Is a two-stage or three-stage gas snow blower better for a typical homeowner?

For most homeowners with paved driveways and seasonal snowfall under ~12 inches per storm, a two-stage is the right call: it handles end-of-driveway plow piles, throws snow well, and costs significantly less than a three-stage. Three-stage machines (with an accelerator/impeller) are aimed at people who routinely face very deep, wet, packed snow and want faster intake. Specialist community consensus across the threads we read leans two-stage for nearly everyone.