Snow Blowers: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org has the best comparative review available on snow blowers. Editors evaluate factors such as throwing distance, removal speed, ease of handling and noise level to rank 76 two-stage gas-powered, single-stage gas-powered, and electric snow throwers and identify recommended models. Compact two-stage gas models are ranked separately. When a model is similar enough to a tested blower to be rated without being tested, the rankings chart indicates this.

Our AssessmentPaul Sikkema mainly reviews MTD-made brands such as Craftsman and Cub Cadet, but he also posts 2011 reviews of a few Husqvarna, Toro and Snapper models. He hadn't reviewed the 2011 Arians blowers as of this writing, but 2010 reviews are still available on the site. Sikkema says 24-inch two-stage blowers are best for most people, and he gives the 24-inch Craftsman 88957 his best value award. The more expensive Husqvarna 924HV gets the best overall 24-inch snow blower award; the 27-inch Husqvarna 1827EXLT is the model Sikkema would buy "if I wanted the best and didn't care what it cost." Although Sikkema hasn't tested most of the models he reviews, he seems to have physically examined the majority of them. He also posts an ethics statement that makes us more confident in his evaluations.

Our AssessmentThe Sears website lists all currently available Craftsman snow blowers, many of which feature detailed user reviews. Because Craftsman products aren't available anywhere else, this is the best place to find owner opinions on Craftsman snow blowers. Two gas models get top ratings from enough owners for their input to be meaningful.

Our AssessmentRetail site SnowBlowersDirect.com shows owners' reviews of the snow blowers they carry. Most models have at least a few comments, and many have accumulated enough feedback to provide a good idea of how they perform over time. Ariens two-stage gas, and Toro single-stage gas and electric snow blowers have the most reviews and the highest ratings here.

Our AssessmentHomeDepot.com sells Ariens, Toro, Sno-Tek (made by Ariens) and a few other brands of snow blowers. It's hard to identify which models get good ratings from a significant number of owners, because you have to click on a "quick view" tab for each. Still, the site is worth searching because a number of blowers have enough ratings to provide a good idea of how they perform over time and in real-life situations. Ariens gas snow blowers get the highest ratings overall.

Our AssessmentConsumerGuide.com provides expert reviews of snow blowers in three categories: single-stage and two-stage machines rated at 5 to 8 horsepower, and two-stage machines rated at 9 horsepower and higher. The reviews are helpful and easy to read, but it's not clear whether these snow blowers were actually tested. Some reviews here date back to 2006, and we saw none more recent than October 2007. Many of the recommended models have been discontinued.

Our AssessmentThis forum is a good resource with a number of helpful threads that address specific snow-removal problems, such as using blowers on steep driveways, the best times of day to remove snow, and which snow blower brands and models are best. Opinions vary widely as far as specific models are concerned and most owners have experience only with their own blower, so little useful comparative information is provided.