New to 2016 is Toro’s most innovative product of the century – the SnowMaster. This brand new snowblower design is being called an “inline two-stage” snow blower. This new design is comparable to a single stage/two stage snowblower hybrid.
Toro has designed the perfect solution for the user caught in the single stage vs. two stage snowblower dilemma. The last few years, we’ve seen a gradual rise in the national snowfall average per season. This has led to the creation of the innovative hybrid stage snowblower.
The Age Old Snowblower Dilemma
Typically, a single stage snowblower is ideal for clearing 2″ – 8″ of snow on a paved surface. However, most single stage snowblowers do not offer self propelled drive systems or adequate height for large snows. They also aren’t designed to be used on gravel driveways. On the other hand, two stage snow blowers come standard with self-propelled drive and can handle up to 24″ of snow or more. At the same time, these snowblowers don’t work well when there’s less than 4″ of snow on the ground. To further complicate matters, the self propel on two-stage snowblowers are relatively slow, compared to walking pace. Because of this, single stage snowblowers are much quicker when it comes to lighter snowfalls. In certain parts of the country, no matter which snowblower you buy – it’s only the proper equipment half of the time.
Toro’s SnowMaster: The Solution
Toro has taken these above issues and provided an innovative solution. Their solution is so simple, that it seems almost obvious.
Larger Intake and Chute
The first step in creating the perfect hybrid snowblower was providing a snowblower that could handle larger snowfalls, while quickly and effectively removing small amounts of snow. In order to achieve this, Toro started with a larger housing and a taller intake that handles larger snows. Then they added a large, single stage paddle system that still removes snow clear to the surface for light snowfalls. They’ve also upgraded to a larger chute that is typically found on two stage snowblower models. This allows the SnowMaster to better move large volumes of snow in no time at all.
Self Propelled Drive
Toro has been using their patented Personal Pace self propel system on their walk behind lawn mowers for years – with amazing results. For the SnowMaster, Toro has decided to utilize the same Personal Pace system found in their mowers. Turns out, it works just as beautifully in the snow! The larger tires mounted to the powerful transaxle allow the SnowMaster to easily power over or through the snow with minimum effort! Going from froward to reverse has never been easier!
Around the Lawn 