Living in a region that experiences snowfall requires you to prepare for the most predictable chore – snow clearing.
During winter, most regions experience snowfall, and the snow on the driveways or walkways makes it hard to move around.
For this reason, you need to find tools that will help you clear snow and move around freely.
While planning on the way to deal with snow in winter, a snow blower and snow thrower are the most common tools that will ring in your mind.
So, Should You Get A Snow Blower Or Snow Thrower?
Well, a snow blower and snow thrower are often considered one item, but they are practically very different. Either of them are find. Your purchase should be based on your budget and the extent of the work. Generally, a snow blower has more power than a snow thrower. A snow blower can also clear snow and hard ice up to 50 feet away.
Typically, you will have several issues to consider before settling for a snow blower or a snow thrower.
The most relevant considerations will be covered in this post, helping you understand and differentiate between the two machines.
Afterward, you will be in a better position to decide whether to get a snow blower or a snow thrower.
What Is A Snow Thrower?
A snow thrower works as a single-stage machine, gathering and throwing the snow through one shot in just one motion.
It is powered by a horizontal auger that spins when triggered, thus allowing the machine to pick snow and expel it out through the chute.
Several powerful models of a snow thrower will shoot snow as far as 15 to 20 feet away.
Snow throwers are less expensive and lightweight, making them suitable for light snow accumulation or dusting.
However, it is essential to note that a snow thrower may not work best for compactly packed snow or thick ice.
What Is A Snow Blower?
Contrary to a snow thrower, a snow blower works as either a three-stage or a two-stage machine.
It has a rotating auger that will scoop up snow and an impeller that looks like a large fan that launches the snow far away.
Most models can laugh snow to 35 feet or more from the initial site.
A three-stage snow blower has an accelerator that helps the equipment handle hard compacted snow and ice.
Typically, a three-stage snow blower is more powerful than a two-stage snow blower, which is also more robust than a one-stage snow thrower.
This means you can use a snow blower in areas where a snow thrower may not function effectively.
However, a snow blower is more expensive and larger, requiring more maintainable practices.
It’s right for people living in areas that receive heavy snowfall but within longer intervals.
This is because a snow blower cannot be used more frequently without being serviced.
Four Differences Between A Snow Thrower And A Snow Blower
While they both serve the same purpose—clearing snow, these two pieces of equipment have some significant differences.
Here are the most common differences between a snow thrower and a snow blower based on the most valuable characteristics and features.
1. Price
The price will will depend on the model.
However, in a general sense, snow blowers are more expensive than their counterparts.
If you need powerful equipment for industrial or commercial use, you can pay as much as $2500 for a three-stage blower or about $2000 for an expensive two-stage blower.
The price is high because of the equipment’s power and other luxury features that come with all the models of snow blowers.
These luxury features include LED headlights, self-propulsion features, an automatic start button, and a heated grip.
Snow throwers have a few models to pick from, but almost all the models are cheap.
Compared to high-end snow blowers, you can comfortably get a high-quality snow thrower that will help clear snow without straining your accounts.
The corded electric snow thrower costs between $100 to $300, as most models do not have extra features.
However, don’t be surprised to get some models with on/off buttons, padded comfort grip, or headlight.
The battery snow thrower is relatively pricier than the corded ones.
Their price ranges between $250 to $1000, depending on the model. Models are simply differentiated by the number of available features and functionality of those features.
2. Power
In terms of power, snow blowers are considered the best and hard to beat.
With the power of a snow blower, even the smallest models can launch snow up to 30 feet away.
While the medium or standard powered blowers can clear snow up to 35 feet away, some more powerful models can move snow 50 feet away.
Snow blowers can handle hard-packed ice, making them reliable for people living in areas with intense snow-blowing needs.
On the other hand, snow blowers work in one motion and are not as powerful as snow throwers.
The most powerful snow throwers can only throw snow to about 25 feet away. This distance is far from that which a small snow blower can move ice.
3. Fuel Source
The extent of power for any machine depends on the source of the power.
Snow blowers are more powerful because they are powered by fuel, which facilitates the operation of their two-stage mechanism.
Diesel and gasoline are very advantageous when used as fuel in any equipment.
However, you will have to buy more fuel if you plan to move with the machine to a distant place to work on a larger surface.
Snow throwers are powered by electricity and not gas or fuel.
Most snow throwers are corded or operate on a battery. They are less lightweight, and the battery-powered ones can maneuver around easily.
However, moving around with a corded snow thrower can be challenging. This is because you will need a close electricity outlet to plug in the equipment and power it.
Snow throwers are easy to operate and maintain compared to snow blowers. The most basic maintenance practice is cleaning the machine parts and changing batteries once in a while.
4. Pass Width
A snow blower has more power and often has a wider width.
Different models have different widths, but the most coon two-stage snow blowers have a width of about 36 inches.
This means, on one run, the blower will move an equal distance of snow from the surface. The most powerful three-stage snow blowers can move away about 30 inches wide of snow covering a surface.
On the contrary, a snow thrower has a narrow single path width ranging between 11 to 12 inches.
This is due to their reduced power capability making it hard to be unable to work on a wide region at a time. The actual width of any snow thrower depends greatly on the model version.
Conclusion
Buying a snow blower or snow thrower can seem necessary, especially during winter.
These tools help you clear snow and ice on the surfaces you may want to use most frequently.
When planning to deal with ice but not knowing which machine to get, consider the differences above and select one that suits you.
For example, get a snow thrower for light snow and a snow blower for compact snow.
Sources
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/snow-blower-vs-snow-thrower/
