The entire state of Utah had been eagerly awaiting what the latest storm would bring. It was an unseasonably warm December, and our little mountain town was yearning for snow to begin the year. The first weekend in January did not disappoint. A giant storm in the middle of the night brought a fresh foot of accumulated snow from the weekend. This provided the perfect opportunity to build and break out the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower.
To this point, I had tested a number of the best snow blowers powered by a battery like the Dewalt 60V Brushless Snow Blower or the Snow Joe Cordless Snow Blower – both are good for light snow storms – but I was hoping for a big storm to push this two-stage gas snow blower. There isn’t a battery-powered snow blower that I have tested to date that could have handled the heavy snow left behind in the mouth of my driveway after the city snow plow cleared our roads. After years of shoveling that unbearably heavy snow, I was thrilled that I wouldn’t need to break my back shoveling this time.
As I mentioned, this gas-powered two-stage snow blower was a different animal from most others I have tested this winter. It would require more assembly, a different snow removal experience, and different care, maintenance, and storage when completed. Would all the extra work be worth it for a two-stage, gas-powered snow blower? Read on to find out.
Jonathan Knoder is a freelance writer and editor passionate about tech and smart home gear. He's reviewed smart locks, security cameras, robot vacuums, and more, and his work has been featured in various publications. Outside work, he enjoys music, playing at the park with his dog, and golfing. He recently tested a snow blower in snowy Utah, evaluating its snow removal, maneuverability, and maintenance.
Toro Power Max 824: Key specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 |
| Type | Two-stage |
| Clearing width | 24 inches |
| Intake height | 12 inches |
| Engine power | 252 cc |
| Drive system | Self-Propelled |
| Electric Start? | Yes |
| Throwing Distance | 45 feet |
| Weight | 184 lbs |
Toro Power Max 824: Price & Availability
You can purchase the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower through the manufacturer’s website, on Ace Hardware, or through The Home Depot online. At this time, you can save about $15 through Home Depot’s website, but ultimately, the machine costs $1,299.99.
Toro Power Max 824: Setup
The first impression I got when I unboxed the machine was that it was a monster of a snow blower. Seeing a snow blower made from steel with metal augers and skid plates was refreshing. Many electric snow blowers opt for plastic builds with plastic augers. This machine screamed durability and power.
I also noticed many components were not assembled (don’t worry, you don’t have to build the engine). Assembling the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower would require more time and some tools.
Finally, I noticed the machine's weight. Many electric snow blowers are lightweight, and many of you can lift them completely off the ground by yourself. This… not so much. It weighs 184 pounds. Even pivoting to spin the machine was different and heavy. This made me wonder how easy it would be to maneuver the machine. However, I had not considered the self-propelling mechanisms that help move the machine around. It was time to assemble the snow blower and get to work.
Toro Power Max 824: Design
Out of the box, the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower requires some assembly. This includes attaching the steel chute to the snow blower, attaching the traction drive, and properly assembling the chute adjuster joystick and the machine’s handle. You’ll need a few different wrenches and a socket wrench with a few different-sized sockets to complete the job. After following the online manual’s directions, I assembled the entire thing in about an hour.
After it was assembled, I considered the machine's full effect. It features a 24-inch clearing path. For instance, that’s twice the clearing width of the Enhulk Cordless Snow Shovel. That’s enough to clear a sidewalk or walkway in a single pass. I also noticed the height of the mouth. The manufacturer states the ideal snow depth is 12 inches. I was certainly going to put that to the test momentarily.
How you adjusted the chute was unique compared to everything else I had tested. On the machine's handle is a joystick-like mechanism that rotates the chute. You can also adjust the throwing distance by adjusting the height of the chute with the joystick. Ultimately, it is a nice design that you can adjust the entirety of the chute from the joystick and don’t have to stop operation to make any adjustments on the physical chute.
Another nifty design feature is the option for electric start-ups. There is a process you must follow to start the engine, including priming the engine and moving knobs into the choke position and the engine into the run position. Once you’ve followed those instructions (they are listed on the engine for you to see), instead of pulling the cord, you can opt to plug the engine into a wall outlet using an extension cord and press the red electric start button to fire up the engine. This can benefit those who may not be strong enough to start the engine with the pull cord or if the engine is having trouble starting with the pull cord.
The machine is also self-propelled. It features six forward speeds and two in reverse. I found the reverse to be incredibly helpful in certain situations, moving up and down the slope of my driveway. With the self-propelled motor helping you, the weight of the machine itself becomes essentially irrelevant when moving forward and backward, although it does still take a bit of effort to pivot and turn the machine for the next pass.
Toro Power Max 824: Performance
There was at least eight inches of snow on most of my driveway, up to a foot on some of the sidewalks, and 13 inches in the mouth of the driveway that the city snow plow pushed there. There was plenty of snow about to test the machine. Although the proper way to use a snow blower requires you to begin down the middle of your driveway, that applies when you can toss snow in both directions of your driveway. I can’t because I would toss snow into my neighbor’s driveway. So, I started on the far end of my driveway, in our extra parking spot, and tossed snow forward toward the park strip that did not match 24-inch by the street since the wind was at my back.
Considering the wind, I didn’t want to throw snow towards the wind and have snow blown back into my face. So when I would hit the end of the driveway, I put the machine in reverse and walked it back up the driveway. Putting it in reverse made walking an 184-pound machine feel like I wasn’t carrying anything.
The eight inches of standing snow on my driveway did not match the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower. It easily cut, picked up, and tossed the snow effortlessly. While it’s difficult to accurately measure how far the snow is being tossed, especially considering wind, the weight of the snow, etc., I measured where approximately most of the snow was tossed after a single pass. I was finding about 30 or so feet was the average distance. That’s short of the manufacturer’s rating, but many factors can change the distance.
The joystick to adjust the chute is a helpful device. It does take a little getting used to, as it’s fairly responsive to your movements, but it keeps you safely behind the machine at all times, even when adjusting the chute.
The only time I noticed the weight of the machine was when I could turn it to make a new pass. It’s certainly not a herculean feat to pivot the machine, especially on snow, but it’s certainly heavier than an electric machine, for instance.
After clearing my driveway with ease, it was time to see if the snow blower could tackle the heavy 13 inches of snow left behind from the city plow that resided in the mouth of my driveway. This heavy snow also did not match the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower. It was able to cut right through the heavy and packed snow with relative ease, making light work of what would have otherwise been a laborious, back-breaking manual snow shoveling job.
Toro Power Max 824: Maintenance
If you want an in-depth guide on properly caring for and maintaining your gas-powered snow blower so it remains ready for seasons to come, read our in-depth guide on how to clean your snow blower.
After clearing my driveway, it was time to clean off the snow blower. Before you turn the snow blower off, you want it to run on low for about a minute to help the engine power down. After that, you’re good to turn off the engine. And before you do anything near the augers, you’ll also want to remove the key.
Since the machine is constructed entirely of steel, you want to clean and dry it off after every use to prevent rust and corrosion. I cleaned the machine with a chute cleaner and brushed off excess snow on the body and chute. Some snow was stuffed behind the impeller, which was difficult to reach. To get that snow out and to prevent it from freezing, I used a small space heater, put it near the mouth of the snow blower, and let it run for about 15 minutes. This melted away any excess snow. I put it away after the machine was completely dry and free of any snow.
How does the Toro Power Max 824 compare?
Compared to the Dewalt 60V Max Single-Stage Snow Blower that I tested, the Toro is only $300 more. Yet you get a two-stage motor with much more power and a self-propelled machine. The clearing width is also three inches larger on the Toro. The Dewalt is lighter, easier to maneuver, and less maintained, but it is not as powerful.
Comparing the Toro to the Ariens Deluxe 24-inch 254 cc Two-Stage Snow Blower, they have similar strength motors, albeit the Ariens sports two more ccs and the same clearing width. The Ariens has a deeper clearing depth of 16 inches compared to Toro’s 12 inches, but the machine is heavier at 245 pounds and is roughly $150 more expensive than the Toro.
The Cub Cadet IntelliPower Two-Stage Gas Snow Blower is similarly priced to the Toro. It has a two-inch wider clearing path but the same ideal clearing depth of 12 inches. Like the Toro, it features six speeds and two reverses. The Toro has a stronger 252cc motor than the 243cc Cub Cadet motor.
Would I buy the Toro Power Max 824?
The Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower is a reliable and powerful machine that effortlessly tackles light and heavy snow. Its 24-inch clearing width and powerful engine make clearing paths quick and efficient, even in heavy snow conditions. The self-propelled feature and electric start add to its ease of use, while the joystick chute control allows precise snow placement. Although it may not throw snow as far as the manufacturer claims in certain conditions, it still performs exceptionally well. The assembly process is straightforward, and once assembled, the machine is easy to maneuver despite its weight.
| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | challenging to maneuver due to its weight; self-propelling feature with six forward speeds and two reverse speeds significantly aids in moving the machine; oystick for chute adjustment is a helpful feature | 7/10 |
| Light Snow | performs exceptionally well in light snow, easily clearing 8 inches of snow on the driveway; 24-inch clearing width allows for efficient snow removal; ability to throw snow approximately 30 feet | 9/10 |
| Heavy Snow | handles heavy snow effectively, including the dense, packed snow left by city plows; cuts through 13 inches of heavy snow | 9/10 |
| Clearing Width and Depth | 24-inch clearing width and a 12-inch ideal snow depth; capacity is ideal for driveways and sidewalks | 10/10 |
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Toro Power Max 824
I assembled and used the Toro Power Max 824 OE 24-inch Snow Blower to remove 13-inch-deep snow that accumulated on my property. I cleared my driveway and removed the snow in the mouth of the driveway from the city snow plow. I also measured how much snow the snow blower threw on average. I finally cleaned and dried the snow blower after use.
Read more about how we test.
