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: Excellent Value, Good Product
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this after our first big snowfall in December (07). Our gas blower crapped out on us last winter. In Wisconsin, we had our second highest total December snowfall on record. January is now over and so far we have had a ludicrous amount of snow. So my Snow Fox has been used extensively already. I would say a 4.5 star rating is more accurate. But you can't select a half star. We have an average size Madison city driveway and sidewalk. For snow 2" to 6", using the Snow Fox makes far more sense then using a gas blower. For 6" to 12" it still does a fine job. It's light enough to easily push with one hand. The other hand guides the extension cord. It clears the snow just as fast as a single stage gas blower. Mine hangs on a hook on the garage wall when I'm done.
You will have to experiment with the directions you take clearing your driveway. Getting use to the cord was annoying at first. But once I fashioned a loop out of a rope and hung it from the garage door so the cord was raised, there was no longer a hassle with the cord.
One huge benefit; I have an office job. It has been nice not going into work smelling like gas or exhaust fumes after clearing my driveway in the morning.
Bottom line....if you have an average house in the burbs, this is far more practical then a gas blower.
Customer Review: Yard Machine 12.5 Inch 8.5amp Snow Thrower
Summary: 5 Stars
Things I did not like about it:
1. This unit can throw the snow in front of you about 20' but if you try to throw it to either side it sucks.
2. Has plastic shovel which may not last long, but have not owned it long enough to know.
3. 12.5" blade was not big enough for my Work driveway but that was my fault for not ordering a bigger one.
Things I Did Like:
1. Great little unit. Very powerful for its size and light weight.
2. Throws snow 20' in front of you, far enough to clear my driveway without having to shoot it to the side.
3. It cleared the snow easily and even cleared snow higher than the rated 6" with very little trouble.
4. Real easy to use just push the button and hold down the lever and your ready to go.
5. It cleared my work driveway and 209 foot sidewalk just fine but I had to make a lot of passes with the 12.5" blade so I bought a bigger one for work driveway and sidewalk.
6. I would recommend this unit if you want to clear you home driveway or deck. It is quiet and will not bother the neighbors if you want to get an early start in the morning before going to work.
7. Compact, I can throw it in the car and it fits with ease.
8. Good Price if you paid someone to do your drive or sidewalk one time you just paid for the machine.
Customer Review: Another quality MTD product
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great product with limitations. If you're planning on it doing the job of a gas powered 24" machine in a foot of snow forget it. I used it several times on my 900 sq. foot deck in 6-8" of wet snow and it worked fine without damaging the wooden surface. I only take small bites of 4-6" so the machine does not bog down. If you listen to the motor it will tell you if you're taking too much at a time. If the snow is fairly deep try shaving off the top 3-4 " then attack what remains. It actually threw that wet snow 10-12'. I would expect much more distance is light powdery snow of 3-4 ". I lubricated the blade and snow deflectors with a product called Snow Jet that is designed to keep the snow from sticking to the plastic parts. I use it on my gas blower and it works well. I've used my neighbors Toro 1800 and it works well in powder but is useless in wet snow. I attribute that to the fact that the Toro has a chute that the snow must be channeled into and thrown out where the MTD simply throws it forward. The MTD deflectors did not work well in wet snow but then I never thought they would. Overall I'm pleased with the product and found it to work well. Assembly is very easy and the parts do not have that cheap feeling or appearance. Unlike my gas MTD that is made in the USA this was made in Mexico but that beats made in China.Customer Review: Lifesaver for my aching MUST BUY THIS!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I herniated a disc in my back last year and have had major trouble shoveling snow ever since. I can't navigate or wanted to pay for a huge snowblower and deal with all the maintenance. This machine is fabulous!!! Also, a snow plow company wanted $60 PER PLOW to clear my drive. This little trooper pays for itself if you look at how much my winter plows would've cost. We get a lot of snow in the northwest Chicago burbs.
I cleared my LOOOONG driveway in about 30 minutes pushing it around like a vacuum cleaner. There were 2-4 inches of what I call good packing/snowball snow and it worked like a champ. It actually worked better with the deeper snow throwing it farther than the more shallow areas.
The best way to use it on a driveway is to keep the blades facing forward and push it so as to make a "V" pattern while keeping the Snow Fox in the center of the drive and angling left and right alternately. I hope that makes sense.
The only drawback I have found is that it is rather low. I'm a 5'9 female and had to bend over just a teensy bit to pull it backwards. Pushing it forward was the correct height.
It's light, not too loud, and works like a charm. Ignore the negative reviews. They must not be using it properly! :)
Customer Review: Works great!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this to use on my deck, which tends to collect huge drifts in our major Maine winter storms. I didn't want a big, gas-powered snowthrower; I've owned one before, and decided I'd much rather pay a neighbor to plow the driveway. I just wanted something to save my back from having to move the same snow three times or more, in order to get it all the way from the part of the deck nearest the house's exterior wall onto the ground.
As I expected, having used a big snowthrower in the past, this little fellow will handle a drift only in increments. That's fine. I can either go out and clear it once for every four-inch installment of snowfall, or I can take off the whole drift by doing it in layers. If it clogs, I just hold it up (in one hand, it's so light!) and tap it against the deck. Out comes the clog, and I'm back in business.
The ability to change the throw direction, using a chute just like on a big machine, makes this far superior to a so-called power shovel. I need the wheels. I cannot hold a power shovel up the requisite couple of inches; even though the unit may be light enough to carry, holding anything suspended that way absolutely kills my back.
The SnowFox is just what I needed. Using it is even (sort of) fun!