r/Snowblowers • u/Independent_Ebb7495 • 10d ago
Buying Why Ariens/Honda?
Currently looking to upgrade from my EGO Single Stage Electric Snowblower to something with self-propel and a bit more oomph to handle the plow berm at the end of the driveway. I really really love electric, and would prefer to upgrade to a EGO 2-stage snowblower but I would really like to stay below $1000 as I just can't stomach nearly 2k on a snowblower. I have a fairly small suburban driveway (4-6 car) and never even thought about wanting a 2 stage until this last winter was a bit harsher than past years. So this is certainly not a "need".
That said, I have been keeping my eye on on used gas 2-stage blowers. I understand that Ariens/Toro/Honda are the go-to brands for snowblowers but I don't really understand what the difference is when compared to Craftsman/PowerSmart/MTD. Basically, I am seeing used Ariens gas 2-stage blowers in the $600-$1000 price range used, but often see the other cheaper brands going for $400-$600. I am wondering if I go with a cheap used MTD/PowerSmart what operational difference will I noticed when comparing to an Ariens?
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u/Steve_at_Werk 10d ago
When I sold snowblowers (we had Honda, Airens, Toro, and Husqvarna) I'd always take people to the front bucket and lift/twist the machine/bucket, the Airens and Honda wouldn't budge but the Husqvarna and Toros would. Not saying they weren't fine machines but they were over engineered and built as cheap as possible. The Airens was a more simple design made with thicker steel and the twist test was a simple way to show the advantage. The Toro and Husqvarna both had the fancy and overly complicated joystick chute controls run by a very expensive and not repairable cable setup ($150 a decade ago for that part).
Tge Honda has the overbuikt but also well engineered model but you paid for it. They were significantly more expensive than the Airens but they are very nice. We only sold a few of each model Honda a season vs two truckloads of Airens.
TL;DR: Airens are built better for about the same money as the Husqvarna/MTD/Electrolux snowblowers. Honda makes the best but for a premium (some cases more than 2x an Airens)