When looking to purchase the right snow blower for maintaining your property you will want to know are gas snow blowers better than electric or battery for my needs. Each has its purposes, but it is important that you have the right machine. When you add new lawn and garden gear to your garage you want to make sure it meets your requirements and fits your budget.
This quick guide includes all the pros and cons of gas snow blowers, electric snow blowers, and battery-operated snow blowers.
Single or Double Stage Snow Blower?
Whether you need a single stage, or a double stage snow blower is a big deciding factor on which whether a gas snow blower is better than electric, or battery powered. A single stage snow blower often referred to as simply a snow thrower has one auger that both collects the snow from the surface and directs the snow out the shoot. A two stage or double stage snow blower has both an auger for collecting the snow and a built-in motorized impeller for ejecting the snow out the discharge shoot. A double stage snow blower is generally a larger machine and capable of covering more ground each pass and with the powered impeller can shoot the snow a significant distance up to 25 feet or more.
Choosing a single versus a double is a big factor in determining which is better gas, electric, or battery, but is not the only thing to consider. There are single and double stage snow blowers that are powered by all three types of power, but you will find the most power at the lowest price with a gas powered snow blower regardless if you go single or double.
Here are all the other important details to consider when choosing for your household between a gas snow blower, electric or battery powered.
The Gas Snow Blower
The traditional gas-powered snow blower is an exceptional machine. Gas snow blowers can work for long hours in very cold weather moving large amounts of snow and ice. Gas powered snow blowers come in single stage, double stage, and even the larger robust commercial use triple stage snow blowers. Gas snow blowers will have forward propulsion built in as a feature to make maneuvering through the snow and working with the machine a breeze versus having to manually push it.
When you have large areas and need unlimited range a gas-powered snow blower will always be the only choice for you compared to electric corded and cordless snow blowers. Gas powered snow blowers have the largest intakes making them perfect for clearing large driveways, suburban sidewalks, and other areas. The only downside is that they do require maintenance and whether you have a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke snow blower you will have to either mix oil with gas or conduct routine oil changes and they can be loud at times.
Gas Snow Blower Pros
- Unlimited range
- Ease of mobility, no cords
- Powerful to move heavy loads of snow and ice
- Wider and higher intakes
- Many higher end models include push button start
- Strong and durable
Gas Snow Blower Cons
- Requires gas and oil
- Requires routine maintenance
- Can be loud
What About Electric Snow Blowers, Are They Any Good?
Electric snow blowers are less powerful than their gas-powered counterparts and their range is limited by the length of your extension cords, but they still are perfect for some homeowners. Consider a single stage snow thrower if you are the fence between getting an upgraded snow shovel or venturing into the realm of owning a snow blower. These smaller snow removal machines still make maintaining the paths and driveways of your house easier than manually shoveling and for smaller jobs you are less likely to need the range or power.
The electric snow blower is the right choice when you have mild snow events, but they are frequent enough that shoveling snow is a routine chore. Designed for managing 2-3 inches of snow on the ground quickly and quietly they are a great option when living in a populated residential neighborhood.
Electric Snow Blower Pros
- Easy upkeep, no oil changes
- Lighter weight
- Compact for storage
- Perfect for small pathways and urban settings
- Very Quiet
- Push button start system
Electric Snow Blower Cons
- Can overheat when used for long durations
- Load size is limited, lower end models will struggle with heavy loads snow mixed with ice
- Distance is limited to cord length
- Reduced maneuverability due to cord management
- Generally, a smaller sized intake
- Unable to clear snow during a power outage
The Battery Powered Snow Blower Is A New Option
Battery powered lawn and garden tools have been on the rise and each year it seems that they get a little bit better with more power and more battery life. The battery powered snow blower is no different and worth a hard look if you like the benefits of the electric snow blower, but need the longer range of a gas-powered snow blower. You do need to keep the batteries charged in order to use the snow blower, but a battery operated snow blower will work in the event of a power outage when a traditional corded electric snow blower will not.
While still encumbered with some of the disadvantages of an electric snow blower, the biggest one being tethered to an electrical outlet is not present with a battery-operated snow blower. These machines are relatively quiet, obviously are push start, and are designed for the homeowner with a limited area that needs to be maintained at any given point.
Battery Powered Snow Blower Pros
- Easy upkeep, no oil changes
- Perfect for small pathways and urban settings
- Push button start system
- An electric version that can still work during a power outage
Battery Powered Snow Blower Cons
- Generally, not as powerful, however every year this technology is getting stronger and stronger
- Limited use due to battery limitations
- Downtime to charge batteries for large jobs, unless you purchase second set of batteries
- Best with only 2-3 inches of snow to clear
- Can overheat when removing deeper snow or working for longer durations.
Which Snow Blower is My Favorite, Gas Powered, Electric, or Battery?
The gas snow blower is easily the best option if you are going to need to run the machine for more than 40 minutes or go further than 100 feet or so from an electrical outlet. Yes, they require added fuel, oil, and maintenance time in the garage to continue to perform optimally, but they absolutely blow away the electric option in terms of power, durability, and reliability.
However, with all that said, most homeowners will probably be fine with an electric snow thrower or a battery powered snow blower to maintain their limited house and surrounding concrete walkways and driveways. These options are great for average users that do not want to spend time maintaining the machine or want to deal with angry neighbors upset that you are running your loud snow blower.
A gas powered snow blower is an essential item for caring for my winter time clients, but if I was only needing to move small amounts of snow I would highly consider a battery powered snow blower as the next best option followed by the electric snow blower which is still better than the classic snow shovel. You will always need the snow shovel for certain jobs, but it sure is better to at least have a snow blower of some kind instead of scooping out your driveway shovel load by shovel load every morning before going to work.
