# Single stage Toro snowblowers



## Zrxpilot (Jan 27, 2012)

I have a couple in-town driveways with sidewalks to take care of and trying to decide the right equipment for the job. Both houses have alleys which invokes work on one side of the house and the other with no real easy access to the front from the back. 

Both houses have a easy set of stairs that has me leaning to one of these smaller single stage units from Toro as I think I could carry it up the stairs. Never used one but they look kinda wimpy but maybe not. Im by default possessive of the mindset that bigger is always better when it comes to snow removal equipment. Perhaps not the case here as a big blower would surely have me loading the blower back up and going around the block to do the front or driving the blower around the block to get to the front...or shoveling the front. Ugh.

Driveway is maybe 75 feet long and two cars wide. Essentially flat. The big part of that would be dragged with the plow during big snow but for low snow jobs ideally I would just use the blower if it worked well enough.


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## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

Buy a Toro Power Clear 721RC. I started last season and now own 4 of them. Best thing ever. You won't regret it.


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## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

Just bought another one last week for $659 CAD (smokin' deal). It is brand new and this model year.


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## Zrxpilot (Jan 27, 2012)

^ Took your advice. Bought one today.


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

I have that blower and a two stage as well.

As long as it's not ice / slush, or much deeper than 12" or so, that thing is amazing, and I will buy another when the need arises. If it's light and fluffy, you can blow through snow like it wasn't even there.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

The new toro 721 qzr's are beasts! The toro 2 stage hasn't been used since the 39" storm 2 years ago.Been slowly replacing the 2 stroke 3620's


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## lawntec (Aug 20, 2006)

I have 2 - 2 stage snow blowers and 15'ish - Toro 721's. And the 2 stage blowers are sitting around clearing dust. The Toro is the best single stage I have ever tried.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

if its light and fluffy you can run down the sidewalk with a shovel or a leaf-blower.

sure a single stage will work, until it wont.
and it wont at the worst times.

pe prepared, own a 2 stage,


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## KildonanSnowRem (Oct 17, 2015)

SnoFarmer said:


> if its light and fluffy you can run down the sidewalk with a shovel or a leaf-blower.
> 
> sure a single stage will work, until it wont.
> and it wont at the worst times.
> ...


If you keep up with a storm you'll never need a two stage. That means clearing every 6". But I agree, own one just in case and never use it. That's what I do.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

KildonanSnowRem said:


> If you keep up with a storm you'll never need a two stage. That means clearing every 6". But I agree, own one just in case and never use it. That's what I do.





KildonanSnowRem said:


> 30 houses in 6-8 hours for two guys with power clears. 2-6 car driveways all within an 8km radius.


But you may not be abel to keep up with a storm.
As it could tAke Ya 8-10 hrs to get back to the first drive.
And it's snowing at a inch or more a hr with 15mph+ wind.

Let's not for get that a nam will tire and slow down after just a couple of hrs
Snow blowing out in the elements .

And Again the single stage is no mach for a frozen berm full of ice chunks.
Now, you there for how long? A lot longer than a truck...
Or a guy with a 2 stage.

Yea for thoes 1"-3" snow falls a single stage will be faster,
BUT....

If it works for you great, for me it posses a big issue in the margin .


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

SnoFarmer said:


> But you may not be abel to keep up with a storm.
> As it could tAke Ya 8-10 hrs to get back to the first drive.
> And it's snowing at a inch or more a hr with 15mph+ wind.
> 
> ...


A shovel is faster for lower amounts (up to 6"<>) than a blower. The properties I have don't have sidewalks at the curb line, the walks are 4-5' from it and windrows from the DOT don't pose a problem. My Honda SS blower does very well up to about 16" but our snow has mulch less moisture in it too.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

And salt.
the berm is rather hard when it gets all mixed up, air knocked out and it refreezes .

At times we have to break out chunks wit a shovel just so a 8-10hp 2stage can handel it.

then we got a plow-truck.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

BUFF said:


> A shovel is faster for lower amounts (up to 6"<>) than a blower. The properties I have don't have sidewalks at the curb line, the walks are 4-5' from it and windrows from the DOT don't pose a problem. My Honda SS blower does very well up to about 16" but our snow has mulch less moisture in it too.


A shovel is faster than a blower for 6"ish?? It's not even faster at 2-3" IMO. 
Not to mention the energy expended on shoveling.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

WIPensFan said:


> A shovel is faster than a blower for 6"ish?? It's not even faster at 2-3" IMO.
> Not to mention the energy expended on shoveling.


Now keep in mind I'm oot west and our snow has mulch less moisture content as I mentioned. It's no uncommon to use a backpack leaf blower to clear snow on walks in that 3-4" range. When I was a kid we didn't have Snow blowers you shoveled everything and by doing so you figure oot how to deal with a shovel and snow. Plus I'm a large person (6'8", 290#) by some standards I have fuel to burn.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

If you're using a push type shovel how it's designed to be used it will beat a blower. The push shovels are wider and you can push them as fast if not faster than a blower. Like Buff said, lighter snow is best, but heavy wet snow also slows down your blower. We use shovels 90+% of the time, but we also don't allow our snow to build over 3" if possible. I'd say 4" is when we pull out the blowers, depends on the attitude. Plus with a shovel you're not listening to a motor run for 8 hours or longer, just the plastic scraping the ground. Shovels are also cheaper to run.

There is definitely a time to use blowers and I wouldn't leave without one, just don't need it most of the time.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

BUFF said:


> Now keep in mind I'm oot west and our snow has mulch less moisture content as I mentioned. It's no uncommon to use a backpack leaf blower to clear snow on walks in that 3-4" range. When I was a kid we didn't have Snow blowers you shoveled everything and by doing so you figure oot how to deal with a shovel and snow. Plus I'm a large person (6'8", 290#) by some standards I have fuel to burn.


I've shoveled my share as well. If you got calories to burn, by all means, grab your shovel.Thumbs Up



JMHConstruction said:


> If you're using a push type shovel how it's designed to be used it will beat a blower. The push shovels are wider and you can push them as fast if not faster than a blower. Like Buff said, lighter snow is best, but heavy wet snow also slows down your blower. We use shovels 90+% of the time, but we also don't allow our snow to build over 3" if possible. I'd say 4" is when we pull out the blowers, depends on the attitude. Plus with a shovel you're not listening to a motor run for 8 hours or longer, just the plastic scraping the ground. Shovels are also cheaper to run.
> 
> There is definitely a time to use blowers and I wouldn't leave without one, just don't need it most of the time.


I'll agree to disagree with everything you said...


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

WIPensFan said:


> I'll agree to disagree with everything you said...


That'll work. Everyone has their way of doing things.


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## BUFF (Dec 24, 2009)

WIPensFan said:


> I've shoveled my share as well. If you got calories to burn, by all means, grab your shovel.Thumbs Up


Shoveling offset my enjoyment of micro brews.....
Seriously though, by the time you unload and load a blower you can have 50ft <> of walk cleared. Also I'll mention the long run of walk I have to deal with is aboot 200'.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

JMHConstruction said:


> If you're using a push type shovel how it's designed to be used it will beat a blower. The push shovels are wider and you can push them as fast if not faster than a blower. Like Buff said, lighter snow is best, but heavy wet snow also slows down your blower. We use shovels 90+% of the time, but we also don't allow our snow to build over 3" if possible. I'd say 4" is when we pull out the blowers, depends on the attitude. Plus with a shovel you're not listening to a motor run for 8 hours or longer, just the plastic scraping the ground. Shovels are also cheaper to run.
> 
> There is definitely a time to use blowers and I wouldn't leave without one, just don't need it most of the time.


Some people are just adverse to doing physical labor is what I think the other guy means lol.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

ktfbgb said:


> Some people are just adverse to doing physical labor is what I think the other guy means lol.


Yeah, that's not what I mean at all.


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## pitbullplowing60077 (Mar 15, 2017)

we had about 7 inches of lake effect snow in the Chicago area on Tuesday, was able to do 2 of my houses with my 2 stage before the ignition switch fell apart and wouldn't start, had to go home and get my single stage machine to finish ..... it did the job but took longer to do than it would have if the 2 stage didn't break down. now looking to retire my single stage machine and find another reasonable priced 2 stage in decent shape since I don't think I want to work on the 2 stage until it gets a little warmer.


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## shooterm (Feb 23, 2010)

I bought the Honda HS720 last winter because I was thinking it would fit a niche, it doesnt for me. Its either light fluffy where shoveling a walk is easier or your dealing with drifting or municipal plows overspill into the sidewalk. I have two hours on mine according to my hourmeter. Its to heavy to drag up stairs for the few decks I have to do. In snow removal you have to plan around when conditions get bad because that's how you judge how much of a workload you can have.


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