Whether we want to admit or not, winter is coming. With it, comes a seemingly endless supply of snow and ice. For those who live in New York, you understand all too well the harsh winters that can form. In some cases, the state of winter can even reach post-apocalyptic levels with houses and cars buried. To survive this onslaught, every New Yorker should be equipped with a snow blower. It’s the weapon of choice. After all, if you even try to take a shovel to the ridiculous piles of snow, you’re probably going to end up throwing your back out and laying comatose in your house until spring. Or worse, you’ll spend hours digging into the snow only to find that in the passing night another storm picked up and cast down a brand new heap of snow for you to clear once again.

To make it easier on yourself, invest in a snowblower. This article will discuss what snowblower is best for you, so you can not only escape your home but perhaps actually enjoy the winter. If such a thing is possible.

1. The Electric

As its name might suggest, the electric snowblower is powered by electricity. With an extension cord, you can plug it into a socket and blow that snow to high heaven. For those who live in an apartment or have a smaller area to clear of snow, then the electric is likely all that you need. It’s smaller than the other form of snowblowers out there and lightweight. So, for those who don’t have the incredible amount of strength required for the heavier duty snowblowers, then this should serve your purposes.

The electric snowblower is best used for snowfall that goes up to 12 inches. As such, if it’s a winter that just doesn’t seem to quit, you’ll probably have to get out there more often with this snowblower than one that is used to clear heavier snowfall. That being said, this snowblower is also best used for snow that is considered to be fluffy. The cleaning width is 12-21 inches and it throws snow up to 30 feet. It works best on paved surfaces and doesn’t have a hilly drive, so the smoother the surface, the better.

2. The Single-Stage

Similar to the electric snowblower, the single-stage snowblower is best used on paved surfaces. It can also clear snowfall up to 13 inches but is best used for snowfall no higher than 12 inches. Its name means that it throws snow once as it passes through the chute. The blower actually makes contact with the ground, too, so you have to be careful about where you drive this snowblower as you could accidentally throw gravel or small stones if you’re not careful.

It can clear widths of 18-22 inches and throws snow up to 35 feet. It’s gas powered, so if you require a bit more distance than an extension cord can give an electric snowblower, then the single-stage snowblower might be the choice for you. However, due to the fact that it can only easily clear out 12 inches of snow, you may want to opt for the next snowblower instead.

3. The Two-Stage

Unlike the Single-Stage, the Two-Stage snowblower throws snow twice. This is because it also breaks through the ice and tosses that out first. This powerful snowblower can clear widths of 20-45 inches. Snowfall of up to 23.5 inches can be cleared with this form of a snowblower. As such, it can clear wet or heavy snow and be used on paved or gravel surfaces. It does come with a hilly drive as well, so it can be pushed up hills as needed.

4. The Three-Stage

This is a heavy-duty snowblower for those who see the worst of snow. It can clear snowfall of up to 21 inches and deal with wet or heavy snow. It can also be used on paved or gravel surfaces and has a hilly drive. This is best for snow that is layered with ice. It can cut through with ease and leave your driveway or sidewalk clear and safe.