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Snow Blower Vs Plow: What’s The Difference?

Choosing between snow blowers and snow plows is a difficult decision to make because they’re both so useful. The choice lies in assessing factors like how big an area you’ll be covering and how much snowfall your region gets a year.

Here comes the snow! While it’s fun for the kids to play around in, snow can be a menace when it’s non-stop and heavy. For safety and ease of movement around your yard, it’s always best to equip yourself with tools to deal with heavy snowfall.

The two most efficient tools to clear snow are snow blowers and plows. Keep reading to find out more about what’s the difference between a snow blower vs plow!

Snow Blower Vs Plow: What's The Difference?

What You Should Know About Snow Blowers

Snow blowers are brilliant tools that make clearing snow a fast and efficient exercise. These machines have augers and they basically mulch and redirect snow elsewhere through its tube-shaped chute. 

Check out this video by YouTube user RepairClinic.com for a great explanation of how exactly snow blowers work:

YouTube player

Snowblowers are generally quite strong and sturdy, thus they work well when clearing lightweight and heavy snowfall. They are guaranteed to reduce the amount of time you spend clearing snow when compared to a regular old shovel.

Easy To Maneuver Snow

You might be thinking, “What if the snow blower redirects the snow to a place I don’t want it to, like my flower garden?” Not to worry! Most snow blowers actually come with a mobile chute that can be rotated easily. 

The snowblower’s horsepower also determines how far or high the snow can be thrown. So, you can still choose where you want the snow to land, keeping your garden protected and preventing the same snow from creeping back onto your cleared path.

Large Range Available

The options are endless with snow blowers!

Are you environmentally conscious and would never be caught dead buying a gas-powered tool? Check out electric snow blowers!

Or maybe you have such a large property to cover that electric tools aren’t able to do a good job covering it all? Check out gas-powered snow blowers

Or a snowblower that cuts wide. A wide-cut snowblower ensures that more snow is removed with every sweep.

In addition to those options, you can also choose between single stage, two stage and three stage options.

They Require Storage Space

Unless you live in a place like Alaska, you’re probably not going to use your snow blower for most of the year. Thus, you’re going to need enough space in your shed or garage to store it. If your shed is already jam-packed and your garage is too small to fit a snowblower, you can always try storing it outdoors under an awning with a protective cover.

A gas powered snow blower  on stand-by

Snow Blowers Aren’t The Most Affordable Tool On The Block

I get it, folks. It’s not exactly best practice to splurge on a tool that isn’t going to be used regularly or that you could probably do without. Snow blowers can be quite costly, with the average being approximately $400. And to top it off, some of them come with additional costs to operate, such as gasoline.

Snow Blower Pros

  • Work efficiently in both light and heavy snowfall
  • Easy to maneuver snow in your desired location
  • Tons of models with different features on offer
  • Reduces time spent clearing snow 

Snow Blower Cons

  • Requires storage space for the better part of the year
  • Considered a “splurge” for many
A man blowing off snow from his yard with a with a gas powered snow blower

If you’re convinced that a snow blower is what you need, check out this article for reviews of the best snow blowers on the market.

What You Should Know About Snow Plows

A vehicle with a red snow plow attached

Snowplows are essentially attachments that go on another machine. A snow plow is a steel blade with a curved middle that allows you to pick up a considerable amount of snow at once. 

These tools can be attached to quad bikes, all-terrain vehicles and pick-up trucks. The key to success here is to make sure the machine you’re attaching your snowplow to can handle the weight of the blade and have enough room to turn around and pile the snow.

How does it work? The blade of the plow is lowered to the ground when picking up and removing snow. When driving to the next section, the blade must be raised into the air. These movements can be a little tricky, but as with anything, practice makes perfect!

Ease Of Use

Due to the fact that you’ll need to use some sort of vehicle to operate your snow plow, you’ll definitely be sitting down and operating in comfort. Using a snow plow means that there really isn’t much physical exertion required. This is especially great for the elderly and those with physical limitations. So, sit back and relax because your snow plow will have you covered!

YouTube user Heavy Metal Learning discusses how to use a snow plow attached to a truck in this video:

YouTube player

Great For Large Areas

A snow plow works well when covering large areas. If it needs some sort of bike or vehicle to attach to, it’s going to be practically impossible to use in a small area. Think about whether your property or area you wish to plow will allow for the vehicle to turn and make its way around. 

Requires Storage Space

Snow plows are typically quite wide and will need to be stored away when they’re not in use to prevent them from getting rusty. Its bulky design can limit where it can be stored and its design doesn’t allow for you to place other objects on top of it.

Snow plow attached to a  a vehicle fender clearing some snow

Snow Plow Pros

  • Attaches to a vehicle you might already own
  • Easy to use
  • Accessible to the elderly and those with physical limitations
  • Works wonders on large areas, reducing time significantly

Snow Plow Cons

  • Large and bulky, limiting storage options
  • Can’t be used on smaller areas 


If you’re still not convinced on either of these, check out this article on an alternative to snow plows.

Snow plow attached to a truck

Snow Blowers Vs Plows: Features Face To Face 

Controls

While both snow blowers and plows have different control mechanisms, they’re pretty simple to operate. However, snow blowers have a lot more to offer in this aspect because of their chute controls. So, it’s not only easy to maneuver around the area from where you want to clear snow, it’s also great to control where the snow goes, once cleared

Winner: Snow blowers

Design

I think we can all agree that snow blowers and plows look completely different from each other. Snow blowers are generally more compact than plows and can be easier to store. Snow plows are rather bulky and harder to store because of their shape. 

You can store lightweight items on snow blowers, which maximises your shed or garage’s storage, but this wouldn’t work on plows.

Winner: Snow blowers

FAQs

Can a lawn tractor plow snow?

A lawn tractor can plow snow. In fact, most lawn tractor brands manufacture snow plow attachments. If you already own a lawn tractor from a brand that doesn’t make snow plow attachments, there are also several universal ones on the market.

Are lawn tractor snow blowers any good?

Lawn tractor snow blowers are good when used in specific conditions. If you’re considering tractor plow vs snow blower, a tractor plow is best if you want to cut costs, but a snowplow is better for ease of use and outstanding results.

Do snow plows damage driveways?

Snow plows can damage driveways. Although it isn’t a definite case with every use of a snow plow, the potential for damage to your driveway is quite high due to the fact that you’ll be dragging a heavy metal blade across it.

Snow Blower Vs Snow Plow – What’s It Going To Be?

Snow Blower Vs Plow: What's The Difference?

It’s safe to say that despite performing the same function, these tools are very different from each other in terms of how they operate, their design and their limitations.

Although it’s impossible for me to choose the “perfect” option, here’s a breakdown of how the tools compare:

Buy a snow blower if:

  • You like options
  • You have enough storage space
  • You like to have full control over where you’re depositing the snow 

Buy a snow plow if:

  • You already have something a snowplow could be attached to.
  • You prefer to sit back and relax while getting the job done.

Which tool do you like more for your needs? A snow blower vs plow? I hope my reviews helped you decide on your favorite snow removal tool. Let me know in the comments!

About The Author

  • Brett Jones

    Brett's the kind of guy you'd never peg as having such an amazing yard. He's shy and private, avoiding social media and the spotlight. By day, Brett works quietly as an electrician technician, helping folks with wiring and repairs. But get Brett home to his place in Raleigh, where Nadya's always dreaming up new landscaping ideas, and you see another side of him. Brett happily rolls up his sleeves to transform their modest backyard into a lush, cozy oasis. The yard's really a labor of love for them, a place to unwind on weekends, entertain friends, and make cherished memories together. Nadya might come up with all the creative concepts, but Brett's the one ensuring each vision comes to stunning life. They make a great team, even if Brett's content to operate behind the scenes. At heart, Brett's a simple man who finds purpose and joy in small things. Puttering in their garden under the sun or cooking out back in the evenings - these are the things that fulfill him. Brett cares deeply for crafting a space ideal for intimacy, nurturing a life well-lived away from fanfare. Follow him on Twitter.

Photo of author

About The Author

Brett Jones

Brett's the kind of guy you'd never peg as having such an amazing yard. He's shy and private, avoiding social media and the spotlight. By day, Brett works quietly as an electrician technician, helping folks with wiring and repairs. But get Brett home to his place in Raleigh, where Nadya's always dreaming up new landscaping ideas, and you see another side of him. Brett happily rolls up his sleeves to transform their modest backyard into a lush, cozy oasis. The yard's really a labor of love for them, a place to unwind on weekends, entertain friends, and make cherished memories together. Nadya might come up with all the creative concepts, but Brett's the one ensuring each vision comes to stunning life. They make a great team, even if Brett's content to operate behind the scenes. At heart, Brett's a simple man who finds purpose and joy in small things. Puttering in their garden under the sun or cooking out back in the evenings - these are the things that fulfill him. Brett cares deeply for crafting a space ideal for intimacy, nurturing a life well-lived away from fanfare. Follow him on Twitter.

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