Walk-behind mowers, which one should i buy?

[alpha_omega]

Ok...i remember there was a thread recently discussing riding mowers. So, let's spin that off and ask the question..."what type of walk-behind mower should i buy?

My old John Deere JA65 finally died and it needs to be replaced.

My requirements are:
Gas engine (no electric)
Self-propelled
Rear-wheel drive
Rear bagger

I have looked at a few but everything i have seen so far looks like plastic junk (even the John Deere i looked at). Here is a list of some of the major brands out there...

John Deere
Snapper
Craftsman
Husqvarna
Honda
Troy-Bilt
Toro
Cub Cadet

Any CP input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Phobia]

Toro. Period.

[Alton deFlat]

I just bought a Toro, with the specifications you just mentioned. I also got electric start. I like it so far. Only used it four times though, but no complaints.

[MOhillbilly]

stay away from troybilt.

[Msmith]

Toro. I have mine for 18 years. The cheapest one I see is about $360. The next one up with steel casting is around $450.

[ChiTown]

I have a Snapper and absolutely love it. It's a gas guzzler, but a great machine

[dtforever]

My Craftsman is 11 years old and still starts on one pull every time.

[Dayze]

I have a Honda self-propelled that's sitting in my garage/storage. Sicne we moved from our house to Apartment, I've had no need for it (obviously)

let me know if you're interested/want more details etc.

[booyaf2]

I have a snapper with zero complaints.

[rocknrolla]

Go with a Honda. I've had mine for 9 years. Never had a problem. I love it.

[Scorp]

This is what you need.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/outdoor-power-equipment/mowers-attachments-accessories-parts/walk-behind-mowers/self-propelled-mowers/husqvarna-reg-hu700l-self-propelled-lawnmower-22-in--1011473?ddkey=http%3AClickInfo&evtype=CpgnClick&intv_id=15001&mpe_id=12075&cm_cr=No%20Campaign-_-Web%20Activity-_-Cross%20Sell%20Up%20Sell-_-ProductDetail_Espot1-_-Husqvarna®%20HU700L%20Self-Propelled%20Lawnmower,%2022%20in.

[Valiant]

We have a thread somewhere on this.. But Toro, it always wins..

[Over-Head]

My Craftsman is 11 years old and still starts on one pull every time.
THIS!!

[DMAC]

Go with a Honda. I've had mine for 9 years. Never had a problem. I love it.

My dad and my neighbor have Hondas. They have all sorts of problems with them.

I have a POS walmart briggs & stratton that was like 100 bucks i bought 10 years ago. Runs like a champ.

:shrug:

[Dunit35]

I had a wal mart brand, lasted for about four years of heavy service.

I now use a Troy-built with Honda motor. That beast runs like a champ.

[Los Pollos Hermanos]

I have a Troy-bilt with a Honda engine. I've had no problems. Better then the Craftsman I had before it.

[Bearcat]

I bought a Toro self-propelled (20333), and I like it... the 20333 has the ability to stop the blade without stopping the motor, and the 20334 (I think) is the electric start. It had been a while since I had to mow, and the self-paced is much better than the old low/high self-propelled mowers where you're either barely walking or practically jogging.

[Dunit35]

I've mowed my money mowing place three times this year. It's been rediculously dry here.

[Brock]

I'd stay away from Craftsman. Not because they've never been good, but I understand their quality on everything has gone down in recent years.

[Alton deFlat]

I bought a Toro self-propelled (20333), and I like it... the 20333 has the ability to stop the blade without stopping the motor, and the 20334 (I think) is the electric start. It had been a while since I had to mow, and the self-paced is much better than the old low/high self-propelled mowers where you're either barely walking or practically jogging.

Yea, mine is the 20334.

[Radar Chief]

I'd stay away from Craftsman. Not because they've never been good, but I understand their quality on everything has gone down in recent years.

It has.
I’m assuming both Craftsman and Briggs & Stratton names have been sold because they’re both put together with made in China junk now.

[Phobia]

I'd stay away from Craftsman. Not because they've never been good, but I understand their quality on everything has gone down in recent years.

Complete garbage in the mower department. Proprietary parts. Plastic wheels that break all the time. Who wants to spend $25 replacing wheels? Not me. So I gave it away.

[gblowfish]

I've got one Craftsman with a Briggs engine that's a POS.
I have a newer Craftsman with a Honda engine that kicks ass.
I had a Toro before both of these.
Toro is a great mower, but expensive. You can probably get into a Craftsman for less $. If you live in Liberty, go down to the Sears Clearance Outlet store on Front Street and see if they have any mowers. Might be able to save $50 or $100 buying it there.

[Deberg_1990]

dont they all use the standard Briggs and Stratton engines?

[Rain Man]

As an aside, I wonder why they don't make riding mowers that look like small classic cars or other vehicles. You know, like those kiddie cars. I'd think lots of people would like to ride around their lawn on a miniature 1957 Corvette or 1986 Countach, or maybe a classic Sherman tank or Apache helicopter. If I had a big yard I'd definitely want something like this.

[Alton deFlat]

As an aside, I wonder why they don't make riding mowers that look like small classic cars or other vehicles. You know, like those kiddie cars. I'd think lots of people would like to ride around their lawn on a miniature 1957 Corvette or 1986 Countach, or maybe a classic Sherman tank or Apache helicopter. If I had a big yard I'd definitely want something like this.


http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDbCHZBqPNf9vaordKgInQatzaq_54Xwem0BO6Ffc_Yrp7TYL1dA&t=1

[Rain Man]

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDbCHZBqPNf9vaordKgInQatzaq_54Xwem0BO6Ffc_Yrp7TYL1dA&t=1


Oh, yeah. That's what I'm talkin' about.

[Brock]

dont they all use the standard Briggs and Stratton engines?

What would make you think that?

[Predarat]

A good ole Craftsman for @180 used to last forever, though they may not be as good as the used to be.

[bsp4444]

http://www.billygoat.com/site/intro.aspx?pid=86

[gblowfish]

Billy Goat is one of my customers. Cool company. They make gear that lots of parks and rec depts buy. Heavy duty stuff.

[threebag]

I like me some snapper.

[Bugeater]

Every piece of power equipment I've ever used that has a Honda engine has operated flawlessly.

[crispystl]

My dad and my neighbor have Hondas. They have all sorts of problems with them.

I have a POS walmart briggs & stratton that was like 100 bucks i bought 10 years ago. Runs like a champ.

:shrug:

Weird. I have a yardman that has a Honda engine and it's like 5 or six years old and starts first pull every time and I mean every time even after a long winter. Frankly it amazes me every summer)

[BigOlChiefsfan]

Mowers? I'm kinda fonda Honda.

[BigMeatballDave]

Briggs and Stratton is not the quality engine it used to be.

[ExtremeChief]

I've got a 5 year old cub with a honda engine. Starts the first time everytime. Wouldn't buy anything else personally

[Alton deFlat]

In case anyone has one of these models of Toro self-propelled walk behind mowers, I thought you might like to be aware of this.

http://media.toro.com/Documents/safety/Toro_WPM_Transmission_Release.pdf

I received a copy of this in the mail today from Toro, and I will check my serial number when I get home. My model is listed, but not sure it's one of those affected yet.

I haven't noticed any problem yet, and my yard is very hilly.

[Okie_Apparition]

The cheapies will keep running as long as you replace the carb diaphram. Well, you will need to replace the plastic wheels until the pop metal gives

[mikeyis4dcats.]

I have a Toro from Lowe's. Costr me $150. I've had it for 7 years. Never replaced anything but the blade and the plug. Never had a problem at all, only issue is the handle is rusty where I grip it because the paint is gone.

I figure I spend $150 or less on a mower I can buy 4 of them for the price of a Snapper or Honda and those 4 will outlive the other any day of the week.

[Baby Lee]

I'd look for engine brand more than mower brand, Tecumseh, Honda, Troybilt are [IMO] Gold, Silver, Bronze. I'd stay away from Briggs and Stratton [though it has considerable market penetration, ie, every Mower company that doesn't give a shit slaps a B&S engine on there, your Murrays and Lawnboys. Toro slaps them on some models, but I've never had one of those].

[Brock]

I'd look for engine brand more than mower brand, Tecumseh, Honda, Troybilt are [IMO] Gold, Silver, Bronze. I'd stay away from Briggs and Stratton [though it has considerable market penetration, ie, every Mower company that doesn't give a shit slaps a B&S engine on there, your Murrays and Lawnboys. Toro slaps them on some models, but I've never had one of those].

Lawnboy uses Honda, Tecumseh and BS engines.

[Baby Lee]

Lawnboy uses Honda, Tecumseh and BS engines.

Yeah, I probably worded that pretty imprecisely. Almost all brands put B&S on something. Cheap brands put them on everything. Quality brands put them on base models.

[Baby Lee]

Little bit of Craftsman pimping, little bit of my own boasting.

I have the standard 22' 6.75 Eager-1 front propelled. Got it in like 2003-4, already used, at a flea market.

Got it for like $30 because the self-propel didn't work. Back then I opended the transfer case, worm gears were worn, $20 fix.

Worked like a charm year in, year out. 'til a month or so ago it started blowing oil. Could live with that until it blew so much that the self-propel belt got too slick to drive the front wheels. It's not so much that I can't push a mower, but if you have a self-propel that isn't self-propelling, it's just a much heavier push mower than necessary that now has the rolling RESISTANCE of the transfer case.

Decided to fix it. Since; a) the oil had mucked up pretty much everything on the deck, and b) whether it was the seal or gasket, I'd be cracking into the crankcase anyway, I went with a full rebuild. At one point, every single, nut, bolt, screw, piston, flywheel, etc, etc. were separated from each other.

Managed to keep track of every part, and where every part went. Turned out it was the crankcase gasket. Put it all back together.

Anyone who's done anything like this knows where I am at this point, the moment of trepidation.

FIRST MARTHA FOCKING PULL!!

Vrooom, great idle, self-propel working great, all-in-all, like a brand new mower.

Shit ton of labor, $2.35 in parts, plus whatever electricity it took to power my benchtop grinder/wire wheel.

[Brock]

I love fixing shit that I didn't pay anything for. Very satisfying.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

The one that makes you a 2-cycle and antifreeze cocktail to drink whilst mowing.