Toro
SnowMaster 824 QXE
$1199Cheaper
Best Snow Blowers · head-to-head
SnowMaster 824 QXE vs Deluxe 28 SHO
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. SnowMaster 824 QXE is cheaper at $1199. Every spec and price links to its source.
Ariens
Deluxe 28 SHO
$1699
Which is better: the SnowMaster 824 QXE or Deluxe 28 SHO?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The SnowMaster 824 QXE is the cheaper at $1199.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | SnowMaster 824 QXE | Deluxe 28 SHO |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1199 | $1699 |
| Brand | Toro | Ariens |
| Released | — | — |
| Type | single_stage | two_stage |
| Power source | gas | gas |
| Clearing width (in) | 24 in | 28 in |
| Intake height (in) | 18 in | 21 in |
| Engine cc or voltage | 252 cc | 301 cc |
| Electric start | Yes | Yes |
| Self propelled | Yes | Yes |
| Release | — | — |
Sources — SnowMaster 824 QXE: toro.com (verified 2026-06-19). Deluxe 28 SHO: aeoutdoorpower.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the SnowMaster 824 QXE and Deluxe 28 SHO?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Type: SnowMaster 824 QXE single_stage vs Deluxe 28 SHO two_stage
- Clearing width (in): SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 in vs Deluxe 28 SHO 28 in
- Intake height (in): SnowMaster 824 QXE 18 in vs Deluxe 28 SHO 21 in
- Engine cc or voltage: SnowMaster 824 QXE 252 cc vs Deluxe 28 SHO 301 cc
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
SnowMaster 824 QXE
One whitelisted hands-on source: NYT Wirecutter, whose top pick this is after nine New England winters of testing. It's the fastest blower they've tested—clearing a measured 100-ft x 4-ft path through 8 in of snow in half the time of a 30-inch two-stage Troy-Bilt—throws snow up to about 40 ft, and handled a 5.5% test-driveway slope without issue. Downsides: it bogs down at around a foot of heavy wet snow, has no reverse drive and no headlight, and its chute barely turns past 90 degrees. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fastest blower tested; high-speed single auger plus Personal Pace drive clears snow as fast as you can walk, beating larger two-stage machines; Intuitive joystick chute/deflector control usable on the fly while moving; Lightweight (131 lb), maneuvers like a lawn mower, and reliable across nine winters with minimal maintenance.
Flagged: Engine bogs down at roughly a foot of heavy, wet snow; No reverse drive; maneuvering takes some strength; No headlight and chute barely turns past 90 degrees.
Deluxe 28 SHO
No sourced tester review yet.