Gas Snow Blowers

For heavy snow, you need a gas-powered snow thrower

Single-stage gas snow blowers are heavier and more expensive than electric models, but they can handle snowfalls of about 8 to 10 inches. They also clear a wider path and their range isn't limited by a cord. Some have two-cycle engines that use a gas/oil mix, although the top-rated models we identify all have four-cycle engines. Because the auger on single-stage blowers actually scrapes the surface, they clear snow right down to the pavement; they shouldn't be used on gravel or other loose surfaces. Despite being heavier than an electric model, a single-stage gas snow blower is fairly easy to use because the auger's movement helps propel the machine forward. In addition, all single-stage blowers have wheels.

For 2011, the Toro Power Clear 621 QZE (*Est. $750) gets the best expert reviews of any single-stage blower. This electric-start model has a 21-inch clearing width and a powerful 163cc four-cycle engine. (An electric start option allows you to plug in the snow blower to start it rather than pulling a recoil cord, which can be a pain in cold or inclement weather.) In tests, the 621 QZE removes snow quickly and clears it right down to the pavement. It can even handle piles of snow left behind by municipal snowplows, according to reviewers, and a joystick lets you change the direction of the chute without stopping the blower.

The Toro Power Clear 621 QZE doesn't have extras such as a headlight or heated handgrips, but its light weight (84 pounds) makes it easy to maneuver and transport. The 621 QZR (*Est. $650) is identical but lacks an electric starter. Toro Power Clear blowers are covered by a Guaranteed to Start (GTS) promise: Toro will repair a unit free of charge during the first two years if the engine doesn't fire up in one or two pulls. Power Clear snow blowers also come with a two-year warranty.

According to reviews, a budget-priced alternative is the Craftsman 88780 (*Est. $500) . It also has an electric starter and a 21-inch clearing width, as well as a 179cc four-cycle engine. You do have to stop the blower to adjust the chute or deflector manually, and like the Toro model it has neither a headlight nor heated handgrips. Nearly 50 owners post reviews at Sears.com; the majority are positive, although a couple of users say the 88780 can't handle piles of snow left by snowplows. This Craftsman blower has a two-year warranty. It's included in the latest ratings chart on ConsumerReports.org, which is available to subscribers.

Another top-rated single-stage blower, the Cub Cadet 221 LHP (*Est. $650) , has an electric starter and adds a headlight, remote control of both the chute and the deflector angle, and a steel-reinforced rubber auger. It also has a longer warranty of three years. The 221 LHP has a 208cc engine that reviewers say handles moderately heavy snowfalls and piled-up snow; they call it a real value. The Cub Cadet is recommended by an in-house product expert at retailer SnowBlowersDirect.com, and gets high ratings from a handful of owners posting reviews on the Cub Cadet website. The Craftsman 88782 (*Est. $600) is virtually identical to the Cub Cadet 221 LHP; both brands are manufactured by MTD.