# Deluxe 28 SHO vs Deluxe 30



## pyro (Oct 24, 2015)

I'm debating between two models. A Deluxe 28 SHO which my dealer has a number of and the Deluxe 30 which Home Depot carries for only $100 more. It obviously is 2" wider, same engine and comes with heated handles (which I believe is about $80 upgrade MSRP).

I'm going to check with the dealer if they can order the 30" as I prefer to buy from the dealer but that shouldn't influence my product decision.

I have a 200 ft 10 ft wide gravel driveway. We also have a loop around that is somewhat optional whether I feel like clearing it. This is an additional 200 ft and a 2nd entrance from the road.

I have a large shed to store so space isn't an issue. Southwest CT which gets I think 30-40" average, with a lot more (100"?) in the past 2 years.

Which should I pick?


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## Stuofsci02 (Feb 16, 2015)

I would go with the Deluxe 28 SHO.... More power per inch....


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

pyro said:


> I'm debating between two models. A Deluxe 28 SHO which my dealer has a number of and the Deluxe 30 which Home Depot carries for only $100 more. It obviously is 2" wider, same engine and comes with heated handles (which I believe is about $80 upgrade MSRP).
> 
> I'm going to check with the dealer if they can order the 30" as I prefer to buy from the dealer but that shouldn't influence my product decision.
> 
> ...



Pyro, 

:white^_^arial^_^0^_

You may want to add the area where you live to your profile (even though you provided it in this thread) this will always be helpful when other members try to offer assistance.

You have narrowed it down to some really good choices and either one would be a good choice. Where I live there is a $200. difference in the pricing of these machines the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO is being offered at $1200. (through dealers offering "online pricing") and the Deluxe 30 is $1399. before tax.

In my area I would go with the Deluxe 28 SHO as I don't believe the Deluxe 30 is worth the extra $200. for the extra 2" of clearing width and the heated grips. As another member stated you will get more power per inch from the SHO model along with: SHO specific higher speed impeller, pulleys and belts. Although the the 306cc engine should give you enough power in the Deluxe 30 you may have to take the plow pile a little slower.

However for a $100. more the decision is tougher and based on the length of your drive the extra 2 inches of clearing width will help you get done faster and the heated grips will probably be helpful. So in your case I think the Deluxe 30 would likely be a better choice. I would hope your local dealer would match Home Depot's price to earn your business. In my area one of the local dealers would be assembling and delivering the unit even if you bought it from the local HD.

Good luck!


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Welcome to SBF. Glad to have you join us. I think I'd have to consider if that extra 2" is really going to make that much difference in the real world of moving snow. Now if you were comparing it to say a 22 or 24" snowblower, then yes. I believe I'd use the difference in cost for gas to power it. JMHO


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## pyro (Oct 24, 2015)

Dealer wanted $1600 to order the Deluxe 30 :icon_smile_shock:. I didn't mention HD, but I'm sure he's aware of it.

I really dislike the manual crank of the Deluxe series, but I'm not willing to pay for the platinum for the fancy controls. Still beats a shovel. If anything, I'll move to the Toro 928 or 1028.

I get the sense the engine on the 28 SHO is fairly large and perhaps overpowered in _most_ conditions, so I think it would handle the 30" bucket for the majority of snowfalls. I'm just concerned the 30 is getting too wide to maneuver.

But the question is which is faster? Moving slightly faster with the 28 or slower with the 30? I would love to see this tested just for curiosity.


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## Stuofsci02 (Feb 16, 2015)

You can't really have too much power. Now you can have too little snow in your bucket to get a good throw. Once you are at speed 6 having the wider bucket will help you collect more snow. If the snow is deeper you might be able to go one speed faster with the narrow bucket.

Here is my 30" with 369cc motor. You can see when I hit the deep stuff it really starts throwing. I think I am on speed 4.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

pyro said:


> Dealer wanted $1600 to order the Deluxe 30 :icon_smile_shock:. I didn't mention HD, but I'm sure he's aware of it.
> 
> I really dislike the manual crank of the Deluxe series, but I'm not willing to pay for the platinum for the fancy controls. Still beats a shovel. If anything, I'll move to the Toro 928 or 1028.
> 
> ...


 Just for the sake of comparing a 28" over a 30" for a 10 feet driveway, you would need to make at least 5 passes on both width.
I would go for the 28" SHO but that is me.
Good Luck


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

pyro said:


> Dealer wanted $1600 to order the Deluxe 30 :icon_smile_shock:. I didn't mention HD, but I'm sure he's aware of it.
> 
> I really dislike the manual crank of the Deluxe series, but I'm not willing to pay for the platinum for the fancy controls. Still beats a shovel. If anything, I'll move to the Toro 928 or 1028.
> 
> ...


Pyro,

I understand your concerns with the manual crank over the dash chute control on the Ariens Deluxe series it is a little cumbersome and if you are not tall the reach over to crank it seems even further. However it is a very reliable design especially over the long-term. The 30 inch machine from what I have read on this forum is easy to maneuver and if you don't have cars or other obstacles to go around should not be an issue. I have owned 28 inch machines that were not hard to maneuver and the 30" should be very similar.

If you don't mind going with a smaller auger width, you may want to consider the 369cc Platinum 24 SHO with the Quick Turn chute and heated grips. This one retails for about $1500. In my area and Sheffield is offering a 4 year finance promo for a $50. Fee on $1500. plus purchases that is essentially interest free with payments about .33% APR or you can use the current 18 month promo with no interest with monthly payments if paid in full w/in 18 months.

The Toro Quick Stick chute control is likely the most intuitive chute control currently available and you may want to look at Toro. Their approach is different than Ariens they use an anti-clog system (ACS) design and lower powered engines to achieve good results, many people seem very happy with them despite their seemingly cheaper build quality.

I looked at a lot of different machines and found Ariens to give the best bang for my buck in terms of quality build, feature set, owner satisfaction. Additionally their customer support is excellent. However brand preference is often subjective and everyone has an opinion on who they feel is the best. I would suggest to go look at any machine you're interested in and try handling it a bit before you make your final decision.

Good luck!


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## montclair2525 (Sep 26, 2015)

Cardo111 said:


> Pyro,
> 
> I understand your concerns with the manual crank over the dash chute control on the Ariens Deluxe series it is a little cumbersome and if you are not tall the reach over to crank it seems even further. However it is a very reliable design especially over the long-term. The 30 inch machine from what I have read on this forum is easy to maneuver and if you don't have cars or other obstacles to go around should not be an issue. I have owned 28 inch machines that were not hard to maneuver and the 39" should be very similar.
> 
> ...


k: Sage advice.


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

montclair2525 said:


> k: Sage advice.


Thank you sir.


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## sheddsboy 65 (Feb 13, 2021)

pyro said:


> I'm debating between two models. A Deluxe 28 SHO which my dealer has a number of and the Deluxe 30 which Home Depot carries for only $100 more. It obviously is 2" wider, same engine and comes with heated handles (which I believe is about $80 upgrade MSRP).
> 
> I'm going to check with the dealer if they can order the 30" as I prefer to buy from the dealer but that shouldn't influence my product decision.
> 
> ...


im deciding between the 28 in both either sho or deluxe my local dealer sold all his remaining deluxe 28 some went to home depot he has sho models and a platium 24 but the sho is what i want 1349.00 retail 1499.00 the machine i have now is a 28 craftsman snow goes up but it does go far great for a single car driveway but i have a 2 car driveway with a turnaround my neibor has a older ariens 28 10 hp 2005 model and im amazed how far it throws and he has a 3 car driveway so im sold


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

SHO as long as it's not the EFI. I had a 28 SHO and it was awesome. The Platinum 24SHO is great as well. If all you have is a 2 car driveway and a bit of a sidewalk, the 24 will do just fine. But the 28 SHO will do just as good of a job. And not as expensive. Just avoid the stupid EFI!!!


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