Looking for a lawnmower recommendation

[JoeFromPA]

Hey all,

Buying my first house with a yard (just sold my townhome). Moving in in 2 weeks. Mowed plenty of yards years ago, but none recently.

New house is .65 acres of gently sloping land with a great thick grass bed. Not many roots or real obstacles anywhere.

I'd like to get a lawnmower for $300 or less that is self-propelled, good on gas, and that effortlessly cuts and distributes the clippings back over the yard appropriately.

I've heard excellent things about a Honda model with a big rear wheel, but aside from that....open to recommendations

Thanks all,

Joe

P.s. Oh, and I'd like to re-use my used engine oil in this thing since I'm always throwing away perfectly good synthetic

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

I like my Toro. I think it was $300. It meets your criteria. I believe a Honda would cost more. Your yard is almost big enough to justify a riding mower.

 

[Barkleymut]

IMO anything under $300 and I would stick with a B&S. Plenty of models to choose from. Also look for a local dealer just in case your new mower decides not to cooperate. Another option is craigslist. Most B&S engines that have been cared for will go at least 10-20 years and they can be had for under $75 around here.

BTW I owned a commercial landscaping company for 8 years and only went through 2 homeowner push mowers (I had 2 ZTR's that I used on most properties but the pushers still got plenty of use)

 

[cos]

+1 for Toro with the B&S engine. I have a rear drive 22" Toro "Recycler", it's the best mower I've owned/used. Toro also dominates the Consumer Reports mower tests. The Hondas rank well too but cost substantially more.

 

[yeehaw1960]

Toro rear drive. The front drive model isn't a whole heck of a lot better than a Troy Bilt. The drive system wears out. Unfortunately, the rear drive is going to set you back about $100 more, but the fact that it will last almost forever should count for something. Great mulcher too.

Toro rear drive with Briggs. ($399ish at Ace Hardware)

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960

Toro rear drive with Briggs. ($399ish at Ace Hardware)

I've got one of these, too. Mine is with the blade over-ride system (20333). I got it for about $350 - you can catch them on sale once in a while.

One problem I noticed with RWD is that over time, it tends to leave marks/tracks on the grass. So, be sure to modify your direction/angle of travel every time you mow to make these trails less noticeable (give grass time to recover in places where the drive wheels did damage).

 

[JoeFromPA]

After only looking on home depot & lowes websites, I compared the Toro B&S engine for $300 (which was FWD) vs. the Honda 21" dual-blade steel for $400 (RWD).

The reviews seemed to tilt to the Honda version, though the Toro versions were good...but I didn't see a RWD version that was anywhere near this price range?

Anyway, thanks for the recommendations and keep them coming. I think I might go with the Honda, but I'm still open.

Looking for trimmer recommendations too

 

[picman]

+1 on riding mower. I used to live on a 1/2 acre lot. It took a lot of time to cut with a push mower. Quick switched to a riding mower. If you still go with a push, look for the widest cut you can find. Those inches will add up as you circle the lot.

 

[mechanicx]

I really like the John Deere self-propelled mower which I have. Lowes carries it and I think it runs around $350-$400. It is RWD and has a single lever that adjusts all the wheels' height simultaneously which is really nice. It has the Mowmentun self-propelled system and I think it works a lot like Toro's personal-pace. It really soaks up any vibrations or roughness rolling over the yard.

I also have a Honda mower and I prefer my John Deere to the Honda in every way. I Like the B&S engine better too. No primers or choke, just pull the cord and it goes.

 

[MCompact]

You might want to check out an independent power equipment shop. The initial price may be a bit higher, but you will likely receive much better service- before and after the sale.
I can't help you with regards to which mower to get. I only use ZTR mowers. Anything I can't reach with my 42" Dixon gets cut down or hit with Roundup...