I was skeptical of buying a single stage snow thrower but this one has exceeded my expectations. In Chicago we got hit with about 12-16 inches of snow over two days and this went right through it and handled most of the heavy snow without any trouble. I did have some issues with slush that clogged the nozzle but I would not let that stop me from buying this model again. It shoots 12 inches of fairly heavy snow about 15-20 feet depending on the wind.
Craftsman 179cc 4 cycle Single Stage Snow Thrower with Electric Start is recommended by PaulChicago