Sno-Tek 24E

Ease of Operation

Takes some effort to turn, but otherwise straightforward. The Sno-Tek 24E isn't exactly feature-rich; it lacks power steering, a headlight and heated hand warmers. However, reviewers agree that it handles well and the controls are well designed. "I was surprised how easy and efficient the unit was," says a first-time owner. "The discharge chute was easy to use."

One drive wheel can be disengaged to make steering the 24E easier, although several owners grumble that it still takes some effort to turn it around. That said, feedback indicates that the blower handles well in most conditions. One HomeDepot.com user writes, "My driveway is extremely steep (up to a full 35 degrees in some places), and I managed to get it up and down with minimal problems."

A couple of owners post comments about rust in the Sno-Tek 24E's steel body, and one says "the bottom feet will leave rust spots on your garage floor." The blower comes with steel skid shoes by default, which can be replaced with non-abrasive alternatives. Nearly 2,000 Sno-Tek blowers, including the 24E, were subject to a 2011 recall for a missing safety shield above the side-mounted electric start, but they otherwise elicit very few complaints.

Snow-clearing Effectiveness

Clears almost anything, just not super-fast. The Sno-Tek 24E draws praise for how well it clears both flat surfaces and plow piles, although it doesn't do either particularly quickly at just 24 inches across. Even so, owners say the blower is powerful enough to handle dense, heavy snow. "We recently had over 24" of snow in the Denver area and boy was I the hero in the neighborhood," writes one on HomeDepot.com. "It made easy work of clearing 8 inches of heavy, wet snow from a six-car driveway. I can't wait for next winter," says another.

The accolades are nearly unanimous, with users estimating about 20 minutes to clean a 150-foot-long driveway. One says, "Had about 20 inches of soft snow, and it just walked through it." Others point out that the 24E's throw length, which the manufacturer gauges at up to 40 feet, is enough to put snow almost anywhere you want it.

The Bottom Line

Powerful and versatile, but requires a little oomph. The Sno-Tek 24E skips high-end features such as power steering and hand warmers, but delivers where it counts most -- the ability to chew through even dense, heavy snow. If all you need is a compact, powerful machine to clear significant snowfalls, the Sno-Tek 24E is hard to beat, and it's one of the less expensive two-stage snow blowers, to boot.