Q&A: Can I use my lawn tractor help for snow removal?

I'd like to save money by not paying a service to plow my driveway this winter. Can I add a plow or snow blower to my lawn tractor?

Adding a plow or snow-blower attachment to your tractor isn't an ideal solution, according to our power-equipment guru, Peter Sawchuk. "Wet snow is heavy, and a conventional lawn tractor isn't really built to move these kind of loads on a consistent basis," Sawchuk says. "Plus, to use a plow, you will need chains and wheel weights for traction, so you'll have to buy those. And after it snows a few days in a row, you'll run out of placed to push the snow, unless you have a big property."

While a snow-blower attachment eliminates the problem of where to move the snow, there are some downsides. "The attachment is expensive—nearly as much as a good snow blower—and you'll still need the chains and wheel weights," Sawchuk explains. "Also, the attachment takes up a lot of storage space in the garage and requires a large area to maneuver, making it hard to get into and out of tight spaces." And come spring, you'll have to remove the blower and reinstall the tractor deck you removed last fall and then level it.

The best solution, Sawchuk believes, is to buy a large dedicated two-stage snow blower, like the Toro Power Max 828LXE shown. Read our report on single- and two-stage snow blowers, which includes a helpful interactive feature, to find the best model for your needs.

Comments

[Michael]

Maybe I am looking in the wrong location, but when i do a search for snow blowers i get the results from Dec 2007. Where is the best buy pick for Dec 2008? Also i am looking to get a larger snow blower than the 28" ones that you mention. Are you going to give us the info for the bigger snow blowers up to the 45"?

Thanks and have a great day,
Michael

[Rap]

Michael,
CR probably hasn't done an updated review since the '07 report. That data is still valid, as I'm sure most of the models still exist.

IMO, I doubt CR would review blowers as large as 45", as most consumer models are in the 18-28 range.

Rap