Although snow blowers and snow throwers may sound like they’d be the same thing, there are actually subtle differences between the two machines.
Even though both machines are used to remove snow and many people use their names interchangeably, they are not the same.
Learn the differences between the two. And discover the pros and cons of each with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
A snow thrower is a single-stage machine that is powered by a horizontal auger. It grabs the snow and also creates enough force to throw it out of the discharge chute.
This machine gathers and tosses the snow all in one motion.
A snow blower is a two-stage machine that uses the auger to scoop the snow and feed it into the impeller (similar to a powerful fan). Then, it launches the snow out of the chute.
Snow blowers are able to withstand larger accumulations of snow. Plus, they can remove wet, heavy snow that a snow thrower doesn’t have enough power to handle.
Snow blowers typically have a larger swatch and chute. So they can take in more snow at one time and discharge it out of the machine more efficiently.
You can find two-stage and three-stage snow blowers at our stores. Two-stage snow blowers clear up to 26 inches of snow in a single swatch. Three-stage snow blowers clear up to 30 inches of snow in a single swatch.
Snow throwers are best suited when the snow in your driveway is light and not very dense. This is because of the fact that they are smaller and less powerful than a snow blower.
The chute typically is shorter and closer to the ground on a snow thrower. And oftentimes they are not self-propelled.
However, snow throwers are easier to store since they are smaller in size. They also cost less than snow blowers.
For more guides like this one, visit our Outdoor Power Equipment Blog.
