Snow Blower Styles

Snow blowers come in all shapes and sizes, but which one is right for you?  There are a few basic types of snow blowers, each serving their own purpose.  On the smaller side, you have electric and single stage gas powered models.  Two-stage and three-stage snow blowers cover the larger options.

Toro 1800 Power Clear

Electric snow blowers are good for light, fluffy snowfalls and are very easy to use and maneuver.  They require no gas or oil, just a long, outdoor rated extension cord.  New to the market are cordless snow blowers from Snow Joe, which are equipped with lithium ion batteries and can run up to 40 minutes on a single charge.  However, if you typically receive snowfalls of more than a few inches, or have wet, heavy snow, you’ll probably want to move up to a single stage gas powered unit.

Toro 518ZE

A single stage snow blower can handle heavier snowfalls than electric models, typically up to 6 inches.  While not great at handling really wet & heavy snow, they will be able to handle the majority of moderate snowfalls.  Toro snow blowers are very popular in the single stage category, and have a wide range of options to meet your needs, including electric start, quick chute and the Power Propel drive system.

Ariens Deluxe 28+

2-stage snow blowers can handle the heavy stuff.  They feature metal augers capable of powering through heavy, wet snowfalls up to 18 inches.  Ariens snow blowers are the leaders in the 2-stage category, and offer one of the largest selections on the market.  They cover everything from basic models with just the necessities, to professional grade models with all the bells & whistles.

Cub Cadet 3526SWE

3-stage snow blowers are capable of grinding through the compacted snow & ice left at the end of the driveway by city plows.  They feature an extra forward facing auger for drilling through the tough stuff.  Cub Cadet snow blowers are the only 3 stage models on the market, and produce a few different sizes that even include a track drive model for 2014-2015.