I have been eyeing the Abu Revo Toro reel for a while for my first swimbait reel.

But I already got burned once by a Revo STX with mag only brakes.

The Toro seems to have a six-pin centrifugal brake. If anyone used this, or a comparable reel, is this braking system as good, or rather as easy to manipulate, as that on the Shimano reels?

I haven't fished a Toro but I prefer centrifugal braking over magnetic in general and have no complaints with other ABU's I have used. Neither system will take the place of the proverbial "Educated Thumb" though.

I have one, centrifugal brakes only. Don't have Shimano experience. If your swimbaits are similar weights, just set it and forget it. I am a thumb guy not a fan of mag brakes, and would rather rely on my thumb rather than the reel. That being said the Toro is my first "good" low profile reel. Prior to that it was Abu round reels that I can't seem to give up, and cheap low profiles

I have a Toro and the brakes are pretty good.  I use mine for swimbaits and haven't had any trouble with it.  The brakes are good, the Shimano VBS is better but the Abu brakes aren't at all bad.