Lawn mower question

[riche]

Need to buy a new lawn mower as mine just broke and its not worth fixing

I go on the lowes and Home Depot site and there are lots to choose from, so what should I avoid, and what is a must have?

My kids cut the grass but with these new mowers I might be willing to enjoy it

Electric start would be a bonus but not mandatory, Self Propelled is a must, I notice there is frt, rear and awd.

I have heard good things about Honda Engines, what about there actual Mowers? Then There is Kohler and briggs and stratton.

I would have gone to sears and shopped but they closed the ones around me

So what is the best bang for your buck for a Lawnmower ?

 

[Breadman03]

I bought a Honda mower from an equipment store about 6 years ago. I don't have a practical way to get it indoors, so it sits outside year round. It fires on the first pull every time, except the first start of the season when it takes 2-3 pulls. I did have to replace the carburetor maybe 3 or 4 years ago because I left gas in it over the winter. Carb cleaner may have taken care of it, but $7 for carb cleaner vs. $25 and about 30 minutes for a new carb made it an attractive option. AWD might be nice, and I was looking at it when I bought, but I don't think it adds value beyond a RWD.

 

[JoshH]

I picked up a Toro AWD 2 years ago and so far I love it, I believe it has a Briggs and Stratton motor which was a harder purchase for me as I'm a sucker for a Honda. But the Honda only came with the non propelled mower and I was feeling particularly lazy the day I bought it. It also has the ability to be hung on a wall for storage apparently. I've never used this feature but I could see it being handy for someone who has a smaller garage or shed for storage.

Starts on the first pull every time but the first time of the season like posted above. But like I said this is really only my third season with it so can't truly speak for longevity.

 

[KStatefan]

I have had a toro personal pace for 20 years with no problems

 

[wareagle]

I got one of those mini riding lawn mowers like the old school snapper rider, think Forest Gump. I love the little thing and the laughs I get from the neighbors, we have small yards. It was also only a few hundred more than a self propelled with all the bells and whistles thanks to a sale HD was having.

 

[Billdogg]

I went to Buckeye Power Supply a few years ago when my nearly antique LawnBoy died. Well, to be truthful, I killed it. Turns out that running it over the water shut-off on too low of a setting just mucks it all up! I had done some research ahead of time so I was dead set on getting a new self propelled Honda. The salesperson talked to me for a few minutes and then said that although he would love to sell me the more expensive Honda, the Toro Personal Pace was a much better built mower that was also a couple hundred $$ less. Electric start, personal pace, starts right up every time. Couldn't be happier with it. Well, if it would just cut the grass without me having to push it.................


Maybe next time???

 

[Jay Z]

I bought a honda from the depot 7 years ago (one with the plastic deck wo/eletric start HRX217). Starts on the first pull every time. In 7 years the only thing I do is put gas in it, sometimes 2 stroke if I'm out of regular, lol and sharpen the blade twice a year. Ended up being a excellent purchase.

 

[Greybeard]

I bought a Ferris last year... 28HP Vanguard, Electronic fuel injection, 5 Qt Aluminum Oil Cooler, four wheel coil over shock suspension... One serious mowing machine.

Might be overkill for your needs, I don't know, but it sure works for me :)

 

[That Crusso Kid]

I bought a Ferris last year... 28HP Vanguard, Electronic fuel injection, 5 Qt Aluminum Oil Cooler, four wheel coil over shock suspension... One serious mowing machine.

Might be overkill for your needs, I don't know, but it sure works for me :)

That's a nice mower! How many acres are you mowing with it?

 

[SoggyNW]

Ditto on the Honda. Bought one from home Depot for $300 is and it fires up every time.

A tip though. What ever mower or anything else with a small engine that sits around for month's without running. feed it ethanol free gas. Look it up, you'll thank me later.

 

[Jay Z]

Ditto on the Honda. Bought one from home Depot for $300 is and it fires up every time.

A tip though. What ever mower or anything else with a small engine that sits around for month's without running. feed it ethanol free gas. Look it up, you'll thank me later.

Yep, forgot that part. 91 rec fuel if you can find it, makes small equipment last forever.

 

[tautog83]

Yup I have a husqvarna with a Honda engine ..non ethanol gas .you'll be good to go .

 

[Greybeard]

That's a nice mower! How many acres are you mowing with it?

About 10 acres. If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd ever spend that kind of money on a mower, I'd have said you were nuts, but really, it was a bargain. My old tractor was starting to overheat when I'd run the brush hog for several hours straight. I was looking at new tractors... around 45k. Ended up keeping my old tractor. Works fine, as long as I don't push it so hard... and a high end commercial mower, I figured I saved about 35k :)

Once I started using it, I realized the true savings... time. A field that used to take me 3 or 4 hours with the tractor, I can cut now in under an hour.

 

[Greybeard]

What ever mower or anything else with a small engine that sits around for month's without running. feed it ethanol free gas. Look it up, you'll thank me later.

No doubt on that one. All my small engines get alcohol free fuel. Got tired of having to rebuild carburators every spring.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

I have had the Toro personal pace and now have a Honda. Both are great mowers, but I do like my Honda better and don't regret not getting another Toro.

 

[SneakyTortuga]

As a professional In this industry I can tell you the quality of many companies these days are about even. You can spend as much or as little as you would like. My recommendation is go to a pro shop (if available) and ask questions.

Depending on what your needs are If your yard is small consider electric equipment. Many costal cities now have noise requirements so electric is the only way to go. Professional electric equipment like Stihl or echo is really nice dependent on the situation it may be the way to go when you don’t have to worry about mix fuel, gas, or diesel.

Im none bias when it comes to manufactures because as new models are manufactured the “best mower” or equipment changes.

For example years ago the best chainsaw was the Stihl ms200 $500 chainsaw There was no need to buy any other manufacturer because no one could compete with power and reliability. Then they changed to the ms201 and discontinued the 200. People were spending $1000+ for used ms200s because the new Model ms201 was so unreliable. Now echo makes the best chainsaw by far. Reliable, 2 year warranty, and best part half the price of the ms201.

Moral of the story do your own research before you take the opinion of others. Mowers can cost a few hundred up to $20k for a John Deere

 

[TheLost]

non ethanol gas .you'll be good to go .

This is key ^^^

New mowers (or any small engine tools) and ethanol don't mix.

I have to help a handful of neighbors each spring/winter clean the carburetors on their mowers/snow blowers because they didn't put any type of stabilizer in their fuel.

 

[Greybeard]

Depending on what your needs are If your yard is small consider electric equipment. Many costal cities now have noise requirements so electric is the only way to go. Professional electric equipment like Stihl or echo is really nice dependent on the situation it may be the way to go when you don’t have to worry about mix fuel, gas, or diesel.

Even with 40 acres to maintain, I'm starting to look at rechargeable tools. Not for mowing, of course, but other tools that traditionally use a small gas engine? You bet! I bought a rechargeable pole saw... lighter, easier to use, don't have to worry about getting it started when you only use it 3 or 4 times a year. Way less maintenance. I'm likely to sell my old gas powered pole saw now. I'm looking to pick up a rechargeable chainsaw, too. I mostly use a chainsaw for trimming, storm cleanup, that sort of thing. Rarely need to run it longer than a battery would last. Rechargeable makes a lot of sense.

 

[SneakyTortuga]

Even with 40 acres to maintain, I'm starting to look at rechargeable tools. Not for mowing, of course, but other tools that traditionally use a small gas engine? You bet! I bought a rechargeable pole saw... lighter, easier to use, don't have to worry about getting it started when you only use it 3 or 4 times a year. Way less maintenance. I'm likely to sell my old gas powered pole saw now. I'm looking to pick up a rechargeable chainsaw, too. I mostly use a chainsaw for trimming, storm cleanup, that sort of thing. Rarely need to run it longer than a battery would last. Rechargeable makes a lot of sense.

It really does make sense. I have $100,000s in maintenace equipment. Stihl, echo, shindowa, John Deere, torro, Wright standard, etc in every piece of gas and Diesel equipment they make and I personally use electric equipment at my home. Electric has many advantages for the smaller equipment. Unless you have hours worth of work id go electric.

I haven’t used a electric chainsaw or pole saw personally but I can attest to the weed eaters, edgers, blowers and mowers.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

About 10 acres. If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd ever spend that kind of money on a mower, I'd have said you were nuts, but really, it was a bargain. My old tractor was starting to overheat when I'd run the brush hog for several hours straight. I was looking at new tractors... around 45k. Ended up keeping my old tractor. Works fine, as long as I don't push it so hard... and a high end commercial mower, I figured I saved about 35k :)

Once I started using it, I realized the true savings... time. A field that used to take me 3 or 4 hours with the tractor, I can cut now in under an hour.

I completely understand the time difference! I owned a Dixie Chopper.

What "old tractor" do you own?
Long story = short story = a number of years ago in a lifetime far, far away, I traded a 20" jointer I had for an old, rusty 1956 Allis Chalmers WD45 tractor with what was called "The Powercrater" engine. I restored it with a number of modifications like swapping out the narrow front end for a wide one, rebuilding the motor, making and adding all the hydraulics for a front end loader, coverting it to a 12 volt system, taking it down to the bare metal and then painting it, etc. It was a real labor of love. My original plan was to use it to slowly dig a decent sized pond but I never found the time and ended up including it with the sale of the little farm. Owning a little 40 acre hobby farm with about every farm animal, and then some, was a great experience for a guy from the south side of Chicago. Some great memories to be sure!