Power Smart DB7651-26 Review

(Rated: 3.8 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
Noise
Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
Result Quality
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When winter comes knocking and starts dropping serious levels of snow in your area, you need to have a snow blower in your garage that is going to be prepared for whatever you might have to deal with. Especially when you live in an area that gets rather heavy snow storms or have a rural property with unpaved roads, you are going to want to make sure you have a powerful two stage snow blower that is going to be ready for anything. If your snow blower is too small or not very durable, a big storm can knock it right out of commission. Not all two stage snow blowers are equipped to handle tough conditions, either: you want to make sure you have one with a high clearance capacity, a powerful engine and heavy duty auger. The Power Smart DB7651-26 is that kind of snow blower: it is tough, solid, and ready for anything.

Review Summary

The Power Smart DB7651-26 is the kind of tough snow blower that is ready to handle anything Old Man Winter might decide to send your way this season. It has a higher snow clearance capacity than most two stage snow blowers. That is because it has a wider auger than average, as well as a snow cut depth that is ready for the deepest drifts. Plus, it comes with skid shoes so you can leave your driveway completely clear, and drift cutters that extend its snow cut depth by a full extra twelve inches.

The Power Smart DB7651-26 has a mean-looking serrated steel auger that can grind right through the densest, most hard packed snow you can find without getting bogged down or worn out. And not only does it have a tougher auger, the Power Smart DB7651-26 is made of durable materials all over, so you never have to worry about it getting damaged or losing performance ability over the long run. This is a snow blower that is built to stand up to the toughest jobs without batting an eye. It is well equipped for the worst winter conditions, and it is ready to take on deep snow fall in large driveways.

Specifications

The Power Smart DB7651-26 is a gas powered two stage snow blower with a four-cycle OHV engine that has a displacement of 208 cubic centimeters and a convenient electric start. It has overall dimensions of 38 x 27 x 30 inches and weighs just 185 pounds. The Power Smart DB7651-26 has a self-propelled drive with four forward and two reverse speeds.

The Power Smart DB7651-26 has a clearance width of 26 inches and a snow cut depth of 21 inches, and it can throw snow up to 35 feet away and well clear of any driveway. It has an ergonomic design, and its snow chute can be manually rotated from the rear of the snow blower 180 degrees. The Power Smart DB7651-26 has big, heavy wheels for better traction and easy to use controls. It comes with a one year warranty.

Description

One of the first things you are probably going to notice when you get the Power Smart DB7651-26 out of its box is how big its auger and auger housing are. This snow blower has one of the wider clearances and highest snow cut depths you can find on a two stage model, which means you will be able to power through heavy snow fall and clear a really big driveway more quickly than you ever could with another model. And because it comes with drift cutters, the Power Smart DB7651-26 is ready to deal with the worst winter blizzards as easily as it can clear light powder that is just a few inches deep.

The auger on the Power Smart DB7651-26 is not just big, either: it is tough. The auger is made of durable welded steel that will never need to be sharpened in order to maintain its outstanding performance ability. Because the blades of the auger are serrated, they are ready to cut through even dense, icy snow that would stop other snow blowers in their tracks. This mean looking auger can grind through any snow drifts that you might come across and help you finish clearing your driveway more quickly than ever.

But the Power Smart DB7651-26 is not just big and tough, either: this is a very thoughtfully designed snow blower with lots of great features that are designed to help make your life a whole lot easier while you are clearing your driveway. With skid shoes that are designed to help clear your driveway while protecting its surface, a convenient electric starter for getting going on cold mornings, and lots of other excellent accessories, the Power Smart DB7651-26 is made with your convenience in mind. This is a great snow blower that has everything you need to take care of big jobs – and best of all, it has a great price.

Pros

The Power Smart DB7651-26 has a lot of excellent qualities that combine to make it one of the better two stage snow blowers on the market today. It has a great overall design and a powerful engine under the hood that supports one of the best clearance capacities you can find. It has a lot of convenient features, and its auger is tough and ready for anything that you may encounter. Let’s take a look at some of the best features of the Power Smart DB7651-26.

1. Outstanding clearance capacity : The clearance capacity that a snow blower provides is one of its most important features: this is what is going to determine how quickly and efficiently you are going to be able to remove snow from your driveway. On the Power Smart DB7651-26, the clearance capacity is huge, because it has an auger that is over two feet wide and a snow cut depth that is 21 inches high. Plus, it can throw snow up to 35 feet away.
2. Relatively compact and lightweight : On a snow blower with that kind of clearance capacity, you would expect it to be big, bulky, and very heavy. But the Power Smart DB7651-26 is surprisingly compact and does not weigh nearly as much as comparable two stage snow blowers. While it is not the smallest snow blower out there, you should not have a lot of trouble fitting it into your garage or tool shed. And it weighs less than two hundred pounds, which will make it more maneuverable.
3. Excellent design : The Power Smart DB7651-26 is a very well designed machine, with lots of thoughtful details included. It has ergonomically designed handles so you won’t risk injuring your back or shoulders while you are using it. Skid shoes and drift cutters are included to make your job a lot easier when you are dealing with deep drifts or hard packed snow on the ground. The controls are fairly easy to operate, and you can turn the snow chute from the rear of the machine.
4. Powerful engine : The Power Smart DB7651-26 is able to support such a high clearance capacity and extra wide auger mainly because it is equipped with a very powerful engine. The engine is made in-house by Power Smart specifically for this type of snow blower. It has a displacement of over two hundred cubic centimeters, which allows it to provide lots of horsepower and plenty of torque to both the auger and the self-propelled rear wheel drive.
5. Serrated, all-steel augers : When you are dealing with hard-packed, icy snow, you want to have a snow blower that has the kind of tough augers that can cut right through it in no time at all. That is exactly the kind of augers the Power Smart DB7651-26 has: they are serrated for better cutting power. And they are made of durable welded steel so they will never need to be sharpened or replaced. There is no snow bank too tough for this snow blower.

As you can see, the Power Smart DB7651-26 is a snow blower that is well equipped to handle whatever serious snow fall might occur in your area. This is a durable, well designed machine that will stand up to tough winters for many years to come, and it has everything it takes to clear heavy snow fall from a big driveway quickly and efficiently. Overall, the Power Smart DB7651-26 is an outstanding snow blower that will serve you well.

Cons

With all of the great features the Power Smart DB7651-26 has to offer – extra wide clearance and high snow cut depth; a powerful engine and a tough, durable auger – you may be surprised to find that there are a few areas in which it is not quite perfect. Most of these drawbacks are minor, and a few of them are quite common for two stage snow blowers. So they don’t really take away much from all of the outstanding Pros this snow blower has.

1. Not CARB compliant : When you are dealing with hard-packed, icy snow, you want to have a snow blower that has the kind of tough augers that can cut right through it in no time at all. That is exactly the kind of augers the Power Smart DB7651-26 has: they are serrated for better cutting power. And they are made of durable welded steel so they will never need to be sharpened or replaced. There is no snow bank too tough for this snow blower.
2. Rather noisy engine : The engine doesn’t just produce a high volume of emissions – it also produces a high volume of noise as well. While that won’t really be a problem for you, either, it does mean that you will have to take care if you are clearing your driveway on early mornings before you head off to work not to wake your neighbors, who may be sleeping in. Of course, if you hit their sidewalk while you’re at it, they probably won’t mind.
3. Snow chute is plastic : The snow chute on the Power Smart DB7651-26 is made of plastic. While it is durable composite plastic, I always prefer to see snow chutes that are manufactured of tougher stamped steel, because they are less likely to crack or suffer any damage over the years. You should not have any problems with the snow chute on the Power Smart DB7651-26, but still, I would not mind having a snow blower that was entirely made of steel.
4. Turning takes some work : There is no power steering feature on the Power Smart DB7651-26, which is not a big deal, but it does mean that you will have to do most of the work in turning it on your own power. The self propelled rear wheel drive helps a bit, but for tight corners, it takes a bit of strength to get the Power Smart DB7651-26 to turn around. This should not be a problem for most users, but it’s something to be aware of.
5. Has limited forward speeds : The Power Smart DB7651-26 only has four forward speeds, along with its two reverse speeds. This ought to be plenty for most scenarios. But there are snow blowers out there that provide six forward speeds, and the extra two options – believe it or not – really do make a difference in terms of the convenience and ease of use. Conditions on the ground can be volatile, so having more speed choices allows you more leeway to set a pace that is right for whatever you encounter.

I think you will agree that these are not the kind of serious Cons that present real issues that you should be worried about. The Power Smart DB7651-26 does not have any drawbacks that threaten its overall capacity and performance ability. And in my opinion all of the great Pros it has really outweigh any of the minor issues discussed above. Overall this remains an outstanding snow blower that will perform well for many years.

Product Comparison

Of course, you can only get so much information about a particular snow blower from product descriptions or Pros and Cons lists – no matter how detailed they are. One of the best ways to augment them is by doing some thoughtful comparison shopping. That way, you can see how one snow blower stacks up to those made by the competition, and get a better sense of which one has the best product specs for your individual needs.

	Power Smart DB7651-26	Snapper 1696000	Murray 1696030
Type	Two-Stage	Two-Stage	Two-Stage
Dimensions	38 x 27 x 30 inches	38 x 26 x 30 inches	37 x 50.9 x 32 inches
Start	Button push	Button push	Button push
Engine Manufacturer	Power Smart	Briggs & Stratton	Briggs & Stratton
Engine	208 cc – OHV	205cc – OHV	305 cc – 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	26 inches	24 inches	29 inches
Snow Cut Depth	21 inches	21 inches	21 inches
Throw Distance	Up to 35 feet	Up to 35 feet	Up to 35 feet
Handle	Ergonomic	Ergonomic	Ergonomic
Light	n/a	n/a	n/a
Chute Control	Manual 180°	Manual 200°	Manual 180°
Wheels	13-Inch x 4-inch	13-Inch x 4-inch	16-Inch x 5-inch
Weight	185 pounds	214 pounds	294 pounds
Warranty	1 year	2 years	2 years

As you can see, the Power Smart DB7651-26 has a clearance width and snow cut depth that are above average for a two stage snow blower – but manages to provide them while still being one of the more lightweight and compact models on the market today. The Power Smart DB7651-26 has an engine that is made in-house, which means it should run more smoothly over the long term. And best of all, it has one of the more competitive prices for a snow blower in its class.

Conclusion

By now, you are probably as impressed with everything the Power Smart DB7651-26 has to offer as I am. This is a great snow blower, and I guarantee that it will make your life a whole lot easier this winter. But before you decide to buy it, let’s take one more quick look at the Pros and Cons lists, just to make sure it’s the right one for you.

Conclusion Pros

1. Outstanding clearance capacity.
2. Relatively compact and lightweight.
3. Ergonomic design.
4. Powerful engine.
5. Serrated, all-steel augers.

The clearance capacity on the Power Smart DB7651-26 is one of its most impressive features, and it manages to provide that without being one of these overly large, hulking machines that are hard to operate. It’s ergonomically designed and has a powerful engine that supports a heavy duty, serrated set of augers that can grind right through any snow you might encounter.

Conclusion Cons

1. Not CARB compliant.
2. Rather noisy engine.
3. Snow chute is plastic.
4. Turning takes some work.
5. Has limited forward speeds.

In terms of Cons, the Power Smart DB7651-26 has few – and those it does have are really quite minor. It’s frankly a shame that California residents can’t purchase this machine, because it is such a high performance snow blower. Other than that, those Cons that it does have should not affect its performance in any real way.

Final Word

The Power Smart DB7651-26 is the kind of serious snow blower that is going to have you very well prepared for the worst storms this winter, no matter how much snow might fall. Whether you have a big, unpaved area to keep clear of snow, or just want a heavy duty snow blower to keep your paved driveway clear of heavy snow fall, the Power Smart DB7651-26 has everything you need to get the job done.

With the kind of tough serrated auger that can cut right through snow and ice without slowing down and a powerful engine driving the auger and rear wheel drive, the Power Smart DB7651-26 is going to make short work of big jobs. Your neighbors are going to be envious of the quick, professional snow removal job you are able to give your driveway, even after a serious blizzard. This is a solid, high performance snow blower.

Best Price

One of the best things about the Power Smart DB7651-26 is the fact that even though it has a high performance steel auger, powerful engine and excellent clearance capacity, it is not at all expensive. This snow blower actually falls slightly below average for two stage snow blower pricing, which is rather surprising. But it means that just about any household should have no problem affording the 13, even those that are on a tight budget this winter. And in this economy, that kind of savings is important. The 13 is a great snow blower at an outstanding price.