Anyone know *snowblowers*
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I believe the best bet for you is the Toro CCR 2450 GTS. Very good performance without costing a fortune! It's a two-stroke though (which I don't mind).
If you want a four-stroke, your best bet is the Honda HS520AS.
[ November 04, 2004, 12:35 AM: Message edited by: Jelly ]
If you want a four-stroke, your best bet is the Honda HS520AS.
[ November 04, 2004, 12:35 AM: Message edited by: Jelly ]
Yeap....that's the one that I've got my eyes on.
Anyone familiar with electric Snowblowers ? I've also got my eyes on a Toro 1800 . Lightweight + much smaller footprint. Should be able to do 85% of what I need it to do and PLENTY of ++++ reviews on Amazon.
However, I'm not sure it's going to have the horsepower to deal with wet or heavy snow. I live on the *right* side of the street so the snow Always ends up on my side. I'm continiously shoveling since the snowplows always seems to followup right behind me and push all the snow to the right.
Anyone familiar with electric Snowblowers ? I've also got my eyes on a Toro 1800 . Lightweight + much smaller footprint. Should be able to do 85% of what I need it to do and PLENTY of ++++ reviews on Amazon.
However, I'm not sure it's going to have the horsepower to deal with wet or heavy snow. I live on the *right* side of the street so the snow Always ends up on my side. I'm continiously shoveling since the snowplows always seems to followup right behind me and push all the snow to the right.
I've used them, and they're alright, but you guys in New York get a good deal of snow (as you know).
The Toro 1800 has a capacity of about 700lbs. per minute. In comparison, the 2450 has a 1,700lbs. per minute capacity.
Take your pick!
The Toro 1800 has a capacity of about 700lbs. per minute. In comparison, the 2450 has a 1,700lbs. per minute capacity.
Take your pick!
I know some people don't trust Consumer Reports, but I have had good luck with their recommendations. In this years' snowthrower testing, the top ranked single stage ones were:
1) Honda HS520AS
2) Toro CCR 2450 GTS
3) Toro Snow Commander 38602
I ended up buying the Honda because I was specifically looking a 4-cycle model. As Jelly has mentioned, if you don't mind 2-cycle engines, the Toro CCR 2450 GTS is your best value out of the three.
1) Honda HS520AS
2) Toro CCR 2450 GTS
3) Toro Snow Commander 38602
I ended up buying the Honda because I was specifically looking a 4-cycle model. As Jelly has mentioned, if you don't mind 2-cycle engines, the Toro CCR 2450 GTS is your best value out of the three.
chef, what engine is Ariens use for their 5hp model.
Bigger aint always better. I've been using a 36"/12hp Ariens walk-behind for some years to do my driveway and parking lot. Its a mutha-bear to say the least. I will say I run the crap out of this thing and it has taken a licken and kept on ticken. It has a Techumseh engine with 120vac elex start, which I like for the first cold start-up. But with a Honda you may not need to worry. I stepped up to a Lorenz 78" PTO driven dual auger unit this year for the back of my tractor, no more broken back for me.
Bigger aint always better. I've been using a 36"/12hp Ariens walk-behind for some years to do my driveway and parking lot. Its a mutha-bear to say the least. I will say I run the crap out of this thing and it has taken a licken and kept on ticken. It has a Techumseh engine with 120vac elex start, which I like for the first cold start-up. But with a Honda you may not need to worry. I stepped up to a Lorenz 78" PTO driven dual auger unit this year for the back of my tractor, no more broken back for me.
Go with the Honda pull start. The Toro is useing the lawnboy and suzuki engines in their units, neither of which i am impressed with.
If and when you have to replace a rope be prepared for over an hr. job with the toro or 5 min. with the honda.
If and when you have to replace a rope be prepared for over an hr. job with the toro or 5 min. with the honda.
In my opinion, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, makes a better small-engined product than Honda. I've used their consumer mowers, their commercial mowers, snowblowers, you name it. My old honda snowblower is older than I am (I'm about 30), and IT STILL RUNS PERFECT. My push mower is a Toro, but that's only because it was from Curb Depot, otherwise my family has almost all Honda push/self-propelled mowers, and we've got some that are coming up on 20 years old. Start on the first or second pull, even the one that we found way in the back that had to have been sitting at least 2 or 3 years (we did drain and put in new gas before we tried, though).
Also, they start better in the cold.
I forgot to mention: I'll NEVER buy another 2-stroke again. I also "like" Toro, in that if I can't have a Honda (because I can't afford it or whatever), Toro is my next best favorite.
The Ariens stuff has quality that is entirley hit or miss. Also, a bigger snowblower != better.
Also, they start better in the cold.
I forgot to mention: I'll NEVER buy another 2-stroke again. I also "like" Toro, in that if I can't have a Honda (because I can't afford it or whatever), Toro is my next best favorite.
The Ariens stuff has quality that is entirley hit or miss. Also, a bigger snowblower != better.
chefwong,
I'd bet that any of those three would be good machines as long as you maintain them. If I had the extra cash, I'd buy the Honda, just because I'm a Honda fan. Right now I have a Toro 732 from 1970 that I use. It's got a B&S engine and runs like a charm on Rotella 15w40. IMO if the machine is made well and you take care of it, there's no reason that you can't get 34 years out of it as well...
Bogatyr
I'd bet that any of those three would be good machines as long as you maintain them. If I had the extra cash, I'd buy the Honda, just because I'm a Honda fan. Right now I have a Toro 732 from 1970 that I use. It's got a B&S engine and runs like a charm on Rotella 15w40. IMO if the machine is made well and you take care of it, there's no reason that you can't get 34 years out of it as well...
Bogatyr
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Here's my take- I live in Minnesota and I have a Craftsman 5HP (Tecumseh) 24" 4 stroke 2 stage and my neighbor has a Toro 5HP 22" 2 cycle single stage. I personally think his Toro clears snow faster than my blower, even the heavy wet junk. Don't get me wrong, my 2 stage has never let me down, but if when it's time to get a new blower, I'm going to take a good long look at Toro and Honda single stage two stroke blowers.
For deep snow or long driveways nothing beats a two stage blower. You can throw the snow clear of the driveway, and one pass usually does it. That said, I have an old Toro two cycle snow thrower, and I don't think anything is more effective for my short driveway.
I can do the whole thing in minutes, and it throws the snow just far enough to be effective, although a heavy snow year, might give me a little more work. My neighbor uses a four wheeler mounted plow and it takes him much longer and he ends up with huge piles everywhere(including on my lawn.
).
-T
I can do the whole thing in minutes, and it throws the snow just far enough to be effective, although a heavy snow year, might give me a little more work. My neighbor uses a four wheeler mounted plow and it takes him much longer and he ends up with huge piles everywhere(including on my lawn.
-T
I'm with Jelly on this one. I have a 1987 Toro CCR2000 snowblower that my grandfather gave me. It's a 2 cycle, 4.5 horsepower, single stage. I am amazed everytime I use it how well it works. 2 years ago we had 18" of snow and it handled it with no problem. If you use Sta-Bil when you put it away in the spring and use a good quality 2 cycle oil you will be very pleased with the performance for the money.
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