Snow blowers are one of those pieces of home equipment that just don’t get that much attention. It’s easy to understand why, they are only useful for a short period of time in the year and it’s usually a time of the year that isn’t all that exciting. Frustrating is more like it.

Why don’t we appreciate our snow blowers more though? They help us quickly get through what would otherwise be hours of back-breaking physical labor. This article probably isn’t going to change your mind in that regard, but with any luck we can help develop a better idea of what makes for a good snow blower and what your should look for if you are considering buying one.

It All Depends on The Weather

The type of snow blower that is best suited for your application is always going to boil down to the amount of snowfall you except in your region. For regions where snowfall is light but you still need to be prepared there are basically two equally matched options.

The first of these two options is to go with an electric snow blower. There are many benefits to electric snow blowers over gas alternatives, mainly that you don’t need to keep a can of gasoline on hand, they generally require less maintenance, and they are much quieter during operation. Not to mention they are potentially less harmful to the environment in the long run.

If electric power isn’t your thing though you can probably get away with a relatively affordable single-stage snow blower. Neither electric nor single stage snow blowers are likely to cut it if you live in an area where the snowfall is fierce though, in which case you’re going to want to look for something with a little more gusto.

For those that live in the more northern states where the snowfall is dense, wet, and heavy, you’re probably going to benefit greatly from choosing a model that has two stages at the very least. The main selling point of a two-stage snow blower versus a single stage snow blower is that the wheels also have gears that can be engaged, so you’ll have some assistance as you try to cut through those stubborn and unforgiving snow banks. If you think of any standard snow blower this is probably what comes to mind. A little more beefy than the electric and single-stage snow blowers, and certainly a little more powerful looking all around.

For those of us up against the fiercest of winter storms there is yet another option (aside from just hiring someone to take care of the whole ordeal for you with professional equipment). If you’ve ever gone to battle with a storm using a two-stage snow blower and all that happens is your wheels spin while the snow blower tried helplessly to move forward, then this is definitely the option for you. We’re talking about a three-stage snow blower. You read that right. Three. Stage. Snow. Blower. What could possibly be the third stage?

The third stage is another spinning mechanism that rotates much faster than the main auger, serving to break up the snow in to smaller and more manageable pieces to ultimately be thrown far out of the way. This is really only needed in the northern states (and probably Canada and other countries), but if you need the extra power it’s definitely worth the extra investment.

So what do you think? Do you know a thing or two more about snow blowers after reading all of this? Do you appreciate your beloved snow blower more than you thought you might? We sure hope so. Please share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!