Craftsman 88970

Ease of Operation

Draws praise for excellent controls. The Craftsman 88970 doesn't have power steering, a headlight or heated handgrips. Even so, reviewers love its electric starter and the four-way joystick that lets you control the discharge chute without stopping the blower. An independent research organization awards the 88970 the highest score possible for its controls, and it draws kudos from Paul Sikkema of MovingSnow.com. Users appreciate the controls, too, but say the chute won't stay to the extreme left or right on its own.

Despite the 88970's lack of  power steering, owners say they have no trouble turning it. "Forward and reverse gears for the wheels make going uphill a breeze," posts one at Sears.com. Sikkema agrees, saying that "good tires and good balance make this snow blower easy to operate." The Craftsman 88970 is self-propelled, with six forward speeds and two reverse gears. One-handed controls mean you can use your free hand for steering or adjusting the chute.

Although many owners love their Craftsman 88970 snow blowers, several recent reviews indicate problems, mostly with the Chinese-made engines. Users report that the engine either fails, or leaks oil right away and fails later. "Don't bother," warns one unhappy consumer. "Bought this snow blower 4 years ago and now the engine is shot. Worked great through most of last year until the gears started slipping."

Snow-clearing Effectiveness

Can handle anything given enough time. Experts say the Craftsman 88970 can clear 6 to 12 inches of snow quickly and deeper snow more slowly, and can handle the thick piles left behind by snowplows. It gets high marks for how well it cleans down to the surface. One owner writes on Sears.com, "Cuts through snow like butter and the 26-inch path means only one trip down the sidewalks. It works great even after the county trucks have added an extra foot of heavy, wet snow." He adds that the 88970 works flawlessly "every time" on 4 to 12 inches of snow, and several owners say it throws snow as far as 25 feet.

The 88970 is also fairly fuel-efficient; one Sears.com reviewer reports clearing "four very large driveways and a city block of sidewalks on a tank of gas." Experts like how quickly it moves snow, and owners agree: "I was able to clear my 100-foot, two-car-wide driveway in approximately 15-20 minutes, this is including what the plow left at the bottom of my driveway," says one. The 88970 is very loud, so hearing protection is strongly recommended.

The Bottom Line

Perfect for those not-too-big, not-too-small jobs. The two-stage, gas-powered Craftsman 88970 is light on features, but very easy to operate. It'll chew through almost any snow accumulation -- if you're patient about it. However, concerns about engine problems keep it from being a top pick.