Thankfully, you can still buy an electric, cordless, or even a gas-powered snow blower for less than $999. You do not have to go broke in order to break through the snow bank at the end of the driveway. Nevertheless, there are some very nice models available, as long as you are willing to pay more than 1000 dollars for a deluxe snow blower, that has all the bells and whistles.
What should you keep in mind before buying an expensive snow blower?
Generally, consumers want a snow blower that looks good (no pink or purple snow blowers please), that is easy to use, strong and durable, does not weigh too much, and yet provides more than enough power to get the job done.
If you are going to pay a few thousand dollars for a snow blower, then it should last for a long time. An expensive snow blower from a well-known brand that is properly maintained might last up to 25 years.
Obviously, the most expensive residential snow blower is going to be more powerful, and have more special features, than cheaper models. Be that as it may, you should try to balance the retail price with both your personal budget and the list of features that you desire.
Which snow blowers cost more than $1000?
In the price range between a minimum of $1000 and a maximum of $3000, there are only a few snow blowers which could be worth the extra money. You can buy a deluxe model snow thrower with special features at a price point of around $1500. In general, you will get a larger engine and a few extra features for every thousand dollars you spend. To illustrate, I have selected a few examples, which I discuss under each of the subheadings below.
Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO
The first snow blower that I chose for this buying guide is the Deluxe 28 SHO model from Ariens. This model is a good choice for chewing up snow without breaking a sweat. The AX 306cc engine on this snow blower provides great value for the price point of under $2000. If you do not want to use the pull rope for starting the engine, then you may plug an extension cord into its 120V electric starting system.
This two-stage gas-powered snow blowing machine eats through snow and throws it up to 55 feet away, due to its 28-inch clearing width, serrated steel auger and high-speed impeller. FYI, the SHO added to the model name seems to be an acronym for super high output, referring to the high speed rotation of the impeller with its three steel blades.
In brief, the majority of consumers are satisfied with the performance of the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO two-stage snow blower. They love the premium features such as the auto-turn steering and LED headlight. It seems like it is worth spending a few hundred dollars extra for the Deluxe 28 SHO snow blower.
Husqvarna ST324
I had a brief look at the Husqvarna ST324 model, which has an MSRP of around $1500. It has several useful features, including an electronic starter, heated handle grips, and an LED headlight. The two-stage system, power steering, and extra-large tyres should make this snow blower a dream to operate.
Nonetheless, based on a few evaluations, it appears that some buyers had a negative experience with the ST324 model. I was concerned after reading all the bad reviews. It raised issues such as the following.
- Slippage is a risk with friction disk drives.
- The fuel tank is inadequate and may barely last an hour.
- It will lose torque in thick or packed snow.
- The discharge chute appears to be haphazard.
- The drive wheels are slipping significantly, causing the machine to struggle when climbing a slope.
Overall, the Husqvarna ST324 is not worth the price tag given some of the issues you may have with this snow blower. Husqvarna did not deliver what I expected. Normally, you get what you paid for, but not in this case.
Do you really need to pay more than $2000 for a snow blower?
I do not think that it is necessary to pay more than 2000 dollars for a residential snow blower. A basic model will throw snow just as far as a more expensive model, even though it might lack special features such heated handgrips, hydrostatic transmission, or tank tracks. Nevertheless, it is up to you to decide whether it is worth emptying out your money box to get that special feature that might make snow throwing a little easier.
Ariens’ Professional line includes a wide range of snow blower models. The Professional 28 model, for example, has an online retail price of slightly under $3000. It has a 420cc engine with push-button electric start and a clearance width of 28 inches. It comes with premium features such as an electric starter, a remote deflector, an LED spotlight, hand warmers, and commercial-grade skid shoes. However, it still has a Disc-O-Matic drive.
If you want an Ariens snow blower with tank tracks, consider the RapidTrak Series. The RapidTrak system is a changeable tracked or wheeled design that retains traction even on steep or slippery surfaces with big snow heaps. Its three customizable settings let users confront any winter scenario: track mode for normal snow throwing, wheel mode for agility, or dig-in mode for enhanced grip in heavy snow. For example, the Ariens Platinum 28 RapidTrak SHO model costs less than $3000 online.
Any of Husqvarna’s Professional line snow blowers are available for purchase for more than 2000 dollars. These snow blowers are intended for professionals that require high performance in a wide range of professional applications. Husqvarna presently offers six of these commercial snow blowers: the ST424, ST427, ST430, ST424T, ST427T, and ST430T. Please keep in mind that the final three models with the letter T at the end use track drive rather than wheels.
The Husqvarna ST430T, for example, has a suggested retail price of somewhat more than $3000. You get a two-stage track drive snow blower with a 30-inch working width, adjustable bucket height, key electric start, electronic fuel injection, an all-steel operator console, heated handle grips, hydrostatic transmission, power steering, remote chute rotator, remote chute deflector, and LED headlight for this price. As you can see, spending more money gets you more exclusive features.
Conclusion
There are other models that are even more expensive, but you can only buy them by going to a dealer. I am referring to a model such as the Ariens Professional Kraken 32-inch RapidTrak snow blower, which can only be purchased from a store. You will have to cough up almost 5000 dollars for this orange monster, but you will get all the power, traction and snow throwing distance that you might ever need until the next ice age comes around.
To conclude this redundant review, I seem to have gotten stuck between Ariens and Husqvarna snow blowers. I did not even get round to looking at those expensive Honda models. Be that as it may, I think that there are more than enough Ariens snow blowers to satisfy your snow throwing needs, so there is probably very little reason to buy an expensive snow thrower from any other brand name.
Photo by Marc-Antoine Dubé on Unsplash.