Snow Blowers

Is a 30-inch snowblower too large? Many of our readers ask this question, so we decided to try to answer it. The quick answer is no, not at all. However, there are some considerations when it comes to size that you may want to think about when you make the purchase of any snow blower. Larger snow blowers do take a lot of room, and you may not be able to fit your car, your snow blower, and other home tools into your garage.

We have used a small 24-inch machine for the past 20 years. We have a standard two-car width driveway of average length and live in what some people would call the snow belt. This machine, in terms of size, has worked well for me over the years, and it might take me 15 minutes on a heavy snow day to clear my driveway! If we were replacing it, here is our list of what we would consider as part of our purchasing decision regarding how big a machine we would buy.

Is a 30 Inch Snowblower Too Large

The area that you need to clear is a significant factor. For people who live in suburbia and have the standard single or two-car size driveways, any size will do, and it does not matter how big or small a machine you purchase. On the other hand, if you are clearing a long driveway with heavy snow at the end left by the snow plow, you may want to consider a larger, more powerful machine. The bigger they are in terms of width, the more influential the engine is and the ability to throw the snow further.

Time to Clear

If time is a factor then the wider the machine the better, especially if you have a lot of driveway or parking lot to clear. For small driveways it will not really matter. One driveway of a friend of ours is a about 500 yards long and he has a 48 inch machine. I am glad he does, because other wise he would be out their all morning clearing snow.

Storage

Storage can be an issue for some people. My little 24-inch machine sits in my garage right beside my two cars, and there really is not enough room to handle a larger machine. Even a 30-inch machine would be too big for our situation. If you can store your snow thrower outside, then it will not be an issue in terms of how big or small your snow thrower is. A 48-inch snow thrower takes up a lot of room all year round!

Folding Handles

The last point concerns a new feature that some manufacturers have added: folding handles. You might like to have a wider machine but do not have the space to store it. Now, you can fold the handles down so that your snow thrower will take a smaller footprint. Measure carefully and assess whether a large machine with folding handles will fit in the space you will use for your snow blower.

Good luck with your selection. We will just close by saying that anything smaller than a 24-inch machine is probably not sufficient for most people. Heavy, wet snow is pretty tough on the smaller machines, and you want something with sufficient power to clear this away. In addition, the extra weight of a heavier machine will mean better traction and faster snow-clearing operations. Let the machine do the work; do not try to manhandle it. You will just get frustrated with trying to clear the snow off your driveway. Comments appreciated.

For all categories of blowers by size, click here.

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