housing and front LED headlight – and no one at the Cub Cadet booth of GIE-EXPO could either.  It does not have the larger 14-inch impeller the Pro series have.

Buy at The Home Depot: Home Depot does not have this model listed yet, but they should after they sell through the 2016 models with the old-style dash. You can use this link to check if they have it available: Cub Cadet Snow Blowers at The Home Depot.

2107 Cub Cadet 26″  two and three stage

31AM5CVS710_NEW 2X 26 HP

2X 26 HP. There is a lot to like about this new Cub Cadet and it is a great choice for people who average up to 80 inches a year and have about a 100-foot 2-car driveway. I really like the new chute controls and the dash with 2 headlights. One feature most people miss is it now has taller tires so it will have better traction and the handles will be just a little taller than the older models (like the Craftsman). Power steering, metal chute, long lasting skid shoes make this a great snow blower for the price.

Buy at The Home Depot: 2X 26 in. 243cc 2-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Power Steering and Steel Chute

Home Depot has some older models with the poly dash.  You can use this link to check what they have it available: Cub Cadet Snow Blowers at The Home Depot.

31AH5DVA710_NEW 3X™ 26

3X 26. This snow blower has the new metal chute, new chute controls, new dash with LED headlights, longer warranty and new quieter, easy to use engine – all for the same price. This is not one of my favorite snow blowers only for the fact that it tends to be a little “dirty” when cleaning 2-6 inches of snow. What that means is the front auger spins at the same speed as the impeller (very fast) so it will throw snow out the front of the machine to one side when cleaning smaller amounts. It’s not as bad as the 24 inch models but if you are type who wants everything perfect – look at a different 2-stage machine. The design of the 3X also always leaves a little snow when you clear into a corner. If you can live with those two small issues it is actually a pretty good machine. I have the Vortex version here and it’s fun to stick it into 12 inches of heavy snow and watch it throw the snow 40 feet. It looks like a fire hose when it’s in deeper snow.

Buy at The Home Depot: 3X 26 in. 357cc 3-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Steel Chute, Power Steering, and Heated Grips

Home Depot has some older models with the poly dash.  You can use this link to check what they have it available: Cub Cadet Snow Blowers at The Home Depot.

31AH5DVX710_NEW 3X™ 26 HD

3X 26 HD. As far as I can tell, the only differences between this and the 3X 26 are the taller, 23 inch auger housing, a heavy duty scraper bar and the front LED light. 

31AH7DVX710_NEW 3X™ 26 TRAC

3X 26 TRAC. This is the 3X 26 HD with tracks! If you get a lot of snow, have a steep driveway or need to clear a lot of “off-road” areas this is one of the least expensive tracked snow blowers on the market. It has plenty of power to handle all the snow you can shove into that 23-inch tall impeller housing. Do you have to clear snow in the middle of the night? This snow blower has plenty of light to see in front of and around the machine.

2107 Cub Cadet 28″ two and three stage

31AH54VT710_NEW 2X™ 28 HP

2X 28 HP. This will be one of the more popular snow blowers in the Cub Cadet line. It’s competitively priced and has all the creature features you could want including power steering, hand warmers, LED lights, 16X5 tires and easy to use chute and deflector controls. In my opinion, this is a great snow blower for 2-3 car driveways up to 150 feet long that get an average of 60-80 inches per year. The 277 engine has plenty of power for that type of snow clearing.

31AH5DVB710_NEW 3X™ 28

3X 28. This snow blower and the larger 30-inch versions do not throw the snow out the front and leave it where you just cleaned like the smaller 26 and 24-inch 3X versions.

31AH5DVY710_NEW 3X™ 28 HD

3X 28 HD. This version of the 3X 28 includes the taller, heavy-duty auger housing and the front LED headlight. If you have a lot of drifts to battle and/or you need to work in the dark a lot this is a good choice. It will work on all surfaces and the Cool Blue skids shoes are very long lasting and non-marring.

2107 Cub Cadet 30″ three stage

31AH5EVW710_NEW 3X™ 30 HD

3X 30 HD. The 3X 30 HD utilizes the taller, heavy duty housing, new dash and front LED light but it still uses the 12-inch impeller/auger housing. So, it’s a heavy-duty snow blower like the Husqvarna ST 330P but not a high capacity snow blower like the Ariens Platinum 30 SHO. It’s just a reasonably priced, large areas snow blower and will work for most areas of the country that get 80-100 inches of snow a year.

31AH7EVZ710_NEW 3X™ 30 TRAC

3X 30 TRAC. The 3X 30 Track is a great choice if you have a steep driveway or need to do a lot of clearing of rougher, non-pavement areas. It utilizes the taller, heavy duty housing, new dash and front LED light but it still uses the 12-inch impeller/auger housing. It has power steering and easy to use chute controls. So, it’s a heavy-duty snow blower like the Husqvarna ST 330T but not a high capacity snow blower like the Ariens Professional 28 RapidTrak. I haven’t had the chance to test it compared to the Honda 28 and 32-inch track drives but I have a feeling at $1999 it will outperform the Honda’s in many areas besides the price. It’s a reasonably priced track drive snow blower and will work for most areas of the country that get 80-100 inches of snow a year.

Buy at The Home Depot: 3X 30 in. 420cc Track Drive Three-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Steel Chute Power Steering and Heated Grips

Home Depot has some older models with the poly dash.  You can use this link to check what they have it available: Cub Cadet Snow Blowers at The Home Depot.

31AH8E2U710_3X™ 30 PRO

3X 30 PRO. Cub Cadet has two carry-overs from last year and I wanted to point out these are heavy duty, high capacity snow blowers. The 3X 30 Pro uses the larger 14-inch impeller for increased capacity. With the large impeller and engine, this snow blower should handle most snow without a whimper. 

31AH8E2U710_3X™ 30 PRO H

3X 30 PRO H. This is the other heavy-duty carry over. It features a hydrostatic transmission!

2107 Cub Cadet 33″ two stage

31BH95SV710_2X™ 933 SWE

2X 933 SWE. Don’t Buy! I wanted to pont out this snow blower that’s still on the site. This is a very old design and used to also come in a 45-inch version. I’m not sure why Cub Cadet still sells this 33-inch version.  It has had quite a few issues over the years including eating belts, flimsy chute, and chute controls. It was just awkward to use. Please look at the 34 inch Troy-Bilt Arctic-Storm if you want a made by MTD 2-stage large area heavy duty snow blower or Craftsman 88978 instead. The Arctic Storm and 88978 have been completely redesigned are great snow blowers from MTD.

2107 Cub Cadet 34″ three stage

31AH8ESV710_3X™ 34 PRO

3X 34 PRO. This snow blower is very similar in features to the Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm 34 I tested and wrote about last year. It will have more capacity than the Storm and also comes with the front headlight.

31AH8E2V710_3X™ 34 PRO H

3X™ 34 PRO H. Same, but with a heavy duty hydro transmission.

The post 2017 Cub Cadet Snow Blower Review – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

Winter can be tough for many reasons. The cold temperatures and wind can make it difficult enough, but with the addition of cleaning up the snow, the season can seem like a never-ending trail. The worst part for many of us is not only the cold winter conditions but all the extra time it takes to dress the kids up for the weather, warm up the vehicles and clean the snow that fell the night before.  It really helps to have all the right equipment to get you through every snow flurry, storm, and blizzard. I’m going to list for you a few reasons why adding a single stage snow thrower to your winter arsenal can greatly speed up your snow clearing chores.

 Most of you reading this already have a good 2 or 3-stage snow blower but you and if you live north of Interstate 80 that should be your primary machine. I know you will be very happy with the 2 or 3 stage snow blower I help you choose, but I also know that many of you will also wish it was faster – especially for those pesky 1-6 inch snows.

While three-stage snow throwers and two-stage snow throwers are suited for heavier, deeper snow and used for mid- to large-sized cleanup spaces, gas-powered single-stage snow throwers are a great timesaver for accumulations up to 6 inches or so of snow. I also list a few other reasons where a gas-powered single stage snow thrower can greatly reduce your snow clearing duties, making it less of a chore.

FYI: Single-stage machines are usually called snow throwers instead of snow blowers because they grab the snow and throw it out of the machine using just one paddle.

15 Reasons Why You May Also Want A Gas Powered Single-Stage Snow Thrower

The following is a list in no particular order of reasons why you may also need a single stage snow thrower to compliment you 2 or 3-stage machine.

1. If you live in an area that gets a lot of 2-6 inch snows. Here in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin we usually get three or four  8-20 inch snows but we also get another 20 inches of snow – one to four inches at a time. So after the 3rd or 4th time that 2 inch’er shows up overnight you are dreading having to dig the big snow blower out of the garage and clearing that small amount. A gas-powered single stage is perfect for that type of snow. It will clear your drive as fast as you can walk and clean it right down to the pavement – even if your spouse or teenage has already driven over it going to work or school.
2. Most of your family can use it. If your family members are old enough and mature enough to use a push mower they can use a single stage snow thrower. Since the rubber paddles touch the ground they also pull themselves through the snow making them self-propelled. Models with electric start are also very easy to start. They are also lightweight so almost anyone can drag one up or down a step or two and even with a helper can load it into the back of a car or SUV to take over and clean Grandma’s driveway.
3. You travel a lot and your spouse may have to use the snow blower. Single stage snow throwers are not only easy to use but very lightweight and maneuverable. Your smaller spouse will feel confident using a single-stage snow thrower while you are away. It won’t help them with the heavy snows or blizzards but it will work great for the smaller snows.
4. 2 or 3 stage snow blowers are overkill. Single stage snow throwers I recommend at the end of this article will clear up to 6 inches of snow as fast as you can walk. When clearing these small amounts of snow they are much faster than 2 or 3-stage snow blowers.
5. Your tracked snowblower is too slow. Tracked snow blowers are great when you have to clear rough areas and really deep snow but they can be agonizing to walk behind when clearing 2 inches of snow off a 200-foot blacktop driveway. It feels like you will never get done and you begin to wonder why you ever bought that track drive powerhouse.
6. You live in an area that gets a lot of snow but your driveway/sidewalks slope and your family can slip and fall if snow is left on the driveway. Or, You insist on having all the snow cleared off the driveway or sidewalk. This may be for public safety or just a personal preference.  With all the single stage snow throwers I’ll list the front, rubber paddle touches the pavement. This clears all the snow. In most cases, this makes the area much safer to walk on.
7. You want to clean up your driveway the day after a storm. You used your big snow blower to take care of the deep stuff but since then the wind or city snow plow has blown a little more snow here and there. A Single-stage snow thrower makes the cleanup fast. They also work well for that last pile fo slop the city snow plow let you overnight. (They won’t throw it very far but they will clean down to the pavement.
8. You want to clean snow packed down from vehicles or foot traffic. One of the real advantages of gas powered single stage snow throwers is their ability to clean right down to the pavement. If you lift up on the handles just a little the rubber paddle will clean even packed down snow.
9. You have your 2 or 3 stage snow blower adjusted for gravel or turf. If you clear your cement or blacktop driveway and a gravel area, a few paths out to outbuildings and an area on the lawn for your dogs you probably have your big snow blower adjusted so the gap under there is a 3/8-1/2 gap under auger housing.  If you don’t like that your big snow blower leaves snow on the pavement a single stage can quickly clean that off.
10. Your driveway or sidewalks have a lot of edges sticking up that catch the 2-stage scraper bar. Similar to #9 if your old cement drive or sidewalk have a lot of edges sticking up you most likely have your big snow blower raised up so it doesn’t catch on all those cracks. The rubber paddle on a single stage rides right over those cracks.
11. You have to go up or down more than two steps to your deck, patio or sidewalks. I know many of you have steps to get to your deck or patio. A single stage snow blower is relatively light (70-90 lbs) so it is easy to pull up multiple steps. Of course, make sure you have your balance when moving it up the steps.
12. You have a large deck or patio. You may have steel skid shoes on your 2-stage snow blower and you don’t want to scratch your nice deck or patio with them. A single stage snow thrower won’t harm those delicate surfaces.
13. Your 2 or 3-stage snow blower is too big to go through the door out to your deck or patio. Ok, you bought that 30-inch snow blower for your 200-foot driveway but it’s too wide to fit through the side door out to your deck or patio. A single stage snow thrower is a much better choice than installing a wider door.
14. You have handicap ramps and access area that have to stay clean. As mentioned before a gas-powered single stage will take all the packed on snow off quickly.
15. You don’t want to use snow melt or salt. Last but not least. I don’t like to use salt or chemicals on my cement driveway or around my landscaping. Having a gas -powered single stage snow thrower around lets me clear areas all the way to the pavement so I don’t need to use salt or chemicals to keep those areas free of packed down snow.

Before I leave the list I would like to point out two types of single stage snow throwers that are different than gas-powered single stage snow throwers.

1. Gas powered single stage snow throwers versus electric single stage snow throwers. Electric corded and cordless snow thrower paddles don’t touch the ground. Because of that, they will not clean snow that has been walked on or driven on. The cordless versions like the EGO are as wide as the gas-powered versions so they are also harder to push through the snow. Many owners of the EGO are finding clearing snow down their sloping driveway is fine but they can’t safely push it back up the slope.
2. Gas Powered single stage snow throwers versus the Toro Snow Master. The Toro Snow Master is a wonderfully fast, self-propelled machine. Technically a single stage snow thrower but it acts like a 2-stage machine.  What that means is the front paddle does not touch the ground and it has skid shoes and a scraper bar.  It will not clean down to the pavement like a gas powered single stage snow thrower.

My Best Picks For Single Stage Snow Throwers.

There is a huge selection of single stage gas powered snow throwers for use as a second machine.   All the major brands carry two or three good models. The majority I’ll show you are 21 or 22-inch snow throwers. There are three basic engine sizes.

• 123-160 cc for light clearing
• 179-208 cc for “normal” clearing
• 250 cc’ish for more power than you need with a single stage.

All machines are 4 cycle so there is no need to mix oil and gas. Unless noted all have a plugin 110v push button electric start

The machines are rated below by first how well they clean the surface, second how far they throw heavy, wet snow, and third other factors like headlight, chute controls, etc.

Electric Start Models:

Here are my picks in order of the ones I like best. Note: I make a little commission when you buy through the links below.

1. Toro Power Clear 721 QZR Model 38744. Best cleaning, best throwing, best long life. Best Chute Control. This model has all the features including remote chute. Home Depot Link: Toro Power Clear 721 QZR Model 38744. Free Shipping at ACME Tools: Toro Power Clear 721 QZR Model 38744
2. Toro Power Clear 721 E Model 38742. Same Snow Thrower as above without the remote chute. Home Depot Link: Toro Power Clear 721 E Model 38742. Free Shipping at ACME Tools: Toro Power Clear 721 E Model 38742
3. Troy-Bilt Squall 208XP Snow Thrower Model No. 31AM2T7G766. This is basically the same snow thrower as the Cub Cadet below with a new dual-LED headlight and handle design. And a better price! FYI: Amazon’s Protection Plan is inexpensive and includes most anything that could go wrong with your snow thrower. It’s well worth the money Amazon: Troy-Bilt Squall 208XP.
4. Cub Cadet 1X 21 LHP. Consumer Reports gives this single stage snow thrower one of the highest ratings. I like it too! Home Depot Link: Cub Cadet 1X 21 LHP.
5. Honda HS 720AS. Highly recommended – very overpriced. If you have to buy a Honda this is the only one with electric start. Cleans pavement very well. Throws snow well. Home Depot Link: Honda HS 720AS. Free Shipping at ACME Tools: Honda HS 720AS
6. Briggs & Stratton 22 in. 205cc Single Stage Electric Start Gas Snowthrower with Snow Shredder Auger. This snow thrower gets a lot of press. It does clean the pavement well and throws snow a little better than the rest of the list below. I like the price! Home Depot Link: B&S Snow Shredder. Amazon: B&S Snow Shredder
7. Ariens Path Pro Model 938032. The Ariens cleans well and throws snow well. I like it because the engine is exposed so you can change the oil and spark plug easily. I like the price! Home Depot Link: Ariens Path Pro
8. Yard Machines 21 in. 179 cc Single-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower Model# 31AS2S1E700 and Remington RM2140 21 in. 179cc Single-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower. (also Craftsman 88780 21″ 179cc.) These snow throwers are the same snow thrower as the Cub Cadet 1X 221 above with a smaller engine and without all the bells and whistles. If you want an economical snow blower with electric start these are a good choice as a clean-up snow thrower. Home Depot Link: Remington/Yard Machines Snow Thrower
9. Toro Power Clear 518 ZE 18 in. This is the smallest and lightest snow thrower with electric start. I recommend it for paths, patios, decks, stairs and going up and down stairs to clear snow. It doesn’t throw snow as far as the rest on this list but it does a great job of cleaning those small areas that are hard to clear with your big machine. Home Depot Link:
10. Husqvarna ST 151 21-in Single-stage Push-button Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Headlight. It doesn’t clean as well as the rest of this list but it throws snow well and far for a single stage. I especially like the chute controls and the six LED headlights. It’s a great snow thrower for working in the dark. Amazon: Husqvarna ST 151

Recoil Start Models

Pro 21 Smart Lift

1. Ariens Commercial SS 21 in. 208cc Single-Stage Remote Chute or Ariens Commercial SS 21 in. 208 cc. These are commercial snow blowers so they have heavy duty frames and steel side panels. They are designed to slide easily into your pickup. Home Depot Link: Ariens Commercial 21.
2. Toro Power Clear 721 RC. Toro’s commercial version of the 721 above. Very rugged snow thrower. No frills – it just works and meant to take a beating. Home Depot Link: Toro 21RC.

The post 15 Reasons Why You Need Also Need A Single Stage Snow Thrower. appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

I have a horrible problem. I actually have too many snow blowers to test this year. We just started getting decent snows to test them out and I haven’t been able to get caught up.

I know you don’t feel sorry for me.

That said, I purchased a Husqvarna ST327P myself and I’ve never had the chance to really make a decent video of the capabilities of this heavy duty hydrostatic snow blower.  So when my neighbor Jason told me his 20 year old Cub Cadet was finally worn out I asked him if he would use this snow blower this year and make a few videos.

So, here is a chance to see the ST327P in action. Personally I like how smooth the hydrostatic drive is, how far it throws snow and that the engine never lugs down.  The 291 cc LCT engine has plenty of power for the size.

Feel free to ask questions in the comment section below. Did you like his video? I’ll ask him to make more if you do.

The post Husqvarna ST327P 2-Stage Snow Blower In Action – Hands on Test. appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

Like Harley-Davidson and John Deere it appears Ariens would like to spruce up their image with the public.

From Total Landscaping Care

Ariens Co., which makes a variety mowers aimed at consumers in addition to its commercial machines, has begun construction on a new concept store in Brillion, Wisconsin.

Ariens says in a news release the new store will be directly across the highway from its global headquarters.

“The store will be used to demonstrate best-in-class dealership practices, test merchandising concepts that might be offered to our network of dealers, and learn more about overall customer experience,” says Dan Ariens, chairman and CEO.

Ariens has partnered with local dealer Mike Buboltz to manage the store as a power equipment dealership. Buboltz is the owner of Hardware Plus in Brillion and has sold Ariens equipment since 2011. The new dealership will be open to the public for sales of Ariens and Gravely brand outdoor power equipment and parts. Hardware Plus will continue to operate its current store.

This will not be a “factory direct” store with discounted products and close-out pricing, according to Ariens. Instead, the business will operate as an independent dealership. Buboltz will manage day-to-day retail activities, while product placement, point-of-sale, and marketing support will come directly from Ariens’ marketing team.

The company has more than 1,500 dealers throughout North America who sell lawn, snow and commercial outdoor power equipment.

The post Ariens to open concept store next to HQ in Brillion, WI appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

Toro just released a new video on snow blower safety. Please watch it no matter what brand you own or want to buy.

The post Snowblower Safety from Toro – MUST WATCH BEFORE YOU USE ANY SNOW BLOWER!! appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

What’s New For 2017 Craftsman Snow Blowers?

Officially, Craftsman added one 24 inch 2-stage with power steering this year.  The brand new Craftsman 88640 24″ 208cc Dual Stage Zero-Turn Snowblower features large tires, large poly skid shoes and a simple, easy to use chute control. This is a snow blower that I’ve felt Craftsman should have had many years ago and I’m really excited that they built it with the features that owners want the most. I’ll review it a little later in this article.

There are also a few engine and other updates for individual machines. I’ll list those down below.

I know many of you also missed the introduction of the heavy-duty 30 and 34 inch Craftsman Pro models and the larger 28 inch quiet engine model last year so I’ll also go over them in detail.

How this article is laid out:

I’m going to start with the economy models first and then the most popular Deluxe models. After that I’ll review the heavy-duty models followed by the 3-stage snow blowers. I’ll leave the single stage machines for last.

Reading Craftsman Snow Blower Reviews:

When you read snow blower reviews you are going to find reviews that state “the engine would not start,” “the engine won’t stay running.” and “the engine runs rough.” You will find these reviews for all brands and sizes of snow blowers.

98% of the time engine problems with snow blowers are either fuel or operator related. Snow engines run/operate differently than your lawn mower engine. Educating yourself on how to store fuel, how to keep your fuel clean and how/why your snow blower engine runs the way it does will go a long way to liking your new snow blower. Please read this article to learn more: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS – Read This For The Truth

Let’s get started!

2-Stage Economy Craftsman Snow Blowers

Craftsman has 3 snow blowers that are inexpensive, yet do the job for many homeowners. All three machines use the same quality parts as the more expensive machine – they just don’t have as many features or power.  They have the same warranty as the more expensive models. One model, the 88173 is one of the best value snow blowers on the market today.  If you live in a subdivision with a 2 car driveway and get 80 inches of snow or less a year it’s a great choice.

Model 88173: The 24 inch 88173 continues to be one of the best value snow blowers on the market. Craftsman arguably has sold more units than any model. It works well for 2 car driveways up to 80 feet or so and can easily handle a 12 inch or deeper snow.  The high intake also means it can clear that 21 inch snow plow drift the snow plows left you over night. I highly recommend this snow blower if you have a 2 car driveway about 80 feet long, (or single car equivalent) get an average snow fall of 80 inches or less a year. It’s designed to work on gravel, turf, cement and black top. The deep lug tires and 208cc engine are just the right size for this snow blower. It also has the poly skid shoes so it won’t scratch your stamped and decorative driveways and patio. Last but not least, the long discharge chute puts the snow where you want it and is very easy to use. This model does not have power steering but is light enough for most people to use. Yes, there are a lot of bigger, larger, and more expensive snow blowers on the market, but if you just want a decent 2-stage to clear your smaller driveway this is one of the best choices. It is still one of the best value machines out there.

One last thing – the Model 88173:  has a 5 star rating of 68%!. That is one of the highest rating of all the snow blowers. I’m not the only one who likes this snow blower!

Model 88172: If you have to have the least expensive 2-stage snow blower on the market this is the one.  The 179cc 24 inch 88172 is most like your old 5 hp Craftsman that you are replacing it with. It’s a simple snow blower capable of handling 8 to 12 inch snows. Understand the engine is not as big as the other models so it won’t throw 50 feet. With the smaller engine it will also take you longer to clear your driveway – but it will still get the job done. It’s a much better snow blower for most people than a single stage snow thrower. It’s one of the few snow blowers in this price range with electric start. The intake is higher than your 20-year-old Craftsman which means it can clear that 21 inch snow plow drift the snow plows left you over night. This is a decent snow blower if you have a 2 car driveway about 40 feet long, (or single car equivalent) get an average snow fall of 50 inches or less a year. It’s designed to work on gravel, turf, cement and black top. The deep lug tires are the right size for this snow blower. It also has the poly skid shoes so it won’t scratch your stamped and decorative driveways and patio. This model does not have power steering but is light enough for most people to use. Don’t expect this model to clear heavy, wet snow or have a lot of traction for clearing the snow plow drift.

Model 88433: There are a few people who just have to have a 2-stage snow blower that is less than 24 inches. If you are one of those people this snow blower is basically the same snow blower as the 88172 above but with a smaller 22 inch cutting width, smaller tires, and steel skid shoes. This is a decent snow blower if you have a 1 car driveway about 40 feet long and get an average snow fall of 40 inches or less a year. Don’t expect this model to clear heavy, wet snow or have a lot of traction for clearing the snow plow drift.

Sears has many sales and special offers running all the time. Please click on the links below to see the latest.  Be sure to look under the special offers tabs on their product page.

Sears Stock Item #	88433	88172	88173
engine	4-cycle / 179cc OHV	4-cycle / 179cc OHV	4-cycle / 208 cc OHV
starter type	electric	electric	electric
clearing width	22″	24”	24″
intake height	21″	21”	21″
auger / impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller
speeds	6F/2R	6F/2R	6F/2R
Drive Control
operation control			single hand control
chute control	crank / manual	crank / manual	EZ Rotation Chute
tire size	10″ x 4″ Snow Hog	13” x 4” X-Trac	13″ x 4″ X-Trac
headlight
skid shoes	Steel	Glide-Tech	Glide-Tech
handle	steel panel	steel panel	panel
warranty	2 year limited	2 year limited	2 year limited
extended chute			Yes
drift cutters
Typical Sale Price  (Sales Change Often)	$629.99	$599.99	$679.99
Check Sale Price – Buy Here ->	Craftsman 88433 22″ 179cc Dual-Stage Snowblower	Craftsman 88172 24″ 179cc Dual-Stage Snowblower	Craftsman 88173 24″ 208cc Dual-Stage Snowblower

Sears always has special financing offers for you.

Sears has many sales and special offers running all the time. Please click on the links below to see the latest.  Be sure to look under the special offers tabs on their product page.

2-Stage Deluxe Craftsman Snow Blowers

Craftsman snow blowers are among the most popular snow blowers. Along with the Model 88173 above the Deluxe models in this group make up a large share of snow blowers sold in the U. S. They are just the right size and power for the majority of the homes and driveways north of Interstate 80.  In other words if you normally get 2-14 inch snows and average 60-100 inches a year these are great machines. They all have a 21 inch intake height so they will handle drifts and the occasional blizzard. No, they don’t have the capacity of the heavy-duty, “snow belt” machines but for most of us they are just the right combination of features, power and price.

Model 88640: If I wanted a new snow blower this year for my 2-car Midwest driveway this snow blower would be on my shortlist. It has large tires for the best traction on gravel and turf and power steering so anyone can use it. The discharge chute is simple to use, won’t bind up and is long so the snow goes where you want it too. The engine controls have been redesigned so they are easier to see and use.

The intake is higher than your 20-year-old Craftsman which means it can clear that 21 inch snow plow drift the snow plows left you over night. This is a decent snow blower if you have a 2 car driveway 60-80 feet long, (or single car equivalent) get an average snow fall of 80 inches or so a year. It’s designed to work on gravel, turf, cement and black top. The deep lug tires are better and larger than Craftsman has ever installed on a 24 inch snow blower so it will have excellent traction. It also has the poly skid shoes so it won’t scratch your stamped and decorative driveways and patio. This model has power steering and is light enough for most people to use. Don’t expect this model to clear heavy, wet lake effect snow, but it will handle the snow plow drift at the end of your driveway well.

Model 88694: This snow blower has all the operational features you want like power steering and 4-way chute and is 45% quieter than other 208cc  gas engines. If you don’t want to wake the neighbors or just want the quietest gas-powered snow blower this is the one. Best of all this snow blower is a good, quality American made snow blower that costs the same or less than the Chinese models that are trying to sneak into the country.

Model 88394: This is one of the better value snow blowers in the 28 inch size. It has all the features you want including headlight, drift cutters, long-lasting poly skid shoes and 4-way chute control. The power steering makes it easy to use the Quiet engine makes it a great engine to operate. If you need “stealth mode” to keep peace in the neighborhood this snow blowers engine is 45% quieter than the standard Craftsman 208cc engine. This is a great snow blower if you have a 2-car drive 100-150 feet long, live in an area that gets up to 80 inches of snow a year and also have gravel and turf areas to clean.

Model 88396: This is one of the large frame snow blowers that just about anyone can operate. It’s balanced very well and the controls are right where they need to be. The controls on the redesigned engine are easy to see and use. This snow blower has been around for quite some time and has proven to be an excellent, dependable machine. It’s great for larger areas and 16” x 6.5” X-Trac tires give it the extra traction and flotation needed to work well off the pavement. It is very smooth and easy to use so it works well on 2-8 inches of snow just as well as a 14-18 inch’er.  Yes, Like I’ve been saying for the last 10 years – the electric chute control and thumb-joystick on this snow blower is bulletproof.

Sears Stock Item #	88640	88694	88394	88396
engine	4-cycle / 208 cc OHV	4-cycle / 208 cc OHV Quiet Engine	4-cycle / 243cc OHV Quiet Engine	New Engine Redesign 4-cycle / 357cc OHV
starter type	electric	electric	electric	electric
clearing width	24″	26”	28″	30”
intake height	21”	21”	21″	21”
auger / impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller	12” serrated auger / updated 12” impeller
speeds	6F/2R	6F/2R	6F/2R	6F/2R
Drive Control	Power Steering	Power Steering	Power Steering	Power Steering
operation control	single hand control	single hand control	single hand control	single hand control
chute control	EZ Rotation Chute	4-way joystick	4-way joystick	4-way electric
tire size	15” x 5” X-Trac	15” x 5” X-Trac	15” x 5” X-Trac	16” x 6.5” X-Trac
headlight			LED headlight	LED headlight
skid shoes	Deluxe Glide-Tech	deluxe Glide-Tech	deluxe Glide-Tech	Deluxe Glide-Tech
handle	deluxe panel design	deluxe panel design	deluxe panel design	deluxe panel design
warranty	2 year limited	2 year limited	2 year limited	2 year limited
extended chute	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
drift cutters			Yes	Yes
Typical Sale Price  (Sales Change Often)	$799.99	$899.99	$999.99	$1,199.99
Check Sale Price – Buy Here ->	Craftsman 88640 24″ 208cc Dual Stage Zero-Turn Snowblower	Craftsman 88694 26″ Quiet 208cc Dual-Stage Zero Turn Snowblower	Craftsman 88394 28″ 243cc Dual-Stage Snowblower with Quiet Engine	Craftsman 88396 30″ 357cc Dual Stage Zero-Turn Snow Blower

Did you know Sears.com has free layaway on snow blowers?

Sears has many sales and special offers running all the time. Please click on the links below to see the latest.  Be sure to look under the special offers tabs on their product page.

Heavy-Duty Craftsman Pro Snow Blowers

Last year Craftsman introduced this new snow blower to replace the old, tired 33 and 45 inch models but no one really explained why it’s such a leap forward for Craftsman.. I won’t spend any time explaining why the old MTD built models were so bad. Let’s just say – they are gone! – and move on.

The Model 88976 and Model 88978 snow blowers are completely new and very heavy-duty. They feature thicker steel, better components including all steel discharge chutes, 14 inch impellers and 14 inch front auger systems. These new snow blowers even have handle supports so using them is much easier than the old models.

It’s big and awesome but balanced well and surprisingly easy to use. I highly recommend these snow blowers if you have a long driveway to clear, or you get large doses of heavy, wet snow. These are high-end home owner snow blowers not commercial machines but I would have no problems recommending them to a church or other business that needs to clear large areas once or twice a week.

Compare this new heavy-duty Craftsman Pro to the Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm, Ariens Platinum 30, Husqvarna ST330P and the Toro PowerMax HD 1028.

I’ll say it – “For half the price as the Honda you get a snow blower that will perform just as well.”

This year (2107) Craftsman added the new sloped engine design. It’s much easier to see and use the engine controls.

This year Consumer Reports rated this snow blower and its fraternal twin – the Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm, as the two best 2-stage machines. In addition, it scored just as well as the Cub Cadet 3X HD. 

By the way, the only difference besides the service/parts between the Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm and the Craftsman Pro is the Craftsman has a separate hand crank for the chute and lever for the deflector. The Troy-Bilt uses the electric joystick. The Craftsman Pro also has drift cutters, LED lights and an extra front light. You can watch my videos of the Arctic Storm here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=vNHWM3JYG4c and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASJb3_PqKoI&t=121s

Sears Stock Item #	88976	88978
engine	New Engine Redesign 4-cycle / 357 cc OHV	New Engine Redesign 4-cycle / 420 cc OHV
starter type	electric	electric
clearing width	30″	34″
intake height	23″	23″
auger / impeller	14″ serrated auger / 14″ impeller	14″ serrated auger / 14″ impeller
speeds	6F/2R	6F/2R
Drive Control	Power Steering	Power Steering
operation control	single hand control	single hand control
chute control	crank / remote pitch	crank / remote pitch
tire size	16” x 6.5” X-Trac	16” x 6.5” X-Trac
headlight	LED in dash plus LED light bar	LED in dash plus LED light bar
skid shoes	Large Deluxe Glide-Tech	Large Deluxe Glide-Tech
handle	deluxe panel design	deluxe panel design
warranty	2 year limited	2 year limited
extended chute	Yes – Metal	Yes – Metal
drift cutters	Yes	Yes
Typical Sale Price  (Sales Change Often)	$1,499.99	$1,699.99
Check Sale Price – Buy Here ->	Craftsman 31AH8DSH799 30″ 357cc Dual-Stage Snowblower w/ Power Steering	Craftsman 31AH8ESJ799 34″ 420cc Dual Stage Snowblower w/ Power Steering

You can also lease Craftsman Snow Blowers

Sears has many sales and special offers running all the time. Please click on the links below to see the latest.  Be sure to look under the special offers tabs on their product page.

3-Stage Craftsman Pro Snow Blowers

Craftsman makes a snow blower for just about every driveway in the U.S.  So, they offer two 3-stage machines.  The snow blowers work well if you typically get 8-16 snows.  These snow blowers don’t work well on solid, frozen snow and tend to be a little messy when blowing snow falls less than 4 inches.

Someday I’d like Consumer Reports to explain how these two snow blowers rate lower than the Troy-Bilt and Cub Cadet counterparts. They are made for Craftsman by MTD and use the same parts and come off the same assembly line as the Troy-Bilt and Cub Cadet machines. The ONLY difference is the color. Maybe their way of testing is not as an exact science as they’d like you to believe…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H451OQnNgzk

Sears Stock Item #	88870	88874
engine	4 cycle / 277cc OHV	New Engine Redesign 4-cycle / 357cc OHV
starter type	electric	electric
clearing width	24″	28″
intake height	21″	21″
auger / impeller	12″ / 12″ / 12″ 3 Stage System	12″ / 12″ / 12″ 3 Stage System
speeds	6F/2R	6F/2R
Drive Control	Power Steering	Power Steering
operation control	single hand control	single hand control
chute control	4-way joystick	4-way joystick
tire size	15″ x 5″ X-Trac	16″ x 6.5″ X-Trac
headlight	LED headlight	LED headlight
skid shoes	Deluxe Glide-Tech	Deluxe Glide-Tech
handle	deluxe panel design	deluxe panel design
warranty	2 year limited	2 year limited
extended chute	Yes	Yes
drift cutters	Yes	Yes
Typical Sale Price  (Sales Change Often)	$1,199.99	$1,399.99
Check Sale Price – Buy Here ->	Craftsman 88870 24″ 277cc 3-Stage Snowblower w/ Power Steering	Craftsman 88874 28″ 357cc 3-Stage Snowblower w/ Power Steering

Parts is parts and Sears has all the parts and service for your current and new Craftsman snow blower

Sears has many sales and special offers running all the time. Please click on the links below to see the latest.  Be sure to look under the special offers tabs on their product page.

Single Stage Craftsman Snow Blowers

Sears Stock Item #	11683	88780	88782
engine	4-cycle / 123 cc OHV	4-cycle / 179 cc OHV	4-cycle / 208cc OHV
starter type	recoil	electric	electric
clearing width	21”	21”	21″
intake height	13”	13”	13″
auger / impeller	Snow Claw	Snow Claw	Snow Claw
speeds	auger propelled	auger propelled	auger propelled
Drive Control
operation control
chute control	manual	manual	2-way joystick
tire size	8″ x 2″	8″ x 2″	8″ x 2″
headlight			LED
skid shoes	n/a	n/a	n/a
handle	ergonomic	ergonomic	ergonomic
warranty	2 year limited	2 year limited	2 year limited
extended chute
drift cutters
Typical Sale Price  (Sales Change Often)	$399.99	$499.99	$599.99
Check Sale Price – Buy Here ->	Craftsman 11683 21″ 123cc Single-Stage Snowblower	Craftsman 88780 21″ 179cc Single-Stage Snowblower w/ Electric Start	I don’t know when this snow blower will be available.

The post 2017 Craftsman Snow Blower Review – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

The top rated snow blowers by review sites are not the best snow blowers for most people. 

“Best” means different things to different people. Some of you look at Amazon’s best-selling snow blowers, while others read every word of Consumer Reports Recommended Snow Blowers list. Please remember, the best snow blower as rated by a review site, online review or even by MovingSnow.com is not the always the best snow blower for you. It may be too big or too small for your particular driveway/area to be cleared. There are many factors that you should consider including the area you want to clear, the surface you want to clear and how much snow you usually get.  MovingSnow’s goal is to help you find the best snow thrower for you. You can read this article to help: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS

This top 20 list is based on my hands-on reviews over the last 10 years, plus discussions, interest, intent to buy and sales of residential snow blowers on MovingSnow.com. This list is not reflective of actual sales by the manufactures or retailers. Other websites and forums will have a different viewpoint than MovingSnow.com. No one pays me to review their product but a few manufacturers do let me use their products for testing. When they do I always will tell you up front.

One more paragraph about “the best” or “top rated” or Recommended.” All of these “best buy” lists including mine only cover residential snow blowers. Specifically, economy, homeowner, and a few heavy-duty models.  No list that I am aware of covers all the snow blowers currently for sale. For example, there are a dozen or so heavy-duty snow blowers that are never covered in reviews. In addition, there are other commercial and industrial grade snow blowers that Consumer Reports and I don’t cover. In general, you can’t buy these extreme snow blowers at your local Sears, Home Depot or Lowes.  So, If you need/want to make money with a snow blower, if you have miles of sidewalks to clear, if you pay someone to operate your snow blowers for hours at a time feel free to ask and I can point you to snow blowers that will last for you.

NOTE: If I send you to another website like The Home Depot and you purchase a snow blower there, please assume that I make a little commission from that sale. That money is used to maintain MovingSnow and TodaysMower. It’s also used to buy demo and operational equipment to improve these sites. 

Don’t let the advertising hype or dealer sales pitches fool you. A 3-stage is not better than a 2-stage – it’s just different. Remember a dealer is always going to tell you their snow blower is better than the guy’s across the street. Read more about 3-stage snow blowers here: Is a 3-stage better than a 2-stage? 

Best Gas Can: No-Spill 1405 2-1/2-Gallon Poly Gas Can (CARB Compliant)

Fuel Stabilizer/Treatment I Use. Sea Foam. When I go buy my gas I put 2 tablespoons ( 1 ounce) per gallon right in the storage can. That way all my fuel is treated and I don’t do anything else when I put the item into storage. Note: You can buy SeaFoam at most hardware, auto, farm and WalMart for less than the Amazon link here

Best Snow Shovel: Suncast SCF2950 20-Inch Snow Shovel/Pusher Combo with Fiberglass D-Grip Handle And Wear Strip. I purchased 2 of these in 1997 for my snow plow trucks. I still have them and use them every year. They get left outside most of the year and still look like new. You can roll the snow in front of you like a snow plow when pushing 2-4 inches.

Easiest Snow Shovel on Your Wrists: Suncast SCH2790 20-Inch Snow Shovel/Pusher Combo Same shovel as the best one above but with a Shock Absorbing Spring D-Grip Handle And Wear Strip

Best Economy Snow Shovel: Suncast SN1250 18-Inch Snow Shovel with Wear Strip. This has a metal wear strip like the more expensive ones above so it will last many years.

Best Ice Scraper: Myself I have the Bully Tools 92200 Heavy Duty Sidewalk and Ice Scraper with Long Steel Handle and I use it for a lot more than chipping ice. It’s a great tool that will last you forever. I’ve used it to remove linoleum, glued carpet, roof shingles and even as a pry bar when I was removing railroad tie landscape timbers. The Razorback 7 inch Ice Scraper ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Razorback is also a great choice. A lot of people like the D-Handle style.

One more thing. If you have used a snow blower before you know that how far a snow blower throws the snow is very dependent on the type of snow.  Most snow blowers will only throw snow at the “listed” distance when everything is perfect. In other words, it will throw normal snow well, heavy wet snow ok, really light snow not as far and slush barely at all. If you step into a pile of snow and it splashes – most snow blowers are not going to throw that slop and will most likely plug. If the snow is that wet you can always use it as a plow to push the slush off to the side.

Note: This list was updated 12/20/2017.

Canadian Snow Blower Buyers:

Snow blowers in Canada are similar but not always exactly like the models offered in the U. S. You can see the models offered at Lowes.ca and HomeDepot.ca here:
LINK: Snow blowers at Lowes Canada
 LINK: Snow Blowers at The Home Depot Canada

Top Twenty Snow Blowers for 2017-2018

Click on the name to read more about the snow blower

1. Toro Power Max® 826 OXE (37797) 26 inch, 252 cc engine, automatic steering and Toro’s famous Quick-Stick Chute Control. Picking the number one best choice for a snow blower is the most difficult task I have. Does it throw snow well? Does it clear heavy, wet snow? Is it easy to use? Can most people use it? Is it built well and will last a homeowner many, many years? Does it have a nationwide parts and service network? Will the dealers service it even though you bought it at a Home Improvement Store? This snow blower answers all those questions with a resounding YES!.  The only reason the snow blower never made the list before was it had small tires (Model 37781) but for 2017 they installed the larger tires it needed!    Home Depot Link: Power Max 826 OXE 26 in. 2-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower. My Review Link. 2017 Toro Snow Blowers Note: This is not a high-capacity snow blower but it does have auto/power steering, a good engine, handles all types of snow well, great chute control and is very easy to use for most people. It is a very good choice for a typical 2 car wide driveway 60-120 feet long.  It works well for the snow falls you typically get if you live in Minneapolis, Omaha, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh or Long Island  (average 40-100 inches of snow a year). If you live in areas that get 100-200 inches like Boston, Buffalo, Salt Lake and Lake Tahoe please look at the heavy-duty Toro Power Max HD 826 OXE instead.
2. Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI. 30 inch with 15 ft. lb. EZ-Launch EFI Engine. This snow blower engine will not have the starting issues carburetor style snow engines have on today’s fuels. This is one of my favorite large area snow blowers. Auto-Turn makes it simple to use. Dual belt drive and simple chute controls make it dependable and easy to use. Works well for a 2-car by 200-foot driveway. This snow blower is more expensive than most on this list but what it offers is well worth the money. BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at Ariens.com to find a store near you: Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI. 
3. Husqvarna ST224P 24 inch, 208cc. For three years in a row now this is the highest rated gas snow blower on Amazon. 4.7 out of 5 Stars! Works well for a 2-car by 80-foot driveway. This model has power steering and can handle any type of driveway including gravel and turf. It will clear any type of snow. There is also a model without power steering for a little less money: Husqvarna ST224. BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at Husqvarna.com to find a store near you: Husqvarna ST224P
4. Ariens Platinum 30 SHO. Model 921051. This dealer only snow blower has over-the-top power and capacity and last many years. It will clear 12-15 inches of snow as fast as I can walk and throw it 50 feet! If you average over 100 inches of snow a year seriously consider this snow blower. If you average over 200 inches it is probably the only residential snow blower that will do the job for you.
5. Ariens Deluxe 24. There are only three heavy-duty 24-inch snow blowers on the market that will handle heavy snow and not clog. This is one of them. 
6. Cub Cadet 2X 26″ HP Model 31AM5CVS710. There is a lot to like about this new 2017 Cub Cadet and it is a great choice for people who average up to 80 inches a year and have about a 100-foot 2-car driveway.  I really like the new chute controls and the dash with 2 headlights. One feature most people miss is it now has taller tires so it will have better traction and the handles will be just a little taller than the older models (like the Craftsman). Power steering, metal chute, long lasting skid shoes make this a great snow blower for the price. It’s the same price as the Troy-Bilt 2860. but has power steering. Even though it’s new for 2017 there will be no bugs to work out on this snow blower and I am predicting it will be one of the most popular Cub Cadets ever produced. Note: Picking the Number One snow blower is an impossible task. This snow blower is very comparable to the No. 1 listed Toro Power Max 826 OXE above. The Toro takes the number one spot mainly because it handles wet snow just a little better than this one. If you don’t want a Toro this Cub Cadet is an excellent choice. 
7.  Toro SnowMaster 724 QXE 24 inch, 212 cc single stage. Even though I really, really, really like this snow thrower it is for a very specific buyer. Who is it for? It’s really fast to use if you have a hard surface, smooth patio/driveway. It throws snow as well as a $700-$900 2-stage machine. With Toro dropping the price to $699 I feel it is one of the best value snow blowers on the market.  It may not be the best for you because it’s so lightweight it will run out of traction trying to clear 10 inches or more of heavy/wet end of driveway snow. You can clear gravel and lawn without damaging the machine but with the Personal Pace controls, it’s very hard to do. If you go “offroad” with your snow blower  – buy the Ariens Classic,  Craftsman Model 88173 or Husqvarna ST224P instead.  The SnowMaster will clear 2 inches to 14 inches well. There another model,  Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 inch, 254cc single stage – with a larger engine it’s my pick for areas that get 2-18 inches of snow at a time. BUY HERE or use the dealer locator at Toro.com to find a store near you: SnowMaster 724 QXE 24 in. Single-Stage Gas Snow Blower
8. Briggs and Stratton 1696614 Dual-Stage Snow Thrower with 208cc Engine and Electric Start. This is just a good, excellent value machine. This is one of the most popular 2-stage snow blowers on Amazon. It does not have power steering.
9.  Ariens Platinum 24 Sno-Thro 24 inch, 369 cc with EZ-Launch EFI Engine.  Some of you will feel the price is too high but this heavy-duty 24-inch snow blower with Electric Fuel Injection will not have the starting issues carbureted engines have on today’s fuels. Plus, this one has over-the-top power and can handle any type of driveway including gravel and turf. If you have a small driveway but get a lot of snow this is a great choice. It will clear any amount/type of snow. Because it has a larger engine and more capacity than most 24 inch machines it works well for 2-3 car wide by 80-120 foot driveways. This is one of the few snow blowers I recommend for Lake Tahoe and their 200-400 inches of snowfall per year. Please use the dealer locator at Ariens.com to find a store near you:
10. Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm XP 34 Snow Thrower.  34 inch, 420cc. This machine will redefine large area residential snow blowers because it’s a very heavy-duty, high-capacity machine at a very competitive price.  Very easy to use. For any size driveway and any amount/type of snow.Consumer Reports has rated the 30-inch version as their best 2-stage pick.  (and I like it and the Craftsman version also) Note: There is a Craftsman version with better lighting and without the electric chute control Craftsman Pro Series 30.
11. Ariens Deluxe 28 and Deluxe 28 SHO. 28 inch 254/306 cc. This is the standard heavy-duty snow blower that everyone else is trying to beat. For driveways up to 150 feet and 100 inches of snow a year. The Deluxe SHO is one of the farthest throwing snow blowers on the market and has a much greater capacity than the Honda Snow Blowers that cost twice as much.
12. Troy-Bilt 2860. See video here. The more I use this snow blower the more I like it. It’s very easy to use and has plenty of power. This is a great “basic” snow blower and one for the best value snow blowers for 2017! It does not have power steering but the airless tires make is very easy to use. This model has just the basics for a reasonable price.  28 inch, 243cc new quieter engine. It features the new airless tires and very simple and long-lasting chute control. Extended chute, and good hand warmers. No power steering or complicated 4-way chute controls. Of course, it has electric start. This is a nice size snow blower for most driveways that is surprisingly easy to use with the new airless tires – even though it does not have power steering. I consider this a great snow blower for most areas of the country that get 40-70 inches of snow a year. It can easily be adjusted for cement, blacktop, gravel driveways. It will fit through the 32-inch side door on your garage. With the long-wearing poly skid shoes you can also use it on your stained concrete or nice patio. You can even adjust it for clearing a section of the lawn for your dogs.  Note: This is not a high-capacity snow blower. It is a very good choice if you live in Minneapolis, Omaha, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh or Long Island. If you live in areas that get 100-200 inches like Boston, Buffalo, Salt Lake and Lake Tahoe please look at the heavy-duty machines. By the way: There is also a 24 inch and 26-inch version of this snow blower.   Amazon has the 26 inch version of this snow blower for the right price: Troy-Bilt Storm 2625 243cc Electric Start 26-Inch Two Stage Snow Thrower  Northern Tools carries all three sizes. FREE SHIPPING – Troy-Bilt 2-Stage Electric Start Snow Blower with Airless Tires – 26in., 243cc Engine, Model# 31AM56P3766 Or you may use the dealer locator at TroyBilt.com to find a store near you:
13. Craftsman Model 88394   28 inch, 243 cc quiet engine. Full-featured, including power steering, but average power. If you want a gas-powered snow blower that won’t wake the new-born this is the quietest. Great machine for midwest and east coast areas that get 40-60 inches of snow a year. Will clear gravel and turf areas.
14. Craftsman Model 88173 24 inch, 208 cc. Still one of the best value snow blowers. For all types of snow, about 60 inch average and will clear gravel and turf areas. It does not have power steering.
15. Cub Cadet 2X-24.  This 2-stage snow blower with power steering is one of the best values on the market. It’s a great price at $799. It’s been around for a long time and it’s always my first choice for people who average about 60 inches a year with a 2 car 60-foot driveway and want an easy to use snow blower. It works well for gravel, hard surface and turf. It’s balanced well and the handlebars are lower than most other snow blowers so it works well for shorter people. In fact, if you are under 6 Feet, can walk and use both hands you can use this machine. It comes with long-wearing poly skid shoes that won’t scratch your delicate pavers or leave brown rust stains on your concrete. It has all the features of the more expensive machines except hand warmers but they can be installed by your local Cub Cadet dealer.
16. Toro PowerMax HD 1028 OHXE 28 inch, 302 cc. Toro’s large area homeowner snow blower that is good enough to also be their commercial machine. Throws snow a long, long way and does not clog. Very easy to use.
17. Husqvarna Model# ST327T 27in. 369cc Engine, Track Drive. The ST327T will fit through a 32 inch door, the ST330T a 36 inch door. These are the best for any terrain. Driveways, turf, hills, ditches –  Pulling your car out of the ditch. (Am I kidding?) also Husqvarna Model# ST330T, 30 inch, 414 cc engine, track drive. These are the best for any terrain. Driveways, turf, hills, ditches – The ST330T is one of the highest power, largest capacity snow blowers on the market and will go where no other walk-behind snow blower will go. It has more under chassis clearance and more capacity  than the Honda HSS928ATD or Honda HSS1332ATD
18. Toro PowerClear 721 E   21 inch, 212 cc. There is a new Ariens Commercial Single Stage that may replace this snow blower on the list. We’ll have to see…..
19. Husqvarna Model ST227P, 27-Inch   27 inch, 254 cc. Good all-around residential snow blower. 60 inch or less average snow per year. Note: I do not recommend the ST230P
20. Troy-Bilt Storm 3090 357cc 4-cycle Electric Start Two-Stage Snow Thrower. Also 3090 XP and Craftsman 88396.   30 inch, 357 cc These are all basically the same snow thrower – just different paint and repair support.
21. Briggs and Stratton Model 1696619 27 inch, 250cc. Just a good value machine. It does not have power steering.
22. Troy-Bilt 2410 or Craftsman 88172. If you must have the least expensive snow blower, this is the BEST least expensive snow blower available. There is no need to even consider a Chinese made snow blower anymore. For $549-599 you get a good engine, 6 speeds forward, 2 reverse, good tires, poly skids and a machine that will handle your 40-60 inch Midwest winters. It’s simple, easy to operate and has an excellent review rating at Lowes. It does not have power steering. (The Craftsman 88173 at #12 is similar but has a better chute, single hand control and a better service network)

When you are done with the list you can go to these pages to read about each brand:

• 2017 Ariens Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You?
  2017 Toro Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You?
  2017 Husqvarna Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You?
  2016 Troy-Bilt Snow Blowers – What’s New and Exciting!
• 2017 Craftsman Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You?
  2017 Cub Cadet Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? 
• 2017 Honda Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? Just a list and includes electric start models. Reviews Coming Soon.
  2015 Briggs & Stratton Snow Blowers – What’s New – Which One Is Best For You? — Update Coming Soon!

The rest of the snow blowers that get all the publicity. Why they are not on the list.

I want a battery operated snow blower! I’ve replaced my trim mower and leaf blower with a cordless electric. I threw away my gas string trimmer because there are now excellent cordless ones to replace it. My cordless hedge trimmer will run for hours on one lithium battery. Ryobi even has a riding mower that works for up to 2-acre lawns.  There will even be a Lithium powered rider in 2018. Why is developing a cordless snow blower so hard?

EGO 21 in. 56-Volt Lithium-Ion Single Stage Electric Snow Blower with (2) 5.0Ah Batteries. I originally had this cordless electric on the top 20 list but research has shown it’s not quite what I thought it was.  I’m leaving it off the list permanently. Yes, every other blog and YouTuber is raving about it.  So why do I have an issue with it? It looked like a great machine at GIE-EXPO but I didn’t ask the obvious question – how is it different from a gas single-stage snow thrower?

This snow thrower has the front rubber paddles like a gas unit but they don’t contact the ground and pull the unit forward like the gas-powered single stage snow throwers do.  It’s like the other corded electric power shovels that you have to push yourself. It is hard to use on old snow and driveways that are not perfect. Since you have to push it through the snow I would be scared of trying to push it up a driveway for fear that I would slip and fall. So I am only going to recommend it for smooth, level driveways, sidewalks, and patios. I can’t recommend it for older, rougher driveways, sidewalks and patios with cracks that stick up and catch the front scraper of the snow thrower. I can’t recommend it for sloped driveways.  If you are still interested please watch this video before you buy. The owner doesn’t push it up-hill and it leaves a little snow like a 2-stage machine. EGO 56 volt snow blower. Here is another practical video. Watch the sections where he is trying to clear the end-of-driveway snow.  EGO 56Volt snow blower,,,   I’m not saying “don’t buy.” I am saying that this is not like the snow blower you now own. If you can always get out and clear your snow right away, don’t drive over it with your car, and don’t let the end-of-driveway snow plow pile freeze this may work for you.  This model has enough battery capacity to easily clear a 2 car, 50 foot paved driveway.  There is a second model with larger batteries here. EGO 21 in. 56-Volt Lithium-Ion Single Stage Snow Blower with (2) 7.5 Ah Batteries

Here is a typical end-of-year review of the EGO Snow Thrower: ”

“I too love cordless-the only gas equipment I have left is my lawn mower and snow-blower. I was eager to try this. However, the auger not touching the ground is a big problem for me. My single stage 208cc gas does and it helps pull it along. I have a 75 ft single driveway and 200 ft of sidewalk (double lot on a corner). It had enough juice to do it, but constantly having to push, push, push to get through the snow-it was a major workout. It throws the snow fine-no problem there. But wow-it was a major pain pushing this thing. We’ve had over 100 inches of snow this winter (so far), so I’m glad I returned it.”

I’m guessing they don’t let the auger touch the ground because it would just use too much battery power…

I also wanted the Snow Joe iON24SB-XR 80V Max  to be on this list. But I have some real issues with how slow it travels. (There is a new 2017 model but I have not had a chance to check it out. I’m hoping the 2017 Black versions will have the speed issue fixed.)  I have spent some time with it clearing cement, blacktop, gravel and an old, rough patio. It throws snow really, really well. It’s a unique snow blower and is very, very quiet. Here is a video: Snow Joe iON 80V 2-stage tested in snow – Is it for you?.

Honda HSS928ATD, Honda HSS724ATD, and Honda HSS1332ATD. Yes, the Honda 2-stage machines did not make the list and probably won’t. Yes, I know they have the Honda engine, everyone, raves about. But, they are just too expensive for no electric start, (a $200 option), underpowered, plug with wet snow and are using an antique track drive system (read slow).  I’ve also read the impeller/housing clearance is too tight and although it throws snow well, gravel is tearing up the housing. Just so you know, the models Home Depot is carrying this year do not have electric start. You can actually buy the Troy-Bilt Arctic Storm XP 34 Snow Thrower. or Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO for half the price and have a higher capacity, more heavy-duty snow blower. If you need a tracked machine Ariens, Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet and Husqvarna all have competitive models.

Poulan Pro Snow Blowers have dropped off the list. The snow blowers continue to be good machines but you can now buy a Husqvarna with better dealer service for the same price. Husqvarna and Poulan Pro are made in the same factory and Husqvarna’s have more features.

Thanks for reading this very long post.

The consumer is now in charge.

 Today’s buyer doesn’t go to the dealer first. Instead, they do all their research online and only go to the dealer if they can’t get the product online or at a local retailer. Today’s buyer wants the online interaction of the manufacturer, dealer, and retailer. It’s no longer what a report or article says is best. The consumer can now do the research and make the decision without ever looking at the info hidden behind a subscription or walking into a dealer.  Today’s consumer talks not only to his neighbor but also his peers, family and friends. And they are all just a keystroke away.

People are reading and listening to what others like themselves say on the internet. Top ten reviews and ratings from review organizations don’t have as much influence as before. Five years ago a magazine could tell you an item was great and they sold thousands. Today if 5 people on Facebook state the snow blower has problems it negatively affects sales.  Case in point, two years ago Husqvarna had a good snow blower (ST230P) but there was an apparent problem with the auger belt. This is not a major issue because it didn’t happen on every machine and only happened under a heavy load, but Husqvarna was not transparent with the belt issue. Because of that, the Internet discussion groups caused large numbers of customers not to buy. (Husqvarna still feels the best way to handle it is through one dealer service bulletin which only the service department got.)  If I were a company like Husqvarna (or Toro, Honda, Ariens, Cub Cadet) I would get the problem out in the open, state the real cause and blast the info on how to fix it on the company blog, newsletter and Facebook group as quickly as possible. 

Faster and easier to use is the wave of the future. The Toro SnowMaster is just the beginning……

The post The Twenty Best Snow Blowers – November 2017 – Which Snow Blower Is Best For You? appeared first on MovingSnow.com.

What’s New For 2017 Ariens Snow Blowers?

Ariens has been very busy:

1. New Classic Series: This looks like a model they have had before – but it’s not.  New engine, new metal chute, better capacity and throwing distance. For the price and features this may become my new “best value” 2-stage snow blower.
2. New Engine on Compact Series: New more powerful 223cc Ariens AX engine. This snow blower has always been built well so it can handle the extra horsepower.
3. Deluxe and Platinum Series: The Deluxe and Platinum Series snow blowers were tweaked last year so there are no changes. These are arguably the best 2-stage snow blowers if you need a heavy-duty machine.
4. Professional Model Upgrades: New 420cc Ariens AX EFI: Two Professional Models now with Ariens AX EFI engines
5. RapidTrak: Two new Professional models with RapidTrak adjustable track drive. This exciting new track drive gives you the speed and maneuverability of a wheeled snow blower with the traction and drift digging power of a tracked machine. In addition these new snowblowers have over-the-top power and the largest per hour capacity. If you have large areas that need to be cleared, triple digit average snowfalls or just want the best on the market this is clearly the new snow blower that lives up to Ariens “King of Snow” slogan.
6. Professional 21 inch Single Stage:  This a is a newly designed single stage snow thrower that is purpose-built specifically for the snow contractor but it has many features homeowners may like. Many snow contractors carry a snow thrower in the back of their plow truck for cleaning up corners and sidewalks.  These snow throwers are often just tossed in and out of the truck and don’t last long. Because of that the Professional 21 was constructed with strength, durability and light weight in mind. The new design includes metal reinforced housing sides. Large, high impact wheels and a reinforcing steel rod inside the auger housing to help with the durability. The Smart Lift handle design allows a single person to lift the machine in and out of a truck with ease. One of the features I really like is a heavy-duty spring-loaded scraper bar to adjust to the contours of the ground. In addition the Professional 21 snow thrower also features commercial grade auger paddles. These paddles that are twice as thick as residential single stage snow throwers and you can tilt the machine up so it cleans stuck on snow off the hard surfaces. All this without increasing the weight.

How this article is laid out:

This is a very comprehensive article so it will take you a while to read through it. I’m going to start with the new Classic Series and Compact Series models. After that I’ll review the heavy-duty Deluxe and high performance Platinum models. Then the Professional (Commercial) models including the Professional 21 single stage. I’ll leave the single stage Path Pro for last.

Reading Ariens Snow Blower Reviews:

1. When you read snow blower reviews you are going to find reviews that state “the engine would not start,” “the engine won’t stay running.” and “the engine runs rough.” You will find these reviews for all brands and sizes of snow blowers. 98% of the time engine problems with name brand snow blowers are either fuel or operator related. Snow engines run/operate differently than your lawn mower engine and because of that I suggest educating yourself on how to store fuel, how to keep your fuel clean and how/why your snow blower engine runs the way it does will go a long way to liking your new snow blower. Please read this article to learn more: Buying A New Snow Blower FAQS – Read This For The Truth
2.  Aggregate reviews. Many websites scour the web for reviews and then post them on their website. In other cases one disgruntled owner will write the same or similar review in as many places as they can. So what you end up is many reviews about one specific issue from only one person. I see this quite a bit on The Home Depot and Ariens sites.  Just remember, for every bad review there are thousands of Ariens snow blowers sold and doing well. Please read the date the review was written and the wording to determine if there is an actual problem.
3. Auto-Turn Problems. All Auto-Turn problems were fixed two years ago. There were no issues in last years snow blowers. The Auto-Turn (DI300 differential) is now used in many snow blowers from many different manufactures.  So if you read or hear anyone slamming Ariens because of the Auto-Turn just walk away.
4. Don’t bother to read Ariens reviews that are negative and more than 2 years old.  Just so you know, Ariens is a company that really listens to their dealers, reads reviews and interacts on Social media.  So, when there is an issue they identify it quickly, immediately root cause it and determine if there is a product problem or training issue. Then it gets fixed.

By The Way – All Opinions are Mine.

Keeping up with snow blowers is almost a full time job. The U.S. manufactures currently sell about 140 different models made here in the U.S. alone. In addition, there are always another dozen or so foreign manufactures trying to wedge their way into your pocketbook. By the way – a quality $500 two-stage snow blower no longer exists. The base regular price is now $649-$699.

I normally spend most of July and August talking to the different snow blower manufactures about the new models they have coming for the fall. Usually, in September the manufactures are shipping the new models to the dealers and I spend the time I need to inspect the new models as local dealers put them out on the sales floor. Sometimes that also involves traveling to the manufactures assembly plants or corporate offices to look at, demo and talk to the snow product managers. For example, last week I traveled over to the Ariens plant in Brillion, WI. I spent the day with Amanda Marsicek, Snow Product Manager. In October, I travel to the GIE-EXPO in Louisville, KY. GIE-EXPO is the largest lawn and garden equipment dealer show. There I get a chance to demo machines plus talk to the engineers and company management about all the features, fixes and new rumors.

Ariens now has a place where you can go and see all the new Ariens products in one location. The Ariens “Concept Store” is located right across the street from the factory in Brillion, WI

In addition, I keep 12-15 of the current snow blowers at my home for testing and answering your questions. I use these snow blowers when it snows and post those videos on YouTube.

Path Pro Single Stage Snow Throwers

Since 95% of you reading this article actually need a 2-stage snow blower I am going to move the single stage Path-Pro models to the end. The Path-Pro’s have not changed for 2017

2017 Ariens Classic/Compact Series

Even though the new Classic and the Compact Series are different I’m throwing them into this one section for easy reading.

At first glance the Classic looks a lot like the Sno-Tek line sold at The Home Depot but it’s actually a very different snow blower. First, it’s an all metal snow blower. The 4-way chute, dash and all other parts are metal.  Other small features like the discharge chute gear cover have been upgraded to the heavy-duty Ariens parts. It has a high-speed impeller and according to my calculations will actually move more snow per hour than the $2399 Honda HSS724AW/HSS724AWD. It’s really a good value at $699.

If you are looking for a good machine that will clear your 2-car, 60-80 foot driveway, sidewalks, patio and also go out on the lawn to clear a section for your dogs. The Classic snow blower can easily be adjusted for gravel driveways. I recommend this size for areas of the country like Chicago, Omaha, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Long Island that average 40 to 60 inches of snow per year.

I would compare the Ariens Classic to the Craftsman 88173, Toro Powermax 724 OE, Troy-Bilt Storm 2460 , Cub Cadet 524 SW, Husqvarna ST224 and the Honda HSS724AW. All of these snow blowers including the Ariens are solid axle snow blowers and have no power steering.  The Ariens Classic one of the lightest 24 inch 2-stage snow blowers in this group so most people can turn it without an issue.

The Compact series adds a few features including the legendary Ariens cast iron gear case, larger tires and a new larger engine.

The Ariens Compact (and most likely the Classic) has an image problem.  Why?  When you walk into a typical Ariens Dealer or read a snow blower forum thread most of the time the first thing they say about the Compact Series is, “You don’t want a Compact – get the Deluxe instead.” But the truth be told – they are trying to oversell most of you.  In reality, the Ariens Classic and Compact are very capable and affordable snow blowers for people not living in a snow belt. If you have watched my videos on YouTube you see that the Classic or Compact will work just fine on my property and I’ll bet they’ll work well for you also. 

Model Name	Classic	Compact 20	Compact 24	Compact Track 24
Ariens Model Item #	920025	920026	920027	920028
Also Sold at The Home Depot?	Buy Here:	Dealer Only	Buy Here:	Buy Here:
Amount/Type Of Snow	All Types 50 in per year	All Types 60 in per year	All Types 60 in per year	Midwest with steep slope
ENGINE BRAND	Ariens AX208	Ariens AX223	Ariens AX223	Ariens AX223
ENGINE POWER	208 cc (9.5 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)	223cc (10 ft/lbs)
STARTING SYSTEM	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil	120V/Recoil
STAGE TYPE	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage	Two Stage
CLEARING WIDTH	24 inch	20 inch	24 inch	24 inch
HOUSING HEIGHT	20 inch	20 inch	20 inch	20 inch
THROWING DISTANCE	3-40 ft	3-40 ft	3-40 ft	3-40 ft
CHUTE TURNING RADIUS	205	205.00	205	205
DEFLECTOR CONTROL	Remote	Remote	Remote	Remote
TIRE SIZE	13 in x 4 in	15 in x 5 in	15 in x 5 in	15.5 in three point track
TIRE TYPE	Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Tread	Directional Snow Track
STEERING	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid/Pin Lock	Solid
DRIVE TYPE	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic	Disc-O-Matic
SPEEDS	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse	6 forward 2 reverse
LENGTH	51.9 in	53.9 in	53.9 in	53.9 in
WIDTH	26.4 in	22.4 in	26.4 in	26.4 in
HEIGHT	43.3 in	44 in	44 in	44 in
WEIGHT	180 lbs	183 lbs	187 lbs	220 lbs
GEAR CASE	Top Loaded Aluminum	Cast Iron	Cast Iron	Cast Iron
GEAR CASE WARRANTY	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm	5yr Cons, 1yr Comm
IMPELLER PROFILE	3-blade high speed	Steel 3 blade	Steel 3 blade	Steel 3 blade
IMPELLER DIAMETER	12 inch	12 in	12 in	12 in
AUGER DIAMETER	11 in	11 in	11 in	11 in
AUGER TYPE	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open	Serrated Steel Open
SKID SHOES	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable	Steel Reversable
SCRAPER BAR	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable	Steel Adjustable
PRODUCT WARRANTY	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm	3 yr Cons, 90 days Comm
CHUTE ROTATION	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn	2.5X Quick Turn
TONS PER HOUR	58 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour	59 Tons/Hour
TYPICAL PRICE	$699	$799	$899	$1399