Latest reviews about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

dmw2lls says "Its easy enough to operate yet powerful enough to do a good job." about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

dmw2lls — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:28:16 GMT

I got this after the first major snowfall, when I vowed I'd never shovel that much snow again. It was very easy to set up the handle & the rod for the chute control. I added gas, checked the oil level, used the extension cord & started it with the electric start. It started right up & let it idle for 10 minutes or so, also ran the auger for a while just starting & stopping it to let everything get used to working together. That was probably the last time it ever had it that easy, as we've had back to back 24" snowfalls, & a few smaller ones since then.

So far it has started & performed flawlessly. My driveway is 100' long & the parking area is 30' wide. Due to the weight of some wet snow I did have to replow some snow that had already been blown in my parking area, and it handled that job well. It threw the snow varying distances, powdery snow easily went 15"+, normal snow 10 -15', heavy snow 5 - 10', but slush was only around 5' (but I still didn't have to shovel it). I even did...

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riff-raff says "Very disappointed and upset" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

riff-raff — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:45:30 GMT

I bought this machine 2 days prior to NJ's 4th major snow fall. The snow fall was heavy (wet) and over a foot high. I was quite excited to see how this machine would rip through the snow. The machine started no issue. As I engaged the auger, it did not work. At first I thought I was doing something wrong, so I re-read the instructions. Everything I did was correct. After 20 min of looking around to see if something was jammed, I decided to check the auger drive belt. Thus I discovered the problem..the belt had fallen off. OK, so I put the belt back on, and started it up again. I engaged the auger and it spun for 20sec when the belt fell off AGAIN!!!! I DID THIS 2 MORE TIMES!!!!! As I looked a little closer to why this was happening, the engine drive wheel and the auger drive wheel were not centered, therefore the belt, when engaged, spun at a slight angle, hence causing the belt to fall off every time it was put on. Bad design. I thought Craftsman was really...

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DavidDuPont says "Broke on the first run!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

DavidDuPont — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:12:02 GMT

I bought this snowblower to replace my single stage snapper that died after ten years of abuse. I wanted a two stage to handle larger snow falls. Set up was very easy, and the unit started on the first pull. But the drive clutch broke on my first use! Sears had to send the unit out for repair. I had to wait for 2 weeks before it was returned. Runs great now and no problems. But, should have never broke in the first place, especially for the price you pay for this unit. Sears should have offered to repair at my residence for free! STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT YOU SELL!

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laurelmaryland says "Great value for the price!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

laurelmaryland — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:53:21 GMT

My snowblower was delivered on Christmas Eve 2009. No way the box it came in would have fit in my mid-size SUV. Outside the box, and disassembled, it could have fit.

Assembly took me about 40 minutes, although now that I know what to do, it could actually be done in 5. In fully assembled state, it just barely fits into a mini-van. You need two people to lift it of course.

The snowblower started on its first pull. That said, I have often had to pull 2-3 times to get it started because there's no universal setting on starting it - i.e. if it's cold, you must have choke set, if hot, you shouldn't. So, if you took a 30 minute break, is it cold or hot? Do you have to prime it? I often guessed wrong.

The engine is pretty noisy, much louder than a typical lawnmower. A bit rough too, you definitely don't get the impression of refinement. When just idling, it will occasionally misfire, but under any load (i.e. engage the auger or drive), it's fine.

Engine power is OK. This blower is 26"...

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martiniwithonion says "Outstanding Performance at an Incredibly Low Price!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

martiniwithonion — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:21:53 GMT

I have to say, this Sears snowblower is by far the best snowblower I have ever purchased! I owned a Toro Snowblower prior to purchasing my Sears snowblower, but the Toro kept getting bogged down at the mouth of the driveway. The Sears snowblower had no trouble clearing the slush and salt composite the snowplows deposited there. The electric start is my favorite feature and I suggest everyone get their snowblower equipped with one. It makes starting a breeze. Good power in throwing the snow as well, twenty feet. I absolutely LOVE my Sears snowblower!

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CDE1 says "Great snow blower, well worth the money." about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

CDE1 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:41:17 GMT

Replaced a 35 year old craftsman 5 hp 22 inch 2 stage snow blower that was still working .Decided it was time for a new blower This blower is the best value for the money.Bought it last year and have not had any problems with it .The joy stick is a very good feature.This snow blower will handle the heavy deep snow with no problem.

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kstrd23 says "Just amazing!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

kstrd23 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:41:47 GMT

Went out friday night and bought this in preparation for our big snow event friday night into saturday. I was trying to decide between this and the $599 model, but I am so glad I chose this one! With 2+ feet here on the jersey east coast, this handled 2 or more feet with just 1 pass. The 1 handed operation was awesome, letting you keep another hand on the shute controlled joystick! It was worth every penny...

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NJHomeowner11 says "Beast of a Blower !! Cuts through snow like butter!!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

NJHomeowner11 — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:17:18 GMT

I picked up this blower days before the big NJ snow storm of 2/6/10. I lucked out and got one fully assembled, All i had to do was check the oil, put in gas and go at it. We got 2 feet of snow and i did My large drive way, and four other large driveways in no time. My Neighbors where happy to say the least. All i can say is this blower preformed like a champ.

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Busterlou45 says "Don't look past this one unless you are looking at its big bro." about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

Busterlou45 — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:53:10 GMT

It took me 15 minutes to set up. I threw a tank of gas in and I pulled the cord once very weakly and it started like a gem. I know it has an electric starter, but i was too lazy to get it near an outlet. I can honestly say that I have NEVER had any gas motor start as easily. I child could have started this by pulling the manual starter. I then went on to clean my sidewalk, driveway, my neighbors' sidewalks and driveways, followed by the street and then my alley. The only time I got mad was after two hours of ceaning everyone's snow, I had nothing left to blow. It cleaned a foot of snow with ease. I can't wait for the next snowfall. Don't look past this unit. I did my research with some consumer reviews and the Craftsman got great reviews over some big name brands, and the cost comparison is a winner too. The only thing that I would have liked would be the power steering that is on the next unit up. It isn't necessary to have but would have made things a little easier since it is a...

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tschlak says "Get this snow thrower!!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

tschlak — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:02:32 GMT

I love, love, love this machine. If you have the $ to spend -- no, invest -- in a good snow thrower, this is the one to get.

I bought this at the beginning of this season (2009). I made the decision to upgrade and sold my 20-year-old Deere single-stage on craigslist in Nov. After doing a considerable amount of research on-line, I had narrowed it down to this model and the next lower one, the 179cc with the 24" path. For the price difference I decided to get the extra cc's of this model.

But the primary reason I went up a model was for the joystick-controlled snow chute. I can't talk enough about what an indispensible feature this is! Once the auger is engaged on the left-hand control and you're in gear moving forward, the right-hand propulsion control locks the auger on so you can keep moving forward, and take your left hand off the auger control in order to change the direction and elevation of the chute and you keep on rollin' and throwin' the whole time. This cuts down significantly...

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mgjones7 says "My mac-daddy snow thrower!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

mgjones7 — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:44:01 GMT

I was going to purchase a 24" but they didn't have any the night of our first storm. (December 2009) So I got this one knowing that it had really good reviews. While it said no assembly required, it did take me about 2 hours to take it out of the box and assemble the chute. However, the time it took to do that was well worth the back pain it saved me clearing my extra wide and sloppy driveway. If I can handle it guys (5'3") then you can handle it. I am so happy with this purchase I wish I had purchased one last year.

The second time I used it was with a huge Xmas eve storm. My snowblower cut right into the curtain of thick wet snow that the city plow left in front of our driveway. I was the first one to clear my driveway in less than an hour.

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ophawk says "You can not go wrong with this Snow Thrower." about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

ophawk — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:49:03 GMT

Been looking for a few weeks and this was the best deal. After getting it home it took a few minutes to set it up and then I was up and running. The last week wehave had a lot of freezeing snown and rain. It cut through it with not problem, even the really wet heavy snow. The only down fall is it does need a set of tire chains on it. Other then that i love it and so does my back.

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CraftsmanPoorQuality says "DO NOT BUY THIS MACHINE!" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

CraftsmanPoorQuality — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:09:50 GMT

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kastagire says "Great Snow Thrower !" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

kastagire — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:41:40 GMT

I just picked this snow thrower up this morning, and have been putting it through it's paces all day. There are some really great features on it for the price tag, which is especially nice since it is on sale for the holidays. It is easy to drive, and has several speeds to choose from, and two reverse speeds. The joystick steerable chute is really great, no stopping to readjust the chute. Another reviewer said he had problems keeping it all the way to the right or left, but I did not have any problems, and I used it several times today as there is a huge snowstorm bearing down at the moment. The big wheels are really nice too, and were able to get up over our 6" walkway step easily. Starting is easy, just plug it in and push the button, and there is also a pull start as well. The engine is nice and powerful, and easy to operate as well. The choke, throttle, and start key are all located on the back towards the operator, so it is easy to just kneel down a bit to make an adjustment. Another...

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skidaddy says "don't like the joy stick" about Craftsman 208cc 26" path Two-stage Snowblower

skidaddy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:49:48 GMT

This machine is not back but the chute control is not up to par. I got the machin home and the chute would not rotate.

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