# Platinum SHO 24 or Toro 826 OXE HD



## IBME (Oct 28, 2015)

I'm looking to get a second snowblower to handle the big stuff and EOD mess. I have a CCR2000E with a 3 car wide by 2 1/2 long driveway and about 90 feet of sidewalk. I also do my neighbors if they have not done theirs by the time I'm out so think 2 or 3 x's what I listed. The blower will be between 2 cars in my garage during the season, just behind the CCR.
I'm also over 55 years young.

The Ariens dealer is offering the Platinum 24 at $1,499 and the Toro can be had for $1,399. Ariens dealer said I could probably get away with the Deluxe 24 and the Toro dealer said he would get the 826 without the power steering and save the $400 but bigger is better right?

Are these machines worth the extra $$ over what was suggested or should I look at something else for the money? I'm looking for something that will last and not give me any trouble. Both are offering extended warranties and/or special financing.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

Both machines are of very good quality but if you go Toro then take the trigger steering and for the Ariens the SHO is a very capable machine.
Really up to you. Good Luck


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

I don't own a toro but if I was to buy a new blower it would be the toro. I have tried the ariens and I do not like the auto steer. A we have had some big snows here the past yrs and on my plowing route i see a lot of blowers working and the toro's just seem to chew up the snow better than the ariens.


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

IBME said:


> I'm looking to get a second snowblower to handle the big stuff and EOD mess. I have a CCR2000E with a 3 car wide by 2 1/2 long driveway and about 90 feet of sidewalk. I also do my neighbors if they have not done theirs by the time I'm out so think 2 or 3 x's what I listed. The blower will be between 2 cars in my garage during the season, just behind the CCR.
> I'm also over 55 years young.
> 
> The Ariens dealer is offering the Platinum 24 at $1,499 and the Toro can be had for $1,399. Ariens dealer said I could probably get away with the Deluxe 24 and the Toro dealer said he would get the 826 without the power steering and save the $400 but bigger is better right?
> ...


IBME :white^_^arial^_^0^_

I would go with the Ariens it is substantially more powerful than the Toro 826 and is only $100. more. It will handle the plow pile more quickly than the Toro with the smaller engine. As I have mentioned in other posts I have contacted all the major snowblower manufacturers for one reason or another and Ariens customer support is second to none. Regarding Auto-Turn, unless your driveway is in rough condition you will not have any issues with it. However I would recommend ordering the Ariens with the poly skids ($35. Extra) as a cheap insurance policy if you have any concerns. The poly skid shoes are wider and will glide easier over surface imperfections while ensuring any decorative surfaces will not be damaged.

The Toro has the most intuitive chute control called the Quick Stick it is a true one handed operation joystick control. That is the only advantage I can see over the Ariens. If you look at the two machines side by side you will notice a higher quality build on the Ariens. They both have China built engines however the rest of the Ariens is built in the U.S. Whereas the Toro is made in Mexico. The Loncin engine on the Toro has the oil drain plug on the side, right near the tire which complicates routine maintenance. Additionally with the current promos the Ariens warranty is longer.

I agree you are better off with more power than not enough especially when dealing with the toughest challenge the machine will face the EOD plow pile. The Deluxe 24 would probably be adequate if you take it a little slower the 254cc engine would be okay for a 24" machine but is underpowered on the Deluxe 28." You will also lose the Quick Turn Chute, SHO components and the heated grips on the Deluxe series (heated grips are not a deal breaker for me as my driveway isn't that big where I will be out long enough to really need them). The over the dash manual crank is a bit cumbersome, but very reliable. 

You may also want to look at the Deluxe 28 SHO with the 306cc engine and the SHO specific: higher speed impeller, belts and pulleys. Based on his price for the Platinum 24 SHO he should be offering this one for $1200. This one represents a good value if you don't mind a larger machine and have the storage space for it.

Good luck with whichever machine you choose!


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

take the TORO and run with it.k:k:k:k:k:


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## Snowhawg (Feb 20, 2015)

Ariens SHO all the way. The 24 SHO is a phenomenal little machine that will never leave you wanting more power, and the auto-turn works great with no levers to fiddle with.


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## herbdogg (Oct 27, 2015)

*Ariens all the way*

i have been doing snow removal for 4 years now and Ariens will throw and go through snow way better then TORO by far


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## knu2xs (Jan 6, 2015)

I can't speak to the Toro, but I did pick up a Ariens Platinum 
24 SHO last year that I have used for one season.

One thing I noticed that was different from the year before 
when I was using my Craftsman Blower is the looks 
I get from people passing by in their cars.

Our main driveway is over 200 yd's long and crosses an open 
farm field so when I'm throwing snow I can be seen from quite 
a distance. With the Craftsman nobody gave me a second look, 
with the SHO I not only have cars slowing down checking me out, 
I've had one stop and watch me for a couple of minutes. 
I kept waitin' for someone to stop and ask me what 
type of blower is flinging the snow so far.....:2cool:


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

I don't trust Toro 2 stage machines. newer ones have way too much plastic on them, and there are a few other reasons as well. I'm sold on Ariens if I were to buy a new one.


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## Stuofsci02 (Feb 16, 2015)

knu2xs said:


> I can't speak to the Toro, but I did pick up a Ariens Platinum
> 24 SHO last year that I have used for one season.
> 
> One thing I noticed that was different from the year before
> ...


I agree.. These platinum blowers really put on a show!


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## cbnsoul (Nov 13, 2012)

Most on the boards seem to be partial to Ariens. Apparent wuss that I am, I think they are just too front-heavy so picked the Toro. I went big with the 1028. It's 1799 so pretty pricey. Hard to beat the engine to bucket ratio of the SHO. If you can, try to see both in person. I was convinced I was gonna get the Ariens until I got behind the controls and after that, was sold on the Quick Stick and weighting of the Toro.


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## Stuofsci02 (Feb 16, 2015)

cbnsoul said:


> Most on the boards seem to be partial to Ariens. Apparent wuss that I am, I think they are just too front-heavy so picked the Toro. I went big with the 1028. It's 1799 so pretty pricey. Hard to beat the engine to bucket ratio of the SHO. If you can, try to see both in person. I was convinced I was gonna get the Ariens until I got behind the controls and after that, was sold on the Quick Stick and weighting of the Toro.


No worries.... Different stroke for different folks... Front end weight will help keep the blower down when going through drifts, so that may end up being a pro of the Ariens as you might need to pull up on the handles of the Toro...


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Congrats CBNSoul on your new machine!!!

Please post some pics and video or two 

I'm still window shopping until my annual bonus is determined/set in stone which should be soon


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## laptopquestions (Oct 1, 2015)

Frankly, I don't see how anyone can go wrong with either the Platinum SHO 24 ($1,499.00) or Toro 826 OXE HD ($1,299.00). They are both great machines. 

I went with the Toro 826 OXE HD based on the following:

1) Plastic Chute, deflector and ACS 

I may be one of the few who actually appreciate the 'plastic' due to its lighter weight, rust free and being less sticky than equivalent metal parts (based on my 1988 Toro 824). The Chute, deflector and ACS are guaranteed for life. I have a cheaper 2011 Troy-bilt 2620 and the 'plastic' has never been an issue (although the auger certainly has been) which leads me to #2. 

2) Commercial-Grade Auger Gearcase
Just don't want to deal with the hassle of shear pins. My old 1988 Toro 824 *never* had them and the fact that my Troy-bilt 2620 did, speaks volumes.

3) Quick Stick Chute Control
Simple and effective. Best design out there. 

4) Power Max Anti-Clogging System (ACS)
Assuming it works (hard to come across real validation), this would obviate the need for higher torque.

5) Power steering
The Ariens seems to have mixed feedback on non-flat terrain. With the Toro, this can easily be manually controlled.

The Ariens however has the following:

1) The Ariens 369cc engine is bigger than the 252cc Toro. Bigger is better right?

2) Hand Warmers

3) Claims of heavier front weight, which minimizes 'riding up'


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## Bryan78 (Jan 10, 2015)

I think this is a Ford/Chevy debate. The Toro has the better chute in my opinion, the non-auto steering, which is debatable on whether that is better or not. The Ariens has a fairly substantial power advantage as well as the 14" impeller vs the 12" on the Toro. Even with speaking to various dealers that sell both products, some tend to favor Toro and some (more so from my experience) favor Ariens. My guess would be Ariens 2 stage machines outsell Toro 2 stage by a fairly large margin. Just look at snowblowersdirect.com, granted they don't appear to sell the 826, but look at the amount of reviews on the 928 vs the 24 SHO. Does this make the Ariens better? I don't think so, just appears Ariens is doing pretty well in the 2 stage market. I think only the individual user can decide which is better for them.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Well look at it this way, the top 3 brands on this board are Ariens, Toro, & Honda. I've used all 3. Ariens and Honda are my choices with Ariens taking top honors. Honda's are good but not as good as they price them at.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

The PM HD 826 OXE at my local dealer is $1,299. Model 38805. Liking this one a lot.






He also has a $1,499 928 OXHE and a $1,499 Platinum 24. Both are super nice!



When aligned nose to nose...



...the Toro is longer overall...



...And the wheelbases are very different. Notice where the tires are in relation to the engine valve covers. With the set back axle the Ariens has less weight on the tires and more over the bucket. The Toro feels (is) more balanced. The longer handlebars add leverage too


With this front end bias I'd guess the Ariens is going be better at attacking a PACKED DOWN pile of EoD. But to me there's more to it than that, and after moving the two machines around and looking them over more closely I am leaning towards one of the Toro's. 

They're all great machines and its still a tough choice


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## laptopquestions (Oct 1, 2015)

tdipaul said:


> The PM HD 826 OXE at my local dealer is $1,299. Model 38805. Liking this one a lot.
> He also has a $1,499 928 OXHE and a $1,499 Platinum 24. Both are super nice!
> 
> They're both great machines and its still a tough choice


Based on what I found, the main differences between the 826 and 928 are the following extra 928 features:


28" vs 26" bucket
Heated grips
Cast iron skids
265 cc vs 252cc
For me at least the extra $200 bucks weren't worth it since the bucket to torque ratios were similar. I ended up with the Toro 38805, but could have easily ended up with any of them :wavetowel2:. 
It is a lot tougher when there are a lot of great choices and I had the same quandry :smiley-confused009:. Let us know what you end up with.

BTW, I did notice that my 2015 Toro HD 826 OXE was quite a bit longer than my 2011 Troy-bilt 2620 and 1988 Toro 824 (RIP), which might actually help if the front is a bit light since lifting on the handles will provide more leverage.

Thanks for the pictures!


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## IBME (Oct 28, 2015)

Well I made my decision. Thanks to the posts here and also on movingsnow.com I went with the Platinum 24. Just a word to the wise about the no interest financing. I initially went with this option as I also have to replace my roof. The bank that was doing the financing charges a promotion fee of $124. Since I was not told this upfront I cancelled the "no interest " deal and paid with my credit card.


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## montclair2525 (Sep 26, 2015)

IBME said:


> Well I made my decision. Thanks to the posts here and also on movingsnow.com I went with the Platinum 24. Just a word to the wise about the no interest financing. I initially went with this option as I also have to replace my roof. The bank that was doing the financing charges a promotion fee of $124. Since I was not told this upfront I cancelled the "no interest " deal and paid with my credit card.


Sounds fishy. Should be no fee for an 18 month no interest financing through Yard Card, an Ariens sponsored promotion. I got it.


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## StefanC (Nov 7, 2015)

montclair2525 said:


> IBME said:
> 
> 
> > Well I made my decision. Thanks to the posts here and also on movingsnow.com I went with the Platinum 24. Just a word to the wise about the no interest financing. I initially went with this option as I also have to replace my roof. The bank that was doing the financing charges a promotion fee of $124. Since I was not told this upfront I cancelled the "no interest " deal and paid with my credit card.
> ...


I just purchased a platinum 24 as well, there are 2 separate banks financing the ariens promo right now, TD and Synchrony, the yard card or get the gear respectively. TD has 18 month 0% with no doc fee. Synchrony had either a 50 or 125 doc fee depending on the amount and length of the term. 

I went with with the local dealer. 

Should take delivery of the new machine tomorrow.


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