Snow blowers are a handy tool for people who lives in snowy climates. They enable you to clear your driveway or sidewalk exponentially faster than shoveling.
If you’re shopping for your first snowblower, you may be confused about all the different types out there: single-stage, two-stage, etc. Here we’ll explain — what are snow blower stages?
Snow blower types include single -stage gas, two-stage gas, three-stage gas, and single- stage electric. Which one you should buy depends on your particular situation and needs.
Read on to find out the difference between the various types of snow blowers, and which one is right for you.
Single-stage snow blower
Single-stage snow blowers are also known as snow throwers. They are meant for smaller jobs like walkways and sidewalks. These snow blowers are compact, lightweight and easy to handle.
They’re suitable where less than 12 inches of snow is involved. They have a high-speed impeller that moves snow to the center whereby it is thrown back out in a certain set direction.
Although it is not self-propelled, it can be moved easily. It has a shoot that can’t be adjusted while in motion, therefore, you have to stop the machine to adjust the throw.
Single stage snow blowers have an auger that directs the snow to the chute that discharges the snow. The auger makes contact with ground thus they should be used on a surface that is paved.
It is the easiest to repair at home as it is made of the simplest moving parts. It is the easiest to repair at home as it is made of the simplest moving parts.
Two stage snow blower
It has power-assisted wheels that aid when clearing the snow. It clears up snow less than two feet deep. A two-stage snow blower collects the snow using an auger that feeds the snow to the impeller.
This allows easier and faster gathering of snow allowing the machine to tackle taller heights of snow.
It mostly comes with a single-hand control and a shoot that can be adjusted while moving thus allowing one to change the direction of throw without stopping.
It is self-propelled, either with tracks or chained tires. The machine sometimes comes with features including hand warmers.
It uses a fan to discharge the snow via a chute that throws the snow faster and farther away. There is no contact between the auger and the surface thus it can work on dirt.
Due to more moving parts and a high engine, they are more difficult to work on.
Three stage snow blower
Other than being turbocharged, it works like a two stage blower. It is ideal for up to two feet deep of snow. It has an accelerator that is much faster than the auger, therefore, enabling it to clear up heavy snow very fast.
For heavy jobs, it has a stage in front of the auger that spins at a high speed thus enabling the machine to break the large chunks of snow and ice before the auger grabs them.
This stage spins at a speed that is ten times that of the impeller. This machine is self-propelled and it requires professional maintenance. It is used by professional outfits who clear large amounts of snow often and who tackle weird lumps of snow.
Single-stage electric
It is suitable for fluffy and light snow about 6 inches deep.
Final thoughts
Armed with all the key stages of snow blowers, one can confidentially choose the best snow blowers.
Ready to shop for a snow blower?
Now that you know the answer to the question “What are snow blower stages?”, you should have a better idea of which type to buy. Look at our selections for the Best Snow Blowers of 2022 and also find out the perfect time to buy a snow blower.
Snow blowers are easy to use but there’s still plenty to learn before buying one.
For instance, do snow blowers work on gravel? Can snow blowers break ice? And before getting started with your new snow blower, read our snow blower safety tips.
