Toro 38361 Power Shovel 7.5 Amp Electric Snow Thrower
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List Price: Our Price: $79.00 You Save: $70.99 (47%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $48.95 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Toro 38361 Power Shovel 7.5 Amp Electric Snow Thrower
Customer Review: Not the greatest, but it will do
Summary: 4 Stars
When you read the spec's on the Power Shovel, you see that it weighs 13 pounds and you think, "Huh, that's not bad." It's the heaviest 13 pounds I've ever lifted and after my first use, I feel like I've been lifting weights at the gym, more so than if I had just gone out and pushed the snow around with my snow shovel. It is definitely not an easy thing to use, in fact, except for the fact that I got done with my 2 car wide driveway which is about 30 feet long, and the sidewalk in virtually half the time, I'd say don't bother. I was surprised that it didn't have any kind of wheels on it for ease of moving and transporting. It slides pretty easily though, whether you are pushing it or pulling it. The safety lock button that you have to push every time before starting the motor is a pain. I mean c'mon. Does a weed whacker have a safety? (Well, mine don't anyway)I think that they could re-think that 1 thing. The motor doesn't sound like you think it would. It sounds kinda wimpy but it does throw the snow and it's pretty quiet. But the way that it throws it forward makes it kind of messy. I had to go back with the hand shovel to clean up afterward. So, to review. It'll cut your time in half which is the key feature. It's rugged and put together very well and comes right out of the box ready to go. Do your shopping on your cord though. I got the Toro at my local True Value store but a 100 ft cord was almost 70 bucks. I found the same amperage, same cold weather cord at Lowes for 30 bucks less, even cheaper than Amazon has it. (But only 3 bucks. Sorry Amazon, just keepin' it real!)Customer Review: Does what it says - shovel snow!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this power shovel after reading the reviews, both the positive as well as the negative reviews, and may I say that I'm very glad I did! My husband has a bad back and I looked for easier way for us to shovel the snow from our driveway.
I bought this power shovel at the end of November and over this past weekend, we were hit with the season's first blizzard. We had over 16 inches of snow in one night! With much anticipation, I plugged the outdoor extension cord that I got from my local hardware store, and let my husband have a go with this power shovel. Since the snow was so deep, he had to work in two layers, the top layer first (where he had to left the machine) then the bottom layer. I'm sure it would've be much easier if the snow were only 6 inches or less. This tool helped him clear the show without the usual back pain that accompanied the manual shoveling. (Yes, his muscles ached, but not his back!) The advantage of having this tool was that where the snow was the heaviest in front of our driveway (where the town's snow removal truck pushed the snow and ice from the street), my husband was able to clear the pile with little effort. Where he cleared the snow, I followed with the regular shovel to remove the residue, ice and water. At the end, our driveway looked very clean.
How much time did we saved with this power shovel? It wasn't as much as I thought it would. It was also heavier than I expected. I still gave this power shovel 5 star because it did what it was advertised. I just hope it'll last for couple more blizzards!
Customer Review: Saved my bacon!
Summary: 5 Stars
I actually bought this item about six years ago. Admittedly, I haven't used it that much as the DC winters have been fairly mild and the power cord is a pain at long distances. It is fine for cleaning small areas like porches or decks of light snow, but sometimes I find it easier to use a shovel, particularly if it's just an inch or two. That said, I just came in from cleaning my driveway during the 19 December DC blizzard. This little guy did a phenomenal job.
Ok, first off..the isn't a blizzard machine. It really can't handle more than six inches or so of DRY snow. Wet show? ehh..not so much..the mechanism can't handle it and really isn't designed to. So, how did it do in 18 inches of DC snow? Well, I used it like a shovel and scraped layers off..worked like a charm. Not as effortless as a true snow blower, but a heck of lot easier than twisting and stretching to throw snow with a real shovel. It'll throw DRY snow a good 10-12 feet with no problem and also handle the occasional piece of crusty snow or sleet like a champ.
If you buy one, you'll want to get a good extension cord, one that is rated for cold weather and will not stiffen up. This product will work with a conventional outdoor cord, but as the insulating material stiffens in the cold, it gets progressively more annoying to move around.
Again, this is NOT a replacement for a conventional snowblower. It isn't really designed for excessively snowy areas, but will come in REAL handy for the occasional "emergency" use or light duty cleaning of small areas.
Customer Review: I hate to give this one star
Summary: 1 Stars
I really so wanted this to be a 5 star rating, but!
I ordered this after the snows of last year to be ready for the new year snow. I only needed it now because some neighborhood boys made me an offer I could not refuse and they shoveled me out the last snow.
But the Mid Adlantic storm hit us hard in Jersey and I could not get any takers so I dug out my new machine.
I bundled up with scarf and hat and I was ready.
I was so excited to try my new toy.
I pluged it in and nothing!!! Not even a whirrrr. Nothing.
I changed outlets, a different cord still NOTHING!!
I had to shovel what I have 'cause another one is coming tomorrow, urgh!
I took it back to our local place I got it from and asked if they possibly had another, no.
There were 5 standing in the corner, dare I ask? They all did not start and were going back I am not too angry, in fact I am going to try again since I believe it is a good product in general.
If I hear anyone mention that granny (that is me) should not use this because it is heavy I will scream. They can come to my house and try out how heavy it is to shovel 2 feet of snow with a hand shovel. I know I would have to shave the snow blah blah blah, but I know it would be a lot easier than what I just did.
Don't even mention condos (been there done that) and nursing homes (will never do that), I can probably shovel faster and longer than any youngen' :)
If I get another one that works I hope I can up the rating, I am happy it works for most of you. Happy shoveling
Customer Review: Quick work with little back strain!
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't usually write reviews for products, but felt compelled to do one for this little gem. I figured I'd buy one to make sure that it wouldn't snow this year, but the snowstorm of 12/26/10 proved me wrong. As soon as the snow had accumulated a couple of inches, I unboxed this baby and give it a whirl. It works great! It pushes just like a shovel and hurls the snow a good 20' away. I had my drive and walkway cleared in about 10 minutes, when a normal shovel would have taken me at least three times that long.
I must say that I agree with the negative aspects noted in a couple of the other reviews. First, there's no way to direct the snow. It's pretty much straight ahead and if you blowing into a stiff wind, you'll soon look like a Yeti. Still, a lot more snow was cleared than blew back, so the job got done. Second, the shovel is a little heavy. If you have to lift it to bring drifts down to 6", this can be a strain on your arms and upper (not lower, where shoveling does the most damage) back. Of course, I'm also out of shape so this might just be whining on my part. Finally, the trigger does have to remain pressed for the shovel to work and there's no lock, so fingers can tire after a while.
These three issues notwithstanding, this is a great tool and a bargain at twice the price!
As an added bonus, when I say that this sucker throws the snow, it really hurls it! So if you have a jerky neighbor who parks his car in front of where you need to shovel ... have fun! ;-)