The Best Snow Blowers of 2026

The Husqvarna ST 224 is the snow blower we would buy first this winter. Its 23 inch intake swallows a plow windrow that stops shorter two-stage machines, its friction-disc transmission gives six forward speeds for fine control on ice, and Husqvarna backs the cast-iron gearbox and impeller for 10 years, longer than anything else in this lineup. If your driveway is short and your snowfall is usually light, the $899 Toro Power Clear 721 QZE clears it just as fast for less money. If you never want to touch a gas can again, the EGO Power+ SNT2405 throws snow the farthest of the five machines here and needs nothing but a charged battery.

Every pick below comes from published spec sheets, the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database, and named third-party measurements, not from running these machines in a lab of our own; see how we score for the full method. For a driveway under two cars wide with light snow, the corded Snow Joe SJ626E costs $229.99 and needs no gas, oil, or storage space for a fuel can. For heavy, wet snow on a longer driveway, the Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER has the widest two-stage auger of the group at 26 inches.

How we picked

These picks are researched from published data and named third-party testing, not tested in our own lab; read how we score for the full method. We weighted five criteria the way a homeowner actually feels them: clearing width and intake depth (30%), throw distance (15%), starting and handling (20%), warranty (15%), and 3-year cost to own (20%).

Specs came straight from each brand’s own product page: toro.com, cubcadet.com, husqvarna.com, shopjoe.com, and egopowerplus.com. We cross-checked the public spec fields Consumer Reports lists for the Toro Power Clear 721 QZE, the Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER, and the EGO SNT2405, and pulled Family Handyman’s own measured weight for the Toro, since it differs slightly from Toro’s own number. We ran every model through the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database at saferproducts.gov on Sep 16, 2026; none of the five current models turned up. Ratings referenced for the EGO SNT2405 come from Ace Hardware’s own store page, a seller page rather than an independent lab, which is why we label it that way below.

What to look for

• Match intake height to your worst storm, not your average one. Anything under 20 inches struggles once a plow leaves a two-foot windrow at the end of your driveway.
• Choose a two-stage machine once your typical snowfall passes 9 inches. A single-stage auger scrapes bare pavement and throws slush and loose gravel along with the snow.
• Look for at least a 3-year warranty on the auger gearbox specifically, since that is the single most expensive part to replace out of pocket once the general warranty lapses.
• If you are buying cordless, check whether the listed price includes the batteries and charger or sells the bare tool alone. A bare-tool kit can cost several hundred dollars less but leaves you buying batteries separately.
• Measure your driveway width against the machine’s clearing width. A 21 inch blower on a 24 foot wide driveway means at least a dozen overlapping passes every storm.
• If the machine lives in an unheated garage, confirm electric start is standard rather than an upgrade. A flooded gas engine at 10 degrees with only a pull cord is a rough way to start a snow day.

FAQ

How much snow can a two-stage blower handle in one pass?

The two-stage gas models here, the Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER and the Husqvarna ST 224, are both built around a 21 to 23 inch intake designed for packed, plowed snow, not just fresh powder. Consumer Reports classifies two-stage gas machines as suited for medium to heavy snow up to about 16 inches deep in a single pass, while single-stage machines like the Toro Power Clear 721 QZE and the corded Snow Joe SJ626E are rated for light to medium snow up to roughly 9 inches.

Is a cordless electric snow blower powerful enough for a real winter?

The EGO SNT2405 is a genuine two-stage machine, not a lightweight single-stage unit dressed up as one. It ships with two 7.5Ah batteries, clears a 24 inch path, and throws snow up to 50 feet according to EGO’s own spec sheet, the longest throw of the five machines in this guide. The tradeoff is runtime tied to those two batteries and a price, $1,649 as listed at Ace Hardware, that sits above every gas model here except the Cub Cadet.

What is the real difference between the Husqvarna ST 224 and the Cub Cadet 2X 26?

Both are two-stage gas machines in a similar price range, but they win on different specs. The Husqvarna’s 23 inch intake height and 10-year gearbox and impeller warranty are the tallest and longest in this group. The Cub Cadet’s 26 inch clearing width and 40 foot throw distance are the widest and longest of the two-stage gas picks. Consumer Reports weighed the Cub Cadet at 188.2 pounds, the heaviest machine on this list.

Do snow blowers need to be registered to get recall notices?

Registering the product with the manufacturer is the fastest way to hear about a recall directly, but it is not required to check one. The Consumer Product Safety Commission keeps a public, searchable database at saferproducts.gov that lists every recalled snow blower by brand and model, including a 2023 recall of Husqvarna’s 300 series for unexpectedly going into drive mode and a 2016 recall of Ryobi 40-volt brushless models for overheating. None of the five models recommended in this guide appear in that database as of Sep 16, 2026.

How long should a gas snow blower’s warranty be?

Three years on the whole machine is the current baseline among the brands in this guide; both the Cub Cadet and the Husqvarna meet it. What matters more is gearbox coverage specifically, since that part is the expensive one to replace. Husqvarna backs its cast-iron gearbox and impeller for 10 years, and Cub Cadet backs its auger gearbox for 5 years, both well beyond the base warranty on the machine itself. The Toro Power Clear 721 QZE, by comparison, carries a 2-year warranty across the board.