Yard Machines 31B-040-800 Snow Fox 12.5-Inch 8.5 Amp Electric Snow Thrower

Comment: This machine does an excellent job of filling the gap between the two-stage gas-powered behemoths and the small underpowered shovel-handle type electric snow throwers. I wanted something that would eat through enough snow and throw it far enough to clean my driveway and sidewalk, without the hassle of maintenance /storage of the gas powered machines. Where we live in the Northeast we only get 3+ inch snow fall a few times per year, and this machine is perfect for that. I've used the Snow Fox twice so far and it has performed superbly in about a foot of recent snow. True to spec, when it was set to throw straight, the range was a good 20ft. When set to right/left the distance shrunk to no more than 3ft, but this is perfectly acceptable for sidewalk cleaning when you want to just create a narrow path for pedestrians. I would recommend the straight setting for driveways.
The Snow Fox comes assembled and all that is required is to screw the handle to the base (with included easy-to-turn screws). This is simple enough and can be done in less than 3 minutes. Removing the handle is a good idea for storage and once removed, the Snow Fox takes up about as much room as one of those dorm-room refrigerators.
I do have a few minor gripes:
-The extension cord management device leaves room for improvement as it does not easily accommodate the larger gauge extension cord plugs.
-While the Snow Fox can take on more than 6" at a time, any piles greater than 12" will need multiple "shavings" to get the job done. The reason I don't take a star off for this is that the only kind of machine that can manage such piles would be the aforementioned gas powered behemoths. In any case, multiple passes with this machine is a lot easier on the back than doing so with a hand shovel. This is a you-get-what-you-pay-for kind of deal.
-The business end (blade) of the machine is made of plastic, and while it does a great job with freshly fallen snow, I would not try it on hardened or iced-over snow that typically forms the day after a snowfall. If possible, use this machine the day of the snowfall to preserve the blade.
I recommend the Snow Fox as a great niche-filler for those like me who do not want to mess with the gas variety (and don't want to spend thousands) but want more power and utility than a small snow thrower. As long as the plastic blade doesn't wear out during subsequent snowfalls I don't see why the Snow Fox wouldn't last me for years to come. If this doesn't turn out to be the case, I'll be back here, updating the review.

Comment: This little blower is a 'back' saver!! My driveway is uphill and I was able to blow it free of snow and ice!!
Great product. Higly recommended!

Comment: I looked around at other small snow throwers and decided on this one for its light weight and small size (hangs on hooks on a pegboard in our garage). It is really perfect for the small snow falls that we typically get in the mid-Atlantic. We even got good use out of it this year despite the unusually snowy winter. It is very easy to use. Yes, it does have its limitations as other reviewers have noted. You need to use it when snow is no more than 4-5 inches. The left and right throwing angles don't project the snow very far (but the straight shot sends the snow well clear of where you need it to be removed from). Get a good extension cord. A Rigid brand extension cord was recommended to me in Home Depot and it was a good purchase - it doesn't get stiff in the cold. We really are happy we selected this and highly recommend it.

Comment: Product performs as advertised. Removes snow quickly and throws it a fair distance. Great for walkways, decks and small driveways. Only negatives are throwing to the side isn't as effective as throwing forward and the entrance for the snow is made of rubber so it wears away quickly. Overall unit is effective at half price of gas powered units.

Comment: I bought this for my 75 year old broter in law to help him clear his small driveway. It seems to work okay but it came with a key in the keyhole that we can't seem to remove. I e-mailed the company and they said that sometimes it's a little tight and to just pull on it. We tried and tried but couldn't remove it. I e-mailed again and they said again that sometimes its tight. Well it's not just "tight" it's welded in there. It works so we're not going to the trouble and expense of returning it. We don't want to break the key so we just leave it in there. Luckily there are no small children around. The machine seems to work okay - like others have said it shoots snow better when it's straight ahead. For the small area that he has, it's great.