MTD 31A-050-706 Review

(Rated: 4.3 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Result Quality
Check Price
Related pages: Best Electric Snow Blower, Best Snow Blower, Electric Snow Blower Reviews, MTD, MTD Snow Blowers, Snow Blower Reviews,

If you are a homeowner with a fairly short driveway and not too many long sidewalks to keep clear of snow this winter, you can enjoy the benefits of a snow blower without having to buy one that is bad for the environment. Electric snow blowers are becoming more and more common these days, as consumers become more cognizant of the effects their choices are having on the atmosphere and environment. With an electric snow blower, you will not be producing any emissions at the point of use, so you get all of the snow clearing power you need without elevating your household’s overall carbon footprint one bit. That’s good news, especially as global climate change is becoming a very serious concern. With an electric snow blower like the MTD 31A-050-706, you are getting a compact, capable machine that can take care of moderate snow fall on smaller driveways quickly.

Review Summary

The MTD 31A-050-706 is a compact snow blower that packs a lot of snow clearing power into a small space. It has a small enough footprint that it will be very easy to find enough storage space for it, but still has a sufficiently wide clearance to deal with smaller driveways quickly and efficiently. While it does not have a particularly high snow cut depth, it is more than capable of taking care of snow fall of up to 9.5 inches, a depth that will be perfect for most homeowners in the United States. And best of all, it produces zero emissions and runs very quietly – unlike gas powered snow blowers, which spew fumes into the yard and are noisy enough to wake the neighbors.

If you have a shorter driveway, and you live in a region that does not experience a high volume of snow fall during the winter, the MTD 31A-050-706 is the perfect snow blower for you. It has all of the advantages of clearing snow quickly and efficiently. But it also has none of the drawbacks that big, gas guzzling snow blowers present their owners. It’s a great little machine that will keep your driveway clear all winter long.

Specifications

The MTD 31A-050-706 is an electric single stage snow blower that weighs just 29 pounds and has overall dimensions of 41 x 16.5 x 34 inches. It has an eleven amp motor that provides enough power to clear up to four hundred pounds of snow per minute under optimal conditions.

The MTD 31A-050-706 can clear that much snow because it has a clearing width of 14 inches and a snow cut depth of 9.5 inches. It can throw snow up to 20 feet away – more than enough to clear the average driveway – and its snow chute rotates 180 degrees. It comes with a two year warranty.

Description

When you first get the MTD 31A-050-706 unpacked, don’t be fooled by how compact and lightweight it is. This is a snow blower that is built to handle a decent amount of snow, and it can clear a small to moderately sized driveway fairly quickly. It has everything you need to keep your property clear of snow without having to do all the work yourself, and it is designed to last for a long time. It comes almost completely put together, and the little additional assembly that is required just takes a few minutes to complete.

Unlike a gas powered snow blower, which will need you to fill the gas tank and check the oil before you can use it, the MTD 31A-050-706 is electric. All you have to do is plug it in and flip a switch and it is ready to start clearing snow. You will not ever have to deal with priming the engine and struggling with a recoil starter cord to get this little guy going. It starts right up every time. And it is durably built of solid composite plastic, so you know it will last many years.

And for its size, the MTD 31A-050-706 can clear a pretty impressive amount of snow. It moves 400 pounds per minute, which is more than enough to get light snow fall cleared quickly and efficiently. It does so virtually noiselessly, so you never have to worry about waking up your neighbors on early mornings before you go to work. And best of all, the MTD 31A-050-706 will never put a single carbon emission into the atmosphere. You get all of the power you need to clear your driveway of light snow without having to worry about the impact it’s having on the environment. It’s the best of all worlds.

Pros

The MTD 31A-050-706 offers a lot of great features to its owner. This machine is built to provide a lot of convenience to anyone who has a shorter driveway or sidewalks to keep clear. You get all of the benefits of a snow blower without having to deal with any of the drawbacks usually associated with some of them, such as emissions, fuel efficiency or noisy engines. It’s easy to store and light enough for anyone to operate.

1. Zero emissions : One of the best reasons to switch over to an electric single stage snow blower is the fact that it will never produce a single emission at the point of use. With the MTD 31A-050-706, you are getting a much more environmentally friendly machine than you could have with a gas powered snow blower. That means that you will be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint every time you clear your driveway.
2. Easy start and use : The MTD 31A-050-706 is really a very easy machine to use. Because it is electric, all you have to do is plug it in and hit the starter switch to get it going – no worrying about having to struggle with an obstinate recoil cord. No worrying about running out of gas in the middle of a snow storm. No dealing with faulty spark plugs or engine filters. The MTD 31A-050-706 is extremely user friendly.
3. Perfect for smaller jobs : When you have a fairly small amount of space to cover, you do not need a big, hulking snow blower to get the job done. In fact, if your driveway is rather short and you only have a few walkways to keep clear, buying a snow blower that is too large is ultimately going to cause more trouble than it’s worth – especially if you don’t get very heavy snow storms in your area. You want a small machine like the MTD 31A-050-706.
4. Clears snow the first time : The MTD 31A-050-706 is a great single stage snow blower: it has an efficient auger that clears snow all the way down to the surface of the pavement on the first pass. That means you will never have to go over the same area twice to get a completely cleared driveway. This will save you a lot of time and effort over the years, since you can get the job done more quickly than ever.
5. Compact and lightweight : One of the best parts about owning a smaller snow blower like the MTD 31A-050-706 is the fact that it is so compact and lightweight. You will have no trouble finding enough storage space in your garage or tool shed for this snow blower – even under your workbench or on a lower shelf. And maneuvering it is really easy: at 29 pounds, it is light enough to lift over the curb or use on stairs.

As you can see, there is a lot to like on the MTD 31A-050-706. It is perfect for clearing moderate snow fall from smaller areas. You will never have to worry about CARB compliance or waking up your neighbors with a noisy combustion engine with the MTD 31A-050-706. It is easy to store and simple to operate. It is perfect for use on short driveways, and will reliably last for many years to come.

Cons

While the MTD 31A-050-706 has a lot of excellent features to offer, the fact is that it is a snow blower designed for a fairly specific use, and you may find that its performance may suffer a bit if you use it under conditions it is not meant to deal with. That said, these Cons are not the kind of serious problems that take away considerably from its overall ability – it’s still a great machine.

1. Low clearance capacity : The clearance capacity may be the most serious issue that the MTD 31A-050-706 presents. Because it is below average, if you are trying to clear a lot of snow with this snow blower, you will not be able to do it nearly as quickly as you could with more capable models. At the same time, for light accumulations of snow, 400 pounds per minute should be more than enough to get the job done.
2. Small intake : Because the MTD 31A-050-706 is designed to handle modest accumulations of snow on smaller driveways, it does not have the kind of big clearance width or high snow cut depth that many other single stage snow blowers provide. But while these specs could both be considerably larger, if you have the right conditions on your property for a smaller snow blower, then the MTD 31A-050-706 will be just right for you. You don’t need a huge snow blower in some circumstances.
3. Struggles with wet snow : Wet, heavy snow is a perennial problem for single stage snow blowers, and the MTD 31A-050-706 is no exception to this fact. Because the wet snow weighs so much, a snow blower like the MTD 31A-050-706 with a capacity of just 400 pounds per minute is going to get slowed down by it. At the same time, it is able to get through it; you will just have to go at a reduced pace.
4. Wheels are very small : The wheels on the MTD 31A-050-706 are very compact – a feature that may present problems with maneuvering it under certain conditions. If the auger is not engaged, it can be a bit difficult to mover the MTD 31A-050-706 over uneven ground or through densely packed snow. And getting it in and out of the garage will be a little difficult at first. But once you do engage the auger, you should have no trouble using it.
5. Limited range : Because the MTD 31A-050-706 is a plug-in electric snow blower, your total range of use will only have a radius as wide as your extension cord is long. In most cases, a typical forty foot extension cord will be long enough to clear a small suburban driveway. But occasionally you need a few extra feet. In that case you either have to get a second cord or find a closer outlet to the end of the driveway.

I think you will probably agree that none of the issues listed above is the kind of serious problem that is going to take away considerably from the ability of the MTD 31A-050-706 to deal with moderate amounts of snow fall on smaller driveways. If this snow blower is used as it is intended to be, you should not have any problems with it. Overall it remains an excellent snow blower for keeping short driveways clear.

Product Comparison

Of course, you can only glean so much information from Pros and Cons lists about a single snow blower. Once you have narrowed you search down and know you want a single stage snow blower with an electric motor, the best thing to do is compare two or three models in that class. That way, you can get a good sense of which one offers the best deal for the price. Let’s take a look at a few similar snow blowers.

	MTD 31A-050-706	Snow Joe SJ621	DuroStar SD1300
Dimensions	41 x 16.5 x 34 inches	45 x 19 x 38 inches	43 x 17 x 35 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Motor	11 amp	13.5 amp	9.7 amp
Clearing Width	14 inches	18 inches	16 inches
Snow Cut Depth	9-1/2 inches	10 inches	9 inches
Capacity / Minute	Up to 400 pounds	Up to 650 pounds	Up to 500 pounds
Throw Distance	Up to 20 feet	Up to 20 feet	Up to 25 feet
Drive	Manual push	Manual push	Manual push
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Chute Control	Manual 180°	Handle 180°	Manual 180°
Wheels	Compact wheels	Compact wheels	Compact wheels
Light	n/a	20 watt halogen	n/a
Weight	29 pounds	33.3 pounds	36 pounds
Warranty	2 years	2 years	1 year

As you can see, the MTD 31A-050-706 is the smallest and most lightweight of the three models. It also has the narrowest clearing width and the shortest snow cut depth. But if you live in an area that does not get a lot of snow during the winter, that shouldn’t be too much of a concern. Its capacity per minute is on the small side, but under the right conditions should be ideal. And of the three, it’s the least expensive.

Conclusion

Ultimately, you want to make absolutely sure that you are getting the best snow blower for your needs and for the price tag. Because of that, I think it is a good idea to take one more look at the Pros and Cons lists for the MTD 31A-050-706 before you make a final decision to buy it.

Conclusion Pros

1. Zero emissions.
2. Easy start and use.
3. Perfect for smaller jobs.
4. Clears snow the first time.
5. Compact and lightweight.

The MTD 31A-050-706 is completely free of carbon emissions. It’s user friendly and clears light accumulations of snow all the way down to the pavement on the first pass. If you have a short driveway, or else just sidewalks and a deck to keep clear, the MTD 31A-050-706 has everything you need for the job.

Conclusion Cons

1. Low clearance capacity.
2. Small intake.
3. Struggles with wet snow.
4. Wheels are very small.
5. Limited range.

But because the MTD 31A-050-706 is designed for a very specific set of conditions, if you try to use it for deep snow drifts or attempt to clear a very large driveway with it, you may encounter problems. That said, under the right circumstances, the MTD 31A-050-706 will perform as well as any other snow blower.

Final Word

Even when you have a shorter driveway and live in an area of the United States that does not get particularly heavy accumulations of snow all at once, shoveling the driveway can be a real pain. It seems to take forever – even on small one car driveways – and when you are done, your back is aching and you’re freezing cold. Switching to a snow blower is the best move you could make this winter.

But a hulking, gas guzzling snow blower is not right for most people. What you need is a compact electric snow blower that can handle moderate accumulations of snow fall quickly and efficiently, like the MTD 31A-050-706. It won’t produce any emissions at the point of use, and it will be able to take care of small areas much more quickly than you could with just a shovel. This is the perfect snow blower for the right circumstances.

Best Price

One of the most attractive features on the MTD 31A-050-706 is its price tag. This is one of the most affordable snow blowers you can find on the market today. You are getting all of the power and convenience of a solidly built, compact snow blower. But you also avoid having to spend a fortune to get one. Snow blowers can get very expensive rather quickly – even single stage, compact models. It is refreshing to find one that is reasonably priced. This is a great little snow blower that just about any household should be able to afford – even if you’re on a budget.