The Toro Power Shovel 38361 is a compact corded snow thrower for relatively small paved areas and manageable snowfall. It can reduce the amount of snow you lift with a conventional shovel, but you still push and guide it. It is a different machine from the larger Toro Power Curve, and specifications for one should not be transferred to the other.
This review uses Toro’s documentation rather than a hands-on performance test. Check your model and serial number, especially when buying a used machine.
What the 38361 is designed to do
Toro’s model 38361 support listing identifies a 7.5-amp, 120-volt AC Power Shovel with a 12-inch clearing width. Toro’s snow-tool brochure lists a six-inch snow cut depth and distinguishes it from the 15-amp Power Curve 38381.
Those dimensions describe the tool, not a promise to clear every six-inch accumulation in one pass. Wet, compacted snow and plow banks can be much harder to move than fresh loose snow. We have not verified a driveway-clearing time or a pounds-per-minute result under comparable conditions.
Its narrow working width makes it more plausible for a short walkway or small patio than a large driveway. Count how many passes your area will require and where the snow can go before choosing it on size alone.
Snow direction and working space
The 38361 does not have the Power Curve’s adjustable discharge-chute arrangement. The earlier claim that its chute turns 180 degrees was incorrect. You need to plan the direction of travel and snow discharge around the wind, neighboring property and obstacles.
A narrow townhouse path can be awkward if the only available discharge direction points at a car, window or a path you have just cleared. A more adjustable snow thrower or a manual shovel may suit that layout better even when the total area is small.
Electrical supply and extension cord
This is a corded tool, not a battery model that you charge and unplug. Include the cost and storage space of a suitable extension cord when comparing it with other equipment.
Use the outdoor-rated cord type, wire size and maximum length specified in the operator’s manual for your serial number, along with the required electrical protection. Do not select a cord from the incorrect 15-amp description in the older review. Keep the cord clear of the working path and inspect it for damage before use.
Toro’s Power Shovel operator’s manual covers cord connection, handle adjustment and operation. Match its stated serial range to your unit; the support page provides manuals for other production ranges.
Surfaces, blockages and handling
Toro specifies paved residential surfaces and excludes gravel. Loose stones can become projectiles. A plastic rotor or scraper also does not guarantee that a composite deck finish will remain unmarked; check both the machine instructions and the decking manufacturer’s care requirements.
Keep people clear of the discharge. If snow jams the tool, release the control, unplug it and wait for moving parts to stop before using an appropriate clearing tool. Never put your hands into the rotor area or bypass the starting interlock.
Compact does not mean effortless. Consider whether you can guide the unit, manage its cord and move it to storage comfortably. Do not assume every conventional snow blower is self-propelled, either; compare the actual drive systems of the models under consideration.
Storage, condition and buying verdict
Before buying used, inspect the housing, scraper, rotor, cord connection and controls, and check parts availability using the serial number. A low purchase price can be poor value if an essential part is damaged or missing.
Disconnect power before cleaning or adjustment and store the dry machine as its manual directs. Check the storage dimensions instead of assuming the handle folds. Confirm the warranty applicable to the product and purchase; a historical brochure’s warranty is not a guarantee of current coverage.
The Power Shovel makes most sense when your clearing area, snow conditions, outlet access and discharge space all suit a small corded tool. For manual alternatives and different clearing tasks, see our snow shovel buying guide.
