Looking for push mower recommendations

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qdeezie

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I'm in the market for a new push mower.

My requirements are ultra simple: I want something that is durable and is somewhat easy to maintain. As for the lawn mowers, I've read about some mowers not having a drain plug for the oil. I do want something with a drain plug. I want to give it the premium maintenance that only a BITOGer would give without having to be a magician to get the oil out and not make a mess.

Also, a mower that I don't have to pull on 498,930 times to get started (as long as I maintain it properly) would be nice.

As for bells and whistles, it's nice but not required. I'll be cutting less than half an acre with it.

As for cost, I'd like something for $200 or less. If there's one above $200 that is an absolute must have (in your opinion), please feel free to bring it to my attention.

Please let me know if you would like for me to elaborate more.

Any maintenance tips outside of keeping the oil and air filter changed is also welcomed.
 
As far as the drain plug, don't use that as a deal breaker.

You can use an oil extractor, and that will be even easier to change via the fill tube than a drain plug.

-keep blade sharp
-keep gas fresh in an appropriate storage container, if you don't use fuel that much, don't fill up a big can.
-I found that a splash of fuel injector additive that says it preserves fuel really works.
In my case, redline si-1 did cure a neglected mower that had smokey slow starts and slightly smoky exhaust.
 
Actual push (not self-propelled) mower?

Cub Cadet SC 100. Excellent reviews, and priced everywhere (Home Depot, Tractor Supply, etc.) at $249.
 
Honda.


HRS 216PKA


Push type
BALL BEARING WHEELS
• Side discharge
• 21" heavy-duty steel mowing deck
• Honda premium residential GCV160 engine
• 3 year residential warranty
 
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Ever since I've used one of those little mechanical push mowers (the ones with the horizontal cylinder of blades), I've never understood why people buy smaller non-propelled mowers.

They cost less, require no oil changes or fuel, only need to be sharpened about as often as a gas one, they're like 10-15 pounds vs 50-100. You can get some pretty wide ones.
 
I have a Poulon Pro with a Honda engine.
One pull to start.
Unless it's the first use after winter, then it's 2-3 pulls.

It was one season old at a garage sale for $30.
Unless it gets stolen or a safe falls on it, I can't sees needing another one for decades.

Since getting it a few years back, I see about 5 deals a year like this at garage sales. I passed on a very nice $40 Honda Harmony last year because I simply didn't need it and don't want to get into the mower flipping business.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a drain plug, I just tip it on its side for its yearly oil change.
 
+1 for the vacuum extractor. If just for OPE, check out the Topsider. If you might want to use it on your vehicles too, look into the Mityvac 7201.
 
I like old school flat head push mowers. Maybe it's just me, but propelling it by my two legs is enjoyable. We do have a rider to do the acre or so at the mountain house though.

But those flat heads start easy and burn any garbage you put in, ime.
 
The Husky mowers at Lowes are great if you can get the Kohler motor.
Love my AWD orange deck,literally one pull start year round
(yes I mowed in Feb this year )
Last deck with the Honda motor puked after 1 yr,I heard the honda motor is back on the orange decks.Personally I wouldnt touch one,the dead one in the shop is more then enough incentive not to
 
I also use and recommend push reel mowers. They are by far the most reliable mower on the market. They also work good on wet grass. And it's cheaper than a gym membership.
 
My Mom and Dad routinely get 17+ years out of $99 3.5-5HP Briggs equipped mowers. If anything goes it is the rope cluth and the carb not the engine. We always run synthetic oil.

Since we have snow blowers and run a blade on the ridding lawn mowers I use 0W40 M1 since it came out and run the oil for a year at a time just topping off as need be. I have also used Rotella-T 5W40 from time to time to top off with. They likewise get about 17 years or so out of riding mowers. Oil consumption and plug fouling is what eventually catches up to them all.

I just bought a sub $200 mower at Walmart Murry brand I think it is. It has a 5HP Briggs engine and I am sure I will get over 10 years out of it. I like to add some extra additives to any oil used in a mower tht does not have forced lube and an oil filter. I like to add either some GM EOS, Redline Break-In or Crane Cams oil additive to the oil. I put 1-2 ounces of additive to a quart and call it good.

Once a year I will add injector cleaner to my bulk 5 gallon fuel can. I put one bottle designed for up to 15 gallons of fuel to my 5 gallon can. I run that until it is gone then do not add any other fuel additive for the rest of the year.
 
Spend a little more, and get something with a Honda engine. Never had anything but great luck with them. Most start 1st pull everytime, will outlast the deck they're mounted on, and aren't fussy about gas.

(This is coming from a guy who uses his HRX217VLA and/or his HRR216VKA a couple times a day - 5-6 days a week)
 
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What Bubbatime said, I bought my Kawasaki powered John Deere JX75 off CL for $70 3 years ago. It starts the first time everytime. It cost $600 new.
 
Originally Posted By: qdeezie
Any maintenance tips outside of keeping the oil and air filter changed is also welcomed.


A Racor Funnel

Keep your gasoline sterilized and you won't have any carburetor trouble.
 
I bought a Cub Cadet 173cc in 2008, its a 19" actual push mower. It starts on or close to the first pull everytime except after sitting all winter with fuel in the carb... that takes a few more. I am happy with the MTD deck and Chinese powermore engine. It gets an oil change every three years or so and 5 years ago I smashed off the air cleaner and used an oily rag to somewhat cover the intake. it runs great and does not burn a lick of oil.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Craiglist. Craiglist! CRAIGSLIST!!!

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/grd/5074425006.html
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/grd/5082231637.html
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/grd/5068195577.html
https://charlotte.craigslist.org/grd/5053336768.html

Just a few in your neck of the woods. The Toro, Snapper, and John Deere mowers above are literally 30 year mowers if you maintain them and change out a small part here and there. Any new mower in the $200 range is a 6 year throwaway at most.


I also agree, a slightly used premium mower is far better mower than any of the $200 stuff you're gonna find... I prefer the orig Snappers, but since B&S took over there are cheap(5 year) versions out there...

I'm using a 1983 model repowered with a '04 Honda, no more old B&S flatties for me...
 
I paid $225 for a push Lawn Boy on Amazon. It seems to work pretty good, and its very light. Super easy to lift into the back of a pickup.

Like all lawn mowers I suspect it will last until the deck rots out.
 
I realize it's heresy to suggest this here, but I would strongly recommend a battery-powered electric mower. Maintenance consists of plugging it in and sharpening the blade. I have a B&D 24V mower that's coming up on 14 years old. Once I learned to leave it plugged in all the time, the batteries last easily 5-6 years. A new pair of VLA batteries run under $100.

Keeping the blade sharp is important, but that's not hard.

I have a reel mower, which is lovely to use, but it has some disadvantages when it comes to long grass or weeds and you do have to pick up all the sticks before you mow.
 
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