SNT2130 not recommended

Bought my unit from Canadian Tire back in September 2024 for around $1,400.00.

So, I have had it for almost two winters now. I should mention that I store it in an unheated shed when not in use.

At first it worked reasonably well. Our first big snowfall in December was well over 6" and the blower struggled a bit but made it through. Not unexpected, as it's really only rated for depth up to 6". Problems started after a couple of more snowfalls. After the third one, I went out to start the mower, in -25 C temperature, and the motor was frozen. I could not even turn the blades by hand (batteries removed when I do this). Since I do not have a heated garage I had to drag the unit into my front hallway so that it could thaw out. After a couple of hours it would run and I could clear the snow. This was a recurring problem for the rest of the winter. Not only would the motor freeze up but so would the chute rotation handle.

What seemed to be causing the problem is that when using the machine, it creates a cloud of snow crystals around the unit, which work their way into the motor gears and the chute mechanism. The snow crystals melt and form a layer of water inside the motor and chute cable mechanisms, and once the unit cools down, everything freezes up.

I bought a forced air propane gas heater for the second winter which I used to dethaw the machine in the shed before use when necessary, but this a cludge fix and should not be necessary for using a machine that is supposed to work reliably in freezing cold weather.

Terribly disappointed. I bought an EGO lawnmower several years ago and it's still running great on its original batteries. I don't think they tested the snowblower though in true winter conditions.

So unless you have a HEATED garage or storage shed, do not buy this machine.