# Honda snow blower reviews on other sites



## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

I don't see any Hondas listed as best snowblowers on this website. Maybe these things are a bit over rated?....https://bestreviews.com/best-snow-blowers


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

gibbs296 said:


> I don't see any Hondas listed as best snowblowers on this website. Maybe these things are a bit over rated?....https://bestreviews.com/best-snow-blowers


the 3 2 stages they list äre useless the ariens has a254cc about 7 hp on its best day
the other 2 are for light snow or a deck
i woudnt let them change my oil if those are the best blowers complete joke


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

gibbs296 said:


> I don't see any Hondas listed as best snowblowers on this website. Maybe these things are a bit over rated?....https://bestreviews.com/best-snow-blowers


Wow, what a BS list. Looks more like a ploy to sell poor selling overstocked machines.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

So I thought I would look around a bit. It appears MovingSnow.com pretty much says the Honda 2 stages suck. Underpowered, slow, overpriced, and they clog too easily. He also says Consumer Reports tested 36 2 stage blowers and 24 of them came out ahead of the Hondas. That's 2 pretty solid sites not saying great things about the Hondas. Perhaps they aren't the great machines they once were?


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

These sites are just advertising sites masquerading as consumer advocacy sites. Sites like THIS ONE YOU'RE ON are where you are most likely to truly learn how people feel about their experience with various product brands/models.

movingsnow.com is just one person's opinion, and outdated at that. He gets $ for directing you to a retailer.

bestreviews.com is hardly a solid site. Shills, if you ask me... See THIS review of them on truthinadvertising.org:*

Best Reviews*

*truthinadvertising.org*/best-reviews/
January 12, 2016  Best Reviews claims in this recent Google ad that its “music experts” have “reviewed every turntable.” But as a participant in Amazon’s Associates Program, in which websites earn advertising dollars when visitors click through and make a purchase on Amazon, Best Review’s review process may not be as exhaustive as its Google ad lets on.

Best Reviews rates dozens of products in addition to turntables. They also retain supposed experts on basketball hoops, karaoke machines, hoverboards, camcorders, pressure washers and electric tooth brushes. Top product pages prompt visitors to “Check Price on Amazon,” though without identifying the online mega retailer as a business partner.

Amazon requires that associates “clearly state” the following on their sites:[Insert your name] is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to [insert the applicable site name (amazon.com or myhabit.com)].​A TINA.org review of bestreviews.com found that the site tucks this disclosure away on a terms and conditions page under “liability disclaimer.” In other words, consumers have to search it out to find out that “every turntable” may only mean turntables on Amazon. Makes you wonder who’s turning tables on whom.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Paul at Moving Snow has a good reputation. According to the website the 2016 Honda and earlier were much better than the newer ones. His reviews are on the latest versions, so I don't believe they are "dated". I don't subscribe to Consumer Reports, but if the reviews on the new Hondas are that bad from them also, it should cause great concern to those that were foolish enough to buy them.


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

gibbs296 said:


> Paul at Moving Snow has a good reputation. According to the website the 2016 Honda and earlier were much better than the newer ones. His reviews are on the latest versions, so I don't believe they are "dated". I don't subscribe to Consumer Reports, but if the reviews on the new Hondas are that bad from them also, it should cause great concern to those that were foolish enough to buy them.


the new honda might have and issue honda is working on
they are top quality machines
how anybody could be on here for 4 yrs and post that link of bad blowers and agree with it smh
honda are pricey but top notch would i buy 1 no iam frugal
i woudnt buy any of those other blowers ever
free sure then sell them
every company has issues now and then honda ariens are top notch
208 cc poulan 5 hp nottttttttt
ive seen consumer reports on blowers useless looked like a high school kid didnt do the research for test and tried to fool his teacher
whats your point gibs besides honda has an issue they are fixing??
any best blower list that has ä 7 hp as the best machine is a joke
tracks also require more engine power mäkes that ariens pick evén more a joke
that alone should tell you the review is bad and its still the best of the bunch
epic fail


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Are there any independent testers that rate the new Hondas well vs. other new blowers? I came to this site a number of years ago just looking for information and was told that Hondas were the best. I really had no reason to doubt one way or the other. But now, after reading a bit, I'm not so sure. People coming to this site looking for info should be warned to do a bunch of research before laying down that much cabbage. There is a chance they might not get the results they are looking for.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Consumer Reports does not accept any revenue from advertising. They are given the cars, appliances, tools and power equipment they test with no obligation to the seller.


They test the snow blowers they are given in the following manner: 

First:

They take clean softwood sawdust shavings and pour them into a 10 cubic foot wheel barrow and continue to add water and shavings until the shavings have totally soaked up all the water that was poured into the wheel barrow.

Second:

The fill up another 10 cubic foot wheel barrow with the same amount of sawdust and water until it is totally soaked and dense.

Third:

They lay down a tarp on a level concrete surface and then dump the first wheel barrow of soaked sawdust shavings and the shavings having soaked up all the water they can are dumped in one big lump. 

Fourth: They repeat the process with the second wheel barrow load directly behind the first one and then they bring out the snow blower to be tested and then run it through the sawdust shavings and then measure the distance the sawdust shavings are cast by the snow blowers impeller and then they report thier findings which are then published in the Consumer Reports Magazine and the Consumer Reports Annual Buyers Guide.

They do this with every snow blower they test so.........


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

leonz said:


> Consumer Reports does not accept any revenue from advertising. They are given the cars, appliances, tools and power equipment they test with no obligation to the seller.
> 
> 
> They test the snow blowers they are given in the following manner:
> ...


So they dont test snow lol
what are these machines made to blow? SNOW
consumer reports is useless for blower reviews
have you seen there list?
its a joke
the best machine on the market for strength build quality blowing ability and ease of use and power is the 28 sho for 1100 NOTHING even comes close
name me a machine thats even close for the money 
the next closet machine is the ariens 30 deluxe


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

leonz said:


> Consumer Reports does not accept any revenue from advertising. They are given the cars, appliances, tools and power equipment they test with no obligation to the seller.
> 
> 
> They test the snow blowers they are given in the following manner:
> ...


Unless something has changed, Consumer Reports has historically accepted *NOTHING* from vendors - they go out an anonymously buy the products that they test so that the maker can't give them a "special" one for test . . .


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

Odd, but I can't find any Honda 2-Stage reviews by Paul on his site MovingSnow.com.

When I click on the link: _Find all the 2-stage reviews here: 2-Stage Snow Blower Reviews_ all I get is _Error 404 Not Found_.

When I search "Honda" on his front page, there is not one review of a current US made Honda 2-stage snowblower, or any Honda review (3 pages worth).

How can you trust a review site that bashes Honda's when he doesn't even try them and review them himself? As for Consumer Reports I don't believe for a second that wet sawdust in warmer weather is a good comparable test to real snow in the cold. They ought to know better.



gibbs296 said:


> So I thought I would look around a bit. It appears MovingSnow.com pretty much says the Honda 2 stages suck. Underpowered, slow, overpriced, and they clog too easily. He also says Consumer Reports tested 36 2 stage blowers and 24 of them came out ahead of the Hondas. That's 2 pretty solid sites not saying great things about the Hondas. Perhaps they aren't the great machines they once were?


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

gibbs296 said:


> So I thought I would look around a bit. It appears MovingSnow.com pretty much says the Honda 2 stages suck. Underpowered, slow, overpriced, and they clog too easily. He also says Consumer Reports tested 36 2 stage blowers and 24 of them came out ahead of the Hondas. That's 2 pretty solid sites not saying great things about the Hondas. Perhaps they aren't the great machines they once were?


the independent testers are real world users from this site who love them
the new machine clogs under a very specfic set of conditions as noted otherwise the new machines are prolly equal or better
the list you gave will clog in every condition and not perform for beans in a real snow conditions of any value

https://movingsnow.com/2017/twenty-best-snow-blowers-september-2017-snow-blower-best/

honda is underpowered paul says??
his 1st pick toro has a 252cc motor less powerfull then honda smallest motor
he aslo has the 24 ariens with the 254cc blower $999 ahead of the 28 sho 306cc thats only 200 more
he has 8 or 9 others ahead of the 28 sho that cant blow as far or move as many tons per hr that cost almost as much 200 bucks more over 20 years its nothing
12 inch impellers and sub 300 cc motors have no chance of being better then the 28 sho period
toro $960
husky $999
cub $899 have 12 inch impeller are not as good
250 cc motors or less under powered
build quality for the cub and husky fail
winner ariens by milessssssssssssssss

best snowblower for money that works
1 28 sho
2 ariens 30 deluxe
3sumplicity 1524
4 toro with the bigger motor
5 ariens 30sho
6 ariens 28 pro


https://movingsnow.com/2017/twenty-best-snow-blowers-september-2017-snow-blower-best/


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

:banghead:

Your right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I forgot about that, so I deserve to be smacked with wet peat moss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:banghead::behindsofa::bowing:


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

The consumer reports testing should give each machine the same opportunity to move the soaked chips. Either they move them well or they don't. Shouldn't matter if it's snow or wet crumpled hundred dollar bills. Can someone who has read the reviews from the CR test tell us why the Hondas did so poorly?


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

And I think that's exactly why they do what they do. It would likely be impossible to find snow conditions that don't change for the week or two needed to fully test all equipment, and that variance will invalidate the test. I think the point was that they came up with a media that has similar consistency, mass, etc. to "typical" snow, and used that for a consistent comparison. Is it 100% valid? No, but then again, neither would be testing over a couple of weeks with inconsistent snow conditions, and barring an environmentally controlled winter climate space and 100% consistent snow making gear, not much would be better. Heck, even with that, someone would gripe that the snow made would not match *theirs* . . .


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

This topic was removed from the Honda customer service post as it's off topic from what the Honda reps were trying to convey to the forum.



gibbs296 said:


> I don't see any Hondas listed as best snowblowers on this website. Maybe these things are a bit over rated?....https://bestreviews.com/best-snow-blowers


I find it a little one sided when all the links on the site to check the price (and buy) only take you to one place . . . . AMAZON. It's likely Bestreviews is more interested in clicks for profit that detailed information on any of the products they evaluate. That's just MHO like most of the statements above. If you disagree with something it's great we get a chance to discuss it but in a lot of cases it seems to become a fight. Everyone has an opinion and that should be respected.

.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

gibbs296 said:


> I don't see any Hondas listed as best snowblowers on this website. Maybe these things are a bit over rated?....https://bestreviews.com/best-snow-blowers



Interesting in that their expert is a hardware owner and locksmith. And they considered 16 machines but apparently only tested 5 (the ones they recommend?). Might there be some bias there? Wonder what brands he carries in his hardware store? To me that doesn't seem like a balanced selection and testing process.


There are a lot of good machines out there as testified by members on this forum. Real world experience. Admittedly it may not be 'scientific' analysis or comparisons but rather real world experiences that hold value. Sure, everyone may be a little biased, but that's life. Sort out the wheat from the chaff and go from there.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

well I can't tell you how good or bad a honda snowblower is or any problems it might have. the only snowblowers I can tell you about are the ones listed in my sig that are working. you may not like my toro's but they have been very good machines to and for me. when I am ready for another brand of snowblower i'll go buy it and to heck with paul, CR, and best reviews! if anything i'll pm a few members here that have the snowblower I am thinking about getting


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

detdrbuzzard said:


> well I can't tell you how good or bad a honda snowblower is or any problems it might have. the only snowblowers I can tell you about are the ones listed in my sig that are working. you may not like my toro's but they have been very good machines to and for me. when I am ready for another brand of snowblower i'll go buy it and to heck with paul, CR, and best reviews! if anything i'll pm a few members here that have the snowblower I am thinking about getting


Thank you. This is exactly why snowblowerforum.com should be the 'go to' site for a reasonably good review of blowers. Sure members are partial to their particular brands as I am with Honda's. But many honda owners have bashed the new models for clogging and performance but have offered up solutions like re-jetting and impeller kits.

Older Honda's may be improved upon by the same and different methods that are discussed about here too. The reason I have Honda's is because 90% of the machines in the Sierra's are Honda's, meaning they work for our area ( many that are 25-34 years old ) , they last , and they are fun for me to work on. 

Most brands have their pros and cons, depending on what you need them for and if members or new members come here and ask there will be proponents and detractors of these brands but if people are willing to do their "HOMEWORK" they can make an informed decision.

it's like anything else. you have to do your homework.


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## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

I got the Honda for the engine, which is sure to start on the first turn or pull, even after sitting for 8 months out in the shed. The Honda corporation is working on a fix for the wet snow clogging and sent us a memo here recently. I haven't seen another company take such an active interest in its machines. I am hoping the machine will be with me for 30 years like the older Honda snowblowers.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

According to a few pieces of the CR review, they ranked the HS928K1WA as the best Honda they reviewed." It got top marks for throwing distance, removal speed, and tackling a simulated pile plow. But it doesn't have electric start or freewheel steering, which makes it harder to start and maneuver than other snow blowers in this price range, which limits it's overall score." Ranked 15th of 28 2 stage blowers tested.


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## Miles (Sep 16, 2016)

Yes, that is the older HS model which is quite well-regarded by many here. The newer one, HSS928, has electric start and trigger steering for maneuverability. I question Consumer Reports accuracy because of it's testing methods using piles of sawdust. I use them to judge incidence of repair because of their surveys with subscribers.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

why is CR testing a discontinued model is my question, seeing that they go out and buy the snowblowers they test you would think they would know that the hs series is no longer being made


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Because testing and report preparation is not instantaneous, nor is time to press? Likely nothing was discontinued at test time . . . and not like Mfg's give any advance notice that a line is changing, lest they get stuck with inventory since a lot of buyers sucker for 'newer must be better' . . .


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

A properly tuned engine doesn't need electric start.


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

GoBlowSnow said:


> A properly tuned engine doesn't need electric start.


Said by people who don't have electric start....:grin:


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

GoBlowSnow said:


> A properly tuned engine doesn't need electric start.


But does need a good arm and shoulder, which is not necessarily a given . . .


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## vmax29 (Oct 19, 2017)

The pull start on my Yardman Snowbird was fun. The electric start on my Troybilt was nice. The 12v electric start on the Honda is awesome.:smile2:


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## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

vmax29 said:


> The pull start on my Yardman Snowbird was fun. The electric start on my Troybilt was nice. The 12v electric start on the Honda is awesome.:smile2:


I'm torn between whether a 12 volt system on a yard\snow device is good or bad. Battery problems every year or two add up to a lot of expense and inconvenience. I usually don't need to restart a device once it leaves the garage. I always have current at my 110v wall outlet.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

gibbs296 said:


> vmax29 said:
> 
> 
> > The pull start on my Yardman Snowbird was fun. The electric start on my Troybilt was nice. The 12v electric start on the Honda is awesome.
> ...


I pull started my hss928 once just to see how much effort it required. Very little, I still don’t want to pull start anything if I don’t have too.

Then when I installed the gx390, I pull started it the first time and never again. Once again the engine is super easy to pull start but I’d rather not have too. The 12v electric start is fantastic.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

That, and a hot restart is a lot easier than after a long cold soak . . .


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

tadawson said:


> That, and a hot restart is a lot easier than after a long cold soak . . .


Good running machine as goblowsnow said starts 1 pull
my machines start 1 pull hot or cold temp doesnt matter if its tuned right


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Still takes more effort cold - thicker lube, grease, etc. and (depending on the carb) no fuel in the intake (not all have primers, and pulling over on choke to prime isn't my idea of fun . . .)


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

As far as 12 volt system goes if you have a riding lawn mower just share one battery between the two. That way it's always getting used and charged. ccasion14:

.


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## vmax29 (Oct 19, 2017)

I just put a battery tender on them. I use either the Battery Tender Jr. or the Harbor Freight knock off both work fine. I have a 12 volt starter battery on a golf cart that is over 8 years old. It’s always hooked to the HF tender when it’s stored. No problems ever.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I think K4aF's battery-swapping idea is a good one, if the battery would fit in both machines. 

It's good to know that the HF battery tender is OK. I got a Battery Tender Jr for my mom's tractor, but the HF option is certainly cheaper.


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