Lawn Mower Suggestions

[Wickerman]

I need a new mower. Last fall, with just a swath left in the final mow of the season my 3rd or 4th hand Snapper seized. Good timing (turns out you are supposed change the oil every 5 or 6 years - who knew :D).

So, I am looking for a new push mower and wonder what the good folks of DU might suggest.

The yard is about .5 acre so I am looking for a 21 inch. I've got a steep embankment in the front, lots of trees and stuff in the back.

I'm not looking to spend a fortune, but would like to buy something quality. Apart from my above comments I do tend to care for my equipment - the Snapper was a donor mower from a gal who had already done the damage, I was just finishing it off.

Several years ago I bought a very nice rechargeable electric mulcher and I really liked it but my life circumstances changed and it remained in Texas. I don't think it would do the trick here - deck size and horsepower for a pretty lush lawn.

thanks in advance.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Consumer Reports

recommends some Sears Craftsman models. Get thee to your library and look up the various models they suggest.

We recently got a fairly inexpensive Craftsman, and like it so far.

[Double T]

2. Make Sure You Buy A Mower With A Honda Engine......

.....It Will Provide A Longer, Trouble Free Service Life

[Wickerman]

4. funny you should say that

I have my eye on a Husqvarna - they have the Honda engine and have some decent features for a fair-ish price. Seem well-built.

anyone have any experience with them?

[Double T]

8. Husqvarna Makes A Good Product- - Good Value For The Price

[ewagner]

3. Brand names are expensive

John Deere, Lawnboy, etc are all pretty good machines but you will pay for the name as well as a machine.

My first lawn mower was a cheapo discount store model built by Falls Engineering of Ohio.. I paid 69.95 for it in 1975..it lasted 15 years! My second is a Murray that I paid 99.95 for and It's on it 11th year right now....still starts on the second pull.

Brand names are okay but don't be afraid of the "mutts".

[ernstbass]

15. I've had good luck w/ inexpensive Murrays

[Blue Diadem]

19. I love our Murray, easy start

much better than the Toro we had.

[flvegan]

5. Couple goats ought to do the trick.

No changing the oil, either.

[Wickerman]

10. picking up dog poop is a large enough chore

I don't even want to know about goat poop. And Mrs. Wilson next door? If I'm not out there catching the first leaves in the Fall before they soil her lawn she's writing us long, bitchy letters - sumthun tells me she wouldn't enjoy the goat idea. :think:

[Blue Diadem]

17. I have a similar Mrs Wilson too,

She rakes the leaves from her yard into mine. Yep, great big piles of leaves..usually after ours are cleaned up. Apparently it doesn't matter that I don't have red maples here, she still thinks they belong to us.

[BikeWriter]

6. I went out last fall and bought the biggest Toro self-propelled...

I could find. 6.75 HP. I haven't regretted it for one minute. :)

[Wickerman]

12. Were you the one who posted a thread on it?

seems like I recall that. SOmeone did, I had serious lawnmower lust. :crazy:

[BikeWriter]

14. I don't recall posting on it, but I may have. It was expensive, but...

I have paid big bucks before to get my lawn mowed when it was too high for my small mower. This baby will cut it! :-)

[AlCzervik]

7. Honda makes excellent mowers

[Bruce McAuley]

9. I'd go for an electric plug-in type

Get one sized for your lawn type, they last longer and have fewer parts to break, and are WAY lighter.

Bruce

[Heidi]

16. Absolutely.

I'm in love with our electric mower. Took me a while to figure out all the logistics, but I've got my own "cord system" now, and would never go back to gas-propelled!

[GOPisEvil]

18. I have an electric, too.

Only 18-inch cut, but I have a small lawn.

[miss_kitty]

11. Our counties run a trade in program maybe yours does something similar

they trade gas mowers for electrics-Toros. a couple of weekends a year.

As a former professional mower of lawns, I really liked the Ransomes 21" deck mower-but it was not hydrostatic, which you may need, given the amount you have to mow. A 21" Honda w/ hydrostatic power (it'll pull itself) would be would I would want, if I couldn't have a 36" Skagg...:)

[Heidi]

13. Go electric!

When I moved to Switzerland, I'd never even _heard_ of electric lawn mowers, but I'm hooked now, and I very much enjoy not having to run to the filling station for gas whenever I want to mow the grass.

The cord is a bitch to deal with, but everyone works out his or her own system for dealing with it, and you get used to it.

Maybe you can find a friend or neighbor who'll let you try their electric mower before you buy.

[wideopen]

20. One w/a honda engine is the ONLY one to

consider. I was a small engine mechanic for a couple years and they are by far the best. Only word of caution would be to run it completely out of gas at the end of the season, the carb gets gunked up if you don't. Other than that the only way these engines die is from operator error.

[Wickerman]

21. Thanks for all the suggestions

I had a generally good impression of the Honda engine, glad to see it confirmed.

While I would like to go electric I don't think ti would be viable for our lawn and lawn size. Like I said, I had one in Texas, and it worked great there on my smallish lawn - don't see it working out here.

Thanks! :hi: