Briggs & Stratton adds teeth to its snow blowers

Company claims new design improves snow removal capabilities

Published: October 23, 2014 11:30 AM

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The Toro Power Clear 721E, $570, recently became the clear champion in Consumer Reports' tests of single-stage snow blowers—machines that offer respectable power for moderate snow yet can fit into the garage next to your car. But Briggs & Stratton is striving for that first-place ranking, and its new Briggs & Stratton 922EXD, $600, has a shot at the title.

Our current top-ranked Toro edged out the next-best model, the Toro Power Clear 621 38458, $650. Single-stage models typically use rubber paddle-like augers to scoop up the snow and send it out the chute but lack the rear impeller that dual-stage machines use to hurl the snow farther.

The 22-inch Briggs & Stratton 922EXD has a slightly less powerful engine than the Toro Power Clear 721E. What the company hopes will make up the difference is the auger—which includes not only rubber paddles but also numerous serrated-metal sections for digging into the dense plow piles that municipal plows leave at the end of the driveway. Other attractions include electric start and a three-year warranty.

Lowe's will be the exclusive mass-market retailer of the Briggs & Stratton 922EXD, which we got to see at the annual Green Industry and Equipment Expo (GIE+Expo), held this week in Louisville. Snapper and Simplicity dealers will also sell their own branded versions of the Briggs & Stratton 922EXD, along with a more powerful version, the $700 12222EE. We hope to test the Briggs & Stratton 922EXD in the coming weeks to find out if it meets its claims.

In the meantime, we've added other new snow blowers to our snow blower Ratings, with a current count of 112 models. And check our snow blower buying guide before you head out to shop.

—Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter)