# Finally buying a snow blower... Compact 20 or 24"?



## NewShockerGuy (Dec 16, 2016)

Joined the forum and have been reading a lot since the beginning of the week. I've lurked here for a white but I couldn't find all my questions so figured I might as well dive in and ask.

I live in Northern VA. We do not get a TON of snow, but last year we got hammered and had roughly 36" of snow where I live. I would say normally we get about 24" of snow a year. I'm from Pittsburgh so I am used to snow, this is nothing compared to them. With that being said as I am getting older I find it more annoying to shovel, hence why I want a snow blower.

Everywhere I am reading and looking people are quite adamant about getting a two stage snow blower.

I would LOVE to get a deluxe Ariens 24". But to be quite honest I just don't have the room to store it. I refuse to store it in the garage since it will take up too much space, and yard tools have zero place in the garage. My shed is a 7x10 so it's not huge but considering I have lawn equipment in there, I wouldn't have room for the Deluxe. Which brings me to the compact 20"/24"... I'm leaning more towards the compact 20" mainly because I want the smallest two stage possible since this will be in storage 11 months out of the year and not touched, I would prefer not to constantly have to move something around just to pull the lawnmower out...etc.


From what I gathered on here, most people think the compact is too expensive when for 100 more you can get the deluxe, I get that but again it's the storage, I just don't have space for it. Are people happy with their compact? Realistically should I look into the Ariens single stage snow blower? I keep seeing that single stages are faster but you will have trouble if you get a ton of snow where the two stage will be slower but handle it no problem. If I still lived in PA I would have no issues getting a two stage and not thinking twice, but being in VA I am wondering if I am making the right choice.


Note that those recommending a single stage to me are the Ariens/Honda/Toro which their higher end models are $500-600, which seems a little nuts for a single stage when the compact is 200 more.


Just looking for honest feedback on the compact 20/24" I see tons of great reviews for the compact 24". And the 20" uses the same engine which makes me want to believe that even though it's a little narrower it might actually be a little better than the 24" mainly because it can't fit as much snow into the front of it like the 24" would but who knows?


I will note that I have zero Ariens dealers by me or even close to me other than HD/Lowes. So I can easily get the 24" compact, where as the 20" I'd have to order online, and the cheapest I can find it for is $830 compared to $899 that the 24" is going for.


That was long winded, so thanks for reading it through 


-Nigel


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## jermar (Dec 10, 2014)

I have a 2016 Compact 24". I'm getting older too. Compared to my old 20" Trac Craftsman, The 24" is a beast to move around. Sure, it's nice to have the weight for heavy end of driveway snow, but I'm working harder when turning. Not much weight difference between the 20" & 24" Ariens. Compared with my old machine, my Ariens is much bigger. Though a poor value, I wish I had the 20".


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

It seems to me that you're priority's are storage space and price. So it doesn't matter if the blower will do the job of removing deep or wet snow. Keep that in mind IMO. You maybe shoveling.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Being storage your highest priority, I'd go with the Compact 20, it would also be lighter and easier to maneuver.
If you can fix older equipment, and you have a paved driveway, maybe search for a used Honda HS621 single stage. They can handle up to 10-12" of snow


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

hsblowersfan
Will the blowers you mention move wet ,heavy snow? I can see 12 inches of powder.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Nigel,
24" of snow annually is a *really* small amount of snow for a 2-stage, and I bet in Virginia the majority of your snow comes in 1" to 4" snowfalls, and it's generally wet and slushy...you live in the ideal climate for a single-stage snowblower..single-stagers are designed for your kind of snow, they are much better in wet slushy snow than a 2-stage...

2-stagers don't like small amounts of wet slushy snow, they aren't designed for it, they tend to clog on it and don't throw it well..they are ideally suited for for 6" to 24" cold dry snow.

But a single stage eats 2" of slush right up, it's what they are designed for..different machines for different climates, you are in ideal single-stage territory. In the single-stage category, everyone agrees there are only two names to consider: Honda and Toro. And Honda single-stagers are now the only snowblowers 100% made in the USA.

Scot


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## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

What about one of those toro hybrids,snowmaster line?


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

mrfixit said:


> hsblowersfan
> Will the blowers you mention move wet ,heavy snow? I can see 12 inches of powder.


I do not have personal experience with using them (although I have more than one).

I have seen mixed reviews of it being good/not good with wet heavy snow.

Read this thread from NJHonda.....

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/general-snowblower-discussion/10170-honda-hs621-working.html

It uses the same commercial grade GX160 engine that is used on the Honda 2 stage snowblowers HS55, HS622 and HS624.

Watch this video as well


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

ih8thepackers said:


> What about one of those toro hybrids,snowmaster line?


maybe! that could be a good option..
we dont know a lot about those, because they are new, but they are probably fine machines. (no reason to doubt that)

_I wouldnt say they are "hybrid" though..they are 100% single-stage, just with a larger and fancier tractor portion. Probably no real advantage over a "traditional" single-stage._

_Edit! on the line above..I was wrong about that. These machines can really use the term "hybrid", because they do have powered wheels! While a "traditiional" single stage does not have powered wheels. So the Toro Snowmaster really is a "hybrid" in the sense that it has a "single stage auger", no impeller, but also does have a transmission with powered wheels, similar to a 2-stage snowblower's tractor unit. The bucket is still "single stage" however._

https://www.toro.com/snowmaster/

Nigel, 
I want to comment some more on a couple of your comments:



NewShockerGuy said:


> Everywhere I am reading and looking people are quite adamant about getting a two stage snow blower.





NewShockerGuy said:


> Note that those recommending a single stage to me are the Ariens/Honda/Toro which their higher end models are $500-600, which seems a little nuts for a single stage when the compact is 200 more.
> 
> -Nigel


You seem to be suggesting it would be better to spend "only $200 more" to get the Compact 2-stage, and spending less, $500-600 on a single-stage, would be "nuts" in comparison..in reality, you most likely have that completely backwards..its more likely the $500-600 single-stage is the much better machine for your climate, and spending $200 more for a small 2-stage would be "nuts" because you would be spending more for a machine that is not as well-suited for you and your climate, and could actually perform worse in your typical snowfalls.

I think you might have gotten the false impression that a 2-stage is "better" than a single-stage..that is not the case at all!  This forum gives a skewed view of the real world..the majority of us in this forum are very unusual "snowblower enthusiasts"!  the majority of us live in heavy-snow areas, and because of that, the majority of us have 2-stage snowblowers..which can lead to the impression that "people are quite adamant about getting a two stage snow blower."..yeah, but only in this forum!  and only for people who live in the Northern US and Canada...but that kind of snow, and the snowblower needed for that kind of snow, simply doesn't apply to you.

A single-stage is not at all inferior to a 2-stage..unless! you live in an area where your climate makes it inferior.

If you live in Buffalo NY:










and your annual snow is measured in feet, not inches, and you have a 4-car wide and 500-foot long driveway,
then this is your ideal snowblower:










and this is a joke:










But you live in Virginia and further south, and your typical snowfall looks more like this:










(or even up to 4" or so)
Then your ideal snowblower is this:










and this is a joke and the worst snowblower you could own:










So! its all about the kind of snow you get..
everyone's ideal snowblower is different, and for many, a single-stage is the much better choice.
The main factors in choosing a snowblower:

1. Where you live, which determines how much and "what kind" of snow you get.
2. How much space you need to clear.
3. storage space.
4. cost.

Sure, cost is a factor for everyone..
a $800 Honda single-stage might be your best machine for 1, 2, and 3, but if its too much for 4, then it fails the test.

We dont get a lot of discussion on single-stage snowblowers on the forum, because not many people here own them. But what discussion we have had over the years always says: Honda and Toro for single-stage, because they are the two manufacturers who have really focused on single-stage. The Ariens "path-pro" single-stage is probably perfectly fine as well, but we just haven't heard much about them. (they are also fairly new, only been out 5-years or so.) 

Scot


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Im not saying you should rule-out the 2-stage completely!
im only suggesting that it seems more likely the single-stage would be better for you, but it could be a borderline choice..

If I lived in Virginia, I would probably completely ignore 1" to 3" snowfalls, not clear them at all, because its likely the snow will completely melt away in a few days..
but I know lots of people do want to get rid of that snow as soon as it falls..and that could be necessary for safety reasons.

Do you ever get snowfalls of over 1-foot at a time?
if so, how often?

Scot


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## mrfixit (Dec 3, 2016)

Well said scottsman.


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## ewhenn (Sep 21, 2015)

Get something else beside an Ariens. Mine is a $1400 piece of trash. With all of the problems I've had I could have cleared more snow by spreading out the money and lighting it on fire.


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## NewShockerGuy (Dec 16, 2016)

Wow! Thanks everyone for all the replies!

Let me start by answering some of the questions asked. I was going to multiquote but then it was a jumbled mess so I'll just try and go down the line and answer.

*MRfixit*:
I wouldn't necessarily say the priority was price however space you are correct on. If I had a spare garage bay then I probably wouldn't think twice about getting two snow blowers. Just in case, a single and a two stage. But price does come down to a factor to an extent but only to the point that I kept reading people saying anyone spending $500+ on a single stage snow blower is out of their mind when for a few hundred more you can get a two stage. 

*hsblowersfan*:
I don't have a problem fixing stuff. I have a lift in my garage and do our car stuff and I work on motorcycles so it's fun to me. That being said I have looked on craigslist and at least around here, people are asking top dollar for really used snowblowers OR asking top dollar for crappy ones at that. I'd rather just spend a little more get new, and know the history rather than hoping that the previous owner was nice to their equipment. I would say a lot of people around here treat most power tools and yard tools as disposable items which is sad. Both my neighbors abuse the **** out of their stuff then wonder why they have to buy new the next year... it's really sad actually.

*Scot*:
Appreciate all the feedback, wow! You are correct with my assumption. I was just going by what youtube reviews, online reviews and people around here were saying... "GET A TWO STAGE, Don't waste your money at all on a single stage...etc" I was not aware that a two stage wasn't that good for our snow that we get. 

I'll be honest we do not get a lot of blizzards here. I think the last blizzard was 6 years ago. This past year early 2016 we got hit by that east coast snow, so we ended up having close to 36" and I'd say at least 24" came down in a matter of a day or two, then the remainder was lingering a little bit. I shoveled it but it was a PITA, and I had to go out multiple times... It only really got hard the next morning when the sun was out and it was heavy. When it first comes down it's powdery and light and I can easily just push it with the shovel off the driveway. But I would say typically we get less than 6-7" in a drop it's only when it happens a couple days in a row does it get tiring because it melts just a little bit to have start cursing at how it gets heavy after the first 10 minutes and breaking your back over it...

There are a FEW neighbors up the street that do have the two stage snow blowers but other than last year I've NEVER seen them use it. So that might have answered my question on how much use will I get out of a two stage...lol

We have a 3 car wide driveway, and about a 2 car length driveway... so I guess that's roughly what 30-40' width by 40-50' in length if you count the cement that attaches at the street. So definitely not a long run by some of your driveways.

I too have heard Honda and Toro are decent. I actually was on HD's website and surprisingly the Honda wasn't as good via the reviews as the Toro. Which makes me really consider the Toro. IE: 80 people reviewed the Honda and it's a little bit all over the board. 400 people reviewed the particular Toro and 93% LOVE it... I'm going towards the Toro in that case.

Your comment on the 1-3" of snow comment and not shoveling. I have actually done that MANY times... snow comes I see all the neighbors shoveling and I'm just in side watching because the front of our house/driveway gets full sun for 12 hrs a day, and our driveway is asphalt. The majority of the time the snow is melted OR if a car is parked on the driveway and it's moved, obviously there is no snow where the car was, it heats up that patch and it's like a domino affect because the patch just keeps growing and before you know it the driveway is clear, where the neighbors across the street don't have that luxury.

I was just looking at the Toro Snowmaster at work earlier today and it looks like a two stage design but has the single stage type blade. I too read hit or miss reviews on that thing. It looks promising but at the same time I don't consider it cheap either, the one with the larger motor is I believe about $900+ or so.

*ewhenn*:
:-( That's not good at all. I'd seriously be depressed. 


Hope I answered everything and I appreciate all the feedback. Looking forward to what more have to say or add or if anyone has questions for me shoot them my way.

-Nigel


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## New_HondaHS35 (Jan 18, 2014)

ewhenn said:


> Get something else beside an Ariens. Mine is a $1400 piece of trash. With all of the problems I've had I could have cleared more snow by spreading out the money and lighting it on fire.


I have a 24" Ariens Compact and no problems whatsoever. it was around 800 dollars


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## Hanky (Nov 14, 2014)

I am a Toro man and wish you the best with your choice as I have not used a Toro Snowmaster, I can not say good or bad. Let us know what you end up with. Thanks


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## ewhenn (Sep 21, 2015)

New_HondaHS35 said:


> I have a 24" Ariens Compact and no problems whatsoever. it was around 800 dollars


I have a 24" Ariens Platinum SHO. I've used it six times for about 3 hours running time. So far I've had the following issues:
-An ignition problem, required service as it would not start.
-A problem with the pulley, would not blow snow.
-Today the sixth time I went to use it the machine developed an oil leak.

For me it was the worst $1400 ever spent on a piece of power equipment. Also, Ariens customer service isn't opened on the weekend apparently, how convenient.


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

ewhenn said:


> I have a 24" Ariens Platinum SHO. I've used it six times for about 3 hours running time. So far I've had the following issues:
> -An ignition problem, required service as it would not start.
> -A problem with the pulley, would not blow snow.
> -Today the sixth time I went to use it the machine developed an oil leak.
> ...


I don't know what you hope to accomplish by posting your complaint across multiple Ariens threads. To the untrained eye it would appear that you want to stand at the top of the highest snow mound and tell the world to never buy an Ariens. I get that.

The fact that you clearly got a total lemon is sad and I would expect Ariens to try and make good on it. That their customer service department is closed on weekends is not unusual, they're a manufacturer and not a dealer. Another fact is that every reputable company has some lemons in the field, Honda, Toyota, Ford...every one of them. It happens, and this time it happened to you. Millions (or tens of thousands) have good cars...or snowblowers of the same make and model.

I'm truly sorry for you. I hope you get some satisfaction when you can contact Ariens directly.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

PixMan said:


> I don't know what you hope to accomplish by posting your complaint across multiple Ariens threads.


agreed..
he already made a stand-alone thread for his Ariens complaint, which is fine.
discussion about it can stay in that thread, there wont be any further discussion about it in this thread, since its off-topic.
thanks,
Scot


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## ewhenn (Sep 21, 2015)

sscotsman said:


> agreed..
> he already made a stand-alone thread for his Ariens complaint, which is fine.
> discussion about it can stay in that thread, there wont be any further discussion about it in this thread, since its off-topic.
> thanks,
> Scot


fair enough.


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## NewShockerGuy (Dec 16, 2016)

Welp, forgot to update but ended up picking up a snow blower.


Don't shoot me... I went with a Toro 724 qxe. The size just really makes sense for my situation and as mentioned above the amount of snow we get I just couldn't get the two stage. But figure we all have snow blowers so that's good enough so brands/types shouldn't matter as the end goal is to clear it 


First time in my life I am actually excited about getting snow...lol This takes 4 minutes to put together/break apart and once the handles are folded down it take up a very small foot print in the shed which is ultimately what I was looking for. Reviews seem to be quite good on it. I tested and it starts right up on the first pull/electric start is cool too but I feel like it will take more time to get the extension cord than to just pull the actual rope.


That's it. Appreciate the help and the clarity on many things that I thought were silly when looking at the snow blower.







































-Nigel


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Hey, you studied, and you got what you feel is best for you. No one will criticize that at all. Congrats!


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Looks good and have fun


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