Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I'm looking at self propelled mowers $400 to $500 or so, for my 1/3 to 1/2 acre yard. The yard is kind of "rough"; different levels, hilly areas, some depressions or holes, ruts, etc. (I'm trying to fill those in).  I want BBC; I don't want to have to  restart the mower every time I have to remove some tree debris or go in for a drink of water. I'd also like elec. start, for my aging back, but it gets expensive to have both elec. start & BBC. I've had 2 Hondas, with pretty excellent results, but have decided to replace my 14 y.o. Honda rather than get it fixed.

My choices: Honda Model HRR216VXA Honda 21 In. Steel, Variable Speed Smart Drive with BBC 4 IN 1 Capable $499.

Model 20333 Toro BBC Personal Pace Walk Power Mower $399

Model 20334 Toro Personal Pace Electric Start Walk Power Mower NO BBC $399. I'd have to give up the BBC for elec. start.

I'm pretty much looking at what Home Depot has, & they have free shipping now for awhile. Any advice? TIA!

How many times do anticipate on restarting your engine to need electric start?  I have a Toro Super Recycler 20092 and it is easy to start with the engine compression release.  I start and stop the engine 5 times on average and don't have the need to keep the engine running while I'm clearing out debris or picking things up.  Less pollution shutting it down while not cutting grass. 

I can not imagine leaving any kind of power equipment running unattended without being within 6 feet of the controls for shutting it down, BBC or not.  I have little kids of my own and there are neighbor's kids around and I cannot leave a running mower up to chance.  But that's just me.

If you engine is not easy to start, I would recommend getting it looked at and tuned up rather than relying on electric start.  A well-maintained engine with proper tune is much better than having electric start.

If you do need both BBC and electric start, keep in mind the overall mower weight will be heavier with onboard 12Vbattery/starter motor and BBC assembly.  It is not an issue with self propelled going straight but you will notice the weight when turning.  I prefer my mower to be nimble since I have a lot of curvy flower beds.

I noticed the models you are looking at have steel decks.  I am impartial to cast aluminum decks since they don't rust and do dampen noise and vibrations from the mower blades/grass better than stamped steel or plastic decks.  The shocks and impacts when going over rough terrain feels less jarring through the handle bar.  Something to consider if you are particular about operator comfort.

Is there any reason why you have to buy mower only from Home Depot?  How about Toro Super Recycler models from Ace Hardware or independent dealers.

aa335 wrote: aa35, all good points. The first 10 years I had my current Honda, it started on 1-3 pulls. Personally, I find after about 10 years, most power lawn equip. has problems, including hard starting, even with decent care & maintenence. My last experience getting a "tune up" on a 10 y.o. Ariens snow-blower was not good; I paid about $200 w/ pick up & delivery, It ran well for one season, then hard starting again. My opinion is, sometimes it can be almost as expensive to keep old equip. going as buying new, & more frustrating. My skills are limited to changing plugs, filters, oil. And dealers charge a lot for "tune ups", that may not really fix the problems for very long.

I hadn't thought about a cast aluminum deck. One of the problems I have mowing my yard (that's like something out of  a Road Warrior movie) is when the rear wheels on my steel-deck Honda kind of "crash" into even a minor rut or depression, & then the jarring goes directly to my back. Would an aluminum deck help lessen that?

I looked up the Toro Super Recycler 20092, it looks like for around $500 (?) it could be a good choice, & there are several Toro dealers around here. The 5 yr warranty sounds pretty good too....thanks for the tips.  

An aluminum deck will have no effect on how the mower transmits impact shock to the operator. 

The best way to get around that is to find a mower with big wheels.  The bigger the better.  The larger wheel will roll over most ruts that catch smaller wheels. 

Regarding replacing stuff vs. maintenance, I've got machines that are twenty to thirty years old and all run just fine.  I admit.  I'm a motor head but a little maintenance goes a long way.  Keeping fuel/air filter clean, draining carb during the off season, changing oil each season, keeping the blade sharp, cleaning dirt and debris from the machine itself will go a long way to keep it out of the shop.  

I have to laugh each time I hear the term "dealer tune up"!  What a joke.   They change the plug and oil, adjust the odd belt....$200.00 CHA-CHING$$$$$!   The lady across the street from me had her $500.00 ten year old (but lightly used) mower tuned up a couple years ago because she fired the landscape outfit that was cutting her grass and decided to cut it herself.  Price for that was $400.00.   Ouch!!!!    She paid the bill!  Can you believe that?   Dealer just love naive customers.   

Woody, what do you usually do with the clippings?  Bagging,  chute dispersion, or mulching?  That might weigh in on the best machine for your purposes. 

WoodyWW wrote:
If you don't have the time to wrench on your equipment, it's better to just cut your losses and buy new.  No need to stress out and stuff the pockets of shady mechanics.   I have an "old" 1995 John Deere mower with aluminum deck that I really like, it needs some engine work, wheels, handles, some misc hardware, and repainting.   I don't have the time at this point to restore it and not have a mower to use.  As far as "dealer tune ups", that varies greatly as to what they actually do and how much they actually charge.

My first two mowers were steel decks, the 3rd, 4th, and recent 5th have all been aluminum decks.  I enjoy running the aluminum deck mowers more.  More comfortable every time. 

If your ground is really rough, the Toro Personal Pace upper handles are spring loaded and do absorb some of the shock.  You may want to check out the Toro Super Bagger series which have the similar Personal Pace handles that are foam wrapped.  The Super Bagger handles are actually more flexible, more than I like, but it might be more appropriate for your terrain .

I bought the Toro Super Recycler 20092 last year for around $529, I think.  I narrowed it down this model after looking at Honda HRX and HRC , Snapper RP21875BV, and Ariens LM21.  All 4 of these were more expensive and heavier, especially the Honda HRC ($1200 and 125 lbs).  My lawn doesn't have a large open areas, but with many small curvy irregular shaped sections, so being nimble easy user-friendly was more important.  So far, I've been very happy with the Toro.  I'm actually looking forward to mowing again with the Toro since it doesn't look like we're getting any more snow, just a whole lot of rain and fog.

aa335 wrote:
I agree, at some point, "cut your losses and buy new".  Considering the beating my Honda mower has gotten on my "unlevel" (to say the least) yard for 12 years, with a few parts falling off, won't start, needs new blades, I feel I've gotten my money's worth.

What I finally did, was order a Honda HRR216VXA self propelled, rear bag, BBC, from Home Depot.com for $499, with free delivery.

The Honda Mower arrived by UPS. The box seemed kind of flimsy, & "sagging" on the bottom, but no obvious damage. Spent 1 1/2 hours getting it unpacked, mainly because they have the bag frame so wrapped around the deck, it's hooked underneath the front wheels. Got it tipped over again, on it's wheels, & one of the front wheels (I think it's the bracket holding the wheel assembly) was bent. No way they should be shipping 100 lb. items in boxes this flimsy. Spent a couple more hours Repacking the 100 lb. mower in the box & loading it into my car to take back to the local Home Depot. A major PITA, (& back) to say the least; also it got me questioning buying a 100 lb. mower.

So I went to a Home Depot in NH & bought one of the 80 lb.Toros w/o the BBC, the 20331 with the big rear wheels, at $299, & also saved the sales tax. The build quality seems flimsier than a Honda, but to save 20 lbs, & $200, I'm hoping it'll work out.....

I wouldn't go to the dealer that charges over MSRP, that's just not right.  Unless that's out the door price including tax and delivery.  No $20 setup charge for me please.  I will gladly take it out of the box, unfold the handle, and pour motor oil.

aa335 wrote:

How do you feel about the long term reliability of the plastic decks on the higher end Honda's? I was drawn to the lifetime deck warranty and elimination of rust issues when I bought my HRX217HMA. Thanks! EDIT: Looks like they increased base warranty on the HRX to 5 years and now have a promo for one additional year for 6 years total. http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/promotions/specialoffers.aspx?pc=lm1 When I bought mine it was 3 years and I was given a free additional year for 4 years coverage.

I'm confident that the plastic deck are fine for long term durability.  The only concern is that if the plastic is left outside and exposed to sunlight, the UV radiation will make the material brittle.

aa335 wrote:

I could see that. Mine sits in garage so no worries there.