I can't speak highly enough of my MTD 5horse 24" wide two stage snow blower. No electric start, no headlight, hand crank to change blower direction...it's very basic but I've had it ten years and it just keeps going and going. I live in Alaska, but not in a serious snow belt. I've already had it out to do the driveway once...and I use it to cut a path to my steam bath about 75 feet from the house. It regularly has wood sticks get stuck in the second stage but even that has failed to cause any problem. If you regularly get snow deeper than a foot and a half at a time, you probably want something bigger, but if your snowfall is limited to about a foot or so at a time, a 24" 5 horse should do you well. Of course a more powerful machine will cut through the snow faster. Space and money considerations aside, a bigger, more powerful blower is a good thing....