Ariens Sno-Thro #ST520EC Snowblower Review

Overall 5.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

MacGyver
Cleveland, OH

Eat snow & ice right off cement & you don't work a sweat!

willing to invest, brand conscious, practical, budget conscious, quality conscious, a do-it-yourselfer, into making my yard look good, looking for durability

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Pros

Electric Start, Power Wheel Drive, Heavy Duty Blades

Cons

$600 but wirth it

NOV

2007

Ariens Sno-Thro #ST520EC Snowblower —

Christmas Eve last year we awoke to 4 feet of snow. Got out a MTD/ Troy Bilt and it blows its engine on the work. Too lousy a machine & it is the first time I am using it. Husband bought it for my BD present last April & no snow til today.

Took that right back with a receipt showing never used, bought in the Spring at Home Depot. Spent $500 on it since it was electric start & no oil missed with gasoline, but when it was to clear the driveway & sidewalks it dies.

So the great Manager named Mike takes us over to his newest, Ariens a long time friend to many shoppers. Rated very high by Consumer Reports. 5 year warranty & Home Depot comes to your home to fix it. If they can't they replace it. So for $100 more we bought it. They get it into my Sante Fe with the read window open & the handle hanging out.. Next morning we have 3 feet with 2" of ice over it all. We are watching neighbors with units dying on them from the ice that their units do not remove. I read the book & they constantly state that it eats ice & snow leaving a clear pavement.

So outside I go. Plug the cord in, put into the back plug & push the start button & it starts! The you squeeze both handles left is wheels turning with it. It pulls you slowly down the driveway eating everything in its path since the right handle controls the speed of the serrated augers . Just like taking a walk with a friend, we clear out the driveway from garage to street, then the front sidewalk. Then my husband has the stairs cleared so I do the front walkway. In 30 minutes we are DONE!

No oil to mix with the gasoline, so no smoke or stink from the unit. Even on a very windy day I did our driveway & sidewalk & my 87 year old neighbor's.

I am BZZZing to tell you to get one as snow is falling in Cleveland right now.

Ariens Sno-Thro #ST520EC Snowblower is recommended by MacGyver

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Comments about MacGyver’s Review

In response to RESBURR's comment from Aug 16, 2008 at 12:39AM:

5 HP Tecumseh® Snow King® L-Head Engine

Thanks for your review. We have been looking for a new snowblower to replace ours (MTD/2-cycle) which is 25+ years old. I have replaced the blades and belt over the years but now the bolts holding the shaft on are hard to find without contacting the manufacturer in Cleveland which aren't available locally (Dayton,OH). I'd rather replace the unit instead. The main concern I have is the engine manufacturer for the Ariens. Is it a Briggs&Stratton or some other manufacturer? I'll go to Home Depot to find out now I know where you bought yours.

In response to Jolie's comment from Dec 14, 2007 at 12:21AM:

Ice is here today & then tomorrow afternoon thru the Browns-Bills game Sunday we are expecting 2 feet!

So at 5AM I had my Scott's spreader loaded with rock salt & ran down the driveway, sidewalk & through plenty on the stairs. Forgot the patio so I did that by hand.