Mower to bag

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I have been looking for a new mower. Honda hrr and hrx where my primary focal points. Just found out about the snapper hi vac. I was wondering what other models would be work looking into. Bagging my grass is the main priority. No real budget. Seems like 400 is the starting point of decent mower.
 
Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Does it need to be self-propelled?


No it does not. A solid machine that bags grass clippings with a good cut are my main needs. Everything else is secondary. Though a blade brake clutch would be nice. I currently have a cheap troy built with a Honda motor. It works great as a side discharge and good at mulching. But its horrible at bagging unless its very dry materials. It just is not the mower for me
 
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My Toro Recycler mulches and bags very well. I'd say for bagging you can't beat a Snapper Hi-Vac though. Awesome machines and very well built. I like Honda engines but not so much their mowers. Very overpriced for what they are. I've repaired many self-propel transmissions on those.
 
If the Hondas have plastic decks, they might be fairly heavy. An issue if not self propelled on hills.
 
You won't find a better bagging mower than the Snapper Hi-Vac. My neighbor has been a professional gardener for 40 years and that's all he uses. The suction is so powerful, that the mower doesn't leave a single blade of grass or a speck of dirt behind. He blows all the edging clippings towards the center of the lawn and then the actual mowing is the last step. Most gardeners you'll see using the blower as the last step and blowing all the clippings into the street.
 
The Snapper recommendations are spot on. You can't beat them for bagging. I prefer a push mower myself for the simplicity.

Push mower - 2185020 $479
Self-propelled - P2185020 $599
 
Had a Snapper Hi Vac for almost 17 years. The bagging system on them can't be beat for ease of use, the big end opens up for dumping. If you decide you want to mulch later on all you have to do is put a ninja blade on it, but it doesn't bag as good with the ninja.
 
Originally Posted By: panther427
Any thoughts on Ariens Razor lawn mowers. They seem to be a good option also.


I think they look like junk. Never had my hands on one though.
 
I believe the "new" Ariens 21" mowers are built by the Husqvarna Group. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, it's just not the same Ariens you might be used to.

Like said above, a Toro Super Recycler is a fine bagger, with the Snapper Hi-Vac being even better. Hondas are decent baggers as well.

I'd rather have a root canal than bag. Mulching or side discharge all the way for me. Best readily available, and reasonably priced mulcher is a Toro Super Recycler (HAS to say "Super").
 
My one concern about snapper is how reliable are the new ones. The razor looks funny. But with the Subaru motor and some of the features really seem nice. The chute is also located high up in relation to the bag similar to the hi vac.
 
Since Briggs & Stratton took over Snapper, the quality has dropped like a rock. They are a shell of their former selves. You can't even get one with a Robin-Subaru (formerly Robin-Wisconsin) anymore. The engine and body combination that made them legend.

The modern flathead and OHV designs Briggs uses have major issues design wise with questionable plastic parts (like cam lobes) and a horrible ready start system with too many moving parts and too many points to cause failure.

The lack of aluminum deck options, engine options and wheel options really limits what once made Snapper... well Snapper.

It's the story of Lawn Boy minus OMC all over again.
 
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Originally Posted By: PhilsSmallEngine

The lack of aluminum deck options, engine options and wheel options really limits what once made Snapper... well Snapper.

It's the story of Lawn Boy minus OMC all over again.


I agree that the lack of an aluminum deck option is a real downgrade since the ~2010 Briggs take over of Snapper, but other than that, their last two commercial units do have steel wheels with bearings, heavy axles and good engine choices. The bagger uses a Honda GX and the mulcher a briggs 190cc professional. The bagger is almost a grand though. Eeek!

I've got 5yrs and about ~120hrs on my commercial mulcher w/ the Briggs 190cc. Starts on the first pull and purrs like a kitten.

product_8614_500.jpg


product_8210_500.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: PhilsSmallEngine
Since Briggs & Stratton took over Snapper, the quality has dropped like a rock.


That's not true at all. As long as you get the traditional Hi-Vac deck models, the quality will be the same. Briggs & Stratton is putting some Snapper models in Sears stores, but those are NOT Snapper mowers. It's the same situation as going to Costco and buying a work light branded Snap-on; it says "Snap-on" on the product, but it is not a Snap-on product. In this day and age, you gotta judge a product by its part number; not its brand label.

This is not a Snapper mower
 
Don't get me wrong I love my Toro and wouldn't trade it since I mulch 99.9% of time but if I bagged that much I'd have a Hi Vac. The Toro does bag good as far as not leaving any clippings behind but the problem is when you empty the bag, its a pain.
 
I have a commercial Honda that has lasted 20+ years. It is a great mower, but you must walk in a circle in order to bag the clippings. Otherwise, you leave a trail of grass behind the RR wheel.

Might I suggest a Tru-cut mower? They are built like tanks and use the old Snapper cast aluminum high-vac deck plate. I have one at a vacation house and it actually does a much better job than my Honda, but it is much heavier to push.
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
I believe the "new" Ariens 21" mowers are built by the Husqvarna Group. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, it's just not the same Ariens you might be used to.

Like said above, a Toro Super Recycler is a fine bagger, with the Snapper Hi-Vac being even better. Hondas are decent baggers as well.

I'd rather have a root canal than bag. Mulching or side discharge all the way for me. Best readily available, and reasonably priced mulcher is a Toro Super Recycler (HAS to say "Super").


The Ariens Classic looks like a option.

http://www.ariens.com/en-us/walk-behind-mowers/classic-lm

As far as Snapper they are under the Briggs banner now.
https://www.basco.com/company-profile/our-brands.html

The Walmart "Snapper" is under that umbrella. Now who knows who really makes it?
 
I believe the walmart snapper is made by the other company that Briggs owns. Murray. They have no resemblance to a REAL Snapper.
 
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Originally Posted By: old1
I believe the walmart snapper is made by the other company that Briggs owns. Murray. They have no resemblance to a REAL Snapper.


And the Walmart snappers and murrays are rebranded mtd and husquavarna stuff.
 
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