# Which snow blower is the best machine ?



## bondobrian (Mar 9, 2013)

I am looking to acquire a new machine, I have been running a 32 " Cut 10 HP Ariens for 22 years and had pretty good luck with the machine.
Now I go out looking and there are absolutely way too many choices, Ariens, John Deer, Honda, Simplicity, Husquavarna, Toro, Troy built, MTD, Lawnboy.
So I would appreciate any input you guys can give me. 
I did find that the 32 " width cut 10 hp Ariens to be quite heavy in the turns and once you were done for the day , YOU WERE PRETTY TIRED FROM PUSHING THAT BABY AROUND. So I would be looking for the best 10 hp, 12, 15, with a 24 inch cut. I saw a 15 HP John Deer the other day, the engine looked Jinormous compared to the ten. I have no Idea how John Deer's are for part replacement either. 
Thank you in advance for the replies 
Bondobrian


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

the bigger ariens have autoturn to make turning easier and most of the others have a lever under each handlebar which unlocks the wheel or wheels to make turning easier


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

bondobrian said:


> I am looking to acquire a new machine, I have been running a 32 " Cut 10 HP Ariens for 22 years and had pretty good luck with the machine.
> Bondobrian


Hey Bondo welcome!
Boy that is a loaded Question! I believe your answer is reflected in your question.
"22 years With pretty good luck!" Why look at other brands?
Ariens get some of the best reviews and very loyal and satisfied repeat customers. Your also going to get a great high torque ratio in the newer machines, which will make handling a bit easier especially with the auto turn.
There are some good deals to be had this time of year
Good luck


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

Honda/Yamaha will out throw anything else by a wide margin, regardless of the HP rating. Either an HS724 or HS928 is probably what you should be looking at, you can get either with wheels or tracks in the US, if you're in Canada the HS724 is only available in a tracked configuration.

MTD and Troybilt (which are actually one and the same) should be avoided. If you go back for enough MTD made good stuff, but you have to go back quite a number of years.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

I'm just here for the fireworks.


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## rosco61 (Dec 8, 2014)

*Best snow blower*

This should be Great!


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## rfsdave (Mar 9, 2015)

I wouldn't go as small as a 24'. I've used 27, 28 & 32's. (the 32 was a cub cadet) and the 27 & 28 felt like a toy compared to the 32. I think 28" is the magic number. Easy to maneuver, and big enough to get most jobs done in a reasonable amount of time. 
Just my opinion.


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## Geno (Nov 29, 2011)

My choices in order- (but first two out of my price range) 
1) Honda
2) Yamaha
3) Arien's
4)Simplicity/Toro (same level of performance-Ariens maybe too- But I'm partial to Ariens)
5)Husky- only 5 as never had one so don't know
all choices big as can get- but if 28" is a option, that might be good choice over 32.
..I can't give good reason 'why' on order as they are all good- but since once owning at least one of each.. and more in some cases- These would be my choices. I'd look good at the Simplicitys too.. Don't know but they seem to me well built from pics. Mine were all older.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Does your Ariens have a differential? I have it on both of my Ariens (8hp/24" and 10hp/24"), it really makes turning a lot easier. They are much easier to manage than my 8hp/26" MTD was with a locked axle. 

I'd be inclined to go with Ariens, Honda, or Yamaha. Simplicity also has a good reputation for rugged machines. People seem to like the Husqvarnas, but I don't know how their track record is. 

Where are you located? What kind of snow do you get? How big is your driveway? 32" is a very big machine, going down to 24" would be a significant change. But if 32" is bigger than you need, then no problem. 26-28" is a common size. 

I went 24" (first 8hp, now 10hp) because my driveway isn't that big, and 24" is easier to fit between the cars in the garage. The narrower bucket also gives me more power per inch of width, to better deal with wet/deep snow.


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## Stuofsci02 (Feb 16, 2015)

Sounds like an Ariens Platinum 24 SHO would tick your boxes. 24" with ~10HP motor. It has the new Auto Turn which I really like. I have it on my Platinum 30 and it makes moving a 275lb machine quite easy..


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Your Best Option is to Restore Your Old Ariens, IMHO.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Please add your locatiton to your profile so it pops up when you post.

Does your present Ariens 924XXX have a differential ?


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## Iron horse (Feb 9, 2015)

If your getting older like 55+ I would be looking to down size to a 24" Ariens with the 250 cc motor . This way you won't be fighting with both , the snow and the blower. This is what I wish I did .


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

If you don't have a differential on that 32" it can be a bear. I have 4-32's, two with and two without. It's night and day the effort to spin one of those around with a solid axle compared to the differential equipped.


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## RAYAR (Mar 7, 2015)

*Which snow blower is the best machine ?  ... Mine of course  Going on 40 years old and still working hard. 
*


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## bondobrian (Mar 9, 2013)

Boy what an interesting thread, I very much appreciate each and everyone's input.
I am new to this web site and I must say it is extremely helpful.
I liked Iron Horse's opinion, I am not 55 I am almost 69, crap that is older than dirt.
I have a large piece of property and parking for 44 cars. I do have a 3/4 Ton truck that I use to clear 90 percent of the snow with. and then I snow blow the rest.
Thank you all for the input !


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Still only 3 choices, of brands anyway. H A T 
Honda, Ariens, Toro. Not necessarily in that order, but nobody loves an acronym like us safety geeks. Yamaha could be in there too, but it kind of spoils the acronym 
Everything else is Chinese these days. You would like the Ariens with Autoturn I think. You can dance it around like you are Fred and Ginger


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## AL- (Oct 27, 2014)

bondobrian said:


> I am looking to acquire a new machine, I have been running a 32 " Cut 10 HP Ariens for 22 years and had pretty good luck with the machine.
> Now I go out looking and there are absolutely way too many choices, Ariens, John Deer, Honda, Simplicity, Husquavarna, Toro, Troy built, MTD, Lawnboy.
> So I would appreciate any input you guys can give me.
> I did find that the 32 " width cut 10 hp Ariens to be quite heavy in the turns and once you were done for the day , YOU WERE PRETTY TIRED FROM PUSHING THAT BABY AROUND. So I would be looking for the best 10 hp, 12, 15, with a 24 inch cut. I saw a 15 HP John Deer the other day, the engine looked Jinormous compared to the ten. I have no Idea how John Deer's are for part replacement either.
> ...


I don't think they make JD anymore, at least that's what JD salesman told me last fall. He said they were going to carry Briggs & Stratton. I must admit I never checked back, but next time I go by I might. JD never made thier own walk behind SB, they were jobbed out.
The Husqvarna 300 series all have hydro transmission(automatic) like the Honda and Yamaha and not near as expensive. The 24" has 254cc engine. I don't own a Husqvarna, but the feedback for this series so far has been all good. Its new on the market so there is not too much. Has a good warrantee. 
Are you planning on buying it this spring?


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Ariens built quite a few for JD and that's back when JD blowers had a good reputation.


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

Blue Hill said:


> Still only 3 choices, of brands anyway. H A T
> Honda, Ariens, Toro.
> Everything else is Chinese these days.


My Cub Cadet is just as American as an Ariens.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

caddydaddy said:


> My Cub Cadet is just as American as an Ariens.


Sorry CaddyDaddy, I stand corrected.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

It's also just as American as MTD, Yard Man, Huskee, some Craftsman and Troy Bilt since they are built by MTD.
And that's only if you're looking at it being an American company not it the blower (not motor) actually being built "here".


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> It's also just as American as MTD, Yard Man, Huskee, some Craftsman and Troy Bilt since they are built by MTD.
> And that's only if you're looking at it being an American company not it the blower (not motor) actually being built "here".


 
I'm pretty sure Cub Cadets are made in the USA. I don't know about the other MTD brands though.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Been away for awhile, but saw this and had to chime in. JD does not make walk behind consumer OPE anymore. If you go to a dealer you'll see they carry Honda products now alongside the garden/lawn tractors. The 70's and 80's JD 2-stage snowblowers were made by JD. Into the late 80's and early 90's they farmed out, then went Briggs, then dropped everything. Given today's choices, I'd have to go Ariens. Neighbor has a 928 Honda with seized augers in perfect shape. Handlebar height being too low is a common complaint also.
Toro has the one piece frame, which I personally think is a negative. Kinda like a TV with a built in DVD player, or a all-in-one computer/monitor. Not much choice when something goes bad. It's all opinion I've redone a 1979 Ariens as my go to 2 stage for parts availability mostly. The new ones don't impress me much, but they seem to have the best support options and be significantly less than Honda for initial purchase. That said, a well maintained Craftsman/MTD is far better than any neglected "premium" brand. U.S. options limit Yamaha as a non choice.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

jtclays said:


> That said, a well maintained Craftsman/MTD is far better than any neglected "premium" brand. U.S. options limit Yamaha as a non choice.


Ooh, now that adds an interesting aspect to the discussion! 

I had a '94 8hp/26" MTD, which I bought in 2001, I think. It was in good shape when I bought it, apart from a sheared Woodruff key in the auger gearbox. I kept it maintained. 

In 2011, I think, I bought a '93-94 (I think) Ariens ST824 (same 8hp flathead Tecumseh as the MTD, 24"). I bought it from a homeowner. But after going over it, I'm guessing it had been used commercially, based on some stuff Sharpie'd onto it, and the wear I found on the machine, including the transmission. 

I went through the Ariens and replaced the worn bushings/bearings, and scraper bar, etc. 

In this particular example, I preferred the heavily-used Ariens, vs the less-used MTD. It was built better, had a differential, bigger augers, and bigger impeller. The transmission also pushed harder, despite the MTD's friction disk still feeling OK (I'd replaced it when I bought the MTD). I sold the MTD and kept the Ariens. 

I'm not saying you're wrong, or trying to start an argument. I'm simply sharing the example I've experienced. 

It does admittedly depend on how you want to approach the purchase. If you want something you can buy, and just start using, I'd agree completely. You're better off with something in good condition, that is ready to work.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I just want to thank *all of you posters* for keeping it civil. *SBF is the best.*


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## Marty013 (Mar 14, 2014)

in Canada MTD brands usually have what id call a light-commercial lineup.. 16in impeller .. larger frame.. thicker metal... price is comparable to equal Ariens offerins (platinum-pro level offerings 28-33in cut) i dont know if this is available anywheres in the states though...

now, i`ve not test `driven`a new one.. what i have is from the 80`s so well.. I cant speak for durability of the new ones even though they are better built than the lower grade MTD (12in impeller, thinner metal which can seem flimsy... etc) but personally this is wehre i feel the bang for the buck is.. and seeing a few folks on here are having problems with newer Ariens (and a few folks i know from work...) i`d actually place em ahead.. weird huh! lol


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## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

jtclays said:


> ...a well maintained Craftsman/MTD is far better than any neglected "premium" brand.


 I think Honda is able to withstand more neglect (and even misuse / abuse) than Craftsman/MTD (etc), but even the premium Honda is by no means impossible to kill.


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

Marty013 said:


> now, i`ve not test `driven`a new one.. what i have is from the 80`s so well.. I cant speak for durability of the new ones even though they are better built than the lower grade MTD (12in impeller, thinner metal which can seem flimsy... etc) but personally this is where i feel the bang for the buck is.. and seeing a few folks on here are having problems with newer Ariens (and a few folks i know from work...) i`d actually place em ahead.. weird huh! lol


I also thought that the Cub Cadet (MTD), was a better bang for the buck than the Ariens Compact 24 that was the same price. It had more features on it.
I had a few problems with the Ariens 624E I bought new a few years ago, but have had 0 problems with my Cub Cadet, even with this epic Winter we've had!


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Wow, Should have left when I could see ya folks, build your own great machines


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

When you say something like this " a well maintained Craftsman/MTD is far better than any neglected "premium" brand. "

You could at least put a IMHO in there to qualify it. My Troy is the newest machine I have and I'd much rather run and work on the old Craftsman or Ariens than that flimsy Troy by MTD.

And that said I usually do try to defend the entry level product as there is a place for it and I know I can't afford to go out and get a new or fairly new Ariens, Toro, Honda ...
I want to make sure the guy who is going or has gone to a big box store and purchased a new Poulan or Remington is just as comfortable coming on here as someone with a five grand tracked Honda. I wouldn't recommend that big box purchase but if that's what you can afford, I can work with that.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Kiss, like I said, build your own machine. The names mean nothing. Cub, Craftsman, Yardmachine, are all MTD, made in America (sort of). Ariens has crap parts as well as Honda, just an evaluation of what you want. My point was to be that a well cared for AYP product will outlast a poorly cared for high end product like Yam or Honda, or Ariens. It's like a poorly cared for Hemi can't run a well cared for Chevy/Ford/Subaru/Honda in the long shuttle. A Chevy Malibu with great maintenance is far superior to a Mercedes with 150K and no oil changes in the long run. Not picking sides here at all, just pointing out the obvious (what I think obvious). I have an Ariens, Mercedes, Chevy, John Deere and AYP product in my garage as we speak, so I'm not picking sides


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Marty013 said:


> in Canada MTD brands usually have what id call a light-commercial lineup.. 16in impeller .. larger frame.. thicker metal... price is comparable to equal Ariens offerins (platinum-pro level offerings 28-33in cut) i dont know if this is available anywheres in the states though...


Interesting, I didn't know that. I looked on Home Depot's site for Cub Cadet models. 

I saw some "3-stage" units, with sort of a big screw to draw snow towards the impeller, apparently. Those listed 12" augers, and no impeller size. 

But I did find this one, 33" cut, model 2X 933 SWE: 
Cub Cadet 2X 933 SWE 33 in. 357 cc 2-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower with Power Steering-2X 933 SWE - The Home Depot

It lists 16" augers and 16" impellers, which is impressive. 357cc engine, it says 399 pounds(!). Though it's $2,099, so it's priced more like some of the "premium"/other brands. 

The 26" model says 12" augers and 12" impeller, but it's only $899: 
Cub Cadet 26 in. Two-Stage Electric Start Gas Snow Blower-31AH54TS756 - The Home Depot

The HD listing for the Ariens Platinum 30" (somewhat comparable to the 33" Cub) shows 14" augers and 14" impeller, $1,599. 

I found the Ariens Professional 32" here (a closer comparison) for $2,533, it shows 420cc, 16" augers, and 14" impeller: 
ARIENS Snow Blower, 420cc, 32 In. 926039 - G4201057 at Zoro

I don't have any experience with the newer Ariens, or any of the Cubs. But it's good to know that there are heavier-built and beefier MTD models than what I've seen. Competition is good for everyone. 

For any machine, regardless of brand, I get a little nervous about things like "fancy" chute controls for rotation, and tilting the deflector. Cables, motors, control levers that automatically unlock when you move them, etc. I'm just old-fashioned, I guess, but I'm used to simple controls like a screw-drive for chute rotation. I get concerned about how well the "fancy" controls will work after 10-15 years, when dealing with rust and ice. But I hope my concern is unfounded.


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

RedOctobyr said:


> For any machine, regardless of brand, I get a little nervous about things like "fancy" chute controls for rotation, and tilting the deflector. Cables, motors, control levers that automatically unlock when you move them, etc. I'm just old-fashioned, I guess, but I'm used to simple controls like a screw-drive for chute rotation. I get concerned about how well the "fancy" controls will work after 10-15 years, when dealing with rust and ice. But I hope my concern is unfounded.


The chute controls on my Cub are really nice! It's so easy to quickly change where the snow is going. 
Yes, it has cables, but so does my motorcycle, and those cables still work fine years later.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Cables on motorbikes don't freeze because they are normally used during non freezing months....(tip for obvious)....if you can read and pay attention for more than 35 seconds. There is absolutely no comparison between the two. If you fixed the frozen cable problem without State help, clap for you and all the people in your garage that slapped your hands together.


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

I'm not a fair weather only motorcycle rider, I do ride mine in the freezing months in temps as low as -12F, and I know several others that ride in the Winter too. I've never heard of a motorcycle cable freezing up from any other riders, so the comparison is absolutely valid!


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

It's a good point, about cables on motorcycles, etc. 

I have cables on my mountain and road bicycles which are probably 10 years old, if not older, and they're fine. I don't ride them in -12F weather, I'm not that tough  I typically use them in dry weather, during the summer. 

Some people commute on their bicycles, of course, which needs to still happen if it's raining. Those bikes, if used regularly, are at least exercising their cables frequently, which probably helps avoid them rusting and trying to bind up while sitting around for a few months. 

But I think there is still a difference between a motorcycle and a snowblower. Even if you're rugged enough to ride in below-zero weather (my hat is off to you, sir!), I'm hoping you're not doing that during an actual snowstorm. So it's hopefully just cold, not cold & wet. 

The cables sliding back and forth when the machine is getting snowed on, and has snow blowing around onto it, is probably more likely to help pull water into the cable housings. Especially if parts of the cables are exposed. 

But, thinking about them like bike cables, some of the same techniques could probably be used on a snowblower. Like pulling the cables out of the housings and coating them with grease when re-installing. And I also have cable housings with Teflon linings, which would probably help the cables slide better, and might also help avoid letting steel rust to steel. 

Though like I said initially, this is just my own concern, and it may be unfounded. I do hope they're perfectly fine over the long term!


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## Geno (Nov 29, 2011)

Of the cycles I've had in past- The cables were better quality than the tinsey ones on some blowers.. But that's not to say they wouldn't rust- Who is too say? I sure don't know as never had them go bad except on a vintage scooter. JT has a good point about maintenance- that has a lot to say on longevity on almost anything power driven. Their is a difference in quality also- a rusted 70's snow blower bucket will outlast most later model el-cheapo snow blower buckets. they may not be rusted yet -but will crack from flexing or the welds break. Other differences too. Not sure their is a right or wrong here? I sense a bit of friction on this subject so Maybe we could just leave it as is to everyone's own opinion and move ahead-We've always had good vibes here even with varied opinions. And.. that's my opinion.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Good point, sorry. I didn't mean to accidentally kick of an argument about this stuff, I was merely sharing my perspective. And that's done, I'll stop


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Funny, the poster who started this thread a week ago to get suggestions for a new snowblower has only been back once, but this thread goes on and on like the EverReady Bunny.

There have been some good points made, and maybe a little drifting off the original topic has happened too. But then, hey, maybe the guy is looking for a well maintained used car or replacement cables for his motorcycle too, who knows.

As long as everybody keeps things respectful, we'll just see what else we can throw in there. 

Wonder if bondobrian ever got a new snowblower? Hope we didn't scare him off.


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