I’m looking at snow blowers for next year and have shortlisted the Ariens Platinum 24 SHO.
We just had around 15-16 inches of heavy snow. Earlier this month we had 9-10 inches of heavy snow. Before that, we had 6 inches.
This was more snow than we’ve had in years. In recent years, we’ve had no more than 5-6″ of snow at a time.
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I donated a remaining 2-stage snow blower test sample and set out to only test one model this year, a battery-powered single stage snow blower with rubber paddle.
Needless to say, I did a lot of manual shoveling yesterday.
Even when I manually removed half the snow, the single stage snow blower couldn’t handle the remainder.
I loved EGO’s 2-stage snow blower, and it worked out because I had multiple sets of batteries to feed it. I had mostly positive experiences with EGO, but I don’t think even their best models could have handled the deeper parts of yesterday’s snow.
Some of my neighbors were struggling with their gas engine snow blowers. One neighbor across the street didn’t seem to be moving any faster than I was with my shovel. Another had a gas engine snow blower but it apparently wasn’t working well either.
Towards the end, my neighbor brought out his high powered gas engine snow blower and took over clearing the compacted plowed-over snow at the end of my driveway. He cleared the remaining 100 square feet or so with speed and ease I have never seen with any battery-powered snow blower.
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He then took his snow blower across the street to clear the sidewalk. I’m not sure what was going on with their snow blower.
Upon seeing my neighbor clear the most stubborn plowed-over snow mounds, and what many readers said in response to my posts about the Milwaukee M18 Fuel snow blower, I am pretty convinced that a gas engine snow blower will be the way to go.
I shoveled around the cars. Then later we cleaned the cars. The Milwaukee couldn’t handle that snow either, it was just too dense. The paddle made things a little worse and harder to lift from the driveway.
I prefer battery-powered, but when I shopped around in November, none of the modern systems appealed to me. That’s part of why I convinced myself to endure this season just testing the M18. I was set on replacing the donated EGO with a new battery-powered 2-stage snow blower, but all of the available options seemed like pricy compromises.
I was sold on EGO, but apprehensive about the cost of batteries. I also looked at Ryobi 40V, Snow Joe, and Toro.
I’ve come to believe that battery-powered snow blowers have a lot of benefits, but also many compromises.
Hopefully this is the year we get a shed, which will minimize storage concerns.
For the past few years, I’d estimate that I used battery-powered snow blowers between 0 and 5 times per season. Most years 5″ is the most snow we might expect to see in a single storm.
16 inches was a bear to dig out. We might not see snow like this again for 5 years, maybe 10. Or maybe we’ll get that twice next year.
I prefer battery-powered so that I don’t have to deal with fuel storage or stabilizing concerns, or engine maintenance. But, I suppose that’s where engineered packaged fuel might come in to reduce the hassle.
I’m not sure what led me to settled on the Ariens, but it seems like a good pick.
The Platinum series has more power than Deluxe. I might or might not need the extra power, but it’s always the end-of-driveway plowed-over mess that gives me the most trouble.
Our road was repaved a little over a year ago, and in doing so they messed up the level of my gutter and sump drains. I still need to get that fixed.
Last year, I had to chip out one of the drains that had frozen shut. This year I dug out a trench to help it. It’d be nice if I had a snow blower powerful enough to chew up that deep snow and spit it out a few feet away.
There’s no way even the EGO would be able to handle that wall of plowed-over snow – not with the snow fall we had earlier this month and definitely not after this week’s snow.
The neighbor’s snow blower chewed it all up without the least bit of struggle, and that’s what I’m after.
So, the Ariens Platinum 24 SHO, with 389cc engine is on my shortlist. The Deluxe 24″ is rated at 254cc. The Deluxe 28″ SHO (Super High Output) seems a bit too large.
I guessed (incorrectly) that it was too late to buy a snow blower for this season. At the risk of jinxing myself and calling forth even more snow, I still think that’s true, even with a month of winter ahead of us.
Meaning, I won’t be ordering anything until maybe October but at that time I’m usually completely consumed by holiday season content demands. With that in mind, I’ve been doing casual research now, so that all I need to do at that time is pull out a credit card.
It seems cost is the only reason to go with the Deluxe over the Platinum. The Platinum has a few perks, but I mainly want enough power to deal with the 3-5 inches of snow we might get once or twice a year, the rare 12″+ storm, and the deep and dense mess the street plows leave in front of my driveway and drain outlets.
Do you have any alternate recommendations for me to consider?
24″ seems to be the sweet spot. Should I consider other brands instead of Ariens? Which brands have a broader dealer or retail network? Parts availability?
I’m still open to battery-power, but it might not make sense unless I buy into an ecosystem. For cordless outdoor power tools, I strongly prefer smaller power tool battery systems, like Dewalt 20V Max, Milwaukee M18, and Makita XGT, in no particular order.
I have a tapered inclined driveway – it’s wider and flatter at the top, and much narrower and steeper on the bottom. That adds to the challenge of tackling the mound the street plow always leaves.
From my notes and recollection, clearing around 8″ of snow from my driveway would have taken 2 sets of 7.5Ah batteries with the EGO 2-stage. I’ve had batteries go bad in storage in between seasons.
The cost of batteries over 10 years, let alone the lifespan of a well-maintained gas engine snow blower is what gives me pause. That, and I’d never seen a battery-powered snow blower do what my neighbor’s larger gas engine model can do – I’m still in awe.
He upgraded from a smaller engine model and it seemed well worth it.
It took a lot of testing, back-aching labor, readers’ comments, and my neighbor’s high-powered gas engine blower to convince me that gas is going to be the way to go.
Thoughts on my choice thus far?
I briefly looked at 3-stage machines a few weeks ago, but they seem excessive for the range of snow I can reasonably expect to see most years.
Big Richard
The 3 stages are more for breaking up hard pack and/or ice. The stuff that doesn’t like to feed into an auger. They’re not necessarily any better at handling regular heavier snows, so I would not see a reason to look at them.
Snowblower is the only gas OPE I own (I do have the DeWalt 60v for those couple inches of light fluff when I don’t feel like shoveling before work). I upgraded last year from a 26″ 243cc to a 30″ 357cc, and it was the best decision I ever made. It just never struggles in the heaviest of snow and I can do the entire sidewalk (60″ wide) in 2 full passes.
But I also blow an entire dead end side street since the city does not plow it unless it is a declared snow emergency, so I needed the extra capacity.
Farmerguy
I would really like to see Toolguyd demo and review of a Reflex Robotics Snow Shoveling Robot
Doug in PF
I picked up an Ariens Compact 24 from from big box store in 2013. Other than all to infrequent oil changes and good fuel no other maintenance and still going strong. The reasoning for the 24 is it would fit through the garage man door and a 28 would not. I mostly use the snowblower on unpaved surfaces, so I’ve always got the rear wheels locked as the self propel doesn’t work all that well otherwise. This does make turning challenging and so I wish reverse had a faster gear. On paved surfaces without the wheels locked works quite a bit better. Been very happy with the purchase.
KMR
I am glad you finally came around to accepting gas is the solution for sizable snow removal.
As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, I live in Upstate NY in a lake effect snow zone. We’ve now had over 130 inches (330cm) this winter and that is a pretty typical
figure right inline with the historic winter averages.
The short list for snowblower brands to consider:
Honda, Ariens and Toro. In that order.
As for what auger housing width. I’d choose based on how often you have to navigate around narrow spaces / obstructions while snow blowing. If you park your cars in the driveway, what is the width you have left on each side of the car? Is your sidewalk narrow or wide?
Engine size? My Toro 1232 (32″ wide auger housing) uses a 375cc engine and has never had any troubles even when we get heavier wet snow. So 389cc on a 24″ wide chassis seems like a really potent solution, perhaps even a bit excessive in terms of power to snow intake. Also, AFAIK, Ariens and Toro use the same Chinese engine supplier: Loncin Industries.
Before you buy, I’d recommend you go find a dealer in person and make sure that the frame size and balance of the frame is comfortable for you. I once had a 30″, I think it was a Husqvarna, and it had horrible balance due to a really short set of handle bars. I was SO tired after using it. The Toro 1232 I have now, despite being large in every dimension and heavier, is far better balanced with the handle bar location.
I went with my Toro 1232 for two specific reasons:
I wanted the double deflector chute, which has two hinged sections that allow extremely precise control of snow being discharged. I can put down 12″ of snow 12″ to the left or right of my machine. This is extremely useful when I have to navigate between things and don’t have any clearance to throw snow further.
I also thought, at the time I tried the machine out, that the Toro joy stick was an ideal control solution for the chute. That hasn’t proven to be the case over the past 3 winters of use. It is finicky and I have to bring the snow blower to a stop most of the time to use it.
What I’ve really come to dislike about the Toro after 3 winters is the quality of the finish work on the chassis. I’ve never owned a snow blower, from new, that had so many paint defects with rust coming through from under the paint. I bought this as a Home Depot floor model left over, so it has a HD inventory / SKU sticker on the front of the intake housing. The HD sticker is holding up better than the finish on other parts of the chassis. I clean and wash my snow blowers every spring and I looking at it last year, and I should have done something about it then, but didn’t. IMHO, it seems that Toro doesn’t prep the welds well to receive paint (or powder coat, I’m not sure what they’re using). My 3yr warranty runs through this August, we’ll see what Toro and their local dealer has to say after we wrap up this winter.
Nick S.
I upgraded my snow blower last winter. I previously had a 26″ Craftsman snowblower frame that I got for free when the previous owner blew the motor. I put a Harbor Freight engine on it, as well as a DIY impeller kit, and ran it for 12 years until the belt/pulley system started getting finnicky.
I looked at Ariens and Honda pretty extensively, and ultimately landed on a Honda HSS928 28″ blower. Both the Ariens and the Hondas were very good – and to me, are the clear top 2 brands.
I think the Ariens has some more bells and whistles – heated grips, things like that. Also, if you’re looking at a tracked blower, the Ariens tracked blower has an odd hybrid track that is partially wheel, partially track…They claim better maneuverability. I wasn’t a fan personally as the weight distribution seemed odd and potentially counter-productive for a track drive.
I ultimately chose the Honda as it seemed more reliable, and built with tighter tolerances. The design and track system have been used for a long time with good results. Also, a big part of my reason for upgrading is that my old blower, despite being self-propelled, needed significant “manhandling” to move bigger snow. The Honda has “tank style” tracks and a hydro-drive. It marches through even the drifts at the bottom of the driveway. This is key for when my wife has to use it if I’m traveling for work, or when my son eventually takes over this task.
I’ve been happy with my decision – clearing 4 snowfalls so far this year, including 18 inches a few weeks ago, and a foot or so on Monday here in NJ. I may have been just as happy with the Ariens – who knows. I think both are good machines.
KMR
Addendum: Everything I’ve seen about 3 stage machines is that it is a gimmick that doesn’t work well in the real world. 2 stages is tried and tested over decades.
IMHO, auger and impeller diameter sizing matter… and that is what Honda / Ariens / Toro get right. All of the other consumer grade stuff skimps with impressively sized housing that look like they can take a big bite of snow, but the auger and impellers are too undersized to make effective use of the housing size.
fred
I have an Ariens PLATINUM ST24DLE bought in the Fall of 2013. When bought it was their top 24-inch model with all the bells and whistles. It has been a mixed bag. It is hard to start – even with power start. It seems to want premium gas (no big deal). It was fitted with 2 #724065 front weights – adding 20 pounds to its already considerable weight. These are supposed to help keep the front end down – but I’m not sure that I’d recommend them. The dealer threw in drift cutters (part # 724069) that I’ve never used, a cover (part #726014) and a pair of non-skid shoes (part#72600300) and some extra shear bolts (beyond the 2 that came with the machine). On first use (winter 2014) I could not get it to start, and it had to be serviced. It worked OK for a few years, then the drive wheel tire failed and had to be replaced. Last winter I could not get it to start when I wanted to use it – but in started fine in the Spring when I wanted to run out the gas in its tank. This year in January it would not start. But would earlier this week. After clearing a few garden paths – the drive wheel tire went flat and would not hold air. Maybe I have a fluke and/or my infrequent use is the culprit – but my experience has not been stellar.
Luckily, I do not need it to clear the drive up to my house (that requires a truck and a plow) or my front walkways – and my landscapers arrived to do those soon after the recent blizzard abated.
KMR
Fred, do you know what manufacturer made that engine?
As I noted in above, currently both Ariens and Toro use Loncin engines from China. My Toro has a 375cc Loncin, and it starts first pull. I haven’t used the electric start at all this winter. While the Toro is kept “indoors” it is always cold, as it is in the unheated portion of my barn.
The hardest starting snowblower engine I’ve ever had was an old 8HP Tecumseh SnowKing. It would never start by pull start. Always required the electric starter to get going. Never figured out why, once started it ran well. But this is 20+ years ago.
fred
According to a Google search:
The 369cc Ariens AX engine is manufactured by LCT (Liquid Combustion Technology) to Ariens’ specific engineering requirements.
Andrew
WI comment here. I have only ever owned Ariens 2 stage. I have used 2 stage Cub Cadet, single stage Toro models, etc. Ariens has never served me wrong. If you don’t have a huge driveway, 24″ is going to suite you fine. For the level of snow you are describing above, you don’t need to go any higher on the power level.
As for fuel, a small gas can with non-ethanol fuel works great; Stabil optional. If you feel like its getting old, dump it in your truck and refresh. I have never had OPE not start due to fuel.
ebt
Here’s the thing about gas-powered snow blowers: you need to keep it empty of fuel during storage, you want a fuel shutoff if not on that model, you need to know the size of the fuel tank, you want electric start (not battery but plug in), you want lights. You want an easy to change direction as well as chute. You might want to mod the lift stage impeller with rubber (see Youtube) flaps to help move out slush. You want spare sets of shear pins (a branch, rock, paver section, can cause havoc). You need a bike pump or inflator for tires as they will deflate in storage. You might want chains. Ice is hard, and when street plows block in your drive, that is usually the first target of the hardest work. If your driveway has any slope or hill, you may want tracked vs wheeled. Also, commercial blowers have bigger motors, some have larger fuel capacity and ofcouse, 2x the price.
FYI I had sold my blower (not a thrower) as I sold my house, to a friend for his son. It was 14 years old, a reliable Tecumseh engine, and just reliable. But with newer blowers, the Honda motors are made in China, and the Briggs are junk now too. Watch some Donyboy73 Small Engine Doctor.
Jared
From what you’ve described of your snow-clearing needs, I don’t think you need a wide blower. You might finish a couple of minutes early, but then the rest of the year you’re storing a larger machine. Width becomes important when you’re clearing long stretches, otherwise it can be a liability depending on how easy the machine is to steer.
Also, you’re researching now… and this is the time of year when blowers start to be discounted. If your purchase decision won’t change by October, are you sure you want to wait? Might be nice to have it already sitting in the box in your garage if you happen to get another dump this year.
Stuart
I figure 24″ should suffice.
This time of year is when blowers are in short supply and value-shoppers take the pick of what’s left.
David
Amazed no one has mentioned the best 24″ 2-stage snow blower made, the HondaHSS724AW / HSS724AWD. Honda small engine products just work and work well and they always start on the first pull or electric start.
Analyst
I wholeheartedly agree with you David about the Honda machines! I’m at the 28-inch width. I own two Honda HSS928 with the track drive–one 25 years old and one 5 years old. When I wanted a second one to leave at another property, I didn’t blink before buying another Honda. The older one still runs fine, but the new one sure has some sweet new features.
I went track versus wheel because the track drive units allow you to height adjust which comes in handy when you are blazing a path over rocks or grass. The track machines also tend to perform better when blowing through the dense snow banks the plows leave at the end of the driveway. I drove mine through near 4-foot drifts with ease yesterday.
The tracks also make it way easier to load into the back of a pickup truck in the up position with a set of aluminum folding ramps. I can drive it up into the truck without ever getting into the bed. Getting it out is just as easy as the key for the electric starter and the forward/reverse hydro-static drive lever can still be reached from the ground (4WD Tacoma).
curtinfarmer
No matter what you have you can’t wait for all the snow to fall before getting outside. We were hammered in this year in Ma and it’s not over but with big snow you have to get out there for multiple passes at least for these big storms.
Robert
Stuart, what brand was the neighbor’s awesome snow blower? Was it by implication Ariens? It wasn’t clear to me in your narrative.
Stuart
I didn’t take note of it, but it wasn’t any recent model. I believe he said it was 11 HP and a 9 HP blower didn’t cut it for him before that.
I had started to look at Ariens prior to this, after readers pushed me towards considering gas-powered.
Eric
Over here in Michigan enjoying using my $300 30+ year old Simplicity with a 10hp Tecumseh engine. I know that used is not flashy or worth the risk for some people, but it runs reliably on ethanol-free gas and hasn’t failed me yet. Just have to scoop out the mouse house every fall from storing it out in my shed.
Neil H
You know if you buy this it will never snow for another 15 years 🙂
Stuart
And if I don’t, every winter will be like this year’s or worse.
Chris T
I have a 15+- year old big standard Craftsman 24″ blower that does very well. It has 8 forward speeds. And,I’ve noticed that the lowest gear is much lower than my neighbors’ machines. I think this is why it does such a good job on deeper, heavier snow. It just chugs along.