It is good you are educating people about these as far as I'm concerned these things are disposable. Plastic not only wears very quickly but the colder it gets the more brittle it is which means it breaks. As for the battery I don't know how long they last (a car battery lasts about 5 years ) but you can add that to you're list of maintenance items and probably a very expensive one' Thank you but I'll keep my gas model that I've kept running since 1994 (that's 28 years) with very little maintenance.
A lot of god points here! I know a handful of electric car owners and it will be interesting to see where they are at in the next few years. I don’t see them being very happy. Thanks for watching!
You are right and It is great that you point these things out for people to be educated about these battery powered snowblowers. Not much difference especially in maintenance.
General rule of thumb: moving parts require maintenance, and will eventually fail. On Electric machineries, there are less components compared to gas powered machines, and therefore might be easier for DIYers to fix. But, it won't be necessarily cheaper compared to gas powered models.
I completely understand the less hassles of an electric snowblower. My son in law got the ego electric this year and loves it. We will see how long it lasts. My 24 year old MTD, which my neighbor was throwing away years ago, is with your maintenance tips, still going strong. I am going to do the impeller mod for next winter. Keep up the great work !
Excellent content, you rock! DR has a battery snow blower sure would like for you to test it. Comparison against the top Ego would be great. Thanks, it would really help me in picking one. I only have small concrete area's to clear. Garage Gear, new to your channel and I'm sold.
Excellent job JB on dissecting the battery powered snow blower. You really educated all of us on the future of cheap machines. I definitely will be sticking with my friction disc gas-powered snow thrower. They did it (replaced with plastic parts)with our cars and now they're doing it with our tools, sad. Glad your advising us, take care brother!
I don’t see anyone taking these things apart on UA-cam and showing the inner workings. These things needed to be pointed out! Thanks for watching Vincent!
Made cheap, but very expensive in Canada. Just bought a used like new gas one, im not buying these snowflake snowblowers. Maybe when im too old for a gas one, or forced to buy an electric one.
Man! You’ve made some GREAT videos over the years but this has to be some of your BEST WORK!!! 🙌… and the Oscar 🏆goes to… lol I’ve had these same comments with my !diot neighbours for ever! 😂 Thanks for the awesome vid man! ❤ IT!
Still love my gas blower. Heavy but with power steering is easy to use. With the weight has more traction for the end of driveway where plow piled it up
Big thumbs up. The person writing that article has an agenda. They probably have never handled a piece of power equipment in their life. Most batteries have a 5 year warranty. They cost $250 to $500 each and the machines require at least two. I doubt the machine would last 20 years, but if it did that could be $2000 of "maintenance ".
I just bought my first ever 2 stage snowblower (electric, 2nd hand) and thanks to UA-cam Algorithm, it lead me to you and your video on taking care of snowblower. I did all the maintenance on my electric blower by following your Videos. Only thing i did not do is the impeller mod. I might do a video on it in action.
I don't think you need to worry about the shear pins on that one. The first time you hit anything that flimsy auger is going to go into the flimsy bucket and the entire thing will be totaled.
Those battery blowers actually ARE maintenance-free. (For me, because I'd never even consider buying one............) 🤣 But.... I get there is a blower market for tree-huggers too. So after you hug your trees and have your vegan breakfast, get your clogs on and do what JB says!!! Me? I'll be out blowing snow with the rest of the real men while deeply inhaling gas engine exhaust and thinking: "Smells like Victory!!' 😎 Way to go, JB!! Awesome vid...... "No Maintenance" my A$$!!!
That’s the best way to keep them maintenance free lol 😉 my ariens runs for 90 minutes at a time depending on how many driveways I’m doing. No way you’ll see me running into my garage numerous times to see if my next battery is full charged or not… No one complains about the smell of victory.!👍👍
People already tend to avoid regular maintenance on equipment, claiming low maintenance or maintenance free just causes extra expense and aggravation. If people buy electric equipment to be eco-friendly, how is buying all that extra plastic helping?
Not surprised, especially with the PowerSmart. That said, never really understood the high praise for the friction disk drive system though. I would rather the drive system be hydrostatic or an actual gear drive transmission. We did and continue to do it on equally expensive lawn tractors, why not on snow blowers? My disk drive system on my current machine has been a bit of a headache but it did...well enough to get by. For the price tag I bought mine for, I wonder why it didn't come with a hydrostatic transmission?
Oh boy…there’s a lot of maintenance on that machine. Honestly the only thing I liked were the tires. I’m sure those have their place to move some snow but here in Buffalo! Really nice information JB! Cheers buddy!
i own a single stage electric with no maintenance for 27 years, when i finally replaced the belt last year. bearings on the beater bar are sealed. by the time replace them, it'll be time to buy a new one. never not worked anytime i plugged it in.
There is one more important aspect people need to ask about any battery operated machine , "Will the company that makes the machine "let me fix" it when something breaks" and "Do you as owner of said machine have access to ordering every part within the machine if you need to service it. Many of these companys have parts they won't sell you and they will tell you that you must ship or transport the entire machine to an "authorized service center" to replace a simple broken inexpensive switch "which they will refuse to sell to you" check for serviceabilty before buying .
This is the video that convinced me to subscribe to your channel. Well done and and thank you! I'll stick to my Ariens Deluxe 24, which I don't find any trouble at all to maintain. I've been familiar with the care and feeding of small gasoline engines since the mid 1960's so I don't find them to be any hassle at all, it's just normal maintenance that by now comes naturally. And the only additional maintenance on that over a battery powered machine is an oil change. The ignition is electronic and the spark plug is platinum so I expect those parts to last nearly the life of the machine. And check out the price of those replacement batteries. Yikes!
Thanks for subscribing Irving! Maintaining a gas model is not complicated. A few minutes and a little know how and you’re all set each year. Thanks for watching!
Many people today are so mislead by batteries! You gotta look at the whole picture. Especially before you spend lots of money! Thanks for watching ECT!
it doesn't matter. You're STILL going to have to buy an electric snowblower in the future, so you might as well start now. gas powered snowblowers are already BANNED at the city, county, and state level in several states and as Democrats continue winning elections across the country, that BAN will soon be enforced over the entire USA and when that happens, your old gas snowblower will suddenly become worthless and you won't be able to sell it to put the money towards an electric snowblower. Best to plan ahead and get rid of your gas snowblower NOW while you still can.
Hey JB, great video, after watching your Ariens video, WOW what a difference with the augers!! These look so tiny vs. the Ariens, hope your well .n Buffalo..
Also no gas to gunk up the carb if you're dealing with it wrong. I gave a gas blower to my parents and they stored it after one season because they didn't do maintenance and couldn't start it the next season. It's a pile of rust now :/
Yes I wondered about the "Maintenance free" The only difference is the engine, motor but everything else is basically the same. Thanks for bringing this information to people. Every thing looks pretty wimpy under there.
Battery-powered snowblowers (and lawnmowers, etc.) might be ok for rinky-dink urban homes but in rural areas they're a joke. It's also depressing to see cheap garbage invading new snowblowers (plastic gears and covers, tin foil housings? !) as it has so many other tools and machines. Apparently most consumers prefer novelty to quality, so the endless churn of new but lousy equipment pleases them.
was that belt pulley plastic what did it use for a bearing behind the auger. thank you for the video . like to see this thing cut through 8 " heavy wet snow .
@@shawncell1247 hey Shawn! The pulley was metal I believe but as far as a bearing goes I don’t know if there even was one. It couldn’t handle heavy wet snow.
Maybe they are maintence free, since they are likely more prone to catastophic failure with all the plastic parts taking a load at sub-freezing temperatures. Like most everything else in the 21st century, are they just considered disposable?
Kind of disagree that they’re lighter for energy savings. Most likely cost savings. The amount of energy used to drive the wheels is trivial compared to the auger and impeller
ALL machines require maintenance. The extent and kind of maintenance depends on the machine. Owners who prefer no-maintenance snow blowers will join the frequent buyer program. One of the concerns I have about an electric snow blower is not the maintenance, which is no big deal, but rather precisely that it is light in weight. This makes using it easier, but it will also make it less able to deal with heavy and compacted snow, like that at the end of the driveway after the snow plow passes by. A light-weight snow blower will tend to ride up and over such snow. This is also true of smaller, lighter-weight gas-powered snow blowers, in my experience. (For this and other reasons, I regard single-stage snow blowers as a waste of space. Just saying...) Another issue with battery-powered snow blowers can be the batteries themselves. If they go bad, then that is a major-league expense, and these batteries do, on occasion, need to be replaced. Further, batteries with higher amp-hour ratings cost a lot more that those that usually come with the new machine, though they might be worth the cost if you have a good-sized space to clear. Other than that, a battery-powered snow blower looks like a pretty good option (1) for areas where there tends to be light to medium snowfall, (2) for owners who prefer light to medium maintenance, and (3) for those who want a quiet, light-weight, compact, clean, and easy-to-store machine. I have a twelve-year-old Troy Bilt Storm 3090. It is a beast. I love it! It is still going strong, and I maintain it. Yet, if it goes face up on me, I am considering a battery-powered snow blower (EGO) simply because I am getting older (at 74) and my snow blower seems to get substantially heavier every year. Strange how that works out, right? I really appreciate the tips and techniques for maintenance you offer in your videos. Very helpful. RESPECT! Great video! Great channel!
I'm a retired welder of 47+ yrs. All the years of welding fumes have compromised my lungs so fumes from vehicles and equipment cause me to choke. I bought the Greenworks equipment line to compensate. Which include the lawnmower, snowblower mini garden tiller, weed wacker and chainsaw. I don't regret any of them. After all you can't put a price on staying healthy.
1st off def appreciate all of your insite and watch a lot of your videos. But I think it's a wee bit overkill greasing that regularly...especially if you are only using the machine a few times a year. I have both gas and electric and live in the northeast. Electric for about 5 years and had to do zero maintenance so far and gear and shaft grease is completely fine. To be fair "zero maintenance" for an electric blower is not accurate. However far less maintenance than a gas blower would be a fair statement.
Thanks for sharing him! Companies should definitely use the terms “less maintenance”. Yea if you don’t get a lot of snow greasing often is not required. Thanks for watching!
"maintenance free" generally means little or no maintenance. Speaking for my single stage EGO, *no* it's not maintenance free. Their scraper bars are made of cheap plastic that will barely give you a season. Toro's battery powered single stage says you get 20 hours from their single stage scraper bars and they're not cheap to replace if you can find them. Then you have the horrible design, they don't have skid shoes so the auger and scraper bar eventually get destroyed. That said, I like not having to worry about gas and oil any longer.
As an elderly single, disabled woman I love your videos!!! You make them easy to understand and love your added humor. I live in waaaay northern Idaho.... the previous homeowner left a Toro gas blower... it leaked gas, it was hard to turn and got stuck in the ruts even with chains on it... and the "one pull" bs well... was bs! So I bought a Ryobi battery powered to replace it... POS... the. plastic part on the bottom broke the first day I used it. I returned it and since bought the new Toro battery "all metal" machine... I gasped at the price of almost $2000k but was going to try it out and return it if it didn't perform. BEST>BLOWER>EVER!!!! It's all metal, no plastic...the same as the gas machine except with a battery engine... it has heated grips, it turns on a dime with one hand...(I have a torn rotator cuff and had no problem) ...NO CHAINS required what so ever... it is a beast!! I have 5 acres and heavy snow load... I have made paths around my property with ease to walk my dogs all winter...my "Arien" gas neighbor is beyond impressed... The only downside is the two batteries it comes with only last about an hour or so per charge depending on what you are doing... but I am worn out by then anyways. You can add a 3rd battery but they are $350 I think. I did not know about the maintenance required so THANK-YOU JB for another amazing, informative video!!!
Hey Willow Tree, thank you for sharing this! It’s great to hear what people are experiencing first hand using this equipment. As well as their likes and dislikes and what broke along the way. I appreciate your feedback and thanks for being a cool fan of the channel! 👍
When you tipped it up, my first thought was that it was the only difference from a gas powered machine, no drip. One thing about gas models is that even though you have to maintain them the same, you can also fix them cheaply. I didn't like the look of that little drive motor on the electric. A spark plug, oil change, or new carburetor isn't too expensive. How much is one of those little motors? Thanks for showing us this.
My dads battery powered toro left him stranded at the beginning of the season. It was too cold for the batteries to work and the machine refused to turn on. Like others, I’m sticking with gas for now. Another great one, thanks!
@@GarageGear I’ll ask him and circle back. I can share that he now keeps the battery inside and on a subsequent snow had no issues. I still struggle with the concept that it could be to cold to use your snowblower. This is a concept I have never had to deal with when using gas. I’m all for electric, I just question if the technology is fully reliable yet for snow blowing.
@@shawn8196 I think all of this has come a long way but we’re not there yet! Batteries are really good trimmers but any thing needing consistent power needs more work!
I bought the Ego 2-stage this year. It has been holding up well, and is very convenient for stop/start blowing. I have multiple vehicles in my driveway that I have to snowblow and shovel around, and not having to yank-start every time is nice.
No thanks… keep the battery powered snow blower with the battery leaf blower in the landfill. IMHO neither will last 5 seasons, regardless of how well maintained. Thanks jb! Love your honesty!👍👍
Well, I’ve done a handful of different battery products in my garage and reviews on all of them. Every single one was junk and not worth keeping. The batteries are expensive, don’t last long enough and definitely can’t handle Buffalo winters. If you have a small amount to clear go for it if not stick with gas.
yeah we dont have a huge driveway by anymeans. even though u dont advise battery snowblowers, if their was one u had to pick, which 2 stage model would u think is best out of all them?@@GarageGear
Have done some mainte ancd on my snowblower so it is ready for next snow fall only still januar, Have also been working and spend some time with my family
What happened to the lube on the drive gear? That's poor quality manufacturing, and guaranteed to cause an expensive repair. Most people that buy those will be mechanically challenged. Thankfully, I'm an older guy, and learned this stuff as a kid. No gas? I'll pass.
@@GlitchEmpire97 and that’s a great way to use both! Electric models aren’t built for massive amounts of snow. The tech has come a long way but still has a long way to go. Any plans for the weekend my friend?
Not if it requires consistent power. (Mowers, blowers). Things like trimmers and saws that require intermittent power I can totally see be beneficial. I’m gonna try to grab an ego string trimmer this spring. We’ll see how it does! Have a good week my friend! 👍👍
@@GarageGear Yeah, That's kinda where im at, now. When the time comes I will not buy another battery mower, or snow blower. BUT as far as blowers, weed trimmer etc. I'll never go back to gas.
My 40 year old Ariens 7.5HP would kick ass on these electric models. All these electric models do will fill up dump sites and cause more pollution in the manufacture of these batteries. Size of discharge chute is a joke and it is also plastic. When is this world going to wake up to the good old machinery and operators who know how to work them.
Hi Sir, me again, it's been a while! Still can't ring that bell. One word tells how I feel about this and all your videos 'THANK-YOU'. I knew this a along, not the thickness of the metal part, stuff you need to know 👍. Plastic don't rust, but only last in temperatures above freezing!! Why use it On SB?? For example: take a plastic ruller, try breaking it at room temperature, then place another ruller, same make, in the freezer, keep it there for a few hours, take and break it, see how much eased it is to break. Now better quality plastics will be a little stronger but compared to metal, no contest! Please do video on batteries, from 3Ah too 9 Ah. As always TKS again, all the best Wils 👍
I looked at the toro 2 stage electric before buying gas. Except for he power plant, it’s exactly like the equivalent gas model. Same friction disk, same augers, same impellers. I ended up buying gas. But, if I had the opportunity to test the toro electric over a storm or two I might have switched. I drive an ev and I love it.
@@edroberts9040 I just learned of the toro Eletric job today! Looks like it’s built to last. I just don’t mind the very little maintenance that my gas one takes. They market the maintenance as if changing the oil and draining the float bowl is incrediably time consuming and will cause a divorce. Really, I’m just done buying “homeowner” grade crap. Like the snowblower in the video. Eletric cars are cool as heck too but I paid my two cars off! So I’m gonna hold off on anything new till things get more stable.
It’s nifty that you believe newer snow blowers require lubrication and other maintenance when the manufacturer disagrees. This is like people not updating their knowledge about oil changes in modern engines or automatic start systems. Break/fix isn’t the same thing as maintenance but your video seems to conflate the two. The times they are a changin.
Here is a LINK for the LIQUID WRENCH RUST INHIBITOR used in this video! Thanks for supporting the channel! amzn.to/3HiCuJr
Keeping my gas snowblower. Thanks for the honesty and info.
You got it Bruce! Thank you for watching my friend!
It is good you are educating people about these as far as I'm concerned these things are disposable. Plastic not only wears very quickly but the colder it gets the more brittle it is which means it breaks. As for the battery I don't know how long they last (a car battery lasts about 5 years ) but you can add that to you're list of maintenance items and probably a very expensive one' Thank you but I'll keep my gas model that I've kept running since 1994 (that's 28 years) with very little maintenance.
"a car battery lasts about 5 years" Is not relevant, entirely different chemistry and form factor.
@@Neojhun maybe not but my sons lasted 3 years now he gets to buy a new one so believe what you like I only know what I've seen
A lot of god points here! I know a handful of electric car owners and it will be interesting to see where they are at in the next few years. I don’t see them being very happy. Thanks for watching!
You are right and It is great that you point these things out for people to be educated about these battery powered snowblowers. Not much difference especially in maintenance.
Not much difference at all minus the battery! I hate it when companies mislead! Thanks for watching nes!
General rule of thumb: moving parts require maintenance, and will eventually fail. On Electric machineries, there are less components compared to gas powered machines, and therefore might be easier for DIYers to fix. But, it won't be necessarily cheaper compared to gas powered models.
Totally agree Ben! Thanks for sharing!
I completely understand the less hassles of an electric snowblower. My son in law got the ego electric this year and loves it. We will see how long it lasts. My 24 year old MTD, which my neighbor was throwing away years ago, is with your maintenance tips, still going strong. I am going to do the impeller mod for next winter.
Keep up the great work !
Hey David! Keep me posted on how it holds up! Thanks for being a cool fan! 👍👍
Excellent content, you rock! DR has a battery snow blower sure would like for you to test it. Comparison against the top Ego would be great. Thanks, it would really help me in picking one. I only have small concrete area's to clear. Garage Gear, new to your channel and I'm sold.
Appreciate you and your positive feedback Sam! I’ll see what I can do for next season! Welcome to the tribe my friend!
Excellent job JB on dissecting the battery powered snow blower. You really educated all of us on the future of cheap machines. I definitely will be sticking with my friction disc gas-powered snow thrower.
They did it (replaced with plastic parts)with our cars and now they're doing it with our tools, sad.
Glad your advising us, take care brother!
I don’t see anyone taking these things apart on UA-cam and showing the inner workings. These things needed to be pointed out! Thanks for watching Vincent!
Made cheap, but very expensive in Canada. Just bought a used like new gas one, im not buying these snowflake snowblowers. Maybe when im too old for a gas one, or forced to buy an electric one.
Man! You’ve made some GREAT videos over the years but this has to be some of your BEST WORK!!! 🙌… and the Oscar 🏆goes to… lol
I’ve had these same comments with my
!diot neighbours for ever! 😂
Thanks for the awesome vid man! ❤ IT!
Hey changoun appreciate you my friend! Share this video with them and see what they say lol
A big drawback is that batteries cost more than a snow blower.
Spot on my friend! They’re junk!
Still love my gas blower. Heavy but with power steering is easy to use. With the weight has more traction for the end of driveway where plow piled it up
Added weight has its upsides! Thanks for watching!
Big thumbs up. The person writing that article has an agenda. They probably have never handled a piece of power equipment in their life. Most batteries have a 5 year warranty. They cost $250 to $500 each and the machines require at least two. I doubt the machine would last 20 years, but if it did that could be $2000 of "maintenance ".
Thanks for sharing these number JT! Good for people to see! Thanks for watching
I just bought my first ever 2 stage snowblower (electric, 2nd hand) and thanks to UA-cam Algorithm, it lead me to you and your video on taking care of snowblower. I did all the maintenance on my electric blower by following your Videos. Only thing i did not do is the impeller mod. I might do a video on it in action.
@@DarnocTechCH awesome darn! Thanks for following along. Let me know how the impeller mod works out for you.
Gas is the only one I find that can actually chuck the wet snow. Ditched my battery one and got a toro gas
Many people are finding this out! Thanks for sharing!
I don't think you need to worry about the shear pins on that one. The first time you hit anything that flimsy auger is going to go into the flimsy bucket and the entire thing will be totaled.
Definitely has potential to do this! Thanks for watching!
Those battery blowers actually ARE maintenance-free. (For me, because I'd never even consider buying one............) 🤣
But.... I get there is a blower market for tree-huggers too. So after you hug your trees and have your vegan breakfast, get your clogs on and do what JB says!!!
Me? I'll be out blowing snow with the rest of the real men while deeply inhaling gas engine exhaust and thinking: "Smells like Victory!!' 😎
Way to go, JB!! Awesome vid......
"No Maintenance" my A$$!!!
That’s the best way to keep them maintenance free lol 😉 my ariens runs for 90 minutes at a time depending on how many driveways I’m doing. No way you’ll see me running into my garage numerous times to see if my next battery is full charged or not… No one complains about the smell of victory.!👍👍
People already tend to avoid regular maintenance on equipment, claiming low maintenance or maintenance free just causes extra expense and aggravation. If people buy electric equipment to be eco-friendly, how is buying all that extra plastic helping?
There’s a lot of oil used to produce all that plastic! Thanks for sharing Trino!
Not surprised, especially with the PowerSmart. That said, never really understood the high praise for the friction disk drive system though. I would rather the drive system be hydrostatic or an actual gear drive transmission. We did and continue to do it on equally expensive lawn tractors, why not on snow blowers? My disk drive system on my current machine has been a bit of a headache but it did...well enough to get by. For the price tag I bought mine for, I wonder why it didn't come with a hydrostatic transmission?
Thanks for sharing wj
Oh boy…there’s a lot of maintenance on that machine. Honestly the only thing I liked were the tires. I’m sure those have their place to move some snow but here in Buffalo! Really nice information JB! Cheers buddy!
Definitely plenty to maintain on this guy! Appreciate you Jay! Have a good rest of your week!
i own a single stage electric with no maintenance for 27 years, when i finally replaced the belt last year.
bearings on the beater bar are sealed.
by the time replace them, it'll be time to buy a new one.
never not worked anytime i plugged it in.
Thanks for sharing HG!
There is one more important aspect people need to ask about any battery operated machine , "Will the company that makes the machine "let me fix" it when something breaks" and "Do you as owner of said machine have access to ordering every part within the machine if you need to service it. Many of these companys have parts they won't sell you and they will tell you that you must ship or transport the entire machine to an "authorized service center" to replace a simple broken inexpensive switch "which they will refuse to sell to you" check for serviceabilty before buying .
Very true! This is 100% accurate!
Worse than the maintenance is the replacement cost of the batteries 2,3,4 years tops when they go bad.
And I bet you’ll pay far less for gas by that point too. Thanks for watching scooter and peanut!
This is the video that convinced me to subscribe to your channel. Well done and and thank you! I'll stick to my Ariens Deluxe 24, which I don't find any trouble at all to maintain. I've been familiar with the care and feeding of small gasoline engines since the mid 1960's so I don't find them to be any hassle at all, it's just normal maintenance that by now comes naturally. And the only additional maintenance on that over a battery powered machine is an oil change. The ignition is electronic and the spark plug is platinum so I expect those parts to last nearly the life of the machine. And check out the price of those replacement batteries. Yikes!
Thanks for subscribing Irving! Maintaining a gas model is not complicated. A few minutes and a little know how and you’re all set each year. Thanks for watching!
Great info as always JB. Those fact sheets for the battery operated equipment are very misleading for those who are easily misled!! 👍👍
Many people today are so mislead by batteries! You gotta look at the whole picture. Especially before you spend lots of money! Thanks for watching ECT!
it doesn't matter. You're STILL going to have to buy an electric snowblower in the future, so you might as well start now. gas powered snowblowers are already BANNED at the city, county, and state level in several states and as Democrats continue winning elections across the country, that BAN will soon be enforced over the entire USA and when that happens, your old gas snowblower will suddenly become worthless and you won't be able to sell it to put the money towards an electric snowblower. Best to plan ahead and get rid of your gas snowblower NOW while you still can.
Hey JB, great video, after watching your Ariens video, WOW what a difference with the augers!! These look so tiny vs. the Ariens, hope your well .n Buffalo..
Yeah the ariens ones are monsters compared to these! All is good here! Any plans for the weekend?
@@GarageGear This winter in MA (at least in Worcester) has been pretty snowless so I'll be doing a valve job on a Toro 5-21. Keep the faith.
@@johnbelliveau4704 I got faith in you and that winter isn’t over yet. ! 👍
Maintenance free seems to mean "oil change free"...Just learn to change the oil, it is easy and fun☺
Also no gas to gunk up the carb if you're dealing with it wrong. I gave a gas blower to my parents and they stored it after one season because they didn't do maintenance and couldn't start it the next season. It's a pile of rust now :/
Agreed not hard to do! Thanks for watching rangleri! 👍
Seen that many many times Carl! Thanks for sharing!
I’ll keep my old two stroke gasoline blower all day long. I don’t think electric is the way to go yet. Good job.
They still got a long ways to go! Thanks for watching
Yes I wondered about the "Maintenance free" The only difference is the engine, motor but everything else is basically the same. Thanks for bringing this information to people. Every thing
looks pretty wimpy under there.
You got it Ted! Once you slap a battery on something everyone thinks you don’t have to care for it anymore. Not true! Thanks for watching my friend!
Battery-powered snowblowers (and lawnmowers, etc.) might be ok for rinky-dink urban homes but in rural areas they're a joke. It's also depressing to see cheap garbage invading new snowblowers (plastic gears and covers, tin foil housings? !) as it has so many other tools and machines. Apparently most consumers prefer novelty to quality, so the endless churn of new but lousy equipment pleases them.
Totally agree RC. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for showing the inside workings of electric blowers
You got it Marc! Thanks for watching!
I’m pretty sure that plastic drive gear is going to fail faster than the motor will, especially when it’s put under more strain.
what i was about to say,,,take my 11.5 hp ariens any day ,,
Hard to imagine that lasting long term on any model! Thanks for watching BCSERK! Any thing going on this weekend?
Hold on to that ariens Craig!
@@GarageGear i am ,,,dont like china engines
was that belt pulley plastic what did it use for a bearing behind the auger. thank you for the video . like to see this thing cut through 8 " heavy wet snow .
@@shawncell1247 hey Shawn! The pulley was metal I believe but as far as a bearing goes I don’t know if there even was one. It couldn’t handle heavy wet snow.
thank you for the reply. didn't think i would get a response
@@shawncell1247 no problem. I typically try to respond within 24 hours
Maybe they are maintence free, since they are likely more prone to catastophic failure with all the plastic parts taking a load at sub-freezing temperatures. Like most everything else in the 21st century, are they just considered disposable?
Planned obsolescence my friend! Thanks for watching!
Kind of disagree that they’re lighter for energy savings. Most likely cost savings.
The amount of energy used to drive the wheels is trivial compared to the auger and impeller
@@MydNitQ thanks for sharing myd
ALL machines require maintenance. The extent and kind of maintenance depends on the machine. Owners who prefer no-maintenance snow blowers will join the frequent buyer program.
One of the concerns I have about an electric snow blower is not the maintenance, which is no big deal, but rather precisely that it is light in weight. This makes using it easier, but it will also make it less able to deal with heavy and compacted snow, like that at the end of the driveway after the snow plow passes by. A light-weight snow blower will tend to ride up and over such snow. This is also true of smaller, lighter-weight gas-powered snow blowers, in my experience. (For this and other reasons, I regard single-stage snow blowers as a waste of space. Just saying...)
Another issue with battery-powered snow blowers can be the batteries themselves. If they go bad, then that is a major-league expense, and these batteries do, on occasion, need to be replaced. Further, batteries with higher amp-hour ratings cost a lot more that those that usually come with the new machine, though they might be worth the cost if you have a good-sized space to clear.
Other than that, a battery-powered snow blower looks like a pretty good option (1) for areas where there tends to be light to medium snowfall, (2) for owners who prefer light to medium maintenance, and (3) for those who want a quiet, light-weight, compact, clean, and easy-to-store machine.
I have a twelve-year-old Troy Bilt Storm 3090. It is a beast. I love it! It is still going strong, and I maintain it. Yet, if it goes face up on me, I am considering a battery-powered snow blower (EGO) simply because I am getting older (at 74) and my snow blower seems to get substantially heavier every year. Strange how that works out, right?
I really appreciate the tips and techniques for maintenance you offer in your videos. Very helpful. RESPECT!
Great video! Great channel!
Appreciate you Jerry! Thanks for sharing this!
I'm a retired welder of 47+ yrs. All the years of welding fumes have compromised my lungs so fumes from vehicles and equipment cause me to choke. I bought the Greenworks equipment line to compensate. Which include the lawnmower, snowblower mini garden tiller, weed wacker and chainsaw. I don't regret any of them. After all you can't put a price on staying healthy.
@@barryvarga3538 thanks for sharing
1st off def appreciate all of your insite and watch a lot of your videos. But I think it's a wee bit overkill greasing that regularly...especially if you are only using the machine a few times a year. I have both gas and electric and live in the northeast. Electric for about 5 years and had to do zero maintenance so far and gear and shaft grease is completely fine. To be fair "zero maintenance" for an electric blower is not accurate. However far less maintenance than a gas blower would be a fair statement.
Thanks for sharing him! Companies should definitely use the terms “less maintenance”. Yea if you don’t get a lot of snow greasing often is not required. Thanks for watching!
Everything requires maintenance, but then again we're going towards throw away nation. Use it til it breaks and throw it away.
Planned obsolescence is definitely a real thing nowadays! Thanks for watching J!
i'm 65 could use something lighter ,but it still must do the job of gas . can't afford to buy it twice
@@shawncell1247 don’t waste your money on this one
"maintenance free" generally means little or no maintenance. Speaking for my single stage EGO, *no* it's not maintenance free. Their scraper bars are made of cheap plastic that will barely give you a season. Toro's battery powered single stage says you get 20 hours from their single stage scraper bars and they're not cheap to replace if you can find them. Then you have the horrible design, they don't have skid shoes so the auger and scraper bar eventually get destroyed. That said, I like not having to worry about gas and oil any longer.
Thanks for sharing this information! 👍
I understand that batteries need to be recharge. How does the electric motors last. Do they burn out under heavy use?
There is no way these motors will last long term.
JB - Another excellent, informative video. Keep ‘em coming brother.
You got it Marc! 👍👍
Great video!
Thanks for watching Michael!
As an elderly single, disabled woman I love your videos!!! You make them easy to understand and love your added humor. I live in waaaay northern Idaho.... the previous homeowner left a Toro gas blower... it leaked gas, it was hard to turn and got stuck in the ruts even with chains on it... and the "one pull" bs well... was bs! So I bought a Ryobi battery powered to replace it... POS... the. plastic part on the bottom broke the first day I used it. I returned it and since bought the new Toro battery "all metal" machine... I gasped at the price of almost $2000k but was going to try it out and return it if it didn't perform. BEST>BLOWER>EVER!!!! It's all metal, no plastic...the same as the gas machine except with a battery engine... it has heated grips, it turns on a dime with one hand...(I have a torn rotator cuff and had no problem) ...NO CHAINS required what so ever... it is a beast!! I have 5 acres and heavy snow load... I have made paths around my property with ease to walk my dogs all winter...my "Arien" gas neighbor is beyond impressed... The only downside is the two batteries it comes with only last about an hour or so per charge depending on what you are doing... but I am worn out by then anyways. You can add a 3rd battery but they are $350 I think. I did not know about the maintenance required so THANK-YOU JB for another amazing, informative video!!!
Hey Willow Tree, thank you for sharing this! It’s great to hear what people are experiencing first hand using this equipment. As well as their likes and dislikes and what broke along the way. I appreciate your feedback and thanks for being a cool fan of the channel! 👍
When you tipped it up, my first thought was that it was the only difference from a gas powered machine, no drip.
One thing about gas models is that even though you have to maintain them the same, you can also fix them cheaply. I didn't like the look of that little drive motor on the electric. A spark plug, oil change, or new carburetor isn't too expensive. How much is one of those little motors?
Thanks for showing us this.
Hey grey one of those motors runs about $220 bucks last I checked! Not cheap. Thanks for watching!
i will keep my gas one
Me too Francis! Thanks for watching!
My dads battery powered toro left him stranded at the beginning of the season. It was too cold for the batteries to work and the machine refused to turn on. Like others, I’m sticking with gas for now. Another great one, thanks!
That's sad they don't have a preheating function when plugged into charger. That could be the simple solution to avoid that problem.
Thanks for sharing this Shawn! How long did the battery last on its use? Do you know by chance?
@@Neojhun I like the idea but I would imagine this jacking the already insane prices of these even higher. Thanks for sharing!
@@GarageGear I’ll ask him and circle back. I can share that he now keeps the battery inside and on a subsequent snow had no issues. I still struggle with the concept that it could be to cold to use your snowblower. This is a concept I have never had to deal with when using gas. I’m all for electric, I just question if the technology is fully reliable yet for snow blowing.
@@shawn8196 I think all of this has come a long way but we’re not there yet! Batteries are really good trimmers but any thing needing consistent power needs more work!
My son is shopping for an Ego. Will send him your video 😂. Im keeping my ariens 28 pro and waiting delivery man fm Amazon with my impeller kit mod😅
Nice! Hopefully the video resonates with him.
I bought the Ego 2-stage this year. It has been holding up well, and is very convenient for stop/start blowing. I have multiple vehicles in my driveway that I have to snowblow and shovel around, and not having to yank-start every time is nice.
@@quinton1661 thanks for sharing
No thanks… keep the battery powered snow blower with the battery leaf blower in the landfill. IMHO neither will last 5 seasons, regardless of how well maintained. Thanks jb! Love your honesty!👍👍
I don’t see them lasting 5 years either! Thanks for watching JL
@@GarageGear yup. Too much thin plastic. Not going to hold up to cold temps
So just requires no oil changes, spark plugs and fuel on hand
Yep still got to do everything else! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video. I actually was considering looking at a battery snowblower but I will definitely look a lot harder. Thanks.
You got it John! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for all your videos my friend I really appreciate learning from you and I have done the belt changes successfully and friction disc 🎉
Excellent my friend! Bet she handles like a dream now! Thanks for being a cool fan!
Plastic parts never wear out!! Just ask any engineer!!
Hahah I would like to see what snowblowers are in most engineers garages. Thanks for watching!
Are battery powered snowblowers maintenance free? Are wives?? I think not. Thanks for setting the record straight, JB!
Hahaha you got it Paulie! ROCK ON MY FRIEND!
what do you think of Toros 60v 2 stage? they kept the gas blower design and swapped it with a battery motor over the gas?
Well, I’ve done a handful of different battery products in my garage and reviews on all of them. Every single one was junk and not worth keeping. The batteries are expensive, don’t last long enough and definitely can’t handle Buffalo winters. If you have a small amount to clear go for it if not stick with gas.
yeah we dont have a huge driveway by anymeans. even though u dont advise battery snowblowers, if their was one u had to pick, which 2 stage model would u think is best out of all them?@@GarageGear
@@randomrazr is probably lean toward toro because they have more metal components.
Another great one JB. Thanks.
You got it Chuck! Thanks for watching my friend! 👍👍
Very informative video, thanks for shearing
Thanks Kjell! Any plans for the weekend?
Have done some mainte ancd on my snowblower so it is ready for next snow fall only still januar, Have also been working and spend some time with my family
@@kjell-richardlvdal373 you’re ready for the next bout! 👍
everything that has moving parts needs maintenance even if its something simple
Right on Patrick! Thanks for watching
What happened to the lube on the drive gear? That's poor quality manufacturing, and guaranteed to cause an expensive repair. Most people that buy those will be mechanically challenged. Thankfully, I'm an older guy, and learned this stuff as a kid.
No gas? I'll pass.
Right there with ya Rob! Thanks for watching!
These companies need to pay you the big bucks, as a fact check reviewer. You proving they are wrong.
I have no problem with that time to pay! I don’t like companies that mislead! Thanks for watching!
Awesome video and info I never got how they got away with sayi g maintenance free they should say no gas or oil or say no mess 😅
I have gas 2 stage 22inch snowblower and single stage electric snowblower 21inch I like my gas for more deep snow and electric for quick
@@GlitchEmpire97 and that’s a great way to use both! Electric models aren’t built for massive amounts of snow. The tech has come a long way but still has a long way to go. Any plans for the weekend my friend?
You should use a gas power dewalt to take this apart
Hahaha I thought someone would say something about the battery powered driver lol! Thanks for watching!
Good video brother. Keep them up. God bless you
Appreciate you Jared! 👍
@@GarageGear thanks bro you too!!
Thanks JB
You got it Tempus! 👍
Great video as usual! I was rooting for the bills with my brother in law last weekend. Hopefully next year!
Appreciate you drew! We’ll get em next year!
Im beginning to think you don't care much for battery OPE. 😜
Not if it requires consistent power. (Mowers, blowers). Things like trimmers and saws that require intermittent power I can totally see be beneficial. I’m gonna try to grab an ego string trimmer this spring. We’ll see how it does! Have a good week my friend! 👍👍
@@GarageGear Yeah, That's kinda where im at, now. When the time comes I will not buy another battery mower, or snow blower. BUT as far as blowers, weed trimmer etc. I'll never go back to gas.
@@BigDaddysGarage I’m interested in trying it out! Heard good things! 👍
My 40 year old Ariens 7.5HP would kick ass on these electric models. All these electric models do will fill up dump sites and cause more pollution in the manufacture of these batteries. Size of discharge chute is a joke and it is also plastic. When is this world going to wake up to the good old machinery and operators who know how to work them.
It’s gonna be a while! Thanks for watching Brian!
No maintenance = more sales
Guess that’s their plan!
Can you review Honda snowblowers?
Would love to! Just need about $4k to get one! Thanks for watching!
Hi Sir, me again, it's been a while! Still can't ring that bell. One word tells how I feel about this and all your videos 'THANK-YOU'. I knew this a along, not the thickness of the metal part, stuff you need to know 👍. Plastic don't rust, but only last in temperatures above freezing!! Why use it On SB?? For example: take a plastic ruller, try breaking it at room temperature, then place another ruller, same make, in the freezer, keep it there for a few hours, take and break it, see how much eased it is to break. Now better quality plastics will be a little stronger but compared to metal, no contest! Please do video on batteries, from 3Ah too 9 Ah. As always TKS again, all the best Wils 👍
Hey Wilson! Thanks for sharing this! Different kinds of plastic will have varying durability. But still metal is no contest! Thanks for watching
One word. DISPOSABLE!
Yep! It’s the way of the world nowadays! Thanks for watching!
Electrics are maintenance free once you kick them to the curb.
Many people do in a season or two! I see a lot of them on Craigslist only a year old.
You pay more money for electric blower over gas most gas blowers will last alot longer then most electric one will
Agreed! Thanks for watching
I have a 20 year old mtd snowblower still going strong for me.
@@z6a99c thanks for sharing
Nothing in this world is "maintenance-free"... Not electric snowblowers, vehicles, wives... :P
Nailed it with all three of those! ROCK ON MACE! Have a good weekend my friend!
No thanks, I’ll be keeping my big Toro. That thing looks like a toy.
Hold onto your gas equipment! Thanks for watching DA! 👍
I looked at the toro 2 stage electric before buying gas. Except for he power plant, it’s exactly like the equivalent gas model. Same friction disk, same augers, same impellers.
I ended up buying gas. But, if I had the opportunity to test the toro electric over a storm or two I might have switched. I drive an ev and I love it.
@@edroberts9040 I just learned of the toro Eletric job today! Looks like it’s built to last. I just don’t mind the very little maintenance that my gas one takes. They market the maintenance as if changing the oil and draining the float bowl is incrediably time consuming and will cause a divorce. Really, I’m just done buying “homeowner” grade crap. Like the snowblower in the video. Eletric cars are cool as heck too but I paid my two cars off! So I’m gonna hold off on anything new till things get more stable.
@@edroberts9040 thanks for sharing Ed!
I'LL NEVER GO ELECTRIC
Haha if anything I’ll be going with an even bigger gas model lol! Thanks for sharing!
Its a lie they are not maintnence free at all
@erinm9534 💯agree
Very true
It’s nifty that you believe newer snow blowers require lubrication and other maintenance when the manufacturer disagrees. This is like people not updating their knowledge about oil changes in modern engines or automatic start systems. Break/fix isn’t the same thing as maintenance but your video seems to conflate the two. The times they are a changin.
@@phillipp1399 thanks for sharing
Gah this is just idiotic marketing. Don't just accepting marketing literally.
Thanks for watching