Okay - a follow up on my Toro electric snowblower. It broke for a second time - a small piece of wood got jammed in the auger, and the hex aluminum nut spun in the plastic pulley - again.
This happened last year, and I tried to repair it, but it did not work. So, I bought a replacement part, and it happened again today. Grrrr. I sent Toro an email explaining the problem, and explaining how I think the pulley needs to be made out of aluminum, or have an aluminum hub, or be a reinforced plastic (it is ABS, I think).
So, I went to my local hardware store and bought the Snow Joe. It works better than my 2nd gen Toro, and it is a lot like the 1st gen Toro. It has a bit more power to push through deep snow and throw it farther. The handle is more sturdy.
It is lower cost than the Toro - $250 vs ~$310. I'll see how it goes for longevity.