Yard Machines 22" 179cc Two-Stage Snow Blower

This has been the best purchase I've made this year! This little machine has tons of snowblowing power. Easy to use right out of the box. For a 5'2" petite female, this was important. Love it!!!

I purchased this snow blower in 2013 for $588 including the tax. I've used it in different conditions and I would rate it as average. It handles the light dry snow easily up to 12". It does have problems handling any wet snow and the chute has clogs up easily in those slushy conditions. If I had to purchase again I would spend a little more and get more horse power.

Bought this snow thrower and used it once today. This is a little workhorse, even tackling 3' snow drifts, patiently. Doesn't like small chunks off ice but throws them anyway. Easy to start and run! Drive is sufficient and chute really throws snow! Walked it into snow covered dirt and acorns and it didn't slow it a bit. Easy to assemble out of box -however- beware engine oil issue! I read manuals, and checked the engine dipstick before starting. No oil was apparent on the dipstick so I added way too much oil! Tried to,start the engine And it seized up on me in seconds. Why? Way too much oil. The engine oil MTD Puts in at the factory is crystal clear! You can't see it on the dipstick!! Run your finger down and feel if it is oily. If so, add only a tiny tiny bit at a time until oil is at H mark. DO NOT overfill. Do NOT overfill! If you do overfill, drain the oil and refill to proper level and clean spark plug and blower will start after a few pulls.

I purchased this snow blower in 2008. It worked great for a few years and then I thought the sheer pins broke as the auger wasn't going. Come to find out the pins are all there, belt is fine, but the gear box was destroyed. I had a local small engine repairman fix it and showed me the vinyl gears that were contained inside. I was surprised to find out they were not metal. About a year later the plastic receiver for the cables busted and would require a complete replacement of the auger cable as the little unit is fixed to the cable. Then as of the other night during a huge winter blizzard, all of a sudden the wheels stopped spinning. Again thinking it was the belt or a cable, it turned out to be the gear box for the drive. At this point I give up and purchased a more solid unit. Hopefully this one will last and doesn't contain plastic/vinyl parts.

I was able to easily put the few parts together and it started on the first pull. Living in the UP of Michigan is beautiful but we do get a lot of snow. Given the money I spent it has proven to be able to get my job done. Before this machine I had a small electric snow blower and it is still useful for the steps and deck but it just did not handle the ice and snow the way this machine does.