After Three Winters Use, This Model Gets the Nod

Three years ago I paid more money than I could have for a snow blower, but I wanted a good one. I chose the Honda 1132 – an 11hp model that cuts a 32-inch swath – and it’s done at least as well as I’d hoped. Clearing last night’s winter snow fall just now reminded me of that fact again. My driveway is long – about 300 feet in all – and there’s always a good-sized snowplow berm at the end of the driveway. The Honda throws as much snow as other models with larger engines, and it’s got great traction because it drives on rubber tracks, not wheels. Consumer Reports testing penalizes Honda snow blowers for this reason because the tracks do make it harder to maneuver than wheel-equipped models. The handle bars of this machine are also lower than most, which might prove uncomfortable for taller people.  Few pieces of equipment are perfect, but for what it’s worth, this Honda does get my vote for a very strong, remarkably quiet and always easy to start snow blower.