# Why do snow blowers have manual chokes and lawn mowers don't?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 29, 2021, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141 "2021-05-29T01:28:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LivingGhost371](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@LivingGhost371](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LivingGhost371)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/1 "2021-05-29T01:28:03Z")

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I got my new mower today (Toro with a Honda Engine) and wondered this.

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/2 "2021-05-29T02:01:33Z")

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It may be something that varies by model (or age). I’ve definitely had a lawn mower with a manual choke.

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/3 "2021-05-29T02:34:43Z")

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I’d say because the starting conditions in winter of the snow blower are worse than a lawn mower in summer and the manual choke gives the best chance of getting it running. Also it is run less frequently. I’ve also noticed that snow blowers also usually have a carb float drain that you can push to drain the old gas.

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/4 "2021-05-29T03:02:06Z")

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Both my push mower (Toro, 12 years old) and my rider (John Deere, brand new) have manual chokes.

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**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/5 "2021-05-29T04:38:28Z")

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I can’t seem to be able to post links 🙁

Anyway do a search for “Toro with a Honda Engine” and you’ll find that model has an Auto Choke

Next 😀

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**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/6 "2021-05-29T08:30:55Z")

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Because one is designed for cold weather starting?

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-snow-blowers-have-manual-chokes-and-lawn-mowers-dont/943141/7 "2021-05-29T10:13:27Z")

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Manual choke on Honda lawnmower here. I don’t remember ever having a lawnmower without one.