Power Smart DB7651-24 Review

(Rated: 4.2 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Result Quality
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If you are a homeowner in a region of the country that gets a lot of snow during the winter, you know full well how peaceful and beautiful the landscape can be after a big snow fall. Everything is quiet, and lines are blurred by the snow. It is really something to see. But if you have any intention of getting out of your house after a big storm, you also know how much work clearing a long driveway of a deep snow accumulation can be. When this is the case, you want a dependable, powerful snow blower in your garage that is going to help you get the snow cleared quickly and efficiently. With the Power Smart DB7651-24, clearing snow is easy and almost enjoyable. With this machine, you will be able to get snow off your driveway and walkways so you can get your car out and walk to your mailbox.

Review Summary

The Power Smart DB7651-24 is such an impressively powerful snow blower that once you get your hands on one, you will be anxiously anticipating the next big snow storm to see what it is capable of. In two words, the answer is: a lot. This snow blower has a powerful 4-cycle engine under the hood with a displacement of 208 cubic centimeters. That gives the auger and impeller fan enough power to throw snow up to 35 feet away. It supports a 24 inch clearing width and a high snow cut depth, so you will be clearing your driveway and walkways in fewer passes and more efficiently.

The Power Smart DB7651-24 has 4 forward speeds as well as 2 reverse speeds in its self-propelled drive system, so once you start it up all you have to do is steer; the snow blower does the rest of the work. And starting it is a breeze: gone are the days of struggling with a heavy starter cord, because this snow blower has an electric push button start that revs up the engine in a matter of seconds. This snow blower was designed with power and convenience in mind, and it delivers on both counts.

Specifications

The Power Smart DB7651-24 is a two-stage gas snow blower with dimensions of 38 x 26 x 30 inches. It has a push button start and a 208 cubic centimeter, four-cycle engine with overhead valve design. Its drive system is self-propelled and it has four forward and two reverse speeds.

The Power Smart DB7651-24 has a 24 inch clearance width and a 21 inch snow cut depth. It has a throwing distance of 35 feet, an ergonomically designed handle and a manual snow chute that rotates 180 degrees. Its wheels are 13 x 4 inches and it weighs 180 pounds. It comes with a 1 year warranty.

Description

When you first lay eyes on your new Power Smart DB7651-24, you will instantly be able to tell that this is a powerful snow blower that will be able to handle big snow accumulations quickly and efficiently. Get it out of the box, and you will be surprised at how quickly you are able to put it together using basic household tools; it comes mostly assembled and will be ready to use in less than fifteen minutes. After that, it’s a waiting game: I guarantee you will be checking the forecast for the next big snow storm to see what this baby can do.

And it can do a lot. The Power Smart DB7651-24 has a powerful engine that drives the big auger and robust impeller fan, allowing it to cut through snow drifts quickly and efficiently. The auger’s clearance width is a full two feet, which is wide enough to clear walkways in a single pass and can considerably cut down on the number of passes it takes to clear a driveway. The Power Smart DB7651-24 has a 21 inch high snow cut depth as well, so no matter how severe of a blizzard comes your way, you will be able to handle whatever amount of snow it drops.

Conveniently, the Power Smart DB7651-24 has four variable forward speeds and two reverse speeds. Once you figure out what speed is most comfortable for you, you set the drive and you’re off to the races. This is a quick, efficient snow blower that only needs you to steer it, because it does the rest of the work on its own. With this snow blower in your garage, the speed at which you can clear heavy snow fall from your driveway will make you the envy of all of your neighbors.

Pros

When a heavy storm hits, you want to be sure you have a snow blower in your garage that can handle whatever snow accumulation occurs. Older models had the power necessary to throw big amounts of snow, but they were hard to use, often because they were a pain to get started, requiring you to prime the engine, squeeze the choke and yank on a starter cord. The Power Smart DB7651-24 starts easily every time and has excellent snow clearing ability.

1. 24 inch clearance width : One of the main reasons to purchase a gas powered two-stage snow blower is because these models are able to support very wide augers. This feature allows you to clear walkways in a single path and reduces the number of passes you need to make to clear wide driveways as well. Fewer passes translates directly to less time spent clearing snow, which is what it’s all about. The less time you spend out in the cold, the better.
2. 21 inch snow cut depth : The second reason two-stage snow blowers are such useful tools is because they have extremely high snow cut depths. At 21 inches, the Power Smart DB7651-24 has the kind of depth you need so that you can be prepared for any accumulation of snow Mother Nature can bring your way. Big snow drifts and deep snow fall are no longer a problem when you have a two-stage snow blower ready and waiting to cut through it.
3. Durable materials and build : The body and parts of the Power Smart DB7651-24 are made of solid materials, so you can be sure it will hold up to repeated use over the long term. Its body is made of pressed steel, and it has 12 inch, serrated, 100 percent steel augers that are designed to power through tough conditions without getting worn down or damaged. It has big, rubber wheels with deep treads that can handle uneven ground and a snow chute made of dense composite material.
4. Powerful 4-cycle engine : The reason this snow blower is able to support a wide clearance, high snow cut depth, solid auger and self-propelled drive system is because it has a great engine. The Power Smart DB7651-24 has a 208 cubic centimeter engine with Overhead Valve and LCT Storm Force design. It’s a four-cycle engine, which means it is easier to operate and requires less maintenance to keep it running smoothly through the winter.
5. Self-propelled drive system : This is one of the great additional features the Power Smart DB7651-24 provides: it drives itself. All you have to do is get it out of the garage or tool shed, press the starter button, select your desired speed, and steer. The snow blower does the rest of the work. And with four forward speeds and two reverse speeds, you can be sure that it is never going too fast or too slow for your preferred pace.

The Power Smart DB7651-24 two-stage gas powered 24-inch self-propelled snow blower is perfect for homeowners with big, long driveways who live in regions of the country that get hit with serious snow fall on a regular basis. With this powerful beast in your garage, you will always be prepared to handle whatever weather winter can bring your way. In fact, you might even wind up looking forward to big storms so you can show off your snow blower’s clearing prowess.

Cons

It would be hard to believe, considering all of those excellent features and bonuses, that there are areas in which the Power Smart DB7651-24 is not all perfect. But it does have certain drawbacks. Many of these are normal for big two-stage gas powered snow blowers, which are big, powerful machines, but even in spite of these drawbacks, it is still an excellent snow blower with a lot of ability.

1. High emissions, non-CARB compliant : The four-stroke engine on the Power Smart DB7651-24 produces a high volume of emissions, and because of this it is not compliant with California Air Resources Board emissions standards for small engine machines. That means that if you live in any of the 14 states that enforce CARB emissions regulations, you will not be able to purchase or operate this snow blower. This is unfortunate, because this is a powerful, high performance machine.
2. Has a fairly large footprint : The Power Smart DB7651-24 is a big machine. It has to be in order to support an extra wide clearance and a high snow cut depth. But its overall dimensions of 38 x 26 x 30 inches means that it may present difficulties finding enough storage space for it in your garage or tool shed. It is also going to be a bit difficult getting it down narrow pathways or through small garden gates, so you should be prepared for this.
3. Turning the machine can be difficult : Because the Power Smart DB7651-24 does not come equipped with power steering, just a self-propelled drive system, turning the snow blower can be a bit difficult. This is especially true because it weighs 180 pounds, which, while relatively light for a big two-stage snow blower with its dimensions, is still a lot of weight to move around. In order to mitigate this problem, I recommend always making sure you keep the tires at the full pressure, which will help make it easier to turn.
4. May struggle with very wet snow : If you wait to clear snow until the weather has changed and snow accumulation has melted somewhat, making the snow slushier, denser and heavier overall, you may have trouble. This is something lots of snow bowers struggle with: there is a limit to how many pounds of snow they can move per minute, and with wet snow, they tend to get bogged down. To avoid this problem, try to clear snow as soon as it has stopped falling.
5. Manual chute control can be difficult : The chute control on the Power Smart DB7651-24 is manual, and operated with a crank that extends to the rear of the snow blower. As such, it can be a bit difficult to operate. The operation definitely takes some getting used to, and some users may have trouble with this. The best thing to do is set your chute to the desired direction before you start clearing snow, so you are not struggling with it while you’re in the elements.

Frankly, I would not consider any of these Cons to be particularly serious, and some of them are not really design flaws or drawbacks so much as they are limitations experienced by most two-stage gas snow blowers. The most unfortunate one is the fact that it is not CARB compliant, because it means some readers will not be able to enjoy the benefits of owning this great snow blower.

Product Comparison

Finding the right two-stage snow blower for your needs can be a challenging task, because there are so many different kinds out there, and within classes there is such variety. As a result, it makes perfect sense that you would want to do some thoughtful comparison shopping before you settle on one model or another. Different models have different specs, and prices can vary widely. The following chart compares product specs for the Power Smart DB7651-24 with two other snow blowers.

	Power Smart DB7651-24	Husqvarna 12527HV	Snapper 1696000
Type	Two-Stage	Two-Stage	Two-Stage
Dimensions	38 x 26 x 30 inches	52 x 27.5 x 42 inches	38 x 26 x 30 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Engine Manufacturer	Power Smart	Husqvarna	Briggs & Stratton
Engine	208 cc – OHV	291cc – OHV	205cc – 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	6 forward / 2 reverse
Clearing Width	24 inches	27 inches	24 inches
Snow Cut Depth	21 inches	23 inches	21 inches
Throw Distance	Up to 35 feet	Up to 35 feet	Up to 35 feet
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Light	n/a	LED Headlight	n/a
Chute Control	Manual 180°	Manual 180°	Manual 200°
Wheels	13-Inch x 4-inch	16-Inch x 5-inch	13-Inch x 4-inch
Weight	180 pounds	238 pounds	214 pounds
Warranty	1 year	2 years	2 years

As you can see, the three snow blowers have comparable clearing widths and snow cut depths, although the Husqvarna model has the biggest of the three. It also has the biggest wheels and a headlight, but at the same time it has the largest footprint and weighs the most. That’s a lot of extra weight for just a few more inches of clearance, although on big jobs those inches can add up quickly. The Husqvarna is also considerably more expensive than the Power Smart DB7651-24.

Conclusion

Depending on where you live, you may have winters that drop a lot of snow in a series of big storms, or you may get fairly moderate and manageable snowfall. Either way, you want a snow blower that is suited to your driveway length and the amount of snow fall you tend to receive. The following pros and cons of the Power Smart DB7651-24 should help you make up your mind.

Conclusion Pros

1. 24 inch clearance width.
2. 21 inch snow cut depth.
3. Durable materials and build.
4. Powerful 4-cycle engine.
5. Self-propelled drive system.

With its ultra wide clearance and 21 inch high snow cut depth, the Power Smart DB7651-24 is perfect for homeowners with big driveways to clear who live in regions that experience heavy snow fall. It has the kind of durable materials and powerful engine that will allow it to stand up to the elements year after year.

Conclusion Cons

1. High emissions, non-CARB compliant.
2. Has a fairly large footprint.
3. Turning the machine can be difficult.
4. May struggle with very wet snow.
5. Manual chute control can be difficult.

The Power Smart DB7651-24 is not right for everyone. It is designed to handle big, tough jobs under fairly adverse conditions, and as a result it burns a lot of gas, is big and somewhat heavy, and can be a bit difficult to turn. But it has a lot to offer under the right conditions.

Final Word

For its price, the Power Smart DB7651-24 is an excellent two-stage gas powered snow blowers on the market today. When it is faced with serious snow fall over big areas, it really excels. It has the kind of wide clearance that allows you to quickly and efficiently clear lots of snow from wide driveways, and it has the intake height needed to deal with the toughest snow fall. The materials used to manufacture it are top quality and designed to hold up under tough conditions over the long term.

The Power Smart DB7651-24 is easy to start up, and drives itself through deep snow drifts without breaking a sweat. All you have to do is steer it once you get it going, and you will be pleasantly surprised by how quickly and easily this machine can clear your driveway. This is a really solid snow blower, and it’s the kind of machine you can depend on when winter starts getting serious.

Best Price

Prices on two-stage snow blowers can vary a lot on today’s market, and they can get really expensive very quickly. The Power Smart DB7651-24 has one of the more affordable prices I have seen for a snow blower of its class and size. This snow blower offers the kind of savings you need to make sure you can keep your property clear of snow without having to put too much strain on your wallet. It is important to find high quality products that don’t cost too much if you want to keep your budget under control, and with the Power Smart DB7651-24, you can.