Briggs & Stratton 1022ER

27" wide · 40 ft throw · 205 lb

The 1227MD (sold in current production with S1227 badging) is the value counterpunch to the $1,650 Ariens Deluxe 28: a 27-inch steel bucket, notched steel augers, aluminum gear box, and Briggs' own 1150 Snow Series 250cc engine — cold-rated to 20 below — for roughly $500 less. Owners consistently say it has 'plenty of power to throw snow, even wet snow,' and its 40-foot rated throw holds up in real use; the Free Hand control that lets you crank the chute while still driving is a genuinely good piece of design. What you give up versus the name brands is refinement and serviceability: there's no trigger or power steering, so the solid axle makes end-of-pass turns a workout on a machine this size; heated grips and power steering are reserved for the pricier 1227MDS; and one recurring owner complaint is that pulling the impeller/wheels for service requires a bearing puller most homeowners don't own. As a straightforward, well-powered two-stage for average Midwest winters at a near-Costco price, though, it's one of the best honest values in the 27-inch class.

Best for Value-focused owners with two-car driveways in average snow regions who want name-brand-engine power without the $1,600+ price of an Ariens or Toro.

21" wide · 35 ft throw · 95 lb

The Path-Pro is what happens when a two-stage company builds a single-stage: a 208cc AX engine that's comically large for a 21-inch paddle machine, steel housing instead of the usual plastic tub, ball-bearing supported auger, and an adjustable scraper bar you can actually replace when it wears. Owners on Snowblower Forum call it 'an outstanding performer' — it eats 6-9 inches of snow and genuinely hits its 35-foot throw rating, where a Toro Power Clear 721 runs about 6 lb lighter with slicker controls but less grunt in the heavy stuff. Because the paddles pull it along, you walk it like a self-propelled mower and it scrapes clean to the pavement — this is the pick for decks, sidewalks, and one-car-wide city driveways. Honest downsides: at 95 lb it's the heavyweight of the single-stage class, chute rotation is a manual handle unless you pay for the remote kit, there's no headlight, and like all paddle machines it will bounce off anything deeper than a foot or the icy EOD wall. If your snow is regular but rarely epic, it's the most durable single-stage sold.

Best for Sidewalks, decks, and one-car paved driveways with regular sub-foot snowfalls — the durable single-stage for people who hate disposable machines.

18" wide · 25 ft throw · 58 lb

Toro's entry-level gas single-stage is the machine owners recommend when someone's back gives out but their budget hasn't recovered: about $609, 58 pounds, and a 99cc Toro Premium OHV four-stroke that starts with a push-button (plug in an extension cord) or a single pull. The party trick is the Power Curve rotor - the curved rubber paddles scrape clean to pavement and actually pull the machine forward, so there's no drive system to maintain and no pushing to speak of. Owners love that it stores upright in a closet-sized footprint and tosses powder a legit 25 feet. The honest knocks: the chute handle lives on the chute, so you're reaching down to redirect mid-pass; 12 inches of intake height disappears fast in a real dump; and wet end-of-driveway slop will stall your progress if you take full bites. Against Ariens' Path-Pro 208E it gives up 100cc but costs less, weighs less, and carries a 4.5-star average across 1,600+ Ace Hardware reviews. For a two-car paved driveway in a normal-snow city, this is the sane default.

Best for The city homeowner with a short paved driveway and sidewalks who wants gas reliability without gas bulk.

21" wide · 25 ft throw · 98 lb

The Squall 208E is the current heir to the long-running Squall 2100 — same 208cc/21-inch formula, now the top of Troy-Bilt's single-stage line. It's the practical pick for people who want real gas power in a machine one person can lift into a hatchback: 98 lb, folding handle, electric start, and a big-for-the-class engine that owners say chews through 6-8 inches without drama. Walmart buyers land at 4.0 over 118 reviews, praising the easy start and how the paddles pull it along; the knocks are classic single-stage — the 13-inch intake chokes in deep drifts, slush gets thrown feet not yards, and the E-Z Chute lever feels plasticky and can loosen over time. It's mechanically nearly identical to Cub Cadet's 1X 21 LHP (both MTD-built) but runs about $110 cheaper because it skips the headlight and the fancier remote pitch control. Against Toro's Power Clear 821 QZE, the Toro throws farther and its Quick Shoot control is slicker, but it also costs $200+ more. For paved 1-2 car driveways in moderate snow country, this is the value play in premium single-stages.

Best for Budget-minded owners of paved one- and two-car driveways who want the strongest engine in the single-stage class.

21" wide · 35 ft throw · 84 lb

The 721 E has quietly become the default 'just buy the Toro' answer for paved driveways - 1,800+ reviews averaging 4.5 stars and a decade of the 212cc four-stroke proving itself. It throws snow up to 35 feet, starts with a push-button (via 120V cord) or first pull, and the Power Propel paddle drive pulls itself forward hard enough that you're steering more than pushing. The Quick Chute lever spins the 210-degree chute without stopping, and unlike the two-strokes of old there's no gas-oil mixing. Owners' complaints are specific: the chute lever is short and awkward for some hands, single-stage paddles ride up on hardpack and can't touch gravel, and a foot-deep wet storm means slow, half-width bites. Early units had scattered reports of the exhaust cooking a control cable, largely sorted in later production. Honda's exit from US snow blowers removed its only real single-stage rival, so at $799 the 721 E mostly competes with its big brother 821 QZE - buy the 721 if your snow is usually under 9 inches and your driveway holds four cars or fewer.

Best for The suburban homeowner with a 2-4 car paved driveway who wants the proven, no-drama gas single-stage everyone recommends.

21" wide · 25 ft throw · 95 lb

The SB230 is the budget-gas archetype: a 123cc 4-cycle OHV engine (no oil-gas mixing), push-button electric start so you skip cold-morning pull-cord roulette, and a 21x13-inch mouth that shrugs off the wet, heavy 6-8-inch storms that stall corded and battery single-stages — all for about $549, roughly half what a Toro Power Clear 721 E commands. Built by MTD in Tupelo, Mississippi, it's mechanically simple and the auger-assist pull genuinely lightens the pushing. The honest knocks from Lowe's owner feedback: out-of-box quality control is hit-or-miss (missing hardware, loose parts, and dead electric starters show up in reviews), the ~25-foot real-world throw trails a Toro's, chute parts are polypropylene, and finding warranty service for MTD-built Craftsman gear can be a runaround despite the 3-year coverage. There's no headlight either. If you get a good unit — most people do — it's years of cheap, gas-grade clearing for one-car driveways in serious snow; picky buyers should spend up for the Toro.

Best for Budget-minded buyers in real snow country who need gas-engine grunt for a one- or two-car driveway without paying Toro prices.