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

I live in Calgary - we get a moderate amount of snow, rarely more than 8 to 10inches at a time, usually in the 2-4" range. The issue here is snow drifts.  I live in a north facing house at the south end of a cul de sac and get drifts all the time on the bottom half of driveway.  My driveway is for a 3car garage - not super long (probably 25ft, but easily 40 ft wide. I have been reading lots about single stage throwers - i like the fact they clean to the pavement, but am concerned if they can throw the snow far enough or can chew through a foot deep snow drifts a few times a year.  The other option of course is the 2 stage throwers - they seem a bit big and I've read they don't get down to the pavement. I am also not the  most mechanically inclined individual in the world...

Help?? Any thoughts on what my best bets would be?  I need something that my wife would be comfortalbe using as well. Any comments are appreciated...

With regards to the 2 stage vs single stage video. Would anyone really consider a single stage machine for clearing out a parking lot of that size? Not likely. That was a lot of snow for a single stage machine but the video showed the machines taking full bites.  I bet once the first pass was made by the single stage machine it's performance would have improved with half bites to the point where it would be moving considerably faster than the 2 stage machine. Before you say that it would still take the single a lot longer even though it was moving faster, I would agree in that situation that would be accurate but not in the case of a normal suburban driveway and sidewalk situation. It all comes down to how much snow you expect to get each year. In my situation a single stage(Toro 221QE) is faster and more efficient, even with snowfalls up to 18 inches. I find this machine can handle snowfalls much deeper than most give it credit for, drifts and all. EOD is another story but I find that if I get to it before it freezes and I attack the snow parallel to the street and sidewalk it does an adequate job.

That was the whole reason why I bought a two-stage snowblower since I was only going to buy one.  A single stage is good when you get 2-6 inches of snow but sometimes that can be a bit of work at the EOD. 

Make sure you look at the tracked models if you get that hard blown snow like we in Saskatchewan do.

MN_Runner wrote:

Single stage like the Toro and Honda can take on 12" fresh snow at a slow pace, not just 2 to 6 inches. EOD up to 12" can also be tackled, but requires some technique. If you normally get 12+ inch at EOD and you can only have one machine, 2 stage is more appropriate.

I tried out my Garant snow scoop on the EOD the other day and it actually worked faster than my 928 two-stage (albeit an MTD).  If I had it to do over, I would go with the Toro 421/221 and the snow scoop, and forget the two-stage altogether.

They have the snow scoop at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Garant-YPSS26-2-Inch-Ergonomic-Sleigh/dp/B000JLK0SM/ref=pd_sim_ol_2 but you'll probably find them cheaper at your local ACE Hardware store or Home Depot. 

longboat wrote:

I have to be on the other side on this one, I'd rather take a big shovel and a two-stage, and forget the single-stage.  Sometimes stuck at work while the EOD gets nice and hard.  The shovel can push most snow down to make a "bigger" EOD and then let the two-stage loose.

I am with you NotMoneyGuy as that is my approach on snow removal.  $25 shovel is good for a few years and I can really clean down to the surface.

aa335 wrote:

If technique means hard pushing then it would bring the above more in line with my experience with a few 4s, 4.5s and 5hp.  My expeience in "average" weight snow around eastern Mass is 5-6 which is about the max for them and only if on a very level surface.  They can do higher but we don't get snow that light very often.   The hard pushing at lest for me is not problem compared to shoveling.   The preference is a two stage but I'm never without a single stage and use one every storm for cleanup of certain problem areas. 

I got rid of a couple Powerlites which I like very much.  One was just about new and the other in excellent condition.  I dumped them thinking the new Toro 2450 would be much better.  Over three storms I find the Toro 2450 5hp less capable than I read about and expected and sorry I did not keep a Powerlite.  

It could not do much with snow higher snows and as a cleanup machine harder to flit around than the very easy to use Powerlite. 

I have both a single and 2 stage but could not live without the 2 stage. I use the single primarily for my deck and the occasional light, fluffy snowfall that accumulates on my driveway. To be honest, if it's that light and fluffy, I find my Stihl BR550 Backpack Blower works the nuts and is very fast as well. The typical storm I see in my neck of the woods is the heavy, dense, cement type snow that is best handled by a 2 stage machine. I'm not saying that a single can't do the job, it's just a whole lot easier and faster with a 2 stage.