Murray 1695539 Review

(Rated: 4.1 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Result Quality
Check Price
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Serious snow storms call for serious snow blowers. You do not want to be caught trying to deal with a blizzard-size snow fall with a small, single-stage snow blower that will not be able to get the job done. And if your snow blower cannot get through deep drifts, there are a number of regions in the United States where it will sit in the garage while you struggle to dig yourself out. When you live in an area like New England, which averages over 100 inches of snow every winter, you want to have a tough, big snow blower that can handle whatever comes your way. The Murray 1695539 is precisely that kind of two-stage, robust snow blower. It has an extra wide clearance and a high snow cut depth that will be able to handle the deepest snow drifts without breaking a sweat. This is one tough snow blower.

Review Summary

The Murray 1695539 is a tough, powerful snow blower that simply does not mess around. It is built to tackle deep snow fall quickly and efficiently, and because of that, it is the kind of two stage snow blower you will want to have in your garage when winter starts dumping heavy snow accumulations on your area. This snow blower is meant to take care of whatever Old Man Winter might be ready to cook up – and it shows. The Murray 1695539 has the kind of extra wide clearance and high snow cut depth that will allow you to clear even the biggest driveways of whatever the meanest blizzards can drop.

And the Murray 1695539 is powerful. It has a top of the line engine made by Briggs & Stratton that provides enough power to run not only the mean-looking, notched steel auger but also the rear wheel drive. That means you will be able to maneuver it up and down the driveway with minimal effort on your part. All you have to do is start the Murray 1695539 up and point it in the direction of the deepest snow drifts you can find, and this snow blower will do the rest.

Specifications

The Murray 1695539 is a gas two-stage snow blower with dimensions of 38 x 26 x 30 inches that weighs 197 pounds. It’s easy to maneuver in spite of its weight because its Briggs & Stratton engine powers a drive system with 4 forward and 2 reverse speeds as well as the auger.

The auger on the Murray 1695539 has a clearance width of 24 inches and a snow cut depth of 21 inches, which is what you need to tackle big jobs fast. Its chute rotates 190 degrees and is controlled by a rear crank. The Murray 1695539 has an electric start and big, tough wheels. It comes with a 2 year warranty.

Description

When you get the Murray 1695539 out of its box and assembled – which only takes a few minutes, as the snow blower comes almost completely put together – the first thing you will probably think is that this is one tough, mean looking snow blower. It’s big: the overall dimensions are over two feet wide and three feet long, and the machine weighs almost two hundred pounds. And it has a fierce looking notched steel auger that can clearly cut through the deepest, iciest snow drifts in just seconds. This is obviously a snow blower that is not going to mess around.

The Murray 1695539 is not just big and heavy, though. It is also thoughtfully designed to ensure that you are able to get the most snow cleared in the least amount of time – and with the least amount of effort on your part. It has a convenient electric starter, so you will not have to be struggling to yank on a starter cord in subzero weather. The Murray 1695539 starts right up as soon as you hit the power button. And when it roars to life, you will know you have a serious snow blower on your hands.

The clearance width on the Murray 1695539 is a full two feet. That means you will be able to clear snow from your driveway in fewer passes and spend less time on the job. And its massive 21 inch snow cut depth ensures that you will have no trouble with even the deepest snow fall. In addition, the Murray 1695539 has four convenient forward speeds and two reverse speeds. That means you will have no problem finding the pace that is perfect for you, and you also will not have to struggle to push the snow blower around your driveway. It does the work for you.

Pros

The Murray 1695539 really has a lot to offer. There are so many superior features on this snow blower that it is frankly a bit difficult to narrow them all down to just the top five. Not only is it wide and powerful, it also has some great design notes that are intended to make sure you do not have to work too hard to clear your driveway and sidewalks of snow. Let’s take a look.

1. Durable, notched steel auger : On a two-stage snow blower, you want an auger that is going to be able to stand up to tough conditions over the long term. It should be able to cut through icy snow drifts quickly and efficiently, and it should not be at risk of getting worn down over time. The Murray 1695539 has a notched auger made of durable, welded steel. That means that you will have no problem using it for years.
2. Massive 24 inch clearance width : With a clearance width that is two feet wide, you are going to be able to clear a sidewalk in just one pass. And on even the biggest driveways, you will be able to get the job done much more quickly than you would be able to with a smaller clearance width. The Murray 1695539 is designed to deal with big areas in fewer passes – which is particularly important when it is freezing out and you want to get back inside.
3. Powerful Briggs & Stratton engine : All of that size and clearance ability would be worth next to nothing if it was not backed up by a serious engine to support it. And the Murray 1695539 has one of the best engines in the business. It is made by Briggs & Stratton, a leader in small engine design and manufacturing. The engine has a displacement of over two hundred cubic centimeters and an overhead valve design. It delivers raw power consistently.
4. Excellent discharge chute design : The discharge chute on the Murray 1695539 is one of the design notes that show that the manufacturer wanted to make sure this was a convenient snow blower to use. It is manually rotated using a rear crank, and just a few turns of the crank can shift it from one end to the other of its 190 degree rotation. That means you will not have to stop in order to turn the chute.
5. 13-inch tires designed for best traction : When you are out clearing snow in freezing conditions, you know you are going to have to be dealing with slippery conditions. Icy patches can be hidden under the snow, and without the right tires it is easy to lose control. That’s why the Murray 1695539 comes equipped with big tires that have the kind of deep treads that will be able to resist slipping and sliding and keep the snow blower on course.

The Murray 1695539 has everything you could want in a snow blower. It is big and tough, with a powerful engine, wide intake and a durable auger. But it also has the kind of details that you want a manufacturer to provide. It’s not enough just to be a powerful tool: you also want to have something that is easy and convenient to use so that you can finish the job with minimal effort on your part.

Cons

In spite of the fact that the Murray 1695539 is one of the best two stage snow blowers available in its price range today, there are a few areas in which it is not quite perfect. Now, I don’t want to give you the idea that these take away from all of the great Pros the machine has to offer. Far from it, but at the same time you should know exactly what you are getting.

1. Non CARB compliant : It is not really a Con that the Murray 1695539 is not compliant with the California Air Resources Board emissions standards – most two stage snow blowers aren’t, either. The standards are fairly strict, and it is hard to find an engine that can deliver the kind of power that a two stage snow blower needs while remaining within those guidelines. But if you live in California or any of the other 14 states that enforce these rules, you can’t buy it.
2. Has a fairly large footprint : Yes, the Murray 1695539 is a big snow blower. Its overall dimensions of 38 x 26 x 30 inches are going to take up a lot of space in your garage, and if you are anything like me, garage space is already at a premium. But at the same time, this footprint is supporting the kind of extra wide clearance you want in a snow blower, because it means you will be able to clear your driveway faster.
3. Rather noisy : A machine that has an engine with an overhead valve design is always going to be noisy. This style of engine delivers a lot more power in a smaller space, but it does so at the cost of producing a lot of fumes and noise. This isn’t really an indictment in terms of design, but if you have neighbors who like to sleep in, you may run the risk of waking them up on snowy mornings.
4. Only throws snow 20 feet : This is the one area I could find in which I thought the Murray 1695539 was in fact a bit lacking. It would be nice, on a big, powerful machine such as this one, to have a throw distance of 25 or even 30 feet. When you are clearing a big driveway, those extra five feet can make a difference. Still, 20 feet is pretty far, so you should be able to get by with that.
5. Engine will need periodic maintenance : If you have never owned a machine that ran on an engine with overhead valve design, you should be made aware of the fact that it will need some periodic maintenance. This is nothing major, and it involves minor tasks like changing the occasional spark plug or air filter. You also will have to change the oil every so often. This is not a big deal, but it is important to be aware of.

So, I think you will agree with me that these Cons are not the kind of design or manufacturing flaws that will take away from the overall ability of a snow blower like this one. None of them affect the mahcine’s performance or ability to handle a lot of snow under tough conditions. The Murray 1695539 still is one of the best two stage snow blowers I can find in its price range.

Product Comparison

The best way a savvy consumer can decide whether or not a particular product is right for them is to compare it with what else is available on the market. Comparison shopping allows you to quickly assess how a given product like the Murray 1695539 stacks up to models made by competitors, and also determine what the character of the entire market is like. The following table compares product specs of the Murray 1695539 with two similar models.

	Murray 1695539	Ariens 920013	Husqvarna 12527HV
Type	Two-Stage	Two-Stage	Two-Stage
Dimensions	38 x 26 x 30 inches	36 x 26 x 29 inches	52 x 27.5 x 42 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Engine Manufacturer	Briggs & Stratton	Ariens	Husqvarna
Engine	205 cc – OHV	208 cc – OHV	291cc – OHV
2-cycle / 4-cycle	4-cycle	4-cycle	4-cycle
Drive	Self-propelled	Self-propelled	Self-propelled
Speed Control	4 forward / 2 reverse	4 forward / 2 reverse	4 forward / 2 reverse
Clearing Width	24 inches	22 inches	27 inches
Snow Cut Depth	21 inches	16 inches	23 inches
Throw Distance	Up to 20 feet	Up to 40 feet	Up to 35 feet
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Light	n/a	n/a	LED Headlight
Chute Control	Manual 190°	Manual 205°	Manual 180°
Wheels	13-Inch x 5-inch	12.5-Inch x 4-inch	16-Inch x 5-inch
Weight	197 pounds	199 pounds	238 pounds
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years

As you can see, the Murray 1695539 really hangs with the best of them – but it does so while providing a few advantages of its own. While the Husqvarna model has a slightly wider clearance and snow cut depth, it’s also much heavier and bigger, and it has a higher price tag as well. The only area in which the Murray 1695539 does not stack up compared to the other two machines is in its throwing distance.

Conclusion

You want the best snow blower in your garage when serious blizzards are threatening to blanket your area in heavy snow fall. There is no point getting a sub par snow blower that will not be able to get the job done. The Murray 1695539 has the kind of Pros you need to clear heavy snow.

Conclusion Pros

1. Durable, notched steel auger.
2. Massive 24 inch clearance width.
3. Powerful Briggs & Stratton engine.
4. Excellent discharge chute design.
5. 13-inch tires designed for best traction.

Its auger is nothing short of intimidating, and its housing has the kind of wide clearance and high snow cut depth that you want. It’s backed up by a top of the line engine that can provide the power you need, and it has great design notes that make the job more convenient.

Conclusion Cons

1. Non CARB compliant.
2. Has a fairly large footprint.
3. Rather noisy.
4. Only throws snow 20 feet.
5. Engine will need periodic maintenance.

While the fact that the Murray 1695539 does not have a farther throwing distance is a drawback, it’s really the only one. All of other cons are the kind of things you would expect to find on a big, powerful snow blower, and I don’t think they really take away from the snow blower much at all.

Final Word

If you want to be prepared for whatever nature might be cooking up to blanket your area with this winter, you need a powerful, capable snow blower in your garage that does not mess around. A two stage snow blower is really the only way to go if you live in a region that routinely gets heavy snow fall or if you live in a rural area and do not have a paved driveway. But when you are going with one of these machines, you will be spending a bit more money, so you want to be sure that you are getting one that can perform well every time.

That’s why a machine like the Murray 1695539 is the right choice. It has everything you will need to take care of deep snow fall quickly and efficiently, no matter how big your driveway is. This snow blower has quality parts and design. It is robust and reliable. And best of all, it is very easy to operate. This is one solid snow blower.

Best Price

When you are getting a serious snow blower that can not only deal with heavy snow fall quickly, but also is made of outstanding parts, is durable, and is well designed, you would naturally expect to pay quite a bit for it. But with the Murray 1695539 you do not have to. It has a price tag that is about average for a snow blower of its size, and yet it has the kind of excellent design and construction that puts it well above other snow blowers in its class. Murray is offering an extremely well made snow blower at a very fair price with the Murray 1695539.