Snowblower Recommendation Needed

[DwightFrye]

It's approaching snow season and I decided last year that I wouldn't go through another one without a snowblower. A little background:

- I am 66 years old and in good health. But I got a case of tennis elbow last year from tossing the snow with a shovel and I'm not getting any younger
- I live in the Southern California mountains and we only get a half dozen snow storms a season, with anywhere from 10-12 inches at a time to as much as 2 feet of snow in a couple of days
- My driveway is 40 feet long by 16 feet wide and 25 feet wide at the bottom of the apron at the street. The county is good at plowing the street but they have also been known to pile up a 2 1/2 foot high berm of packed icy snow at the end of the driveway from the snowplow.
- I have never operated a snowblower nor owned one before but have plenty of experience with gasoline powered lawnmowers and the like so operating and maintaining one shouldn't be a problem for me.

Given that I'm not in a place like Buffalo where I lived as a child and the snowfall is moderate here and doesn't happen weekly, what is a good brand and model for my needs ?
Is self propelled a good choice ?
What are the differences/advantages of single stage vs. two and three stage blowers ?
Will a good snowblower make short work of the packed berm from the county snowplow where the driveway meets the street or is that still going to need an attack with a shovel ?

I won't say that price is no object but I'm willing to spend $800 to $1000 if that's what it takes. I don't want junk even if I'm not going to run the heck out of it all season long.

Thanks

 

[dwendt44]

Definitely two stage. don't know of a single stag that is self propelled.
I would suggest a Toro brand, good reputation. Their 5 hp unit does as well as
many 8 hp blowers of other brands. Not the cheapest but one of the best.
Size matters with blowers but your price limit is controlling hp.
Some upper level blowers have "power steering" (kinda sorta).

My 2¢

 

[c502cid]

You have heavy wet snow there. Get the highest horsepower 2 stage you can afford. Self propelled is great but know you will get a workout pushing it and working the snow, especially the heavy driveway drift.

 

[Dennywires]

I am out of New York winters but if I had to do it all again this would be my machine of choice…

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/cub-cadet-2x-24-in-two-stage-snow-thrower-31am5cvr709-1424374?cm_mmc=feed-_-GoogleShopping-_-Product-_-1424374&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx_SanJux8wIVOQaICR2Dnwn8EAQYASABEgKz1PD_BwE

 

[Astro_Guy]

You can't go wrong with an Ariens 2-stage snow blower, but that is going to exceed your budget. Note that Ariens snow blowers have a much beefier auger gear than those found on MTD produced machines, including the cub cadet referenced above. That being said, the Cub Cadet will get the job done.

 

[bobdoo]

Put a snow blower impeller kit on it. Do it now, while it's warm.

This will hugely improve how the SB throws the snow, and greatly reduces *clogs* in the chute, which is a problem with wet, heavy snow.

 

[dadto2]

I have a 2 stage Troy-Bilt 26 inch, 8.5 hp machine that I bought at Lowes in 2005 when we bought our house. Works flawlessly. The only maintenance I've done to it in 16 years is annual oil change, run the gas tank dry in the spring, put a tube in one of the tires, and swapped out the cables from the handlebar to the drive units. I think I paid $550-600. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Boomer]

Very good advice on the two stage blowers. But whatever you get, spray either silicone spray or Pam cooking spray into the mouth of the blower, on the auger and particularly into the discharge chute before using. This will prevent heavy wet snow from sticking and will allow to operate for significantly longer periods of time without clogging the machine.

And ALWAYS shut the machine off and wait for it to COMPLETELY STOP before trying to clean out the chute. Many have lost fingers by not following this simple safety rule.

 

[JTK]

I'm not sure you'll get an Ariens or Toro machine in that price range, but it might get you an Ariens Sno-Tek model or a husqvarna group built one. MTD as a last resort. I live in the Buffalo NY area and have 28" snowtek by Ariens and two older MTD machines as backup.

None of these are built like they used to be and if cost is no object, Hondas are great.

 

[Scuder]

Self propelled and two stage at a minimum. Three stage are awesome, but probably overkill. Three stage works great on that pile the plow leaves at the end of the driveway, though. Consider the CC equivalent to 8 HP a minimum also. More, much more will be better. My 8 HP machine does poorly in slushy snow, whereas my old, underrated 5HP Tecumseh in a 1959 Ariens was a beast.

 

[JC1]

Can you try to find a used Ariens that's all metal construction, or you want to buy new? Two stage all the way. I added the rubber pieces to my snow blower to get it to throw the snow farther and prevent most clogs.

Here's a video which shows how it's done.

 

[repairman54]

8 hp minimum, 2 stage and self propelled. I have a old MTD at my place in the Adirondack lake effect zone and it works fine with the light snow there. 8 hp Ariens at my home in NW NJ and the Ariens is a beast, at least 15 ft. more throw minimum with the heavier snow over the same 8 hp of my MTD 8 hp machine that blows light lake effect snow. Ariens was a auction house deal when I got with all it's paint still intact.
Both have Tecumseh motors. Only downside to the Ariens is that it is heavy, gotta be at least 30 lbs. or more than the MTD so it's a better straight line machine.

 

[eljefino]

Put a snow blower impeller kit on it. Do it now, while it's warm.

This will hugely improve how the SB throws the snow, and greatly reduces *clogs* in the chute, which is a problem with wet, heavy snow.

I did the "Clarence kit", chunks of rubber tire on the impeller to squeegie snow out.

Even if I let the blower run itself clear before parking, a tablespoon's worth of snow-water would form at the bottom and turn to ice, locking the impeller to the frame and causing a smoked belt the next time it was run.

Now it could be I'm in a "winter's winter" where it never goes above freezing for weeks, but that kit did not perform like I had hoped.

OPs 1st blower should be around an 8 hp, 24 inch cut. The "208cc" chinese engines are good but just a little small... most make around 6.5 hp. A fit human is less than 1/2 hp, so, yeah, machinery helps.

Blowers can handle the end-of-drive most of the time. Sometimes the first "punch through" is slow going, but then you can go through eight inches at a time, shaving the berms in digestible bites.

 

[Badgerstate]

It's approaching snow season and I decided last year that I wouldn't go through another one without a snowblower. A little background:

- I am 66 years old and in good health. But I got a case of tennis elbow last year from tossing the snow with a shovel and I'm not getting any younger
- I live in the Southern California mountains and we only get a half dozen snow storms a season, with anywhere from 10-12 inches at a time to as much as 2 feet of snow in a couple of days
- My driveway is 40 feet long by 16 feet wide and 25 feet wide at the bottom of the apron at the street. The county is good at plowing the street but they have also been known to pile up a 2 1/2 foot high berm of packed icy snow at the end of the driveway from the snowplow.
- I have never operated a snowblower nor owned one before but have plenty of experience with gasoline powered lawnmowers and the like so operating and maintaining one shouldn't be a problem for me.

Given that I'm not in a place like Buffalo where I lived as a child and the snowfall is moderate here and doesn't happen weekly, what is a good brand and model for my needs ?
Is self propelled a good choice ?
What are the differences/advantages of single stage vs. two and three stage blowers ?
Will a good snowblower make short work of the packed berm from the county snowplow where the driveway meets the street or is that still going to need an attack with a shovel ?

I won't say that price is no object but I'm willing to spend $800 to $1000 if that's what it takes. I don't want junk even if I'm not going to run the heck out of it all season long.

Thanks

Id go two-stage, if not three-stage. I wouldnt mess around with a single stage, its nowhere near big enough. Id look at an Ariens or a Honda.

 

[DwightFrye]

It looks like a 2 stage with a minimum of 8 HP is in my future. I prefer to buy new. What is an MTD snowblower ?
The snow here can be light and fluffy, but typically the day after the snowstorm the weather warms up into the 50's so it doesn't take long for the snow on the ground to get heavy and wet. And with a crust on top from the overnight freeze/thaw. I guess the solution to that is to run the blower asap after the snowfall.

Hopefully one of the big box retailers will run some kind of special soon with a discount or free delivery. I'll want to have it assembled and fueled up ready in the garage for the first use.

Thanks for the advice

 

[JTK]

It looks like a 2 stage with a minimum of 8 HP is in my future. I prefer to buy new. What is an MTD snowblower ?.......

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Horsepower is a figure you're not going to get. The smaller small engines are measured in cc's. It's said that a 212cc engine is about 6.5hp. To me, a 6.5hp OHV engine has about the same power as a an old 8hp flathead small engine.

 

[jeepman3071]

I would buy a Toro, Ariens, or Simplicity 2-stage machine. Stay away from MTD or the el-cheapos from home depot if you want it to last more than a few seasons before it falls apart. I repair a lot of MTDs with cracked frames and welds.

 

[MNgopher]

Agree with the 2 stage, 8hp ish, self propelled unit is the correct size range to be looking at. Stick with the better brands, but you will pay for it. Toro is my choice, but Ariens is an excellent choice too.

Also my Toro is 16 years old - no issues with the plastic chute. I'd not be afraid of well engineered plastics... (MTD and clones are not in that group)

 

[tnt_motorsports]

my FIL is in his mid 60's. He has a 3 stage Cub Cadet with electric start and power steering. Those options are well worth the money to avoid having to manhandle a machine. If you live on a hill you may want to consider a tracked unit as well.

I'm in my mid 40's and use a ~20 year old MTD that has electric start and no power steering. I have been debating on a new 3 stage Cub Cadet...

just my $0.02

 

[Astro_Guy]

It looks like a 2 stage with a minimum of 8 HP is in my future. I prefer to buy new. What is an MTD snowblower ?
The snow here can be light and fluffy, but typically the day after the snowstorm the weather warms up into the 50's so it doesn't take long for the snow on the ground to get heavy and wet. And with a crust on top from the overnight freeze/thaw. I guess the solution to that is to run the blower asap after the snowfall.

Hopefully one of the big box retailers will run some kind of special soon with a discount or free delivery. I'll want to have it assembled and fueled up ready in the garage for the first use.

Thanks for the advice

MTD is the manufacturer behind a lot of value oriented brands, such as Craftsman, Club Cadet, Troy-Bilt and Yard machines, among others. Heavy wet snow requires horsepower to move. Unfortunately these machines aren't advertised by horsepower any longer. There is some really REALLY bad information out there on the web about converting motor displacement to Horsepower. The Ariens Deluxe models with 254 cc displacement are basically 8 HP machines. Be a little suspicious of anything with a motor below 250cc being advertised as an 8 HP snow blower.

[B]Dennywires[/B] gave you reasonable advice on a Cub Cadet model. If you are only concerned about the next ten years, buy that one. If you want something to last 20 years and pass down to your children for another 20+ years, buy an Ariens.​