Snow. It’s the stuff of endless fun! Skiing, sledding, snowball fights, and snow angels. Ain’t winter grand? Sure it is…that is, until the moment you need to back out of the driveway and get to work the next morning. With the good comes the bad, and keeping that driveway cleared all winter can be one of the most challenging tasks homeowners will have to face this year. Now that winter has officially arrived, and we all need to be ready to clear the way for 2017, we’ve taken the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE out to the driveway to see exactly what it’s capable of handling this winter.
Specs:
- In-line 2-Stage Auger System
- 24″ Clearing Width
- Snow Cut Depth – 1 Pass – 18″
- 252cc Toro OHV Engine
- 3.2 Quarts (3 L) Fuel Capacity
- Compression Loaded Scraper
- 11″ Deep Lug, Directional Tires
- Quick Stick® Chute Control
- Personal Pace® Drive System
- 252cc Engine Displacement
- Electric Start Engine
- Up to 40′ / 12 m Throw Distance
- 3-Year Limited Warranty
Design:
Built for meneuverability and power, the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE is loaded with great features that make snow removal easy and efficient. 
The unique in-line 2-stage auger system with all-steel construction and replacable throwing edge clears the full 24″ width of this snow blower with ease thanks to a helical design that propels the snow into the throwing area at 10 times the speed of a normal 2-stage blower. Driven by a 252cc Toro OHV Engine, the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE is able to handle even the heavy stuff left at the end of the driveway by the local plow service.
The beveled chute design with taller than average chute height allow for greater throwing distance and control. One of the nicest, and honestly, funnest features of the SnowMaster 824 QXE is the Quick Stick® Chute Control that manages to throw a bit of an arcade game element to one of our least favorite outdoor chores. With up to a 40′ throwing distance and just over 180 degrees of direction to work with, moving the snow to the proper location the first time is made pretty much effortless. 
The Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE also has the extra added bonus of a compression loaded scraper and durable skid shoes, clearing snow right down to the pavement and making for a cleaner and faster job well done.
Assembly:
The Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE is delivered almost entirely assembled with the exception of the upper handle, the discharge chute, and a chute rod. With the turn of a few screws it took us less than 10 minutes for full assembly and a fill of the 3.2 liter gas tank to be operational. This snow blower comes oiled and ready as well, so there’s no extra need to run down to the hardware store before the first use. Altogether we consider the set up from box to operation to be one of the quickest and easiest we’ve seen around.
Start Up:
With a gas powered equipment like this, there’s no surprise that there is a recoil pull starter to get it going. We’ve used the recoil starter a few times with no problems getting it to turn on the first try. However, should you run into any unforeseen mechanical issues or you just threw your arm out during an intense snowball fight the evening before and you just don’t feel like the manual labor, The Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE also comes equipped with an electric starter. All it takes is the plugging in of an extension chord and the push of a button, and we were operational.
Operation:
For anyone interested in trading in the traditional snow shovel for a gas powered snow blower, it seems counterintuitive to have to push a heavy, clunky machine up and down the driveway. Thankfully, Toro was good enough to add a Personal Pace Self Propel System to this model. It does take a little getting used to, and at first we did notice some jumpy starts, but after we got the hang of it we were able to get the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE to move along at the pace we wanted from 0 to 3.5 mph with no shifting required. The 11″ deep lug tires handle the thick stuff quite well, and turn on a dime when they need to.
Power:
The 252cc Toro OHV Engine does a pretty good job, but we haven’t experienced the 40′ throwing distance that the specs suggest. However, we must admit we’ve been testing the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE near the coast of Lake Michigan where the snow is heavy and dense, so that doesn’t surprise us. 
The good news is, while we have had issues throwing snow the entire distance required to clear the driveway at times due to our location, the SnowMaster 824 QXE has had absolutely no issue moving the loose access snow combined with the thick heavy drifts that have accumulated. With regards to the ultra heavy, compact stuff left by the snowplow in the morning, it may take one or two backward movements to get it all, but it rips through even the icy stuff underneath without much of a problem.
Value:
Toro has rated the SnowMaster 824 QXE to be ideal to clear 6-12″ of snow at a time on a driveway made of concrete or asphalt surfaces that can park up to 4-10 cars. This is almost exactly the testing grounds we’ve had to work with, including extra sidewalk space and the extra difficulty of lake effect snow. With all this considered, we see the asking price for this medium to heavy duty rig more than acceptable for the average person’s needs. Throw in the added bonus of an electric start should it be needed and ease of use provided by the Personal Pace Self Propel System, and the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE is a bargain that will last for years and save big bucks when compared to usual snow removal service fees.
Buy Now: $949.00 or to learn more, visit: Toro.com
- Easy Assembly
- Insanely Simple to Operate
- Handles the Tough Stuff Well for a 2-Stage
- Personal Pace System Can Be Jumpy
- Has Some Difficulty with Dense Plow Leftovers
We haven’t seen the 40′ throwing distance advertised either! Think they got that spec whilst throwing snow off Mt. Everest…
HaHa! Now THAT’S a YouTube review we’re sure everyone can get some quality enjoyment out of!! Cheers to another winter right around the corner!
I bought an 824 in Oct. 2015. 1st snow blower I’ve ever owned. Since the local authorized Toro dealer and service facility didn’t sell the 824, and wouldn’t order it, I ordered one online. Uncrated it, assembled it, oiled and gassed it up. It’s as loud as an old truck with a blown muffler! So loud I feel deterred from using it early in the morning for fear of waking up the whole neighborhood. After the first snowfall, I also noticed other issues. It throws snow at most 20 feet. And It GUZZLES gas. We have a 30 foot long driveway, two cars wide. Takes about 10 – 15 minutes to clear 5″ of snow. Two clearings and the tank is empty! I asked the local dealer to check it under warranty. They refused because I did not buy it from them. No other nearby dealers. Online bloggers said the noise is probably normal, so I have been using it. I’ve done every bit of recommended maintenance, including break-in oil, regular oil changes and draining the gas from the engine and carburetor before each storage. Three weeks ago I fired it up for the first time this season. I have used it twice. Two days ago, I gassed it up again, with fresh gas, and started it. It ran 20 seconds then died. Won’t start. Won’t even pop. Feels like there is far less compression. Now what? This is not a clogged carburetor. My uneducated guess is now that the valves were never adjusted right and they are now broken. Am I going to have to pay for this out of pocket, or is Toro going to finally honor their warranty? I emailed them. They claim they have no way to compel Toro authorized service facilities to perform warranty work. Yes, they do. They can threaten to pull their franchise! Imagine if you bought a new car, took it out of town, and the dealerships wouldn’t honor the warranty!
I purchased an 824 QXE Toro early Feb. 2018. It did a 35′ double driveway twice on about half a tank of gas. Brad stated, “The Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE also has the added bonus of a compression loaded scraper and durable skid shoes, clearing snow right down to the pavement and making for a cleaner and faster job well done.” I haven’t seen clear to the pavement snow removal. What’s the deal with the compression loaded scraper?
[…] reviewer notes that the snow blower handles heavy, wet snow well and can take on deep snow piles. Busted Wallet, SnowBlower, and Snow Blower Guides also recommend this […]
[…] reviewer notes that the snow blower handles heavy, wet snow well and can take on deep snow piles. Busted Wallet, SnowBlower, and Snow Blower Guides also recommend this […]
[…] reviewer notes that the snow blower handles heavy, wet snow well and can take on deep snow piles. Busted Wallet, SnowBlower, and Snow Blower Guides also recommend this […]
I’m in my mid-60s/female. I’m on the thinner side. We moved to
PA last year and have a house with a corner lot. I test drove the 824OE
(my strong preference) but couldn’t turn or lift it from a dead stop. So, I got
the 824QXE based on research and Cons. Rpts. it was next best. Finally got a chance to use it. Didn’t have to do setup – that was done by our local-small hw store. I’m using Stabile to counter ethanol (used it in my motorcycle and Honda mower – they recommend it or non-ethanol gas).
My god, what a diff. over manual shoveling and THAT I’m getting a wee old to continue doing. The blower is extremely easy to manipulate. The self-pacer (warned about in plenty reviews) wasn’t a problem. It was jerky at first but then I leaned on the metal side bars and the jerking stopped. No way does it throw snow 40′ but it throws it far enough. I did our entire 4 car driveway to the street and the sidewalks. I didn’t have to clear the whole driveway but it was fun and easy and it’s on @25 degree slant.
Total time spent @30 mins. and it didn’t kill me (also did our neighbors’ driveway to the street because I had the energy and that I didn’t expect and told them so just due to my apparent unstoppable aging). The only problem was not being able to use the recoil. On our Honda mower, the line is much shorter and easy to start. This was a pain in the … Had to bring out the long extension cord from the garage when the blower stopped but that was it. The rest was a breeze. IF I had to use the recoil on the sidewalk, it would’ve been too hard and I’d have to walk it s l o w l y back to start it.
We haven’t seen the 40′ throwing distance advertised either! Think they got that spec whilst throwing snow off Mt. Everest…
Just a heads up that Toro seems to no longer be making the 724 and 824 QXE. The 724 ZXR is the only Snowmaster model left in that line. Some of the features have been removed in that model. Guessing the others were just too expensive for a single-stage and not selling well. Was a great snow blower though.