Posts
Dec '07
I bought this last year, but it was not til this weekend's Nor'easter that I had a chance to see what it was made of. Like another reviewer, I'm just north of Boston and we frequently get 4-6" of pretty heavy snow... This weekend was another story- first came the fluffy snow, then the temp went up and it rained, turning things to slush, then it got very cold, of course turning things into cement. Snow totals were in the neighborhood of 1-1.5 feet, plus some left over from a previous storm.
For the first two scenarios, the Toro did remarkably well. This thing will motor through 6 or 8 inches of snow without batting an eye, and it will throw it a good 15 feet. It's fun, it's easy to use, it's super light, and it's relatively quiet. Did I just say clearing the driveway is fun? Well, it is, kinda... For slushy snow- I used my in-laws two-stage snow machine to try to clear a few inches of slush with no luck, that thing would clog like an old snow cone machine. When I came home, the Toro just paddled its way through it, and if you went slowly enough, cleared the thick soupy stuff with great agility. As other reviewers said, if you have a smaller driveway to clear, this thing will have you out and done before you've checked the gas on your old one. A thick crust of ice or large ice rocks will be a dealbreaker on this machine, where a more solid one or two stager might get through it.
PROS: light, relatively cheap, no maintenance/oil/gas, quiet, good for smaller driveway and sidewalk, portable (hey you can even take it to the inlaws!)
CONS: not even sure why they have the plastic wheels on the back it doesn't really seem to need/use them; structure feels a little toy-like but really performs despite this, this machine does not like ice or rocks; it also doesn't like being pushed too fast. Also, it's physical size mean that more than 8-10 or so inches of snow will ride over the top and be harder to clear. It'll still handle it, but may require 2 passes.
Overall: Would get another one today. Just be realistic with your expectations and you'll be rewarded.Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.
