Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Well, I've been deciding on a new single stage snowblower for the last 12 months, seems like forever.  I don't over-analyze, but even David would give up in frustration.  :)  Impulse buying is not in my blood, and buyer's remorse is just not acceptable.

Finally decided to pull the trigger on the Toro 421QE.  Yes, it's a 4-stroke and electric start.  Before you manly guys jump in and say I don't need electric start and save myself $100, I'll say it for you.  I don't need electric start, my wife does.  :)  .    The extra $100 is insurance for marital bliss.  Cry once and I don't have to hear the b*tching about should have, would have, da da da.  The 4-stroke was my personal decision.

So just after a week of this brand new shiny red toy sitting pretty in my garage, the time was right to play and get dirty.  Got 3.6" of snow accumulation overnight with a bit of icy crust on top.  I was hoping for a foot of snow but any accumulation more than a shovel full is welcomed.  Little red Toro 421Q went out on a maiden voyage at 06:30 AM taking on heavy density snow with enthusiasm and good speed.  I'm thoroughly satisfied with the performance and handling.  This Toro 421Q has got to be the most balanced single stage in all performance category.  The 4-stroke 163cc Loncin engine with compression release was easy to start,  quiet, smooth, and has good amount of torque.

In comparison, my 12 year-old Honda HS621 has the tenacity of a pit bull when it comes to the heavy snow.  The extremely rigid and high rotational mass auger was designed for extreme packed snow and slush.   It's a heavyweight fighter that likes to land close and determined punches.  However, the Toro 421Q is agile, fast, and extremely maneuverable.  The Quick Shoot is awesome, changing the chute direction while turning is easy and fun.  The snow discharge distance is impressive.  But in actual use, for practical reasons, I only discharge it 10 to 15 feet away.  No point trying to get maximum distance while 50% of that snow comes back at you in windy conditions.

Toro has got the drivetrain / rubber auger efficiency and user friendliness down to a science with this 21" single stage.  Designed to perfection while all the other brands are playing "me too" and catch up with Toro's auger efficiency, while attracting buyers with lower pricing, bigger engines, and loaded features. 

For comparison, the next closest competitor would be the new for this year Simplicity / Snapper SS922EX at $600.  The McCullough MC621ES is even lower price at $500, a 208cc engine, and has the longest pissing distance so far.  The problem is, it doesn't have Quick Shoot or anything remotely close.  And lastly, where can someone buy one of these?  What's the future of this brand / company?

So unless you are constantly digging out of piles left by the snowplow, or your house is the last house on a large cul-de-sac and need a 2 stage machine for 90% of the work, don't forget to give this little red wonder a try.  

As an owner of a Honda HS1132TAS and HS621, the new Toro 421QE is a definite keeper.

Joed, I can guarantee you will be disappointed in the PC 180. The 221q is that good. The handles do fold without tools. Don't wait too long, the 221q will be sold out and all is left is the 210.

Thanks for all the advice/encouragement.  I know that 221qr is a great deal but already having the toro 826 two stage seems to make it redundant for me to get the 221.  No matter how I sell it, the family won't go for it.  I even tried showing them a few youtube videos of both the 221 and the powerclear 180.   They all loved the 180 and said the 221 is too big, not worth it since I have the big one already, etc.  The 180, is however, still somewhat pricey: $374.  It was normally $499 at HD and $419 at local dealers.   If I can get HD to bring it down to $325 or so, it might be worth a shot but the more I watch video of the 180, it appears to me to be a useless machine. 

joed wrote:
The 180 is "cute" maybe that's why they all love it.  I wouldn't go decision by committee unless everyone is equally involved in using the snowblower.  Who's going use it most of the time?  As much as I "love" the look of the PC180, it does really need more power.

You already have a nice Toro 826 which is small enough to be maneuverable as a 2 stage.  It's one of the most user friendly snowblower.  I'd give it a fair shake down this winter before making decision to see if you really need a single, or if a PC180 is the perfect fit for you.  Maybe after this winter, you just need something that is light and small but don't need a lot of power just for the light fluffy snow.  Or you may decide that your usage is a 80% single, 20% 2- stage usage.  Then a 221Q would make more sense than a PC180.