There’s nothing worse than being trapped in your home by particularly heavy snowfall during the winter. While a little snow may be nice for students looking for a snow day and can lead to a lot of fun building snowmen or throwing snowballs, the fun quickly fades if you aren’t able to leave your home to gather supplies if the weather continues to be inclement.
Thankfully, snow throwers make it very simple to clear a path along your driveway and sidewalks, giving you the freedom to go out and gather milk and bread from the store while you wait out the snowy weather. Today, we’re going to be examining the Snow Joe Ultra SJ618E and the Husqvarna ST224 snow throwers to determine which one provides superior clearing power. We’ll be looking at these two models on the following categories: discharge capability, general features, and their process for clearing snow.
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Discharge Capability
The Snow Joe Ultra SJ618E is perfect for quick snow cleanups on mid-sized driveways and walkways, even after heavy snowfall. Its discharge chute is capable of rotating a full 180º through the use of a handy crank lever below the push handle, giving you complete control on where you eject the snow stream.
You can also adjust the height at which you are dispatching the snow stream by using a knob located on the side of the chute. The maximum throw distance of the dispatched snow is 20 feet, so you’ll be able to easily clear the snow from wherever you’re working without having to make several passes.
The Husqvarna ST224 was made for use on large garage driveways and walking paths and is capable of easily knocking out large snow accumulations. Its main controls include levers that adjust the overall direction that the discharge chute throws the snow once it has cycled through the blades.
These levers feature friction discs that make adjusting the speed and direction of your snow throwing smooth and simple. By using these levers, the discharge chute can be adjusted up to 180º from left to right and 90º from vertical discharge to ground-parallel discharge. It is capable of throwing snow up to 35 feet away from your path depending on the quality of the snow (wetness, fluffiness, etc.).
Conclusion: Since both models feature discharge nozzles that are highly adjustable, the biggest difference between them lies in their throwing distance. Since the Husqvarna model is capable of throwing snow almost twice as far as the Snow Joe model, it has the advantage when it comes to the discharge potential.
General Features
Snow Joe’s thrower is a fully electric model that requires being plugged into a wall outlet to run. It utilizes a 13-amp motor that can move around 550 pounds of snow per minute. You’ll never need gas or oil to clear your sidewalks or driveway; simply plug it in, turn it on with the press of a button, and get started eliminating those pesky piles of snow.
Its handle can be folded for easier storage and features a safety button that will prevent you from accidentally starting the device while it’s not in use. It also comes with sturdy all-terrain wheels that make it easy to push through thick snow banks and over rocky or less stable terrain.
Husqvarna’s self-propelled snow thrower runs on gasoline and features a 2.7-liter fuel reservoir for powering your device. Its 208cc engine is started electrically with the flip of a switch, and it includes twin LED headlamps that make it possible to clear a path when it’s dark.
Its handle is height-adjustable and features heated grips, making it even more comfortable for you while you work. It comes with 15” all-terrain tires that easily make their way through the snow and over more rugged environments. It also features adjustable skid shoes, so you can easily transition from blacktop to concrete to wood when needed.
Conclusion: The two models share a lot of similarities in their general features, specifically in their sturdy wheels and ability to smoothly run over various surfaces and terrain.
Their biggest difference lies in their power source: the Snow Joe model solely uses electricity but is tethered to a wall outlet while the Husqvarna model primarily uses fuel and is independent of any connections to a power source while in use. Because of this, the Husqvarna thrower is more convenient overall and includes a larger selection of features that give it the upper hand once again.
Clearing Process
Snow Joe’s SJ618E features a 2-blade plastic auger that cuts 18” wide by 8” deep swaths and is resistant to breaking down from cold and abrasion. It features a blade at the base that scrapes compacted snow off of your driveway, deck, or sidewalk.
This ensures that you eliminate all snow on your property and that you won’t run into patches of ice once you’re done clearing your area. The scraping blade doesn’t dig downwards, so you won’t have to worry about damaging your pavement or the wood on your patio. Its feed zone can comfortably handle piles that are 4-8” in height.
Husqvarna’s ST224 employs a two-step clearing system that clears 24” swaths with ease. It features two 12” metal auger blades that funnel the snow into an impeller, which then ejects the snow from the device’s discharge chute. The auger blades are designed to mix air into the snow as it is funneled through the device.
This prevents snow from compacting on the inside of the device, which can clog or slow down the efficiency of your snow thrower. It was designed to tackle all types of snow conditions, but its wide mouth makes it a go-to tool when tackling snow accumulation of 2-12” in height.
Conclusion: Because it features sturdy metal blades, clears larger swaths at a time, and can tackle larger snow piles, the Husqvarna snow thrower sweeps this category as well. Its implementation of adding air to the snow that is being thrown also helps it maintain its quality for longer by preventing future clogging and breakdowns.
And the Winner is…
It’s obvious that the Husqvarna ST224 is a more powerful and capable snow thrower than the Snow Joe Ultra SJ618E given its higher throw distance, bigger intake potential, and the wider selection of helpful features.
However, these two models were made to tackle different challenges, with the Snow Joe thrower serving as a handy general use model and the Husqvarna thrower being intended for people living in areas with higher annual snowfall.
With that in mind, you should take into account the overall snowfall trends for your area before purchasing, as the Snow Joe model may suit your needs just fine. But if you’re looking to purchase a powerful snow thrower that is capable of handling jobs both big and small, the Husqvarna ST224 is your best option of the two.
Gas Snow Blower | Recommended
Last update on 2024-04-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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