The other brands are probably much nicer machines, but would that be worth 15X to you?
I have kept a Yardman (owned by MTD, similar mediocre quality as far as I know) snowblower going for 20 years, it did need some major maintenance in the form of replacing some weak plastic sprockets for the track drive with stronger plastic sprockets (ugh) but has been good other than that. It is getting shaky in its old age and I should have replaced it last spring, but the melting snow drove it right out of my mind...
Not much for you to lose if you can get the dethatcher for $100 and you know it runs...