Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025 Best Quality

The claim of 20 to 30 feet to throw the snow is way over done - 10 feet is more like it. However, I need a 100 foot cord to do my driveway and did it today with about 2"+ of light fluffy snow and it worked great! The driveway is both wide and long and has a large incline. It worked well and it is not recommended for this type of situation.

The cord is a problem that I have managed to work out so I still say for the money this little guy is great. Sidewalks would be a breeze for it even though a longer distance.

It is light weight and easy to handle at least for someone like me and like me is not saying much at all since I have little strength.

I have rated 4 of 5 because of the distance it can throw and the cord but for any widow out there and more especially with arthritis this is the one that should work in most situations.

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

I have finally had a chance to use my snow thrower. While we haven't had mountains of snow, there was enough to use it three times. Once you get the hang of the cord, it goes very smoothly. I have a long driveway, nearly 100 feet according to the 100 foot cord, and it has enough power to work well for me. My cord comes from my garage on the one side of the driveway and that seems to be the trickier side so I basically start on that side from the middle and move out and get that part over with--three swipes and the cord is no longer a problem for me--the rest is a breeze. Takes me around 20 to 25 minutes to do my driveway, two sidewalks, and my front porch in an average snowfall--that's several hours less than it would take to shovel it. Runs very smoothly although you have to watch for dips where the concrete meets as it runs so close to the pavement it can catch if you have a dip. Overall, I am thrilled to pieces with this handy, light machine--plug it in and go! Best money I've invested in ages!

And now I can add an update to this--we had a large snowstorm with lots of snow drifts last week. I started my driveway at least half an hour after my neighbor started his (same size driveway) with his HUGE snow thrower. I finished my driveway, sidewalk and porch while he was still working at his--and that included the extra snow at the end of my driveway that my city always manages to dump. You do need to cut the drifts down to size by going over them a few times--still, it took me less than a hour for what it used to take my boyfriend several hours to do! I love this machine!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 Top Quality

This snow blower I believe is only good for light snow removal, maybe for snow falls up to 3" to 4". Had I realized the difficulty of using a snow thrower with an extension cord I would have never bought it. The snow thrower itself does perform well in light snow falls.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 This instant

I've owned several Toro products. Between my own experience and the reviews here, I was expecting great things. Today, I put it to use for the first time in about 3 inches of light, fluffy snow. Although the cord was a minor annoyance, I was happy not to be mixing gas. But my joy was short-lived. After about 10 minutes, the motor made a brief grinding noise and then locked up, never to run again. I'll assume I just got a bad one, but I don't think I'll be ordering another.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 Review

This is a great machine. It is light weight and lives up to its promise.
However, it will not pick up hard packed snow, just the lighter stuff. Except for that it is perfect for Alaska driveways. You can carry it with one hand. 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

I don't like shoveling much, in fact getting a snowblower was a requirement for me to move from a moderate climate (SF Bay Area) to Iowa. After one and a half winters, I have found that this little snowblower is far faster and far less taxing on the back than shoveling, though it does not replace a gas powered snowblower.

The toro is great for the lighter powder snow when the temps are around 25 degrees or lower. It throws the snow probably around 10 feet or so off to the side. You can almost walk full speed if there is less than 2 or 3 inches of the powder snow with no ice underneath. It takes just a matter of minutes (10 or so) to clear my short drive and sidewalk. At 3 to 6 inches or so of powder things slow down, taking roughly 20-30 minutes to clear the area. The snow will fly around 5 feet depending on winds, and has a tendency to accumulate on my drive (2 car) from the first few passes so it gets thicker near the last few passes. Around 6 to 8 inches or so of powder snow you have to start taking narrower passes or take the snow off in multiple layers. Snow really accumulates on the drive and things slow down considerably. Around 10 to 12 inches of powder I would consider borrowing my neighbor's gas rig and clearing his drive too. This thing excels at clearing powder snow like what I have typically seen around this area.

Wet or heavy snow found when the temperatures are around the freezing point is a different story for the Toro. The throwing range is maybe a couple of feet at most and it has a tendency (an understatement) to clog. More than a couple of inches of this wet, heavy stuff is a pain to clear with this snowblower since it clogs every few feet. I will point out that shoveling this kind of snow will break your back and I would rather clear a clog than shovel cement, but it's annoying to say the least. This is the type of snow that everyone that has to clear it hates (except maybe for some high powered blowers or people in comfy snow plows): the Toro 1800 is no exception to that experience.

The Toro can chip through icy snow, packed snow or a thin ice layer (not smooth ice), though it's best if you can clear snow before it gets icy or packed since this is a slow process. In general it has more power than I expect in these situations.

Regarding the electric vs. gas debate: A couple of times I have finished clearing my drive while a neighbor has tried fruitlessly to start a stubborn gas blower. On the other hand, minding the cord and being tied to an electric outlet are mildly irritating at times. My neighbors have cleared my drive a time or two, though it's a little more difficult to return the favor. I have also seen the same small gas blower that was difficult to start cut through snow that challenged this guy. It's clear that most gas blowers are still in a different league compared this relatively powerful electric.

Overall, it generally meets my needs with a short 2 car driveway and sidewalk in central Iowa. It far beats shovelling snow. It is a great entry level snow blower. I would not want anything less. If there was a good moderate gas powered snowblower on sale for a hundred or maybe two hundred over the price of this one I would take it if I didn't already have this one. It's hard to justify spending much more with the small area I have to clear but I would prefer a little more flexibility that I think a small single stage gas snowblower would provide (I still like to drool over the large two-stagers...). I purchased this on Amazon in Sept. 05 based on the reviews and have not been disappointed since I expected the limitations I listed.Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.

Where To Buy Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025

I admit that I researched snow throwers for a long time before making this purchase. I decided that I really wasn't in for pulling a choke, filling up with gas, pushing around a big, heavy rig, etc. I'm a person who likes convenience (and a weak female). With that said, I worried about the inconvenience of a cord. I was warned by a friend that electric was not the way to go. Knowing how I like to operate, however, I ignored those warnings, decided on the electric and purchased this little baby. I purchased this in April to get a good deal. Admittedly, we have had very little snow this year in Michigan, so this review can't vouch for how this baby will perform in major snows. But, let me tell you, in a couple of inches, this is the best snow removal tool HANDS DOWN. I loved using it, and it cleared my walkways and driveway very quickly!! As for the cord, for me, it was a non-issue. All I did was simply take my hands off the bar that keeps the thrower running, throw the cord out of the way, put my hands back on the bar to restart the machine and go on my way again - easy! I'm glad I went with electric, and I'm glad I chose this machine over any other. I have confidence that it will outperform again in deeper snow. Forget the gas and go with this little thrower, you'll be glad you did! Get more detail about Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025.