What "grade" of snow blower do you need for your winter's snow removal chores? Many buyers do not even realize there are different grades available. They simply go into a big-box store (usually after it starts snowing) and buy whatever the salesperson sells them--or whatever is quickly available.
That probably works o.k. if you just have a small driveway and minimum sidewalks, or smaller snowfalls. But, if you have to deal with heavier snowfalls, and/or large areas to clear out, you may want to consider an upgraded machine such as a Prosumer model, or even a Professional model.
What are the differences between these three grades? Here is a brief description of each of the grades, along with some average price ranges:
Consumer Grade Snow Blowers
These snow machines are the smallest of the group and, for the most part, these machines are single stage and many of them use 2-cycle (mix the oil and gas together) engines. The thing to be aware of with this group is that they are not as sturdily built, as the Professional grade, nor as large as either of the other two grades.
They also do not have near the features of the Professional grade. The cost of these machines range from for the smallest electric model, to around 0 for the larger models.
Prosumer Grade Snow Blowers
This grade of machine is very similar to the consumer grade, except they have a greater clearing width (26" to 30") and larger engines. All engines on the Prosumer grade are 4-cycle and they are two-stage blowers with an auger that delivers snow into an impeller that throws it out farther and faster than a single-stage machine.
They are designed to clear a lot more snow much faster than a consumer grade machine. However, for the most part, they do not have all the standard features of the Professional grade machine. Prices for a true Prosumer model usually tops out at around ,500.
Professional Grade Snow Blowers
This group of machines is for serious snow removal. The machines have heavier steel frames, and cast iron gear cases instead of aluminum. They are simply much more durable than the other two groups of snow blowers. They also come with much larger engines and larger wheels and tires. They have clearing widths up to 36 inches and can handle deep drifted snow.
They are designed to be used often and heavily in deep snow. Most of them come with many options as standard equipment, such as: drift cutters, easy chute controls, interlocking controls (for steering), hand warmers, halogen headlights, reversible skid shoes, and the like. As you would expect, these models cost from around ,500 up to about ,500.
So, these are brief descriptions of the three "grades" of snow throwers. As you can see, you can pay from to ,500 for a snow machine, but the important thing to remember is that you want a machine that will fit all your requirements. If you buy one that is too small, you will exhaust yourself (and your machine) trying to clear your snow. Conversely, if you buy one too large, you may be fighting some behemoth (and still exhausting yourself) trying to maneuver it around small areas.
The best thing to do is determine just what your real needs are and then shop around early for the model you want...at the best price. Good luck.
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