Recommendations for a new mower

[Ryland]

My mower has been showing that it was a 10 year old cheap POS when I bought it by having the bracket holding the handle snap last night. I am looking at replacing it and want to have:

• At least 6HP

• Rear Wheel drive

• Mulch/Bagger

• 21" cutting

I have been looking at Toro, Troy-Bilt, Snapper, etc (not Craftsman). Does anybody have any recommendations?

 

[PingSpike]

I just bought a Toro Personal Pace one with the 6.75ft/lbs torque engine. While time will tell on its long term reliability, this is a great mower as far as usage! Instead of selecting a speed, you just push the mower and the spring loaded handle bars determine when you need more power. It really works great, the mower does what I want it to do without me having to think about it. With my previous mower I only could mow a little of the lawn at a time because I was so exhausted from either having to force the shitty thing up hills where it didn't have enough power or got stuck in holes or from being pulled around by the thing faster then I wanted to walk. (It only had one speed). I ran the new one out of gas before I got tired.

My yard is really hilly and bumpy and this thing climbs up steep slopes better then I can so I don't have any complaints with power either. The sales people all enjoyed saying that you could "run behind it" if you wanted...and yes, I tested that out...you can run behind it if you like. Only bad news is the mower was pretty expensive, I paid over $400 for it...but given how terrible a job mowing the lawn with the old mower was compared with this one I feel like it was worth the extra cost.

Edit: Oh, and its RWD and mine came with a bagger and has a mulching option. I just use the side discharge though. I read online that some people think the bag is to small.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
I just bought a Toro Personal Pace one with the 6.75ft/lbs torque engine. While time will tell on its long term reliability, this is a great mower as far as usage! Instead of selecting a speed, you just push the mower and the spring loaded handle bars determine when you need more power. It really works great, the mower does what I want it to do without me having to think about it. With my previous mower I only could mow a little of the lawn at a time because I was so exhausted from either having to force the shitty thing up hills where it didn't have enough power or got stuck in holes or from being pulled around by the thing faster then I wanted to walk. (It only had one speed). I ran the new one out of gas before I got tired.

My yard is really hilly and bumpy and this thing climbs up steep slopes better then I can so I don't have any complaints with power either. The sales people all enjoyed saying that you could "run behind it" if you wanted...and yes, I tested that out...you can run behind it if you like. Only bad news is the mower was pretty expensive, I paid over $400 for it...but given how terrible a job mowing the lawn with the old mower was compared with this one I feel like it was worth the extra cost.

Edit: Oh, and its RWD and mine came with a bagger and has a mulching option. I just use the side discharge though. I read online that some people think the bag is to small.

I have the same one, but I thought it was a lot less than $400, I think I paid closer to $300, I did not get the electric start, though.

My only complaint is that the blade is pretty easily dinged up. Mine lasted less than 3 years. I just bought a new one this Spring and it cuts like butter again.

 

[programmer]

I've got some old piece of junk, but it just keeps going. When it dies I am getting a Toro, probably with electric start

 

[Vette73]

Look at craigslist for a good used one or if you have a costco check them out. I think they had one that do what you want and it was either stainless steel or alum. ?


I got my riding mower from craigslist.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: PingSpike
I just bought a Toro Personal Pace one with the 6.75ft/lbs torque engine. While time will tell on its long term reliability, this is a great mower as far as usage! Instead of selecting a speed, you just push the mower and the spring loaded handle bars determine when you need more power. It really works great, the mower does what I want it to do without me having to think about it. With my previous mower I only could mow a little of the lawn at a time because I was so exhausted from either having to force the shitty thing up hills where it didn't have enough power or got stuck in holes or from being pulled around by the thing faster then I wanted to walk. (It only had one speed). I ran the new one out of gas before I got tired.

My yard is really hilly and bumpy and this thing climbs up steep slopes better then I can so I don't have any complaints with power either. The sales people all enjoyed saying that you could "run behind it" if you wanted...and yes, I tested that out...you can run behind it if you like. Only bad news is the mower was pretty expensive, I paid over $400 for it...but given how terrible a job mowing the lawn with the old mower was compared with this one I feel like it was worth the extra cost.

Edit: Oh, and its RWD and mine came with a bagger and has a mulching option. I just use the side discharge though. I read online that some people think the bag is to small.

I have the same one, but I thought it was a lot less than $400, I think I paid closer to $300, I did not get the electric start, though.

My only complaint is that the blade is pretty easily dinged up. Mine lasted less than 3 years. I just bought a new one this Spring and it cuts like butter again.

Yeah, my old one shit the bed (part of the engine actually fell off while I was mowing) so I was kind of stuck as my lawn was quickly turning into a field. I didn't get electric start either...I have it on my snowblower and I never use it...I don't get whats so hard about the pull start. I bought it from a local dealer, HD had the same one on sale for $350, but I don't think it was assembled. The other dealer wanted $520 for the same mower and this dealer threw in an extra mower blade.

 

[bruceb]

Personally, I like the Snapper Mowers. And if you want check out
their commercial line for even more horsepower & features. One
thing you do not want / need is Electric Start .. It just adds parts
that will break and it reduces engine horesepower by about .5HP
or so.

 

[Ryland]

I am currently looking at http://www.toro.com/home/mowers/recycler/20066.html and http://www.snapper.com/product...nd/se_series/spv21675/ although the really expensive Lawn Boy Insight Platinum looks nice LOL.

 

[murphy55d]

I have a Troy-Bilt I got from Lowes about 3 or 4 years ago and it's been a tank! Fires up right away, pushes real easy. I'd buy another Troy-Bilt if I had to buy another mower.

 

[Ryland]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
I have a Troy-Bilt I got from Lowes about 3 or 4 years ago and it's been a tank! Fires up right away, pushes real easy. I'd buy another Troy-Bilt if I had to buy another mower.

Like this one?

 

[joutlaw]

I bought this mower from Lowes and have been very happy with it. I find it very easy to push and see no need for a self propelled mower.

The strong point of this mower is the Honda engine. It has a automatic choke system and it has started on the first try for me even after being put up for a 3-4 months.

I used a Lowes 10% coupon as well to make it a sweeter deal.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn...11A-542Q711&lpage=none

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: Ryland

Originally posted by: murphy55d
I have a Troy-Bilt I got from Lowes about 3 or 4 years ago and it's been a tank! Fires up right away, pushes real easy. I'd buy another Troy-Bilt if I had to buy another mower.

Like this one?

except mine isn't self propelled. looks almost identical minus that feature.

 

[Ryland]

I have about 1/2-3/4 of an acre to mow and it is NOT flat so I like having the self propelled option.

 

[murphy55d]

we barely have a yard, so it wasn't something i needed. if i had a decent sized yard id definitely want self propelled, or a riding mower.

 

[Ryland]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
we barely have a yard, so it wasn't something i needed. if i had a decent sized yard id definitely want self propelled, or a riding mower.

My yard is just a tad too small for a rideable and the hills are too steep. Im definitely going from a front wheel drive (what my dead Lawn Boy has) to a rear wheel drive model.

 

[996GT2]

We got a self-propelled Troy-Bilt 4 years ago, and it still runs like a champ with periodical maintenance like oil/air filter changes, blade change every 2 seasons, spark plug every 2 seasons, etc.

Toros are very good for the money, as are Honda Harmonys (although expensive).

 

[Zenmervolt]

It's difficult to go wrong with a Toro or a Honda. Either of those should last essentially forever. I'm still using a 21" Toro that's probably 20 years old (I bought it used) and even now it starts no later than the second pull. I'll need to re-paint the deck this summer, but that's not the mower's fault.

Toro makes great products, and Hondas have a golden reputation as well.

As others have said, Snappers are generally good too.

Stay away from Lawn Boys or from John Deere's line of pushmowers. I worked for a parks service for a couple summers and they had Deere pushmowers. Those things were junk even though they were brand new that year.

ZV

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
I have a Troy-Bilt I got from Lowes about 3 or 4 years ago and it's been a tank! Fires up right away, pushes real easy. I'd buy another Troy-Bilt if I had to buy another mower.

troy bilt is just overpriced mtd crap.

Toro or Honda if you are buying new.

stay away from crapsman as well.

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
It's difficult to go wrong with a Toro or a Honda. Either of those should last essentially forever. I'm still using a 21" Toro that's probably 20 years old (I bought it used) and even now it starts no later than the second pull. I'll need to re-paint the deck this summer, but that's not the mower's fault.

Toro makes great products, and Hondas have a golden reputation as well.

As others have said, Snappers are generally good too.

Stay away from Lawn Boys or from John Deere's line of pushmowers. I worked for a parks service for a couple summers and they had Deere pushmowers. Those things were junk even though they were brand new that year.

ZV

The new lawnboys are really lawngirls. Lawnboy stopped being a great mower when they went from 2 to 4 stroke.

 

[spaceman]

ive ran diesel through my toro personal pace 6.75 on accident, ive beat the hell out of it for years now, no maintenance in the winter just throw it in the shed.

i'll tell you something, i push the primer bulb and the bastard starts 1st pull EVERY time.

 

[Ryland]

A friend of mine with a MIG welder was able to repair the broken parts. I might actually get this mower to last until the end of season sales and then buy one.

Thanks all.

My 1998 Lawnboy lives again

 

[radioouman]

I'm still running a 1981 Toro with a 3.5 hp Briggs & Stratton. My family bought this used (or maybe it was given to them) in about 1992. All that I've ever done to it is change the spark plug and the air filter, and every couple years get the blade sharpened.

I know that today's Toro's aren't anything like the Toro that I own, but I will be going with a Toro next time.

Just remember that 25 years old for a car is considered a historical vehicle, so my 27 year old Toro qualifies.

 

[Ryland]

I am definitely leaning towards the Toro 20066 when I do replace my Lawnboy in the fall (if I make it that far).

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Toro Personal Pace rules. I changed my oil, plugs and blade this spring on my Toro 20017, and it is just awesome.