EVER LOOK OUT YOUR front door some winter morning and see something like this?

Old Man Winter. Sure, he produces some beautiful landscapes—hard to beat that “winter wonderland” look when the moonlight or yard lights are reflecting off the new snow.

But let’s face it, an overnight blizzard can create real headaches, too. Driveways and sidewalks buried under inches or feet of the white stuff. No way to get your car out to the street. No way even to get down your own front sidewalk without risking life and limb.

The obvious answer: A snow blower (also called snow throwers). It’s either that, or spend hours out there with a snow shovel, wasting time and overworking your heart in the freezing cold—doing what you could have finished in minutes with a good solid snow blower.

For some quick reviews of the best snow blowers available, and for the best prices you’re likely to find anywhere online, let your mouse do the walking on the menu bar above. Snow blowers are arranged there, by brand.

WELL, YES, THE MOST obvious reason is that you have snow on your sidewalk, driveway, or parking pad. And really, that’s reason plenty enough!

But let’s consider other benefits:

• You’ll save a LOT of time. A snow blower makes short work of what can take hours of shoveling. That’s time you might put to better use.
• You’ll save a lot of hard work. Nothing wrong with work, of course, but let’s be honest: Not all of us are in top condition to go out there and huff ‘n puff our way through the high-intensity work of clearing away mounds of snow.
• It’s worth the expense. Yes, a snow blower costs you something. But not only can you get the best prices around as you click the menu tabs above, but a snow blower is not a one-season expense. You’ll use it for years and years, and the longer you use your blower, the more it pays you back in time saved.
• Finally, a snow blower does a great job. A snow shovel isn’t all that precise. A blower, on the other hand, clears all the snow, and typically, right down to the cement.

So here are the benefits you’ll enjoy by ordering a new snow blower. Tired of looking at the drifts out there? In a day or two, you can fire up your new blower and move tons of snow in no time flat.

HERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS to keep in mind as you choose a new snow blower. After all, you want your search to focus not only on the best snow blowers, but on the best snow blower for YOU!

First, Don’t “Over-Buy” or “Under-Buy”

Where you live, if your typical winter snow never gets more than a few inches deep, you might do well with an electric model—or one of the less-expensive gas-operated blowers. If you get the Monster Supreme high-end blower that can move tons of snow in minutes, you might enjoy operating your heavy-duty machine to clear your four-inch snowfall. But you’ll have spent way more than you needed.

On the other hand, if you typically get buried under a foot or more of snow, you’re not going to be a happy camper if you try to clear it with an electric or small gas model. You really do need and can justify the investment in one of the more muscular blowers.

Gas or Electric?

Electric blowers are lighter, quieter, less expensive to buy and operate, and work best for light-to-medium snow of only a few inches depth (say, up to four inches or so). Electrics clear a narrower path, from a few inches wide up to maybe 18 inches. They’re best suited for clearing snow from flat, short driveways; decks, sidewalks, and even steps. Electrics are also easy to handle, and since they use no gas or oil, are eco-friendly and less expensive to operate. You’ll also need an outside outlet, and to avoid danger, you’ll want to be sure any cords are in good repair.

Gas models, on the other hand, have more power and can thus clear more snow faster, but of course, they’re heavier, more expensive than electrics—both in purchase price and operating costs. They also clear a wider path and usually have a longer discharge distance for the ejected snow.

Single-Stage or Two-Stage

Single-stage blowers—whether electric or gas—use a metal-and-rubber auger that spins at high speed. The auger stays in contact with the surface you’re clearing, scoops up the snow, and channels it into a discharge chute, which ejects the snow. These blowers are lighter and require less maintenance than the larger two-stage machines.

But they do have drawbacks. Since single-stage blowers use two-cycle engines, they not only create more emissions, but also require mixing oil and gas before filling the tank. Also, because the auger stays in contact with the surface, using them on any surface with gravel risks rocks being ejected to fly through your car or home windows. Consider a single-stage, though, if your typical snowfall is not more than six inches, or doesn’t consist of wet, heavy snow.

Two-stage blowers are more expensive to buy and operate than single-stage blowers, and they also are considerably heavier. But for heavy or wet snow, they can make quick work of clearing large amounts of snow. They have a wider clearing path—often 20 to nearly 40 inches. Powered by a four-cycle engine, they don’t require mixing fuel. A two-stage machine operates using a slow-turning auger that scoops the snow, which is then sucked up by an impeller and ejected out the chute. Since these augers don’t contact the surface, they can be used on gravel surfaces. The key is to set the scraper bar high enough that it doesn’t reach low enough to scoop up gravel.

These larger two-stage blowers can handle wet and heavy snowfalls with ease. One other great advantage is that nearly all of these models are self-propelled—you guide; they supply the power. Even so, maneuvering a large two-stage blower can be a challenge! Many two-stage models also offer multiple forward and reverse speeds—six forward and two reverse is a common feature.

Which Brand?

As with most any product, snow blowers have old and established brands that have earned a reputation for quality and excellent service. But even if you don’t know much at all about snow blowers, you’ll recognize many brand names, as some snow blower manufacturers also make tractors, lawn mowers, even cars. Here on “Best Snow Blowers,” we’ve tried to offer you an overview of the various brands and models. But of course, do your own “homework,” too.

And If You Live in California…

Some models are not “CARB-compliant,” and thus cannot be sold in California. CARB (the California Air Resources Board) has tighter emissions requirements than other states. However, if you live anywhere but California, you aren’t affected by the CARB standards.