Consumer Research

[Zwak]

I've wanted a snowblower forever as we have a fairly long sloped driveway but could never afford one. My neighbor has always been nice enough to take care of it and every time he did a little piece of my manhood disappeared.

This was the year I was going to bite the bullet and purchase one. Alas, just a week ago, my mother offered up their snowblower in exchange for some work I've done for them. She said it's two years old and only used a couple times... they've decided to reside in AZ over the winters and no longer have a need for it.

The clouds clears, the angel's trumplets blared and I think I saw my driveway smile.

So I will be the proud owner of a Cub Cadet 726 TDE track-driven snowblower complete with hand warmers, electric start, and a cab enclosure... I didn't ask if it had cup holders.

Now watch, it won't snow all year.

You can go get the aftermarket cup holders. Sounds like a sweet machine though.

http://www.gardentractorattachments.net ... -900-0001/

[HockeyBum]

I bought a Sears Craftsman 26" two stage last year and really like it. The one feature I really like is the ability to adjust the angle of the chute from the "handlebars". On a lot of models you can only turn the chute left or right from there, not the angle up or down. On mine you can do both. It was one of the cheapest models that offered that feature.

That's a feature I wish mine had. It really would have come in handy last year. The buildup at the bottom corners of my driveway from the snowplow wake grew to well over 6 feet tall last winter. I had to continually adjust the angle of the chute to clear those piles of snow when I got near that part.

[dxmnkd316]

Well, in classic dxmnkd316 stubbornness, I thought I could make it through at least my first December in the new house before I broke down and bought a snowblower. Well, I made it through the first snow but I'm already considering it. Part of my problem was waiting until tonight to shovel. Stupid melt and refreeze...

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.

Ariens? Toro? Honda? Craftsman?...... Yard Machines?
Single stage? Two stage?
Electric start? Recoil?

My situation:
Driveway is two cars wide, two and a half cars long. Inclined but nothing insane (enough to make shoveling a bitch)

Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

[rowshkex]

Well, in classic dxmnkd316 stubbornness, I thought I could make it through at least my first December in the new house before I broke down and bought a snowblower. Well, I made it through the first snow but I'm already considering it. Part of my problem was waiting until tonight to shovel. Stupid melt and refreeze...

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.

Ariens? Toro? Honda? Craftsman?...... Yard Machines?
Single stage? Two stage?
Electric start? Recoil?

My situation:
Driveway is two cars wide, two and a half cars long. Inclined but nothing insane (enough to make shoveling a bitch)

Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

dxmnkd316: I still have to get a shovel.
rowshkex: Snow's comin'.
dx: Yeah, I know.
row: Are you gonna buy a snowblower this year?
dx: No, I can just shovel.

[dxmnkd316]

Well, in classic dxmnkd316 stubbornness, I thought I could make it through at least my first December in the new house before I broke down and bought a snowblower. Well, I made it through the first snow but I'm already considering it. Part of my problem was waiting until tonight to shovel. Stupid melt and refreeze...

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.

Ariens? Toro? Honda? Craftsman?...... Yard Machines?
Single stage? Two stage?
Electric start? Recoil?

My situation:
Driveway is two cars wide, two and a half cars long. Inclined but nothing insane (enough to make shoveling a bitch)

Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

dxmnkd316: I still have to get a shovel.
rowshkex: Snow's comin'.
dx: Yeah, I know.
row: Are you gonna buy a snowblower this year?
dx: No, I can just shovel.

[davescharf]

Well, in classic dxmnkd316 stubbornness, I thought I could make it through at least my first December in the new house before I broke down and bought a snowblower. Well, I made it through the first snow but I'm already considering it. Part of my problem was waiting until tonight to shovel. Stupid melt and refreeze...

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.

Ariens? Toro? Honda? Craftsman?...... Yard Machines?
Single stage? Two stage?
Electric start? Recoil?

My situation:
Driveway is two cars wide, two and a half cars long. Inclined but nothing insane (enough to make shoveling a bitch)

Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

Get a two-stage blower...a single stage will work for most snowfallsbut my neighbors were getting help from those of us with two stage blowers for the big snowfalls we had last year. Even if you only get 1-2 of them every few years it's worth the extra money IMP. Arians and Toro both make pretty good machines and I'm sure a Craftsman or Yard Machine would be OK too. Hondas are pretty expensive. I bought the bottom of the line Arians two stage blower for about $500 last year and it handled everything fine with a driveway about the size of yours.

Personally I think it's good to have an electric start for the times you need it. After that I'd suggest one where you can adjust the chute from behind the blower. All that said you can easily stay under $1000 and probably get below $700 or $800 pretty easily as well.

[The Rube]

Hire a neighbor kid.

[dxmnkd316]

Hire a neighbor kid.

Thought about doing that as well. But I don't like the neighborhood kids.

I have indeed considered a plow service. Some people swear by them. I'm just worried that I'll get one that does a half-assed job. That and my driveway isn't huge so maybe it isn't worth it. I don't know...

[Idontknow]

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.
Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

I just bought a new 2-stage snowblower and researched it for a few weeks! From what I gathered, Toro is the best and also most expensive (least likely to break and most likely to supply parts 10 years from now). Ariens is 2nd best. A lot of the other brands are made by MTD (Yard Machines, Troy Bilt, Cub Cadet). Not sure about Craftsman.

I have a 3-car garage and sidewalk to do. I had a Craftsman single stage snowblower the past 7 years and got by just fine. The only thing it really couldn't handle was the gigantic pile of dense snow that the plow dumps at the end of the driveway. Everything else it could do. So, really I think you could get by just fine with a single stage and save some money.

My old snowblower was starting to show some signs of wear and likely would need some fixing soon so I decided to finally graduate to a 2-stage. My old single stage was 22-inch and that was just fine so I was looking for a 22 or 24 inch 2-stage. After much shopping around I found out the only thing left in stores right now (for the most part) are either the really expensive or really cheap snowblowers. I finally found a 24-inch Cub Cadet at Beisswengers in New Brighton for $699. It has a lot of features for that price (6 forward speeds, 2 reverse, joystick control of the chute, electric start, headlight). The only thing I wish it had was a name brand engine - but you have to pretty much buy Toro or Ariens for that nowadays.

A 22 inch Toro with not as many features will run you $899 (but has a Briggs and Stratton engine).

Edit: Also - one thing to keep in mind is the 2-stage snowblowers take up more space in your garage!

[The Rube]

If it's worth doing, it's worth paying someone else to do.

[dxmnkd316]

Yeah, I just got off the phone with the old man. He's only bought himself one snowblower. It's a Craftsman and has lasted over 30 years.

He also said that most stores have already sold more than half of the numbers they sold last year.

[dxmnkd316]

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.
Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

I just bought a new 2-stage snowblower and researched it for a few weeks! From what I gathered, Toro is the best and also most expensive (least likely to break and most likely to supply parts 10 years from now). Ariens is 2nd best. A lot of the other brands are made by MTD (Yard Machines, Troy Bilt, Cub Cadet). Not sure about Craftsman.

I have a 3-car garage and sidewalk to do. I had a Craftsman single stage snowblower the past 7 years and got by just fine. The only thing it really couldn't handle was the gigantic pile of dense snow that the plow dumps at the end of the driveway. Everything else it could do. So, really I think you could get by just fine with a single stage and save some money.

My old snowblower was starting to show some signs of wear and likely would need some fixing soon so I decided to finally graduate to a 2-stage. My old single stage was 22-inch and that was just fine so I was looking for a 22 or 24 inch 2-stage. After much shopping around I found out the only thing left in stores right now (for the most part) are either the really expensive or really cheap snowblowers. I finally found a 24-inch Cub Cadet at Beisswengers in New Brighton for $699. It has a lot of features for that price (6 forward speeds, 2 reverse, joystick control of the chute, electric start, headlight). The only thing I wish it had was a name brand engine - but you have to pretty much buy Toro or Ariens for that nowadays.

A 22 inch Toro with not as many features will run you $899 (but has a Briggs and Stratton engine).

Edit: Also - one thing to keep in mind is the 2-stage snowblowers take up more space in your garage!

Thanks.

Garage space isn't so much an issue. I have plenty of space.

[dxmnkd316]

Well, in classic dxmnkd316 stubbornness, I thought I could make it through at least my first December in the new house before I broke down and bought a snowblower. Well, I made it through the first snow but I'm already considering it. Part of my problem was waiting until tonight to shovel. Stupid melt and refreeze...

Gimme the low down on snowblowers.

Ariens? Toro? Honda? Craftsman?...... Yard Machines?
Single stage? Two stage?
Electric start? Recoil?

My situation:
Driveway is two cars wide, two and a half cars long. Inclined but nothing insane (enough to make shoveling a bitch)

Money isn't really an object but I don't need a $2,500 commercial grade snowblower.

Get a two-stage blower...a single stage will work for most snowfallsbut my neighbors were getting help from those of us with two stage blowers for the big snowfalls we had last year. Even if you only get 1-2 of them every few years it's worth the extra money IMP. Arians and Toro both make pretty good machines and I'm sure a Craftsman or Yard Machine would be OK too. Hondas are pretty expensive. I bought the bottom of the line Arians two stage blower for about $500 last year and it handled everything fine with a driveway about the size of yours.

Personally I think it's good to have an electric start for the times you need it. After that I'd suggest one where you can adjust the chute from behind the blower. All that said you can easily stay under $1000 and probably get below $700 or $800 pretty easily as well.

That's what I'm worried about the most. Those 18-inch snowfalls where a single stage may choke. Especially on the berm the plow would inevitably leave. I'm leaning towards the added expense of a two stage until someone can really convince me otherwise.

[The Rube]

Yeah, I just got off the phone with the old man. He's only bought himself one snowblower. It's a Craftsman and has lasted over 30 years.

He also said that most stores have already sold more than half of the numbers they sold last year.

Yeah my dad just bought one (can't remember the model) but he said the employee told him that as soon as they get in, they're gone. Even at my employer, we can't keep 'em in stock.

[Idontknow]

That's what I'm worried about the most. Those 18-inch snowfalls where a single stage may choke. Especially on the berm the plow would inevitably leave. I'm leaning towards the added expense of a two stage until someone can really convince me otherwise.

If we got an 18inch snowfall with my old single stage I would just have to take it in 3 rounds. If you wait for the full 18 you have no chance then. But really, in the last 7 years, other than the stuff that the plow pushed onto my driveway, the single stage did just fine. But if you have the money and space- for for a 2-stage.

by the way - I looked into the Craftsmans - they're not what they used to be. The ones I looked at don't use name-brand engines anymore.

[dxmnkd316]

Ugh.

That's a prerequisite now for me: Kohler or B&S engine.

[Idontknow]

Ugh.

That's a prerequisite now for me: Kohler or B&S engine.

Get a Toro or Ariens then. The Toro I almost bought before my wife almost fainted when I told her the price was this one:
http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Snow-Blowers/Two-Stage/Pages/Model.aspx?pid=Power-Max-726-OE-38614
You can get it for $999 even thought the website says $1099. Lane's True Value is getting some in this week...

[HockeyBum]

I'm satisfied with my $599 two-stage Airens Sno-Tec that I bought last year, but I had a bitch of a time starting it today (yep... I'm lazy, and the 3" of snow we got last night froze, which made shoveling a chore). Maybe it still had a tiny bit of old gasoline left from last year or something. I'm not sure. Even with frequent use, it still takes 4 or 5 pulls to start. Not sure if that's normal or not, but I'm starting to get annoyed. Kind of wish I had bought something else, but maybe other brands don't start any easier?

[Idontknow]

I'm satisfied with my $599 two-stage Airens Sno-Tec that I bought last year, but I had a bitch of a time starting it today

I actually thought about that one - they still sell it at Home Depot - I think it's $599. I didn't buy it right away because it wasn't a Briggs and Stratton engine. Then I found this Cub Cadet with way more features, bigger engine, for only $100 more (although still not a B&S engine).

Regarding yours starting up - do you use fuel stabilizer? If not, that should help keep the gas good while the snowblower sits.

[Beauner]

Get a two-stage blower...a single stage will work for most snowfallsbut my neighbors were getting help from those of us with two stage blowers for the big snowfalls we had last year. Even if you only get 1-2 of them every few years it's worth the extra money IMP. Arians and Toro both make pretty good machines and I'm sure a Craftsman or Yard Machine would be OK too. Hondas are pretty expensive. I bought the bottom of the line Arians two stage blower for about $500 last year and it handled everything fine with a driveway about the size of yours.

Personally I think it's good to have an electric start for the times you need it. After that I'd suggest one where you can adjust the chute from behind the blower. All that said you can easily stay under $1000 and probably get below $700 or $800 pretty easily as well.

That's what I'm worried about the most. Those 18-inch snowfalls where a single stage may choke. Especially on the berm the plow would inevitably leave. I'm leaning towards the added expense of a two stage until someone can really convince me otherwise.

On the Single-Stage side: We have a single-stage snowblower (Toro, edit: We've had it for at least 13 years and we got it used so it must be 15-18 years old I bet). We have a driveway that sounds like it's about the same as yours (it fits my truck and my dad's Jeep on it with ease), plus a walkway to the front door, plus the whole back yard patio/pavestones to do (a couple of dogs that like to pee on the pavestones when they are covered in snow means we have to clean the snow off so they know they can't pee there). We had 0 issues last year even in the big snowstorms. It was also very easy to get ours to go all the way down to the cement/blacktop to prevent any ice forming on the driveway, which it sounds like will be a major concern for you. We live in a cul-de-sac so the berms at the end of our driveway tend to be pretty tough, but if you're "smarter than the snow" as my dad says, it isn't difficult to work through the berms as much as it is time consuming (I think on the Dome-Collapser we had last year it took me about 20 minutes to get it all cleared out). Even doing the pavestones/patio in the backyard wasn't an issue. Sometimes it would get clogged for a second but as long as you pull it back out for a second and let it unclog it would run like a dream.

As for the brand: I'm not sure if this is relevant in your decision-making process, but with my time working for the City of Apple Valley, I've noticed that if Toro makes it, we use it. All of our mowers are Toro, all of our groomers are Toro, and they all run extremely well.

[davescharf]

Ugh.

That's a prerequisite now for me: Kohler or B&S engine.

Get a Toro or Ariens then. The Toro I almost bought before my wife almost fainted when I told her the price was this one:
http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Snow-Blowers/Two-Stage/Pages/Model.aspx?pid=Power-Max-726-OE-38614
You can get it for $999 even thought the website says $1099. Lane's True Value is getting some in this week...

Mine has a Subaru engine in it and it works just fine.

[HockeyBum]

Not to completely derail the snowblower talk, but I need some advice on TV's. Let me start by saying that I know next to nothing about them. I hardly ever watch TV. Literally, the only thing I watch on a regular basis is Gopher Hockey. My wife, on the other hand, watches a lot of TV (damn you, bad reality shows!) and has been hinting about getting a new one for our family room. Both of the TV's in our house are over 15 years old, which probably makes us the last people on the planet without a flat-screen TV.

I have no idea what to look for in a TV. I've heard that LCD's are better than plasma's, but I have no first hand knowledge. So help me out. I need some advise on good brands, handy features to look for in a TV, good places to get one, and which ones provide a good overall value. And no... I'm not going to camp out on Black Friday to get one, so don't even go there.

[dxmnkd316]

Well, I'll start of with LCDs are NOT better than plasmas. Unless of course you care about power consumption and potential burn-in (which isn't a problem if you don't have a static image on the screen for 12+ hours). Plasmas will always have better black levels than LCDs, and thus, far better contrast ratios. I also believe the colors on a midrange plasma will be as good as a high end LED or LCD. LEDs are just LCDs that use LEDs as a backlight. Probably better than a normal LCD. Still mostly hype without true local dimming.

How big is the room where you're watching the TV?
Are you looking for high end, mid range, or low price? What is your target price range?

I only look at Panasonics and Samsungs after reading hundreds of reviews and stories about flatscreens. LG and Sharp may have good products, but I don't trust them. There's a reason Samsung and Panasonic are the best sellers out there.

If you go plasma, go with Panasonic. If you go L(E/C)D, take a look at Samsung.

[The Rube]

I love my Panasonic Viera 42"

[dxmnkd316]

I own a Panasonic Viera TC-P50GT25. It's fantastic. Although I'm thinking about upgrading that this year for the main room in the house.

Edit: For the record, Amazon does a spectacular job of breaking down the differences between the Viera plasmas if you view one of this year's models.

[HockeyBum]

How big is the room where you're watching the TV?
Are you looking for high end, mid range, or low price? What is your target price range?

The room is maybe 12' x 15'. The screen on our current square TV we have now measures 26" diagonally (about 21" L/R). I'd like something wider than that. Maybe a 32-37" screen measured L/R (I'm not sure what standard sizes they come in). I don't really have a set budget. Is $500-$600 reasonable? I want something that will last, but not necessarily the very top of the line.

Power usage is a concern. I've noticed that our TV seems to be on a lot just for background noise, even when nobody is directly watching it.

[The Rube]

Optimal viewing distance for HDTV formula, per wiki and others:

Diagonal measurement × 2.5 (corresponding to 20-degree viewing angle)

One of the more popular recommendations on the proper HDTV viewing distance is multiply the diagonal measurement of the display screen by 2.5. This recommendation is cited by television manufacturers,[15] retailers,[16] respected publications[17][18] and websites,[19] though the popular electronics review website CNET suggests that high-resolution content can be watched at a closer distance - 1.5 times the display screen's diagonal measurement (corresponding to 32 degree viewing angle).[20]

[dxmnkd316]

I should have clarified on the power consumption. I meant in terms of being "green" or not.

The high-end 2011 Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 uses about 200 W on the brightest setting. If you left it on all day, it would cost about $0.62. That's the 24-hour cost of a large, high-end, max brightness plasma.

[dxmnkd316]

I'd say you're probably in the market for the ST series of plasmas if you're looking at a plasma. It's on the less expensive side of things, but the picture quality is still pretty good.

The smallest plasma you'll find is 42". LCDs/LEDs come in smaller sizes and are probably cheaper per inch of screen. I won't recommend any LCDs/LEDs because I just don't know the models as well as I do plasmas. So my recommendation will be based purely on what I read today rather than 100+ hours of research.

I have considered LEDs as a replacement for the main room TV. I just can't get over the higher black levels (high is worse/brighter) and lower true contrast ratios. But some people swear by them and I won't disagree automatically. There are some stellar LEDs/LCDs out there.

[dxmnkd316]

I don't know how I didn't know this before, but Toro is based in Minnesota. Bonus points.

[The Rube]

I don't know how I didn't know this before, but Toro is based in Minnesota. Bonus points.

I knew that. Buddy is about a 15 year employee for them. Irrigation dept.

[Gopherguy05]

If you are looking for a good quality cheaper line of LCD's, I love my Vizeo. Not as many bells and whistles, but from what you describe you don't need them. I've got a 42 inch, and love it, and just saw the same TV I bought 4 years ago for $1100 is now at Target for $350. Never had a problem with it, quality product.

[Golden FE Ranger]

On the snowblower topic, if your driveway is steep, you may want to consider chains for the tires. I have a steep driveway and it helps. The sb is an Ariens 28. I don't have the electric start, but don't really need it at this point. The next model I get will have one, but that will be when I am about 15-20 yrs older. See my confidence. Now watch, the thing will crap out during the first big storm.

[dxmnkd316]

The driveway isn't terribly steep. Based on the plot plan elevations, I'd put it at between 11 and 13 degrees. Not quite flat, but not quite El Capitan.

[Composer]

The driveway isn't terribly steep. Based on the plot plan elevations, I'd put it at between 11 and 13 degrees. Not quite flat, but not quite El Capitan.

I have a single stage. We only use it for the big snows, and for when the plow comes by. Everything else, we shovel. For most snowfalls, I can clear the driveway in 15-20 minutes (Two car driveway with a third car pullout on the side) One important thing--NEVER drive on the unshoveled driveway. It makes the job much harder. Also, get a scraper (for when you break rule #1, like I did this weekend) It also did a good job on the re-freeze this weekend.

[fishingmn]

Different saving option - Garbage Service

I'm signing today with Allied Waste - they are going to be half the price of Waste Management and save me $150/year.

[eddieshore]

Different saving option - Garbage Service

I'm signing today with Allied Waste - they are going to be half the price of Waste Management and save me $150/year.

Definitely needs to be looked into about every two years. Calling around can get you unbelievable deals. Randy's offered one free year of service for a two-year deal equating to just over $10/mo. for 96-gallon service.

[Tee09]

The garbage service at our apartment is "Chitty Garbage Service". I'm not sure how they actually pronounce it, but based on their performance, I'm definitely leaning towards the soft "ch" as in Michigan. Nothing we can do about it, but man, they suck enough for me to hate them and I don't even directly pay them.

[skiier32]

Nook vs. Kindle? which one is better?

[Bertogliat]

The driveway isn't terribly steep. Based on the plot plan elevations, I'd put it at between 11 and 13 degrees. Not quite flat, but not quite El Capitan.

Here is the thing about snowblowers in Minnesota. I have never heard a person complain that their snowblower has too much power. Get a 2 stage with enought power to handle the job. Ideally it will have joystick control of the chute. 6 forward speads is unnecessary. I have a nice big craftsman with everything. I use the same 2 speeds for 90% of the work. Second "gear" for blowing and 6th for moving around. During really deep snowfalls I don drop down into the slowest speed. But that is rare.

It may sting for a little while to spend the extra cash, but for the next 15-20 years, you will be so happy you have that big machine waiting the throw your snow on your neighbors lawn.....across the street.

My Craftsman has a tecumsah engine (5 yo or so). It is a good machine. I have a concrete driveway and if I hit a seam hard it will goof up the "transmission" for a while- knocks it out of gear. Hopefully they've fixed that issue by now. I would buy the same machine again. Due to the position, shape and proximity of mine and my neighbor's house, I have a small area on which to trow the snow. The joystick control of the chute is essential. I will never buy one without it.

I have a craftsman mower, lawn vac, and snowblower and they all work great.

[Zwak]

The driveway isn't terribly steep. Based on the plot plan elevations, I'd put it at between 11 and 13 degrees. Not quite flat, but not quite El Capitan.

Here is the thing about snowblowers in Minnesota. I have never heard a person complain that their snowblower has too much power. Get a 2 stage with enought power to handle the job. Ideally it will have joystick control of the chute. 6 forward speads is unnecessary. I have a nice big craftsman with everything. I use the same 2 speeds for 90% of the work. Second "gear" for blowing and 6th for moving around. During really deep snowfalls I don drop down into the slowest speed. But that is rare.

It may sting for a little while to spend the extra cash, but for the next 15-20 years, you will be so happy you have that big machine waiting the throw your snow on your neighbors lawn.....across the street.

My Craftsman has a tecumsah engine (5 yo or so). It is a good machine. I have a concrete driveway and if I hit a seam hard it will goof up the "transmission" for a while- knocks it out of gear. Hopefully they've fixed that issue by now. I would buy the same machine again. Due to the position, shape and proximity of mine and my neighbor's house, I have a small area on which to trow the snow. The joystick control of the chute is essential. I will never buy one without it.

I have a craftsman mower, lawn vac, and snowblower and they all work great.

You can always go the V-8 snowblower route.

http://www.rowand.net/Shop/MechanicalFu ... /index.htm

[oldpirate33]

How big is the room where you're watching the TV?
Are you looking for high end, mid range, or low price? What is your target price range?

The room is maybe 12' x 15'. The screen on our current square TV we have now measures 26" diagonally (about 21" L/R). I'd like something wider than that. Maybe a 32-37" screen measured L/R (I'm not sure what standard sizes they come in). I don't really have a set budget. Is $500-$600 reasonable? I want something that will last, but not necessarily the very top of the line.

Power usage is a concern. I've noticed that our TV seems to be on a lot just for background noise, even when nobody is directly watching it.

maybe this goes without saying, but the most important step in researching a tv is to view it in person. you can do all the online research in the world and find the tv with the best specs in the world, but if the picture doesn't look good to you in person, the numbers are worthless.

[dxmnkd316]

The driveway isn't terribly steep. Based on the plot plan elevations, I'd put it at between 11 and 13 degrees. Not quite flat, but not quite El Capitan.

Here is the thing about snowblowers in Minnesota. I have never heard a person complain that their snowblower has too much power. Get a 2 stage with enought power to handle the job. Ideally it will have joystick control of the chute. 6 forward speads is unnecessary. I have a nice big craftsman with everything. I use the same 2 speeds for 90% of the work. Second "gear" for blowing and 6th for moving around. During really deep snowfalls I don drop down into the slowest speed. But that is rare.

It may sting for a little while to spend the extra cash, but for the next 15-20 years, you will be so happy you have that big machine waiting the throw your snow on your neighbors lawn.....across the street.

My Craftsman has a tecumsah engine (5 yo or so). It is a good machine. I have a concrete driveway and if I hit a seam hard it will goof up the "transmission" for a while- knocks it out of gear. Hopefully they've fixed that issue by now. I would buy the same machine again. Due to the position, shape and proximity of mine and my neighbor's house, I have a small area on which to trow the snow. The joystick control of the chute is essential. I will never buy one without it.

I have a craftsman mower, lawn vac, and snowblower and they all work great.

Good points.

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go. From what I understand they are still made in the US.

[dxmnkd316]

How big is the room where you're watching the TV?
Are you looking for high end, mid range, or low price? What is your target price range?

The room is maybe 12' x 15'. The screen on our current square TV we have now measures 26" diagonally (about 21" L/R). I'd like something wider than that. Maybe a 32-37" screen measured L/R (I'm not sure what standard sizes they come in). I don't really have a set budget. Is $500-$600 reasonable? I want something that will last, but not necessarily the very top of the line.

Power usage is a concern. I've noticed that our TV seems to be on a lot just for background noise, even when nobody is directly watching it.

maybe this goes without saying, but the most important step in researching a tv is to view it in person. you can do all the online research in the world and find the tv with the best specs in the world, but if the picture doesn't look good to you in person, the numbers are worthless.

Be sure to bring your own Blu-Ray and/or DVD. The ones they have in the store are generally cherry picked to make everything look the best. If you're going for the high end stuff and they don't want to let you play your own DVD/Blu-Ray on the TV, it's not worth buying from them. At least in my experience.

[eddieshore]

Nook vs. Kindle? which one is better?

We researched this a couple months ago and if you are only looking for a reader, we went with the nook simple touch reader. Many of the reviews written about standard e-ink readers put the nook just slightly higher than the Kindle including Consumer Reports but each company keeps trying to trump the other rather frequently so be sure to continue to seek out reviews and opinions from users.

My wife absolutely loves her nook.

Can't help you on the color versions of either. We stayed clear from these because of their glare problems in sunlight. This is not a problem for simple 'readers' and that's all my wife wanted.

Best Buy looks to be selling them for $79 black Thursday/Friday or whatever (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Misc/Black- ... 160&loc=13 )

[Handyman]

If price isnt the reason to choose, the new Kindle Fire is your best bet. Otherwise there is not much difference between the standard Nook and Kindle. jmho.

[Golden FE Ranger]

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go.

Unless you want to spend the big $ and get a Honda. I don't have any experience with their line of snowblowers, but when it comes to small engines, they are far and away the best in my experience. In fact, I am buying a new lawn mower in the spring and have already eyed up a Husqvarna for this reason.

[dxmnkd316]

Yeah, I don't feel like spending an extra $1,000 for a Honda. While Hondas are good quality, they are waaaaay overpriced.

[Golden FE Ranger]

Yeah, I don't feel like spending an extra $1,000 for a Honda. While Hondas are good quality, they are waaaaay overpriced.

I agree. I try to find another manufacturer that utilizes the Honda engine (like the Husqvarna I mentioned). It generally saves you a chunk of money and you get the good guts. We have a 1987 FourTrax Foreman that gets abused and neglected at the deer shack. Much of the plastic has long since busted off. It runs as flawlessly as my 2008 and has watched several wheelers from other manufactures show up and die.

[Idontknow]

Yeah, I don't feel like spending an extra $1,000 for a Honda. While Hondas are good quality, they are waaaaay overpriced.

I agree. I try to find another manufacturer that utilizes the Honda engine (like the Husqvarna I mentioned). It generally saves you a chunk of money and you get the good guts. We have a 1987 FourTrax Foreman that gets abused and neglected at the deer shack. Much of the plastic has long since busted off. It runs as flawlessly as my 2008 and has watched several wheelers from other manufactures show up and die.

The Husqvarna snowblowers I saw do not use Honda engines. They are a "generic" Chinese engine, just like many of the other manufacturers.

One brand I forgot to mention before is Simplicity. They are a high-end snowblower and I believe they use Briggs and Stratton. They sell those at Beisswengers as well.

[gopherguy06]

Hire a neighbor kid.

Thought about doing that as well. But I don't like the neighborhood kids.
I have indeed considered a plow service. Some people swear by them. I'm just worried that I'll get one that does a half-assed job. That and my driveway isn't huge so maybe it isn't worth it. I don't know...

Already playing the part of the grumpy old man in the neighborhood. Why don't you like them? I honestly think it is cheaper to pay someone to just do it than shovel yourself or buy a snowblower.

[dxmnkd316]

I don't know. The one kid plays his music loud enough to cause a glass of water in my kitchen to vibrate.

It might be cheaper than buying a snowblower or less time consuming than doing it myself. But I figure there's going to be that one time when we get just dumped on and now I have 18"+ and the neighborhood kid or the plow service will be a no show.

[rowshkex]

Hire a neighbor kid.

Thought about doing that as well. But I don't like the neighborhood kids.
I have indeed considered a plow service. Some people swear by them. I'm just worried that I'll get one that does a half-assed job. That and my driveway isn't huge so maybe it isn't worth it. I don't know...

Already playing the part of the grumpy old man in the neighborhood. Why don't you like them? I honestly think it is to pay someone to just do it than shovel yourself or buy a snowblower.

Well, how many times would one snowblow per year? Five? If one would use it five times during the year, and you pay the kids $20 to shovel instead, you better expect the snowblower to last (about) ten years or less...

Unless, of course, you're talking more about the value of your time (but, one could also say that shoveling is good exercise...).

[Dances With Gophers]

Hire a neighbor kid.

Thought about doing that as well. But I don't like the neighborhood kids.
I have indeed considered a plow service. Some people swear by them. I'm just worried that I'll get one that does a half-assed job. That and my driveway isn't huge so maybe it isn't worth it. I don't know...

Already playing the part of the grumpy old man in the neighborhood. Why don't you like them? I honestly think it is to pay someone to just do it than shovel yourself or buy a snowblower.

Well, how many times would one snowblow per year? Five? If one would use it five times during the year, and you pay the kids $20 to shovel instead, you better expect the snowblower to last (about) ten years or less...

Unless, of course, you're talking more about the value of your time (but, one could also say that shoveling is good exercise...).

If you're < 30 y.o., drop the skirt and grab a shovel.

[Idontknow]

If you're < 30 y.o., drop the skirt and grab a shovel.

I did that the first year we were in our house. Just got to be more of a matter of valuing my time... It's nice when you wake up in the morning and there's 8 inches of snow, a giant mound of snow at the end of the driveway, and you can take care of it in 10 minutes instead of an hour.

[Orion]

If price isnt the reason to choose, the new Kindle Fire is your best bet. Otherwise there is not much difference between the standard Nook and Kindle. jmho.

I'm posting from one now. Its sweet but does have more glare than I would like. The big deal is the cloud based browser. It doesn't seem to be all that much better now but is supposed to get better overtime. At the least I'm hoping it extends the life of the fire since the horsepower is on the server not the device (only applies to internet)

As to the Tv, Chechnya out the Sharp Aqous. I have one and am very happy. Sharp is one of the few that make their own Lcd panels. Their contrast is the best an Lcd can get. Its good enough that I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference to a plasma in normal viewing conditions.

For the snow blower, no question buy a 2 stage. I don't think Toronto or honda are worth the money. I have a mtd that I've had for ten years without incident. If it ever breaks I can buy another with the money saved over a honda.

[gopheritall]

Nook vs. Kindle? which one is better?

We researched this a couple months ago and if you are only looking for a reader, we went with the nook simple touch reader. Many of the reviews written about standard e-ink readers put the nook just slightly higher than the Kindle including Consumer Reports but each company keeps trying to trump the other rather frequently so be sure to continue to seek out reviews and opinions from users.

My wife absolutely loves her nook.

Can't help you on the color versions of either. We stayed clear from these because of their glare problems in sunlight. This is not a problem for simple 'readers' and that's all my wife wanted.

Best Buy looks to be selling them for $79 black Thursday/Friday or whatever (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Misc/Black- ... 160&loc=13 )

My wife had a Kindle and we got a Nook because of the touch screen. Now that she is using it she complains that the power button is hard to press and she hates that her library always includes "suggested" books. She said she may move back to the Kindle. Once she decides I make start using the other.

Both of these are the e-Ink versions, not color or Android. We went for light-weight and easy to read.

I haven't messed with them much but the Nook has forgotten our wireless network a couple of times and locked up during a software update. The Kindle never had any problems other than the PIA keyboard. My general feeling is that the Kindle was more stable from a software standpoint.

One think about the Nook is that you can walk into a B&N store, connect to their wireless, and read a book for 1 hr each day without purchasing it (not just the 1st chapter). We haven't tried that yet but that was the pitch.

[Beauner]

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go.

Unless you want to spend the big $ and get a Honda. I don't have any experience with their line of snowblowers, but when it comes to small engines, they are far and away the best in my experience. In fact, I am buying a new lawn mower in the spring and have already eyed up a Husqvarna for this reason.

We got a Husqvarna lawn mower this summer.
Runs great. The self-propelled action on it is phenomenal.

[Aldy]

I'm also looking into purchasing a HDTV in the near future. We have an old 27" TV in the living room that needs to be upgraded. I've been looking at the Panasonic ST30 50" Plasma - you can get it at several places for around $800. Amazon is having a sale this week on the 50" 3D version for $900. It seems like a pretty good deal to get 3D for only a $100 more, bit I'm not sure I'd be using the 3D feature much. HDTV seems good enough for me.

Any opinions from the TV experts? Should I wait to see if the non 3D version comes down in price during the holidays? Thanks for your advice.

[SouthTexGopher]

This could either go in this thread or in the dumb questions thread.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a mapping website that easily enables you to choose to avoid one metro area en route to another? I'm going to be driving from the SE part of DFW to San Antonio on Wednesday. I-35 between Waco and Austin always sucks, but it's going to be absolute hell on Wednesday. My goal is to avoid Austin under all circumstances - maybe even hopping the toll road on the outskirts.

I've tried mapping alternates on Google, Mapquest and Yahoo...but the route ends up a jumble of waypoints, not a simple route plan. I'm hoping to avoid this scene from last Thanksgiving.

[fightclub30]

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go.

Unless you want to spend the big $ and get a Honda. I don't have any experience with their line of snowblowers, but when it comes to small engines, they are far and away the best in my experience. In fact, I am buying a new lawn mower in the spring and have already eyed up a Husqvarna for this reason.

We got a Husqvarna lawn mower this summer.
Runs great. The self-propelled action on it is phenomenal.

Thinking about getting a Husqvarna blower for the new house and mower for the summer. However I heard the sub$1000 Husqvarnas have a snowking (tecumseh knockoff) engine. Is this cause for concern? I found a nice 22" one I liked for $800. My dad has only bought John Deere and its the only one he has had since he bought the house he lives in now over 20 years ago, but the Husqvarnas seem to have more features/wider throw for the same money.

Secondly, fiance is freaking out that I am asking for a $180 driver/drill for xmas. "Too much for a drill" she says. Points out a craftsman, powermax, etc that are less than $100. I wanted a Makita 18V Li-Ion driver/drill because I know they are good tools and wont fall apart, break, and have enough torque to actually drill into a stud. Are the cheaper drills just as good? I dont want to spend $80 on a drill now, just to spend another $80 or more in another 2 years or so.

[dxmnkd316]

Based on limited research on the net, I've heard consumers should proceed with caution on any brand that was bought up after the Tecumseh bankruptcy.

[Orion]

This could either go in this thread or in the dumb questions thread.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a mapping website that easily enables you to choose to avoid one metro area en route to another? I'm going to be driving from the SE part of DFW to San Antonio on Wednesday. I-35 between Waco and Austin always sucks, but it's going to be absolute hell on Wednesday. My goal is to avoid Austin under all circumstances - maybe even hopping the toll road on the outskirts.

I've tried mapping alternates on Google, Mapquest and Yahoo...but the route ends up a jumble of waypoints, not a simple route plan. I'm hoping to avoid this scene from last Thanksgiving.

Use google maps. You can modify the route by grabbing the blue line and dragging it around.

[eddieshore]

This could either go in this thread or in the dumb questions thread.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a mapping website that easily enables you to choose to avoid one metro area en route to another? I'm going to be driving from the SE part of DFW to San Antonio on Wednesday. I-35 between Waco and Austin always sucks, but it's going to be absolute hell on Wednesday. My goal is to avoid Austin under all circumstances - maybe even hopping the toll road on the outskirts.

I've tried mapping alternates on Google, Mapquest and Yahoo...but the route ends up a jumble of waypoints, not a simple route plan. I'm hoping to avoid this scene from last Thanksgiving.

Use tootle maps. You can modify the route by grabbing the blue line and dragging it around.

Mapquest allows you to modify a route my dragging waypoints around and recalculates driving directions/details as well.

[dxmnkd316]

This could either go in this thread or in the dumb questions thread.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a mapping website that easily enables you to choose to avoid one metro area en route to another? I'm going to be driving from the SE part of DFW to San Antonio on Wednesday. I-35 between Waco and Austin always sucks, but it's going to be absolute hell on Wednesday. My goal is to avoid Austin under all circumstances - maybe even hopping the toll road on the outskirts.

I've tried mapping alternates on Google, Mapquest and Yahoo...but the route ends up a jumble of waypoints, not a simple route plan. I'm hoping to avoid this scene from last Thanksgiving.

Use tootle maps. You can modify the route by grabbing the blue line and dragging it around.

Mapquest allows you to modify a route my dragging waypoints around and recalculates driving directions/details as well.

You can do that with Google as well.

[Orion]

You can do that with Google as well.

That's what I meant to say. Effing autocorrect!!!

[davescharf]

Has DX bought that snowblower yet? Or will he hit 10,000 posts via this thread?

[gopheritall]

This could either go in this thread or in the dumb questions thread.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a mapping website that easily enables you to choose to avoid one metro area en route to another? I'm going to be driving from the SE part of DFW to San Antonio on Wednesday. I-35 between Waco and Austin always sucks, but it's going to be absolute hell on Wednesday. My goal is to avoid Austin under all circumstances - maybe even hopping the toll road on the outskirts.

I've tried mapping alternates on Google, Mapquest and Yahoo...but the route ends up a jumble of waypoints, not a simple route plan. I'm hoping to avoid this scene from last Thanksgiving.

Use tootle maps. You can modify the route by grabbing the blue line and dragging it around.

Mapquest allows you to modify a route my dragging waypoints around and recalculates driving directions/details as well.

In MapQuest you can also hover over a segment in the directions list and choose to Avoid the section.

[dxmnkd316]

Has DX bought that snowblower yet? Or will he hit 10,000 posts via this thread?

No. Anything over $500 is a big purchase worthy of a couple weeks of research. Anything nearing $1,000 is worthy of at least a month or two of research.

[Golden FE Ranger]

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go.

Unless you want to spend the big $ and get a Honda. I don't have any experience with their line of snowblowers, but when it comes to small engines, they are far and away the best in my experience. In fact, I am buying a new lawn mower in the spring and have already eyed up a Husqvarna for this reason.

We got a Husqvarna lawn mower this summer.
Runs great. The self-propelled action on it is phenomenal.

Thanks for the review. I will have one in June when the snow melts here.

[davescharf]

Has DX bought that snowblower yet? Or will he hit 10,000 posts via this thread?

No. Anything over $500 is a big purchase worthy of a couple weeks of research. Anything nearing $1,000 is worthy of at least a month or two of research.

I hear ya, i took a few weeks with mine as well.

[Beauner]

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go.

Unless you want to spend the big $ and get a Honda. I don't have any experience with their line of snowblowers, but when it comes to small engines, they are far and away the best in my experience. In fact, I am buying a new lawn mower in the spring and have already eyed up a Husqvarna for this reason.

We got a Husqvarna lawn mower this summer.
Runs great. The self-propelled action on it is phenomenal.

Thanks for the review. I will have one in June when the snow melts here.

If you want more specific details on it (model and price etc) let me know and I'll go check it out for you. It's (unfortunately) not a riding lawn mower--I don't know why my dad refuses to buy one with how terrible his knees and ankles are, especially with how big our yard is.

[SouthTexGopher]

In MapQuest you can also hover over a segment in the directions list and choose to Avoid the section.

It may be a function of my browser, but I'm not getting the "avoid" option if I hover over Mos Eisley On The Brazos. I think I've found an alternative route, though...and it allows me to miss I-35 for all but the last 70 miles of my drive on Wednesday.

[Golden FE Ranger]

Unfortunately, Tecumseh went bankrupt and no longer makes snow blower engines. Which is a huge deal considering they were built to last. Now it sounds like B&S is the way to go.

Unless you want to spend the big $ and get a Honda. I don't have any experience with their line of snowblowers, but when it comes to small engines, they are far and away the best in my experience. In fact, I am buying a new lawn mower in the spring and have already eyed up a Husqvarna for this reason.

We got a Husqvarna lawn mower this summer.
Runs great. The self-propelled action on it is phenomenal.

Thanks for the review. I will have one in June when the snow melts here.

If you want more specific details on it (model and price etc) let me know and I'll go check it out for you. It's (unfortunately) not a riding lawn mower--I don't know why my dad refuses to buy one with how terrible his knees and ankles are, especially with how big our yard is.

Thanks for the offer. I think I have things figured out. I will go with one of the models that features the Honda engine. We have a Snapper rider, so this will be for the tight areas near the garden, house and trees.

[Tee09]

Mos Eisley On The Brazos.

Sounds about right.