What’s the Difference Between Single Stage and Two-Stage Snowblowers?

One of the most common confusions people have about snow blowers is the difference between a single stage snowblower and a two-stage snowblower. Both can handle the majority of snowblowing needs you'll have and despite popular myth, a two-stage snowblower isn't necessarily more heavy duty (or more expensive) than a single-stage snowblower although that is the truth in many cases.

What is a Single Stage Snowblower?

Whoever decided to name the different styles of snowblowers made it really easy on all of us. A single stage snowblower is so named because it functions with one main stage to both gather snow and move it away to a new location. A piece of equipment known as an auger is used. The auger is the machinery that both collects, separates and moves the snow towards the discharge chute located inside of the snow blower.

The discharge chute of course then blasts or blows the gathered snow to a new location, leaving your driveway, walkway or any other area nice and clear. Some single stage snowblowers are hand held, and can be worn as a backpack snow blower. With this specific type of single stage snowblowers you'll usually have to remove the snow layer by layer, a few inches at a time, depending on the size and horsepower of the particular model.

Additionally, single stage snowblowers can sometimes be electric snowblowers, which are more environmentally friendly and require less maintenance, although you will have to use them while they are plugged in, of course.

Still, there are also larger single stage snow blowers that come in the form of walk behind snowblowers.  These are very common and fairly cheap, and still can provide powerful snow clearing capabilties. Even some industrial, heavy duty snow blowers are single stage snowblowers, although as mentioned, that is uncommon.

An important note is that single stage snowblowers should not be used on gravel or rock surfaces, as the single stage snowblower will pick up these materials and start causing dangerous havoc!

It's also worth noting that with single stage snowblowers, you'll need to be manually fueling it with a gas and oil mix due to the 2 stroke engine. With the 4 stroke engines of two-stage snowblowers, this is unnecessary. Not all single stage snow blowers have 2 stroke engines (although many do), for example, Honda single stage snowblowers utilize 4 stroke engines.

Finally, single stage snowblowers work best with dry now. Depending on how powerful your single stage snowblower is, wet snow can get jammed in the machinery and the snowblower can have a hard time blasting it away.

You'll be able to find many single stage snowblowers for under $200.

What's the second stage in a Two-Stage Snowblower?

More appropriately, the question should read what's the first stage in a two-stage snowblower? That's because the second stage is the one that remains consistent with single stage snowblowers. The auger collects and seperates the snow through the chute and the snow goes happily flying away. It's actually the first stage that's different in a 2-stage snowblower.

In a 2-stage snowblower, a piece of equipment known as an impeller sweeps or pumps the snow towards the auger. Two-stage snow blowers therefore can typically handle larger loads at once, and are usually more heavy duty than their single stage counterparts. This is because the impeller is more efficient and effective at gathering large and deep piles of snow and the auger can stay busy all the while with its chore of separating the snow and getting it moved far, far away.

So which is better, the single stage snow blower or the two-stage snow blower?

The answer really lies in where you live, what kind of snow loads you'll be dealing with and your specific preferences. If you live in an area that hardly ever gets serious snow, or you have a small amount of property that needs to be cleared, a hand held or walk behind single stage snowblower will definitely be able to meet your needs.

On the other hand, if you get tons of snow every season and/or you have a big area of land that needs to be cleared each time it snows, the speed and power of a two-stage snowblower will be worth the price and the time saved. You may even be surprised at how many affordable two-stage snowblowers there are.