Do you want to buy a snow blower and you are not sure whether to opt for an electric or petrol model? Read here what are the main strengths and weaknesses that you must take into account in each case, when making the comparison.

After months of heat, greenery and sun, winter and snow inevitably come, so enchanting for the little ones and annoying for the adults who have a car or live at home. Are you tired of shoveling to clear the alleys in front of the house, the exit ramp from the garage and the road that takes you to the main street? You can opt for an electric or gasoline cutter to help you lift snow quickly and easily. We tell you in this article what advantages and disadvantages each category offers you.

Freedom of movement

Although electric models with batteries have also started to appear, the most accessible and powerful variants powered by electricity are still the wired ones. However, the cable means a direct limitation of the distance you can move away from the current source. In the case of many models, the power cable does not exceed 15m, requiring additional with a suitable extension, if you have to go a little further.

By comparison, the petrol options offer much more freedom of movement, being able to be taken anywhere and used, as long as the tank is full or you have spare fuel for refilling. So if you need to remove snow from a large garden, with long alleys, away from home or any other source of current, we recommend that you focus on a thermal model. For those who have to clean only a few meters from the door to the gate, an electric version is enough.

Noise

Because everything happens in the community, except when you have enough land so that the nearest neighbor does not hear the equipment that works in your yard, handling a snow blower can be annoying.

Of the two options, as you probably suspect, the petrol versions are the noisiest. If this factor is important, then it is good to orient yourself towards an electric, silent model, which will help you solve the snow problem without disturbing those around you too much.

The volume of snow

When buying such a product you must also consider the volume of snow that usually falls in the area where you live. One is to deal with a layer of 20–30 cm and another to work with a knee-high or waist-high omat, with frozen and dirty layers.

The electric versions are light devices, both in terms of their own weight and in terms of the force they can generate, which is why they are recommended for plain and hill areas where snow is not usually so abundant. For those who live in the mountains, where it snows frequently and a lot, enough to lay thick layers and difficult to dislodge, the wisest decision is a petrol version.

In this category you will find models with an engine from 3 to 20HP, two working steps, which crush and remove snow more easily, many of them are equipped with automatic propulsion, which means you will not have to push them. By comparison, most electrical options have up to 2000–2500W equivalent to 3–3.5HP.

Maintenance

In this regard, the electric snow blower receives several points because it does not require much maintenance. It is of course recommended to clean it after use and to check the blades before use. Compared to the need to clean the filter, change the oil, make the right fuel formula and change the spark plug at least once a year, necessary for a petrol model, with an electric one you get away quite easily.

Also keep in mind that gasoline options require special preparation for storage during the hot period, which consists of emptying and cleaning the tanks.

Safety

You might think that the presence of a flammable substance makes petrol versions more risky. But the reality is not exactly like that. Because the power cord can get quite easily under the cutter if you’re not careful, or it can gnaw at the sharp edge of an alley or wheelbarrow left in the garden, the electrical options require more care in use.

Also, due to the work system, the electric versions are more prone to pick up stones or other small and hard elements from the ground that they throw with the snow, causing accidents, which is why they are not recommended on gravel alleys.

Ease of use

Overall, it is easier to use an electric version, than a petrol version, which is valid for most existing equipment in both technical variants.

The electric models start very easily, pressing a simple button, while the petrol options start at the starter and you must know how to do this correctly so as not to drown the engine. It is not difficult, the details are almost always included in the technical manual, but it takes a while to catch the movement, so that it becomes a natural gesture and does not last for minutes.

Not to mention the fact that you have to make sure every time you have oil and gasoline in the tanks, while the electrical option is ready as soon as you put the cable in the socket or the charged battery in its place.

Variety of offer

When it comes to the options you have to choose from, we can tell you that the range of gasoline-powered milling cutters is much more diverse, both in terms of power level and milling cutter dimensions, working height and technical systems that ensure shredding and throwing snow. In this category you will find light models, for small gardens, medium variants and heavy-duty models, while the electrical options are currently dedicated to small-scale works, without reaching to cover the level of power required for more difficult situations.