Snowblowers: Which One is Right for You?

I am one of those odd-ball people who like to shovel snow. I love to get up early and start shoveling before the sun comes up, while the neighborhood is quiet and peaceful and it feels like I'm the only person left on earth. By the time the sun comes up and the neighbors start clearing their driveways, I'm done shoveling and inside with a hot, steamy cup of hot chocolate.

Living in the Northeast we get snowfalls anywhere from a few inches to two feet. While the small snowfalls are fun to shovel, the fifteen plus inch storms are a chore. So this fall I toyed with the idea of buying a snowblower. I went to several different stores to check out the various models. And there were a lot of snowblowers to choose from.

I found they range in price from $170 to over $2000. The more expensive models have some nice options, but options that may not really be necessary. Options like headlights (useful if blowing snow at night or early in the morning) and hand warmers (nice if you live in an area where the temperature gets near or below zero).

There are electric and gas-powered snowblowers. The electric one work well for snowfalls less than eight inches. They are good for clearing walks and decks and are of course limited by the length of your extension cord and availability of electrical outlets. Gas-powered ones can be loud and need maintenance as well as gasoline.

Snowblowers come with many different size engines. Five to seven horsepower is adequate for most people. If you get a lot of wet, heavy snow, consider getting on with ten or more horsepower.

They come with either electric or pull-cord manual starters. The electric starter kind is much easier to use.

Snowblowers come in either a single stage or two-stage models. The single stage (most electric models) scoops up the snow and throws it out a chute. The two-stage has an auger that breaks up the snow and a blower that throws it out a chute.

If you are looking to buy a snowblower make sure it has a separate control so you can change the angle of the chute. This way you can avoid throwing snow up on your porch steps or out in the road.

Depending on where you live will dictate the snowblower you need. Be sure to buy the one that suits your needs.

Will I buy a snowblower? Probably not, but a new snow shovel may be on my shopping list.