Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I have had a Honda HS55 snowblower (with tracks) for around 20 years.  It has been great.  I replaced the gas tank once over the years but otherwise have done nothing to it.  It still starts first pull.  It is tiny but seems to outperform my neighbors machines.

It owes me nothing but it is starting to have transmission issues and is generally worn.  I dont think its worth trying to repair and renew it. So I went shopping for a new machine.  I have been steered to the Ariens Deluxe 24 Platinum ($1300) and the Honda 724 (wheels) ($1999).  I am leaning to the Honda simply because of the great experience I have had with my old machine.  But the Ariens appears to be a pretty nice machine also and I could make use of the $600 savings!  I am having a hard time deciding on which is the better choice here.  I dont know much about Ariens machines in general.

I'd love to hear any feedback on this Ariens machine in terms of dependability, how Ariens last, performance etc and any thoughts on whether its worth spending the extra cash on the Honda?

Also if anyone has that Honda 724 I would appreciate feedback on that as well. 

Thoughts?

Huge thanks in advance.

I had a Honda 928TAS, well actually I had a Toro 1028 then the Honda but I digress. The Toro dealer really tried ot interest me in Ariens. It's a popular machine but all the dealers try and steer you towards Ariens. Ok, but I was really interested in Toro as it had the skid steer for both wheels so easy for my wife. The Ariens was a bear to turn. Anyway bought the Honda and while it was a great machine it had it's problems namely my wife just couldn't use it as it was too tough to turn. Even the Wheeled model was very tough to turn but great in many ways. I returned the Honda for a loss of $250 or so and bough the Toro 1028 and haven't looked back. I'd buy the Honda over the Ariens, but I love steering the Toro it's so easy. You might want to compare Toro to Honda, you save a lot and it so easy to use. The Honda is great as long as you don't mind a workout using it. It will probably last you 20 years easily. I think the Toro will last a long time too. I just feel like Ariens really pushes their machines too much. Funny how they sell out of Toro's while they have plenty of Ariens.

Welcome.  You mentioned that your current blower is a track drive.  Is there a reason you went with the tracks and a reason you don't want them on the next blower?

What are the specifics on the driveway(s) that you will be clearing(hilly, paved, gravel, wide, steep, lots of end of driveway EOD snow, sidewalks, long)?  Do you have a good working relationship with a local power equipment dealer?

What things would you change with your current blower if you could (powerful enough) ? What did you like best about the Honda HS55?  What is you timeline for the purchase? Are you in Canada or the US? Have you ever had a chance to use any other blowers and what did you think of them?

You seemed to have narrowed things down to two great machines.  $600 is a serious piece of change.

 

None of the dealers around here seem to sell Toro but even if they did I do not know how interested I would be.  I say that only because I had a Toro lawnmower at one time and it had a lot of issues.  I also own a Honda lawnmower and it has been great.

I live in New England.  The old Honda snowblower was pretty much perfect for me.  A little more power would have been good for the heavy wet snow storms and EOD but it really never had too many problems dealing with our snow.  I really loved it and will miss it when its gone.  Its a pretty small snowblower too.

I had originally got a track drive because the driveway was gravel back then and the track system allowed me to raise the base to keep from shooting the gravel all over the place.  But we now have a paved driveway so that is a non-issue.  Plus the track drive models cost much more (around $2800).  The driveway does have a partial slope but I dont think it should be an issue as it is not that steep.  I got used to the tracks so maneuverability isnt that much of an issue for me.  I tend to muscle it around.  But I have not used any other snowblowers.  My wife will not use the snowblower so thats not a concern. 

The driveway is fairly long with a 4-car-wide area at the top.  There is a skirt at the end of the driveway that makes a little wide there then into a single car width up a small incline then flattens to the top where the wider area is.  Its probably around 7 car lengths long

Both of the good shops around here sell Honda and Ariens.  One of them has Husqavarna too but they told me not to even consider that! 

One thing that is bothering me a little is that I see one of the neighbors got an Ariens (probably  from Home Depot) and in the first season he was always out there shaking his head at it. He has a very small driveway and goes very slowly while I am flying around with my little Honda.  I havent been able to catch up with him to get his opinion on it yet though.  Also, I saw someone serviced it this year for him.  In all these years I only needed service on the Honda once.  I do change the oil every 5 years religiously though. :)

So while I love the Honda, I keep looking at the brochure of the Ariens Deluxe 24 Platinum because it is less money and looks nice.  It also has a light, automatic traction control, and hand warmers.  The Honda has the hydrostatic transmission and the unit is a bit smaller than the Ariens which might help it fit in my garage better.  I have a car stored in there for the winter so there is limited space.  Honda is also offering 0% financing for 12 months.

I stated this in another thread.  For the $1999 that would be spent on a Honda HS724, I would get the Ariens 24" plus the Toro 221Q single stage.  There will be a lot of times when the single stage is the equipment of choice for lighter snow and when  you need maneuverability.  The 2 stage comes in handy when you need to bust through EOD piles and for launching snow far, especially later on in the winter season when the snow accumulated piles up around the perimeter of the driveway. 

However, if you had good experience with your Honda HS55.  I would get new Honda HS724 if money isn't a big issue for you.  Spend once, cry once.  Never have to look back.  But the real test is to go check out the Ariens and the Honda in person.  The Ariens is more feature loaded and more powerful engine.  The Honda is more basic in features and makes efficient use of its power.  Once you determine what you like about each brand, $$$ becomes less relevant, especially after 10 years.

I'll come out and say that I'm bias towards Honda because I have a Honda HS1132TAS 2 stage, and a Honda HS621 single stage.  I'm happy with both Honda machines, thinking about getting a Toro single stage 221Q or a defunct Toro Snow Commander, just because I'm a OPE nut, and I need help.  :)  Can someone donate a Lawnboy mower and/or a JD 14PZ?

I would choose the Ariens over the Honda for the simple reason it has a differential. I think the Honda at $1999 is really not good value even if it is a good machine. I have neighbors with the wheeled Honda and they are nothing special when compared with the wheeled top of the line Toro,Simplicity and Ariens units. Good yes ,exceptional no. 

Marc

 I do like the Ariens differential. When you get old it nice to have some help turning the snowblower around.

I found a place in the next town over that sells Simplicity.  I went over to take a look. They have one left, it is a Pro model (I believe its the P1524E model) and it goes for $1750.  Feels pretty solid.  It has a lever to unlock one of the wheels for easier turning, heated grips, a light, and an electric button to turn the chute.

But I dont know anything about Simplicity brand equipment. 

Any feedback on this model, Simplicity in general, and how it compares to the Honda or Ariens?

Simplicity is owned by Briggs and Statten. Nice machines.

Personally I purchased an Ariens 926037 PRO with a Briggs 1450 engine. I had a7-8 year old MTD 5hp 22" cut and although it did throw snow, it was nothing compared to this machine.

I looked at John Deere 928 annd 1130's. These are made by Briggs and Stratten power and are just painted green and yellow. Good machines but not near the machine the Ariens is. Now bear in mind I live 25 minutes from Port Washington where the Simplicity machines are made, and 20 minutes from Brillion where the Airens machines are made.

I like the Airens just due to the fact it has a true differential without any cables for turning.. It turns easy. It is durable and powerful. My neighbors all have John Deeres but I had used them before I got my machine and there is a big difference in the turning ability. Don't get me wrong the John Deere/Simplicity's are a nice machine, just I think the Airens is much better.

Also, I am NOT affliated with either of these companies, just a 50 yr old guy that wanted the best value for my money. I paid $1,600 for mine. If you want here is the information

MCHENRY POWER EQUIPMENT

3622 ELM STREET

MCHENRY IL.  60050

815-344-7660 

My only advice is to buy a machine that has an easy turn feature.  Either a differential or a remote axle lock/unlock lever will do.  Twenty years ago I used to be like you and simply muscle my snow thrower around but today my back appreciates all the help it can get.   My particular Ariens has one remote lever, so the machine is easier to turn in one direction than the other.  With a differential the machine will turn easily in either direction.  Either system beats muscling it around.

Between the Ariens and the Simplicity it's a toss up.  From the feed back on this board over the years my sense is that Ariens is more of a hit or miss if it's purchased from a box store due to inconsistent set-ups.  Simplicity models may be more consistent because of dealer set-ups.  The differential on the Ariens is attractive but not a reason to select it over the Simplicity.  Personally I used a neighbors snowblower once that had an electric chute.  It was a few years old and was slow.  I honestly could move the manual chute on my snowthrower much faster than that electric chute.  Again that was an older model, today's models may have a faster more responsive electric chute.  The Simplicity looks to be built really well and weighs in at 240lbs the Ariens at 224lbs.  I do like the 16" tires on the Simplicity compared to the 15" tires on the Ariens.

Also I'd stay away from those cheap Japanese imports.  With Japanese manufacturing being called into question these days you don't want to own a snow blower that accelerates on it's own or gets recalled during a blizzard.  (Sarcasm intended...LOL)

DaHo - lots of good information here on this thread. Personally - I think aa335 hit the nail on the head - but you may not want 2 units. I also live in New England, and find that I use the 221 about 98% of the time on my 6-car driveway. But I digress... I think Honda 2 stages are nice, but I think they are overpriced. I think that either the Ariens or the Simplicity will give you more than what you need, and at a more livable price. In terms of robust-ness, I think you'll find the Simplicity to be the top of the pile. While you may not be familiar with the brand, rest assured that they are well known, well respected, and very well built. Also, as Steve Cebu mentioned, give Toro a look too. They are one of the best snowthrower makers out there (their single stages are legendary and absolutely unequaled in capability) and their PowerMax 2 stage units are very impressive and innovative (I have one and love it) The bottom line is - if you buy the Honda, you'll be happy - that's a given, but for less money, you'll be equally happy and have an equally nice, equally robust unit. Not a bad deal at all....

bevans,

That banner could be a wee bit bigger, don't you think?

This message was modified Feb 11, 2010 by aa335

Paul7 wrote:
I haven't come across any cheap Japanese imports (snowblowers).  Let me know where I can find Yamaha, Honda imports for cheap(er).  I haven't heard any cheap Japanese imports of any kind except from the post World War II era.  That's over 50 years ago!  Does anybody still believe that crap?  Let's not continue blasting import products when production is in the US is shrinking everyday.  I kid you not!

Let's leave Toyota out of this discussion.

"you don't want to own a snow blower that accelerates on it's own"

Actually, I'd love that.  I'd pay extra for it.

"but you may not want 2 units"

I think that's an important point.  I already have 7 gas engines that I have to look after (or is it 8?).  Individually, not a big deal.  But when you have bunches, and you are the repair guy, then you think twice about that.

I narrowed it down to the Ariens or the Simplicity and decided to go with the Simplicity.  It just felt better in my hands, feels so solid. 

Its sitting in my garage now and the snow is falling.  We are supposed to get a foot  of heavy snow tonight so tomorrow will be great test.

Thanks to everyone that chimed in with all the good info.

You touched on the one important intangible that's often overlooked...how the machine feels in your hands.  Let's face it, this isn't rocket science.  All of the units that you were considering will move tons of snow for you.  But if one machine has the feel that you like then that's the one to go with. 

DaHo - I think you made a great decision. Please post a review after you've used it tonight/tomorrow.

forget about toyota cars accelerating on their own.I just found out my 2001 honda accord is being recalled for it's airbags.There's nothing like an airbag hitting someone in the face unexpectedly.....At least if you own a honda snowblower,you dont have to worry about the airbag deploying lol....

As much as I love Honda's, I have to consider this: I just talked to a guy who researched the 724 closely and then bought two Toros for the price of one 724. Now he and his son clear the drive together in half the time

Last nights snow storm wimped out and only left about 5 inches of snow.  It wasnt much of a challenge for the new machine.  For the most part, the snow was fairly light and icy.  I think the SImplicty threw the snow farther than the specs say.  It is a beast.  I had it in 5th gear the entire time too!

After using the little Honda for the past 23 years, the Simplicty 1525 was a lot more to handle.  It is much more machine and feels like it.  I cant throw it around the way I could the Honda.  I will have to get used to that.  But it is managable and the wheel lock trigger works nicely.  It makes the job of clearing out the driveway much quicker and since it throws farther there is less overspill to clean up.  

The powered chute control is very nice.  No more cranking the worm gear!  It is fast and easy to control too.

There was some heavy slushy stuff at the EOD which it went through easily.  Of course it didnt throw it all that far but it also didnt miss a beat.  I dont see this machine bogging down even in the largest of storms. 

I am looking forward to using this after a much large storm.  For now, I am super happy with the purchase and expecting this to last at least as long as the little Honda HS55.

samdog wrote:
Yes, along the same line you can have 6 or more Big Macs for the price of one good steak.  It's just beef, right?

I do like the idea of having two snowblowers and having the son help out together though.  Priceless no matter even if they're just using shovels.  :)

aa335 wrote:

sorry aout the banner..just copied it off the ebay ad...oops

No problems, as long as you're here for a good cause and not on Arien's payroll.

Actually being a Quality Manager for an automotive supplier for 28 years..I would like to be on the Airens payroll....it'd be a nice change of pace

bevans wrote:

Personally I purchased an Ariens 926037 PRO with a Briggs 1450 engine. I had a7-8 year old MTD 5hp 22" cut and although it did throw snow, it was nothing compared to this machine.

I looked at John Deere 928 annd 1130's. These are made by Briggs and Stratten power and are just painted green and yellow. Good machines but not near the machine the Ariens is. Now bear in mind I live 25 minutes from Port Washington where the Simplicity machines are made, and 20 minutes from Brillion where the Airens machines are made.

I like the Airens just due to the fact it has a true differential without any cables for turning.. It turns easy. It is durable and powerful. My neighbors all have John Deeres but I had used them before I got my machine and there is a big difference in the turning ability. Don't get me wrong the John Deere/Simplicity's are a nice machine, just I think the Airens is much better.

Also, I am NOT affliated with either of these companies, just a 50 yr old guy that wanted the best value for my money. I paid $1,600 for mine. If you want here is the information

MCHENRY POWER EQUIPMENT

3622 ELM STREET

MCHENRY IL.  60050

815-344-7660 

Ariens, my friend, does NOT have true differential (http://209.61.159.196/ope/discussions/49098-0-1.html) - hasn't since before 2004.  The JD is Simplicity, of course, made now by Briggs and Stratton, and is easily a better machine than Ariens - by a LOT.  The JD 1130SE, btw, has the exact same Hillard system as the Ariens.  Turning is identical, therefore.  Honda is likely best, with Husqvarna and Simplicity right there, Ariens, not even on the list - and I say that living 20 miles from Ariens, having owned 2 including an early 80s model with true differential, and watching that machine fall apart fast, never having thrown snow more than 12 feet.