To help you select the best snow blower for your needs, we extensively researched the most popular models, evaluating them for their design, performance, size, usability, safety, and value. Our top choice is the Ariens 921046 Deluxe 28 in. Two-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower for its ease of operation, easy setup, and reliable electric starter. Read on for the best snow blowers available today. We especially appreciate that despite being gasoline-powered, a 120-volt electric pushbutton ensures that the unit quickly starts—no matter how cold it is. And it’s efficient, according to our at-home tester, who used it on his property in Colorado’s Rockies. “After a medium-sized storm, say 5 inches of new snow, it took us about an hour to fully clear our driveway,” he reported, “and that’s with a lot of attention to detail.” Even after larger storms (12-plus inches), the machine reliably cut through and cleared the snow, he reported. Its two-stage operating system and 14-inch steel augers help you move through snow, quickly and easily. It’s self-propelled with six forward and two reverse speeds and has auto-turn steering, allowing you to effortlessly guide around your driveway and sidewalks. The chute rotates 200 degrees, which should allow you to deposit the snow where you want it—up to 55 feet, according to the manufacturer—without having to stop and reset the machine or turn it around. And we like the interlocking dual handles, which allow you to change various settings while still maintaining a safe grip. (If you need better gripping handles, you can purchase those from the manufacturer.) Price at time of publish: $1,790 Convenience begins with its corded electric start, and continues with the wide mitten grips. Directing the 200-degree-possible snow discharge takes just two and a half turns of the crank on its center-mounted chute. The extended chute is designed to minimize blowback. (You also can purchase a snow cab, sold separately.) The manufacturer has a limited three-year warranty on most components, and a limited lifetime warranty on the chute. Price at time of publish: $1,200 Generally, single-stage snow blowers cost less and are best suited for removing smaller amounts of snow. We like the Power+ Battery Snow Blower because it can be used on falls up to 10 inches and can throw snow up to 35 feet. You can swivel the discharge chute 180 degrees, and the variable-speed auger allows you to easily control when and how far the snow is thrown. We note that as with most single-stage snow blowers, heavy, wet snow can clog the unit. The kit comes with two 5.0Ah batteries and a charger to power the 21-inch-blade unit, with brushless motor, so you can charge one battery while you use the other. (The manufacturer claims that a single charge can clear 8 inches of snow off a 10-car driveway.) Two LED headlights enable visibility in low light. As with EGO’s lawn mowers, the Power+ Battery Snow Blower has a foldable handle, making it easier to stow in your garage. Finally, EGO warranties this product for five years. Price at time of publish: $699 It should be noted that this 51-pound model is not self-propelled, which means you have to push it, as well as pull it out of drifts. The manufacturer also keeps the price down by omitting batteries and a charger from the package; that can easily add another $150 to your cost. Even then, however, we believe it’s a reasonable price to pay for a snow blower that can get light use, from a reputable manufacturer. Price at time of publish: $450 Powered by a 302 cc (20 hp) engine, with its 14-inch-diameter augers and 30-inch clearing path, this gas-powered snow blower can work its way through snow up to 21 inches deep on surfaces that are paved or gravel, sloped or uneven, according to the manufacturer. An electric start eases firing up the CARB-compliant machine, which has six engine speeds. Remote chute control allows you to quickly turn the chute direction up to 200 degrees to throw snow up to 49 feet out of your way. As with most Toro snow blowers, this machine also comes with hand warmers and an LED light for lower-visibility conditions. Price at time of publish: $1,999 With a locking deflector, the mounted chute lever allows you to aim the snow exactly where you want, blowing it up to 25 feet away. This helps you quickly and easily clear sidewalks, paths, and other small areas. We also appreciate its electric starter, which avoids pulling a cord perhaps several times to fire it up. Unlike many gas-powered snow blowers, you do not mix oil with gas to fuel this machine. Price at time of publish: $907 The unit lacks an electric starter, but it didn’t take extra effort to fire it up. “Starting the snow blower was a cinch—and probably one of our absolute favorite things about the machine,” our at-home tester remarked. To get it going, the manufacturer guides you to insert the key, open the choke, press the primer three times, and then yank the pull-start to get the blower revved up. “We were surprised that after just two pulls, the engine was running and we were off,” our tester said. This snow blower has a manual pitch E-Z Chute control that allows you to adjust the rotation up to 190 degrees. It can only throw snow 7 to 10 feet, but that should be enough for smaller properties. Because it’s a single-stage model, it’s quieter and overall more comfortable to use than options with multiple gears. This appealed to our tester, who said the low levels of vibration greatly reduced arm fatigue and made the blower easier to use. But perhaps the biggest appeal of this snow blower is its design: The ergonomic handle folds down for easy storage, and the contrasting colors add visual and practical appeal. Snow throwers, whether powered by gasoline or electricity, are single-stage machines (see Stage, below) that typically are designed for lighter snowfalls. They have lower-rated engines, snow-scooping augers made of rubber instead of metal, and, most important, scoop up and discharge the snow in a single operation. Snow blowers invariably are two-stage or three-stage machines. They have engines rated at higher horsepower and augers made of metal, and use separate operations to collect the snow and discharge it.
Power
You can find snow throwers and snow blowers powered by gasoline or electricity (corded and rechargeable battery). Electric models are lighter and quieter than gas-powered products but generally are better suited for lighter snowfalls and for clearing narrower spaces. Electric snow blower engines are rated in amps; a larger number means more power. Gas-powered models generally are more powerful but emit fumes. Also, as gas-powered lawn mowers, they require engine oil, which must be mixed with the gasoline. Gasoline-powered snow blower engines are rated either in horsepower or cubic centimeters (cc); here again, a larger number means more power. If you prefer to know the horsepower of a product rated in cc, divide by 15. For example, a unit rated at 300 cc equals about 20 horsepower, a medium-size machine.
Stage
Snow blowers, whether gasoline or electric powered, are designed as single-stage machines (sometimes known as “snow throwers; see above), two-stage, or three-stage machines. “Stage” refers to the number of operations the machine performs:Single-stage snow blowers are the least powerful and are designed for areas that experience light to moderate snowfalls, generally under 12 inches. These machines have rubber augers that collect the snow and blow it out their discharge chutes in a single motion. You can find single-stage snow blowers in gas-powered and electric-powered models. Two-stage snow blowers are designed for heavier snowfalls, up to about 18 inches. These machines, equipped with augers generally made of serrated steel or other metal, scoop up the snow and channel it into components called impellers, which shoot the snow out the discharge chute. The advantage of this type of snow blower is the intake duct can be kept clearer, assisting more-efficient snow removal. Two-stage machines come in gas- and electric-powered models. Another facet to note about two-stage snow blowers is that unlike single-stage models, you can adjust the height of the machine’s skid plates. This can get the scraper bar low enough, even at surface level, to scoop off as much snow as possible. Three-stage snow blowers add another element to the operation: instead of moving collected snow into an impeller, these models add a halfway component called an “induction accelerator,” which chops the snow up and then moves it into the impeller. These machines are designed to collect more snow than other models, potentially getting surfaces to a stage where the sun can melt what’s left before it re-freezes, making the surface slick. Three-stage snow blowers only come in gas-powered models.
Clearing width
Consider how wide a path the snow blower clears with each pass. Typical clearing widths range from 18 to 22 inches, but some budget models may clear even less, and some more robust models may be able to clear 30 inches or more. Narrower clearing widths mean you may need to make more passes to clean the driveway or sidewalk. But they also have smaller footprints and can be stored in smaller spaces. A wider clearing width helps you clear snow faster and get inside sooner but requires a larger space in which to put it away.
Warranty
Manufacturers commonly warrant residential-use snow blowers for two years for single-stage machines, or three years for two-stage and three-stage machines. Most warranties are dramatically reduced if you use the snow blower for commercial purposes.
Standout Features
Electric start
Increasingly, gasoline-powered snow blowers come with a one-button starter that avoids the need to pull the starter cord repeatedly. Generally, this is enabled by plugging the cord into a standard outlet, which supplies the power. Electric snow blowers generally come with this function, or start with a combination of pushbutton and lever an easily depressed lever.
Tracks
Most snow blowers are equipped with wheels. Products equipped with tank-like tracks provide the most traction on paved and unpaved surfaces.
Variable speeds
Many snow blowers work at a single pace; if you’re looking for a model with a little more kick, then shop around for one with variable-speed control. Typically found on two-stage and three-stage snow blowers, speed control lets you move more quickly with a simple adjustment to a lever near the handgrips. Higher-end models also may have more than one speed for reverse. Check to see where the speed control lever is located and whether it’s in a comfortable position for you to adjust. If it’s out of reach or hard to use, you won’t enjoy the convenience offered by this feature nearly as much.
One-hand operation
This feature allows you to use one hand to control both the auger and the wheels, so your other hand can direct the discharge chute.
Heated handgrips
These provide added comfort so you can use the machine for longer periods. (You might be able to purchase them separately.)
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer who has written for The Spruce since 2017. A lifelong New Englander, she is no stranger to blizzards and knows the value of a high-quality snow blower, which can help make snow removal a much easier task. To make this list, she consulted dozens of customer and third-party reviews, along with insights from our testers.Senior Editor Ira Lacher, based in what used to be a snowy Des Moines, Iowa, added insight and product research, looking into the newest products rated highly for how much snow they can handle, how well they remove snow from sidewalks, and additional features to make these machines easier to handle. He also thoroughly learned the ins and outs of snow blowers, including how different types function and what makes them go, and especially how easy or difficult each would be for a novice user. Ira’s several-years-old Toro 5 hp, 20-inch, gas-powered snow blower, bequeathed by a neighbor who moved to California, waits patiently in Ira’s garage for a snowfall heavy enough to be of use. Generally, a two-cycle engine has just a single tank, requiring oil to be mixed with the gas in carefully prepared ratios, depending on the product’s make and model. Four-cycle engines have separate tanks for gas oil and oil, so mixing the two isn’t necessary. In any case, it is important to add the correct weight of oil to your snow blower to make sure it can start in cold weather. Read the owner’s manual for the recommended oil weight, such as SAE 5W-30.
