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Top 3 things to consider when buying an Ariens® snow blower

1/17/2025 9:33:31 AM

Breaking down the top 3 things to consider when shopping for an Ariens Sno-Thro®

The best things in life come in threes. Dinner is meat, potatoes and a vegetable; the Stooges are Curly, Larry and Mo (sorry Shemp); and Neapolitan ice cream is chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. And when trying to understand something new, I try to boil it down to the top three things I need to know. Enter snow blower shopping – a daunting task for all but the true outdoor power enthusiast. Never fear, I got you on this one. Here are the top three most important things to consider when buying a new Sno-Thro.

Ariens Alpine Edition snow blower throwing heavy snow

1. Power: Snow Blower Power

I’ll openly admit to being a power-junkie – blame my dad for being a gearhead. So, for me it’s easy to say just get the biggest engine machine, and that’s close to the truth but not the whole story. With a snow blower, it’s about finding the right combination of power and housing size. Simple math (thank goodness) says for any given size of housing, more power will do better at moving snow. Said backwards, a 301cc engine moving 28” of snow will be more effective than if it must move 30” of snow. Fortunately for you, we do all the nerdy testing on our end, so you can trust that every combination of engine and housing (and gearbox and auger size and impeller size and … you get it) has been test by us to perform just how an Ariens should. What does that mean for you? Generally speaking, consider how much snow (depth) you need to move and find the engine size(s) that will do that for you. Then, pick the housing size that makes sense for your property. A wider bucket for wide driveways reduces how many passes you need to make to finish the job. 

2. Speed: Snow Blower Speed

This one can often be the hardest because most people will say they want to be done as quickly as possible. But, the answer is more nuanced than you’d imagine. Let’s break it down. Commercial snow removal teams make more money the faster/more efficient they are on each site. Their go-to when they are out of the plow truck is actually single-stage. A machine like the Ariens Professional 21 is auger-propelled, which means it moves through snow as fast as you can push it through, often faster than a more powerful two-stage machine with a gear drive. When it comes to a two-stage machine, many have a gear drive where they all can theoretically go the same speed … theoretically. A machine with less power can still cut through heavy snow, but often requires the user to slow it down so the impeller can keep up. A more powerful machine with larger augers can clear snow out of the Sno-Thro faster, which means it can move onto more snow faster still. And so on and so on. In snow up to 8-10”, an Ariens Classic 24 can often move at the same speed as an Ariens Deluxe 24. But in heavier, deeper snow, the larger auger and Super High Output Impeller of the Deluxe 28 SHO will allow you to maintain that speed where the other units might require you to drop a gear. The great thing about buying an Ariens, though, is even our entry-level machines perform like an Ariens, sometimes they just take a little more time to get through the powder.

Ariens Classic snow blower removing heavy snow from a driveway

3. Convenience: Snow Blower Convenience

I love using my Sno-Thro, but admittedly I’m a little odd. For many, blowing snow is a necessity only, and I respect that. Sometimes though, it doesn’t take a lot to turn a task into a treat. Ariens machines offer a wide variety of features that allow you to prioritize the convenience that matters most to you when clearing snow. Starting with our Compact 24 and continuing on every model up the line, we offer our Auto-Turn steering. Even while running through deep snow, your Ariens can corner on a dime, and all without messy triggers to deal with. Bright headlights are available on nearly all models as well – making those early-morning or late-night snow clearings safer and easier. Precision chute control with our Quick-Turn chute rotation starts with the Ariens Platinum series machines. We even offer Electronic Chute Rotation on some select models, with a thumb operated joystick – blowing snow is darn near like a video game! Other features like Electronic Fuel Injection makes starting a snap, and heated hand grips mean added comfort even during prolonged clearing nights. Heck, with all these added convenience features, you might start doing every driveway on the block just for fun. Welcome to my world.

Trying to figure out where to even begin when shopping for your first – or even not your first – Sno-Thro can be a daunting task, but when you can narrow your focus down to three main items, it seems far less intimidating. And if you still have some reservations about what makes sense for your needs, try working with the Snow Blower Selector Tool on our website, or pay a visit to your local Ariens Dealer for some professional advice. The best news – you already have the basics all figured out after reading this.

See, that wasn’t so hard, now was it?

Explore Ariens snow products

Pro tip: Once you make your decision, be sure to check out our full selection of Ariens Sno-Thro parts and accessories, including an Ariens Sno-Thro cab and snow blower maintenance kits.

AUTHOR
Nik Krueger, Channel Marketing Manager - Ariens
A Wisconsin native, Nik is no stranger to snow. Growing up in an Ariens household, his first experience with a Sno-Thro was being promoted from shovel to ST824 as a kid. As the Marketing Manager for all Ariens Snow products since 2021, Nik has enjoyed being part of continuing to grow the Ariens heritage and product line. When his driveway (and the neighbors’) is clear, he enjoys time in the snow skiing, snowboarding, and tubing with his kids.