The first we've ever seen of this item was in this week's Lowe's ad,
but after looking around on the internet for reviews and comments, it
seems they've been around for years. My husband's eyes lit up, so I
thought I'd ask here if any of you have ever used one and have any
commentary about the item? Lowe's sale price is $89.88, which looks to
be a very low price on this item, compared with what I saw online.

We'd be using it for a short, narrow walkway from the front door to
the driveway, then in the driveway itself. Driveway is only about
three car-lengths long, one car wide. Two cars parked in it, so we
shovel around the perimeter of the two cars, and the end of the
driveway, which is occasionally packed in pretty good from the snow
plow. Rochester, NY area, where the past couple winters have been a
lot milder than the ones I remember as a kid.

So I'm interested to hear about overall reliability/longevity of this
item, and using it to help deal with the snow plow packed end of the
driveway. It seems from other comments I've read online that you can
slowly chip away at the packed end as you would with the regular
shovel, as opposed to being able to really cut through it as you can
with a proper snow thrower, which would be fine. It seems this item
would contribute to making that job easier, and if it's really bad,
neighbors on either side have proper snow blowers and have shown me
how to use them.

The snow blowers made me nervous though, because of the self-propelled
feeling of them pulling forward so strongly. I felt like I could lose
control very easily, and it felt really dangerous to me. How does that
compare to this machine, especially with it being held more like a
weed whacker? Does it really function as the write ups claim,
somewhere between a trusty shovel and the all-out snow blower?

Thanks for any helpful comments,

Karen

KLE wrote:
The first we've ever seen of this item was in this week's Lowe's ad,
but after looking around on the internet for reviews and comments, it
seems they've been around for years. My husband's eyes lit up, so I
thought I'd ask here if any of you have ever used one and have any
commentary about the item? Lowe's sale price is $89.88, which looks to
be a very low price on this item, compared with what I saw online.

We'd be using it for a short, narrow walkway from the front door to
the driveway, then in the driveway itself. Driveway is only about
three car-lengths long, one car wide. Two cars parked in it, so we
shovel around the perimeter of the two cars, and the end of the
driveway, which is occasionally packed in pretty good from the snow
plow. Rochester, NY area, where the past couple winters have been a
lot milder than the ones I remember as a kid.


I wouldn't even consider something like that in the NE. Those are toy
units designed to remove a "heavy dusting" of snow. Snowfall tends to be
cyclic. You may not need a snowblower evert time but it is a great thing
to have ready.


So I'm interested to hear about overall reliability/longevity of this
item, and using it to help deal with the snow plow packed end of the
driveway. It seems from other comments I've read online that you can
slowly chip away at the packed end as you would with the regular
shovel, as opposed to being able to really cut through it as you can
with a proper snow thrower, which would be fine. It seems this item
would contribute to making that job easier, and if it's really bad,
neighbors on either side have proper snow blowers and have shown me
how to use them.

The snow blowers made me nervous though, because of the self-propelled
feeling of them pulling forward so strongly. I felt like I could lose
control very easily, and it felt really dangerous to me. How does that
compare to this machine, especially with it being held more like a
weed whacker? Does it really function as the write ups claim,
somewhere between a trusty shovel and the all-out snow blower?

Thanks for any helpful comments,

Karen

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:17:21 -0800, KLE wrote:

-snip-
commentary about the item? Lowe's sale price is $89.88, which looks to
be a very low price on this item, compared with what I saw online.

We'd be using it for a short, narrow walkway from the front door to
the driveway, then in the driveway itself. Driveway is only about
three car-lengths long, one car wide. Two cars parked in it, so we
shovel around the perimeter of the two cars, and the end of the
driveway, which is occasionally packed in pretty good from the snow
plow. Rochester, NY area, where the past couple winters have been a
lot milder than the ones I remember as a kid.

-snip-

I did my 50 foot walk and 150 foot by 2 car widths driveway with the
Toro 1800 for 3 years. [near Albany, NY]

I liked it so much I picked up a powershovel at a garage sale to give
to my dad to clean off his porch.[$10.] Last winter I tried it in
several different kinds of snow and found it heavy, awkward and
ineffective. I've been trying to come up with a use for the motor
cause I'm too scotch to throw it out.

I'd save my money and buy a $300 Toro 1800. [$280 on Amazon.com- free
shipping]

Jim

KLE wrote:
The first we've ever seen of this item was in this week's Lowe's ad,
but after looking around on the internet for reviews and comments, it
seems they've been around for years. My husband's eyes lit up, so I
thought I'd ask here if any of you have ever used one and have any
commentary about the item? Lowe's sale price is $89.88, which looks to
be a very low price on this item, compared with what I saw online.

We'd be using it for a short, narrow walkway from the front door to
the driveway, then in the driveway itself. Driveway is only about
three car-lengths long, one car wide. Two cars parked in it, so we
shovel around the perimeter of the two cars, and the end of the
driveway, which is occasionally packed in pretty good from the snow
plow. Rochester, NY area, where the past couple winters have been a
lot milder than the ones I remember as a kid.

So I'm interested to hear about overall reliability/longevity of this
item, and using it to help deal with the snow plow packed end of the
driveway. It seems from other comments I've read online that you can
slowly chip away at the packed end as you would with the regular
shovel, as opposed to being able to really cut through it as you can
with a proper snow thrower, which would be fine. It seems this item
would contribute to making that job easier, and if it's really bad,
neighbors on either side have proper snow blowers and have shown me
how to use them.

The snow blowers made me nervous though, because of the self-propelled
feeling of them pulling forward so strongly. I felt like I could lose
control very easily, and it felt really dangerous to me. How does that
compare to this machine, especially with it being held more like a
weed whacker? Does it really function as the write ups claim,
somewhere between a trusty shovel and the all-out snow blower?

Thanks for any helpful comments,

Karen

Looks like a toy to me. Even with back problems, I have no trouble with
a couple of inches of snow on walk and drive with hand shovels but after
damn near killing myself on a 20 inch snow a couple of years ago, got
one of the two stage snow throwers. From what little I know of
Rochester, I'd be prepared for the worst.
Frank

"KLE" wrote in message ups.com...
-SNIP-
So I'm interested to hear about overall reliability/longevity of this
item, and using it to help deal with the snow plow packed end of the
driveway. It seems from other comments I've read online that you can
slowly chip away at the packed end as you would with the regular
shovel, as opposed to being able to really cut through it as you can
with a proper snow thrower, which would be fine. It seems this item
would contribute to making that job easier, and if it's really bad,
neighbors on either side have proper snow blowers and have shown me
how to use them.
-SNIP-

I'll second (sixth?) what other posters have said here - those things are not nearly enough to deal with "real" snow.

I live in northeast MA, which generally gets less snow than Rochester. I have an 8HP 2-stage Ariens, my neighbor had (this
is from a few years ago) a small Toro unit that was one notch larger than the power shovel.

In about 2/3 of the time it took him to remove the plow drift from the end of his drive, I did my *entire* 100' driveway,
including the area near the garage that was large enough to park 7 cars!

As others have said, a power shovel's the right thing if you live in the kind of place that gets 6" of snow a year and you're
only doing a sidewalk. Not for a driveway in Rochester!

Eric Law

On Nov 12, 7:17 am, KLE wrote:
The first we've ever seen of this item was in this week's Lowe's ad,
but after looking around on the internet for reviews and comments, it
seems they've been around for years. My husband's eyes lit up, so I
thought I'd ask here if any of you have ever used one and have any
commentary about the item? Lowe's sale price is $89.88, which looks to
be a very low price on this item, compared with what I saw online.

We'd be using it for a short, narrow walkway from the front door to
the driveway, then in the driveway itself. Driveway is only about
three car-lengths long, one car wide. Two cars parked in it, so we
shovel around the perimeter of the two cars, and the end of the
driveway, which is occasionally packed in pretty good from the snow
plow. Rochester, NY area, where the past couple winters have been a
lot milder than the ones I remember as a kid.

So I'm interested to hear about overall reliability/longevity of this
item, and using it to help deal with the snow plow packed end of the
driveway. It seems from other comments I've read online that you can
slowly chip away at the packed end as you would with the regular
shovel, as opposed to being able to really cut through it as you can
with a proper snow thrower, which would be fine. It seems this item
would contribute to making that job easier, and if it's really bad,
neighbors on either side have proper snow blowers and have shown me
how to use them.

The snow blowers made me nervous though, because of the self-propelled
feeling of them pulling forward so strongly. I felt like I could lose
control very easily, and it felt really dangerous to me. How does that
compare to this machine, especially with it being held more like a
weed whacker? Does it really function as the write ups claim,
somewhere between a trusty shovel and the all-out snow blower?

Thanks for any helpful comments,

Karen

Forget it! Those things will not handle the amount of snow you get
in that area even in a year that is considered 'light".

As for the big blower safety. It cannot run away from you. As soon
as you let go the handles, everything stops...well if it was built in
the last 30 years it will. The big thing to be careful about is where
the snow plume is landing.

Harry K

On Nov 12, 10:17 am, KLE wrote:
The first we've ever seen of this item was in this week's Lowe's ad,
but after looking around on the internet for reviews and comments, it
seems they've been around for years. My husband's eyes lit up, so I
thought I'd ask here if any of you have ever used one and have any
commentary about the item? Lowe's sale price is $89.88, which looks to
be a very low price on this item, compared with what I saw online.

We'd be using it for a short, narrow walkway from the front door to
the driveway, then in the driveway itself. Driveway is only about
three car-lengths long, one car wide. Two cars parked in it, so we
shovel around the perimeter of the two cars, and the end of the
driveway, which is occasionally packed in pretty good from the snow
plow. Rochester, NY area, where the past couple winters have been a
lot milder than the ones I remember as a kid.

So I'm interested to hear about overall reliability/longevity of this
item, and using it to help deal with the snow plow packed end of the
driveway. It seems from other comments I've read online that you can
slowly chip away at the packed end as you would with the regular
shovel, as opposed to being able to really cut through it as you can
with a proper snow thrower, which would be fine. It seems this item
would contribute to making that job easier, and if it's really bad,
neighbors on either side have proper snow blowers and have shown me
how to use them.

The snow blowers made me nervous though, because of the self-propelled
feeling of them pulling forward so strongly. I felt like I could lose
control very easily, and it felt really dangerous to me. How does that
compare to this machine, especially with it being held more like a
weed whacker? Does it really function as the write ups claim,
somewhere between a trusty shovel and the all-out snow blower?

Thanks for any helpful comments,

Karen

Forget that toy and get what we used to use to clear the runways in
AK. It had one 12 cylinder diesel engine to power the vehicle and
another 12 cylinder diesel to power the snow throwing augers. Threw
the snow over the top of single story buildings!

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:17:21 -0800, KLE wrote:

-snip-
The snow blowers made me nervous though, because of the self-propelled
feeling of them pulling forward so strongly. I felt like I could lose
control very easily, and it felt really dangerous to me.
-snip-

Is that 2 stage snowblowers that you've tried or small electric or
single stage blowers?

The electric Toro 1800 & gas powered Toro CCR's -like this;
http://www.amazon.com/Toro-38172-Pow...196235-3351623

pull themselves into the snow, but stop the minute you hold them back.
[the electric one has the switch in the handle so the motor stops when
you release it.]

This morning I wrote the praises of my 4hp toro. I walked by it later
& noticed it is 3hp- an older version of the one in the Amazon link.

That one and the 1800 are better buys for 3-400 dollars than the
powershovel for $90.

Jim

Beware using the ones with rubber flaps to self propel themselves, it
works great BUT tends to polish any ice and make ice very slippery

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:21:37 -0800, "
wrote:

Beware using the ones with rubber flaps to self propel themselves, it
works great BUT tends to polish any ice and make ice very slippery

I haven't noticed that- my 3hp Toro has rubber flaps and I think they
clean down to the pavement better the plastic that is on the electric.
I don't tolerate any ice because my driveway is a pretty steep
incline.

[come to think of it- I just replaced the flaps and scraper last week,
and the flaps don't come within an inch of the surface so I don't see
how they can polish anything.]

Jim

Thanks for advice, I'll skip the power shovel. We really haven't had
much snow here the past two winters, maybe only a couple days each
winter where I've had to go out a few times in the course of a day to
keep things clear. I'll stick with the trusty hand shovels for now,
and rely on various retired neighbor men to come by with their
machines when it's bad. I came out with the shovel a few times last
winter, only to find the end of the driveway already cleared, as well
as paths from one house to the next for the kids and the mail carrier.
When we eventually enlarge the driveway, we'll factor in the cost of a
snow thrower.

Thanks guys,

Karen

KLE wrote:
Thanks for advice, I'll skip the power shovel. We really haven't had
much snow here the past two winters, maybe only a couple days each
winter where I've had to go out a few times in the course of a day to
keep things clear. I'll stick with the trusty hand shovels for now,
and rely on various retired neighbor men to come by with their
machines when it's bad. I came out with the shovel a few times last
winter, only to find the end of the driveway already cleared, as well
as paths from one house to the next for the kids and the mail carrier.
When we eventually enlarge the driveway, we'll factor in the cost of a
snow thrower.

Thanks guys,

Karen

Chuckle. This will be my third winter in this house, after living in
apartments for 20-some years. I have a couple retired 'more power' type
neighbor guys who simply LIVE for the days they have an excuse to drag
their toys out and play with them- tractors, wheel-mounted leaf blowers,
self-propelled snow blowers, etc. Last few winters have been real mild
(knock on plastic wood), but a few times I came out and found the
streetside bergs and mailbox approaches cleared. Doesn't happen so much
anymore since they realized it was a guy living here, and not some old
widow lady (usually the case when a single lives in a subdivision, since
the husband usually croaks first.) A win-win, AFAIAC. They feel useful,
the neighborhood gets the benefit.

Most of the time, I use my leaf blower to clear the snow. Sounds absurd,
but unless it is real wet snow, or I let it get too deep, works pretty
well. If not, then I have to use a shovel. I suppose I ought to buy a
blower, but only good storage is way out back in the shed, and it would
be a pain to fetch from there.

aem sends...

I had one and found it useless. It could only handle a couple of inches
of dry snow. It was quite heavy to use and I found it easier to use a
hand shovel. I tried to sell it at a yard sale and ended up taking it
to the dump.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

---MIKE--- wrote:
I had one and found it useless. It could only handle a couple of inches
of dry snow. It was quite heavy to use and I found it easier to use a
hand shovel. I tried to sell it at a yard sale and ended up taking it
to the dump.

We were able to take ours back to Home Depot for refund. Didn't find it
heavy so much as ineffectual; it cut about a 18" swath by throwing snow
for a width of about five feet, covering all the 18" swaths we had
already done.

--
One meter, to within 0.0125% accuracy (off by just under .005 inches):
Three feet
Three inches
Three eights of an inch

RobertPatrick wrote:

-snip-
Snow blowers have a safety feature. They won't move unless you squeeze the
thing on the handle.

My old Bolens blowers don't have that. [mine are from the 70's- but
I don't think the safety handles came on the scene until the late 80's
or so]

They also have speeds, so just use the low speed.

My Toro 1800 [electric] - and my Toro 4hp single stage only have one
speed- 'go'. [but it eats some snow, and it is my go-to
blower for up to a 12" snowfall no matter how wet it is. Over 12 I go
for the 26" Bolens- but I did several 24" snowfalls last year with the
little Toro because the Bolens was laid up.]

The 4hp has all the controls on the engine. I can see where it might
take a bit of getting used to.

But the electric one, IMHO, is perfect for the squeamish. The
squeeze thing on the handles controls the power to the paddles. Let
go & it stops. Squeeze & it pulls itself through a foot of snow with
ease. [and throws it a country mile] 2 feet of snow becomes a
chore, but with a drift cutter and taking 6" off at a pass it gets the
job done much easier than shoveling.

Another thing I like about both these little machines is that they can
be lifted to cut the tops off high snowbanks.


Yes, blowers can be dangerous. Learn about them and you have no problems.

There it is.

Jim
[check Ebay for resale on both these little machines- especially the
1800's. They sell new for under $300- and used on Ebay for $200+ when
you can find them.]