looking for a good PUSH mower

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My grandmothers neighbor has been cutting her grass for years, but theyre getting ready to move. I'll take over the grass cutting, its a small yard that can easily be done with a push mower. I'm looking for a good one, push, with a solid deck,side discharge and a decent engine. I never was a fan of self propelled. I plan on scraping the grass from underneath every time I cut, oil changes regularly etc, I want it to last for many years. I'm considering the Snapper below, but if yall have any other options please chime in. The Snapper does mulch and bag, those options are useless to me, in my opinion a yard only needs to be cut, not "beautified".

https://www.snapper.com/na/en_us/product-catalog/push-mowers/hi-vac-series-lawn-mowers.html

seems to be the only one push model Snapper offers
 
That seems like a lot of mower ($$$$) for someone else's small yard. I'd look on CL and if buying new would probably get a Craftsman from Sears. Esp if they're similar to the ones that had back 20 years ago. Mower never had an oil change and when it sat for years it still started on the first/second pull. Very durable.

https://www.craftsman.com/products/craft...s?taxon_id=1149

https://www.craftsman.com/products/lawn-and-garden/lawn-mowers-and-tractors/lawn-mowers/push-mowers

Looks like they have 3 different models that are side discharge push models.
 
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I had a "good" snapper but it was so heavy and designed for bagging, so the side discharge would get clogged all the time... I traded it with my Dad for the 25 year old lawnboy and was much happier. That craftsman briggs will last forever if you take care of it like you say, and can take 6 or 7" grass to 3" without any stupid mulching options clogging things up.
 
Find a cheap push mower on Craigslist. No point in buying a new one for someone else's yard.

My friend bought a house with a small yard. He just needed a push mower. I found him a $80 Murray push mower that mulches/bags and is in great shape. The elderly person selling it hardly ever used it. The cheapest new one he could find was $140 or so at Walmart and the front wheels were already bending.
 
I agree that the Snapper would probably be overkill. Were it me (I actually mow lawn for a few people), I'd pick up a $140 Murray at Walmart, or a $150 MTD at Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. I have a Murray with the small Briggs, and I bought it to mow a couple tiny (15-minute) lawns. It's done well over the past couple years, although I only have probably 30 hours on it. If it's for one small lawn, and you specifically don't want self-propel, a cheap mower will fit the bill. Although the deck isn't particularly thick (not bad, just average), from what I've heard, if you change the oil even semi-regularly, and scrape the clippings from the deck, it'll last longer than you care to keep it. That said, I have a self-propelled Honda at home and that's an excellent mower. But they aren't cheap> ($700-800 for the top model). A push Honda costs $350 or so at Home Depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Honda-21-in-P...K5PKA/205495672 I'd say that if you're looking to splurge, It'd be a good choice. But it's 2.5 times the cost of the walmart option. Will it last 50 years instead of the Murray's 20+? No one knows!

TLDR: A cheap Murray from Walmart if you want, otherwise a $350 Honda would be nice.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
That seems like a lot of mower ($$$$) for someone else's small yard. I'd look on CL and if buying new would probably get a Craftsman from Sears. Esp if they're similar to the ones that had back 20 years ago. Mower never had an oil change and when it sat for years it still started on the first/second pull. Very durable.


Forgot to mention shortly after buying it my brother filled the gas tank with the snowblower's fuel mixture of oil and gas. Which never affected the mover much except for me smelling like burning oil after using it. Always took a shower quickly after mowing.

Here's one for $160 on sale .
 
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I just looked at the link in your original post, and ALL the mowers shown are self propelled. Even the "SP" model, which is actually just a Murray in disguise, as Briggs owns both Snapper, and Murray now. I personally am a big fan of Snapper, and was a Snapper dealer for 20 some years, if you really want a PUSH mower, and what is shown is all they make now, you will have to settle for some other brand. Have you possibly considered Ariens? Maybe they don't sell push any more either.
 
I am partial to Honda's. I even belong to a lawnmower forum and they have nothing but praise for the honda self propelled.

I have one down here in FL for 4 seasons already cutting the grass every week on my .35 acre.

Bought it at HD for $399 and saved 10 times that by cutting my own grass.
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Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
That seems like a lot of mower ($$$$) for someone else's small yard. I'd look on CL ....if they're similar to the ones that had back 20 years ago. Mower never had an oil change and when it sat for years it still started on the first/second pull. Very durable.


I have a Murray with a 3.5 HP Briggs built in the '90's
It was $25 at a yard sale

I change the oil every 10 years. It doesn't use any oil. Always starts.

I bought it 15 years ago... it's cost me about $1.50/year to own it (minus gas and 3 blades)
 
Snapper Hi-Vacs have a deck designed for bagging as it curves in on the bottom edge. The Snapper Ninja deck flares out on the bottom since it's meant to mulch. Look closely.

I'm indecisive when it comes to buying anything. You can keep this simple or over think it.

Don't buy something with large wheels on the back as it does nothing but make the wheelbase of the mower longer which makes it heavier when pushing down on the handle to turn the mower. Try pushing down on the LawnBoy high wheel push model at a Home Depot if you need to experience what I'm talking about.

The cheapest Honda push model has no rear bagger but will either mulch or throw the grass. Honda PowerStore dealers should sell you one at a discount of $349 if you ask. The rear wheels have ball bearings.

I would stay away from a 125 or 140 CC push mower. Cheap mowers as such typically have a slower spinning engine than say the Honda push.
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv

I would stay away from a 125 or 140 CC push mower. Cheap mowers as such typically have a slower spinning engine than say the Honda push.


Blade speed is limited by the Consumer Product Safety commission. 3.5 hp have cut the grass around me just fine; it only bogs if it's super thick, wet, and neglected.

I would look for a cheap push mower with a composite or aluminum deck. A lot of my mowing is back-and-forth around obstacles which self-propelled mowers just fight me over. The rolling resistance of a lightweight push mower is only 10-20 lbs, not much.
 
This Troy-Bilt unit's steel cutting deck is not heavy duty, but it cuts great with the Honda GCV-160 engine. Starts easily with one pull and can be pushed and maneuvered with one hand. It is a bargain at full price and a steal while on sale through June 21st at Lowes.

Troy-Bilt TB-130
 
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You said side discharge, however I would look at either a used, well-cared for John deere JX-75 which is not a side discharge, mulch or bag only, but it leaves virtually no clippings. It's also rear drive which is far superior to front drive, especially on hills.

Otherwise I would buy a new Honda.
 
Just go to Walmart and get the cheapest one they have with a B&S engine and put a mulching blade from HD on it, the thing will out live you.
 
I wouldnt normally find myself suggesting the purchase of cheap [censored] but in the case of push mowers, honestly, K.I.S.S. prevails. Ive owned several and the most reliable Ive ever owned is an $88 Weed Eater brand mower from KMart. Legit. Its dead simple and starts on the first pull. Every. Single. Time. Ive had it for 3 or 4 years now and Im still amazed at this simple little mower and its ridiculous reliability and legit first start pull.
 
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