Two-Stage Snow Blowers in Snow Blowers(12)

Single-Stage or Two-Stage Snow Blower?

Winter and snowfall are fun when it s all about snow day activities. But when there s a thick carpet of snow all around, you need a tool to quickly and easily clear up your buried driveway and paths. If your area gets moderate to heavy snowfall, having a snow blower keeps you from spending a lot of time shoveling snow. There are several types of snow blowers, and this guide will help you choose the one that s right for you.

Single-Stage Snow Blower

A single-stage snow blower features an auger that scoops up the snow and expels it through a discharge chute. Since the auger comes in direct contact with the ground surface, you should only use it on flat, paved surfaces. A single-stage snow blower isn t ideal for unpaved surfaces covered with gravel as the auger may scoop up gravel along with the snow. Choose a single-stage snow blower if you need to clear up less than give inches of wet snow to around eight inches of light, fluffy snow. Single-stage snow blowers come in both electric and gas-powered models. Corded electric snow blowers are lightweight, but their movement is restricted by the length of the power cord and extension cord. Cordless electric snow blowers powered by lithium-ion battery packs are easier to maneuver, but you have to be sure the battery pack is fully charged so you don t run out of power before the job is complete. If you need to clear a wider pathway and thicker, wetter snow, choose a gas snow blower. Note that gas snow blowers need refuelling and are a bit higher on maintenance compared to electric ones.

Two-Stage Snow Blower

Two-stage or dual stage snow blowers are self-propelled and feature an auger and impeller to remove snow. The auger and impeller scoop up and crush the snow and ice before they are thrown out through the chute. Two-stage snow blowers work great even on uneven surfaces covered with stones and gravel because the auger doesn t come in contact with the surface. Since they are powered by engines, two-stage snow blowers are relatively heavy. Determine the size of the area you wish to clear and the approximate height of snow that accumulates in your area before deciding on the intake height and width of the auger. Entry-level two-stage snow blowers are good for frequent light to moderate snow, while higher-end models with more powerful engines can easily take up moderate to heavy snow. You may want to consider other features such as auger and impeller materials, construction material, tire type, presence of hand warmer and headlights, etc.