Ariens® Snow Blower Buying Guide for Brutal Wisconsin Winters
Polk County winters are nothing short of brutal. Straddling the line between heavy Midwestern lake trends and northern blasts of ice, towns like Dresser, Balsam Lake, and St. Croix Falls see an average of 49 inches of snow per season, according to the National Weather Service.
When a Wisconsin blizzard hits, leaving a foot of heavy slush across your driveway, a standard plastic-chute shovel or an underpowered electric tool simply won’t cut it.
To clear your property quickly and efficiently, you need commercial-grade machinery. Ariens®, widely known as the “King of Snow”, has been engineering all-steel, high-output snow blowers right here in Wisconsin since 1960!
Before looking at specific engine sizes and figuring out what’s right for you, though, you need to understand how snow blowers process snow in the first place. Choosing the wrong “stage” will result in either a clogged machine or a gravel driveway stripped bare. The experts at Boyd’s Outdoor Power have you covered:
- Single-Stage: The rubber-tipped auger contacts the ground directly. It scoops up snow and throws it out the chute in one fluid motion.
- Best for: Smooth, paved surfaces, walkways, and light snowfalls up to 8 inches.
- Warning: Never use on gravel! A single-state will pick up stones and launch them as dangerous projectiles.
- Two-Stage: Here, the steel auger breaks up ice and dense snow but does not touch the ground. Instead, it feeds the snow into a high-speed mechanical fan called an impeller, which forces it out of the chute.
- Best for: Deep snow (over 8 inches), heavy slush, gravel driveways, and longer properties.
- Three-Stage: Features an accelerator auger that spins ten times faster than the collecting augers. The three-stage chops up packed ice crusts before pushing them through the impeller.
- Best for: The end of your driveway where snowplows leave frozen, packed walls of ice.
How to Choose the Perfect Ariens Model
When it comes to actually selecting your machine, we’ve put together a simple, step-by-step process to help you out there, too:
- Map Your Clearing Area
Measure your driveway and figure how many cars it holds. A single-stage machine requires multiple passes on a long driveway, which wastes your fuel.
If your driveway holds more than four cars, opt for a minimum clearing width of 24 inches to reduce your total sweeping passes by 30%!
- Identify Your Surface Material
Different clearing surfaces (paved asphalt, poured concrete, unpaved gravel/dirt) require different approaches. Paved surfaces allow you to run poly or steel skid shoes flush to the ground, whereas unpaved gravel, for example, requires a two-stage unit with adjustable skid shoes elevated 1/4-inch to keep your steel auger safely above the rocks.
- Match the Machine to the Model Tier
Match your property metrics to the ideal Ariens line:
- Compact Series: Smaller footprints that store easily, but also offer a true two-stage steel auger system for handling snow up to 12 inches deep.
- Deluxe and Platinum Series: The ideal pick for 90% of local homeowners! They balance manageable weight with wide steel housings and high-output impellers capable of tossing snow up to 55 feet away. That’s a game-changing difference.
- Professional Series: Heavy-duty machines built for snow removal contractors or properties with long, unpaved roads. These feature large engines (up to 420cc) and heavy casings built for bigger jobs.
Boyd’s Outdoor Power is Wisconsin’s Lawn Go-To!
Choosing the right snow blower is only half the battle in the winter time – where you buy that equipment matters just as much! Big-box home improvement stores ship machines out the door in cardboard, leaving everything from assembly and to future maintenance entirely up to you.
Boyd’s Outdoor Power is the fix for that problem. As an authorized Ariens dealer, Boyd’s both stocks the best equipment in the business and offers straightforward, competitive financing options tailored to your household budget or business cash flow. Get the snow blower you need on a plan that works for you!
Our full-service workshop repairs and maintains small engines, lawn tractors, zero-turns, ATVs, and snow blowers. If you prefer to fix your own gear, our expansive parts network grants you instant access to millions of line items, too.
You can find us at 930 State Road 35 South, Dresser, WI 54009, or Call us today to get started!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a single-stage snow blower on a gravel driveway?
No. Single-stage snow blowers use rubber augers that sweep flush against the ground. They will scoop up gravel and ice chunks, launching them at high speeds, which can break windows or cause serious injury. Always use a two-stage or three-stage snow blower in this case!
Q: What is Ariens Auto-Turn, and do I need it?
Auto-Turn is a zero-turn steering technology that senses changes in direction automatically. When you begin to turn the machine, it adjusts your power output to the inside wheel, allowing you to pivot the heavy mower smoothly without wrestling it or using hand triggers.
Q: How do I prepare my Ariens snow blower for off-season storage?
To prevent gumming in your carburetor, always add a high-quality fuel stabilizer to your fresh gas tank, run the engine for five minutes to distribute it, and then shut off the fuel valve and run the carburetor completely dry. Store the unit in a clean, dry space away from moisture, too.