The Toro Power Clear 518 ZE is a compact single-stage snowblower designed to handle light to moderate snowfall.
If you live in an area prone to a snowstorm or two during the winter months, you are likely familiar with the effort it takes to clear the snow from your driveway, patio, sidewalk or other important areas of your property.
One thing which can make this already stressful situation that extra bit more of an inconvenience is trekking on over to your garage only to find that your ancient snow blower just won’t start, leaving you with no other option but to shovel the snow away manually – and nobody likes that.
There are many lessons to be learned if you find yourself caught up in this situation, and one of those lessons is that you should always have the a snowblower on hand if you live in area that is hit by snowstorms every winter. One such model is the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE.
Snowblowers have come a long way and are now very sophisticated pieces of equipment, and this product is no exception. Although there are battery-powered and electric snowblowers available, the classic gas snow blower still reigns supreme, in our view, and it is well worth investing in one…especially if you’re still using one that is just as old as you!
Enter the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE, a modern snowblower which combines the convenience of an electric start with a powerful gas motor. Featuring both electrical and pull-cord start functionality, it is a versatile machine which gives you the best of both worlds while delivering powerful snow clearing capability.
If you are looking for a snowblower which can make the task of clearing snow away as easy as possible, the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE is worth looking into.
Pros
- Combines electrical convenience with gas-powered performance
- Fuel capacity of 0.35 gallons
- Compact and lightweight for easy storage
Cons
- Using the pull-cord is easier as the electrical plug is in a bad location
- Its wheels are relatively small
- The gas cap can be difficult to remove
- It does not come completely assembled
Features & Benefits
Let’s dig into all of the key features of this snowblower so you know exactly what it offers.
A bespoke, premium engine
The Toro Power Clear is powered by their very own 99CC 4-cycle engine, which is made in-house by the company. It has been designed so that the gas and oil tanks are separate, eliminating the need for oil and gas to be premixed, saving you time and reducing the chance for waste and inefficiency. Also, the 4-cycle engine is very quiet.
Electric start functionality
Although this snowblower comes with a pull-cord, you can opt to use either that or the electric start, ideal for those of you who suffer from mobility problems or bad backs. To use electric start, simply plug the extension cord in, press the “Start” button and then unplug the cord – no need to remain connected.
High performance and clearance power
Although it’s a small single-stage blower, it delivers performance you would generally expect from bigger models. The Toro Power Clear 518 ZE can throw snow as far as 20 feet, clears paths up to 18 inches wide and can even be used on wet and slushy snow. It can clear up to 12 inches of snow depth per pass, meaning you get the job done much faster.
Designed with efficiency in mind
With an inverted funnel housing and curved rotor, clogging is reduced and lots of snow can be cleared in a very short amount of time when compared to other models.
In addition to this, you can lock the snow deflector in different positions to control where the snow goes as it’s clearing. Some models will only clear the snow in one direction which, while great for a standard driveway, is useless for other driveways which are perhaps curved or wider. The deflector is easily controllable by simply squeezing a trigger and adjusting its setting to a new angle.
A very compact design
When folded, the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE has measurements of 30 x 19 x 28 inches. This, in addition to the snowblower weighing just 58 pounds, means it can easily be stored and transported. This is ideal if you only have limited storage space or struggle with heavy lifting and shifting.
What Buyers Say
Lots of buyers have praised the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE for its compact design and how that, despite assembly being required, it is relatively easy to put together out of the box and get going with. People tend to really like that the gas and oil chambers are separate, meaning that pre-mixing is not required. This saves lots of time and cuts down on the maintenance required.
Some buyers had gripes with the fact that the tires are pneumatic and can go flat and require inflating on occasion. Others were a little bit disappointed with the power, claiming that it wasn’t as good at clearing snow as they expected it to be.
Conclusion
When a snowstorm hits, you need to be sure that your snowblower isn’t going to let you down. By combining electric start and gasoline power, the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE enables you to get straight to the job at hand and have it finished in record time.
If you are looking for a snowblower which is compact and convenient, easy to use and delivers lots of power despite its smaller size, the Toro Power Clear 518 ZE is worth checking out.
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