Snowblowers are becoming increasingly popular in this country – and for obvious reasons.
Remember the last bitter winter when we slithered and slipped for weeks just to get to the car, and the paths were covered in deep snow and ice?
So we have put together this introduction to snowblowers to explain how they work and how to choose the right one for you as more manufacturers make them available in this country.
There are two basic types, single stage and two stage.
The single stage snowblower has rubber paddles which revolve and pick up fallen snow and propel it straight up a chute and away.
This type of snowblower provides ‘back to black’ clearance – collecting snow and leaving the path or drive with the original surface showing – hence back to black if it has an asphalt coating.
These are either petrol or electrically powered and are suitable for clearing snow around four to five inches deep.
Stiga single stage snow blower
The Stiga Snow Electric Single-Stage Snow Blower is a good example (it’s Swedish designed and they know a thing or two about clearing snow), you basically plug it in and go.
Once the rubber paddles collect the snow they propel it through a chute which you can adjust through 180 degrees. The revolving rubber paddles also propel the machine forward as they collect and despatch the snow.
It’s an ideal little domestic machine at £179.
Single stage blowers also come with petrol engines like the McCulloch SB121 Single-Stage Petrol Snow Blower. At £399 it is £100 less than the manufacturer’s recommended price.
This too uses rubber paddles to clean right back to the surface – back to black – but with its petrol engine is much more versatile and you don’t have the worry of a trailing cable.
It has a 54 cm width and can take snow up to 33 cm deep before shooting it out via an adjustable chute – the power to disperse the snow coming from the revolving rubber augurs.
The recoil start has a really big handle so you don’t have to take your gloves off before firing it up.
Now we’re moving on to a two-stage snowblower, an altogether more powerful machine.
It’s called two stage as these models have strong metal serrated augurs which will not only deal with fresh snow falls but can break down compacted snow and ice.
But then behind the augurs there is a separate impellor which throws the snow and ice through a chute for greater efficiency. And it can also throw it much further.
They don’t clear right back to the surface but the clearing height can be adjusted so that they clear back to around an inch from the surface.
They can, however, deal with much heavier falls of snow and some come with caterpillar tracks to tackle really heavy slippery conditions.
A good example of the two stage machine is the MTD M56 two stage self-propelled snow blower
MTD snowblower
priced at £599, £100 off the manufacturer’s recommended price.
This machine will clear longer drives and paths and is self-propelled. It also has large ‘snow hog’ wheels for extra grip, and, importantly, an engine designed to start easily in low temperatures.
This machine clears widths of 22 in, is easy to use and relatively light in weight. And like other machines it has an adjustable chute to throw the snow and ice where you want it.
McCulloch snowblower
Two stage blowers are essential to clear really heavy falls of snow and break up compacted snow and ice and a really strong machine is the McCulloch PM55 Two-Stage Petrol Snow Blower.
This machine gives total control over speed at which you work and has reverse gears as well letting you back out of difficult spots. This is an ideal machine where large areas around offices and factories need to be cleared and where close control is necessary.
A differential lock gives superb traction and manoeuvrability and the power comes from a Briggs & Stratton specially designed engine.
Deep patterned tyres give excellent grip and adjustable snow skids help the machine slide forward to enable clearing different surfaces.
This snowblower costs £1099, £200 less than the manufacturer’s recommended price.
But during severe weather it is vital that the snowblower itself doesn’t get stuck and some come with caterpillar tracks instead of wheels, like the MD SnowCAT 2-stage Snow Blower with Caterpillar Tracks which at £1399 is £500 off the manufacturer’s recommended price.
MD snowcat
If you have long drives or private roads or car parks and forecourts to keep clear, this is the machine you should consider.
Its heavy augurs and powerful impellor are designed for really sever conditions and a joystick enables the operator to adjust the chute without stopping. It also has a headlight for working through the night.
But it is the tracks which make this machine ideal for tackling really severe conditions and keeping essential services and offices and factories operating.
And for an even more powerful machine which can tackle big areas which need clearing in the depths of winter have a look at this the Stiga Pro 1381 HST Self-Propelled Petrol Snow Blower.
This is the machine for the professional, with a working width of 81 cm and capabale of dealing with snow 50 cm deep.
It has a hugely powerful impellor which can throw the snow up to 15 metres away.
Snow shoes help the machine slide forward and deep tread tyres give maximum grip and again it has a headlamp for night working. As it can get pretty cold clearing snow for long periods the handlebars are heated. At £2999 it is £300 off the manufacturer’s recommended price.
For a fuller guide to our range of snowblowers see the Snow Blowers section on our web site.
And a word of advice to those of you who are considering buying one.
Snowblowers are manufactured during August and September, and during the autumn the best choice is available.
And if you do order a snowblower in the winter months as the white stuff is puthering down bear in mind that we need to get out to deliver it to you and won’t be able to get through if the roads are blocked!
So the rule with snowblowers is to order early and be prepared. We may have stock in our warehouse but they’ll be of little use to you if you’re already snowed in.
For further information call our team on 020 3026 8712.
