# Anybody have a Toro snowmaster for a while?



## heftysmurf

Hi all. I recently bought one but have been having second thoughts. I have a small area to clear on a not too busy side street north of Buffalo (I am not in the infamous snowbelt area).

Two things concern me and where I am looking for feedback.

How far down to the pavement does it go? I have seen compliments and bitching about it at the same time. I am wondering if the complainers are comparing to a conventional single stage and not a dual stage?

How does it do on icey compacted snow? I now it is light and can ride up. Are you able to use strategy to get through it?

Time is ending for me to either go this way or get the Craftsman two stage that has been tempting me since Black Friday.

Those who downgraded do you find yourself using the snowmaster more?

I wish we would have gotten a bad storm as HomeDepot gives 30 days to return and I am snowless thus far and would have loved to try it for real.


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## The Q

What is your other choice if you don`t get the Toro Snowmaster?


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## heftysmurf

Craftsman 88694. Two stage 26" 208cc. Easy turn, joystick chute control, and quiet. Both are 700 dollars right now. Black Friday ends today.
Part of my debate is my area to be cleared is not big but I am in a potentially bad area. I am on a side street as well.
I was kinda shocked looking at the snowmaster vs a regular two stage as well. Not much smaller.
Intrigued by the speed and ease of use.


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## jtclays

Don


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## happycamper

That video perfectly shows one of the Snowmaster's weaknesses:

The drive isn't smooth when initially moving forward. The machine jumps, which causes the front to come off the ground


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## heftysmurf

How did you score your equipment so cheap? As that seems to be the ultimate combo single and dual.
I also have a sleigh shovel which if I get the bigger blower I can still use. That is by far so far the best snow clearing piece of equipment I have ever bought. 
I saw that video. I am a super rookie but eager to learn. What was this guy doing wrong?


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## drmerdp

happycamper said:


> That video perfectly shows one of the Snowmaster's weaknesses:
> 
> The drive isn't smooth when initially moving forward. The machine jumps, which causes the front to come off the ground


It uses a CVT trans like in the toro personal pace mowers. Every video I’ve seen of a snow master shows that little jump you speak of, it might be as simple as a small change in the technique of applying pressure on the drive mechanism. The real downside is a lack of reverse. Not a huge deal considering how maneuverable it is, but just saying.

Not totally sure, but I think the shave plate is made of plastic and designed to scrape the surface like a single stage.


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## Bob E

I don't know about that particular model, but I have an older self propelled single stage. Mine looks to be heavier. The only plastic or rubber is on the hand grips and levers. It seems to handle the wet stuff better than your average 2 stage. At least when the neighbors are stopping to dig snow out of their chute I'm still going. It doesn't throw as far as the average 2 stage. It does ride up gradually going through hard packed snow banks. Then it high centers easy when the smaller chained tires dig into the packed snow while trying to push through the bank. I just back up and start over. the scrapper bar takes care of it. Your average single stage will do a better and faster job at cleaning up light snow falls right down to pavement. 
The self propelled single is kind of like the middle child of snowblowers. It does everything pretty good, but doesn't really stand out as better than either of the other two. 
YMMV.


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## tdipaul

With 2 seasons in the books here is my feedback...

Its a super fast machine for light accumulations. No machine is faster for a small driveway. 

If the snow is attacked the day of, it will get down as close as any 2 stage but not as close as a typical SS that is using the ground to propel itself. It does not do very well removing the compacted strips of snow created by a car. The plastic sheave plate can only do so much scraping. 

It throws farther than any SS and about as far as the typical 2 stage but not as far as 2 stage Honda's and SHO Ariens which are in another league. 

Like all SS'ers, the high speed auger/impeller does not like hitting hard immovable objects such as the corners of curbs or paving stones embedded in the ground. 

The machine is light so there is no need for reverse. It would only slow you down. Think what it would be like switching to reverse on a push mower it would add a lot of time

It can handle a dry snow blizzard but it does take some effort and time. It about splits the difference between the typical SS and a 2st. It would not be my machine of choice for a wet snow blizzard. 

If you wait a week to blow and the snow has hardened the machine is not effective. 

.
.


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## The Q

Nice review!!


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## heftysmurf

I watched a video of a two stage and reverse generally looks like a pain in the but and slow. Not wife friendly LOL.
My one buddy lives in the snowbelt and has a tracked snowblower and said he barely uses reverse.
Is that a huge deal and huge knock against teh snowmaster?
I have watched a few video and mostly look good for the SM as it is fast.
But I am scared of not enough vs too much.
Why I am really curious of any snowmaster semi-long term users can comment if- glad i bought it vs a two stage or I made teh worst mistake of my life LOL,


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## heftysmurf

Thanks tdipaul. Most informative review I have heard of for it. 
Are you glad you bought it? 
Ever conquer anything nasty with it?


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## tdipaul

heftysmurf said:


> Thanks tdipaul. Most informative review I have heard of for it.
> Are you glad you bought it?
> Ever conquer anything nasty with it?


My pleasure. 

I like it a lot. If you don't get that outrageous lake effect snow and attack snowfalls the day of or the morning after, you will like it. 

This is me using it for the first time in a dry snow blizzard. I did five driveways that day plus all the sidewalks in the time it took others to do two with their 2 stagers. 






.
.


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## drmerdp

Solid review.



tdipaul said:


> With 2 seasons in the books here is my feedback...
> 
> Its a super fast machine for light accumulations. No machine is faster for a small driveway.
> 
> If the snow is attacked the day of, it will get down as close as any 2 stage but not as close as a typical SS that is using the ground to propel itself. It does not do very well removing the compacted strips of snow created by a car. The plastic sheave plate can only do so much scraping.
> 
> It throws farther than any SS and about as far as the typical 2 stage but not as far as 2 stage Honda's and SHO Ariens which are in another league.
> 
> Like all SS'ers, the high speed auger/impeller does not like hitting hard immovable objects such as the corners of curbs or paving stones embedded in the ground.
> 
> The machine is light so there is no need for reverse. It would only slow you down. Think what it would be like switching to reverse on a push mower it would add a lot of time
> 
> It can handle a dry snow blizzard but it does take some effort and time. It about splits the difference between the typical SS and a 2st. It would not be my machine of choice for a wet snow blizzard.
> 
> If you wait a week to blow and the snow has hardened the machine is not effective.
> 
> .
> .


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## tdipaul

Know where objects like these are and avoid hitting them. I forgot about this and slammed into it 2x 



it really didn't do too much but it is notable...



.


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## heftysmurf

Excellent pictures Paul and a great warning.


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## jbandl

*What happens when object is injested ?*

Revised to be more clear ...
If something is ingested by the impeller and gets stuck,
does something break/shear, or does engine stall ?

If stalled, are the clearing precautions like with a 2 stage,
where the impeller can hurt you with the engine off ?

CR changed the noise rating from good to fair.
Is that change important when considering close neighbors ?

My alternate choice is PowerMax 724.
Is the PowerMax 724 fixed drive a problem for a frail teen ?


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## tdipaul

Never ingested any of those items yet but its going to react act like any other SS with some belt squealing and stalling. 

Blowing at 6am is will annoy the neighbors no matter what the machine. 

There are no gears to mess with so the learning curve would be faster for the S-M. Just grab and go.


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## Slinger

I have 2 years on my 824 Snowmaster as well. I agree with everything that tdipaul said. It's the fastest, easiest machine I've ever used for light to medium snows. Handling is as simple as traditional single stage. It does tend to want to jerk a bit when starting forward, but you learn to apply a little bit of upward pressure on the handlebar when starting forward and ease into it with the personal pace drive...don't just mash the handle down or you will pop wheelies! The joystick chute is THE best around and you can control both chute rotation and deflector with one hand while keeping one hand on the handlebar. That's something you can't do as quickly or smoothly with most machines that have separate controls for rotation & deflection. No auto turn or steering levers required. It just turns like any SS. It is true that it is a bit light and can ride up if the snow gets packed down. Not as good as rubber paddles for clearing to the pavement but pretty good. I just keep the car traffic to a minimum on the drive until I can get it cleared first. It will do EOD fairly well but if it's really thick and icy you may have to take small bites to get through it. That's when I would use my customized 420cc Ariens 24" machine anyway. I'm a 3 blower guy: 2 stage for heavy stuff, Snowmaster for lighter (most used machine), and electric power shovel for the deck. The Snowmaster could really handle everything for me but you know how it is...!


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## tpenfield

Heftysmurf,

Hindsight, being 20/20, thinking you might have liked the 2-stage Toro better. wondering how the pricing of a 2-stage Toro would compare to the Craftsman you mentioned?


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## ultimatejimmy

Solid review. I also have two years on my 724 Snowmaster. I only have the one machine, so I just take my time with hard/icy EOD snow. Honestly, though, it doesn't go too much slower at EOD that 2 stagers and it goes significantly faster everywhere else. No reverse needed/wanted. I'm glad I opted for the Snowmaster over the 2-stage machines I was considering.

The jerking motion when you start is pretty easy to figure out and won't happen after you get used to the machine.




Slinger said:


> I have 2 years on my 824 Snowmaster as well. I agree with everything that tdipaul said. It's the fastest, easiest machine I've ever used for light to medium snows. Handling is as simple as traditional single stage. It does tend to want to jerk a bit when starting forward, but you learn to apply a little bit of upward pressure on the handlebar when starting forward and ease into it with the personal pace drive...don't just mash the handle down or you will pop wheelies! The joystick chute is THE best around and you can control both chute rotation and deflector with one hand while keeping one hand on the handlebar. That's something you can't do as quickly or smoothly with most machines that have separate controls for rotation & deflection. No auto turn or steering levers required. It just turns like any SS. It is true that it is a bit light and can ride up if the snow gets packed down. Not as good as rubber paddles for clearing to the pavement but pretty good. I just keep the car traffic to a minimum on the drive until I can get it cleared first. It will do EOD fairly well but if it's really thick and icy you may have to take small bites to get through it. That's when I would use my customized 420cc Ariens 24" machine anyway. I'm a 3 blower guy: 2 stage for heavy stuff, Snowmaster for lighter (most used machine), and electric power shovel for the deck. The Snowmaster could really handle everything for me but you know how it is...!


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## ourkid2000

I have a personal pace lawnmower and, if it's the same design, you can adjust the drive cable to be a little more gentle in its engagement. Bet you can do it with this thing too......it's an easy adjustment.


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## tdipaul

I have a PP mower and the SM works pretty much the same. 

It does seem like the same mechanism 

In the light stuff it will move as fast as you can walk just like the mower does in the grass


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## Blosumsno

ourkid2000 said:


> I have a personal pace lawnmower and, if it's the same design, you can adjust the drive cable to be a little more gentle in its engagement. Bet you can do it with this thing too......it's an easy adjustment.



Yes, it's explained in the manual to adjust drive engagement or for slipping. I have a Snapper 22" 2 stage and I bought a Snowmaster 724QXE for my mom's place and my 2 stage doesn't always clear to pavement either mainly because it's a light small-frame machine so my experience is about equal in that regard. Unfortunately we haven't seen crazy snowfall since we got the Snowmaster but the videos sold me on it, super easy turn-arounds, and pretty much everything others have said. My big plus for the SM is the fact you have 2 stage power but less moving parts in the auger drive, there is a ball bearing supported jackshaft and the auger/rotor is also ball bearing supported, no auger gearbox to blow out down the road.


The Toro (Loncin) engines might not be half bad either because the parts diagram shows rotators on both valves so at least some thought was given to life span.


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## NJHonda

This wil be my 3rd winter with my 724 snowmaster and its an amazing machine in every way. its MOST CERTAINLY does NOT surge like someone on page one says,. If you use it correctly its the fastest and more maneuverable snow blower you can buy. Id buy another in a second


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## heftysmurf

I have seen the light on the SnowMater and m happy so far.
just wish the skids did not suck. They do not protect the intake at all and already have chips in the paint.
The regular Toro was 200 more than the craftsman when I was looking and the craftsman had more features.
I actually think the craftsman I was eyeing would have been a fine machine.
But what gets you addicted to the snowmaster is the speed. It stuns you the first time you walk as fast as you can and you dont think it will clear it and you see pavement underneath you.
I did the fronts of four houses in the time it took me to walk.
My only issue is if you hit something. The thing will drive right into it until you go oh crap I am caught.
That is why the terrible skids are such a let down. They do absolutely nothing to protect the front.
When I compare them to the Craftsman skids you can see by the pics alone how they do such a better job of protecting the intake.
I think I might have to make something to address the skids as I have found no aftermarket ones yet that will fit or provide any protection to the front.


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## Zavie

heftysmurf said:


> I have seen the light on the SnowMater and m happy so far.
> just wish the skids did not suck. They do not protect the intake at all and already have chips in the paint.
> The regular Toro was 200 more than the craftsman when I was looking and the craftsman had more features.
> I actually think the craftsman I was eyeing would have been a fine machine.
> But what gets you addicted to the snowmaster is the speed. It stuns you the first time you walk as fast as you can and you dont think it will clear it and you see pavement underneath you.
> I did the fronts of four houses in the time it took me to walk.
> My only issue is if you hit something. The thing will drive right into it until you go oh crap I am caught.
> That is why the terrible skids are such a let down. They do absolutely nothing to protect the front.
> When I compare them to the Craftsman skids you can see by the pics alone how they do such a better job of protecting the intake.
> I think I might have to make something to address the skids as I have found no aftermarket ones yet that will fit or provide any protection to the front.


What about adding some metal edge protection like this?


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## heftysmurf

Never seen that before. Thanks Zavie. That is a great idea.


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## tdipaul

heftysmurf said:


> I have seen the light on the SnowMater and m happy so far.
> just wish the skids did not suck. They do not protect the intake at all and already have chips in the paint.
> The regular Toro was 200 more than the craftsman when I was looking and the craftsman had more features.
> I actually think the craftsman I was eyeing would have been a fine machine.
> But what gets you addicted to the snowmaster is the speed. It stuns you the first time you walk as fast as you can and you dont think it will clear it and you see pavement underneath you.
> I did the fronts of four houses in the time it took me to walk.
> My only issue is if you hit something. The thing will drive right into it until you go oh crap I am caught.
> That is why the terrible skids are such a let down. They do absolutely nothing to protect the front.
> When I compare them to the Craftsman skids you can see by the pics alone how they do such a better job of protecting the intake.
> I think I might have to make something to address the skids as I have found no aftermarket ones yet that will fit or provide any protection to the front.



When you say "hit something" are you referring to raised objects or cracks/gaps? 

If cracks/gaps, try making a skid height adjustment. 

Currently, how much clearance is in between the black plastic sheave plate and the ground?

.


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## heftysmurf

Raised objects. Mainly the sidewalk which is kinda nasty.
Mad me sad to see bare metal on my new baby LOL.
I was kinda taken a back because when I look at other skid designs it looks like for example that craftsman I wanted when you look at the pics it would be almost impossible to do the damage I have done to my Toro.
I have some bogus red paint I am going to put on the exposed metal.
Just dont want to it stage two and have the Auger housing get bent.
How do you have your skids tdipaul? 
Did adjusting your skids take away from clearing to the pavement.
How do you personally adjust your skids?








This is the Craftsman. Looks like protects the front some and would ride over a bump NP. I would LOVE to have those type for the SnowMaster.


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## tdipaul

I have the skids set pretty high so as to avoid the numerous tree root tweaked sidewalks in the neighborhood. 

*Per Toro: 

https://www.toro.com/getpub/106219

Check the skids to ensure that the auger does not contact the paved surface. Adjust the skids as needed to compensate for wear (Figure 16).

1. Loosen the skid bolts.

2. Slide a 5 mm (3/16 inch) board underneath the scraper. Note: Using a thinner board will result in a more aggressive scraper. A thicker board will result in a less aggressive scraper.

3. Lower the skids to the ground. Note: Ensure that the skids are flat on the ground.

4. Tighten the skid bolts*



.


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## heftysmurf

I used a thin piece of wood when I did mine. Did not know if any inside trick from a Snowmaster jedi like you tdipaul


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## donoharm

Just returned the 208 cc 26 inch craftsman is it’s the quiet motor, too. That thing got clogged on the end of the driveway. Hoping the toro snowmaster will be better.


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## heftysmurf

That's interesting donoharm as that is the one I passed on.


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## donoharm

heftysmurf said:


> That's interesting donoharm as that is the one I passed on.


Yeah, it wasn't too impressive. Very heavy, clunky to operate, and only a 15-20 foot throwing radius with 6 inches of average snow. It was quiet though....


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## AbominableSnowman

heftysmurf said:


> Hi all. I recently bought one but have been having second thoughts. I have a small area to clear on a not too busy side street north of Buffalo (I am not in the infamous snowbelt area).
> 
> Two things concern me and where I am looking for feedback.
> 
> How far down to the pavement does it go? I have seen compliments and bitching about it at the same time. I am wondering if the complainers are comparing to a conventional single stage and not a dual stage?
> 
> How does it do on icey compacted snow? I now it is light and can ride up. Are you able to use strategy to get through it?
> 
> Time is ending for me to either go this way or get the Craftsman two stage that has been tempting me since Black Friday.
> 
> Those who downgraded do you find yourself using the snowmaster more?
> 
> I wish we would have gotten a bad storm as HomeDepot gives 30 days to return and I am snowless thus far and would have loved to try it for real.


I'm starting my 2nd full season with the Snowmaster 824QXE. I generally agree with other users' comments in this thread, but here are my observations and experiences:



Performance on Pavement. Chances are, the negative criticism is coming from those using traditional single-stagers. The Snowmaster uses both a scraper on the auger (which functions similar to a single-stage machine) and a plasticized scraper bar on the bottom of the housing. The combination of these does fairly well, but it does not leave a perfectly clean pavement surface. It does better than my old two-stage, but not as well as my old single-stage, in this regard.
Icy/Compacted Snow. So long as the ice chunks aren't too large and the snow/slush not too wet and heavy, it does well. Where it starts to struggle is with (1) the very large and heavy chunks of ice, and (2) extremely thick, heavy slush. Having said that, it handles both of these better than any single-stage unit I've used. It does just fine with typical end-of-driveway stuff. If you have 36" of hard packed ice with nasty chunks, it will struggle. So will most machines of this size.
Frequency of Use. Compared to any two-stage unit I've used, this is much, much lighter and much more maneuverable. In fact, its maneuverability, I think, is its strength. Because of that, I find myself using it more often. With my old two-stager, I'd be reluctant to get it out when we only got one or two inches of snow. With the Snowmaster, I can easily and quickly clear the driveway and sidewalks with small amounts of snow in very little time. Even if we get 8 or 12 inches, I'd bet I can clear it more quickly with the Snowmaster than with a two-stage machine.
Other. Before the Snowmaster, I used a Craftsman single-stage blower for more than 15 years. After that, I used a 24" Ariens two-stage blower. My Snowmaster is an 824QXE with the 252cc engine, and other reviews seem to praise its power as compared to the smaller 724QXE engine. For me, it's the best of both worlds: sufficient power and great maneuverability. To get this much power efficiency out of a two-stage snowblower, I'd have to get one that is much heavier than my Ariens was (which had only the 208cc motor). 



happycamper said:


> That video perfectly shows one of the Snowmaster's weaknesses:
> 
> The drive isn't smooth when initially moving forward. The machine jumps, which causes the front to come off the ground


Yes, and this requires some acclimation when learning to use the Snowmaster. I've also had a Toro lawn mower with this drive system, and it takes time to master. I've learned that pulling up on the handlebar, i.e., pushing down on the scraper bar, helps to manage the "jumpiness" very effectively. Practice makes perfect.



drmerdp said:


> It uses a CVT trans like in the toro personal pace mowers. Every video I’ve seen of a snow master shows that little jump you speak of, it might be as simple as a small change in the technique of applying pressure on the drive mechanism. The real downside is a lack of reverse. Not a huge deal considering how maneuverable it is, but just saying.
> 
> Not totally sure, but I think the shave plate is made of plastic and designed to scrape the surface like a single stage.


Even if this machine had a reverse gear, I don't think I'd use it. It's just too light.



Slinger said:


> I have 2 years on my 824 Snowmaster as well. I agree with everything that tdipaul said. It's the fastest, easiest machine I've ever used for light to medium snows. Handling is as simple as traditional single stage. It does tend to want to jerk a bit when starting forward, but you learn to apply a little bit of upward pressure on the handlebar when starting forward and ease into it with the personal pace drive...don't just mash the handle down or you will pop wheelies! The joystick chute is THE best around and you can control both chute rotation and deflector with one hand while keeping one hand on the handlebar. That's something you can't do as quickly or smoothly with most machines that have separate controls for rotation & deflection. No auto turn or steering levers required. It just turns like any SS. It is true that it is a bit light and can ride up if the snow gets packed down. Not as good as rubber paddles for clearing to the pavement but pretty good. I just keep the car traffic to a minimum on the drive until I can get it cleared first. It will do EOD fairly well but if it's really thick and icy you may have to take small bites to get through it. That's when I would use my customized 420cc Ariens 24" machine anyway. I'm a 3 blower guy: 2 stage for heavy stuff, Snowmaster for lighter (most used machine), and electric power shovel for the deck. The Snowmaster could really handle everything for me but you know how it is...!


Agreed on all fronts here, but I have room for only one snowblower. So, for me, it's the goldilocks of them all. I use the Snowmaster for everything and really don't miss my Ariens 24".


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## Blosumsno

Piggybacking on what AbominableSnowman said about not needing reverse. I recently used my SM 724QXE on the couple 2" snows recently and I found myself whipping it around with only my left hand. I held the auger lever down to keep it going and as I backed up I spun it around single handed then grabbed the bar with the other hand and off I went, almost all in one motion, like a zero-turn mower. Plus I was walking at a power-walk pace and it still blew across the 2 car wide drive despite the small amount of snow, I suspect the speed of the auger also helps create some air movement so that powdery snow also gets sucked in...maybe?


The drive is about 150' long and I really didn't feel like cleaning it with a little shovel.


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## Snowbelt_subie

these were made in 2015 right ? i wonder how long before they start hitting the used market? 

ill be looking out for them as i am a single stage guy and never buy new ill be interested in the coming years to see the problems once they start getting 5+ years of use.


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## RedOctobyr

I looked on CL around here, and found a few for $500-550. So they are starting to reach the used market, but not yet at the kind of price point that I'd be looking for.


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## Zavie

AbominableSnowman said:


> I'm starting my 2nd full season with the Snowmaster 824QXE. I generally agree with other users' comments in this thread, but here are my observations and experiences:
> 
> 
> 
> Performance on Pavement. Chances are, the negative criticism is coming from those using traditional single-stagers. The Snowmaster uses both a scraper on the auger (which functions similar to a single-stage machine) and a plasticized scraper bar on the bottom of the housing. The combination of these does fairly well, but it does not leave a perfectly clean pavement surface. It does better than my old two-stage, but not as well as my old single-stage, in this regard.
> Icy/Compacted Snow. So long as the ice chunks aren't too large and the snow/slush not too wet and heavy, it does well. Where it starts to struggle is with (1) the very large and heavy chunks of ice, and (2) extremely thick, heavy slush. Having said that, it handles both of these better than any single-stage unit I've used. It does just fine with typical end-of-driveway stuff. If you have 36" of hard packed ice with nasty chunks, it will struggle. So will most machines of this size.
> Frequency of Use. Compared to any two-stage unit I've used, this is much, much lighter and much more maneuverable. In fact, its maneuverability, I think, is its strength. Because of that, I find myself using it more often. With my old two-stager, I'd be reluctant to get it out when we only got one or two inches of snow. With the Snowmaster, I can easily and quickly clear the driveway and sidewalks with small amounts of snow in very little time. Even if we get 8 or 12 inches, I'd bet I can clear it more quickly with the Snowmaster than with a two-stage machine.
> Other. Before the Snowmaster, I used a Craftsman single-stage blower for more than 15 years. After that, I used a 24" Ariens two-stage blower. My Snowmaster is an 824QXE with the 252cc engine, and other reviews seem to praise its power as compared to the smaller 724QXE engine. For me, it's the best of both worlds: sufficient power and great maneuverability. To get this much power efficiency out of a two-stage snowblower, I'd have to get one that is much heavier than my Ariens was (which had only the 208cc motor).
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, and this requires some acclimation when learning to use the Snowmaster. I've also had a Toro lawn mower with this drive system, and it takes time to master. I've learned that pulling up on the handlebar, i.e., pushing down on the scraper bar, helps to manage the "jumpiness" very effectively. Practice makes perfect.
> 
> 
> 
> Even if this machine had a reverse gear, I don't think I'd use it. It's just too light.
> 
> 
> 
> Agreed on all fronts here, but I have room for only one snowblower. So, for me, it's the goldilocks of them all. I use the Snowmaster for everything and really don't miss my Ariens 24".



Ok you've got me wanting one of these Snowmaster machines. But I have room for 3-4 machines so I'm thinking....

Toro 721R single stage
Toro Snowmaster 824 QXE
Simplicity P1728E (28") 420cc Signature Pro 

Hmmm, that's going to set up a night-cap followed by a nice dream tonite about snow and the removal of snow.


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## Slinger

> Ok you've got me wanting one of these Snowmaster machines. But I have room for 3-4 machines so I'm thinking....
> 
> Toro 721R single stage
> Toro Snowmaster 824 QXE
> Simplicity P1728E (28") 420cc Signature Pro


That would be a nice stable of horses to own!

The only thing I wonder though, since I've owned the first 2 on your list, and have a 420cc 2 stage customized Ariens Platinum 24, is (between the first 2): when would you decide to use one over the other?
OK, if you had to quickly throw one in your truck to go do a light job then 721 obviously.
But if it's your own driveway, how would you choose between 721 and Snowmaster?
If you want clearing clean to pavement - 721
You have a smaller snow on gravel drive or want to clear a grass area - 721
If you have an area that is only 22" wide and can't fit the 24" Snowmaster - 721
If you want to finish slightly faster - Snowmaster
If the snow is a bit deeper - Snowmaster (or do you bring out the 2 stage?)

Unless you are doing this for a business, I would think that one of these SS machines would be be sufficient for personal use. How would you decide which SS to use?


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