Husqvarna 1650EXL Review

(Rated: 3.9 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Result Quality
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There are snow blowers, and then there are machines that are so well designed, so powerful, and so durable that they almost deserve to be included in a class all their own. Machines like the Husqvarna 1650EXL have the kind of serious snow clearing ability that it’s a wonder they are included in the same category as other snow blowers at all. This kind of machine has the kind of engine that means business and can drive wider augers than you can find anywhere else, and they can clear snow at a higher rate than anything else out there.

The Husqvarna 1650EXL is a snow blower that is designed to tackle big snow clearing jobs without batting an eye. This machine is a real workhorse that can clear huge areas in no time. It can attack drifts that are even larger than its snow cut depth because it has high drift cutters and a powerful auger. The Husqvarna 1650EXL is a snow blower that isn’t messing around.

Review Summary

With its powerful Briggs & Stratton engine, the Husqvarna 1650EXL has everything it needs to support an auger that is wider than pretty much anything else you can find on today’s snow blower market. That means that you will be able to clear extra-wide driveways in fewer passes than ever before. Because it is a two-stage snow blower, you can tackle snow on paved roads or off just as efficiently. And because it has the kind of heavy duty auger and impeller fan that Husqvarna snow blowers are known for, you will be able to power through the toughest, iciest snow without slowing down.

The Husqvarna 1650EXL is designed not only to be an efficient, powerful snow blower, but one that is very convenient for the user as well. For that reason, it is equipped with all kinds of thoughtful design notes that really make operating it an enjoyable experience. The accessories alone make using the Husqvarna 1650EXL a great experience, but beyond that, it has a powerful hydrostatic transmission that propels it at four variable speeds; it’s made from very durable materials; and it is user-friendly as well. Overall the Husqvarna 1650EXL is one of the best snow blowers on the market.

Specifications

The Husqvarna 1650EXL is a gas powered two-stage snow blower that weighs 272 pounds and has dimensions of 37 x 50.9 x 32 inches. It has a powerful 4-cycle Briggs & Stratton engine with a displacement of nearly 350 cubic centimeters. The engine drives the auger as well as the hydrostatic transmission that propels the rear wheel drive.

The Husqvarna 1650EXL has a clearance width of 30 inches and a snow cut depth of 23 inches, although its durable drift cutters increase the height of snow that it can clear by another foot. Its impeller throws snow through the 180 degree snow chute up to 35 feet away. It has great accessories and massive wheels.

Description

As soon as you unpack the Husqvarna 1650EXL, you will see that this is a serious snow blower that really means business. It requires some assembly out of the box, but this is all very straightforward. Even if you are not mechanically inclined, you should have no problem assembling the Husqvarna 1650EXL with regular household tools in twenty minutes or less. And once you get it all put together, I am certain that you will be impressed.

That is because the Husqvarna 1650EXL is the kind of big, powerful snow blower that is clearly ready for just about any kind of blizzard that could come your way. It has the kind of engine that can support real snow clearing ability: a top of the line Briggs & Stratton342-cc OHV four-cycle. This engine supports a machine that can propel itself through drifts that are nearly three feet deep. All you have to do is take the controls and steer with the heated handles. The Husqvarna 1650EXL does all the rest.

Because it is supported by such a powerful engine, the auger on the Husqvarna 1650EXL can clear a path that is two and a half feet wide. With that kind of clearance, you can remove snow from walkways in a single pass. You’ll be able to clear a driveway for your pickup truck in five or six passes. And because it’s two-stage, you can use it on the farm just as well as in a paved area.

The Husqvarna 1650EXL has a lot of great features that make it a very convenient machine to operate. Not only are the handles heated, but the control panel as a whole is very simple to use. There is an LED headlight to brighten the way on overcast days or early nights. And an electric start makes it easier to get going. This snow blower has everything you need to tackle big drifts easily.

Pros

The Husqvarna 1650EXL is the kind of snow blower you want on your side when serious winter storms start dropping heavy accumulations of snow in your area. That’s because it is designed to be a tough machine with real clearing capacity that can get big jobs done quickly. With its high performance engine, massive clearance width and intake height, thoughtful design and durable craftsmanship, the Husqvarna 1650EXL is simply one of the very best snow blowers on the market today.

1. Tough Briggs & Stratton engine : You want a serious engine backing up a snow blower of any caliber, but it is especially important when you are dealing with a massive two-stage snow blower. The Husqvarna 1650EXL has a Briggs & Stratton engine. This company is one of the leaders in small engine manufacturing, and with good reason. They have a solid reputation for building the best engines. The engine in the Husqvarna 1650EXL is a powerful 342 cc OHV design that delivers raw power over the long term.
2. Massive 30-inch clearance width : This is one area in which Husqvarna snow blowers really shine compared to the rest of the competition. They boast some of the widest clearances you can find on any snow blower out there. With a 30-inch clearance width, the Husqvarna 1650EXL will be able to cut down on the amount of time you spend clearing snow considerably. This width can clear a sidewalk in a single pass, and dig out a one-car driveway in just four or five passes.
3. Heavy duty auger and impeller : When you are faced with hard-packed, icy snow, you want to be able to rely on your snow blower to be able to cut through it without getting bogged down. The Husqvarna 1650EXL has the kind of heavy duty steel auger you need to grind up snow into manageable pieces. And its impeller is also made of the kind of tough materials that will blow even heavier snow through the snow chute with no trouble.
4. Great accessories : The Husqvarna 1650EXL is not just a powerful, tough snow blower. It also has a lot of considerate details that make the snow clearing experience a much better one. It has an LED headlight so you can see what you’re doing on dark winter evenings. Its handles are heated for clearing snow in freezing temperatures. It has an electric start so you can get going more quickly on cold mornings. These are the extra features that make this a great machine.
5. Hydro speed drive : The Husqvarna 1650EXL has a new and improved hydrostatic speed drive, which is an upgrade from its older chain-driven transmission. The transmission in this model is solid and provides serious propulsion to the extra-large wheels. This allows for better traction when you are dealing with icy surfaces. It also means the Husqvarna 1650EXL will be able to power right through tough snow drifts without slowing down so you can get the job done much more quickly.

There really isn’t a whole lot more you can ask for in a snow blower. The Briggs & Stratton engine and 30-inch clearance width alone would be enough to make this one of the top snow blowers on the market. But the Husqvarna 1650EXL doesn’t stop there. It also has very durable parts and the kind of thoughtful details that make it an extremely convenient snow blower. When winter comes calling, this is the kind of snow blower you want on your team.

Cons

With all of those excellent features, it was difficult to find any areas in which the Husqvarna 1650EXL was a bit lacking. Still, there are a few minor areas that could present issues to the user. While I really do not think that any of these drawbacks are serious concerns at all, I do think it’s worth reviewing them anyway, just so you have a good sense of the limitations the Husqvarna 1650EXL may present. But overall, the outstanding design and manufacturing really outweighs any of these minor concerns in my opinion, and I think you will agree.

1. Very large footprint : When you are buying a big snow blower that can get serious snow clearing jobs done, you are going to have a hard time finding one that does not have a correspondingly large footprint. While it is not surprising, the Husqvarna 1650EXL is still a very large machine. It has an overall footprint of 37 x 50.9 x 32 inches. That is going to take up a lot of space in your garage, but I think it’s worth it.
2. Non-CARB compliant : On a snow blower that has the kind of seriously powerful engine that the Husqvarna 1650EXL does, it is going to produce a lot of emissions. This is just part of owning a machine with an engine that has a displacement of over 300 cubic centimeters. Unfortunately, though, it means the Husqvarna 1650EXL is not compliant with California Air Resources Board emissions standards. This is unfortunate mainly because it means a lot of users will not have chance to own this great machine.
3. Certain parts are plastic : While most of the parts on the Husqvarna 1650EXL are made of durable stamped or welded steel, there are a few key parts that are still made of plastic. The auger mounts, for example, are plastic, as are parts of the snow chute. I don’t think this is a big deal, since they are made of durable composite plastic. But at the same time it would be nice if all parts of the Husqvarna 1650EXL were steel.
4. It’s rather noisy : The Husqvarna 1650EXL has an engine that is an overhead valve style. That means it is producing a great deal of torque in a relatively small space. But it also means that to do so, it is going to be making a lot of noise, too. This is just part of owning a machine with a really powerful engine – but on mornings when you are clearing your driveway early, you may risk waking the neighbors.
5. Only has four forward speeds : I tend to think that four choices for forward speeds along with two reverse is plenty. But there are models out there that have as many as six forward speeds, and I must admit that having the extra options is always a plus. With its hydrostatic transmission, the Husqvarna 1650EXL could support more speeds, and it would be nice if more were available. But most users should be totally fine with just the four that are available.

As you can see, these are not the kind of serious Cons that would take away from any of the outstanding features the Husqvarna 1650EXL does have. It remains an extremely powerful and very durable machine with lots of really great accessories. I think that anyone who buys the Husqvarna 1650EXL will agree that these Cons are not serious concerns, and that overall it remains one of the very best snow blowers on today’s market.

Product Comparison

The best way to make sure you are looking at a great snow blower is to compare it to similar models and see how it stacks up. This kind of comparison shopping is the only way to know if you are getting the best model for the price, or if there is something better out there. In order to make this process as quick and easy as possible, the following table compares important product specs of the Husqvarna 1650EXL with those of two similar models.

	Husqvarna 1650EXL	Snapper 1696002	Ariens ST24LE
Type	Two-Stage	Two-Stage	Two-Stage
Dimensions	37 x 50.9 x 32 inches	35.8 x 50.5 x 50.5 inches	38 x 26 x 30 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Engine Manufacturer	Briggs & Stratton	Briggs & Stratton	Briggs & Stratton
Engine	342cc – OHV	250cc – OHV	250cc – OHV
2-cycle / 4-cycle	4-cycle	4-cycle	4-cycle
Drive	Self-propelled	Self-propelled	Self-propelled
Speed Control	4 forward / 2 reverse	6 forward / 2 reverse	6 forward / 2 reverse
Clearing Width	30 inches	27 inches	24 inches
Snow Cut Depth	23 inches	23 inches	21 inches
Throw Distance	Up to 35 feet	Up to 40 feet	Up to 35 feet
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Light	LED Headlight	n/a	n/a
Chute Control	Manual 180°	Manual 200°	Manual 180°
Wheels	16-Inch x 5-inch	16-Inch x 5-inch	16-Inch x 5-inch
Weight	272 pounds	254 pounds	256 pounds
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years

I think you will agree that in pretty much every single category, the Husqvarna 1650EXL is clearly the best model. Of the three, it has the most powerful engine, the widest clearance and the highest snow cut depth. These are the most important considerations on a snow blower, but the Husqvarna 1650EXL is superior in other categories as well. It’s the only model with a headlight or heated handles. Overall, the Husqvarna 1650EXL is one of the best machines out there.

Conclusion

A two-stage snow blower like the Husqvarna 1650EXL is a big investment, and it is important to be sure that it is the right snow blower for you. In order to be absolutely sure, I think it’s a good idea to quickly review the Pros & Cons so you can see just what this machine has to offer.

Conclusion Pros

1. Tough Briggs & Stratton engine.
2. Massive 30-inch clearance width.
3. Heavy duty auger and impeller.
4. Great accessories.
5. Hydro speed drive.

With one of the best engines you can find in a snow blower, an extremely wide clearance and a snow cut depth that is nearly two feet high not counting the drift cutters, I think you’ll agree that the Husqvarna 1650EXL is one of the best snow blowers on the market. It really has everything you need for big jobs.

Conclusion Cons

1. Very large footprint.
2. Non-CARB compliant.
3. Certain parts are plastic.
4. It’s rather noisy.
5. Only has four forward speeds.

And none of the Cons are the kind of drawback that could realistically be said to take away anything from all of the great Pros on the Husqvarna 1650EXL. Sure, it’s a big, noisy machine that produces exhaust, but that is because it is a powerful snow blower that can deal with serious jobs well.

Final Word

Whether you are in a rural area and need a two-stage snow blower to clear unpaved roads, or live in the suburbs or city but are expecting some serious snowfall this winter, you want a snow blower that can stand up to tough jobs well. That not only means that you need it to be made out of durable parts. You also want it to have a serious engine that can perform well, an extra wide clearance and a high snow cut depth.

In all of these areas, the Husqvarna 1650EXL is one of the best snow blowers in its class. It has not only the outstanding design and manufacturing that you would expect from a top-notch company like Husqvarna, but a lot more as well. It’s got the clearance and intake to deal with deep snow on big areas. And it has the accessories you need to make the job more convenient.

Best Price

The Husqvarna 1650EXL is not a cheap snow blower – but for what it has to offer, it is really affordably priced. This is a snow blower that goes above and beyond the basics. Not only does it have the kind of wide clearance and high snow cut depth you need to handle big jobs, it has one of the best engines you can find on a snow blower. It has tons of outstanding accessories to make the job more convenient. And it’s made of parts that will last a lifetime. I think the Husqvarna 1650EXL is really worth every penny. This is a great snow blower at a fair price.