Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025 Right now

[ASIN:B00005OQMG Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025]
Just finished the second snow removal of the season. First was about 6" of light snow, the second a three inch mix of snow, sleet and ice. Clearing 40' of walkway and 40' of single car width asphalt driveway. Plus, a path for the mailbox and trash can and a patch for the dogs (don't ask). Job 1 was no problem after learning how to use the machine. Job 2 was more of a bear because of the ice on top.

However, while the total time was probably longer than hand shoveling (get out the blower, get out the cord, untangle the cord since the spouse had used it and dumped it into a pile, snow blow, put the blower back, rewind the cord, etc.), my ancient and decrepit body was able to move the snow (even that dumped by the town at the end of the drive, bless their hearts) with nary a back twinge or sprain. Not that I didn't complain to the bride. And not that it did any good, but I thought I'd stay in practice in case a big job came up. At any rate, escaped an ambulance ride one more time.

While clearing the ice, it sounded like a blender at times. However, despite the light weight plastic construction, by making a couple of passes, the Toro did a decent job - much better than I expected, frankly. And the light weight is an advantage when moving the blower around.

Speaking of which, the chief annoyance is the power lever which spans almost the entire length of the handle. It is next to impossible to move (reposition) the unit by the handle without having it start up. The second minor annoyance is that the cord likes to vibrate free from the plug socket despite the convenient cord "pass-through."

Bottom line: does what I need it to do without the hassle of a gas powered unit. Should be able to clear a foot of "normal" snow although you might have to make a couple of passes. Use a 14 gauge two prong 100' cord rated for low temperatures (I use 12-3, but that is overkill). You can get the cord for $45 or less (Home Depot, Costco, Sam's, Wal-mart, BJ's, etc.). I also see the price of the Toro is up $60 to $320.00 in the past couple of months (12/2007) and much higher than the $200 I saw it for last year. Still cheaper than a gas unit and will do the job of a small gas unit for up to a foot or so of dry snow and a distance of 100'.

PROS:
- Electric.
- Easy to set up and operate.
- Lightweight, compact, (mostly) quality construction.
- Works well on dry, powdery snow.
- Will cut through some ice and slush. Have patience and let the blower do the work.
- Gets me out into the relative peace and quiet of the great outdoors where I can smile at the Prius drivers while their landscapers push around huge gas operated machinery.

CONS:
- Some assembly required (not tough, but save the beer for after the job).
- The large "on" bar makes it (too) easy to accidentally start blower.
- Cord will occasionally disconnect despite the cord holder.
- A retractable / foldable / more easily removable handle would be nice for storage.
- Small plastic rear wheels replace the former large metal and rubber wheels. Not sure what purpose they serve except to keep the unit from falling over. Usually.
- Forget the "electric plug lock." It doesn't work. Throw the little plastic key away.Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.