Took the wife to the Deere dealer. The 1330SE is quite a machine. Electric adjustment of the chute for both direction and deflection; a very easily controlled and fast movement without any movement of your hand from the grip. However my wife complained it was hard for her to handle; I couldn't understand why.
Our Ariens dealer had closed by then, so we stopped by Home Depot. My wife found the Deluxe 30 easier to handle. Why? The weight, 250 vs. 260, couldn't be the issue. With its cast iron gear case, the Deere/Simplicity may have had a little more weight forward. However, I think these pictures tell the story, although it is a little hard with the Ariens.
Look at the handlebars. On the Deere/Simplicity they bend up right behind the motor. On the Ariens, they stretch out further to the rear. The bars may also be a little stiffer on the Ariens. However, the key is leverage. The bars further behind the wheels allow the operator to balance the weight of the machine relative to the wheels with less effort.
The Deere and the Ariens both have 342cc Briggs engines and Hillard AutoLok differentials. Now the Deere/Simplicity has a cast iron gear case that looks like it came from heavy construction equipment, electric chute controls, standard drift bars, 16" tires (vs. 15" on the Ariens). While the Ariens impeller is 14" vs the Deere/Simplicity's 12", the one on the Deere/Simplicity is mounted on a large thick plate and overall looks like armor plate. The blades are also different, with the Deere Simplicity having a shorter scoop. Net; the dynamics of the two impellers are probably a bit different in ways that a straight size difference doesn't account for. Both use the same 342 and impeller in machines up to 36" at Ariens, 38" at Simplicity. Net, they both probably work.
Oh, the Deere is $100 less than the Ariens Platinum, a little more if you count the drift bars.
The handlebar design wasn't a factor we were expecting to be a major factor. It may turn out to be.
