Difference Between A Snow Blower and Snow Thrower

Snow Blowers vs. Snow Throwers

12/13/2014

Snow Blower vs. Snow Thrower

Quite often when looking at the traffic to our website I notice people looking for snow thrower parts. Growing up in "Snowland" (Michigan) we always kept a snow blower handy. I, personally had never heard of a snow thrower. Of course I had seen them before. We just assumed all machines that pick up and dispense snow were snow blowers. Well folks, I was wrong. We were all completely wrong. There actually is a difference between a snow blower and a snow thrower. Firstly, I wondered what the difference was. Secondly, I wondered if people that owned snow throws actually knew their equipment was not a snow blower. Lastly, I wanted to know which one was better. Turns out there's an answer to each question. Depending on your personal situation and your weather, one may be better than the other.

So, whats the difference? Read on to get the full scoop!

Snow Mowing Just Doesn't "Cut It"

A snow thrower uses a simple, yet effective one stage solution to getting rid of that white powdery mess on your walkway. The auger picks up the snow and then throws it out of the shoot using the same motion. A snow blower however uses a two stage process to rid your driveway of snow. The auger scoops up the snow the same way a snow thrower does. However, the auger does not throw the snow. Once the snow passes through the auger it gets dispensed into the impeller. The impeller is what actually blows the snow. Now, do you know which one you have?

Is one better than the other? The answer to that is yes.....and no. They are both are great machines. Deciding which one is best is simple for some and not so easy for others. Snow throwers are light weight, less expensive, and fairly simple to use. The downside is they don't "throw" snow as far as a snow blower does. They are typically smaller, requiring more passes to clear a driveway. So, if you have a small property, driveway or sidewalk then a snow thrower may be a perfect fit.

Find your Snow Blower Parts Here

Snow blowers, on the other hand, are heavier, more expensive, and may come with different, yet easy to use options. Snow blowers blow snow much further than a snow thrower. Many snow blowers have a self propel feature, so you don't have to deal with the work of pushing your equipment. Snow blowers also have a larger width, which requires less passes over a surface area. If you have a wide driveway, walkway or a larger property a snow blower would probably be a better fit for you.

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