to make a recommendation?

Due to spinal problems my push mowers don't make sense anymore-- I'm too sore the next day(s). I've had not-so-great experience with electric; looking at gas . . .
The most likely source is either Sears or Home Depot.
The most likely candidates at each place appear to be the same unit:

[www.sears.com]

[www.homedepot.com]

Any thoughts on these or any other model appreciated.

(Reminds me-- Randy b suggested the last manual model purchased, ~ 5 years ago. Is he still around?)

Yes, I definitely have passionate feelings about my lawnmower. I'm about ready to sell it and replace it with a yardman.

I bought a Yardman (MTD) mower last year. The one thing I made sure of was getting a Honda powerplant. Had enough trouble with Briggs engines over the years to not want one of those again. I have been very happy with my mower. The one thing I wish it had was the self propelled drivetrain on the back wheels.

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Two wrongs don't make a right, but, three rights make a left.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2007 06:23PM by kahuna1342.

Love my 18 yo John Deere. Aluminum deck, blade clutch (so that it doesn't shut the engine off every time you release the lever), and self propelled. This is John Deere series that you can't get at HD or Lowes. Everyone thought I was nuts to buy a $500 lawnmower. Not including blades, I've put $240 into since I've owned it. Two repairs and one bag. Well worth the investment.

Quote
kahuna1342
I bought a Yardman (MTD) mower last year.

Just so we're clear - that is NOT the kind of yardman I have in mind!

I have a VERY old Snapper with an aluminum deck and rear bagger. It's old enough that you don't have to hold down on some sort of lever to keep it going. The motor gave out, but a friend bought another mower at a garage sale for 35 bucks and transplanted the motor to mine. It cuts like a dream and costs me next to nothing. I think it's a model 112 or something like that.

Same friend has been buying mowers at garage sales for $10 bucks that don't work. HIs 11 year old son is fixing them and reselling them for $150. There is usually nothing more wrong than a dirty carb. or bad gas. The kids's making a bundle!

Both units you linked to are push and not self-propelled. I thought you said, " Due to spinal
problems my push mowers don't make sense anymore".

These folks can help:

[www.mytractorforum.com]

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Grateful11

Lawn-Boy Gold Series Model 10695 has done very well by me. About $420 after rebate last year. Has a Honda engine and the great Sens-A-Speed (basically the same as Toro Personal Pace, Lawn-Boys are now made by Toro) drive system. It's a self-propelled mower that feels like a manual mower that just happens to be incredibly easy to push. The mower is light, easy to manuever and thanks to its folding handle a cinch to store.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2007 07:01PM by Yoyodyne ArtWorks.

I have a similar Craftsman, been going strong for 10 years with little maintainence.

I've got a TORO self propelled that I mowed lawns with in the 80s when i was in high school. It's now mowing my home lawn 25 years later and still starts on the first or second pull.

It doesn't look pretty, but it's a work horse. I like the front wheel drive better than the rear wheel. I suppose it just takes some getting use to though.

I had a basic Lawn-Boy that lasted 10 years (I think it died a premature death due to some damage in transit last time I moved). Now I have a Honda that I bought used. Both have been fine, as have been the Toro and Deere equipment I've used over the years.

The models in your links are "cheap, basic" store-brand mowers. With maintenance, they can last a while, but I think a lot of people consider them disposable. I've never understood high wheels on 21" mowers. The blade brake clutch and/or electric start are options that add more parts that can potentially break, but may be worthwhile if your back condition is aggrevated by repeatedly pull-starting the mower.

In any case, best advice is to find a dealer you're comfortable with, and buy a model they sell and/or buy a model that you can get parts for locally. No sense buying the world's greatest machine only to find that you can't get repair parts, and if you don't enjoy doing your own repairs, make sure that you have someone locally who can service the thing in a reasonable time (being without a mower for 2-3 weeks during the summer is a bad thing).

I have a Craftsman that I have owned for 15 years. Never tuned it up or changed the oil. Starts every spring with fresh gas and one pull. If it died tomorrow, I would feel that I got my money's worth.

I have a Honda & like it.

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Another vote for Toro.

Thanks everyone.
By "push-mower" I meant non-powered, or human powered (reel mower maybe?)
I don't think I like the idea of a mower moving itself at all.

John B, now that you mention it, pulling the start cord is actually about the worst movement for me. I didn't realize there were mowers that didn't have such a cord.

The big wheels make sense to me for several reasons-- one is that the mower needs to go up and down garage stairs (no driveways here, garages open to the alley), and the other is that I may be transporting it back and forth on a bike trailer, and it seems like the bigger wheels could potentially help get it on and off.

Take a look at Kee Mowers, see if a dealer is near you. Good solid mower that's been around for 50 years essentially unchanged.

[www.keemowers.com]

The lower cost mowers sold through HD are not real John Deere, they are a cheaper version made especially for the big box stores. They are made by John Deere but to a lower standard that HD dictates. I'd go with Sears of the two you mentioned, but there are better options, including getting a used one from a mower repair shop.

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“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.” -- François de La Rochefoucauld

"Those who cannot accept the past are condemned to revise it." -- Geo. Mathias

The German word for contraceptive is “Schwangerschaftsverhütungsmittel”. By the time you finished saying that, it’s too late

I just got rid of a 10yo Craftsman that served me well. It was a rear bag/mulch 22 in blade with FWD self propelled and large rear wheels. It worked very well for me.

I live in a pretty upscale town and I think I am the last person in the Village that actually cuts my own lawn. Everyone else has it done by likely undocument illegally staffed landscape services.

Although I plan to pawn this off to my 5 year old in a couple of years, I still find the 1-1/2 hours to be very therapeutic. Based on my hectic work life, it seems like it is my only shot at getting a little excersize these days.

I ended up succumbing to the "Honda is godlike" hype and purchased a last year's model from Home Depot for $489. It has a composite deck and three speeds. So far so good, but it hasn't improved my sex life, cured global warming or resolved the war in Iraq.

Based on the Honda "Kool-aide" I listened to from people, I was surely expecting at least some improvement on the above items.

The good: The plastic deck seems lighter and cleans up well. It starts easily on first or second pull. Cutting quality seems a little better, but this may be as much the new blade vs old as the dual blade engineered system. The bag is a little bigger and has a very large mouth which makes emptiing easier when you are dumping in a pile or composter, but a little tougher when emptying into a bag.

The bad: The self propelled action is very different than my old one. On my old one (Front wheel drive), I just left it engaged and just lifted the front wheels when I wanted to stop or change direction. The Honda is RWD and requires you to hold or release a handle to engage & disengage. I find myself overshooting a lot. I am finding this very hard to get used to. I find myself just pushing manually more and more. The Honda is much more conducive to this where my Craftsmans almost had to be self propelled.

Overall, I think I have a little buyers regret. I think if I were to do it again knowing what I know and paying what I paid for the Honda. I would buy a new Craftsman similar to my old one. I think you can get a great Craftsman for under $300 as compared to a Honda for $500 - $700.

JPK

I bought this [www.walmart.com] Yard Man with Honda motor at the local WalMart used. They have a space next to the plants with returned mowers. They have a local repair guy come and test/fix them and then sell them for 30% off; it cost slightly above $200. The one issue is to be sure that you've got the various attachments and be sure the mower had been tested/fixed (mine had a label saying so). It has the original warranty.

It does a great job. For the first time I'm able to not bag the grass; it just disappears into the lawn. I consider the mower disposable. If something happens outside of warranty, I'll buy another and sell this at the flea market for $25.

They also sell a battery-start gas mower, but I've never tried it.

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AlphaDog
Yes, I definitely have passionate feelings about my lawnmower. I'm about ready to sell it and replace it with a yardman.

you just want a hot young sweaty shirtless guy to drop by every week.

Oh, did you mean a yardman-brand mower?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2007 11:40AM by Racer X.

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Yoyodyne ArtWorks
Lawn-Boy Gold Series Model 10695 has done very well by me. About $420 after rebate last year. Has a Honda engine and the great Sens-A-Speed (basically the same as Toro Personal Pace, Lawn-Boys are now made by Toro) drive system. It's a self-propelled mower that feels like a manual mower that just happens to be incredibly easy to push. The mower is light, easy to manuever and thanks to its folding handle a cinch to store.

I agree wholeheartedly. The personal pace system is the best.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2007 05:29PM by Schpark.

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Ombligo
The lower cost mowers sold through HD are not real John Deere, they are a cheaper version made especially for the big box stores. They are made by John Deere but to a lower standard that HD dictates. I'd go with Sears of the two you mentioned, but there are better options, including getting a used one from a mower repair shop.

The walk-behinds at Lowe's may not be real JD but their riders are. They're built in a JD
factory in Tenn. by non-union labor. They're also sold at JD dealers, same mower. I bought
mine at the dealer rather than Lowe's or HD.

If anyone wants a top notch walk-behind here's what a lot of the Commercial guys are
buying these days. Built here in NC. You can even visit the factory for a closer look.

[www.betteroutdoorproducts.com]

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Grateful11

Pretty pricey but you could get a RoboMower. DealNews has a nice humorous paranoid description: [dealnews.com]