Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025 Decide Now

I had a Toro 2 cycle single-stage snow thrower for many years. It would work only on alternate years, i.e., only when the gasline was cleaned by a pro! This despite using gas stabilizer. I finally put it on the recycle pile at the dump, for someone else to play with.

This one is perfect. I don't have to fuss with mixing oil & gas, and doubt that the "start-next-year" thing will be an issue. It's fairly light weight...I bought it to spare my back from shoveling curved walkways. It seems to do them just fine. I had a 10" snowfall which sat there for several days, through some melting & refreezing, but this little goodee did its job in a snap. The biggest fuss was getting the long extension cord set up, and getting the handle pieces together...a bit of a tight fit (I guess this is ok in the long run). And you can't just muscle it together with brut strength, 'cause you wouldn't want to damage the wiring which goes through the handle!

I find 2 problems: Like a lot of other reviewers, the long cord is a real pain. A 75' cord would be a nice compromise: 100' seems too long (& heavy), and 50' is not enough.

The 2nd problem is the material: pretty much all plastic except the handles. One wonders how many winters this will survive. They do include diagrams showing how to change various parts, but will the cost (unknown) of replacing parts be worth it? I guess the plastic construction is why it's such a light-weight, about 30 lbs. Still a little too heavy for regular lifting; I'm keeping it where I can just roll it out when needed.

I would advise anyone using this though, to plug it into either a hard-wired GFCI or get a portable GFCI to plug into a normal outlet. The GFCI will keep you from getting electrocuted, should this thing short out, or the cord get chopped as you find it & yourself in wet snowdust! Gotta watch that cord.

I'd recommend it even for a small person who can't or doesn't want to shovel, can't deal with a super-size 2-stage thrower, OR as a supplement to a 2-stage thrower for sidewalks and smaller areas. At 30 lbs., it's still not something to be lifted on a regular basis...on the other hand, 30 lbs. rolling around the ground for 10 minutes is sure a lot easier than an hour of lifting snow with a shovel! :)

ADDED on June 2008: I started to get striped patterns after shoveling my DRIVEWAY this year (thrower was on 2nd winter). I ordered a replacement plastic scaper blade, hoping that that was the problem. It was very easy to replace (2 screws), and we were back in business...no more stripes, for a reasonable cost. I ordered another scraper blader to have on hand, since I think going over the rocks which the road plower throws onto my drive must be damaging the scraper.

AND, I ordered another entire unit! I have found this to be soooo handy and unbelievably good in throwing even some of the worst snow we've had (winter 2007-08), that I would cry if the original one were to become terminal, or they stopped making this model. So now I have a spare sitting still in its box in the basement "just in case." BTW, if a foot or more of snow is forecast, I just go out when it's about 6" and do it twice. Oh, and I even managed to slowly chip away at the "wind-rows" (heavy stuff) which the road guy leaves at the bottom of my drive! Slush is the biggest challenge...must be sure to get out before the sun warms the snow into slush, since slush can't be thrown more than a few inches. Otherwise, this thing is great and mine is the cleanest driveway in the neighborhood! ;)

Added February 2009:
Third-4th year: Something came lose and the directional hand-crank is non-functional...just spins around. Temporarily, I put 2 tensioners (heavy bands) to tighten up the rod and hold the chute steady. Machine still works. But now I have to reach down and turn the chute by hand. Still not a problem; still one of the best machines I own for outdoor work. If I weren't so busy throwing all the snow we've gotten this year, I'd take the time to figure out what screw is missing and fix her...maybe in the spring. ;)Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.

Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025 Order Now

I'm a new homeowner in the Mid-Atlantic and I was not looking forward to clearing driveways and walkways of the soggy snow we get here. I bought this unit for the 2005-06 winter and had the chance to fire it up for the first time this past month. The snow had accumulated to about 3-4 inches, but it was soggy, and the base layer (against the relatively warm ground) was already melting into ice. I didn't know what to expect, but the Power Curve started easily and then happily chomped away at the snow on asphalt and cement surfaces. When the Power Curve runs, the engine sounds like it's running in a comfortable power band, and it doesn't seem to strain when used. Despite the icy base layer, the Power Curve shaved it up into the rotor so the result was a very clean surface. I finished quickly and the results were very satisfying. The unit is also light (~25 pounds) so it maneuvers easily. I am grateful that this electric unit works so well because I would never spend the $$$ for a gas-powered unit. Plus I hate fiddling with gas engines. So, I think the Power Curve is perfect for a person (like me) who wants an assuredly effective snow thrower/blower that: 1) fills your needs when the expense and hassle of a gas-powered unit is hard to justify; 2) has the convenience of an electric engine; 3) is easy to maintain; 4) has plenty of power to handle the soggy/icy/crusty "snow" in temperate regions, which I call "heart attack" snow. Lastly, my wife, who objected mightily to this purchase, became a believer after seeing the results.Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.