Price:$1,199Power: Gas | Engine dis-
placement: 252cc | Electric start: Ye s |
Drive system: Friction disc | Speeds:
6 forward, 2 reverse | Width: 28 in. |
Stages: 2 | Chute: Remote, manualAt 28 inches wide, Toro’s Power Max HD
828 is big enough to tackle large areas
but small enough to maneuver on most
walkways. The HD in the name, standing
for heavy duty, means that the 828 fea-
tures steel construction of all the major
parts. In fact, the only significant plastic
bits we found were the control panel and
belt cover.
We really like Toro’s “Quick Stick”—the
combined chute and deflector control—
which takes very little effort to reposition.
We were able to direct and throw wet
sawdust 34 feet, sweeping either left or
right—a bit less than the claimed 45 feet,
but wet sawdust isn’t as slippery as snow.
In our area test, we cleared the sawdust
quickly and efficiently, in two minutes and
46 seconds.Price: $1,299 | Power: Battery (2) |
Volts: 56 | Amp hours: 7. 5 | Drive sys-
tem: Electric motor | Speeds: Variable,
forward and reverse | Width: 24 in. |
Stages: 2 | Chute: Remote, manualThe steel-framed, 24-inch Power+
blower is very much like gas-powered
units of similar size, except for the elec-
tric motor and two 56-volt, 7.5-amp
hour batteries. Those give the Power+
some distinct advantages in the noise
and weight departments.
EGO claims a run time long enough to
clear an 18-car driveway (roughly 130 by
12 feet) of eight inches of snow. But keep
in mind the heavier and wetter the snow,
the shorter the run time. Clearing our 8
by 6-foot test area, with turbo mode on
and throwing the sawdust 31 feet, used
up about 25 percent of the battery.
Operating the Power+ is a breeze.
With its relatively light weight and a dif-
ferential in the axle, we found the EGO
very easy to maneuver.WIDEST INTAKE
TROY-BILT ARCTIC STORM 34Price: $1,899 | Power: Gas | Engine dis-
placement: 420cc | Electric start: Ye s |
Drive system: Friction disc | Speeds:
6 forward, 2 reverse | Width: 34 in. |
Stages: 2 | Chute: Remote, electricTroy-Bilt’s Arctic Storm is a serious
option for folks with a lot of ground to
cover, with its wide intake housing and
auger capable of clearing a 34-inch path.
Considering the blower’s size, we found
it to be surprisingly agile. Still, it may be
too big for narrow walkways and awk-
ward in tight spaces.
The Arctic Storm just about swal-
lowed our snowbank; its intake housing
is that wide. And we were able to throw
the sawdust as far as 31 feet. Using the
small joystick-type control for the dis-
charge chute and deflector is a joy. With
just a thumb, we could reach from the
handle to make adjustments on the fly.
In our area test, we cleared the sawdust
in just two minutes and 41 seconds. And
we appreciated the heated hand grips.November/December 2020 75CO
UR
TE
SY
TO
RO
;^ C
OU
RT
ES
Y^ E
GO
;^ C
OU
RT
ES
Y^ T
RO
Y-B
ILT