The toys of fall and winter

If you got caught without the right equipment for the recent snowfall, or yours gave up its last breath this season, never fear. It's not too late to add equipment to your arsenal.

Snowblowers to clear your driveways and walks, chain saws to help cut your firewood, and leaf blowers for next fall are still available.

With the help of tool experts Chris Grundy from the DIY Network's television show "Cool Tools" and Clint DeBoer, editor-in-chief of ProToolReviews.com, here's a handy guide to these tools for the handyman (or not-so-handyman).

Snowblowers

DeBoer turns east - Far East, that is - for his first recommendation.

"The newest snowblower coming to market is the EGO SNT2100 56V cordless snowblower, which will be available at The Home Depot and select online retailers for $599," DeBoer says. "That price includes two 5.0Ah batteries. We got to test this tool in China at the factory where it's made. It outperforms most of the other cordless models in terms of sheer power and ability to move snow on the first pass. It has a 21-inch cutting swath and weighs just 45 pounds."

For a more traditional snowblower, DeBoer recommends the $1,099 Ariens Deluxe 28-inch two-stage electric start gas snowblower. "It has easy steering, lots of power, cuts a wide swath, and starts up right away every time."

If you live in a Northern states like Minnesota with lots of snow, you should consider investing in a two-stage, gas-powered snowblower.

"It moves more snow than the electric," Grundy says. "Electric snowblowers and stage one snowblowers don't have a part called the impeller, which allows you to go faster and move more snow. With a two-car driveway, you are going to need that power. A one stage is more for decks, sidewalks, little areas with a little snow."

Grundy suggests going with the Toro Power Max 826 OTE two-stage snowblower ($1,000). "It's gas powered and comes with an electric start, which is a huge thing in snowblowers. When you're yanking on something and its zero degrees and it's not starting up right away, you go back inside. It's frustrating."

For about $1,650, Grundy says you can move up to a Cub Cadet 3X 30HD snowblower, with two impellers, an incredibly tight turn radius, a headlight and a three-year warranty. Plus a joystick that controls where the snow shoots out.

Chainsaws

With respect to chain saws, DeBoer says: "We love the safety factor of new battery-powered models from DeWalt, Stihl, EGO, Husqvarna and Greenworks. A battery powered chain saw lets you communicate better when you're using it - let off the trigger and you don't have that telltale idling. They're particularly great for up-high tree work. For heavy duty work, products like the Stihl MS 291 or Echo CS-500P won't disappoint."

For the urban chain saw user, Grundy recommends the McCulloch MCC1635AK ($140). Forest dwellers may benefit more from the Stihl MS 210 C-BE ($290).

One other tip from Grundy: bring your work gloves before you buy.

"When they design chain saws, some companies have made the mistake of designing them for people without gloves on," Grundy says. "So sometimes it's too tight when you put your gloves on. Get your hands in there and make sure you are comfortable how they feel and that you can manipulate the controls with your gloves on."

Leaf blowers

Keep weight, attachments and power source in mind while buying, Grundy says.

"They are usually around 12-15 pounds in weight. You can get lucky if you find something around 10 pounds. I don't usually talk about poundage of tools, but with leaf blowers the weight is a factor because you are carrying them all over the yard," says Grundy.

Another factor to consider: the attachment shape. You can have two leaf blowers with the same rating and same power, but the way your attachment is shaped can speed up or slowdown that airflow, says Grundy. Narrower tubes can increase airspeed, while longer tubes help the user keep from bending over constantly to access hard to reach spaces.

For a leaf blower, the decision depends upon your needs, says DeBoer.

"EGO has a cordless 530 cfm blower that's convenient to use and pushes a lot of air. If you need more power or have a huge lawn, then the Stihl BR 350 backpack blower is hard to beat for its value and performance," says DeBoer. "You get a lot of run time off the large tank, and it has the power to clear out anything - even wet leaves."

For the urban leaf-blower, Grundy suggests the 150 mph Troy-Bilt TB2BV EC, weighing in at 9.85 pounds and costing $150. For those living in more forested environments, Grundy recommends the 210 mph Husqvarna 125B E-Tech, weighing at 9.4 pounds for $150.

Users should also note that the price of an electric leaf blower would be double that of a gas-powered model for the same power rating.