Tale of a Terrific Toro (or two)

Man posing in green yard surrounded by four different models of Toro lawnmowers

by Cezar Lewandowski

When my wife and I bought our first home in Bloomington, MN in 1975, we needed a lawn mower and a snow thrower for the yard and driveway. I started looking in the paper for a used mower and ran across something called a “Power Handle.” The seller described a thing that had a motor with attachments that included a reel and rotary mower, and a snowthrower…all for $50!

That was the beginning of my love affair with Toro products. I got so addicted to the convenience and fun of the Power Handle that I started to collect the other attachments made for it; I even placed an ad for the tiller attachment. After a little bargaining with another Bloomington resident, ended up with a second Power Handle and a tiller attachment. (Ed.note: Toroʼs headquarters are located in Bloomington).

At this point, my storage shed began to accumulate red machinery. I even picked up boxes of spare parts for my Power Handles at faraway garage sales. I found out the age of my machines when one developed a starting problem and took the sick Power Handle to a repair shop back in 1997 for a tune-up. The technician suggested I leave it with him and heʼd give me a call. Two days later, he called back and said to come over and pick the Power Handle up.

When I got back to the shop he told me I was lucky that he was able to find a tune-up kit for my Power Handle, waaaaay back on his stock shelf. “After all,” he said, “You know itʼs a 1953 machine!” He gently suggested that I never bring it back again. My Power Handles continue to work like champs, even though Iʼve kept the pieces together with clothes hanger wire, salvaged bearings from a crane and oil changes every other year.

I have lived in the same house for 35 years and have used my Power Handles for all of them. I have watched my neighbors go through countless John Deeres and Hondas, but my Toros keep going. Thanks for a great product.

P.S. My wife Betty and I are now the proud owners of a brand-new Toro mower, thanks to our Power Handles saga and Toroʼs FaceBook search for the oldest Toro mower. We havenʼt used it yet; weʼre happy to just polish it up and show it off to our friends and neighbors as a trophy.

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