Home Depot Vs Lowe's: Which Has Better Deals On Snow Blowers?

If you can believe it, snow shoveling sends over 11,000 people to the hospital every year, according to the Washington Post. Spine and head injuries, pulled muscles, broken bones, and even heart problems can arise out of trying to scoop and shovel it all away. You may not be able to avoid snow this winter, but one way to make the monumental task of removing it easier is to invest in a snow blower, which will help you quickly clear driveways, porches, decks, and more — no cement-scraping or spine-twisting required. 

In areas that receive a lot of winter snowfall, it's easy to find snow blowers for sale at your local hardware or home improvement stores, such as Home Depot or Lowe's. Of course, high-end models can mean a serious investment, costing up to $2,000 or more. So, before you step into line at the checkout, you'll want to make sure you're getting a good deal. Wondering which store's deals will blow you away? If you're in the market for a new snow blower, here's what you need to know before heading to the store.

For comparison's sake, we've examined the Snow Joe brand, an affordable and well-known brand that's sold at both Lowe's and Home Depot. Our first example, the Snow Joe 20-inch Cordless Electric Snow Blower sells for $391.02 at Home Depot. This is a few dollars more than the same model at Lowe's, however, Home Depot also offers some much cheaper models like the Snow Joe Ultra 18-inch 13-Amp Electric Snow Blower for $129.00.

Snow Joe in general is one of the most affordable brands, but perhaps not the best quality. Instead, one of the best-rated snow blower brands at Home Depot is Cub Cadet. Home Depot's Cub Cadet 30 in. 357cc 2X Fuel Injected Electric Start Gas Snow Blower features several nifty features like push-button electric start, power steering, headlights, and heated handles for some serious snow removal. Home Depot prices this model at $1,999.00, and reviews for the snow blower average around 4.2 stars, with 30 reviews posted so far. One important thing to note is that the store can be strict about accepting returns. To return a snow blower at Home Depot within 30 days, it generally must be unopened and unused, and you'll need the original receipt. Even then, the store can still decide whether or not they will accept your return or exchange. 

That same Snow Joe 20-in Cordless Electric Snow Blower sells for $388.26 online through Lowe's, about $3.00 less than Home Depot. Remember that Home Depot carries Snow Joe models as low as $129.00, whereas the least expensive unit offered by Lowe's costs $277.68. One of the top rated and most highly recommended snow blowers at Lowe's is the Ariens Deluxe 30-in 306-cc Self-propelled Gas Snow Blower. This option is comparable to the Cub Cadet offered at Home Depot. It features the same push-button start, power steering, headlights, and heated handle grips, and sells for $1,899.00, $100 cheaper than the Cub Cadet. The Ariens snow blower has also received better reviews, averaging around 4.5 stars with over 360 reviews posted. 

Home Depot may be a better place to save money if you're on a tight budget, but money isn't everything. Lowe's generally offers you the better deal on snow blowers when it comes to getting good quality for the cost, and many of their other options are priced lower than Home Depot. Lowe's is also less stringent with their return policy. If you decide the unit your purchased isn't the right fit for your needs, most stores will allow you to return it within 30 days as long as you have a valid receipt.