20 Best 2 Stage Electric Snow Blower (Jan 2023 Update)

I am a 74 year old man (BUT in excellent shape). i live in Michigan in an area that doesn't get huge amounts of snow…generally most is around 5-6". Mostly though it is in the 2-3" range. Previously i had (still working fine) a Toro 1800 whch is a plug in paddle type blower with 18" width. That was very reliable and have had it since 2005. The big issue of course is dragging the extension cord around which really slows you down. I considered a gas blower but the weight and storage was going to be a problem. The EGO has had 5 days of use this year although not a huge amount of snow. I have a double wide+ drive way, two patios, and sidewalk….about 75' long….plus I often do my two neighbors sidewalks. Taking EGOs advice I store the batteries indoors….if you keep them in a cold environment your greatly reduce their run time. I used this at the same time e neighbors used their Toro gas blowers. It seemed I was tossing snow about the same distance as theirs and since I had the auger version it got the snow down to the pavement and through some ice. In all the days I used it I was able to finish the job with out a recharge….still had two bars left on the display. I ran the speed control both at half speed and full speed to see how that used up battery charge. Didn't seem to make a huge difference. The last day it was a very wet snow with ice crusting. It got through the worst parts but the ice definitely created a challenge….not so much chewing and spitting it out…but pushing the blower through the muck as it isn't self powered. Overall it works really will but if you have snow in the feet and lots of it….you may want to get a larger machine…,perhaps a 2 stage one. Best part for me….once you remove the two batteries and fold the handle down it is pretty light and can easily fit in a small space around 2'x3'. My rear patio is about 20'x20' and the only way to get to it without dealing with all the snow on the side of the house…it taking it through the house. Since it is so light without the batteries it was no problem. A gas blower wouldn't do that. Another thing I really like is the control to rotate the chute ….easily moved while the blower is running and moving. I did get some icing and one time in the wet snow the chute got clogged. After than I just get some spray WD-40 and spray the inside of the chute and auger mechanism….that way the snow won't stick (trick I read on line about). The Auger does get the snow all the way down to the pavement…something my old paddle type didn't achieve constently. I did note that when going through icy snow it does tend to toss some of the ice back out from the auger in to the front of the machine and not all through the chute….not a big deal though. The only place where it struggles is out in the street after a bunch of cars have gone by and packed the snow and ice firmly. Since it is relatively light I will do a couple of passes..take the top layer off and than go back for the lower level. But my old paddle blower was useless in the same conditions.The plastic scrapper and 2 small rubber paddle blocs seem to be the only parts that will need relacement and are available as sacrificial parts….but thus far they show no alarming wear. One thing you need to be aware of is sidewalk and driveway differences between two pavement elevations. If there is about a 1/2" or so difference, the plastic scrapper will hang up on it since there aren't wheels in the front. I make a mental note of where those pavement differences are and make sure to not crash into them 😉 The only negative is the batteries which will need to be replace after a few years….and they are not cheap. Follow the maintenance guidelines in the manual (charge after use in a warm room and top them off every 3 months during the warm seasons), they should last 3-4 years at least. For me all of the advantages I pointed out above….plus no gas, oil, plugs, filters, mess, service and tune, and smell and minimal noise….or as in my old TORO dragging that extension cord around….make up for that added cost. Only remaining issue is how durable it is…..hopefully it will last as long and minimum maintenance as my old AC corded TORO.AstroBob

Thankfully acquired this unit right before Winter Storm Landon Feb 2022. Previously had a used 2-stage gas snowblower that I couldn't ever get to work when I needed it. So, I was done, done, done with a gas unit. During this storm, I used the Ego 7 times in 2 days. Here's my experience: The snow varied from light and fluffy to wet and heavy with heights from 3" -12" (in some areas the snow height covered the opening of the snow blower). One charge with 2 fully charged batteries lasts about 30-45 min. (The unit can run on 1 battery, but I never tested it out.) For me, the 30-45min is enough time to clear my 8-10 car driveway AND my sidewalk (and part of my neighbors') from 1 neighbor's driveway to the other neighbors driveway… this is about 250-300 feet. The batteries take about 80 min to recharge on the included dual fast charger. The unit easily handles snow heights up to 8". It does have the power to handle higher snow but it definitely works for it. Obviously the harder it works the quicker the battery life runs out. For instance the heavy snow at the end of the driveway left by the street snowplows eats up battery quicker. The unit effortlessly collapses to a small area and is relatively easy to pick up. The push start is a breeze. The chute rotation control is simple and genius! There is a lever by your right hand on the handle to control this. The chute angle control isn't as impressive… even still it's not bad. You just have to reach down to the chute itself to adjust it. The LED lights, which I didn't think I'd ever use, are bright and very useful in the dark. The variable speed control is helpful and helps extend battery life in lighter snow, but you need the high speed in heavy or high snow. The snowblower cleans snow very well and does not leave much behind which does make it sensitive to uneven surfaces but because the unit is so light it is very easy to negotiate when it 'gets stuck' at uneven surfaces. I DEFINITELY recommend the unit with the steel auger. I think this makes this unit even more powerful! Side note: my wife was very skeptical at first. She thought this was a novelty and a waste of $700. However, after seeing it in action and even using it once, she is a total believer and fully endorses this snowblower! We HIGHLY recommend this snowblower! Plus, you won't smell like gas after using it!Smortega13

Purchased the EGo SNT2114 about 2 weeks ago. I live in Colorado where the snow is usually dry and relatively light. But our early snow is often wetter and heavier with a slush layer at the bottom. We had one of those early snows of about 4 inches 2 days after the purchase. I rate this product at 4 stars because it did not handle the heavy slush-layer very well. It acted more as a snow plow than a snow thrower, even when making thin cuts of 50% width or less. This resulted in a lot of back and forth to punch through the built up mound in the front of the blower. Three days ago we had a more typical snow fall of about 8 inches of drier, lighter snow. Under these conditions the blower worked just fine. As some of the areas to be cleared are in tight locations, I really appreciate the blower's ability to throw snow a long distance when the outflow chute is in the most upright position. I use this blower on concrete, flat stone and composite deck surfaces. I was concerned about it scratching the composite deck surface but haven't noticed anything so far. The controls layout is very good with everything easily reached from the handle bar, except for the outflow chute angle. As for battery life, I am clearing a long single car drive way, sidewalks along two sides of the house, two pathways, and a very large deck (more square footage than the drive way). In the conditions described above I was able to clear both snow storms on a single charge. There was about 20% charge remaining. Overall I am very pleased with this purchase so far.SteveColorado

Very impressed so far. I have used it with 25 cm of heavy (not fluffy) snow and with three 60V batteries (got the third one by buying the mower), it cleared my 2100 square foot drive way, the mound of snow the snow plow left at the end of the driveway plus an additional 200 square feet of walkway. I keep all lithium batteries in the home at room temperature throughout the winter, cordless tools included, for maximum available power. I never charge lithium batteries in the garage when temperatures fall to about 8 degrees C above zero. To maximize battery life I used the full power mode when I did the center of the driveway for maximum throw (driveway is 25 feet wide and 85 feet deep). I then used eco mode for the rest and it still had a decent enough throwing distance that I did not have visible snow banks at the side of the drive way. I also, same as with my gas blower, took partial swaths of snow on each run other than my first one, leaving a few inches to the side of the auger free of having to take in snow. To me this blower performed as well as my gas blower in getting the job done. It is much quieter and I don't have to worry about having a gas supply around, worrying about gasoline degrading, nor all the proper maintenance that having a gas engine entails. On another occasion where I had very heavy slush or lets say water logged snow, the chute did clog but I had that happen in similar circumstances with by theoretically more powerful gas blower. I have not had any clogging at all with either heavy dense snow nor, naturally, the light fluffy snow. Overall I would buy again but there is one thing I don't like and that is that both wheels turn in unison (fixed axle with no differential. I believe the 26" model has that differential feature. I really like the mostly steel/metal construction. The controls are all easy for me to use.Clancy

Readers; For thoes of you with the good sense to sell off the gas powered versions of a snow blower- this machine is the one to replace yours with. It is noted that there is NO SNOW right now- so I cannot rate that feature directly. BUT! this electric version is the same chassis as its gasoline version- so it should be as functional as all the Toro snow throwers are. I know how good these are, right now I have the gas version, with tracks, of a Toro snow thrower{going to a new home soon}. I think I have owned 04 of this brand, and they are always 02st rate. The batteries are easy to place in the device, with a spare for heavy work. It comes without the spare one- go to and buy one 'just in case'. The chargers are simple, basic and work well. And these batteries come with a built on handle to pick up and carry them with, a feature I wish my electric lawn mower's batteries had. Read thru the owners manual to know the hows and whys of this. Be sure to store the batteries inside where its warm, and take them to the blower when needed. These batteries work best when they are warm. Last buy and know how to use/replace the shear pins- before its 'negative 30 F and you are trying to read and thaw out the right parts to change the pins." For a change I am looking forward to Snow to try this device.Kilted Tailor of Maine

This snowblower has been extremely disappointing and frustrating. Being electric, it should be pretty easy and straight forward- just put the key in, turn it on and go. It rarely every seems that easy, though. Sometimes it is that easy, but at least half the time it refuses to turn on despite having fulling charged batteries in it. I spend 10 minutes taking the key in and out and cycling it on and off before it turns on. My 15 year old pull start Cub Cadet was easier to start than this thing. The battery power also seems grossly overstated. They advertise "clears up to a 24-parked-car driveway on a single charge with the 2 included batteries and up to a 39-parked-car driveway on a single charge with 3 batteries". By their definition, my driveway is AT MOST an 8-parked-car driveway, yet last winter the batteries were down to a single bar when finished, and so far this year it's completely dead before I can finish three quarters of it. And that's with the handwarmers OFF! I hated our old Cub Cadet, it was a horrible piece of junk. This electric Toro is so bad that I actually wish I had the Cub Cadet back. When I can get the Toro to actually turn on (and during it's short 15 minutes of battery run time) it actually works quite well- it's very quiet and throws the snow farther than my old gas powered 2 stage Cub Cadet. I had considered buying another battery for it after the first season, now $350 for an additional battery and what seems like what will probably be 7-8 minutes on addition run-time seems like adding insult to injury. The included 2A chargers take about 4 hours to charge the batteries and you can purchase 5A chargers for roughly $120 each. At the price of this snowblower they should include the 5A chargers and completely discontinue the 2A chargers.TonyS

Everything was great with ACME Tools and the HONDA-HSS724AAWD but the shipping, trucking company was very difficult to deal with arranging delivery.T Gee

I was a bit leary ordering on line, but Acme was solid! The item delivered in a well packed and padded wood crate fully assembled. Fabulous and the best price anywhere. I am highly satisfied. Thank you Acme!Chip3

Easy setup. Just needed to uncrate and add the oil which was in the box. The battery was fully charged as I put on my charger to check. Started on first pull as one would expect from Honda. Hydrostatic transmission is welk worth the cist. Joystick chute control is super. I was really lucky to find this as every dealer was sold out! Trucking company very helpful. Highly recommended!tfsmith2

EGO says that this two-stage snow blower can handle up to an 18 car driveway on a single charge. I have a very large driveway (maybe about 15 cars) and I have used this twice on it and I would say their claim is pretty accurate, but it depends on the type and depth of snow being blown (and the outside temperature as well, which affects the battery life). Overall, I've used this twice on my house and several other homes and I love it. I'm really pleased with how easy this snow blower is to start and use. Just insert the (massive) batteries and off you go. It's very powerful – I have no problems throwing the snow up and way from the middle of my driveway to grassy areas where I want it to land. Very easy and intuitive to use and it's sturdy. It's not silent, but it is much quieter than my neighbors' gas powered snow blowers. Just a very well engineered and built machine. Pro Tip: Get the right level of battery for the area you'll need to routinely be clearing. The "amp hours" rating determines how long it can run before needing to re-charge. I got the 7.5 Ah batteries with my snow blower but they make a 10.0 Ah version as well for about $300 more. (The batteries are the expensive component of this machine – a single replacement batter can cost $400). I'm fine with the 7.5 Ah and I think most average properties would be. Also, although EGO says you can use any rating of batteries in this, my 2.5 Ah batters for my string trimmer and leaf blower only lasted about 60 seconds trying to run the snow blower. It says that 5.0 Ah are the recommended minimum and they're right about that. So if you already have the EGO lawn mower, you'll at least have a good backup set of batteries, even if they only last for a little while.anonymous

I bought this to replace my snowblower from 1992. Pros: Electric – I do want to get away from fossil fuels Light Weight compared to fuel based blowers Cons: Motor does not provide a braking force on a hill Can not lock auger action to motor control (one hand operation) Chute deflector is awkward to manage at best Batteries are expensive I can only guess that this blower was designed with a flat, straight driveway in mind. As my driveway is both sloped and contains bends, it misses the mark. It is not possible to change the chute direction with the drive and auger engaged; you must remove a hand to do so which means you either stop moving or stop the auger. To restart the auger you need to engage the start button again and depress the auger switch. If you stop on the hill the blower can not hold itself in place and will roll downhill; the wheels appear to have some kind of automatic clutch that only engages when the drive lever is depressed; let go of it, and the wheels spin forward/backward with ease. This leads to the second miss. Unlike my previous blower where if I put it in a slow speed, the blower would hold that speed going down the driveway, this blower can not and will not. Be prepared to run down a slippery driveway chasing the blower as the motor does regulate speed. Finally, consider the cost of long term ownership. I have the SNT2406. In five or so years the batteries are likely going to need to be replaced. The cost of doing so is on the order of 1/2 the cost of the blower. I know I have spent no where near that cost over the life time of my fuel powered blower from 1992; not even close.LivesOnaHill

Bought the SNT 2405 last week. Haven't used it yet. Awaiting our first significant snow here in central Wisconsin. I'll update this review after I use the product, but thought I'd provide this narrative in case others encounter the same dilemma I had during assembly. Overall assembly was a breeze, although there was a mystery item in the box — two black foam sleeves taped up in bubble wrap. (Pictures are attached.) They're not listed in the parts list. Frankly, it looked like packing material, but thought it best to call eGO customer service to check before I tossed them out. The agent confirmed that the sleeves are indeed components and not packing material, although he couldn't get a straight answer from anyone on his end where the sleeves were supposed to be installed nor had he fielded the sleeve question previously himself. He suspected they are part of the handle assembly's side rail, but the owner's manual does not depict them. After consultation with colleagues on his end and a fruitless search of assembled product pictures trying to determine where the darn things go, he was fairly certain they go on the bottom of the side rail. After some experimentation on my end, I concur that they go on the side rails. They fit like a glove when slipped over the end of each slide rail, but they don't go on the end of the side rail (below the two green knobs). There's no room for them when the handle is installed in the highest position. One of my attached pictures shows what I think to be the logical position for the two black foam sleeves — one on each side. The sleeves cannot be placed below the bottom green knob or above the top green knob. They fit perfectly over the end of the side rail and you slide it up between the two green knobs. I suspect the sleeve's purpose is to serve as a cushion that helps stop the knobs from vibrating loose during use. Hey eGO Customer Service, if I'm wrong about this, please set me straight. If I'm right, please update your owner's manual. Standing by for your guidance!?dczim

I bought this snow blower in September and have just gotten to put it to work. I'm a 71 female and live in Vermont. We just had a storm with 6 inches of heavy wet snow. Could not believe how well this machine worked! I'm not exaggerating at all. A couple weeks ago we had about 3 inches of the wet heavy snow and it worked well too but I was extremely surprised at how well it worked today too! Batteries are easy to install, remove and charge. The 1st time the chute clogged with frozen snow so I wiped some wd40 onside the chute and had no problems today. Can't say enough about this snow blower!Wahine

Got this last year after I tried the corded version which just wouldn't reach. Amazon. One acre lake property, so a long driveway. 2 car double deep pad, turnaround, and single car lane (uphill) 75'. I'm able to (or wife) clear it all except for the 2 car turnaround on one charge – up to about 4" light snow. More than that will need recharge. More than that and I'll plow with my zero turn. Would buy again, but seriously considering the upgraded 1600 watt snow joe at that point.RevOle7

My new blower arrived yesterday and today was my 1st time using it. I have experience with blowers. I lived in Minnesota for 12 years. The battery life is closer to 35 minutes. The batteries take over 1 hour to charge. The machine is NOT able to move snow over 4” high. Do you see the problem here. I used the blower. Then placed the batteries to charge. By the time they were fully charged, there were over 7” of snow in areas I didn’t get to the 1st time. I bought the blower to relieve stress on my very poor lower back, which was operated on twice. I have more metal inside my body that the blower has (it’s almost all plastic). I have to use a shovel to spread out the snow in order for the snowblower to work. This product should have come with 4 batteries (2 sets of 2) for non stop action. Otherwise, you’ll have to bundle up twice to go out in the cold. Not convenient at all.Roger

I bought this to replace my snowblower from 1992. Pros: Electric – I do want to get away from fossil fuels Light Weight compared to fuel based blowers Cons: Motor does not provide a braking force on a hill Can not lock auger action to motor control (one hand operation) Chute deflector is awkward to manage at best Batteries are expensive I can only guess that this blower was designed with a flat, straight driveway in mind. As my driveway is both sloped and contains bends, it misses the mark. It is not possible to change the chute direction with the drive and auger engaged; you must remove a hand to do so which means you either stop moving or stop the auger. To restart the auger you need to engage the start button again and depress the auger switch. If you stop on the hill the blower can not hold itself in place and will roll downhill; the wheels appear to have some kind of automatic clutch that only engages when the drive lever is depressed; let go of it, and the wheels spin forward/backward with ease. This leads to the second miss. Unlike my previous blower where if I put it in a slow speed, the blower would hold that speed going down the driveway, this blower can not and will not. Be prepared to run down a slippery driveway chasing the blower as the motor does regulate speed. Finally, consider the cost of long term ownership. I have the SNT2406. In five or so years the batteries are likely going to need to be replaced. The cost of doing so is on the order of 1/2 the cost of the blower. I know I have spent no where near that cost over the life time of my fuel powered blower from 1992; not even close.LivesOnaHill

Bought the SNT 2405 last week. Haven't used it yet. Awaiting our first significant snow here in central Wisconsin. I'll update this review after I use the product, but thought I'd provide this narrative in case others encounter the same dilemma I had during assembly. Overall assembly was a breeze, although there was a mystery item in the box — two black foam sleeves taped up in bubble wrap. (Pictures are attached.) They're not listed in the parts list. Frankly, it looked like packing material, but thought it best to call eGO customer service to check before I tossed them out. The agent confirmed that the sleeves are indeed components and not packing material, although he couldn't get a straight answer from anyone on his end where the sleeves were supposed to be installed nor had he fielded the sleeve question previously himself. He suspected they are part of the handle assembly's side rail, but the owner's manual does not depict them. After consultation with colleagues on his end and a fruitless search of assembled product pictures trying to determine where the darn things go, he was fairly certain they go on the bottom of the side rail. After some experimentation on my end, I concur that they go on the side rails. They fit like a glove when slipped over the end of each slide rail, but they don't go on the end of the side rail (below the two green knobs). There's no room for them when the handle is installed in the highest position. One of my attached pictures shows what I think to be the logical position for the two black foam sleeves — one on each side. The sleeves cannot be placed below the bottom green knob or above the top green knob. They fit perfectly over the end of the side rail and you slide it up between the two green knobs. I suspect the sleeve's purpose is to serve as a cushion that helps stop the knobs from vibrating loose during use. Hey eGO Customer Service, if I'm wrong about this, please set me straight. If I'm right, please update your owner's manual. Standing by for your guidance!?dczim

It's a great snow blower. I use it for commercial use and it is ran 7-12 hours on a snow day. This snow blower is a 5 out of 5 stars for any residential user, no question. However, I use this snow blower in the worst of the of the worst and have found a few areas of improvement. First, snow gets into the battery compartment when closed. I have to open the battery compartment multiple times outside and with the snow build up inside plus any other snow the gets in while switching batteries CAN cause snow to compact under the batteries and make it difficult to insert new batteries, though this has only happens after 2 or more days of snow blowing in a row. Another more common issue is the switches/levels to release the batteries will get stuck and become hard to move or even get stuck and you have to either warm the snow blower up (which isn't an option when I'm working) or use something like a screw driver and hammer to gently tap and break the ice so the switch/level release can move. I have a large property were it takes 5-7 hours of just snow blowing and have found another issue. This one property has open fields that on a windy day will get 8-12inches of super compact snow drifts (even without any actual snow fall). The snow blower has a hard time getting down to payment and with actually ride up the drifts and I'll be pushing it into the drift, the wheel will also spin out like crazy and tractor will become an issue. This is the only property I have had this issue on, it will easily go through compacted snow at the end of driveways, but this property is an except with extremely compacted snow. However, as a contractor, I would like a heavier machine with tracks that will plow through the stuff and not spin out.Electric Cuts Lawncare

The Toro E26 was worth every penny. It is light, a turn of the key easy to start, quiet, and throws snow with ease. To put it in perspective, we had a 9-14" inch snow at about 30 degrees F. The snow was moderately heavy and wet. The E26 had no issues throwing that much and heavy snow 20'. Its throw power was very similar to my neighbors 30" gas powered Ariens. Likewise, when with the plow piling over 3' at the end of the driveway the blower was able to cut through and along the drift with several passes no problem. The lightness of the blower caused it to want to climb the bank instead of go through it, but that ultimately helped get the job done. With 2 of the 7.5 AMP batteries I was able to make two complete passes over my 1044 square foot slopped drive at an average of 10" snow depth. I was also able to do two passes along the front 200' along the curb. Batteries took 3 hours to charge. For being a first year model, it only needs a few minor refinements to be perfect: – A standalone on/off switch for the lights. – A warning sound for low battery. – Ability to plug-in to charge the batteries. – Removal of the safety trigger on the auger engagement paddle. – The setup instructions could be improved to include more detail on what screws and parts should be installed. You can figure out, but it wastes time. – Add an additional 5 degrees for the chute to throw snow towards the back of the blower. – A fast charger for the batteries. Even with those minor refinements, there somethings that make the E26 stand out: – The chute control joystick simplifies moving the chute. – No gas means no problems starting or gas system / carburetor related maintenance. – It sounds like a vacuum. – The anti-clog system really prevents clogging. – Though I don't have a third battery, the option to have one is huge as I will be adding one so I can help my neighbors as needed. – It is light. So easy to move around and eliminates the need for constantly switching between forward and reverse. – Throw power is on par with even beefier gas snow blowers. Without a doubt there is very few reasons to hesitate on purchasing this snow blower. It simply helps you get the job done without fuss and noise of a gas snow blower.Stetson

I live in Marblehead, MA. Every snow is different. Some shallow, some deep. Some dry, some wet. This machine has enough power to throw the wet snow, and it hasn't yet clogged, thank you. I really like the fact that there's no gasoline and oil involved. You don't "start" it, you turn it on. We have a circular driveway, which is larger than most, and when we have a substantial snowfall, we run out of battery, even after adding a third battery. In the final snowfall of the season, I did half the driveway in the morning to get us dug out, and the other half in the afternoon after charging the three batteries. The chargers work well, and the batteries are becoming predictable. The machine has enough power, but not enough energy in my case. Finally, the torsion spring that returns the drive clutch is too strong. My hand gets fatigued in holding it down. Eventually I'll find a solution for that. Would I recommend it? Yes! It's the Tesla of show throwers! But understand its limitations. Depending on your driveway's area, patience may be required.knotless

Not sure about the quality control at Toro. My first snowblower had numerous issues, kept stopping and beeping (not due to timeout) and weird sound when the auger was running. I returned it and purchased another. This one was better. The machine started and stayed on, the battery door stayed open (this was not the case with the first one) and the auger sounded fine when running. Just had our first snow and just found out that the auger traction lever interlock does not work. Nothing in the manual about this (the manual is perhaps the worst user manual I have ever seen). This leads me to my major issue with Toro in general. It is close to impossible to talk to anyone from the company. You always get referred to contacting a local authorized dealer. This is the first major US company I have encountered that does this. The issue with the local authorized dealer is that they tell you to bring the item in and they will charge a pickup and delivery charge. This is likely a minor adjustment that is covered under warranty; however, it will cost me $100+ because Toro did not do things correctly before they shipped the snowblower. If I could talk with someone at Toro, I might be able to make the adjustment myself. Given that most service centers are scheduled weeks out, I will likely live with it for the winter and get it fixed in the spring.RobertP05

The blower throws snow really well. I have had no problems with it dealing with "Sierra Cement" However, even on the slowest speed it travels at a walking pace. This may be fine for a couple of inches of snow but it makes the tires spin like crazy when you encounter anything thicker. I find myself constantly snapping the drive handle up or fighting the machine. I even sent video of the speed of the Snow Joe vs. my gas blower on slow speed and the Snow Joe goes about 4 times as fast. They have not replied to my emails about what can be done about it. Customer service does not seem to care.BV Tim M

On 7 January, our area got 22 inches of good fort building snow. It took 4 charges of the batteries for my Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB18 with 5 ah batteries to get the driveway done. I am a 68 year old woman and couldn't face that again so I ordered this the next day. It came quickly and was well packaged. It was easy to assemble. Assembly is an overstatement. There are only a couple of screws. It is a big unit compared to my other blower. I was a little intimidated, but it is very easy to handle. Like everyone else, I broke the scraper clip before I got it out of the garage. I really don't understand why Snow Joe designed that part. The Snow Joe 24V-X2-SB18 has a perfectly good clip. I solved the problem by removing the blue clip and getting a couple of 1-inch double pipe clamps at the hardware store. Picture included. The scraper fits nicely on the cross bar. Some reviewers wrote that the self-propelled speed is too fast, even on low. Either Snow Joe fixed it or I like a faster speed. Generally, I used about half speed for blowing the normal 6 inch snow, and then crank it up all the way to return to the garage. I did get a second battery charger. Two batteries need two chargers. Change the clip and add a charger, and this is the perfect snow blower package. I am extremely happy with the purchase.Cordelia B

Let me start by saying I struggled with the star rating. If you are looking for a reliable snow blower that will last 5-10 years, I'm not. sure if this is the unit for you. If you are happy to be an early adopter, hate smelling like exhaust, oil changes, gassing up in the freezing cold and you don't mind some quirks, I'd say go for it. Basically: * If you want something that is proven to last – I'd give it 3/5 * If you're ok with being an early adopter and the "pros" outweigh the "cons" – 4/5 Here's why. I've had my Snow Joe iON100V-24SB for almost a full season now. I'm definitely an early adopter (I've been waiting patiently for a few years for a battery powered snow blower that is powerful enough to become available), so I'm generally happy. Even though you'll see there are a lot of "cons", I would buy this unit again. I'd just have appropriately set expectations. PROS: * This unit is at least as powerful, maybe more so, than the 24" gas powered unit it replaced. * Popping in freshly charged batteries and getting going is so much faster and less annoying than gassing up in the cold. * No oil changes! Personally, each one of these "pros" is worth quite a bit. Overall, they outweigh the list of cons below, but everyone will have a different opinion. CONS: * As mentioned by others, some of the materials (specifically connectors and controls) seem cheap and prone to rust. This blows my mind, as it's not a cheap unit. Some quality bolts would make the unit last longer and feel more "premium". * The auger and drive controls don't seem to release properly. These are supposed to be build for safety, but many times I've let go of the "drive" handle only to have the unit keep on going. I have to physically pull the handle "up" sometimes, which isn't great. * Even the slowest speed is pretty fast. Even when the snow isn't all that deep, the slowest speed isn't slow enough and it can start go over fill the scoop. When the snow is getting a bit deep, I have to left the back wheels off the ground for a few seconds to let the blower catch up. This has nothing to do with the power of the auger/blower (it is plenty powerful), but more to do with the fact the unit wants to drive too fast. * The plastic that holds the snow removal too onto the top of the scoop snapped the first time I removed it. Very cheap plastic. I've heard others complain about this as well. * The lever that controls the "up/down" angle of the chute broke after about 2 months. I think it detached inside the handle, but it's way too cold (and I don't have a heated garage) for me to try to take it apart to fix it. I'm constantly pointed "up" at the highest angle now, which is probably where I leave it 90% of the time anyway, so it's not a huge inconvenience, but another indicator that quality is not great for certain components. Additional considerations: * The unit has 2 batteries, but only 1 charger. Considering each battery needs about 1.5hrs to charge, it will take you 3hrs to recharge your batteries in between snow clearing. * If you want to buy another charger, they are quite expensive (approx $90 US) * Replacement batteries are EXTREMELY expensive. You're looking at $600 US for a new pair + tax and shipping. I live in Canada, so I would actually be better off buying a whole new snow blower (approx $1400 after tax) rather than buying 2 new batteries and an extra charger (over $1000 CDN after tax, shipping and US exchange). I would also end up with spare parts in case I ever needed to replace an auger or other components! To sum things up… although I have a lot of complaints, I would say that's probably mostly to do with Snow Joe making some suspect decisions on part quality, and the fact that this is really a "first generation" snow blower of this size. If Snow Joe can address these issues (and it shouldn't be all that hard) in the next iteration of this model, they will have a real winner. If they can bring the cost of the batteries and charger down to something a bit more reasonable, I think a lot of folks like me would buy a 2nd set as back up for heavy snow days!Canadian Buyer

I had purchased this machine to replace an older 8hp Simplicity. I had my first chance to use my new platinum deluxe 24 yesterday on a challenging snow. 6" of very wet heavy snow with an 1/8" ice glaze on top. The new Ariens handled my slanted driveway with ease right out of the garage, Without any effort, it cleared right down to the pavement. Even at the bottom of the driveway where the plow had left 13+" of heavy wet slushy snow, the machine never hesitated, or even slowed down. It must have thrown this crud 40' easy without any problem. I took it onto the grass to clear areas for my trash and recycling carts. It worked just as good on the grass as it did on the cement. And areas where I needed a little finesse like around my mailbox, and walkway, I adjusted the chute from the operators position, and it piled it up exactly where I wanted it. No puking snow out the sides or having to take partial cuts like the old machine when you get into drifts, or piles of deep snow. The auto-turn is super easy to use. Point it where you want it to go, and it locks both wheels and delivers excellent traction. No fiddling with triggers. For a powerful machine, I couldn't believe how easy this thing is to handle. I had to turn the heated hand grips off because my hands were too warm. This is a very sturdy machine with a metal chute, and control panel. With good care and regular maintenance , I can easily see this machine lasting 20 + years. If your in the market for a great snow blower, look no further. When lesser machines are plugging up with the wet heavy stuff like they were today, you'll be finished with your snow removal chore and headed in for a cup of coffee.Peshtigo Kid

Great machine for New Hampshire; but it's as if it was designed by a team which only met by conference call and never used the machine once it was put together. When the engine is not working hard, there's enough gas. In a heavy snow when it's working hard, there is not. Needs larger gas tank (or at least sell an optional larger tank). Never ran out of gas with my previous two Ariens machines. 2 hours is not enough. Remember, there's no electric start when run out of gas. Carrying the 5 gallon can down the ice driveway is maddening. I would give up the headlight for a larger tank. My driveway is only 200 feet. Love the engine, it purrs, nice and quiet with a lower tone. Throttles up nicely for the snow drift at the end of the driveway. Gas tank cap, although large, very hard to open or close with gloves. Although large in diameter, it is not tall enough. Engine throttle is also hard to turn with gloves on. On/off, choke, gas shutoff are OK. Headlight, needs a better cover so it doesn't shine in your eyes and distort your night vision. Harder to handle the sts828. I can jerk to the side unexpectedly. Don't dare use it near a parked car or the vinyl siding near your house. sts828 never had this problem. I had complete confidence. Drives nice and straight for the first pass. After that, it crabs to the side. I need to use my hips on the handle bars to compensate. This moves my head forward so the headlight is in my eyes (needs an off switch). Can bite off more than it can chew and stall. My sts828 NEVER stalled. When it got full, the wheels would slip and it just stopped moving forward while keeping the pressure on to dig through a drift. Throttle control should not be on the top where it gets covered and frozen with snow (not a warm spot where it will melt). Should be mounted on the side, vertically. Throttle is hard to find as it's part of the choke and "black on black". Sometimes you want to throttle down an idle (without stopping the engine) to do some task50yearswithAriens

Minnesota is just finishing up the 4th snowiest month on record…nearly 40 inches in February. I bought this hog at the beginning of the month and I am one happy camper. This replaced a base model Toro paddle that I had for 10+ years but this year it just couldn't keep up – I was looking for the Scag of snowblowers and really liked what Ariens has done…369cc is stupid. Compare what the tech specs at this price point vs other brands and you will agree. This thing is an absolute beast and complete overkill…exactly what I wanted! My only con is the weight – but that is probably due to tossing a tiny paddle snowpusher around for the last 10 years. I had to plow a path in the yard for my dog and getting back up the hill was pretty tough, but that's not the machines fault. If you don't have ramps for your truck, hope you have a buddy to help. She is tank. This thing is made to do one thing – move a F ton of snow. If you have a small driveway, live in the city or only get a few inches every once in a while, this machine miiiiiiiight not be for you. Your neighbors are gonna be angry at you for raining down snow on them. Starts and runs with ease – I actually tried to choke it out from the plow runoff and it wouldn't. Amazing. I have used it on both paved, class 5 and on grass. Use premium fuel and DO NOT USE OLD GAS. Take the time to get fresh gas, run it dry every time when you store it. Trust me on this…Take care of the machine and it will run forever. Well done Ariens!Chubby Darter

I am a 74 year old man (BUT in excellent shape). i live in Michigan in an area that doesn't get huge amounts of snow…generally most is around 5-6". Mostly though it is in the 2-3" range. Previously i had (still working fine) a Toro 1800 whch is a plug in paddle type blower with 18" width. That was very reliable and have had it since 2005. The big issue of course is dragging the extension cord around which really slows you down. I considered a gas blower but the weight and storage was going to be a problem. The EGO has had 5 days of use this year although not a huge amount of snow. I have a double wide+ drive way, two patios, and sidewalk….about 75' long….plus I often do my two neighbors sidewalks. Taking EGOs advice I store the batteries indoors….if you keep them in a cold environment your greatly reduce their run time. I used this at the same time e neighbors used their Toro gas blowers. It seemed I was tossing snow about the same distance as theirs and since I had the auger version it got the snow down to the pavement and through some ice. In all the days I used it I was able to finish the job with out a recharge….still had two bars left on the display. I ran the speed control both at half speed and full speed to see how that used up battery charge. Didn't seem to make a huge difference. The last day it was a very wet snow with ice crusting. It got through the worst parts but the ice definitely created a challenge….not so much chewing and spitting it out…but pushing the blower through the muck as it isn't self powered. Overall it works really will but if you have snow in the feet and lots of it….you may want to get a larger machine…,perhaps a 2 stage one. Best part for me….once you remove the two batteries and fold the handle down it is pretty light and can easily fit in a small space around 2'x3'. My rear patio is about 20'x20' and the only way to get to it without dealing with all the snow on the side of the house…it taking it through the house. Since it is so light without the batteries it was no problem. A gas blower wouldn't do that. Another thing I really like is the control to rotate the chute ….easily moved while the blower is running and moving. I did get some icing and one time in the wet snow the chute got clogged. After than I just get some spray WD-40 and spray the inside of the chute and auger mechanism….that way the snow won't stick (trick I read on line about). The Auger does get the snow all the way down to the pavement…something my old paddle type didn't achieve constently. I did note that when going through icy snow it does tend to toss some of the ice back out from the auger in to the front of the machine and not all through the chute….not a big deal though. The only place where it struggles is out in the street after a bunch of cars have gone by and packed the snow and ice firmly. Since it is relatively light I will do a couple of passes..take the top layer off and than go back for the lower level. But my old paddle blower was useless in the same conditions.The plastic scrapper and 2 small rubber paddle blocs seem to be the only parts that will need relacement and are available as sacrificial parts….but thus far they show no alarming wear. One thing you need to be aware of is sidewalk and driveway differences between two pavement elevations. If there is about a 1/2" or so difference, the plastic scrapper will hang up on it since there aren't wheels in the front. I make a mental note of where those pavement differences are and make sure to not crash into them 😉 The only negative is the batteries which will need to be replace after a few years….and they are not cheap. Follow the maintenance guidelines in the manual (charge after use in a warm room and top them off every 3 months during the warm seasons), they should last 3-4 years at least. For me all of the advantages I pointed out above….plus no gas, oil, plugs, filters, mess, service and tune, and smell and minimal noise….or as in my old TORO dragging that extension cord around….make up for that added cost. Only remaining issue is how durable it is…..hopefully it will last as long and minimum maintenance as my old AC corded TORO.AstroBob

Thankfully acquired this unit right before Winter Storm Landon Feb 2022. Previously had a used 2-stage gas snowblower that I couldn't ever get to work when I needed it. So, I was done, done, done with a gas unit. During this storm, I used the Ego 7 times in 2 days. Here's my experience: The snow varied from light and fluffy to wet and heavy with heights from 3" -12" (in some areas the snow height covered the opening of the snow blower). One charge with 2 fully charged batteries lasts about 30-45 min. (The unit can run on 1 battery, but I never tested it out.) For me, the 30-45min is enough time to clear my 8-10 car driveway AND my sidewalk (and part of my neighbors') from 1 neighbor's driveway to the other neighbors driveway… this is about 250-300 feet. The batteries take about 80 min to recharge on the included dual fast charger. The unit easily handles snow heights up to 8". It does have the power to handle higher snow but it definitely works for it. Obviously the harder it works the quicker the battery life runs out. For instance the heavy snow at the end of the driveway left by the street snowplows eats up battery quicker. The unit effortlessly collapses to a small area and is relatively easy to pick up. The push start is a breeze. The chute rotation control is simple and genius! There is a lever by your right hand on the handle to control this. The chute angle control isn't as impressive… even still it's not bad. You just have to reach down to the chute itself to adjust it. The LED lights, which I didn't think I'd ever use, are bright and very useful in the dark. The variable speed control is helpful and helps extend battery life in lighter snow, but you need the high speed in heavy or high snow. The snowblower cleans snow very well and does not leave much behind which does make it sensitive to uneven surfaces but because the unit is so light it is very easy to negotiate when it 'gets stuck' at uneven surfaces. I DEFINITELY recommend the unit with the steel auger. I think this makes this unit even more powerful! Side note: my wife was very skeptical at first. She thought this was a novelty and a waste of $700. However, after seeing it in action and even using it once, she is a total believer and fully endorses this snowblower! We HIGHLY recommend this snowblower! Plus, you won't smell like gas after using it!Smortega13

Purchased the EGo SNT2114 about 2 weeks ago. I live in Colorado where the snow is usually dry and relatively light. But our early snow is often wetter and heavier with a slush layer at the bottom. We had one of those early snows of about 4 inches 2 days after the purchase. I rate this product at 4 stars because it did not handle the heavy slush-layer very well. It acted more as a snow plow than a snow thrower, even when making thin cuts of 50% width or less. This resulted in a lot of back and forth to punch through the built up mound in the front of the blower. Three days ago we had a more typical snow fall of about 8 inches of drier, lighter snow. Under these conditions the blower worked just fine. As some of the areas to be cleared are in tight locations, I really appreciate the blower's ability to throw snow a long distance when the outflow chute is in the most upright position. I use this blower on concrete, flat stone and composite deck surfaces. I was concerned about it scratching the composite deck surface but haven't noticed anything so far. The controls layout is very good with everything easily reached from the handle bar, except for the outflow chute angle. As for battery life, I am clearing a long single car drive way, sidewalks along two sides of the house, two pathways, and a very large deck (more square footage than the drive way). In the conditions described above I was able to clear both snow storms on a single charge. There was about 20% charge remaining. Overall I am very pleased with this purchase so far.SteveColorado

I wrote a review here two days ago of my Platinum 30 SHO and since then there has been a new development – I figured out what I was doing wrong. I gave the Platinum heavy praise in every area with the exception of one: I was very critical of the chute control. I thought my problem was that I could not get the chute to stay in place where I aimed it, but my real problem was that I didn't understand how the chute locking mechanism worked. Yesterday, because we finally had a day with temperatures above 10 F, I was able to go out to the garage and stare into the abyss of gears and washers and springs that is the chute turning mechanism and I had my "ah ha!" moment. And I was able to adjust the cable tension adjustment nuts to where they should be and lock/unlock the chute just the way Ariens intended. Now, my inability to find my problem has taken me all winter to overcome but in my defense (and just in case there are others out there in the same boat as me) let me say this: I assembled the snowblower myself, and for those of us who are not mechanically inclined unless you SEE how the chute lock works it may not be readily apparent to you. The owners manual I have says nothing about setting the cable adjustment nuts so that bracket A engages gear B locking chute C into position, and pulling back on handle D disengages bracket A from gear B releasing chute C to rotate freely. A simple one sentence blurb about how the chute lock actually works would have done wonders for me (and I suspect others). So I'm amending my 3 star review to a 5 star review because the machine truly is a tremendous beast, but still I wish Ariens would make a more comprehensive owners manual. (Anyone thinking "that's why you buy from a dealer and have him assemble it", I agree totally. But the only dealer within 3 hours of me did not return my calls, even though I said "I will come there today and pick it up if you have it in stock, and if not I'll wait until you get one." So, Snowblowers Direct, free shipping, no tax, fairly easy assembly, chute control notwithstanding.)Thomas

I just used my new platinum 30 snowblower on 2 heavy, wet snowfalls so far and here is my review. My old snowblower was an MTD Gold 30 inch which was about eight years old, and was getting rusty and tired. I will admit I was a little apprehensive about the auto steer system compared to my old snowblower which had the trigger system that worked well, but I am pleased with this new system. Although my 3 car wide driveway is made of smooth concrete and is flat, I expected the auto steer to work flawlessly, and it has. I upgraded to the Ariens composite shoes and that may have contributed to the smoother ride. I am most pleasantly surprised with the amount of snow it threw and how far it threw it, and the engine did not bog down, no matter how much, or how slushy the snow was, especially the stuff the snow plow dropped at the end of the driveway, ( which is always the worst and heaviest ) and the chute never came close to clogging. It does use more gas than my old unit, but it's well worth it for the extra power and performance you get out of it. Everything on this unit works well and is the sturdiest snowblower I have ever owned. I couldn't be happier. Well worth the extra price I paid as compared to my old snowblower.Michael

This is one of the most exceptional machines on the market. One of its prominant features is that it is " Made in the USA!" Solidly built, perfectly balanced (even though the bucket is heavy), easily manuverable in deep snow, loaded with features. This machine is a true workhorse. It does not want to quit! It just keeps processing snow, no matter how deep or packed down. This past winter proved this to be true. We all know what we had to put up with, here in the northeast of New England. This particular machine can throw snow! Our previous Ariens was lost, due to the engine breaking down, after 18+ yrs. of solid use. So, we decided to purchase a new unit, larger than the one we had, as more HP was needed. When I saw this unit, I just knew it was the one to get. My wife agreed & now my work is litterally cut more than in half. Even with the amount of snow we had this past winter, this machine kept wanting to throw more. I would suggest, as many previous comments have suggested, that the shute handle be redesigned, as you need to cross your right hand over the dash to work it in the middle of use. Other than that, this machine is totally perfect. I am truly pleased that Ariens has maintained its reputation as the top notch snowblower on the market. We have thouroughly inspected the competition before our purchase & knew the quality, function, dependability & design of the Ariens was far superior. Our friend purchased a competitive's machine & during the first use, encountered a major problem. He purchased a large commercial unit. Ariens has proven to me that they care about their product, will stand behind it & will continue to develop & improve in the coming years. Don's Power & Equipment Co. Is the place to go, for customer care & satisfaction. They are expert in every phase of the power equipment business, having spent many years in the industry. I highly recommend purchasing from this reputable dealer. Their showroom is always well stocked & their service is quick & accurate. You won't go wrong with this company. I am proud to be an Ariens owner. I am glad I made the right decision.John

I bought this product just this past Friday December 31,2021 at the local Menards store and tested the product direct after purchase on Friday where it did fire up but when the first snow settled on today January 2, 2022 this snow thrower wouldn’t start. I bought the correct outdoor extension cord recommended for this product at an additional 157.00. and read the manual for proper handling. Called the customer service but they are closed and had to pay someone to remove my snow from my driveway and sidewalk. I’m so disappointed today but grateful I had some small amount to pay someone else.Ms Sonya

I purchased this product to supplement my larger gas powered two stage snow blower for use when there is light snow fall. My heavier snow blower is just a bit much because of the weight and all the maintenance that is required to keep it running smoothly, plus it sometimes decides to die when the weather is really cold. Two days ago we had the worst snow storm of the season with drifts of powder everywhere and a good foot of snow in one glorious belch of eighteen hours duration. As it happened the gas snow blower had a flat tire and was useless for snow removal and I had to use the electric to clear the driveway. Well it did a fine job on the powdered snow and cleared the driveway with no problem. This unit can throw snow a fair distance so do not let reviews that indicate it cannot deter you from buying this item. If it is heavy snow (wet) it will not toss it far, but powdered snow goes a good 20 to 30 feet away when you angle the outflow chute the right way. If I did not have this back up unit this year it would have been a miserable clean up using a shovel. If you do not want to drag around a couple of hundred pounds of metal then this is also a great unit for you. It does not self-propel but it weighs 36 lbs or so and therefore is not a chore to pick up and move around. Yes it requires a cord and you have to make sure you do not run over that while cleaning up, but considering you do not have to gas it up, worry about spark plugs, regular maintenance and all the headaches that go with a gas blower this is not a bad deal at all. It starts up instantly without having to worry about extreme cold interfering with the engines performance and it beats hand shovelling any day! I only gave it a four because the turning crank is a bit of a pain and mine fell off pretty quickly, so now I just direct the snow chute by hand and it works just fine for me. Not at all disappointed with this purchase and I hope to get some years of service from it.JIM7

My husband and I have ordered Greenworks tools and equipment in the past and we really like their products. A few weeks ago we decided to order a snow thrower to make cleaning our long driveway a breeze. It arrived just before the first substantial snowfall and I have to say it worked well. Assembling the snow thrower was easy and took only a few minutes (~15 minutes). It normally takes us about 45 minutes to an hour to shovel our driveway, but with our new toy it handled all the snow within about 15 minutes. This was our first time using a snow thrower so we weren't really sure what to expect, but I have to say that it handled less than 6 inches of wet snow very well. I don't know how well it handles compacted snow or large amounts (greater than 6 inches), because we've only used our thrower once so far but I plan to update this post once we've received more snow. (Also we used our snow thrower during the day so we really can't say much about the LED lights on our model. Our street is not very well lit so that's why we wanted a snow thrower with lights. Until we have a chance to use it in the dark we really can't attest to their usefulness.) I have to say so far we are very pleased and can't wait to order more Greenworks products.Snow blower

I got it on sale for $699.99 and was also able to apply a 15% off discount on top of that. I was skeptical at first given it is 208cc (which is approx. 5-6hp from what I can tell because you cannot accurately convert cc to HP without knowing the full details on the engine like, compression etc) and only a 24-in. That said, I had an old sears unit that was 8hp, 28-in and this new blower throws the snow much farther than the old one and the unit being smaller, is much easier to store in the garage. It was able to handle the first few very wet snow falls of heavy wet snow approx. 5cm deep. and yesterday, I was able to throw 20cm of light fluffy snow with no problem at all (and I can throw it far, maybe 15 feet or farther into the centre of my yard. I even took it into the back yard to blow snow into a mountain pile so I can create a snow slide for my toddler daughter! I saw the review whereby ice bent a part of the impeller. I am not sure how big that piece of ice was, but I know I was able to grind up and throw bits of ice with easy with my unit yesterday. It was an in-store pickup after purchasing online, so came pre-assembled which I recommend so long as you have a van or truck to fit an assembled unit into. Oil level was fine and the paperwork was tapped to the handle. It does however have a bit of a gear lube oil smell, like 80w90 gear oil (I worked at a gas station that had an oil distribution warehouse, and you never forget the smell of gear lube oil). I have never owned a new snow blower, so maybe that is just a smell because all the oils and lubes are fresh. I know since using it, the smell is not as strong, but it still exists. The unit starts on the first pull every time. I am in the habit of closing the gas line after each use and letting the unit run until it dies (my old unit had a gas line leak, so I had to do that). When I am ready to use it again, I turn the gas line back on, pump 5 times, and it starts on the first pull (with the choke engaged). I wait a few seconds and then turn the choke off, and the unit is ready to go. I am hoping this habit will keep the carb cleaner. Furthermore, I noted it is much more quiet than my old unit, which is great for the neighbours when I clear the driveway at 6am before I leave for work. I also wish I could turn the light off, but it comes on automatically when you start the unit. Lastly, I like that the chute is metal and not plastic. I just feel like the plastic would be flimsy and not how up well to many hours of snow being thrown through it.billy101

I bought this snow blower in November 2020, and only after 2 times of use, the snow blower stopped working completely. The snow blower did not start even after several attempts, although I had followed all the recommendations and steps mentioned in the operation manual. Based on Briggs & Stratton representative's recommendation, got it repaired at Jim's Repair shop ( B&G authorized service center) As per the service report and my discussion with Jim's repair shop, I understand that the POOR QUALITY spark plug used in the snow blower was the reason for the machine failure. I'm very disappointed with the quality and reliability of this product. I have spent a total of CAD 154.20 towards the repair of this machine and it failed me on the day I needed it the most. I contacted Briggs & Stratton technical support for warranty coverage with all proofs, and even after 3 reminders didn't hear back from them. POOR QUALITY PRODUCT.Joyal

A powerful snowblower with the self-propelling speed to handle long driveways in a reasonable amount of time. The front end did have some difficulty staying level on the ground and not going on top of the snow. Im assuming that has to do with the weight of the front of the machine and some user error. Some assembly required, you will need tools. The Traks instead of wheels were very helpful, same with the light on the front. While it is expensive, it made clearing the snow much easier, and if it snows a lot in your area, its definitely worth it.Jessica S.

Living in northern MN is hard on snow blowers. The Ariens people get this. The chute turning mechanism is brass. The chute is all metal. If you use anything with nylon/plastic a lot it will break down. The Ariens has no plastic anywhere that counts. The hand warmers are a nicer feature than I thought they would be.The rapid trak is all that I had hoped for. When I need to move around in tight areas, I can pop the tracks up with a squeeze of the trigger, when I need more traction the tracks just pop down with a squeeze of the trigger. I live on a steep hill that I need to get down to move feet of snow off a patio regularly and have a right angle driveway that I need great maneuverability.Mark E.

No response to my email question from Ariens support. Disappointing. Front end is light and porpoises down my gravel driveway, bouncing off every little stone. The nose-in wheel setting feature does not compensate. Also, the cable controls for rotating the exit chute are temperamental and need repeated adjustment.Dennis B.

It is the nicest snowblower that I have owned up to this point!! Probably going to be the last that I need to buy, being that it is a Honda product.Dutch

So far I've only used it once because we have only had 8 inches of snow here on Long Island NY so far in 2022. But this thing is a Cadillac and a beast all in one. It throws the snow very far and even though it's big, it's very easy to move around. My son said "it's balanced really well". I went out the next day to do some "cleanup" snow blowing and even though the snow pack had turned to ice, it was no match for this machine. The only issue I had was when I first assembled it and tried to start it, it wouldn't start. After going crazy for about 10 minutes I found that a wiring harness in an area under the light was not connected. I guess the factory inspection missed it. After I plugged the harness together it started on the first pull. (And I'm not referring to the battery harness which also needs to be connected). The heated handles are great also. I ordered this thing in August 2021 and just got it in Jan 2022 but it was worth the long wait.Frank

The EFI is great but in less than a year the wire harness connection to the ECU goes bad due to vibration and needs to be replaced. This wasn’t a fluke or bad parts on my machine as the shop that did the warranty work said mine was not the first to have this issue. Until Ariens fixes this issue I won’t but another and am looking for a more reliable option because I live in an area that get lots of snow (250” average)Matt L’Esperance

I have just purchased the Deluxe 30EFI and have had the opportunity to use it twice. So far, I am, for the most part, happy with the machine. I have not had to use it on truly deep wet heavy snow yet, rather, it's been dry light powdery snow. The machine handles that great. The autosteer feature while taking some getting use to works great. The only suggestion I would make to Ariens is to swap the handle placements for the auger drive and the transmission drive. The transmission control, the "gear" selector lever is on the right side of the grip console while the actual drive engagement lever is on the left handle grip. This is counter intuitive. The right grip controls the auger/impeller drive while the hand crank for the throw chute turn is on the left side of the machine. This means that in order to rotate the throw chute while using the machine, you have to reach across your body to rotate the handle with your right hand. If they were to put the auger/impeller control on the left grip and the transmission drive control on the right hand grip, that would make gear selection, drive engagement and the like all on the same side using the same hand as well as the auger controls on the same side as the chute rotation crank (on the left). Just seems like that would be much more intuitive while using…… I haven't had the machine long enough to comment on the durability but so far, two uses, the EFI started easily at single digit temps when using the electric start feature.Ken

Ran well. Good snow blower for the price. It came sooner than expected (by 5 days). It took a while to assemble. I haven't gotten good snow yet, but it seems like it'll do the job. The only downside is I couldn't turn the chute without letting up on both clutch levers, so changing directions wasn't as smooth as I would have liked. Other than that, it seems like a good machine.Amy

What I need for occasional storms. Need a 2-stage for my gravel driveway but want to keep the size and weight reasonable. Electric start for cold start a must since I am not young. Instructions well written, allow 2-3 hours to put together. Reasonable price, looks like good quality. Metal cute. By changing position of pin, can drive with 2 wheels or 1 or none as appropriate for turningRetired1on1eastern1shore

Assembly was a little bit of a pain, but for the price worth the time! Works great, and this is my second winter season using it. Starts right up (I had to prime the engine more than 3 pumps, about 10) and cuts through the wet, heavy snow that we received in Chicago recently. I even plowed my neighbors driveway, sidewalk and my back yard without running out of fuel. Well worth the $470 it costs! I recommend tire chains if you have any deep inclines on your property.BSD21

Did a great job on my walk way and driveway. We had only got 3 inches of snow. I wanted something that I didn't have to mess around with gas.Kettlekid

I used this when we had 6' of wetter snow. It was easy to push and I like the larger wheels. But would have liked the shoot to have a lever stick like the other Snow Joe I owned. On this is model I had to move around the machine to the shoot where there is a handle to move the shoot, inconvenient. Easy to assemble and fairly light weight.7sweetpea

I really like this snow blower. I'm a woman and this was easy to use. We had some heavy, really deep snow and had to make a couple of passes to to get through it. Once i had a path started it was pretty easy. It was better than having to dig through the heavy snow.Carlson

Bought this blower in January 2018. The second time I used it the cable to the auger broke at the "Z" bend at the top. At first I was told to bring it back to the store. (Can't do that once it has gas in it.) The authorized dealer said I had to bring the machine in for the warranty repair but once assembled it wouldn't fit in my van. Fortunately I was within the time frame that I could still purchase the extended warranty but even then it was four months (yes, after the winter was over) before the part became available. Put it away until this winter. First time used was okay. Second time using it (the big snow) the drive cable broke inside the frame and I had to push it to clear the snow. My next call is to make a second warranty call for a unit that I wish I had never bought. When it works it blows snow like the wind but for the money spent it should not be having this type of issue. Not what I expected from Briggs and Stratton. My other criticism, if it is one, is that it is light and bounces around a bit if it hits any ice or ruts in its path.GDBee

I bought this snowblower in the fall of 2016. It worked very well until I tried to start it up in December 2017. With it sitting in my garage over the summer, it would not start up with the gas that was in it. I had put in new gas with the old. I did have an extended warranty and Lowe's directed me to a small engine repair shop in Ottawa that Lowe's out sources repairs to. To my surprise their is no onsite service with the warranty. The small engine repair shop requires you to deliver your non working snowblower to their shop, otherwise their is a $77.00 charge to pickup the snowblower and return it after it has been repaired. So.. after pickup, which took nearly a week, they had to practically rebuild the carburetor components all because of me trying to start the engine with the mixture of stale and new gas. I got it back after Christmas, we had a recent snow fall and it worked beautifully again. The small engine company said to drain the gas at the end of the season and to only use high octane gasoline only, something that was never explained to me from Lowe's. I had a an 8 /25 track drive Noma snow blower for 28 years before that and never had a problem with it. I sold it, figuring it was time for a new snowblower. I'm not regretting my new purchase, but it will require a lot more TLC in comparison to my old snow blower. Had I been properly informed about the high test gas requirements and end of season maintenance by Lowe's staff, this would have never happened. Lowe's will continue to dish out money to the small engine repair companies and customers like myself will be stuck paying a pickup and delivery bill even with a warranty.Samcc11

Just purchased this blower and have tried it out once so far. I have a large driveway and we get lots of snow. Very impressed with how far it blows. Handled the big stuff relatively well but the wheels did slip a bit and had to rock it to get it moving a few times. The one design flaw is that it is very hard to push and move around when it’s not running. Almost like the wheels are somewhat locked if they’re not engaged. Had a big 30” old Mastercraft blower that was way easier to manouever and had levers to unlock the wheels when you needed to push it around. I’m a small framed women and it takes a lot of effort to move this smaller new one…. Dumb design in that way. I gave it a 3 for that reason. Otherwise, starts easy and I love that the controls are all on top.Feisty Gramma

I bought it for my wife. This machine is very easy to assemble, lightweight has no electrical cable, and has no mess of gas. But, the power is limited. It is good up to 3-4 inches of snow top. The spec said 10 inches. It is not possible. We have 3 inches or so of snow. The machine jammed. The battery claims 30 minutes of life. We can only get 20 minutes out of it. We finished the rest of the job by shovel.Joe

This unit is light weight, easy to use. I couldn't get the machine to run more than ten feet in -11 degree temps this morning. It just quit, and shut off after a few seconds of use. The batteries were fully charged, and showed green. I brought the batteries inside and let warm them warm to room temperature. Then they worked fine after that. I used it previously on 2 occasions without any issues, but the weather was in the low to mid thirties. I keep the charger in the garage and store the batteries nearby after charging, so maybe it was just too cold this morning. The only other issue was that a screw holding the crank to the snow discharge chute fell out, and got lost in the snow the 2nd time I used it. I replaced the screw with a cotter pin, and works fine.PW22

First time using it today. 4 inches of somewhat heavy snow. Hard to push through this snow, forget about the end of the driveway.. I bought the kit with the cover and ice scraper and 2 extra batteries. Not cheap. It will be useful for small areas with lighter snow but it does not and will not replace a gas self propelled snow blower. My mistake.Sadly