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: The real pro's and con's this blower
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought it on Friday just before the big snow storm. I used it to clear my sidewalk and driveway. Here are the pro's and con's:
Pros: 1. Electricity is quiet and easy on the eardrums. 2.It does throw the snow pretty well for a small unit(about 10-15ft on average). 3. It is inexpensive compared to the larger gas powered units. 4. It does not require a lot of space to store like a larger unit. 5. It starts VERY quickly when the trigger is pulled. Very little lag time. 6. After more than 8 hours of use, I only had it jam once. It was a large piece of ice and it was easy to clear. 7. Adjustable height and handle. 8. Easy to use. Its like using a vaccuum cleaner. Just plug in and go. I let 3 of my female neighbors sample it and they loved it. 8. Clean - no oil and no gas to use or buy.
Cons: 1. It does not have a way to direct the snow being thrown. It only throws it direct in front of you. 2. Electricity does require an extension cord. I found this problem to really be minimal. 3. The trigger is easy to pull and hold, but it does become tiresome after a while. 4. Its not as heavy as the large units but it isn't light either. 5. The unit does not do as well when the snow is deeper than about 8 inches. The motor struggles the deeper the snow is. But I think that is to be expected.
Overall: I think its a good product. I was able to clear the snow faster and I found it quite fun to use. I am happy with the purchase and would recommend this product for small to medium jobs.
Customer Review: Does the job, but...
Summary: 4 Stars
I have two (relatively) minor complaints about this product that prevent it from earning a 5 star rating. First, it just WON'T stay plugged in. It nearly drove me crazy having to reinsert the plug every few minutes. An easy job was made much slower by this inconvenience. I'll be working on a quick solution for the next snowfall.
Second, you must continuously grip the 'trigger' to keep the machine running. I was getting cramps in my hands, so an older person or someone with dexterity issues would have a difficult time using it at all. My guess is this feature was required by law to protect us from ourselves. I got around the problem by (Toro employees and government bureaucrats look away!) employing one of those rubber "awareness" bracelets and a binder clip. Not a very elegant solution, but it works until I figure something else out.
As for the snow moving functions of the machine, it works great! I did my paver patio right down to the tops of the bricks. It actually looks rather nice with it's snow "grout" lines. I also did a concrete garage apron and, best of all, my 500 sq ft dog run. No more icy toes for my fur babies!
It is light-weight, easy to operate right out of the box, and the handles are adjustable to whatever height is comfortable for you. This is a serious upgrade from hand shoveling, and despite the aforementioned issues, well worth the price. Save your back, buy one, and work with it's little quirks.
Customer Review: Not what I hoped for
Summary: 2 Stars
I already own 2 snowblowers, a small single stage and a large two stage. But I was looking for something to help me clear the snow off of my deck and shallow pitched roof of my garage. I had high hopes based after reading the other reviews.
Yes, it does remove snow, but as many people have said, the direction the snow goes is VERY sensitive to the wind direction. I tried it with a very minor breeze and unless I was blowing the snow directly downwind, a lot of snow came back at me. I am aware of this problem from my other snowblowers, but this one is worse.
The second major problem is the force required on the trigger to engage the auger. It takes a LOT of force to hold the trigger in the on position. So much so that is it fatigueing for anything more than a few minutes of use. Others have commented on this and they were right. I thought about tying a piece of rope around it, but it just did not seem safe.
The third major problem is the weight. If the snow is less than 6 inches, you can sort of slide it along the ground. If it is deeper you need to lift it up to take off the top layer. This is also very tiring. In fact I did the first half of my deck with the Toro and the second half by shoveling. Shoveling was less work than holding the weight of the blower.
For these reasons, I have decided to return it. It may work for some people with very light snow, but it did not work for me.
Customer Review: Works well - understand limits
Summary: 4 Stars
This was to be a XMas present, but the 12-inch snow storm brought out the gift a few days early. This works well and I really like it. You can't beat it for $99 ... the models up give you direction and a wider cut, but you're up to $250 or more.
Our snowfall was fairly light and not wet and the Toro handled it easily. Keep in mind you'll need an extension cord, which means keeping it out of your way - that's just the way it is. But with electric, there's no maintenance - no oil changes, no engine tune-ups, no height adjustments, nothing to repair - it just works. This one's small so is easy to store away.
This unit throws show straight - there's no chute or deflector to adjust the direction. So, your driveway, walk, etc. need to work with throwing snow straight away. I strongly recommend some sort of cord connector to keep the cord plugged in. Nothing is worse than having the cord pop out whenever a loose cord catches on your leg. See this $5 connector on Amazon: Cord Connect, Power Cord Connector
Also, the Toro does throw snow 15-20 feet. Tilt it forward to throw shorter and lower, tilt back to go further --- but it also goes higher into the air. If there's a breeze (as with any snow blower), it will mist. So, be sure you wear a hat, tighten your jacket collar, and goggles are even a good idea, as you can get covered.
Customer Review: Totally beats using a regular snow shovel - fantastic results
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Toro power shovel after our first snow for the season this December 2009. It snowed today. I was able to use the power shovel for the first time this afternoon. I cleared roughly 4 inch of snow on an average length driveway in less than 15 minutes. I spent more time at it than I needed to - because I was actually having fun clearing the snow. When it first arrived in December my first impression when I saw the box was that it was heavier and larger than expected. After using it - neither size or weight is an issue. It stores easily in the garage. And it pushes smoothly and easily in the snow. I do need to purchase a low temp extension cord. That would help. Since the snow had not been trampled or driven on I was able to clear the snow down to the concrete. You do not want to wait until the snow is to high. In my opinion the power shovel is so easy to use -that it's not a big deal to clear the snow multiple times during a snow fall. It is quieter than expected too. Don't walk into the wind and choose your direction carefully because it throws the snow for several feet in front of you. A larger snow thrower or blower would take up more room in the garage - and would produce much laughter from our neighbors based on our climate and short driveway & side walks. I have no regrets on the purchase and would recommend it to anyone that has a need to clear snow from side walks and short driveways.