Are Honda snow blowers worth roughly twice the price of an Ariens?

That's the real debate in r/Snowblowers and r/HondaSnowblowers. Honda owners consistently cite multi-decade reliability, hydrostatic drive, and dealer support; Ariens owners argue the Platinum and Deluxe SHO lines throw snow just as far for substantially less money. Both brands earn 'buy it for life' language from long-time owners — the premium buys refinement and resale value more than raw snow-moving capacity.