Real Estate

Snow blower prices are piling up. Do you need one?

The Freedonia Group, a business research company, said snow blower sales demand increased from $400 million in 2019 to $508 million in 2024.

The Freedonia Group, a business research company, reported that snow blowers made up 4% of power lawn and garden equipment sales in 2022. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff/File

By Victor Stefanescu

February 13, 2024

Snow blower prices are piling up even as Boston and Southern New England are becoming less snowy.

The price of a Troy-Bilt 24 inch, two-stage gas blower increased from $599.99 to $999 in the past five years at The Home Depot, according to a Wayback machine snapshot of the retailer’s website from January 2019.

In the five-year period, the price of a 26-inch, two-stage Cub Cadet blower equipped with power steering and an electric start increased from $899 to $1,299, according to the snapshot.

At Best Buy, the price of Snow Joe‘s 48-volt, 15-inch single stage blower has increased from $299 to $334 since Jan. 2021, according to a Wayback machine snapshot of the retailer’s website.

Are these prices a product of inflation? A result of technological improvements?

Spokespeople for Black & Decker, Troy-Bilt, and Snow Joe, which produce the blowers, didn’t immediately respond to Boston.com’s email inquiries about the price increases.

The Freedonia Group, a business research company, reported that snow blowers made up 4% of power lawn and garden equipment sales in 2022. It said snow blower demand increased from $400 million in 2019 to $508 million in 2024.

Do you need a snow blower?

Freedonia reported that single-stage blowers use an auger to clear snow. Dual-stage blowers get an added impeller, and a three-stage blower also uses an accelerator to boost efficiency. Buyers should consider the amount of snow they’ll face when picking a blower, said Jeff Herman, the editor-in-chief of LawnStarter.com.

“If you get a whole bunch of snow,” Herman said, “and you get frequent, heavy dumps of snow — wet snow — your three stage is your best bet, but that’s really going to cost you.”

Herman said one-stage blowers average between $150 and $250, while a three-stage blower can cost an average of $1,900.

More on the snow

Even though the price of snow blowers has increased in recent years, Herman said, there are more options at lower price tags. Battery-powered blowers can get the job done “except for those really major, major snowstorms when you might need something that’s going to be able to blow basically more than a foot of snow away.”

These electric blowers are lightweight, easier to start and store, and don’t create as many environmental concerns as gas-powered blowers, Herman said. Some of their batteries can reach up to 1.5 hours of run time, he added.

“Maybe you don’t need the big, bad snow blower and something less costly is going to be your better option,” Herman said.

Homeowners may also consider snow removal services, Herman said, which can average from $25 to $65 per hour.

Herman said shoveling snow can be dangerous. His high school algebra teacher died cleaning off his driveway, he said.

“The most important thing is, you know, if you’re older, don’t do this yourself … Have your son, have your daughter, have somebody who can take care of this for you so that you don’t have to worry about it,” Herman said.