The 7 Best Snow Blowers, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall Snow Blower

Ariens Classic Snow Blower

$1,344 at Amazon


$1,149 at Lowe’s


$1,149 at Ace Hardware

This mid-priced snow blower from Ariens’ Classic line is designed to give you maximum control without making you work too hard. Even though it’s gas-powered, it can be turned on with the push of a button. The all-steel construction, including the steel serrated auger, makes quick work of heavy snow. In fact, we used it on mostly wet snow and found that the chute never got clogged, even when used on plowed snow at the end of a driveway. It left behind only a light layer of snow, which melted away during the day. 

We liked that this snow blower has a quick-turn chute with a 205-degree rotation, which gave us full control over where we sent the snow. It also allowed for one-handed operation, thanks to its interlocking levers that prevented us from having to hold down the auger control as we worked. In terms of safety, it comes with a grip-activated auger that turns off when you let go and tools to clean out the chute should it get clogged. We do think a light would have been useful, though, to help us effectively navigate darker terrain. 

The self-propelled transmission can be set to one of six different forward speeds and two different reverse speeds, which are easy to adjust using the levers. The two-stage design (meaning it has one auger for pulling snow in and a separate impeller for throwing snow out) has a clearing width of 24 inches and an intake height of 20 inches, making it ideal for moderate to heavy snowfalls. We used the higher gear to handle light fluffy snow and the slower gear to tackle heavy, wetter snow. Assembly was also easy, and Ariens provides great instruction videos for assembling and using its products. 

In sum, this snow blower will significantly cut down on the time it takes to clear snow and reduce the risk of injury. And what’s more, its price falls well below the median of all those we tested.

Stage Type: Two-stage | Power Type: Gas, electric start | Clearing Width: 24 inches | Intake Height: 20 inches | Weight: 187 pounds | Number of Speeds: 6 forward, 2 reverse | Maximum Throwing Distance: 40 feet