I got the machine when I moved into my home, fearing the contimuation of a miserable winter. The first time I used it was to clear a rarely used driveway that had been snowed in for a couple of weeks with about 10 inches of heavy snow with a moderate crust. Machine started immediately, and in about 10 minutes I had cleared 30 feet of driveway.
After the last snowstorm, I cleared the property in about 45 minutes - 6 inches of very heavy snow, 200 feet of sidewalk, and 80 feet of driveway, including a 2 inch diameter branch that had fallen during the storm. The machine stalled when the branch jammed the auger - I don't know why the shear pin held.
Craftsman 250cc 28" path Two Stage Snow Thrower is recommended by Dave02
The 250cc 4 cycle, 28 in. two-stage snow thrower is a powerful unit for a great price. With a 250cc powerful Briggs & Stratton engine and two stage auger/impeller, you will experience the ease of throwing heavy snows in tough conditions. 6 forward and 2 reverse speeds allows you to match your speed to the task. Added features makes this unit a great buy.