Troy-Bilt Vortex 2490 Gas Snow Blower Review

Three-stage blowers aren’t for everyone. If you don’t get much snow or have a HUGE driveway, it can be overkill.

But for the right person, a three-stage snowblower is a lifesaver.

They are for the homeowner who KNOWS snow…the hardy individual laughs at the national news stories of people avoiding the roads in Washington D.C. when they get 3 inches of snow. The person that calls 4 inches of snow overnight “a dusting.”

If this is you, the Troy-Bilt Vortex 2490 is a great choice.

To begin, it’s designed with a wide width for clearing sidewalks and walkways – no matter what amount of snow you need to deal with. The clearing width is 24 inches, which is excellent for walkways; it’s also wide enough for clearing a large driveway without taking forever.

The 277cc 4-cycle overhead valve gas engine is a reliable and powerful engine made by MTD for Troy-Bilt. While manufacturers no longer give out engine power in HP, it’s roughly a 8-9 HP engine. You won’t have trouble plugging through almost 2 feet of snow.

It has an electric start push button for convenience. No standing in the cold pulling cords hoping the cold engine will come to life. Heated hand grips will keep your hands warm, and the in-dash headlight improves visibility where snow conditions make it difficult to see. The 15 x 5-inch Trac tires provide excellent traction in those cold, slippery conditions while the all-wheel-drive helps you stay in control.

With the three-stage design, the 12-inch accelerator spins ten times faster than the augers. The 12-inch serrated steel augers break the snow and ice, and with the spinning accelerator, there’s a continuous movement of snow through the impeller to the discharging chute. A four-way joystick controls the direction and pitch of the chute, throwing snow as far as 40 feet.

Just like it’s big brother the Troy-Bilt Vortex 2890, the Just One Hand operation, and Touch ‘N Turn power steering does the work for you. Squeeze one of the two triggers, and the snow blower’s self-propelled drive system turns the machine for you. Well-balanced, the snow blower is easily controlled with one hand. The eight speeds, six forward and two reverses, helps navigate the three-stage snowblower when clearing different depths and snow conditions.

Deluxe polymer skid shoes protect driveways and garage floors from damaging marks during transport.

The snow blower has a 2-year limited warranty and a 5-year auger gearbox warranty.