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

I don't get new snow blowers and lawn mowers often.  They usually last a long time.  A long time happened.  I just did my homework and nailed down a snow blower, and I'm very happy with that.  This time around I'm looking for what my choices should be on lawn mowers so I know what to attack when I find a good deal in the store or on Craigslist.  I would like to have electric start because it isn't me who runs it.  The snow blower I just bought has electric start, which I bought for the cool factor.  However, it turned out to be a necessity.  It's impossible for most girls to grasp the concept of temperature, choke, prime, hot engine, and cold engine, but I noticed that this snow blower starts even when they get them all wrong, unless they use use the cord.  The only thing they have to get right is to have the key on, which I'm working on. 

The snow blower research went very well, and I'm very confident there.  However when I discovered that I can buy a mower where the engine can be running and the blade stopped while emptying the bag, I started to think that I don't know the lay of the land anymore with respect to lawn mowers or the market.  I currently have a 22" self-propelled Craftsman 6 hp Briggs & Stratton 4 cycle.  When I bought mine, 80% of the market was made by AirCap with the Briggs & Stratton 4 cycle, and the only difference in them was the paint.  There was no such thing as a deck rusting through.

The property to be mowed is about a 1/4 acre.  I will probably want self-propelled because I'm not the one that mows the lawn most of the time.  It's usually one of the girls.  The lot is flat with 3 big trees, a sculptured barrier between the grass house that contains shrubs to mow around, and a chain-link fence and gate in the back yard.  We would like to try mulching, but I wouldn't want to be tied to it.  With the big trees in our lot and around us we have TONS of leaves in the fall and use the lawn mower to vacuum and bag them.  The current mower is FWD and rear bag.  I've had side baggers in the past, and they worked good, and a ton easier to change the bag on, but I THINK I want a rear bag so as not have to pick the direction, but I'm flexible.  I've read the some places the new ones have thin tin decks that rust through instead of the heavy decks of what I'm used to.  I've never seen such a thing myself.  I've heard the cast aluminum decks are good, and then I hear of a rock going through them and breaking out or cracking in places.  My dad had a 2-cycle Lawn Boy when I was kid that he got cheap because there was a hole with cracks around it in the aluminum deck where a rock went through.  It didn't hurt anything since it was always plugged with grass, but it didn't look too hot.  I don't care if it's 2-cycle or 4-cycle.  My thoughts are, I'm going to give mulching a try for grass, it has to be good at mulching, or there is no point in trying it.  However, with the trees, I still need one with a big bag, and a mower that is good at stuffing it, like I have now.  The one I have is a mulcher too, but we haven't tried it much in that capacity.  I could spend a bunch of time and go through this one, and it would be good as new if the new ones aren't that good.  However, when I would be finished, I still wouldn't have the one thing I'm after, and that is have the engine stay running while emptying the bag.  A lot of time is spent emptying the bag, especially in the fall with all of the leaves.  I'm not made of money, so to get what I need might require Craigslist.  Hopefully this paints a pretty good picture of my requirements.

Thanks TONS for your help

Myself, I would go with a recent Toro Super Recycler RWD with Electric Start.  They are super tough, and can mulch, rear bag, or side discharge - depending on your preference and the season.  I would go with the Honda engine, but you can't go wrong with the Briggs.  They have a 5 year Bumper to bumper warranty, so try to get one that is still in warranty - just in case.  They will have an Aluminum deck, and my last one lasted 25-30 years, and then I sold it for $125, and I bought the new one for about $275 on Craigslist - it was 1 1/2 yrs old, and looked brand new.  Mine is as I suggest, except it doesn't have the blade brake clutch to stop the blade from turning while leaving the engine running.  I love mine, and can see getting 25-30 years out of it on my 1/3 acre lawn.

Good luck, and take your time - they will show up on CL and you may have to jump when you see the right one.  BTW, they are pretty pricey when new - mine stickered for $600+ !  Best to buy used.

RIT333 wrote: That is one that I've been watching.  I saw others talking about it on forums, and watched several videos on YouTube about it.  Then I heard on a forum about one where the blade brake kept coming loose, and the blade hitting the aluminum deck and splitting it, and how Toro wouldn't stand behind it, etc.  That's why I need to hear about experiences from RLPs (real, live, persons).  That will probably be one I'll jump on then if I see one surface on Craigslist. 

I would go Honda personally.. if money not an issue.. the rest are in a similar playing field IMO... I fix small engines for a living and own a Honda myself and personally used a lot of different brands of mowers...

I suggest you take a look at HR214 HR215 Honda mowers. I would try craigslist, I got mine through craigslist for about $100. Aluminum deck too.