Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025 Get it now!

After seeing that most people love the Toro 1800, I decided to get it for my wife. Seeing also that a significant minority got defective units, I was hoping mine would turn out defective as well, so I could take it apart and find out why (yes, this is how engineers go through life). Got it home, it worked great for 20 seconds, then the impeller stopped turning even though the motor continued. YESSSS!!!

It wasn't a slipped belt, but a more subtle problem. See p. 9-10 of the manual, "Replacing the Rotor." There is a note just above step 6: "When mounting the coupler to the drive hex, align the coupler tabs to the inside." Well, it was installed backwards, i.e. aligned to the outside. That created a situation where the plastic impeller would turn until it encountered significant resistance, then it would slip out of the coupler and freewheel.

The failure mode above matches several 1-star reviews I've seen on this product. If you are reasonably handy, check for this assembly defect. You may be able to rescue your purchase. Once fixed, the unit performed in 4-star mode and my wife is now a happy camper.Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.