I didn't intend on getting a cold but as Murphy's Law proves, anything can and WILL happen when you least expect OR desire it. Fortunately our Ariens Platinum 24 SHO EFI is VERY user friendly. So much so, my girlfriend decided she would deal with the 12/8 snowfall. She never used the previous one because of the pull-start, having to contend with priming and the choke, so I think she took a liking to the fuel injection.
After having three surgeries on my knee over the summer, Union Trailer and Power Equipment and Ariens are making sure we can tackle the snow this year. Since I didn't get to go out and 'play' in the snow, I'm handing the reins on the rest of this post to the boss :)
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Although I’d taken a “test drive” with our Ariens Sno-Thro Platinum, I’d never actually started it, or used it alone.
With yet another significant snowfall today, and a boyfriend who was in bed fighting a cold, I realized that I’d have to take care of the sidewalks and parking lot on my own… and I was pretty nervous about that.
I am so thankful for the Sno-Thro’s electric start. I just plugged it into the garage outlet, turned the key, pushed a single button, and it started right up. I was off!
The Ariens Sno-Thro has a wide range of speeds, and I found one that let me get the job done quickly, but never made me feel that the machine was out of control. Best of all, even though I ran the machine at a fairly slow pace, I was able to use the throttle control knob to dial up the throwing distance; you don’t need to have the machine set to the highest speed to get the farthest snow-moving capability. The snow was up and out of the way, and I wasn’t feeling like I was going to lose my footing. It even cleared the heavy ridges left by the snowplows, without me feeling like I was going to end up out in the way of traffic.
I like that I can adjust the aim of the chute with one hand while the snow thrower is moving - the auger handle remains engaged, once set, until you release the drive handle… so you can change the horizontal and vertical directions of the discharge deflector easily, while you’re moving. This is great when you have to get into tight spaces (around parked cars, or to avoid already-cleared areas).
Today’s temperature was 22° (I can’t believe the machine started on the first try!), but the heated handles kept my hands cozy.
I confess… I did not read the manual before attempting to use the snow thrower. I’m sure it’s good practice for everyone to do so… but even though I’m clueless about snow throwers, the Ariens Sno-Thro Platinum proved to be simple, easily-maneuverable, and reliable to use. I had the sidewalks, parking area, our end of the alley, and a neighbor’s drive cleared in no time at all. (It was actually kinda’ fun.)