Toro
Toro Power Clear 721 E
The 721 E has quietly become the default 'just buy the Toro' answer for paved driveways - 1,800+ reviews averaging 4.5 stars and a decade of the 212cc four-stroke proving itself. It throws snow up to 35 feet, starts with a push-button (via 120V cord) or first pull, and the Power Propel paddle drive pulls itself forward hard enough that you're steering more than pushing. The Quick Chute lever spins the 210-degree chute without stopping, and unlike the two-strokes of old there's no gas-oil mixing. Owners' complaints are specific: the chute lever is short and awkward for some hands, single-stage paddles ride up on hardpack and can't touch gravel, and a foot-deep wet storm means slow, half-width bites. Early units had scattered reports of the exhaust cooking a control cable, largely sorted in later production. Honda's exit from US snow blowers removed its only real single-stage rival, so at $799 the 721 E mostly competes with its big brother 821 QZE - buy the 721 if your snow is usually under 9 inches and your driveway holds four cars or fewer.
Single-stage machines scoop and throw in one motion, and the rubber auger touching the pavement means they scrape cleaner than anything else. Paved surfaces only, and they bounce off a refrozen plow berm rather than eating it.
Price and availability on Toro’s site may differ.
Specifications
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Push-button electric start plus reliable recoil backup
- ✓Power Propel paddles adjust ground speed to your push pressure
- ✓Quick Chute 210-degree rotation without leaving the handle
- ✓Scrapes down to bare pavement better than most two-stages
- ✓84 lbs is light enough to maneuver in tight walkways and garages
Cons
- ✗Short chute-control lever draws consistent ergonomic complaints
- ✗12.5-inch intake overwhelmed by storms over 9-10 inches
- ✗Cannot be used on gravel surfaces
- ✗No headlight or hand warmers at any price on this trim
- ✗Paddles and scraper bar are wear items needing periodic replacement
Owner Insightssummarized from owner forums and reviews
The Power Clear 721 E is the machine owners name first when someone asks for a single-stage recommendation, and the reputation is earned: it moves an enormous amount of snow for its size, throws it far, and even handles the compacted ridge the plow leaves at the end of the driveway — the scenario that embarrasses most single-stage blowers. The general vibe is that this is the single-stage that makes people question whether they need a two-stage at all.
Day to day, it starts on the first pull nearly universally, the 212cc engine has power in reserve for wet snow, and the paddle drive pulls it forward briskly while scraping down to bare pavement. The gripes are specific and consistent: the chute controls live on the chute rather than the handle, so redirecting snow mid-pass means reaching forward or walking around; the current chassis is front-heavier than older 721s; and a number of owners have documented exhaust heat melting the control-cable sheath, which remains unaddressed. Paddles and the scraper bar are wear items you'll replace periodically.
It's best for paved one-to-three-car driveways in areas seeing regular storms up to about a foot. Against competitors, owners consistently rate it stronger than similarly priced single-stage machines and note it undercuts entry two-stage blowers by hundreds of dollars while outcleaning them on pavement. If handle-mounted chute control matters to you, owners point to the pricier 821 QZE; if your snow is routinely deep, drifted, or on gravel, that's two-stage territory.
What owners like
- +The default single-stage recommendation in owner discussions — it throws snow 20-plus feet and chews through end-of-driveway plow piles that stall lesser single-stage machines
- +The 212cc engine starts on the first pull so consistently that many owners say they never bother plugging in the electric start
- +At roughly 85 pounds one person can lift it into a truck bed, and it stores in a fraction of the space a two-stage needs
- +Auger propulsion pulls the machine forward at a brisk pace — you guide it rather than shove it
- +Rubber paddles scrape paved surfaces down to bare pavement, cleaner than a two-stage leaves them
- +Simple, proven design with cheap consumables — paddles, scraper bar, and belt are inexpensive and owner-replaceable
- +Frequently on sale in the $480–500 range, which owners consider the best power-per-dollar in single-stage
- +Backed by Toro's two-year guaranteed-to-start warranty, and owner reports back that promise up
Common complaints
- −Chute controls are mounted on the chute itself, not the handle — you either walk to the front or reach awkwardly forward mid-pass, the most repeated ergonomic gripe
- −Owners of recent-chassis units report exhaust heat melting the control-cable casing, and say Toro hasn't offered a fix or redesign
- −The newer chassis is noticeably front-heavy compared with earlier 721s, which makes curb hops and turns more effort
- −With the deflector aimed low, some snow blows back through the deflector toward the operator
- −Plastic wheels offer little grip when maneuvering on ice
- −Paddles and scraper bar wear with use — heavy users replace them as often as yearly to keep pavement contact
- −Strictly a paved-surface machine; the paddles will fling gravel
- −Slush performance splits owners: some clear heavy wet snow without a single clog, others report the chute packing up every few feet in deep saturated slop
Common Questions
Can the 721 E really handle end-of-driveway plow piles?
How does the chute adjustment work, and is it annoying?
Is the 821 worth the extra money over the 721?
How often do the paddles and scraper bar need replacement?
Does it clog in wet snow?
Will it work on gravel or a steep driveway?
Compare the Toro Power Clear 721 E
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