With winter just around the corner, anyone who lives in an area…
…that receives heavy snowfall will understand how tedious it is to clear snow from the driveway.
You should have your snow blower ready before the first storm, whether you are ready for winter or not.
The 2-stage snow blower is an advanced version of the single stage snow blower.
User should live in a snowy area with snowfall of more than 8 inches (or) have a long, wide, or hilly driveway.
The device scoops up snow without making contact with the ground.
Snow is removed using a rotating auger and broken into manageable chunks by the impeller…
…which is then pushed out of the discharge chute to clear snow effectively.
Below are our reviews of two-stage snow blowers.
Before we get started, here are a few words from Jessie…
My state had a large snowfall in the very beginning of the year.
The depth was reported to be between 12-24 inches.
The machine handled all Mother Nature threw at it.
I finished my snow blowing area in a third of the time I normally took with my old blower.
Even the compacted pile pushed across the end of my driveway…
…by the snow plows was no match for this machine!
Now let’s get started…
Buying Guide for the Best Two-Stage Snow Blowers
Snow blowers with two stages are designed for commercial and heavy-duty use.
The snow blower is more powerful, efficient, and easy to use than one-stage blowers.
Before buying this snow blower, you should know what to consider, how to use it safely, its maintenance, etc.
Hence, here we are providing you with a detailed buying guide…
…with all the essential information about them. Browse through it to learn how to choose the best one.
Stage Type
There are single stage and dual stage snow blowers available on the market.
By using augers, they can collect, break down, and dispense of the snow in driveways.
Dual stage is an updated version of single stage and operates differently, so it is widely used today.
To remove the snow from your driveway, especially if it is made of gravel or loose stones…
…invest in this two-stage snow blower.
With its auger device, this blower will scoop up snow without touching the ground.
The snow will be cleared from the gravel road / driveway without any damage to the road…
…which may happen if the gravel is stripped away…
…and the snow starts melting and mixing with dirt underneath.
Motor/Engine Power
To ensure that the snow blower does not lose power while operating…
…even for clearing hardened snow, one needs a powerful motor or engine.
A gas-powered snow blower’s motor or engine is rated in cubic centimeters (CC).
You may find options for motor power of 190 CC or 420 CC…
…where the higher power rating will result in better performance for cleaning snow.
The majority of snow blowers come with variable speed triggers…
…that let you adjust the power and speed according to your needs.
Snow Blower Auger
Anyone familiar with snow blowers will understand what an auger is.
An auger is like the tool head of a snow blower.
With its spiral design and various blades, you can easily dig through snow for easy removal.
It can chop, chop up, and discharge snow out of its snow chute to clear your driveway.
When buying a dual stage snow blower, you should be careful and check the auger construction material.
They are usually made of steel and plastic, with steel being stronger…
…and more durable than plastic for cutting through hardened snow during winter.
One should also check the number of blades in the auger, in addition to durability.
An auger with four blades or more is considered to be a very effective tool for clearing snow.
With a higher number of blades, you can easily plow snow from sidewalks and driveways.
Keep reading…
Clearing Width
A snow blower’s auger size or width is important to consider…
…since it will determine the amount of snow it can clear at once.
The larger blade size of a blower can take in more snow at one time than the smaller blower.
Depending on the auger’s blade size, the two-stage gas snow blower can clear snow widths of 20 – 38 inches.
The blade width will also affect the overall size of the snow blower.
While purchasing a snow blower, one should check the size and width of the auger’s blade.
Blade Depth
Blade depth or intake height of a snow blower is also important to check…
…as it determines the maximum size of the snow blower’s blade.
Dual stage snow blowers come in different blade depths such as 10 inches and 23 inches…
…in which the 23-inch blade depth allows the blower to take…
…in more snow at a time resulting in better performance.
Snow Moving Capacity
A snow blower’s blade width and depth provide information about its performance.
To know the exact figure of a blower’s performance, you need to consider its snow moving capacity.
Snow moving capacity is measured in pounds per minute or tons per hour.
You can find snow moving capacity of 800 pounds per minute or 700 pounds per minute.
You should always choose a snow blower with a high capacity…
…(800 pounds per minute), as it results in better performance.
Snow Blower Power
Since two-stage snow blowers are primarily designed…
…for commercial purposes, and most of these blowers are powered by gas engines.
Thus, for optimum performance, use gas-powered snow blowers.
To clean your driveway completely, you only need to fill the gas tank and let it run for a longer time.
Wheels / Tires
Two-stage snow blowers are usually quite large in size…
…making them difficult for many users to use.
Hence, one has to look for features in a blower that make it easy to use…
…and one of them is the size of its wheels.
Snow blowers with large wheels of 15 inches will often work better…
…than blowers with 6-inch wheels because they can even clear deep snow…
…during harsh winters without any issues. When compared to a blower with small wheels…
…the larger tires will not only make it easier for you to maneuver…
…but also save you time while clearing the snow.
Also, it is advisable to buy a blower that has a front light…
…so that it can be operated even at night.
A snow blower with airless tires will provide hassle-free and straight driving.
The tires are made of a special polymer material that clears snow…
…and has as much traction as rubber wheels.
They never go flat, have no side-tracking, and require no maintenance.
As a result of all these reasons, they will be your best choice when buying a snow blower.
Size and Weight
Dual stage snow blowers are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes on the market.
In order to make snow removal easy and quick, you should check the size…
…and weight of the blower that you will be handling.
Practically, a small and compact snow blower can easily get to any corner…
…of the garage to clear the snow and takes up less space in the garage if not in use.
As well, a lightweight dual stage snow blower is easier to push around the sidewalks…
…and driveways for clearing snow than a bulkier, heavier blower.
A lighter blower will allow you to clear snow without tiring yourself.
Durability & Warranty
If you live in an area where it snows a lot, then you will have to use a snow blower…
…to clear your driveways of deep snow, even hardened up snow.
A snow blower that is used frequently will face a lot of wear and tear over time.
To get rid of this problem, you should buy a two-stage snow blower…
…that is durable and reliable (good build quality).
Furthermore, one should pay attention to the warranty offered by the given snow blower.
Most blowers come with a warranty period of 1 – 5 years, depending on the manufacturer.
Others last even longer and allow you to get all of your blower’s repairs under warranty.
Price
It is somewhat difficult to find the best product that fits within your budget…
…especially if you are a budget freak. Therefore, it would be best to check the prices…
…of different models before buying a snow blower.
There is a wide range of prices for most of the blowers, ranging from $450 to $3000 and beyond.
Most 2-stage snow blowers with minimum features will be priced under $1000.
“As you are reviewing the various products, take account of the variation in prices, begin to weed out the ones that are out of your budget. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices, you may have to forgo a few features to buy a higher quality product. However, you should always try to purchase a product that is high in quality and possesses as many of the key features that you need and desire.”
Pete Ortiz – Author at House Grail
Here’s the main part…
Reviews of Two-Stage Snow Blower
Image | Brand | Buy |
---|---|---|
Top Top | Briggs & Stratton | Check Price on Amazon |
Top Top | Husqvarna | Check Price on Amazon |
Top Top | Champion Power Equipment | Check Price on Amazon |
Top Top | PowerSmart | Check Price on Amazon |
Let’s go through them one by one…
Briggs & Stratton 1024 Dual-Stage Snow Blower
- 24 Inch wide clearing path with a 20 inch intake height
We selected the Briggs & Stratton 1024 Dual-Stage Snow Blower…
…as our best 2-stage snow blower for a variety of reasons. It is built for heavy residential use.
So, when that foot of snow is left in your driveway overnight…
…you’ll be able to clear it rapidly with a 208cc engine that produces 9.5 foot-pounds of torque.
With a 24-inch clearing path and a 20-inch intake height, it can clear a variety of surfaces.
Electric start makes it easy to start your blower in even the coldest of weather…
…and the friction drive transmission will help you clean all the way down to your driveway or sidewalk.
The auger has 6 forward settings and 2 reverse settings and is 12 inches long.
The Briggs & Stratton is a dual-stage snow blower, so you can use it on any solid surface or in your yard.
Due to its self-propelled design, it can be used with just one hand.
You can shoot the snow at a distance of 30 to 40 feet to the left…
…or right as the 175-pound blower moves up and down your driveway.
Husqvarna ST224P Two-Stage Gas Snow Blower
- 24-Inch Two-Stage Snowblower
Husqvarna is a heavy-duty snowblower that can handle larger tasks.
It has a 6.3-HP engine with an electric start.
If you plug in your blower, you will never have to worry about it starting.
Snow accumulations up to 12 inches are best handled by a two-stage blower.
Ribbon augers will rip through hard-packed snow in no time.
It weighs just under 200 pounds, so the power steering will come in handy when you’re clearing a path.
These 15-inch wheels are larger than several others we reviewed…
…so they make it easier to cut through deep snow.
This blower has heated grip handles for added comfort.
You have the luxury of a warm handle to prevent your hands from freezing…
…when the snow is moving early in the morning.
The joystick raises and lowers the chute as well as changes the arc.
Go on…
Champion 2-Stage Gas Snow Blower
- 224cc Cold-Weather Engine: One of the most powerful engines in its class featuring a handy 120-volt push-button electric start plus 6 forward and 2 reverse speeds
Champion is a comparatively smaller brand of power tools…
…that offers various options at a lower price point.
In spite of its lower price tag, its two-stage snow blower is equipped with a powerful engine.
The gas-powered two-stage snow blower from Champion has a large 224 CC engine…
…which is slightly more powerful than other models with 208 CC engines.
The 120 volt one push electric start system of this snow blower makes it easy to turn.
A large 24 inch wide blade is powered by the gas engine…
…which has an equally good cutting depth of 21 inches.
With this affordable two-stage snow blower…
…you can expect high snow moving capacity and decent performance.
This snow blower has a total of 6 forward speeds and 2 reverse speeds…
…so you can easily move it even in deep snow without any problems.
Its 12-inch carbon steel auger is quite durable and can even cut through hard snow.
Additionally, this snow blower is able to shoot snow up to 25 feet away…
…which is quite impressive for a snow blower.
Although the build quality of this snow blower is quite good, it only comes with a 2-year warranty.
PowerSmart PSSAM24 Gas Snow Blower
- Powerful Gas Engine: 212cc PowerSmart engine delivers powerful snow-clearing action. Equipped with recoil start, just pull to start; electric start, attach your extension cord, just push button to start.
For different power tools, PowerSmart is among the most trusted and well-known brands.
Their PSSAM24 has made our list because of its efficiency and performance.
It is equipped with a 212cc powerful engine that provides efficient snow clearing.
The clearing width is 24 inches, so you can clear a large area at once.
Furthermore, 20 inches of snow can be cleared with this snow blower.
This snow blower throws the collected snow up to 40 feet in order to prevent clogging.
Self-propelled system with 6 forward speeds and 2 reverse speeds…
…you can use it conveniently according to your needs.
Sum Up!
Two-stage blowers use an auger to remove snow and a separate propeller to shoot it away.
This makes these much more powerful and allows you to throw snow quite a distance.
This makes them a great option for commercial and industrial use.
Therefore, we have listed some of the best two-stage snow blowers in this article.
Taking into account all of these factors can help you choose the right snow blower for your needs.
Conclusion
Snow blowers are essential tools for households and businesses in snowy regions.
It takes careful consideration and a process of elimination to choose the best snowblower.
The Briggs & Stratton 1024 Dual-Stage Snow Blower is the best 2 stage snow blower overall.
As well as having all of the features you need to clear snow-covered pathways, it is also reasonably priced.
Review your options, consider your choices, and use our reviews to assist you in making a decision.
We hope you will consider our recommendations.
When all is said and done, you will have an invaluable tool…
…that will assist you with your snow blowing needs for years to come.