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Snow Blower Buying Guide
Choosing a Snow Blower

Choosing a Snow Blower

Single-Stage vs.Two-Stage

Single-StageSnow Blowers

Two-StageSnow Blowers

Shoveling snow by hand in the blistering cold takes time, effort and energy. A snow blower can help you minimize your time and effort, and can easily cut through packed snow and ice, even the tough stuff the plow leaves at the end of your driveway.

Single-Stage vs. Two-Stage

The first step in choosing a snow blower is determining whether a single-stage or two-stage unit would be best for your home.

To do so, you should consider the following factors:

What type of snow do you typically get and how much of it?
Is the snow light and powdery or wet and heavy?
How large of an area needs to be cleared?
Do you have a large driveway or a small driveway?
Do you have a small section of sidewalk in front of your home?

Single-Stage Snow Blowers

View Single-Stage Snow Blowers

Best for:

Light to moderate snowfalls, typically 8 inches or less.
Small to moderately sized two car garage driveways.
Clears snow on your pathways and driveways, down to the pavement.

Clearing Width:

22 inches

How it Works:

The rubber auger combines with the power of the engine to scoop up the snow and discharges it through the chute in a single motion – thus the name, Single-Stage.

Features & Benefits:

They are compact, easy to maneuver and have simple controls, making them a great choice for many people. Because of their compact size and ease of use, they can typically clear light to moderate snowfalls quicker than a two-stage snow blower.

SnowShredder™ Technology

Multiple serrated steel surfaces chop and grind through snow and ice with ease. It’s the best of both worlds- two-stage power and single-stage handling.

Learn More >

Two-Stage Snow Blowers

View Two-Stage Snow Blowers

Best for:

Handling all types of snow on any surface.
Ideal choice for gravel driveways, as they do not contact the surface like a single-stage snow blower.

Clearing Width:

24-30 inches

How it Works:

Two-stage snow blowers have a self-propelled transmission with forward and reverse speeds that propel the unit in order to assist the user.

Different than a single-stage, there are two distinct stages of snow removal, thus the two-stage name. In the first stage, the auger collects the snow and transfers it to the center of the machine and back into the impeller, which then throws it up and out of the chute. The auger and impeller, combined with the power of the engine, remove the snow faster by chewing up snow and ice, and then throwing it through the chute.

Features & Benefits

Two-stage snow blowers have power-assisted wheels which help to maneuver the snow blower and assist the user when clearing snow on slopes and large areas. Two-stage snow blowers come equipped with a variety of features to make removing snow easier, quicker and more comfortable.