Yard Machines 31C-040-800 Snow Fox 12.5-Inch 8.5 Amp Electric Snow Thrower
by Yard Machines
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List Price: Our Price: $119.00 You Save: $60.99 (34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Lawn & Patio See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Yard Machines 31C-040-800 Snow Fox 12.5-Inch 8.5 Amp Electric Snow Thrower
Customer Review: So far, so good....
Summary: 5 Stars
This machine does an excellent job of filling the gap between the two-stage gas-powered behemoths and the small underpowered shovel-handle type electric snow throwers. I wanted something that would eat through enough snow and throw it far enough to clean my driveway and sidewalk, without the hassle of maintenance /storage of the gas powered machines. Where we live in the Northeast we only get 3+ inch snow fall a few times per year, and this machine is perfect for that. I've used the Snow Fox twice so far and it has performed superbly in about a foot of recent snow. True to spec, when it was set to throw straight, the range was a good 20ft. When set to right/left the distance shrunk to no more than 3ft, but this is perfectly acceptable for sidewalk cleaning when you want to just create a narrow path for pedestrians. I would recommend the straight setting for driveways.
The Snow Fox comes assembled and all that is required is to screw the handle to the base (with included easy-to-turn screws). This is simple enough and can be done in less than 3 minutes. Removing the handle is a good idea for storage and once removed, the Snow Fox takes up about as much room as one of those dorm-room refrigerators.
I do have a few minor gripes:
-The extension cord management device leaves room for improvement as it does not easily accommodate the larger gauge extension cord plugs.
-While the Snow Fox can take on more than 6" at a time, any piles greater than 12" will need multiple "shavings" to get the job done. The reason I don't take a star off for this is that the only kind of machine that can manage such piles would be the aforementioned gas powered behemoths. In any case, multiple passes with this machine is a lot easier on the back than doing so with a hand shovel. This is a you-get-what-you-pay-for kind of deal.
-The business end (blade) of the machine is made of plastic, and while it does a great job with freshly fallen snow, I would not try it on hardened or iced-over snow that typically forms the day after a snowfall. If possible, use this machine the day of the snowfall to preserve the blade.
I recommend the Snow Fox as a great niche-filler for those like me who do not want to mess with the gas variety (and don't want to spend thousands) but want more power and utility than a small snow thrower. As long as the plastic blade doesn't wear out during subsequent snowfalls I don't see why the Snow Fox wouldn't last me for years to come. If this doesn't turn out to be the case, I'll be back here, updating the review.
Customer Review: Lots of "Throw" for your "dough"
Summary: 4 Stars
We got over 30 inches of snow in Boston this week so I had Amazon Fed Ex me this machine and couldn't be happier. Living in the city I don't have the room or need for a "big" snow thrower and the Snow Fox was the perfect compromise. With the blades pointed straight forward the Snow Fox easily throws the snow over 20 feet and as others have written, when you set the blades to the left or right the range decreases to 4-6 feet. The Fox has a short handle in addition to the "push handle" which is really useful for very deep snow. You can hold the machine from the short handle because its so light and cut thru drifts pretty effectively. No assembly is required unless you consider tightening the handle to be "assembly." I''m a bit of a tool junkie and the Snow Fox is a great value for someone that doesn't aspire to become a full time landscaper/snow plower. One additional point, the company that makes the Snow Fox has a great story worth mentioning. I've attached the "History" from their website. take a chance on this machine, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised...
The American Dream
MTD Products Inc. was founded in 1932 in Cleveland as a tool and die supplier to the local manufacturing community. The founders, Theo Moll, Emil Jochum, and Erwin Gerhard, were skilled tradesman who left their homeland and traveled to the United States with little but character and vision. Through their hard work, dedication, integrity and an emphasis on customer service, the company rapidly grew, and these qualities remain our core values.
MTD quickly gained a reputation as a high quality tool and die supplier, and this reputation helped the company make the natural expansion into steel stampings. The company became involved with consumer products by supplying stampings to the toy industry, but this expanded quickly to include complete products such as tricycles. Wheelbarrows were added to the consumer product line in the early fifties, and this simple product line had profound effects. Satisfied customers encouraged MTD to expand the product offerings for the yard, and in 1958 the company produced its first lawnmower. Today, MTD is a global leader in outdoor power equipment with manufacturing in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
MTD Products has earned a reputation around the world for excellence in quality and service and is the innovator in each respective business unit. The company remains privately held and closely aligned to the core values of our founders, whose example set our standard.
Customer Review: Used it Three Winters: Great Every Time
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using this device since December of '06 and all I can say is it's one of the best purchases I've ever made. We typically get one or two major snowfalls a year, and the Snow Fox has done the job in short order every time, hanging out-of-the-way on the wall of the garage otherwise. No messing around with gas or oil, just plug it in and away it goes. Nothing has broken for ME. I've used it on 10"+ snowfall and it works great.
We have a long driveway and steps up to a walkway to steps up to the landing for the front door. Not only does the Snow Fox blow the snow several feet forward (I'm not sure 25, but plenty), but it's easily lifted up to the walkway where, resetting the vanes with a simple twist, the Snow Fox, er, tosses the snow a bit off to one side - which is perfect, really, for the application.
I've only had two problems, which relate to the extension cord. First off the blower's plug is set within a sort of cup supposed to prevent you from plugging in the kind of cord that has a little tang on the extension cord's female plug, if you know what I mean.
Second, I occasionally run over the cord... But the great thing about the Snow Fox (I don't know how this compares to other blowers) is that whenever I run over the cord or other impedimenta in the snow (frozen wad of leaves, stick, stray piece of twine) it immediately stops, and it's easy to counter-rotate the blades and dislodge the item. And it goes right back to work, no problem!
Where *I* live, the kids don't come around with shovels after a snowfall - the guys with the plow do, and they want $100 to push a pile of snow up against the garage door and pound the rest into a slippery smear on the asphalt. This thing has repaid its cost at least twice a Winter!
Customer Review: Pretty good. Quiet! Maybe not for large areas.
Summary: 4 Stars
Our first winter snowfall of any note brought 4 inches of powder to our house. I'd bought the Snow Fox ahead of time just in case, and it works great for me.The main problem for us is the driveway - 80ft long, 10ft wide and right down the side of the house. I can shovel the path in the front yard and the sidewalk, but it takes a good 90 minutes to get any serious snow off the driveway like that.
The Snow Fox does a great job for me. The blower chute has three directions. Left and right it throws about 8ft. Ahead it throws about 15ft. It's electric, so there's the potential hassle of the cable following behind you, but that also means it's pretty quiet. You can use this without waking up your neighbours. The cut width is about 13 inches and there is a little spillage either side when you use it, but nothing to worry about.
It took me about 20 minutes to clear our driveway of 4 inches of snow (remember about 800 sq. ft)
Because it's electric, the snow paddles don't quite reach the ground. Instead there's a blade type affair right at the bottom. To use the Snow Fox, you need to tip it slightly forward so the blade scrapes along the ground. When you get it, you might think the handle is way low, but once you lift it to a comfortable height, the amount of forward tip is perfect and it drives the little blade under the snow. This scoops the snow as you push forward and the paddles throw it out through the snow vanes.
This is probably not the snow-blower for large jobs, but it's quiet, and it works great for small driveways and paths.
I concur with the other reviewers about the shipping and handling. My Fox arrived in perfect condition but the box was totally hosed by the time it got to us.
Customer Review: The little engine that could
Summary: 5 Stars
Bought this and a snow shovel after blizzard(s) dumped over 2' of snow in the DC area. One bad winter woudn't justify a $400+ heavy-duty snowblower. Got this to assist with cleanup and use in future winters. It arrived in a much smaller box than I expected. The handle and the blower are separate items; putting them together is a snap. You just screw them together. Instructions are clear and operation is very simple. It's very light and small, making it easy to move around.
It works exactly as you'd expect. Just point and shoot. Snow is flung much further when the vanes are pointed straight ahead than when they are pointed to the sides. It goes through dense, packed snow easily. Operated for 10-20 minutes at a time without overheating or losing efficiency. It was so light that I could literally put it on top of 2'-4' of snow, move it back and forth and essentially "grind" the snow down. Within a few passes,the 2'-4' snow was gone and clear pavement was visible. Smaller stuff a few inches high was dispatched very quickly. The small size allows it to get into tight spots.
That said, it is NOT a heavy-duty snowblower. It is not going to clear out vast amounts of snow quickly and easily. But it doesn't claim to be any such thing. If you're looking for a heavy-duty snowblower this isn't it. If you're looking for something to clear out a few inches or to use at intervals during a storm to pevent huge buildups, it'll get the job done. Just make sure you get a long, thick power cord.
Overall, I give it 5 stars for doing exactly what it said it would at a moderate (by snowblower standards) price.