klennop

Well I went in to look at them both again today and after looking at them, moving them around, running them, etc. I feel the Ariens is just a better machine and you get more for your money.

So I walked out with the Ariens Platinum 30. I got a smoking deal on it, which is why I pulled the trigger on it today. Plus they threw in a pair of the composite skids.

I am not going to look back from here, just going to look forward at all the snow I am blowing!!

FrankMA,

You are right about my posts favoring the Ariens because based on specs, it seems like the winning machine. Also like I said earlier, I went in to buy an Areins but started thinking about the Toro. I figured why not post exactly what has been running through my head, maybe it would help someone else in my position, or maybe it wouldn't.

Now if the cost of the plastics vs steel is close to the same, why is the price point of the Toro higher with a smaller engine, and you need to add things to make it comparable to the Areins. It just doesn't seem like a deal to the consumer. When breaking it down like I did earlier, the Ariens just seems to edge the Toro out. Not one person has said why the Toro is so much better on this forum. Everyone seems to say well you will be happy with either. So I am trying to find someone to show me why the Toro is better than the Ariens, that's all. I am not trying to start an argument or shove the Ariens down someones throat but just pointing out what I see.

aa335

I understand the whole consumer expecting more metal for their money depending on what they are buying. However speaking of performance you don't see anything high performance made out of all steel unless it is made for durability like a tractor, rototiller, snowblower, etc. You mentioned Toro not pitching all Steel like the Areins but you don't see them pitching anything about the innovative plastics either. I think it is more for saving money on their end and yes it takes money to be innovative but it isn't like the competition is standing still either. True they don't have to pass on all the savings to the consumer but at the same time, then they should make the machines even more comparable. If that Toro had the larger engine, maybe I wouldn't be so apt to be swayed towards the Ariens?

Also true there is no standard in throwing distance, what would be nice is a standard in how much volume a blower can move or something to that nature.

Yes all manufactures offer add ons, like everything else that is manufactured. My point was just that why add another $80 to a machine that is already a little more expensive than the competition to make it on par with the competition.

And for the record I am a Mac guy, we have 2 Macs however we also have 2 PC's. I would take a Mac over the PC but I am not even going to go there.


Everyone does have their own opinions on this, which is why I keep sharing what I am thinking, etc. I didn't have time to look at the machines again. Hopefully tomorrow, I will let you know what I decide but I think everyone knows which way I am leaning.

aa335 wrote:
I do agree with you on most of what you are saying but I just want to point a couple things out.

I am spending $1600+ on a snowblower so why should I settle for a bunch of plastic when the Ariens has all metal like the more expensive models. If the use of plastic isn't a indicator of poor quality on main components then why do all the high end models not use a full plastic chute or have their controls made out of plastic?

You may be right about the Quick Stick on the Toro not being able to work because of the weight of the metal chute. Well then why not make the controls out of metal to work with a metal chute? It is to save on cost right? Well then how come they don't beef up the motor to the same size of the Areins with all the money they saved using the plastic parts. I don't see any of the savings passed on to the consumer.

I have been pretty lucky with the plastic chute on my Crapsman but you know there were quite a few times I was expecting to have a hole. So have I been lucky...maybe...or does the plastic work like it should?? I just have a hard time buying another machine with the plastic chute. We get into the 40 below with windchill where I am at and again maybe I have been lucky.

As far as snow sticking to the metal, I have never had an issue with this on any device I have used in the past so I don't see that as being a problem.

As I also mentioned earlier if the plastic chute aids in less resistance, why does the Toro throw the snow less distance than the Ariens with a metal chute?

I do agree with the comment about the light front, like I also said earlier, you can buy a weight for $80 more to rectify this. For what? To make it like the Ariens where you don't have to pay extra.

I have nothing against Toro, I have owned 2 mowers, one of the smaller power curve units and an older larger Toro with the power shift system. I just feel like they are cheaping out vs the competition. Would I be happy with either unit, probably but I think bang for buck the Areins wins. I may go look at them again today.

Another thing I was thinking about today...again it is about the plastic. If you notice the really high end blowers from Yamaha and Honda which are easily double to triple the cost of what we are looking at don't have any plastic on them. Look at how much plastic they use on their motorcycles, snowmobiles, generators, etc. however none of them use it on their snowblowers.

Now look at the cheaper brands such as MTD, they use a ton of plastic, much like the Toro.

Just some food for thought.

I am in the exact same boat. I have also been going back and forth between the 2.

I currently have a 28" 9hp Crapsman which is about 5 or 6 years old. It works, OK but I was looking to upgrade. I went into buy an Ariens but ended up starting to think about getting the Toro. My friend sells both and is pretty honest about everything. He just bought the Toro, we also went in back to see how they come to the shop. The Toro machines have way less errors or better quality control from the factory. This was bad to hear since Ariens is from Wisconsin and I actually don't live that far from the factory. Now the extent to the quality issues were loose parts, parts put on upside down or backwards, so nothing that will really hinder the overall performance. The other thing I put into the mix is my father has had both Ariens and Toros but more recently Toros so I know the past quality is good. The other side of me would like to support a local made in the USA business. Another little bit is Ariens can no longer put the American flag on their machines because the tires are outsourced from outside the USA now. This is not a big deal to me.

This is what I have come up with so far:

Both have 3 year limited warranties, Ariens has 5 year on gear cases.

Price is a wash for me.

Areins has larger clearing path by 2", not a deal breaker for me because with either way you have to make 2 passes down the sidewalk.

Ariens has the larger motor, 342 vs 305cc. It may not be a lot but I am buying this for the deep heavy crap that I don't want to shovel so 40cc's is 40cc's more power that is keeping me from shoveling. Now you could go to the Toro 1128 to match the Arien's power but with that pivoting scraper, you have to have a perfect surface for it to be efficient. I do not have a perfect driveway or sidewalk. Plus the dealer suggested staying away from that.

Areins, all steel, heavy duty. Toro has plastic that is proven. My Crapsman has a plastic chute that I have sent softball size ice chunks through multiple times so if Crapsman can get it right I am sure Toro has it right. 

The Toro is easier to move around, lifting up the front, etc. However this is a positive and negative. Positive, it is great to move around the garage, etc. Negative because a light front will tend to lift up vs dig down on the hard packed stuff. The solution is Toro sells a weight for $80 to put on the front of it. The result, now you are paying more to have the same weight as the Ariens.

Turning, both have their own innovations and both "turn on a dime" I like the idea of the Toro with the triggers however they are one more thing that will need adjustment, are another thing that can get caught on something or get broken off due to them being plastic. When going forward both wheels are locked which I like. Now on the Areins, you don't have to pull levers, you just turn it. Plus it is good enough to put on the professional models so Ariens must believe in it. It seems to work just like a LSD in a vehicle. Now will both wheels ever be 100% locked like the Toro, no, but if it puts the power where it can hook up then I am fine with one wheel working vs 2 just spinning. If you have 2 wheels locked and no traction, it doesn't do anything for you.

Chute/Direction. I like the Toro how you can move everything like a joystick vs the Ariens controls. However is it just me that thinks the plastic joystick just feels cheap. I like the idea of it but then I go back to the reliability and the more things that need adjusting, a plastic piece that is sticking up ready to get snapped off. If they made it out of metal, would I feel better...maybe...I just don't feel that when you are spending over $1500 on a machine, why make everything out of plastic and make it feel cheap. It may not rust but at the same time, look what happened to plastic cars...bye bye Saturn. The Areins is simple, no frills, but isn't as user friendly as the Toro. However I don't have any problems using the controls, it is still nicer than my Crapsman.

Auger/Intake/Intake. The intake/auger is the same on both 14". The Toro can throw 45 feet, the Ariens 50 feet. Areins everything is steel. The Toro has a lot of plastic parts. I am not 100% against this but again I just don't know why they had to do it. You can say that snow sticks to the steel, but I have never had any issues with snow sticking to the steel on my snow blowers. And if the plastic has less resistance, should the Toro throw snow 55 feet due to less resistance? Anyhow, enough of the plastic. I do like the idea of the Toro putting the snow back into the auger that it isn't discharging. However I have a couple issues with this. 1. Shouldn't the snowblower be efficient enough to throw the snow that it is taking in in the first place. 2. What do you think the Ariens does with the snow it can't throw? Doesn't it just push it for a bit which in turn makes it to the auger anyhow. So why waste engine power to recycle the snow in the auger area? Maybe that is why the Toro doesn't throw snow as far? It isn't because of power because on both Toro and Ariens models, the less powerful models can throw just as far as their counterparts. I didn't design the thing so I don't know.

Headlight, isn't a huge deal for me but the Toro has theirs just mounted like an after thought, which looks chunky and can get caught on stuff or snapped off. The Ariens is nice, flush, and out of the way.

Tires are a wash.

Sorry for the long post but this is what I have been debating. So far I am leaning towards the Ariens but....