Choose the Right Snow Blower
The snow blowers in our ratings range in price from about $180 to over $3,000. Features and size dictate price; here’s what you need to consider when zeroing in on the kind of snow blower that’ll serve you best.
Single, Two, or Three Stages
All snow blowers use an auger, which works like a drill in reverse to suck up snow from the ground and discharge it through a chute. On single-stage snow blowers, the corkscrew-shaped auger is the only device moving snow, automatically shooting it out the back but not throwing it as far as a larger machine. Single-stage machines tend to be the worst performers, and we recommend only a handful of models—they’re best for users in parts of the South where you get a few inches of snow, on occasion, without the risk of a major snowfall. Most of these tools will throw snow up to 25 feet.
Two-stage models have an auger as well as an impeller, which is a fan that helps force collected snow from the back of the auger out through the discharge chute—as a result, these models collect snow faster and send it farther than single-stage blowers. Two-stage blowers typically throw snow up to 35 feet.
Three-stage models have an auger and impeller, too, but they also add something called an accelerator, which helps force collected snow from the auger to the impeller. These machines can clear the fastest and throw the farthest—shooting snow 40 feet or more.
In general, the more stages a machine has, the more power it packs. In turn, two- and three-stage machines tend to be wider than any single-stage model, because they have enough power to clear wider swaths in a single pass.
Gas, Corded Electric, or Battery
The vast majority of snow blowers use gasoline engines, and these models perform the best by throwing snow farther and clearing it faster. You’ll find some corded electric models, which can be used with an extension cord up to 100 feet from your home, but none perform well enough for us to recommend. A growing number of battery-powered electric models are also available. Of battery snow blowers, two-stage models tend to be more effective than single-stage units.
Wheels or Tracks
The majority of snow blowers are wheeled, including all single-stage models and most two- and three-stage models. For single-stage models, the user pushes or pulls the snow blower. On two-stage and three-stage machines, the wheels are powered by the engine, making those tools better for clearing large areas, where you’d get tired of pushing and pulling. Some two- and three-stage snow blowers have tracks, like those on a tank, in place of wheels. They’re more suitable for hills and steep driveways because they dramatically boost traction, but they tend to be more difficult to turn on level terrain.
How Consumer Reports Tests Snow Blowers
It’s fascinating that no two snowflakes are alike, but that presents a problem for Consumer Reports’ testing protocol. We run our tests with something we can standardize, for consistency. That’s the reason we use a mixture of a certain type of sawdust, saturated with water, instead of snow.
The mixture we use can simulate a standard snowfall or be molded into a mound that simulates a plow pile, like the ones the town plows leave at the foot of your driveway. In each test we time how fast a model cuts through the dense mixture and note how far the sawdust is thrown and how clean the surface is.
The Overall Score for each model combines results from these performance tests as well as results of our survey of tens of thousands of CR members, which inform our brand reliability and owner satisfaction ratings. Brand reliability reflects estimated problem rates by the fifth year of ownership for gas snow blowers, or the fourth year of ownership for electric and battery snow blowers. Owner satisfaction reflects the proportion of CR members who are extremely likely to recommend their machine to a friend or family member.
We test single-, two-, and three-stage gas snow blowers as well as single-stage electric snow blowers and single-stage and two-stage battery snow blowers. We also include power snow shovels in these tests. These shovels are lighter and nimbler than traditional snow blowers, and designed for less snow.
For consistency, we use wet sawdust to simulate snow. Former snow blower test engineer Peter Sawchuk demonstrates.
Types of Snow Blowers
Single-Stage Electric Snow Blowers
Single-stage electric snow blowers are best for short, level driveways, decks, and walkways with snow levels of less than 6 inches. About the size of a small walk-behind lawn mower, single-stage electrics are the lightest, quietest, and easiest models to use.
The technology is basic: A plastic auger pulls in the snow and throws it out the chute in one step. But the auger can also pick up and throw gravel, so keep people and pets a safe distance away.
An electric motor frees you from fueling and engine maintenance, but a power cord can limit range and maneuverability. Working in swaths that are typically 21 inches wide or less, these machines may require multiple passes to clear a particular space. And their modest power is no match for steep slopes.
Power Snow Shovels
Smaller and lighter, power snow shovels are designed to go places where a snow blower would be overkill (along a short walkway or on an elevated deck). They’re corded or battery-powered and can generally clear up to 6 inches of snow. We test them just like snow blowers, but we use far less of the sawdust mixture—because for anything deeper, you’ll want a traditional snow blower.
Single-Stage Battery Snow Blowers
Like plug-in electric snow blowers, battery-powered snow blowers trade performance for convenience. They start instantly and eliminate the need for gas, oil, or engine maintenance, but they just don’t pack as much power as gas models. Some can clear 9-inch-deep snow, but most max out at a depth of about 6 inches. That’s on a par with a depth you’d easily tackle with a good snow shovel. They clear paths up to 21 inches wide with each pass.
Two-Stage Battery Snow Blowers
As with two-stage gas snow blowers, two-stage battery blowers add an impeller to help the auger suck in snow more aggressively and shoot it farther. In our tests, that translates into more effective clearing and better throwing distances, and the best two-stage battery snow blowers can really clear well, albeit not as fast as the best gas blowers. Most models max out at 24 inches wide and can clear depths of up to 16 inches, though they’re more effective at depths of 12 inches or less.
Single-Stage Gas Snow Blowers
Like their electric counterparts, single-stage gas snow blowers are a good choice for level midsized paved driveways and walkways with expected snow levels of up to 9 inches.
These models free you from the limitations of a cord and tend to cost far less than large two-stage and three-stage gas machines. They’re fairly light and easy to handle and take up about as much storage space as a walk-behind mower. They clear swaths of up to about 22 inches wide, and some models offer electric starting.
Their gas engines are also four-cycle, requiring only straight gasoline and no oil. But like electrics, they’re a poor choice for gravel driveways because they operate closer to the ground, sucking up stones in the process. Their auger provides only modest pulling power, and they tend to veer sideways on steep slopes.
Two-Stage Gas Snow Blowers
Two-stage gas snow blowers are best for long wide driveways with snow levels of up to 16 inches. Some models clear a swath of up to 30 inches wide, and some can handle steeper inclines.
Like smaller models, two-stage gas snow blowers use an auger to pick up and throw snow, but they add a fanlike impeller behind the auger to help throw snow out the chute. They’re also propelled by engine-driven wheels.
Two-stage snow blowers are best for clearing snow on gravel because the auger doesn’t touch the ground. But the machines are relatively heavy and expensive compared with smaller models, and they can take up as much space as a lawn tractor, though you’ll also find easier-to-store compact 24-inch-wide models.
Three-Stage Gas Snow Blowers
Three-stage gas models are the latest breed of snow blower, aimed at homeowners who have to contend with 18 inches or more of wet, heavy snow.
The accelerator is the feature that separates these power blowers from conventional two-stage machines. As its name implies, this feature speeds up snow clearing by taking snow from the collection augers and forcing it up into the discharge impeller.
Like their two-stage counterparts, three-stage blowers can clear a 30-inch-wide swath of snow, or more in some cases. The machines are on the expensive side, they’re heavy, and they take up a lot of storage space in a garage or shed; consider a compact 24-inch-wide three-stage blower if you don’t have a particularly large space to clear.
Snow Blower Parts
Here's where you'll find the most crucial elements of your snow blower.
Illustration: Chris Philpot Illustration: Chris Philpot
What You Need to Keep Your Blower Running
Even a well-maintained snow blower can have problems. Keep these extra items handy to ensure your machine is operational when you need it most:
• Belts. These essential parts engage all the critical components of the blower. You’ll need one drive belt for single-stage machines and two for two-stage models.
• Shear pins. On two-stage models, they protect the engine and transmission by breaking if the auger hits something too hard. Keep extras on hand.
• Fuel stabilizer. If you’re running your snow blower every week, you won’t need it until you stow the unit in the spring. But when the machine sits idle, gasoline in the tank, fuel lines, and carburetor breaks down and thickens. Adding stabilizer to your fuel can slow down this process.
Snow Blower Features to Consider
A good snow blower blends competent clearing ability with smooth, single-lever chute control that sends snow any direction you want it to go. Retailers typically have floor samples you can check out. Be sure you’re comfortable with the height of the handle and with the chute adjustment controls, which you’ll be using frequently. Here are other important features to keep in mind.
Dead Man’s Switch
All the snow blowers we tested have a dead man’s switch—a critical safety feature that stops the spinning auger and impeller when you release the handlebar grips.
Long Handle
A longer handle on single-stage models lets you quickly change the height and direction of the snow thrown from the discharge chute.
Electric Start
Most gas-powered models now offer plug-in electric starting for use near an outlet, which is much easier than yanking a pull cord in cold weather. It also prolongs the life of the pull cord, your only means of starting a model that lacks electric start.
Headlight
This feature on many two- and three-stage machines lets you work after dark.
Multiple Speeds
Most multistage snow blowers have four to six forward speeds—plus one or two reverse speeds—for the drive wheels, compared with just one on single-stage models. A choice of speeds can help prevent clogs while you slog through heavy snow.
Trigger
A handlebar-mounted trigger release on multistage models eases steering by disengaging power to either or both drive wheels.
Discharge Shoot Control
Joystick chute controls let you change the vertical and horizontal direction of the discharge chute with the push of a lever. That’s convenient, though the lever can be a little difficult to maneuver if you’re wearing thick gloves. We’re now seeing more easy-turn crank controls, which you operate by hand. That might be a better option in frigid climates, though you should test the crank in the store to make sure it’s conveniently located (typically, adjacent to the handle).
Dead Man’s Switch
All the snow blowers we tested have a dead man’s switch—a critical safety feature that stops the spinning auger and impeller when you release the handlebar grips.
Snow Blower Brands
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