Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I'd like to buy a snowblower (for $1,500 or less if possible).  I have a normal sized driveway (10 feet by 80 feet) and get pretty heavy snow as I'm in the snowbelt here in northeast Ohio.  If you guys could help me witih the exact brand/model to get, it would help me out a lot.

1.  I read that the Briggs & Stratton engines are better than Tecumseh -- how true is this?

2.  Research has indicated the best brand names (in approximate order) are:  Honda, Simplicity (Snapper), Ariens, Toro -- is this fairly accurate?

3.  However, since my budget is $1,500 I'm looking for the best VALUE too (not necessarily the best blower).  I'm thinking the best value might be: Simplicity, Toro, Ariens, Honda -- is this accurate or am I way off?

4.  If I spend an extra $500 will I get something SUBSTANTIALLY better than what a $1,500 (or less)  snowthrower can give me? 

I'm not into bells and whistles (i.e. I don't want hand-warmers or electronic shute controls).  If you can offer any advice on the exact brand/model to get, I'd appreciate it!!

(P.S.  I also have a 600 squarefoot deck - is it OK to use a snowblower on a deck?)

Just to follow-up on my post,

First, thanks for all of the advice.  I ended up buying a Simplicity 8526E for slightly less than $1000 and have used it several times already -- it's been a rough winter up here in Ohio!

For those that may be looking, I have only owned my machine for a little over two months, but so far I highly recommend it.  My driveway is sloped, wide, and long, but the Simplicity has had no problem at all with clearing.  I never did try it on my deck, because basically I'm afraid to. ;)

The only strange thing is when you engage the auger, it makes a weird "skidding" noise - I"m not sure if this is normal or not, but it doesn't seem to be causing any problems at this point.  Also, I did not get the "easy-turn" feature and wish I had!  The machine is fairly heavy and not the easiest thing to turn -- but if you put it in 1st gear and turn, it's still manageable.

Thanks again!  And good luck to those who are looking.

I also am in the market for a new or used snowthrower.   I have a cabin at 6,800 feet in the Sierras.   We currently have about 6-7 feet of snow piled up around our cabin.  Storms can bring 2-3 feet of snow at a time.   For the past 4 winters I have been using a Craftsman (made by MTD) 9 HP 27 inch.   I have decided I need to upgrade.    I have been thinking about the simplicity or snapper based on the reviews on this website.   There is a used 8 hp tracked newer Honda on craigslist, that I also was thinking about, but I am wondering if it is big enough for the job I have.    The intake height is not that large.     I also was wondering about Poulan Pro and Husqavarna...  but they are made by AYP?      Probably wait until spring /summer and get the simplicity or snapper if I can find it on sale.  

But does anyone have experience with a tracked 8 hp Honda dealing with 2-3 feet of snow at time?

I pasted a few links from epinons.com regarding Honda track snowthrowers.   Some are positive, some negative...just like you'll find with any brand.  There's a total of 15 reviews on the site.  The one recurring negative in the reviews notes the tendacy of the Hondas to break shear pins.  Maybe their current models are designed differently...but worth checking out.  I never owned a Honda but they look well built.  I've heard that track blowers are not the easiest to move around when their not running.  Personally with the serious snow that you get I would opt for the most powerful machine I could buy in terms of HP.  11 to 13HP.

http://www.epinions.com/review/Honda_Snowblower_HS928TA/content_303599226500

http://www.epinions.com/review/Honda_Snowblower_HS928TA/content_161279479428

http://www.epinions.com/review/Honda_Snowblower_HS928TA/content_9106067076

Here is some advice it may help it may not .I purchased a Husqvarna snow thrower with 11HP Tecumseh Snow King engine. I always felt that Tecumseh had the better engines for show throwing equipment and Briggs & Stratton had the better engines for the Lawn equipment. Well my $1000.00 Husqvarna  which is 2yrs 4  myhs old just blew the engine . The rod gracked the block . How  the techs don't seem to now for suer Maybe  some moisture got in there or the throtle frooze up.Regardless it 's going to cost $475.00 to replace just the short block or i can buy a completlry new engine for around $500.00  which will give me another 2 yr warranty (ha Ha) Here is the killer for 13 yrs i had a Murray that i purchase through Home Depot back around 1996 It had a Tecumseh engine. That unit was still working  when i gave it to my plumber to help cover some extra cost on some work i had down .Now that unit I paid around $250.00 which was far less than it was origonally going for $549.99 but since that year i brought it we had no snow and Home depot wrer stuck with a lot left over. That unit i kept outside under my back deck never covered and it ran good On the heay snow did take some time. But the newer thrower  i kept covered on my front deck. check the oil evertime i used it . Let it run down   before burn off extra gas in carb.  bUt 1 day this week when  we had about 8 inches of snow it failed  and 2 days before ran alright. About the same time i brought mine  My older neighbor brrought a Sears Craftsman. it had a brigs and Stratton engine on it .I beleive this was a first time that the Sears models some were going with Briggs. Oneday he asked me if i could try to start his machine .I couldn't the engine had seized up. Moisture had seep down into th eengine. That what he told me . They said it was of a poor muffler design the condensation after you turn the unit off ran back down . Since then they have corrected the porblem along with trying to correct the ethanol in the gas which  means you have to take some extra precautions.

Whatever you decide research  and ask around  after what happen to me i' would still stick with what i brought

Good luck

djhaase wrote:  
Sierra = Honda.

I used to live near Tahoe and my 20-year-old HS80 took everything thrown at it which was quite a lot. I have since moved to Maine and bought a newer larger HS928 but the HS80 is still serving duty as a backup and it's been dang good at it.

Tracked Hondas are specifically designed for serious snow conditions. They can be difficult to maneuver in areas with mild winters and frequent snowfall/melt cycles throughout the cold season and in fact I noticed that a majority of people who complain about their tracked Hondas on the Net happen to be using them in conditions where such a machine is overkill or even completely inappropriate. Apparently some people have difficulty  grasping the concept  that on pavement or gravel wheels work better than tracks since they offer much less resistance and friction but this is done at the expense of traction, obviously. That's the reason why when it comes to areas with months-long snow cover and ice/packed snow base wheels are no match for tracks, not even close. Tracks will keep on providing traction in conditions where using a wheeled blower turns into a skid-push-pull-curse fest.  

In such conditions the Honda's fixed axles are an asset rather than an annoyance, providing even traction for years whereas many blowers with unlockable axle have a tendency to develop a pull on one side under intensive usage because operators tend to always lock the same side causing uneven wear patterns. In deep snow tracks perform better than wheels regardless of base because they can ride on top of the deepest layer without sinking much meaning you can clear snow via multiple passes vertically as well as horizontally. This also allows clearing "old growth" hardened snow regardless of depth or how long it's been laying there, however this requires some patience, but it can be done. 

The best is yet to come. By  "8 hp tracked newer Honda" I am assuming you mean the HS828 and not the older HS80. Like all newer Honda blowers rated 7hp and above the HS828  comes with deep snow's worst enemy: the hydrostatic transmission. This means it has no fixed gear speed ratios, instead it has an infinitely variable speed control both in forward and reverse. Tackling deep snow at too high a speed can overwhelm the engine of even large snowblowers and with some really serious snow even the first gear can be too fast. Honda's hydro tranny allows to operator to set the speed as slow as he/she wishes, down to a few inches a minute.  Doing this I am able to deal with even the nastiest  EOD mess at a pace that  allows the machine to get the job done without bogging down and/or imposing undue stress to the engine. In these snowy climes, short of a 30hp utility tractor II can't imagine using any other blower than a Honda.