Need a lawn mower recomendation

BernieP · BernieP's Garage

I have never met any of you but I value this brain trust more than most people I know. I need to buy a new mower and want to buy a self propelled as I am not getting any younger. I am look in the $300-$400 range what do you guys recommend? I have a standard suburban 1/4 acre lot with a slight slope to it.

Thanks

Bernie P

A930Rocket · 06-12-2010, 10:18 AM

Don't get a John Deere. What a POS. The front wheel fell off, air filter clogs every other use, low HP, slow, etc.

Did I say it was a POS?

pwd72s · 10:25 AM

Snapper...maybe double the price, go for the snapper "commercial" walk behind with Honda power?

(edit) Mine is a 5 year old version of this one...still going strong. Avoid Briggs engine mowers...they're gutless. The Honda power is the way to go.

http://www.snapper.com/products/walk-behind-lawn-mower/hi-vac/cp2155hv-self-propelled-mower/CP2155HV/

peppy · 06-12-2010, 10:36 AM

+1 on Honda power

H**** no on a $1000 push mower.

I think you can get a Honda mower for about $450

yetibone · 06-12-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Don't get a John Deere. What a POS. The front wheel fell off, air filter clogs every other use, low HP, slow, etc.

Did I say it was a POS?

Was yours a Home Depot sold version?

I have an LX176, and a 425. They both power through anything, and I can't tear them up, or wear them out. Easily serviceable too, 'cept the drive belt on the 176...That was kind of a pain to replace.

enzo1 · 06-12-2010, 10:47 AM

+1 on Snapper, my friend just bought 1 and loves it, it has a Kawasaki engine. He said he paid 700$ for it but it retails for 969$.... However you said in the 400$ range I would check out the Toro Recycler. It all depends on if ur bagging or not, if you are Snapper's patent pending deck design is best, if not toro mulcher is "supposed" to b really good for the price

futuresoptions · 06-12-2010, 11:01 AM

I just purchased a Craftsman 21" cut, big rear wheel, with 675 Briggs Platinum motor, self propelled... $300. out the door with a 2yr warranty... That being said, I am not a fan of Sears or Craftsman products... but I did shop around for my price range and this was the best built unit I could find...

EVERYTHING made for the masses is junk right now... I was saddened when I went to Wally world, TSC and Sears.... everything had plastic wheels and all of the push/self propelled mowers I could find had the height adjusters as just a piece of flexible metal that you would bend and slide around to adjust the height of the wheels... also, I noticed that the decks are getting thinner and they are putting lips towards the inside/under side of the decks (this allows moist grass to collect and rot out the deck) I did not want a Craftsman mower... it just isn't as cool as saying I own a Husqvarna ( what I wanted till I checked 'em out) anyways, I ended up with the Craftsman (Don't know who made it for them) I found no lips that would hold material under the deck, The deck itself seems a hair thicker than the others.. and the height adjusters are actually spring loaded with handles... the only thing that I did not like about it at the time is that it did not have any kind of grip where you hold onto it at... but I have found this to be a non issue since I have used it...

My advice would be as some of the guys stated above go commercial if you can afford it... if not, and you have to go for a "masses" type mower.... go with the Craftsman... for the money I don't think you could go wrong compared to other mowers in the $300. price range... I did notice that they had the Honda mower in the $450. price range there...

Also, another idea that would seem to double your budget but might be another alternative is the weed eater one riding mower at Wal Mart... It was simple looking... small, and was $650....

Hope this helps some...

Mrmerlin · 06-12-2010, 11:05 AM

I got a nice mower at HD for 198.00 on sale for 150.00 works great, though its not self propelled
came with a bag and a side outlet will suck up leaves and grass with the bag attached its easy to use and quite disposable, had for 2 years going strong changed the oil 2 times and cleaned out the air filter once .
The wheels look like Turbo Twists they are silver so I got the Black deck, save your money

pwd72s · 06-12-2010, 11:08 AM

Why did I suggest the Snapper commercial despite it's high price?
Toughness! I mow with one about once a week, 1/2 acre of lawn...steel wheels, everything built for commercial lawn service work. One like this will outlast three of the under $400 mass market mowers.

But, your money, your call...

gamin · 06-12-2010, 11:14 AM

Toro personal pace. The best walk behind self propelled mower that I've ever had, and I have had a few over the years. Go try one. Perfect for your size lawn. I've had mine for about 5 years with NO problems.
Gary

msk1986911 · 06-12-2010, 11:38 AM

Honda

enzo1 · 06-12-2010, 11:45 AM

I had a Honda 10 yrs ago, didn't like it cause it was under-powered .... have they fixed this?

s_morrison57 · 06-12-2010, 11:50 AM

I went green and got the battery mower from Home Depot and am really surprised how good it is, I would have gone gas, a honda no question about that but the noise and starting it freaks the wifey, she does the lawn 8 outa 10 times, so the battery was the way to go , some times we have to make these little sacrifices to keep the warden happy

Crowbob · 06-12-2010, 12:00 PM

I've had a 21" Snapper, self-propelled 2-stroke with which I've mowed 3/4A for 10 years. Gone through 3 blades. Can't kill the thing. Auto shut off inop., loud as heck, front wheel bearings are about to go. I need an excuse to get a rider/compact tractor so every time it starts (like clockwork so far) I'm bummed.

BGCarrera32 · 06-12-2010, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamin

Toro personal pace. The best walk behind self propelled mower that I've ever had, and I have had a few over the years. Go try one. Perfect for your size lawn. I've had mine for about 5 years with NO problems.
Gary

+1

Probably not as nice an engine as the Honda, but the Personal Pace handle is great. Push the whole handle forward to walk forward, pull it back to disengage the self propelled drive. Much better than 2 or 3 stupid safety levers you have to grab.

I am on year 8 with mine. 1/3 acre lot.

Had a Snapper before that, total piece of junk that the factory took back. Had numb hands from the frequency vibration it generated at mowing speed.

masraum · 06-12-2010, 12:17 PM

Stay away from mowers sold at Home Depot, Walmart, etc....

I've read articles about how the big box stores push manufacturers to lower prices, so they push the manuf of the products sold at those stores to different factories.

Snapper pulled out of Walmart because they didn't want to decrease their quality and therefore their reputation. My father had a John Deere that he bought from a JD dealer, he said that the JD mowers at Home Depot weren't remotely the same quality.

1990C4S · 06-12-2010, 01:31 PM

I will offer a contrary opinion. Buy an old used Lawn Boy 2-stroke.

They are easy to fix, and when you are done they run forever as long as you mix oil into the gas. I have two, one self-propelled, on a just regular push mower. They are totally reliable.

And the new lawn-mowers have so many safety do-dads that I will never buy one. I know enough to keep my hands and feet away from the blade thank-you.

A930Rocket · 06-12-2010, 01:48 PM

Yep! Bought it at Lowes. My JD riding mower I bought at Lowes several years before was a POS too. Sold it as part of the house two years ago and bought the POS JD walk behind.

Should have learned my lesson the first time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yetibone

Was yours a Home Depot sold version?

I have an LX176, and a 425. They both power through anything, and I can't tear them up, or wear them out. Easily serviceable too, 'cept the drive belt on the 176...That was kind of a pain to replace.

jwhcars · 06-12-2010, 04:06 PM

I had a toro personal pace I used for 9 years and my son has it for 2 years and it is still going strong. I think they are going to run more than the 300-400 range.

Aerkuld · Aerkuld's Garage

+1 on the Craftsman mower.

I have a Craftsman 22" mower, like this...

It drives off the back wheels and easily pulls up the slope on my yard. I always use the grass bag and it does a great job of picking the grass up. It works really well in the fall at picking up the leaves too, it's more like a lawn vac the amount of stuff it sucks up and crams in the bag. Like futuresoptions said, it has decent spring loaded height adjusters too. I don't like some of the cheesey steel strip handles you get on some of the mowers. Mine is the electric start version which is a hair over $300, but I think the non-electric start version is about there. I'm really happy with mine and would say it's well worth a look.