20 Best 2 Stage Snow Blower For Gravel Driveway (2023 Updated)

I recently bought this snow blower. I have not used it in snow yet, but I am anticipating good things. The un-boxing was easy, then I discovered the directions. Thousands of years ago men communicated with each other by painting pictures on the walls of caves and sides of rocks.

Obviously, these directions were created thousands of years ago! The directions consisted of several major stages, each with several steps. So far so good, but there are virtually no words, just pictures with vague arrows.

Important parts are colored Ariens orange in the directions, but as many of the parts of the snow blower are painted orange, the highlighting in the pictures of the directions do not help Seriously, it was difficult to find some parts because they were orange in the direcitions, but not orange on the snow blower.

YOU NEED TO ADD WORDS to the directions. I eventually assembled it, but it took far longer than it should have because pictures with arrows are ambiguous and words can make each step simpler and clearer.

At one point, there was a picture of the engine, a bottle of oil, a dipstick and a man reading a manual. The regular instruction manual was no help for this. There was some information in the “engine manual” but not really enough.

The most helpful information was found on a small tag attached to the top of the engine. One fact on there said, “Engine may be shipped with or without oil. ” Then it said to check the engine oil level etc.

Now oil is crucial to an internal combustion engine but I can see how if the snow blower was shipped without oil and the customer started and ran it, that the engine might seize, and it would not be his/her fault because of an ambiguous picture in the assembly instructions.

The little tag was helpful and saved my engine because it contained words and those words told me what to do. PLEASE ADD WORDS TO the ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS. The next day it started on one pull.

I live in Minnesota and had been using a VERY heavy, yet powerful Toro Power Shift blower for may years. Because I’m getting older and have had some back issues, I was getting tired of man-handling the heavy Toro.

I was intrigued by the Ariens machines because of the steering assist. So, I pulled the trigger on this Deluxe 28 SHO and had it delivered by a local implement company a few weeks ago. I had them install the composite black skid shoes and set it up for about 1/8″ clearance so I could get right down to the pavement.

I also purchased and installed the Ariens 10 lb. bar weight to mount to the underside of the front of the unit because of the large, heavy piles left by the snow plow at the end of our driveway. Last night we got a very heavy, wet 10″ of snow and I was able to fire up and use the blower for the first time.

It chewed up and spit that snow out without even breaking a sweat! The steering assist is a FANTASTIC feature and makes turning the unit a breeze! So, overall, I’m so happy that I decided to purchase this unit.

and would not hesitate to do so again! The only 2 issues I have are: 1. The panel light is extremely bright, and is angled so a portion of the light hits you in the face. During daylight its a non-issue, but in the dark it’s kind of blinding! 2.

About a week after receiving my unit I noticed a small pooling of red synthetic gearbox lube on the floor that had run off of the bottom of the bucket. It’s coming from somewhere, but I’ve not been able to locate the source.

I’m hoping its just an “overflow” issue from when the machine was being set up. but I’m keeping an eye on it now that it’s all cleaned up. Luckily, I purchased the unit from a reputable Implement dealer who will take good care of me if the problem persists.

If you live in an area with heavy snowfall and want a very controllable BEAST to clear your property. this is the one!!.

– Easy to start, run and getting accustomed to the controls and overall handling of the machine. – Auger clutch lever: the springs are too tight; after a while the wrist starts hurting from holding the lever down.

– When the drive is engaged, the snowblower leaps forward causing the front to lift up. Need to account for that and start plowing further back from the snow pile. – Need also to take into account that when one reaches the end of the area one is plowing, to wait for the impeller to clear the snow from the chute before starting back.

– Only had about 3 inches of wet snow to clear so far this season. we’ll see how it performs during a larger snow storm.

Great machine, not as fancy as some, but really solid and performs well in wet snow. I had some trouble at first because the drive and impeller levers were opposite to my previous machine (drive on the left here).

I do wish first gear was a bit slower to allow for more finesse. Really throws the snow. By moving the spout up and down and carefully aiming you can put the snow right where you need it to go. I thought about getting one with tracks, but the tires on this thing don’t slip, and it turns relatively easy, considering how heavy it is.

The weight adds to its stability, though, so it’s worth it. I ordered it online and it showed up at my local Hometown Ace store the next business day! The staff at the store helped me load it. I was able to get it out of my small pickup by careful leveraging – but I’d recommend some additional help, especially a friend with a lift gate! I didn’t like that the assembly instructions were only pictures, but it was pretty easy to set up.

It came with the oil installed, and everything ship shape. I like it. Powerful, starts on the first pull, and chews through the snow like a champ.

4 month old snow blower. Followed the instructions to the letter. Used premium, zero ethanol gasoline from Shell. Piece of garbage doesn’t even start. Had to go out and shovel massive amounts of snow thanks to this absolute lemon.

Would NOT recommend this product to ANYONE. Now I need to figure out how to haul it 30 minutes away to the closest dealer for service but the thing is too big to fit in my SUV. What a headache. Thanks for nothing.

Fits perfectly and works perfectly. About 1/2 of the cost of an OEM part. Since this is a sacrificial part, there is no reason to pay twice as much for a part that will last the same amount of time.

I appreciated getting these replacement slide shoes that fit exactly and were made of high quality steel and made in the USA. Very easy to install. I suspect most snow throwers are in need of new shoes after a few seasons of use over rough surfaces.

Thanks Arnold Corp!.

The old OEM skids went bad several years ago. I wielded new plates to the bottom as a temporary fix. Worked okay but left marks on the concrete. When I saw these roller type skids I thought this is the right solution for my snow blower.

I installed them (easy to do) and used the blower five times since installation. They work just fine and do a great job when moving the blower on a dry garage floor. Actually, they work too good sometimes.

Since my blower does not have a brake when in neutral, the blower will move by itself when aimed uphill or downhill. This can be a problem when trying to adjust the directional chute or when moving items (i.

e. trash cans, driveway stakes) which takes my hands off the blower. I do recommend these roller skids but be mindful of the potential rolling issue. Durability is a concern but only time will tell.

I am a 74 year old man (BUT in excellent shape). i live in Michigan in an area that doesn’t get huge amounts of snow. generally most is around 5-6″. Mostly though it is in the 2-3″ range. Previously i had (still working fine) a Toro 1800 whch is a plug in paddle type blower with 18″ width.

That was very reliable and have had it since 2005. The big issue of course is dragging the extension cord around which really slows you down. I considered a gas blower but the weight and storage was going to be a problem.

The EGO has had 5 days of use this year although not a huge amount of snow. I have a double wide+ drive way, two patios, and sidewalk. about 75′ long. plus I often do my two neighbors sidewalks. Taking EGOs advice I store the batteries indoors.

if you keep them in a cold environment your greatly reduce their run time. I used this at the same time e neighbors used their Toro gas blowers. It seemed I was tossing snow about the same distance as theirs and since I had the auger version it got the snow down to the pavement and through some ice.

In all the days I used it I was able to finish the job with out a recharge. still had two bars left on the display. I ran the speed control both at half speed and full speed to see how that used up battery charge.

Didn’t seem to make a huge difference. The last day it was a very wet snow with ice crusting. It got through the worst parts but the ice definitely created a challenge. not so much chewing and spitting it out.

but pushing the blower through the muck as it isn’t self powered. Overall it works really will but if you have snow in the feet and lots of it. you may want to get a larger machine. ,perhaps a 2 stage one.

Best part for me. once you remove the two batteries and fold the handle down it is pretty light and can easily fit in a small space around 2’x3′. My rear patio is about 20’x20′ and the only way to get to it without dealing with all the snow on the side of the house.

it taking it through the house. Since it is so light without the batteries it was no problem. A gas blower wouldn’t do that. Another thing I really like is the control to rotate the chute. easily moved while the blower is running and moving.

I did get some icing and one time in the wet snow the chute got clogged. After than I just get some spray WD-40 and spray the inside of the chute and auger mechanism. that way the snow won’t stick (trick I read on line about).

The Auger does get the snow all the way down to the pavement. something my old paddle type didn’t achieve constently. I did note that when going through icy snow it does tend to toss some of the ice back out from the auger in to the front of the machine and not all through the chute.

not a big deal though. The only place where it struggles is out in the street after a bunch of cars have gone by and packed the snow and ice firmly. Since it is relatively light I will do a couple of passes.

take the top layer off and than go back for the lower level. But my old paddle blower was useless in the same conditions. The plastic scrapper and 2 small rubber paddle blocs seem to be the only parts that will need relacement and are available as sacrificial parts.

but thus far they show no alarming wear. One thing you need to be aware of is sidewalk and driveway differences between two pavement elevations. If there is about a 1/2″ or so difference, the plastic scrapper will hang up on it since there aren’t wheels in the front.

I make a mental note of where those pavement differences are and make sure to not crash into them 😉 The only negative is the batteries which will need to be replace after a few years. and they are not cheap.

Follow the maintenance guidelines in the manual (charge after use in a warm room and top them off every 3 months during the warm seasons), they should last 3-4 years at least. For me all of the advantages I pointed out above.

plus no gas, oil, plugs, filters, mess, service and tune, and smell and minimal noise. or as in my old TORO dragging that extension cord around. make up for that added cost. Only remaining issue is how durable it is.

hopefully it will last as long and minimum maintenance as my old AC corded TORO.

Thankfully acquired this unit right before Winter Storm Landon Feb 2022. Previously had a used 2-stage gas snowblower that I couldn’t ever get to work when I needed it. So, I was done, done, done with a gas unit.

During this storm, I used the Ego 7 times in 2 days. Here’s my experience: The snow varied from light and fluffy to wet and heavy with heights from 3″ -12″ (in some areas the snow height covered the opening of the snow blower).

One charge with 2 fully charged batteries lasts about 30-45 min. (The unit can run on 1 battery, but I never tested it out. ) For me, the 30-45min is enough time to clear my 8-10 car driveway AND my sidewalk (and part of my neighbors’) from 1 neighbor’s driveway to the other neighbors driveway.

this is about 250-300 feet. The batteries take about 80 min to recharge on the included dual fast charger. The unit easily handles snow heights up to 8″. It does have the power to handle higher snow but it definitely works for it.

Obviously the harder it works the quicker the battery life runs out. For instance the heavy snow at the end of the driveway left by the street snowplows eats up battery quicker. The unit effortlessly collapses to a small area and is relatively easy to pick up.

The push start is a breeze. The chute rotation control is simple and genius! There is a lever by your right hand on the handle to control this. The chute angle control isn’t as impressive. even still it’s not bad.

You just have to reach down to the chute itself to adjust it. The LED lights, which I didn’t think I’d ever use, are bright and very useful in the dark. The variable speed control is helpful and helps extend battery life in lighter snow, but you need the high speed in heavy or high snow.

The snowblower cleans snow very well and does not leave much behind which does make it sensitive to uneven surfaces but because the unit is so light it is very easy to negotiate when it ‘gets stuck’ at uneven surfaces.

I DEFINITELY recommend the unit with the steel auger. I think this makes this unit even more powerful! Side note: my wife was very skeptical at first. She thought this was a novelty and a waste of $700.

However, after seeing it in action and even using it once, she is a total believer and fully endorses this snowblower! We HIGHLY recommend this snowblower! Plus, you won’t smell like gas after using it!.

I have had my snow blower for ten years, and each year a storm comes along when I wish I had a little more weight upfront. This year, I got the weight. Surprising how just a few extra pounds can make such a difference to the balance of the machine.

Plus, I appreciate that if I ever go to get another Ariens machine, I can still bring this, my drift cutters, and other upgrades over to it. The folks that engineered these machines did well, and I appreciate it.

Haven’t blown snow with it yet got it right as the season was ending so of course mother nature can’t give me one last snowfall to test it out. But as far as the product goes it’s solid heavy and mounts secure to the unit.

Instructions are clear and install is possible with one person though 2 would have been nice as it’s a bit of a balancing act on your knee trying to get things lined up and secure so you can use both hands again.

Definitely adds some downward force on the front of the machine looking forward to using it and will update my review if things don’t pan out like they should or I feel additional info is needed to my review.

This is a necessary addition to your newer snowblower. Unlike the older Ariens blowers the newer ones are not as heavy and tend to lift off the drive more since there is not enough weight on the front end.

These list add that needed weight. I bought one kit last year and just added another and that seems to match the weight I had been accustom to on my 1970 Ariens. Its just a darn shame they charge so much for a hunk of painted steel that probably should have been part of the blower I.

The first place.

I bought a Toro Power Clear 721 from Acme in fall 2021. I used it for the first time two days ago for a less-than 2″ snowfall. Should have been no problem, right? Not exactly. I cleared ten feet of driveway when I heard a loud thumping noise as the machine started vibrating whenever the rotor was engaged.

I shut it down, put it away for the night and finished clearing the snow with a shovel. The next day, I compared the rotor assembly on my Toro with the Toro parts list for this machine and found it was missing one of two “half rotors.

” These are two metal plates that attach the rubber paddles to the rotor shaft. This is a fairly large and critical part to leave out, yet, somehow, both the assembler and quality control missed it. I called Toro and was told to “bring it to a Toro repair center for warranty evaluation.

” I asked that they just send me the $7. 00 part so I wouldn’t have to pick up a 90 pound machine, place it in my car and deliver it to a service center. Mind you, this is not a complicated assembly.

The half rotor attaches to the drive rotor/shaft with one bolt and to the paddles with four bolts–no rocket science, unicorn farts or magic here, folks. I was told “no” on the replacement part because their “procedure is to have the machine looked at by an authorized dealer to confirm that the machine was built correctly.

” The time to assess if the machine was built correctly was when it was checked by quality control. I was also told that the “part might have come off during use. ” Trust me, if a steel plate had launched out of the front of my machine, I would have heard and noticed it.

I was given the option of buying the part from Toro. com. Aside from missing the half-rotor, the machine starts and runs fine (at least until the paddles are engaged). I tried to give the manufacturer a chance at making it right that doesn’t involve me hauling a new 90 pound machine to a repair shop to fix their omission.

Younger me probably would have complied with this idiocy. But older me resents buying a 700 dollar showthrower that was built incorrectly only to have to deliver it to a repair shop or be told to buy the omitted part to correct their oversight.

To be clear, I have no issue with Acme Tools. This is my second purchase from them. The other was a Honda mower, which works great.

New house with a huge driveway meant it was time to replace our old, trusty 16 inch Powerlite. I contemplated going battery powered, but just don’t trust the technology yet. So went with the 721 w/ electric start.

Only used it twice, but it’s a BEAST! No issues with the snow on the ground or the 20+ inch drifts at the bottom of the driveway. Right out of the box, started on the second pull. Haven’t even bothered to use the electric starter yet.

(May not get a chance until next winter. ) My only small complaints are that it would be nice to have a lever that runs up the handle to move the chute from left to right without having to bend over.

Would make for slightly quicker work. Would also like a better mechanism for shutting off the snowblower. Pulling the “key” out is awkward when wearing gloves. I’m sure there’s a totally legit reason they went with this function, but a kill switch would be a bit easier.

But hey, Toro has been building snowblowers since long before I was born. So I trust they know what they are doing.

I’m very happy with the Ariens Deluxe 28, with it’s large tires, metal discharge chute, easy turning drive system, and locking auger engagement. It starts easily and runs smoothly; I have used other brands where the engine surges due to poor carburetion.

The 28” width is perfect for me; large enough do a 4’ walk in 2 passes but light enough that I can easily maneuver it without engaging the drive – which can speed things up in tight areas. Good set up from FF, no loose fasteners and everything worked properly right out of the box.

Overall great quality, made right here in the USA.

Absolute beast! The snow blower comes fully assembled and with oil already filled. After researching other snowblowers I was hesitant to the assisted turning feature included, however after using it a few times that as been actually quite nice.

You can really tell this thing is solid by the lack of plastic throughout. Don’t get caught up on other brands and their gimmicky features. There is a reason so many people circle back to Ariens. This snowblower has more than enough power to cut through anything the Midwest can throw at us.

You can put the snow anywhere, just remember that snow weighs a lot when deciding if you should relocate the snow from your driveway to your neighbor’s roof. Overall I absolutely love this beast and keep refreshing the weather forecast now in hopes of an incoming snowstorm!.

I’ve had this snowblower for the past three years. I have a long driveway that runs between two houses in an old residential neighborhood, so clearing my driveway involves blowing the snow into the back yard for a large portion of the distance – typically, I make a first pass of about 30 feet where I blow the snow from the driveway section between the houses to the back yard section of the driveway, then take a second pass on the driveway behind the house to blow it into the yard – total time to clear about 60 minutes.

This second pass puts a heavy load on the snowblower, because it’s blowing double the snow. The good news is that the blower is relatively lightweight and easy to move compared to others I’ve used; it’s started and run reliably every time, and the mechanism for turning the snowblower works well.

The bad news is that the blower is back-heavy, so you have to lift up on the handles to keep the front of the blower firmly on the ground – makes clearing the snow pretty tiring work. The discharge chute “drifts” as you work, gradually turning itself due to the vibration of the engine, so you have to constantly stop and re-aim it.

The “headlight” creates glare in the bottom of your vision without seeming to illuminate anything useful. Finally, first gear is WAY too fast; if you’re moving more than four inches of snow you have to constantly start-stop-start-stop the traction drive to avoid bogging the blower down.

Therefore, I can say that while I recommend this blower for most people who will only have to blow snow off to the side of their driveways, I can’t recommend it if you have a heavier workload like mine.

I bought this a week or so ago. I have only used it once for three to four inches. Seems solidly built in every area that needs to be sturdy and lighter materials where it does not need to be as strong.

This is helpful because the overall weight comes down and the machine can be more manageably store in off season. Putting this together was easy enough. The blower chute was the hardest part, but with some patience it goes on easy enough.

The start is so simple. The lights come on as soon as the handle is pulled down. LEDs are strong and light things up quite well. Press the blue start button and you are off and going lights and auger.

It is a manual drive blower ie. you push it through the snow so that might be more of a downside once I have my first 12+ inches of snow at once. The three or four inches were no sweat and the pavement was left really clean.

Also the chute is manually adjusted from side to side. It blows snow a good 20 -25 feet so watch for cars and windows. Lol There is a plastic slide on the bottom which at some point will need to be replaced as even metal slides do.

Once done with my three car garage, sidewalk and short drive way I was only down an energy bar so it’s use of energy was light. The machine did everything I expected for the amount of snow I had. I honestly can’t wait for the next 12 inches.

I am feeling like this machine will handle it well.

I bought this Toro Snow Blower a couple of months ago in anticipation of a normal New England winter. Today is January 7th and I used it for the first time. Here on Cape Cod we got about 8 inches of a very wet snow.

The 18-inch power clear ZE snow blower worked really well. I couldn’t afford a self-propelled blower, and my driveway does kind of go uphill, but it was still manageable. The wet snow bogged it down a very little whwn the drift was about 12 inches, but otherwise it did a great job.

Very easy to start. The snowblower itself is really great my only complaint is that there’s not a lot of information that you get when you buy the snow blower. You have to download and print everything.

What I did download was mostly pictures which for me was a little confusing. The gas is easy to fill , but the oil filling and checking is a little confusing. Otherwise it’s a great snow blower and I’d recommend it for anybody that can’t afford a self-propelled snow blower.

Cindy C.

I purchased this product to allow me to clear a steep incline long driveway as well as clear paths off pavement also up fairly steep inclines. I wanted the power to accomplish both of those jobs after having had a lawn tractor with the snow thrower attachment for many years.

The product certainly has the power and does a good job throwing the snow and getting up the inclines. I would’ve given five stars, but I cannot seem to get the adjustment of the scraper bar and the shoes it really drives front and down causing the scraper bar to lurch across the pavement, rather than scraping smoothly and cleanly.

The only resolution I have found so far is to adjust the shoes and raise the scraper bar slightly. This solves the lurching problem, but leaves a small film of snow and ice on the pavement, which is the whole purpose for having a snow removal.

Unfortunately, no dealer has been able to provide me with an answer to this problem. If you are looking for a very powerful machine that will throw all types of snow material and ice well away from the area you are cleaning, this is your machine.

It starts quickly, stays running, and has plenty of speeds and adjustments for really any application. Again, this would’ve been a five-star rating had I been able to figure out the alignment and adjustment, or received a little guidance from one of the dealers I contacted.

I bought this machine to replace my 27-year-old Ariens ST524, which started on the 1st or 2nd pull. I live in the great state of WI and this year we are getting way too much snow. The first time I used this machine it was a little hard to handle.

It was hard to keep it straight, the snow chute only turns 180 degrees not the advertised 200, and the ice hole turn handle takes some getting used to. After about the fourth snowfall I bought the carbon skid shoes and it handled like a totally different machine.

Much easier to steer. This thing has a ton of power in wet heavy snow. I would recommend this snowblower.

Bought this a few weeks back and have so far used it for two snow storms here in PA. I got the package with 2x5Ah batteries and charger. Our situation is that we have a house set off the road with a 170-ft driveway that climbs 30 feet in the first 120 feet (ie, “25%” grade, so pretty steep) and widens out to 3+-cars across for the last 50 feet.

Our snow removal arsenal is a Cub Cadet lawn tractor with plow attachment, this snow blower, and a bevy of shovels. Generally, the lawn tractor does the top flat area of the driveway, but the driveway down is too steep for it (getting some new higher-traction tires to hopefully fix that).

So around the edges up top, and all the way down to the road are the responsibility of this snow blower and shovels to keep cleared. THE GOOD: Works well at clearing fluffy snow that has just fallen.

Light, easy to maneuver. So far, clearing all the way down the driveway just barely finishes off the first 5Ah battery, so battery life is quite unexpectedly excellent. Much quieter than neighbors’ gas blowers, and maintenance is simple as can be (just pop the batteries out and clear away the snow at the end of the job).

The handles fold in well to take up about half the space when not in use in the garage. This all doesn’t sound like a lot compared to the next section, but it really excels where it excels, which is why overall I give it 4 stars instead of anything lower.

THE LESS GOOD: It very quickly gets bogged down in wet or compacted snow. For instance, throwing off the plowed snow at the edges of the lot can only be done if I take about 2″ max at a time. Any more and the motor slows then stalls.

Keep in mind that this is fairly “wet” and heavy snow, so YMMV. If you wait a few days then try to cut through the ice-encrusted snow bank: forget it. It is time for a metal shovel instead. It leaves a good layer of snow on the ground no matter how many times we go over the driveway.

That means we need to then take the shovels out to get the last bit. The instructions say if this is the case the scraper is broken and needs to be replaced; it is not broken as far as I can tell, just doesn’t scrape the ground well enough, and the augers don’t either.

And there are no adjustments to make on it either, so it isn’t a matter of the skids being too high etc; the scraper just doesn’t scrape the ground. It doesn’t “throw” snow very well, at least not in the storms we have had to date.

Unlike my neighbor’s three-stage blower (of course), this blower barely clears itself when blowing about an inch of snow, and only really “throws” the snow if there is a large bank or pile I am going through (but not *too* large).

Even then, it doesn’t go nearly as far as the advertising materials claim. That said, this is a common complaint in blower reviews, and I think it just depends so much on getting the “right” amount of snow into the auger and having “light” fluffy snow instead of heavier / icier snow.

The framing around the auger chamber is all plastic, so it is hard to “cut” that ~2″ of packed snow off to throw. I feel like I am stressing the edges of the blower too much in cutting through like that, and am not sure how long it will last without coming up with another technique.

THE UNAVOIDABLE / EXPECTED: It *is* very light compared to a similar gas blower. Still, since it doesn’t power the wheels at all, getting this “light” blower back up the hill is an exhausting chore. As I mentioned above, I think the lack of really “throwing” the snow far is primarily a result of this being a single-stage blower.

Were I to do it again, I’d definitely be looking at two-stage or more to really get the snow thrown off. Trying to eat through ice is not a good idea with any snow blower, and with this it just isn’t going to work at all.

It will almost immediately stall if you hit a chunk of ice. So, you must be blowing as the snow falls, and before it has a chance to melt and refreeze. Here, that means you’ll be out there at midnight blowing.

At least the blower is super-quiet! There are no “power” adjustments to determine how “far” it throws. Generally “under-throwing” has been my problem, but around one edge of the driveway it tends to throw too far down a hill to our neighbor’s driveway, which is rude.

You can adjust the angle of the chute, though, so either throw more “to the front” instead of to the side, or angle it down so it doesn’t get launched, and that takes care of the problem. Still, would be nice to have control over this at the main controls instead of messing with the chute.

I think it would need to be a 2-stage blower to really effectively control the distance of the throw. Finally, if you are comparing this to a big, heavy gas-powered blower, remember that the gas blower gets hot.

Which doesn’t sound like a great thing, but does result in the driveway being essentially fully cleared after going over it, since the thin remainder beneath its scraper just melts away. It also makes “cutting into” a snow bank much easier, since the metal edges next to the auger also get hot and cut through the snow bank with no pressure needed.

All that said, I knew this from the start, and if the choice is heat or the easy (and more environmental) maintenance of batteries, I’d choose this blower every time. Just be aware of the differences if you’ve used a gas blower before.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE: Other brands have come out with multi-stage, self-powered blowers. I wanted to stay in the same battery “family” as the rest of our lawn tools, so went with the Greenworks blower.

I just wish they had a “heavier duty” one. If there isn’t one by next season, I am going to just switch brands for the snow blower, unfortunately (likely retire this one to maintaining the back patio area, which we have been leaving full of snow this year but woulr rather not, as it is flat and relatively easy to blow off using this blower).

There needs to be adjustments on the skid plates to get the auger closer to the asphalt surface. Having to blow *and then* still shovel is a pretty significant failure. The auger housing really needs to be metal instead of relatively flimsy plastic.

I suspect from other reviews the scraper really should have been metal as well, so it doesn’t break frequently (again, I haven’t had it break, but it also doesn’t scrape the last bit of snow at all).

I expected better from Greenworks; the metal mower decks were what started me buying Greenworks tools in the first place!.

We purchased this snowblower because I’ve had great experiences with Greenworks’ lawnmower and other tools. I love the idea of battery powered stuff, there’s less maintenance I have to worry about/learn so I was excited for this purchase.

Unfortunately this product (and maybe this speaks more about battery-powered snowblowers in general) did not meet expectations. The first of two storms was a blizzard that dumped 16″ of powder on us.

With this product, it took me 3 hours, 3 separate charges and shoveling to clear a 2-car, 25 foot driveway that had one vehicle in it. The second storm is a wintery mix that has dropped 3″ of sleet & snow since this morning.

This product even has an issue with the 3″ of mix, not being able to pull up all of the snow, not getting down deep enough, turning off at the slightest sign of resistance. Now I will admit that maybe I should have erred on the side of caution when purchasing a snowblower.

Living in Maine we do get some heavy storms but reading the review from someone in Wisconsin, I thought this was a safe purchase. I know Greenworks make great products and will continue to stick with them for lawn care but I cannot recommend this product for those of us that are in the northern states.

Unless you get like 8″ of powder per year, this product is probably not for you. 3 stars because the craftsmanship is still good and it can serve a purpose, just not that purpose I need.

Being in northwest Iowa, I was concerned this wouldn’t be up to the challenge of our big snowfalls. I also wasn’t sure, being 66 years old and after a double bypass surgery that I’d be able to push it being that it’s not self-propelled.

I have 3 houses to clear every time it snows and had been using my riding mower with a snow-blower attachment to clear them until it finally quit on me. I decided to go with a walk-behind snow blower but I would need to lift into the back of my PT Cruiser to transport it from house to house and the gas-powered models are quite heavy and painfully awkward.

I’m so glad I found this snow-blower. It weighs only 52 pounds and with its folding handle it easily lifts and fits perfectly into the back hatch of my car. I was surprised how little effort it takes to push the thing through about 6 inches of snow – even where the snowplow piles it up at the end of the driveway.

If I hit a really high drift I just tip the front end up by pushing down on the handle bar and scalp a little off the top until I get the snow down to where I can run the machine through it. I suppose a 30-foot long drift would present a problem but that’s why I go out and blow as soon as I see 4 to 6 inches accumulated – so I don’t need to wrestle with anything too big later when the snow finally stops.

I’m able to blow out all 3 houses in less than an hour with this machine and never break a sweat so going out multiple times if necessary is not a huge hassle. Occasionally I’ll overload it and it will stop but it’s no big deal to restart it and keep going.

Everything about this machine is extremely well thought out. It is super easy to operate and fold up. The only minor criticism I can think of is that the big right-hand release lever for the folding handle sometimes will snag on the control cables so that I have to take a moment to free it but I’m thinking I might be able to prevent that by rotating the cable slightly to create a bit more space in that area – hardly worth mentioning.

Assembly out of the box was also next to nothing. A screw driver was the only tool needed. Now that I know what to do, I could easily repeat the assembly process in less than 5 minutes instead of the 15 it initially took me to read through and follow the instructions (which need a little updating being as they make assembly appear more complicated than it actually is).

I actually look forward now to blowing snow as this machine is downright fun to operate. Why anyone would buy a gas-powered blower is beyond my comprehension. No gas, no oil, no engine servicing, no smell and I can store this in my entry closet.

I just hope I never have to replace the batteries as they’re VERY expensive. But for now, I’m lovin’ this machine and am considering buying a Greenworks electric mower just for the heck of it, even though I already have a Craftsman 48″ rider.

Some pre-amble. I made the commitment to move away from gas powered tools this past year, and my snow blower was last to go about 1. 5 months ago. I purchased Toro lawnmower in October with intention of also buying Toro snow blower for interchangeability of batteries.

Let me say that my original plan was to buy the newly released 2-stage 26″ Toro snow blower, but when I could not find them anywhere (waiting lists) due to supply chain issues everywhere, I found myself looking at other options.

that’s when I started looking at this single stage with 7. 5a battery. Based on reviews, it seemed to be a really good machine, and more I thought about it, it is probably sufficient for my 4 car driveway (estimate 20′ x 40′), and had the added advantage of small footprint and light weight for storage.

Oh, let’s not forget about ~$1350 less expensive too! I did not want to find myself without a blower this winter for worry that these would also sell out, so I took the plunge and ordered a couple of months before winter hit.

So, back to review of the e21 Power Clear. First snow storm last night in Eastern Ontario (Dec 5th), and we got quite a few cms of snow, followed by freezing rain. So snow was high in some places, and wet, with a thinner crusty layer.

Temp outside was about -2 degrees Celcius. so not cold. I started in non-eco mode and for snow that was 8″ deep, it ate threw it. However, after doing about half my driveway, I checked battery level.

it was down to 2 bars (fully charged when I started). So, I switched to Eco mode to do the remaining half, my about 50 sq ft of walk way and the road in front of my yard (about 6′ x 10′ so snow plow driver can see my curb and to minimize the pile at end of driveway).

The stuff on the road was about the same height of blower opening and it had a tougher time, but still chewed threw it. Had to take Eco mode off for that though. It had no issue in eco mode, although you can tell the difference in the motor speed and as one would expect, distance snow was thrown.

Still did the job though. And yes, this can throw the snow easily 25ft. almost accidently threw snow over my yard and onto my neighbours driveway. When I was done, I had one bar on my battery. What I don’t know is how close the machine was to just shutting down from lack of battery power.

Not sure if these batteries show red when completely spent or not, but based on claims and reviews, I suppose I expected more than that. Also, note it was not cold out, and I suspect cold temps take their toll on battery life.

That said, if it was that cold, would have been light fluffy snow instead of wet crusty snow, so maybe that somewhat balances out. All this to say based on my one experience, if we were expecting a huge snow fall, ie.

consistent depth of 6-7 inches or more, I would likely plan to clean the snow at least a couple of times during the storm opposed to waiting for the snow to stop, as I would do and easily manage with my previous 2-stage 11 hp gas snow blower.

Keep in mind that my thinking in this regard is only based on my experience using this unit once, so take with a grain of salt. Then, I waited for the plow to come by, but by then, there wasn’t enough material to justify using the blower.

it was mostly water and slush from all the rain and +6 degree temp. One thing that I definitely noticed, and miss, was the shoot height adjustment at the handle. Given my situation, I am adjusting height several times during the snow blowing session, and I cannot reach the chute adjustment from behind the blower (I am 6’4″).

I have to stop and go to the side to adjust it whereas on my gas blower, I could adjust it quickly with the lever on the main handle bar on the fly while blowing snow. I would pay more for this unit to have that functionality at the handlebar.

Is it a deal breaker? Not likely, but time will tell. Who knows, maybe I will get annoyed enough to move to a 2-stage. So, summary of pros and cons (for me): Pros: small foot print, electric so no dino fuel required, light for storage on a shelf in my garage, seems to handle decently deep snow, even wet, and can throw it far, scrapes driveway clean so no need to follow up with shovel like I did with my big gas blower, led light is bright, although I used in the morning so was less noticeable, super light to maneuver while using it, easy to push through the snow.

little effort required. Cons: 7. 5a battery may not last as long as claims, wish the wheels were rubber instead of plastic, and really miss being able to adjust the shoot height. I will say that I am a little concerned about the plastic chute and possibility of cracking in very cold temps and if the impeller grabs a decent chunk of ice or rock.

That’s just me though, not sure if it would crack or cause any issues, but something to be said about strength of metal chute. Would I buy it again? At this point, yes. However, I won’t really know for sure until I have used this at least a half a dozen times under various conditions.

Nevertheless, hope this helps those who may be considering moving to electric or this blower in particular. One more thing, there is only one other brand that I considered for my battery lawnmower and snow blower (starts with an E ends with an o, and “gee”, it’s name is short) it, but after research on reliability and customer service, I decided to go with Toro, even though it is a bit of a premium.

They have an established authorized dealer network for any warranty work or repairs.

I bought this before Thanksgiving and was able to use it a few times and it was working great. Then after a small snowfall before Xmas, it was running like before and then suddenly died for no apparent reason.

I tried a different battery to see if the issue was that instead but it just wouldn’t start up again. Fortunately I was able to bring it back to Home Depot and exchange it for a new one. My only complaints are that there is no on/off for the lights because they can actually make things more difficult when it’s dark and blowing snow.

It would be nice to be able to turn them off when not needed. I also had some issues when the pavement isn’t level and the scraper would bump and I would suddenly stop and run into the snow blower. It just seems to happen a bit more with this than my old gas powered Toro.

The auger also scrapes against uneven pavement but that shouldn’t damage the auger too much I don’t think. It’s very quiet and sometimes I hear the rocks it picks up and get worried that something is going to break.

Otherwise it has worked very well, even in heavy wet snow. I haven’t tried it in snow deeper than 6 inches or so but I try not to let snow get that high anyway. It’s so quiet that I can clear snow later at night without bothering my neighbors If it want.

Overall, a very good product so far.

I got this snow thrower because I have tendinitis in my wrist and thumb and could no longer lift heavy shovels. Overall, I’m pretty impressed with this thing. I have a fairly large 5 car driveway and with 6 inches or so of snow, I can finish it on a single charge using the low power setting.

I have used it 3 times in 11-12 inches of powdery snow and it performed really well; better than expected actually. Based on other reviews, I thought it may lack power but it certainly has enough for my needs and does throw the snow an impressive distance.

And like everyone else mentioned, a second battery pack is almost essential if your driveway is on the large side. What it lacks to make it absolutely perfect though, is a directional snow output on top like real snowblowers.

I believe some sort of modified chute could be incorporated in the design to better guide the snow. Presently, the output area is large and can only blow directly in front of you which creates a big fluffy cloud in which you can disappear when it’s windy.

Without the ability to control exactly where the snow will fall, it’s impossible to clear the driveway down to the asphalt because that snow cloud falls back down on areas previously cleared. However having said all that, it’s useful enough to me in every other way that I don’t mind doing the final clean-up with a regular shovel and it has allowed me to do the job without aggravating my tendinitis.

In conclusion, yes I would recommend it but assess your needs well first.

First winter with this, this. this THING! This thing is a monster! It eats snow fast and throws it FAR! All kinds of snow. Wet or dry. I’ve tackled 3 foot snow drifts with this shovel. You have to pick it up and work in layers, but it’s better than hand shoveling.

Don’t expect to do your entire property with this power shovel, but it sure is an excellent complement to any snow thrower/blower. It works great! Small walkways? No problem. Only a couple of inches of snow on your driveway? Not enough for your big machine, but you don’t feel like shoveling? This machine is perfect for that.

Might take a while cause it’s only 12″ wide, but at least you’re not shoveling. The battery lasts a long time. I would venture to guess on an average urban or suburban lot, you would probably run out of juice every 5th or 6th time you used this machine (about 3 hours of on and off use).

And even then it wouldn’t be all the way dead. The 60V battery also fits Toro Electric mowers. Now for the cons: No way to direct where the snow goes and how far. You’re pretty much at the mercy of this thing when it comes to directing the snow.

It shoots it straight out to the front and slightly to one side. You could change the way you hold it, but it will still shoot far (no deflector shield). You’re gonna have to get creative in tight spots, as it will riddle any structure (wall, door, fence, your neighbor’s walkway, etc.

) with snow. Weight: this thing is heavy. So, depending on your age and stamina, you may need to set it down for a bit once in a while. All that being said, I love this thing and I’m getting up there in years (56 YO), so it was a good investment for me.

Young people may find this too expensive and just shovel manually. You have to buy the battery separately and it is not cheap. Anyway, it’s almost March and winter will be over, but I sure have had lots of fun with this thing the last few months.

I recommend it, it works great! Some guy has a video on line with this product. I recommend checking it out. I’m too lazy to make videos of the cool stuff I buy. But I hope my review helps you in some way.

Bought one to help clear the sidewalk in front of my businesses after a 6-8 inch snowfall. This little monster powered right through the snow and threw it an impressive distance away. Once I got the hang of it, I could hold it at an angle as I went along to direct the snow off the sidewalk.

You have impressed me Toro. It takes a bit to get the hang of how to hold it. The weight of the battery acts as a nice counterweight to the main part of the shovel. Though I could see the weight being an issue for some people.

It can be a bit difficult to hold at an angle to direct the snow off the sidewalk while walking down the length of the sidewalk. The scraper caught a few times on the uneven joints in the sidewalk, but not too bad.

I am concerned about the durability of the plastic scraper and paddles. Overall a really great little tool for clearing snow, with impressive capability for its small size.

I replaced my 24-year-old Toro snowblower with the new Toro 821 QZE. The old Toro was just worn out, and replacement parts are no longer being made. I didn’t expect the first test for the 821 QZE to be 12+ inches of mostly wet, heavy snow, but that’s what Mother Nature brought us for Christmas.

The 821 QZE performed exactly as I had expected. It plowed through the snow like forgive the cliche a hot knife through butter. It cleared the driveway and sidewalk right down to the pavement – again, just as I had expected.

I was feeling pretty good about replacing the old Toro a workhorse and outstanding performer. The 821 QZE even made short work of the snowplow trailings that clogged the driveway apron. The 821 QZE performed as well, if not better than my old Toro.

I was impressed enough that I cleaned my neighbors’ driveways and sidewalks, too, so that I could give the 821 QZE an even tougher test. It really is a top-notch performer, especially for not being a two-stage monster with an auger.

The 821 QZE is more powerful than my old Toro and it uses straight gasoline – no need to mix gas and oil anymore, so there’s no need to worry about running out of gas/oil mix when you need it most. The 821 QZE is pretty well made – it is a Toro, after all.

BUT, I did notice a couple of design flaws that puzzled me:The folding handle is a really nice feature for stowing the QZE 821 in as small a space as possible, but the mechanism that holds the handle together is pretty cheaply made and not all that well thought out.

It consists of a steel rod bent at two ends and threaded at one end. The rod is inserted into two holes in the handle and then a threaded knob is used to tighten the rod to hold the handle together when it is straightened out for use.

So far, so good, BUT, the vibrations from the snowblower can and will cause the knob to loosen and if you’re not paying attention to that knob, it will rattle loose and fall off the threaded end of the rod that holds the handle together, and then the handle comes apart on that side which makes the entire handle impossible to use.

There is no lock washer for the rod or a locking-style thread in the knob to prevent this very obvious problem from happening. This is the result of a cost-saving decision that made me wonder where else Toro might have cut corners.

The 821 QZE has an electric start feature. My old Toro had an electric start feature, too. The panel that contained the start button on my old Toro was placed so that it was perpendicular to the driveway surface it was protected from accumulating snow and moisture.

The panel that contains the electric start control for the QZE 821 is parallel to the driveway surface which allows snow to build upon that panel and for moisture to seep into the panel control, too.

Only time will tell how much of a problem that will be. I’m sure this was designed as a convenience feature, but it doesn’t really offer more convenience than the old design. My old Toro had a solid brass crank handle and rod that would rotate the chute as I plowed and adjusted for the wind.

The QZE 821 has a quick chute control that does the same thing the plastic “control” is attached to the handle and within easy reach. It is connected to the chute by a cable. It works well, but I wonder how long it will last before it begins to malfunction.

I miss the solid feel of the mechanical chute control. I’m not too crazy about the pictures-only instruction manual. It took a little getting used to and the instructions are easy enough to follow, but some words would’ve been helpful to explain some of the illustrations which were a little confusing.

Toro saved some money here by not having to print the instructions in multiple languages. The QZE 821 is a good-looking machine, but I’m afraid that some functionality and quality construction was sacrificed for the sake of looks and cost.

The QZE 821 is not an inexpensive machine, so I wonder just how much more it would have cost if it was just a little better thought out and designed – especially the folding handle. The QZE 821 is a solid performer and I’m very happy with how it ate up that first 12+ inches of heavy, wet snow.

I’m just not sure that it’s well made enough to last for 24 years, but I’m more than willing to give it a shot. I do recommend this snowblower.

I bought the Toro Power Clear 821 QZE Snowblower on 12/31/2021. After researching various snowblowers, it had high ratings and very positive comments from users. We located the model we wanted at our local ACE Hardware store and went to pick one up.

They had to have a truck go to a warehouse to pickup more units, so we had to wait a bit. While we were waiting, we received a very positive endorsement of the unit from a fellow who does local snow removal work.

So, the unit arrived and we headed home. Putting it together was pretty straightforward, including the oil and gas. I used the unit the next day, after about 3 inches of snow. I actually enjoyed clearing the snow for a change.

I didn’t write a review right away because I wanted to test the unit under tougher conditions. So earlier this week we got 8-10 inches of snow. I actually went out twice. Cleared 6 to 7 inches the first pass, and the snowblower powered through it with no problems.

Later that day, I did a second pass, then helped a neighbor clear his driveway. It was the full 8-10 inches and once again it powered through. That’s probably the max amount of snow that I will try to move in one pass.

I am very happy with my purchase. Make sure you read the manual. It’s always good for safety tips!.

This snow blower has been a remarkable machine for our Winter Park, Colorado, mountain cabin. We have a 300 foot long driveway to a county road and snowfall week-to-week can get very deep. Our county uses a grader to plow the road, so when clears our road the snow and ice gets deep, thick and icy at the start of our driveway.

This winter has already delivered over 300 inches of snow. The machine has been flawless and is living up to its advertised capabilities to move all types of snow and ice efficiently and effortlessly.

I am very happy with this purchase. Of note, as an overly analytical mechanical engineer, I spent two years researching snow throwers. I finally decided to count snow throwers used at major ski areas in Colorado.

We have visted 12 ski areas in Colorado and New Mexico over the last two seasons and the vast majority of throwers we casually inventoried – 84% – were from Ariens. No one else was even close. That alone is a testimony to the brand.

Ariens should be the offical snow thrower of ski areas in the Rocky Mountains. At one resort an employee simply called his Ariens the “Orange Beast” and told me it was at least ten years old. And, in terms of size, we picked the 24 inch width because we could haul it in our 2019 Toyota Highlander with no problems and the size/weight ratio makes it relatively easy to load.

Thank you for a great American designed and manufactured product built by a multi-generation family business.

BAD FACTORY PAINT on intake housing and no warranty help from factory authorized srvc ctr NOR Areins factory in Wisc. Kept inside when not in use and had less that 7 hours on compact 24 when I noticed paint COMPLETELY FLAKING OFF down to rusty bare metal.

Colorado has such low humidity that rust is NOT an issue, EVER on anything else I own except by poorly factory painted Ariens! Factory said they would have someone call back and no one ever has. @ calls from factory and no return call! The machine works ok in less that a foot of snow, struggles around 18 inches and need bigger unit if over that.

All in all, I am satisfied with snow removal 18 inches and under. just ARIENS WILL NOT DO THE RIGHT THING AND REPLACE ORIGINAL BAD PAINT JOB THEY ARE AT FAULT ON. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. YOU DECIDE. I RECOMMEND BUYING JAPANESE VS USA IN FUTURE.

SAD TO SAY.

I have not had a chance to use my Toro Snow Blower because we have not had any snow. I have spent many hours of due diligence in appraising snow blowers before making this purchase. Based on the Youtube videos I have seen and the local dealership that I have dealt with for a number of years, I think this is the best snow blower for the price and its ability to clear my driveway.

I will rewrite my review after several experiences with the use of my snow blower. I am sure, based upon my experience with my Toro lawn mower that I will also continue to give a 5 star rating.

Bought this just in time for the most recent NorEaster. This is actually our second, the first lasted more than 10 years with virtually no regular maintenance. A friend took that one did some minor servicing and had it up and running in no time.

All of our neighbors have those huge snow blowers with gears and lights. This blower puts them to shame. While the neighbors were wasting time changing gears, my husband was plowing through 18 inches of snow in half the time it took them.

We purchased this, had it delivered and removed it from the box (setup was very easy) and literally began clearing over 10 inches of snow from our driveway and sidewalks. This Toro handled so smoothly and effortlessly, so much so that we cleared the snow from our neighbors’ driveways on either side of us.

We purchased a different brand three years ago and it stopped working after two snowfalls. I would recommend Toro as it has proven itself to be a winner. Penny M.

I was happy with having the Toro ready to go when these two storms hit. The 1st one was early January – a wintry mix/wet soggy snow that was heavy and wet about 3-4 inches of slush with more heavy snow that was a really tough one to clean up.

The Toro handled it well, while I had to unclog the chute that froze up a few times by cutting a more narrow path helped. The 2nd one was a confirmed blizzard on Jan. 29, 2022 on Long Island, NY – It dumped over a foot of snow with drifts up to 18-24 inches.

The plow piles for my drive way (which is over three cars wide) were well over a foot and half deep and very wide. The Power Max worked great and moved the piles with ease! The joy stick for the chute made it really easy to adjust for the strong winds.

Also it turned on a dime in the driveway and maneuver around the cars while moving the chute. I used to get a face full of snow when I turned into the wind – not anymore! The hand warmers were better than I expected.

Yes, there are nice and toasty but they give you better control when you can wear a lighter pair of gloves instead of ski mittens for a blizzard. Of course the LED light made it easy to continue well into the night.

I was snow blowing with the Toro over 5 hours the first day after the blizzard as well as over three hours the following day cleaning up my driveway, my walkway, paths in my yard to get to the shed, street parking on two streets of my corner property and a few neighbors driveways and walks too.

I bought this snow blower to replace a three stage Cab Cadet that I bought in 2020. Even though it has not snowed since I bought it I did use it to clean up the mess that the other snowblower left. My new Toro went through icy snow that was in my back yard for a week.

It chewed up piles of snow I had manually place in my yard and tossed it over a back hill–Wow. The Cub Cadet would clog-up if the snow was not the dry fluffy stuff, my new Toro dispatch everything in my yard form icy to wet cement snow.

Another big plus is this size snow blower is a hundred pounds lighter then my previous one. I did consider buying the larger Toro but being 70 years old lighter is better for me. The chute control is the best I have ever used and you save time not stoping to crank a handle.

This snow blower was very easy to put together when it arrived. I am a visual learner so the instructions were great. I do wish that it came with a manual but it was easy to place a book mark on my computer to pull it up.

I have not used the electric start because it starts every time with one or two pulls. The long range forecast shows a wet, snowy February so I guess I will have to write another review. I am not a glutton for punishment so I am not looking forward to using my new Toro snow blower, but I know that I will have the job done 75% faster and I will not be MAD and COLD from screwing around with a clogged up machine.

I waited to write a review until I actaully got some use out of my snow blower. The first time I got to use it was for one of the biggest snow storms my state has had in years. Close to 35″. I went out and did my drive way three times during that one storm.

Each time the snow was around a foot deep. My Toro 826 had no problem cutting right through a foot of snow. After the storm I had to blow some areas that I did not keep up with and there the snow was 3 feet deep.

I had to go slow and every once in while let the engines RPM rev back up but the machine cut through three feet of snow eventually. The joy stick control took some getting used to but works very well.

The blower has a anti clog feature on the snow shoot. It must work because the blower never clogged once. One of my favorite features is the differential on the drive wheels. Because of this feature turning the blower is effortless.

Another nice features is not having any shear pins to worry about. The LED head light is bright and can be aimed. The controls on the motor are pretty simple to use. The oil drain is in awkward location to drain the oil but something can be improvised easily enough If I had to complain about anything it would be that the first speed is to fast.

It would have been nice have really low first speed for when your dealing with really deep snow so you dont have to keep stopping the machine so it could catch up. Another isdues on mine first speed doesnt work when you first start the blower.

You have moving it around in anyother speed to allow the friction wheel to warm up the first speed will work. There are two reverse speed but the lower of the two is a little to fast. Toro sells an accessory called a PUC which I did not find out about until after I loaded the Toro app on my phone.

It’s basically a engine hour meter that syncs with the app on your phone and keeps track of run time and service intervals. It only $20 which is a fair price for a useful accessory. Nice feature about it is can be moved to other Toro equipment so you only need one for all you equipment.

I bought the deluxe version on my 826 blower which the 826 OHAE. It comes with a few features the non OHAE model doesn’t come with. Like a LED head light, heat hand grips and I think the drive wheel differential only comes on the deluxe.

All three of those options I felt were worth the extra money. To some it up I would definitely recommend this blower. Remember to change the engine oil after you break in the new motor. Usally around ten hours of use and adjust the skid plates to soot the surface you will be blowing on.