Toro 2-Stage Electric e26 HA Walkaround Review
Vložit
- čas přidán 30. 11. 2022
- This walkaround review covers the 2022 Toro 2-Stage Electric e26 HA Snowblower.
In the review I cover the electric power unit, the brushless motor, the batteries, the controls, the transmission, drive compoents, front auger, impeller wheels and metal chute.
I also discuss the batteries, buying options and the future for electric snowblowers.
I go in-depth how this is the best electric snowblower on the market for 2022. - Jak na to + styl
Thank you for the review
I am beginning to like this videos in the house....
love the cat
Great video just need snow here in Ontario, Canada to try out my new 24 " E24 (electric Engine blower). was great to hear all the features.
The couch reminds me of my grandparents in 70s lol
It may have been theirs :) It's a Flex-Steel so it will never wear out.
Feel free to leave a comment below. (I do moderate the comments so it may not show up right away) Thanks for watching and please Subscribe!
Thanks for all this information! I've been checking out your videos here and reviews on Moving Snow and it's been a great help. I live in Flagstaff, AZ - considered one of the snowiest cities in the US. For most of my life, I considered shoveling another form of exercise. In December 2010, we got walloped by a 20" storm, and a larger one was predicted (turned out to be around 3'. The next day I bought an Aries SnoTek 22" blower. I was soooo glad I made that decision, but for the past 13 years, I've had a policy of only pulling it out for more than 4-6" (4" if it's wet). Otherwise my son and I would pull out the shovels. The pull-start never bothered me much and that little blower seemed perfect for my needs. However, now I'm 63; although I'm still in good shape, I'm dealing with some physical issues and that little Ariens is pretty hard on my body (still a bombproof little blower and runs like a tank). Now I'm looking at bougie features like electric start and maybe even power steering. I've mostly been looking ate the 828 OAE and the 2x28, but the PowerMax e26 is really appealing, and I'm hoping you can give me some straight up advice on which of the 3 makes the most sense.
According to official stats, Flagstaff has an annual snowfall of around 100", which by your reckoning, would make the PowerMax a ridiculous choice and the other 2 questionable. However, most of our storms are less than 12", with quite a few 12-16" -ers. We do get the occasional 20" storm, but more than 30" is rare. Most of our larger accumulations are from multiple back-to-back storms; last year it was reported that we got over 3', but that was over 4 days and the biggest single dump was 16". We get most of the variations of storms from very wet to powder, and can have both within a 24 hr period. I have a 4 car driveway and about 70' of concrete sidewalk, but I'd also like to start clearing out paver sidewalks another 70' or so and some of our patio (access to the hot tub). In addition, our neighbor was recently widowed and I'm planning to do her sidewalk and 2 car+ driveway.
From what I've read, I know I can't do all that without a recharge, maybe two. My biggest concern about the PowerMax is what I've read about battery failure. I know people are more likely to complain than praise, but it's hard to get a realistic sense of the issue. At my age and stage, there's some real appeal to not having to fiddle around with maintenance, but I don't want to spend the money only to be dissatisfied with performance or substandard technology.
What do you think?
1. Ariens and Toro both use the same automatic differential. Toro calls it automatic steering - Ariens calls it AutoTurn.
2. The Toro 828 and Ariens Deluxe 28 are about the same capacity-wise. They both have the larger 14 inch impeller which works the best on heavy, wet snow. The Toro in my opinion has a slight advantage in that it will always throw that slush 40 feet. The Ariens 30 feet.
3. The Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO has a little more power and a super high output impeller that handles all your snow better than the two I mentioned above. It would be my choice for you if you decide to stick with gas.
4. The PowerMax 826 and e26 are the same machines with the power unit being the only difference. They can handle slush well but over 12 inches or so they will slow you down. The 10 inch impeller doesn't have near the capacity of the 828 and Deluxe 28. You'll get the job done - it will just take you longer.
5. The e26 7.5 AH batteries typically last me about 15 minutes each. They last longer with 4 inches and less when clearing 10-12 inches of heavy wet snow. I now have 12 batteries ranging from the 3.5 AH to the new 10 AH so run time is not an issue for me. That said, Toro does make a 5 amp-hour charger so you can get them recharged in half the time compared to the charger you get with the snowblower.
6. I have had no issues with the Toro 60 volt batteries. I have some that are now 5 years old and they still have full capacity. I use them all year long. I always store them in temperatures between 40 and 80. I charge them after use but don't leave them on the charger more than 24 hours (Toros chargers are smart chargers so you could leave the batteries plugged in if you want) I don't store them fully discharged. When you sell thousands of batteries a year there are always a few that fail but I've found Toro's batteries to be the best of the residential brands so far. The only other battery brand I have not had problems with are the Stihl.
7. The Cub Cadet 2X28 is not in the same league as the Toro and Ariens machines. Even your old Ariens SnoTek can handle wet snow better than the Cub Cadet. The Cub Cadet is more for Midwest use - 30 inches a year or so. The Cub Cadet is HORRIBLE with heavy/wet and slush.
Okay - thank you so much! Sounds like the e26 isn't going to do it for me. I was really hoping this would be the year, however it's nice to know the batteries aren't really an issue. Eventually, I will make the switch to electric, and my Ego mower is getting pretty long in the tooth. I'll definitely look into the Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO. This gives me a lot to work with - thanks again!
Love your videos. I didn't grow up around snowblowers, and so have had to learn about them, and your videos are very informative. I used them to help me figure out what new snow blower to buy (and it came today!), but I am gonna keep watching your videos anyway, just because they are interesting and educational.
Sorry to be a bit pedantic. It is not strictly incorrect to use engine and motor interchangeably. It is a more standard practice to define motor as a device that converts a source of energy into motion. Most frequently this is electrical energy and electric motors. Again GENERALLY an engine converts a source of HEAT energy - most often from combustion into motion. Jet, steam, internal combustion etc engines. If you use these definitions an engine is a motor but most motors are not engines. I am most used to these definitions as are lots of folks.
Great and very useful video. Thank you
I just want to thank you again for having some of the best snow blower related content!
#1 in my book!!
Thank you for showing us the inner workings and for sharing your knowledge of Toro pieces & parts. I just bought one of these this summer. The snow's a comin' soon now. I live in the Cascade Mountains in SW Oregon and I get to deal with 3-4 feet of snow (mostly wet slush/mush) every winter. I've been shoveling it until now. My back & shoulders feel better already!
by far the best video on this unit on U tube you sold me on it thanks .
Thanks Paul! 👍😃
I think this machine is a fantastic idea and may be a great snow blower, but why doesn’t anyone Come out and say how long the batteries last, this info is a must before putting money down on this machine over tried and tested petrol powered blowers.
Also one battery for this machine costs $560 odd canadian. Finally what happens to the battery life when it’s very cold -20 degrees c etc.
Great video, if I need not worry about all of the above I’d very much consider buying a machine like this,,,,, terrific video !!!, i know the 15 mins run time per battery was mentioned in your video, I would just like some others experience’s with run time per battery
The main reason no one states how long the battery will last is because it varies by what you are doing. If you are blowing light, dry snow the battery will last longer than if you are blowing heavy/wet snow. Mowing your lawn weekly will use a lot less power than trying to mow grass 10 inches high.
A 45 minute run time for three 7.5AH batteries is about the same as using a tank of fuel in the gas version. Is you area to clear large enough that you have to refill the fuel tank to get done?
Todays Lithium-ion batteries are a lot better in the cold than the older NiCads and especially better than the lead-acid battery in your car. In addition the Toro batteries have electronics in them so that you get the best possible performance in all operating temperatures.
Charge battery pack at 5°C (41°F) to 40°C (104°F)*
Use battery pack at -30°C (-22°F) to 49°C (120°F)
Store battery pack/charger at 5°C (41°F) to 40°C (104°F)*
I use this type of lithium-ion battery with the electronics built in other applications (like my drone) and I find I only loose about 10% run time if I use it at 0 F compared to using it at 60 degrees.
Not gonna lie, I'm loving this toro
Thank you for this great review. Will you ever review the Ryobi 2 stage 96volt battery snow blower?
I don't have any plans to review it right now but if enough people ask I will!
Good info, thank you
I got the same 26 inch 60V Toro and I was curious about the « auto steer » and you explain it in details plus all the speed change etc… Great detail video, I really appreciate all the comments about the rust etc. You really know your stuff !
Great review Paul. I've had my eye on this unit for a year. I have an older machine that's on its last legs and this one seemed ideal and I liked the metal construction vs. the plastic units from Ryobi, Ego and others. But the early reviews I saw suggested the 7.5 amp batteries weren't up to the task of running for 30 minutes or more. And that they took hours to recharge since Toro doesn't provide a dual charger. So.. I held off but am enthused what you said in an earlier video and repeated here today about the coming 10 amp batteries with quick charging. Hopefully those will be included with the unit next year and I might pull the trigger then. Thanks again.
Great video, bought one last fall (2022) and really like it.
The auto tranny is nice, I can easily move it around while not needing power.
Hi Paul after using the 26" PowerSmart with Briggs Stratton 250cc for a year I decided to buy the Toro 60V snowblower. The PowerSmart worked great clearing deep snow with no problems. Even so I want to transition to electric which I have already done when I purchased the Toro Personal Pace 60v lawnmower. I will keep the PowerSmart as a backup using the Toro 60v as my main snowblower. With 3 batteries, two 7.5 ah and one 6 ah from the lawnmower, I should have enough run time to clear my long driveway and sidewalk.
Paul, I love your channel! Your analysis is the most helpful that I've been able to find anywhere, in any capacity! Could you review and demo the Simplicity 1024? I'd be interested in knowing whether they hold their weight in wet/heavy conditions, both as a brand and based on the size with a Briggs and Stratton 9.5hp, 24", 208cc.
I don't have access to one to demo but I'll go through the specs and tell you how it compares to the others.
1. It has 9.5 ft lbs max torque. The 208 cc engine produces about 4.5-5 HP. That's on the low side for power. Most brands now use a 220cc (5 hp) or 250 cc (7 hp) on their 24 inch machines.
2. The snowblower is Simplicity's economical residential model and it has about the same capacity as a 24 inch Craftsman, Troy-Bilt and Power Smart. In other words it's average to poor for handling snow and capacity. It does not handle heavy/wet snow well.
3. The Ariens Compact, Toro 824, Simplicity 1524, Cub Cadet are all a step up and will be a much better choice for most people.
4. Simplicity is a dealer only brand. If you have any problems with it just take it back to the dealer you purchased it from. Simplicity dealers in general are very good at after-the-sale service.
@@PaulSikkema Amazing review, thank you! I'm in a Canadian city in a Valley, lots of snow and as cold as -40 (with the windchill) in late Jan/Feb, driveway berms from the city plow 2-4 feet high on larger snowfalls and averaging 80+inches/year of total snowfall, 1.5-wide, 5-car-long driveway, so I'll try to I'll avoid the 208cc engines. I didn't know about the 1524, thank you! Would you recommend the Toro 826 for my setup or the Toro 828/Ariens Deluxe 28 (or even the Deluxe 28 SHO)? Not sure if the 250cc, 260cc or 300+cc would be best.
1. The best 24 inch on the market is the Ariens Platinum 24 SHO. It will handle any snow you ever get including heavy/wet snow. The way it's designed it has almost twice the capacity of the Simplicity 1524.
2. The Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO is also a great choice. The larger engine and high capacity design will work very well for you 80+ inches of snow.
3. If you live at a higher elevation consider the Ariens Deluxe 30 EFI. It automatically adjust the fuel mixture to your altitude and delivers about 20% more power than an engine with a carb.
4. The Toro 828 and Ariens Deluxe 28 can handle heavy wet snow very well. They are designed for 60+ inches a year but if you are on a budget they will get the job done. They will do the job just a little slower than the first three choices.
5. The Toro 826 has a lot less capacity than the Toro 828. It really designed for areas of the country that get 30-50 inches of snow. It doesn't throw snow as far as the others on the list so you may have higher berms along your driveway with the snow you get.
6. Because of the amount of snow you get I really don't recommend any other brand of snowblowers.
@@PaulSikkema I cannot thank you enough for this! I have spent close to 40-60 hours researching blowers and sellers over the past two weeks, but your videos were always the final place I end up! Your channel, knowledge and help are truly appreciated and rare!
Best Regards,
Adam
The motor beeping and shutting down is because there is a timer... if you run it for 45 seconds without engaging the auger it will beep and shut down. This is mentioned in the manual. Kind of a PITA, but what I do is about every 30 seconds run the auger for 5 seconds or so, and that gives you another 45 seconds. Repeat as neccessary.
Thank you, I missed that.
Nice review Paul. Thank you for the effort. It is very informative.
I wonder how hard it is to change the impeller bearing with this one-piece frame design. In my salt belt location, I have had to change the impeller bearings in both of my Ariens machines after many years of use due to salt corrosion causing bearing failure. With a two-piece design, that is not too bad a job.
What you say about buying a proven design from a manufacturer likely to be around for many more years is good advice. And with electric power equipment you are really going to have to standardize on a brand to get more use out of the batteries and chargers and to spread the cost of the batteries over more equipment.
I plan to keep my eye on these Toro electric outdoor power equipment series as I may eventually replace my Honda walk behind mower and my Ariens 924124 26-inch snowblower with electric units.
It doesn't look too difficult. Tip it up on it's nose, remove the friction disk and bracket. It looks like there is enough room then to pull the impeller pulley to get to the bearing.
Sorry about Willow Paul… you had a great friend for a long time, and you were lucky to have found each other.
Hi Paul. Thanks for the very through detailed review of this unit. If I had an average lot, in an area with average snowfall, and I was working with someone who had little mechanical knowledge, or wasn’t going to do much routine maintenance, I would recommend THIS electric blower to them in a heartbeat over anything else on the market (especially the Chinese crap that you can never get parts for) Toro has always made a quality machine(I have 2 Toro blowers currently in the stabile). What a great new product development model…to take a popular well functioning blower, and add a solid electric motor. I like what that tells me about getting parts down the road. Love the heated handgrips, the light, and the eco switch for days when you have 2-4”of powder. Really found it interesting to watch the machine actually function, that was really cool. Can’t wait to see how it performs in wet heavy snow alongside some gasoline engine competition. However for me, I keep my machines 30+ years, and I can’t get past all the plastic on the dash, gearing, the joystick, and now the belly pan. I prefer the durability and longevity of metal. I get why some manufacturers use it, it’s lighter, doesn’t rust, and DEFINITELY increases profits. But when I’m paying almost 2 grand for a snowblower, it’s going to be a brand like Ariens that has the most all metal construction in their build. I respect your recommendation on this machine, and feel there is definitely a large group of homeowners who this machine would be perfect for. Just not an old snowblower guy like me. Great to see willow up and about at 17, that’s amazing! I’ve never had a dog live that long. Wonderful to see you back to posting again, as I feel the info you provide is invaluable!
The Ariens Compact AutoTurn is the closest comparable snowthrower from Ariens. It retails for $1349. Gas, Gas can, trips to the gas station and a tune-up every two years is extra.
This snowblower retails for $1899 with two 7.5 AH batteries and 2 amp charger. The cost of the batteries and charger if bought separately is $829. That's makes the cost of this snowblower $1079.
Hi Paul, thanks for the response. As far as I can tell, this machine cannot be operated with out the batteries & the charger, so I’m not seeing your reason for subtracting the cost of these from the purchase price? These batteries started to degrade from the second they were created. The amount of power they provide , and there reserve capacity will gradually decline as well through their life. All resulting in a steady reduction in performance with this machine for the next 10 years (if your lucky). No similar reduction in performance from the gas engine Ariens. So with the Ariens if I do a yearly oil change with Synthetic 5-w30 $9.00, and a new plug every 2 years at about $5. That puts my known cost of ownership at 10 years for the Ariens gas engine at approximately $115. 00 without inflation. With the Toro I’m really not sure how long the batteries are going to last, as storage temp, depth and rate of discharge, and number of times recharged will all alter their life. So, using your estimate of 10 years, and the current price for replacement at a big box store of &349.00 each puts the cash outlay of being able to run this rechargeable Toro at $698. 00 10 years from now without inflation. If you run three batteries, we’re at $1047.00. Both blowers require fuel, as your paying for electricity as you charge/maintain the Toro, and burn gas in the Ariens. We’ll give the nod to the Toro here as gas is currently more expensive. We’ll give the nod to the Toro for having a greener footprint while consuming fuel, but not for the disposal of these batteries at end of life. So, we’re looking at at extra $583 to own and run the Toro over 10 years if you only use 2 batteries. The Toro definitely gets the nod for being plug and play easy, (which is really important for many people these days)as long as you remember to charge your batteries it will start. I have to give the nod to the Ariens gas engine for versatility. When we get those 2 or 3 big snows every year that sends you down the block to help neighbors after clearing your own snow, you simply grab your gas can and throw snow for a full day or more if needed. With the Toro, depending on snow depth and weight, you have to shut down, and wait to recharge. Unless you spend $698 and have 2 extra batteries in reserve. Im all on board with saying this Toro is the one I would buy hands down. However, for me, I am not ready to give up the extra versatility/flexibility/ consistent power the gas engine offers right now… just IMHO, and the lower cost of ownership. If I run these machines for 30 years, I have almost enough left in my pocket to buy a new machine if I run the Ariens gas engine.
It made sense when I wrote it. Yes, you have to have the batteries for it to run - just like you have to have gas, a gas transport device, and engine maintenance for the gas unit to also run 10 years.
Hi Paul very nice review of the Toro version of EV snowblower which is very well built. I previously owned a Snow Joe EV and did not like it at all because it only worked when blowing fluffy snow. If the snow was deep, a foot or more or wet, the blower auger would clog up over lack of power. Also the chute was controlled by an electric switch and always froze causing me to use a hair dryer to free it up. I ended up selling the Snow Joe and purchased the PowerSmart with the Briggs and Stratton 250 cc engine. The PowerSmart did not cost me anything it was an even trade for the Snow Joe. So far so good but if the PowerSmart gives me trouble I will sell it and buy a Cub Cadet. Love your instruction videos.
Hi Paul,
do you know when the "Toro 60V Max* 21” Power Clear Self-Propelled Snow Blower (Single Stage)" is available?
They have had a few production delays. If you ordered it online through Toro it should ship in the next 14 days. Dealers should start getting them about the same time.
Great video i just got this machine. first test today did my yard with two battery's, but the one question should it roll freely in neutral? i fell like i'm turning a gear box?? thanks
It will be fairly stiff at first but it does get easier to push after a few uses. It will always have a little gear noise because when you push it with the engine off the automatic steering gear, the pinion gear and the friction wheel turns. That said,
Lets check the clutch cable just to be sure the friction wheel is not rubbing on the friction plate. Go to minute 36:00 and watch how the clutch cable will be completely loose with your hand off the lever, how it tightens when you push down on the lever and that the spring will expand about 3/8 inch when it's all adjusted right.
Hello Paul, Do the older 928 Toro's have the wheel disconnect under the grips like yours?
The 928 I have is a 2019 model. It does NOT have trigger steering so there are no triggers under the handles. It has automatic steering.
When the clutch is released and/or the engine is not running you can easily move this 928 around.
928's built before 2019 did have trigger steering so you will find the triggers under the handles.
Howdy I sure enjoy watching your testing and reviews of snow blowers and throwers. Have you ever tested a Simplicity single stage snow thrower or any other machines made by them. I have a friend that owns a Simplicity Equipment Dealership in Michigan and I have been considering purchasing a single stage Simplicity 1022 EE. But not that I don’t like my friend LOL but do you know if it’s medal auger plus rubber is good verses another manufacturer that doesn’t use the medal snow shredder and rubber auger? It seems like with all of this models features standard it’s a decent price. Thanks
BTW I also own older and newer model simplicity tractors and my oldest is a 1964 Broadmoor my newest is my 4 wheel drive Legacy with most all attachments plus snow blower. They have and are very dependable and of high quality. I am surprised that these products are tested or reviewed by almost every place on the internet or CZcams. I have read all the propaganda in regards to Briggs and Stratton engine parts will be hard to locate sense B&S were bought out but my friend has B&S parts gojng back to the mid fifties and he can’t picture parts being hard to find sense he has been assured engine parts and so on should not be of any difficulties this is according to thee top management of B&S and the new company executives that have taken over. His dealership has been a family owned business sense 1958.
I presently have my Toro 3650 two cycle Briggs I have had for 16 years now but it’s tired. I just thought if the simplicity was decent at my age of 78 I might die before a new snowblower would LOL plus for the money the Simplicity with its features compared to toro is roughly $200 cheaper and my money is in short supply now not that is hasn’t been.
Again Thank You
With the Toro 21" Power Clear® 821 QZE being the best on the market and any Husqvarna single stage being the worst the 1022EE is right in the middle. It's biggest advantage is price.
The snow shredder's metal teeth don't give you an advantage. They may work on frozen piles of snow but normal cleaning they don't work as well as the Toro's rubber paddles that throw the snow a lot farther.
If you just need a single-stage to clean up behind your larger snowblowers it is a good choice - especially for the price. But if it will be your primary snow blower the Toro will be a better choice.
As far as I can tell the 1022EE is discontinued so the one you local dealer is offering is most likely a 2020 or 2021 model. That should give you a better deal if he is trying to clear out his inventory.
@@PaulSikkema Thank You so much you clarified a few things for me that I didn’t know. Cheers
When you test this snow blower can you compare the speed at which it clears snow as compared to the Toro single stage gas blower? My local sales rep says the single stage is faster and pulls you along and you can even run with it. If course he didn't mention how deep the snow is.
Well,
This one will pull you along to. At a slow walking pace or a quick trot. You get to set the speed - not the rubber auger. What he didn't tell you is you have to keep the handles lifted up so the rubber contacts the ground.
If you are clearing 2-6 inches the single stage can be faster - until you hit the snow plow berm that's waist high...
This one will clear a gravel driveway or a spot for you dog out back on the lawn.
This one will throw snow 3-4 times farther than a single stage. That way you won't end up with a six-foot high berm along your driveway by the middle of winter.
If you ever get more than 6-8 inches of snow and the snow plow berm is always knee high this 2-stage is a better choice.
I'll bet he didn't tell you the new Toro Battery single stage with the rubber paddle will be available soon...It's just like the gas version only gas.
@@PaulSikkema great answer, and your assumptions are correct he hadn't mentioned about the new version single stage. I still like the dual stage you're showing. Solid product and thanks for all the details in your video.
what do u think of egos 2 stage?
A lot more plastic than the Toro. But, if you already have the the EGO batteries it can be a choice.
After watching tons of reviews between the ego and the 24" Toro 60v, I watched your review, which helped me make up my mind....went with the Toro, even though we have an ego mower and it's amazing as well. The last Toro I had was from the mid 80s my dad bought when we lived in buffalo....I had it at my house until around 2010, when it was stolen..but it still worked. You mentioning how the unit is mechanically identical to the gas units is what made my decision, knowing parts will be readily available. I ran the new one Friday night with about 3-4 inches of slushy snow we got, and it did an amazing job. Keep up the great work, subscribed! Have a merry Christmas! 👍 I did have a question regarding the 24 inch model, I know it can take the 7.5 amp battery, will it be able to make use of the 10a? Thinking waaay down the road...😊
Yes, it will take the 10 AH batteries
@@PaulSikkema thank you sir! Keep up the amazing content, and have a merry Christmas 👍
Hey glad to hear you like it! I just got my 24 inch today! Just tired of shoveling.. was kinda nervous. Thinking I should’ve gone with gas.. can’t wait to get mine out !
@@TheBarreraLifeStyle have you gotten to use it yet? We finally got our first snow here in upstate NY...8 inches of heavy snow, did an amazing job. Had it on Eco most of the time as that was sufficient enough. Lasted about 37 minutes. I'll add, the end of the driveway was about 15-20 inches of wet snow.... Went through it like butter!
@@PaulSikkema again Paul, thank you for these amazing in depth reviews! I do have one last question.... In regards to the height of the deflector, that's my only complaint, I can't get it to throw snow low enough, but overall it did amazing on our first real snow here in upstate NY. Keep up the amazing work, it's appreciated, and very informative!
Yes definitely, Paul… “electric engine” sounds perfect to me. Especially since it sure looks like Toro intentionally designed it to resemble a small block V-8! 😅. I love this machine so far after some end of season use last winter. I’ve also got the 60 volt flex-force super recycler mower, pole saw, string trimmer, and leaf blower too. Have four 7.5 A/hr batteries, and a couple of smaller ones… hopefully should be enough. Very nice video review!
Another Great video! I would love to see you do a review on the toro 1800 power curve electric snowblower. Do you have any thoughts on that machine compared to the other corded snowblowers like the snow joe?
With a corded snow thrower you have to have a 12 ga cord and no more than 50 foot long. They only throw snow 10-15 feet. They can only clear 2-6 inches well.
Is everything you need to clear within 50 feet of your outside outlet? Do you get more snow than 2-6 inches and do you get drifts.
The Toro is the best and it works well for patios, decks and porches.
Well done sir !
Just wondering why they don’t make a separate motor for the auger and another one for the drivetrain, so they could avoid wear part like friction wheel…
Replacing a friction wheel is a lot less expensive than replacing a additional motor or controller tucked down in the transmission case where it's exposed to the elements.
@@PaulSikkema
Thanks for the explanation !
Paul stated Toro's goal was to not redesign the snowblower to use direct-drive motors. While I applaud them for their ingenuity and the ability to bring the unit to the market quicker, the unit's efficiency is reduced with all the belts, pullies, and friction plates, so the reports of reduced runtimes are not a surprise.
V-Belt loss to the impeller is only 2% with a new belt and no more than 5% after the belt is worn in. Friction Wheel losses are negligible because less than 10% of the engine's power is needed to drive the snowblower forward and reverse.
An example is a lawn tractor. With a 20 HP engine less than 2 HP is actually needed to move the tractor around your yard when mowing - the blades/deck use up the rest of the power.
Another example, a belt drive bicycle with a CVT transmission is much more efficient than a chain drive with derailer gearing.
Looks like a fun machine. But I don't agree with the no shear pin idea.
I was skeptical myself 15 years ago. You can always replace the auger bolts with shear pins from another brand's snowblower...
@@PaulSikkema good to know
Paul, I am looking at picking up a snowblower and ran across your channel. So far it has been very informative. I am still trying to decide what blower would work best for me. I think I have it down to either an Ariens or a Toro Power Max. My neighbor has an Ariens Platinum 24 SHO that I have been using this year and it works awesome but is also really expensive. What would be some models you would recommend? I live in Utah around the 6000 ft elevation mark. We usually get snow anywhere from 4-20" per storm and the plow trucks like to throw a big mess at the end of our driveway that is typically deep and wet heavy snow. I have a standard residential concrete driveway and a gravel drive that I clear as well as the sidewalk in front of my house. Thanks
Prices have gone up on snowblowers and even the cheapest stuff at the local big box store is now $1400-1500. So an extra $400 to 500 for the right Ariens for you is a good investment.
I suggest that you take a close look at the Ariens DELUXE 30 EFI. It uses electronic fuel injection instead of a carburator. That allows it to automatically adjust the fuel mixture for your higher elevation and you'll get more power than the carb versions.
The EFI engine give the Deluxe 30 about the same performance and capacity as the Platinum 24 SHO but with the 6 inch wider width you'll get done faster than you neighbor most of the time.
@@PaulSikkema That makes sense, I will definitely have to take a closer look at that model. Thanks for the response. I also just ran across a barely even used 2019 Platinum 24 SHO EFI for just under $1000 in my local classifieds. Looks basically brand new still in the pictures.
At this point in the snow year, I am also considering waiting until this fall to pick one up to see if prices come down now that steel prices are dropping almost daily.
The Platinum 24 sounds like a very good deal. I would check it out. The 2019 hasn't really changed from the 2023. They added an LED headlight which you can order through Ariens parts for around $60. You may also want to replace the EFI battery - it's up under the dash. Hard telling if the previous owner charged it regularly.
Make sure you get the charger for the EFI battery if you buy it. It's just a small charger about the size of the one for your phone.
I don't expect prices to come down. Steel is dropping but all the other parts prices are still going up. (tires especially) Labor also continues to go up.
@@PaulSikkema perfect, thanks for the info. Other than cosmetic design changes I couldn't really see any differences so that's good to know. I will be sure to look up the price of the battery and charger before I go look at it for negotiations. I'm sure I'll pick it up if it looks as good in person as it does in the pictures.
@@kyleturnbow3373 did you end up picking this up?
Great video! Does the impeller gear box come with gear oil in it out of the box?
The front gear box has the oil in it. It's ready to use.
Batteries fit on the lawnmower?
Yes, the 60V Max batteries fit ALL of the tools in the Flex-Force line. Including the new 30 inch TimeMaster mower and the 60V Max Revolution commercial tools. All the batteries work in all the tools. Batteries range from 2.0 to 10 amp residential and the 10 amp commercial battery.
the differential , is that something to have as a spare part ?
No, I expect it to last years.
@@PaulSikkema Thank you for your opinion
Hi Paul, please keep up the good work we really appreciate it. I just moved into a new property with a somewhat rundown gravel driveway which has 3 to 5 inches off rocks in it that is coming loose. I have a two-stage ego snowblower that I bought it from previous home with pave the driveway where it worked perfectly but in this property when I used it for the first snow it broke something inside (instead of shear pins). Now because the machine is still under warranty I am not opening it on purpose and having it repaired by a professional ego dealer but in the meantime I'm thinking of buying this. Would you recommend this machine for someone like me? Can this machine be used in transportation mode where the impellers are few inches higher?
I had the same dilemma. I inherited a large gravel parking lot where they used 2 inch plus rocks as the base. They then covered it with chips. (uniform limestone about 1/4 inch in diameter) I fixed it by putting 2 inches of road mix over the entire lot (road mix is 3/4 to fine limestone. It packs down firmly so the big rocks won't work through)
The Toro e26 is the perfect replacement for the EGO. It's extremely rugged and you won't break it if you get a rock in it.
I suggest picking up the larger rocks that are laying on the top of the drive if you can. Then when you get 2 inches or so of snow just leave it and let your vehicle traffic pack it down the first time. That may freeze most of your rocks in place for the winter.
A wheeled snowblower does not have a transport mode. The skid shoes on the Toro can be adjusted to zero-3/4 inch gap under the scraper bar. If you want a larger gap you will have to fabricate your own skid shoes. I suggest 1/4 inch steel plate, round the bottom edge and drill holes to match the holes in the auger housing at the height you want. With the front tipped up 1 1/2 inches or so the front will be tilted so the holes need to be drilled so the plate is level with the pavement. Put a 2X4 under the scraper bar (1 1/2 inches) and then mark the new skid plates to the holes in the auger housing.
@@PaulSikkema thank you so much for the reply Paul. Fixing the driveway is in my to-do list! Armor skids makes some really nice skids for this machine.
I didn't mention the armour skids because they only will raise the gar under the scraper bar the same amount as the skids that come with the snowblower ( about 3/4 inch)
@@PaulSikkema just to give you an update, I picked up the e26 today. Also I emailed skid armor about this and they suggested a skid that has a height of 3.5 in meanwhile stock one is little less than 3 in if I'm not mistaken. The stock one raises the scraper at it is highest setting 3/4 quarter of an inch as you mentioned so the skin armor one should be able to raise it another half inch higher. Also I requested a pro Xt model from them which has 4.5 in of adjustment. I'll keep you updated.
Which you could review the ego side by side.., i bought the ego two days ago because i need something less than 24 inch .. and the toro is 26. A bit too large for my small garage. Apparently you can get buy the 24 (which run a locked wheels all the time) and buy the upgrade kit to allow open differential.. but the 24 inch toro is very hard to find in fact nobody in my area has the 24 in stock mainly because it doesn't have open differential like the 26 you are reviewing.. i still have few days left to return the Ego stn2416 and get the toro e26 but something is holding me. Something you did not cover in your review and that is the battery. Apparently, toro has some control quality issue with their battery thus the small 3 years warranty compared to Ego 5 years warranty. Those battery are very expensive.. Two set of battery worth more than the blower it self if you buy separately. So changing battery every 3 years if they die on you will become cost prohibitive. Also apparently Toro is making it difficult to swap battery under warranty. You have to run through a toro dealer and they send it back to Toro and it can take months for them to send you another battery so by that time winter will be over. If it is another part that break…like the belt.. those are easy to find.. but if you don't know how to fix them yourself, that just add to the maintenance cost and transport fee. One thing i like about the toro is the sound.. it is so quiet compared to the Ego which has a very high pitch hisssing sound. So i hope you can review the .ego like you just did…. Meanwhile, i have to decide whether i keep the Ego or return it to get the Toro.
Toro. Like all manufacturers who have a servicing dealer network:
1. Make sure you read the manual when you get the machine and then use that info to register your new snowblower.
2. If you have a problem use the dealer locator tab at toro.com and find your nearest SERVICING dealer. (Not all dealers are servicing dealers. The non-servicing dealers may have to send the product in for analysis)
3. Even better buy from that dealer. If you EVER have an issue just bring it back to them.
I have over a dozen Toro batteries and some that are now 5 years old. I have had no issues with any of them.
Comparatively, out of the three batteries I have purchased from EGO two went bad in the 2nd year - and EGO was such a pain to work with I sold all the equipment and will never buy from them again. The lack of having a dealer network is the real reason I won't buy again.
@@PaulSikkema I bought the E26 2 days ago. The reason i choose toro over Ego is because The Toro dealer is only 10 min driving from my house and was offering 24 months financing with zero interest for any Toro products priced over $2000+ . So the e26 qualified for it, cost me $60 to deliver the beast home. There is something in have noticed about this unit, you can actually remove the electric engine and put a toro gas engine if you decide to return to gas, You just need to remove few bolts to do that. The gas engine block probably cost around $600 or $800. So if someday toro decide to discontinue the electric engine, anyone who own this machine can turn it into a gas snowblower very easily, However, there are few things i don't like,, The battery doesn,t seem as good as the Ego. Toro only provide 7.5ah. While Ego offer 10Ah. Toro have 3 years warranty vs 5 years with Ego The dual charger one Ego is a fast charger, it charge alot faster than the chargers that come with the Toro, The true runtime on the Ego is much greater than toro. Toro claim it dan do 30 cara drieveway with a single charge.. unless there is 1 inch of snow depth that's not true at all. If there is a 2 feet of compact heavy snow, with a full charge, with some luck you might be able to do 2 car driveway. Or 1 car driveway plus the end driveway that often has 3 feet snow bank. That's about it,, you definitely need a third battery. In other words, the Ego might only have two battery slots but because they put 10Ah, uses less energy , you will have a longer runtime. The e26 drains more electricity even on Eco mode. , because the engine is always running even if you don't move. It is a heavier machine too. 150 pounds on the Ego vs 187 pounds for the toro e26. Also because the Ego comes with fast charger you can recharge the battery much faster and be ready to remove the next city snowbank wave create by the city plow.. which happen in my area every hour or two. With the Toro you'r battery won't be ready because it takes over 4 hours to recharge with the provided 2A chargers. Toro seriously need to stop providing those little charger and put the rapid 5.4A charger in the package, and upgrade to 10Ah battery or even 12Ah . The 3 years warranty is low, Ego sale representatives will tell people that Ego offer 5 years warranty because their products are better thus last longer. But the darkside of Ego is service which not always easy to get. In order to have your Ego repair, one must buy from a true Ego retailer that sell and repair Ego.. and to avoid any big store like homedepot, lowes, walmart, amazon etc.. with Toro, you can just go to a .toro dealer, in my case 10 min from my house. It will cost money to transport the heavy thing but atleast the dealer will fix it. Toro parts are not too difficult to find unless its specific, they probably don't have the electric engine in stock,, but they probably have the belts.. Those who bought their Ego snowblowers from a real Ego shop won't have any issue, they will be able to have their .Ego fixed very rapidly without contacting Ego. They will not need any RMA, nor have to ship their unit to .Ego. But like i said if you buy your Ego from place like amazon, lowes, walmart or any general store you will run into very serious problems to have your ego snowblower. Anyhow, i hope i made the right choice choosing the toro E26.. im trying to find a third battery but they are too expensive . The only way to get a third battery would be to buy another tool like a lawnmower which often come with a 6ah battery.. some models come with 7.5h but they are pricier. If i can find a 2.5h on craigslist i will probably put that in as a third battery just to get a tiny 2 or 3 min extra runtime, BTW, you should make a review on battery runtime and test how long they last , and what happen when you mix battery amperage like mixing a 7.5ah with a 6ah or with a 2ah..
1. The 7.5 AH batteries typically last me about 15 minutes each - 20 if the snow is light. I do have a pair of the new 10 AH batteries and I'll use them this season to see how much longer they last.
2. Fast charging greatly reduces the overall life of a lithium-ion battery. Toro has been very conservative with their chargers and consquentially they have a stellar life span on the batteries. I have twelve 60 volt Toro batteries and some are going on 5 years old. I have not had one failure and they all have the full capcity as new. I have not had the same luck with other brands.
3. Toro does offer a 5 amp charger if that's what you need. It will cut your charge time in half.
4. All parts for your e26 are available through your local dealer or you can order them directly at toro.com. They have parts breakdowns and operator's manuals there too.
5. EGO/Chervon does have the best marketing campaign in the industry.
holy crap u acrtually returned the 24 inch ego? do u regret it?@@reefgratos2035
@@PaulSikkema you should make a video on the electric motor. Remove the screws, Open it and look at the electronics components. On the Ego we can see how the electronic modules are located, how to replace them,.. On the Toro you covered the whole mechanical parts. But what if the electronic fail.. how do you fix the electric motor? How much does it cost to repair or even replace the motor? Where are the fuses? How do we remove those electronic components so we can repair the motor ourself. And lastly how do we remove the electric motor and replace it with the gas engine? This is my first snowblower with open differential,, Before this one i had three Ariens , the latest Ariens was a 2015 24”. And the wheels were pin locked so to spin the unit i had to unpin on wheel. But with both wheels locked it was very hard to spin the unit and to slalom .. but with the Toro e26 i am able to turn, slalom even on the go even when it is running. As soon there is a resistance on one side, the other side doesn't slow down thus control lost. This happened several time when i tried on reverse. Something was blocking the right wheel and the blower tried to spin because the left wheel become the strongest, This should have been the opposite, if one wheel is having hsrd time. Thus spining slower, then the opposite wheel should match the speed. But it did not. Anyway, im still getting use to this type of snowblower with open differential. As for the battery, time will tell, 15 min for a 7,5ah is about right.. but thats not good enough still. Ego 2-stage now come with two 10ah with 5 years warranty. If i had the money i would buy both and tear them down so we can compare side by side.. mechanical speaking the Toro e26 is better, cheaper to repair in long term. But not easier to repair. not everyone know how to adjust the pulleys or the belt, If you don't put and adjust the belt correctly it will rattle, On the Ego , it is a lot simplier, inside,, the trans case is the only parts found inside the main body then there is a big axle and two wheels.. all the gears are inside each wheel. So if the gears on the wheel get damaged, i think you have to replace the wheel. If its the electronic modules, you replace them,, thats how it works on Ego snowblower., but on the Toro, what if something burn.. what if there is no fuse, does it mean the whole electric motor need to be replaced? That is probably expensive if it does.
Those batteries are NOT cheap. The SunJoe 100 Volt Ion series has been discontinued due to the 100 Volt batteries not being in stock anymore. They were replaced with 4 12.0-Ah Batteries in their Snow Joe 96-Volt Cordless Snow Blower which are not cheap either.
Yup, I've been waiting on warranty batteries for over a year. They still refuse to tell me I'm SOL.
No, but they can be cost effective if you use them year-round. No Maintenance/Gas for your snow blower, walk-behind mower, wide area mower, chainsaw, trimmer, edger, leaf blower, pole pruner....plus a bunch of new stuff coming next year.
@@corystansbury - Are the batteries really $360 approximately for the 26E snowblower or did I look up the wrong ones? And at home depot this snowblower is about $1,600.00 and retails depending on the site for $2000.00 wow. Maybe I am wrong hopefully so. Yes it says 12” of snow isn’t an issue with it but I used a friends and the issue he is finding is there isn’t enough weight for the electric snowblowers compared to gas powered ones. I just couldn’t get used to hardly no vibration- no smelly fumes - although my friends has a high pitch sound that required ear protection. He has about a week left to return it to home depot not sure what he will do nor is he. At this time like I mentioned there just not for me at this time Thanks
The Ariens Compact AutoTurn is the closest comparable snowthrower from Ariens. It retails for $1349. Gas, Gas can, trips to the gas station and a tune-up every two years is extra.
This snowblower retails for $1899 with two 7.5 AH batteries and 2 amp charger. The cost of the batteries and charger if bought separately is $829. That's makes the cost of this snowblower $1079
Toro spent the extra time to develop a battery that will last. I'm expecting 6 to 10 years without any battery issues.
So Comparative cost to own.
Electric: Two 7.5 AH batteries and 2 amp charger is $829 Charging the batteries about $20 per year. Total cost for 6 years $949. 10 years $1029
Gas: Gas Can $40. Gas per year 5 gallon @ $3.50, $17.50. Tune-up $225-250 every two years. Total cost for 6 years. $645. 10 years, $1215.
With California, West Virginia and some cities banning the sale of gas powered small engines in the next 3 years battery is becoming viable.
Thank you for your informative videos! You alleviated a couple of concerns I had with my Toro Power Max e26 that was delivered in a box a couple of days ago. I assemble it and adjusted everything mentioned in the manual.
One concern was the rumbling auger, I wasn't sure if that was normal of not... Having someone experienced like you not be concerned made me feel MUCH better. The rumbling noise probably wouldn't be as noticeable with a gas engine. I checked the auger gearbox fluid level thinking it may be the cause. I couldn't even see the fluid level in there with my endoscope... The manual mentions it should be 3/8" below the filler opening -- how the heck do that? It's not an easy area to measure...at all... Most filler openings of this type recommend adding fluid level with the filler opening, so that's what I did. It only took a small amount, at most an once of two, before it was level . Should I remove some of it, or do you think it will be fine? There looks like be a large amount of headroom space in there...
The other was the LOUD squeaking in reverse. I'm so glad you mentioned in your video that it is normal for a new machine. I wonder why it only squeaks in reverse? All the forward gears are quiet. I slowed the video down to 0.25 speed and watched you change gears. It might be my imagination, but it looks like the tire wobbles more when it's on the reverse side of the friction disk... How long does it take for the reverse gear squeak to go away?
You provided piece of mind -- thank you!
Toro would be well served to mention these unusual sounds. I would imagine they may lead to perfectly good machines being returned...
You know your stuff!
I've ran this one for about 10 minutes and the squeak and rattle are gone. I think it was just the new rubber friction wheel wearing in. The wheel does have a lot of play (that's why they don't need any lubrication) and it normal for them to wobble a little. It doesn't spin at high speed so it doesn't need to be precise.
You only need to remove a tablespoon. Just roll up the end of a paper towel and let the towel absorb some of the oil. Do that a couple of times and you'll have enough out. If it's completely full the oil may expand when it warms up and cause a gasket to leak.
I wonder why none of these electric snowblowers have a corded option. it seems to me they should have some kind of AC adaptor for snowblowers so if you're within 100 feet of a power source, you should have a corded power option, and then run the snowblower on batteries only when you absolutely need to. They really got you by the wazoo by making you use batteries exclusively all the time. I don't like that. If electric snowblowers had a corded option, I'd convert in a heartbeat.
There are corded snow throwers available. Greenworks and Snow Joe still make one or two. Toro's 18 inch PowerCurve is one more example.
The first problem with corded in the U.S. is the maximum current you can draw on 100 feet, 12 ga. extension cord is 15 amps. You will also need 12 ga. wiring to your outside, weatherproof outlet on the side of you house or garage. A 100 foot, 12 ga. Extension cord is very heavy and almost all of them get very stiff in the cold weather.
The second problem is 15 amps is only enough power to operate a small, single stage snow thrower about 18 inches. These small snow throwers will only clear 2-4 inches of snow and throw the snow about 10 feet.
The 21 inch 60 volt Power Clear, and this snowblower need a lot more than 15 amps to operate.
yes..but big issue with these units is the drive is locked and there is no neutral....good luck maneuvering it when is off
Take your hand off the drive/clutch lever and this snowblower moves freely. Just put your hands on the handles and it will freewheel around for you.
This snowblower has automatic steering so you don't have to pull the triggers under the handles to get it to move (this snowblower does not use trigger steer)
There is no neutral on an friction drive snowblower. Track Drives and hydro snowblowers are much harder to move without the engine running.