I am sure either of those machines would serve your needs ... Really depends on what is available in your area ... Supply's this year are pretty slim ..... You will most likely be buying local, so the dealer you purchase from will play a roll as well ... ask around locally for who is the good dealership.

 

I don't think they would be overkill. I think that if you are able to store a blower of that size without issue, then get it. The only time I think machine size could be an issue is if your area could be restrictive. I know my driveway is a little tight between the house and the cars on a larger machine, but the 24" wide one I have fits just fine.

A little extra oomph can certainly help in the deeper, heavier snows.

 

The bigger the better. I bought a Toro 10/28 Power Max about 5 or 6 years ago and never looked back.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

What do you think?

If you have to ask, you are 90% decided. The other 10% just need to have a shove or push as a confirmation.

Besides the power, you have to try the machines to see which one you are more comfortable operating. No point buying a powerful machine that you have a miserable time operating. The extra power comes to use maybe one or two times a year. The controls comes to use every time.

Toro and Ariens have opposing ideas on what user ergonomics should be. One is user friendly, the other is inconsistent and clumsy. Don't get too distracted with power and steel. The loose nut behind the handlebar is the most important part of the snowblower while in operation. The snowblower is only as fast or good as the nut can handle.

 

Thank you, I appreciate the input. When you say that one is user friendly and one isn't, which one is the user friendly one?

 

I suggest bring a pair of thick winter gloves to the showroom and try out the control levers. One machine will stand out making more sense, the other will make you wish you had smaller hands and not dyslexic.

 

I appreciate the input, but unfortunately, these units are not on display at my local dealer due to extremely low inventory. I will have to order whichever machine I pick, with a low chance of seeing/using one before that. If I am reading between the lines, you think the Toro has better controls?

 

Hi Steelers, and welcome.

Do any of the big box stores in your area - Lowe's, Home Depot, etc - have any Toro or Ariens snow blowers on the floor? They don't have to be the specific model that you're looking at, but handling any Toro 2-stage blower should give you a decent sense of how the controls for Toro machines are generally laid out. Same for Ariens machines - the controls are generally pretty similar between models of the same manufacturer.

Edit: I don't think you'll go wrong with either of the blowers you're considering. My driveway is not as long as yours but otherwise similar. We get more snow than you do per year. The Ariens 28 SHO is one of two I've been considering.

 

Thanks so much for the input! I haven't been able to see the Toro, but I saw the Deluxe 24 at Lowe's last weekend. Truthfully, I was only considering the Toro prior to that, but it looks pretty similar and like something I should probably consider. I am not too worried about the Toro/Ariens debate as I am pretty sure that they are similar enough, I just don't want to buy the 928/SHO if it's going to be totally unnecessary. The cost difference isn't really a concern, I just wasn't sure if I was underestimating the 828/Deluxe 28. Thanks again!

 

The Toro has a more straightforward chute/deflector control with the Quick Stick design. If you fly planes or play video games, this just makes sense. Toro drive gear selector makes sense too. Forward is forward, back is reverse.

Ariens has 3 control schemes for their snowblowers. The Classic/Compact line has the worse control. On some Ariens models, the speed selector goes left to right (STUPID), some goes forward and backwards (SMART). The chute deflector control also goes left and right for up and down movement. This is the most stupid control scheme. I think Ariens designed it this way because the control panel is "compact", cheaper, and smaller, there is no way to fit a proper control system.

The Platinum/Professional line has different control scheme. This one is currently the Ariens most sensible scheme. Push speed control forward to make it go faster, back for reverse. Push chute deflector forward to tip it down, pull back to raise deflector. Chute rotation is push left for left, right for right. Ariens has bragged about being "King of Snow" for so long that it's about time their control scheme is worth something a "King" would consider. Probably took them 50 years to get here, but they arrived.

The Deluxe line is somewhat in between. It inherits the Platinum/Pro line control for speed and deflector, but it has the "ice auger" crank for the chute rotation. A step backwards. Most snowblower with crank rotation sucks in general. Too slow and requires a long reach. The positive is that it cheap, simple, and robust.

One thing that is annoying about Ariens is the marketing material. They are ingrained with automotive jargon. Please ditch the SHO . That's a Ford thing. None of these engines are Yamaha built high revving, small displacement V8 engines. They should call it BAD engines, "BIG ASS DISPLACEMENT"

And please, don't do the HEMI thing either. Snowblowers should have their own jargons. Just like sailors renamed everything on a ship.

 

The answers to the above questions will tell you if you should move up to the 928/28 SHO.

I have the Ariens 28 SHO, and think it is one of the best bang for your buck machines on the market. It will handle any snow condition winter throws at it.

Try to get your hands on each machine and compare build quality, controls etc, also you will love the Auto turn feature, I think Toro now offers it as well.

 

The short answer is no. One decent snowfall and you will be happy you got a capable machine to clear a 200 foot drive way. Even a relatively small dump of wet snow can be a hell of a chore to clear on a normal size driveway, so a capable machine that doesn’t clog up and has enough jam to power through is a good investment.

The Ariens deluxe 28 SHO is quite easy to maneuver and is plenty powerful enough to clear deep snow. Versatile machine and a very good bargain for how capable it is.

 

You all have been very helpful. Thanks so much for the input!

 

I'll add one more to the mix for consideration-- Ariens Platinum 24 SHO. It's a tad more expensive than a Deluxe 28 SHO but has a larger engine and a few other nice features such as heated hand grips. With a smaller 24" bucket and larger engine, it's sometimes a better option for maneuverability and storage.
Assuming you own it for 10+ years, the cost differential between models in this class isn't noteworthy.

My son owns the Platinum 24 SHO for his smaller suburban driveway and two stall garage. Because he lives in a heavy snow belt area, it's a great choice. I have a much larger and longer driveway, plenty of storage space and don't get nearly as much snow - my Deluxe 28 SHO is great for me. I added the Ariens heated hand grip option to mine.