Toro
Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE
$1,199Cheaper
Best Snow Blowers · head-to-head
Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE vs Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE is cheaper at $1,199. Every spec and price links to its source.
Cub Cadet
Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower
$1,449
Which is better: the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE or Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE is the cheaper at $1,199.
See Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE on Amazon See Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower on Amazon
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec |  Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE |  Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1,199 | $1,449 |
| Brand | Toro | Cub Cadet |
| Released | — | — |
| Type | single_stage | two_stage |
| Power source | gas | gas |
| Clearing width (in) | 24 in | 26 in |
| Intake height (in) | 18 in | 21 in |
| Engine cc or voltage | 252 cc | 243 cc |
| Electric start | Yes | Yes |
| Self propelled | Yes | Yes |
| Release | — | — |
Sources — Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE: toro.com (verified 2026-06-19). Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower: cubcadet.com (verified 2026-11-05).
What's the difference between the Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE and Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Type: Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE single_stage vs Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower two_stage
- Clearing width (in): Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 24 in vs Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower 26 in
- Intake height (in): Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 18 in vs Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower 21 in
- Engine cc or voltage: Toro SnowMaster 824 QXE 252 cc vs Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower 243 cc
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Toro 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.
Cub Cadet 2X 26 IntelliPOWER Two-Stage Snow Blower
One whitelisted source, Wirecutter (NYT), covers this exact model and names it 'best for gravel driveways' among its four 2026 snow-blower picks, based on hands-on New England testing. It praises the value, trigger power steering, durable metal chute, twin headlights and large 15-inch tires, while flagging it as heavier, slower and clunkier to control than the top-pick Toro SnowMaster. All commentary is qualitative; no benchmarked numbers were published for this model. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Strong value: high-end features usually reserved for blowers costing hundreds more; Power steering (trigger-per-wheel) makes the heavy two-stage easy to maneuver; Well-rounded, reliable feature set: electric start, metal chute, two headlights, large 15-inch tires.
Flagged: Heavier and slower than the top-pick Toro SnowMaster; traditional two-stage design feels limited; Clunky chute control (hand crank for the chute plus a separate deflector joystick) combined with manual speed shifting is a lot to manage.