Snow Blower Brands and Links

Alternative snow-removal methods

If you decide to keep your manual shovel, home-improvement expert Danny Lipford says you can try floor wax to keep snow from sticking to it. The wax will reduce friction and protect metal shovels from rust.

Another option is a Wovel (*Est. $120), which combines the shovel with a wheel and a lever so you can push rather than pick up and throw snow. In a 2007 review, The New York Times says the Wovel reduces lower back injury by 85 percent. Praised by Popular Mechanics, the International Hardware Show and Time magazine, the Wovel is available at Home Depot, Amazon.com and other retailers.

In an article on Father's Day gifts for less than $100, the editors of Popular Mechanics include a wheel-less variation of the Wovel, the ergonomically designed Penguin SnoBoss (*Est. $40). It's a lightweight combination pusher and shovel; you push it to scoop up snow, then grab the handle halfway up and toss the snow aside.

We didn't see many tests of a product called Bare Ground (*Est. $40 for Deluxe System), but it sounds interesting. A biodegradable spray that you put down before a snowfall, Bare Ground causes ice and snow to melt on contact and is supposed to last two weeks. We watched a video test by Scranton, Pa., TV station WNEP, which tested Bare Ground before a snowstorm. The solution did prevent snow from sticking for a couple of hours, but eventually it couldn't keep up with the rate of snowfall. Still, for light snow, Bare Ground might work well enough. The Bare Ground website has details.

Snow blower buyer's guides and safety tips

A number of general buyer's guides help consumers assess their snow-removal needs, explain what to look for when shopping for a snow blower, and offer maintenance and safety tips.

Retailer SnowBlowersDirect.com provides an interactive tool for choosing the snow blower that best meets your needs.

SnowBlowers.net offers a buying guide, as well as information on many companies that make and sell snow blowers, including Toro, Ariens, Troy-Bilt and others.

David Beaulieu, About.com's landscaping guide, has overviews of electric snow throwers as well as single- and two-stage gas snow blowers. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Beaulieu also offers safety tips for using heavy equipment, including snow blowers, and advice on snow blower maintenance.

SnowBlowerGuide.com has a thorough article on snow blower safety. The site also provides downloadable owner's manuals for some snow blowers, as well as articles and a discussion forum.

The Snow Blower Supply blog offers a mix of reviews, tips from owners, and safety and buying guides.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission's snow blower safety alert can be downloaded at its website.

Toro has a couple of videos about its products on YouTube; one demonstrates the features that come on all of Toro's Power Clear single-stage gas blowers.

Snow blower brands

Manufacturer websites are the best places to find detailed specification information on snow blowers.

Ariens

Craftsman

Cub Cadet

Honda

Husqvarna

Lawn-Boy

Poulan, Poulan Pro, McCulloch

Simplicity

Toro

Troy-Bilt

Yard Machines