Are Craftsman push mowers any good?

[brianwelch]

Curious, do you mean push as in not self propelled, or as in not a rider? 
Many years ago I purchased a fully loaded 21" Craftsman, self propelled, electric start, walk behind that came with a 3 year warranty. Spent way more time in the shop than cutting my lawn. A POS mower from a local yard sale for $5 which lasted the balance of the summer, before picking up a real Honda from a lawn equipment dealership (meaning not from a big box Orange or Blue store). This one has lasted me over 20 years of 2-3 pull starts in the spring, and 1 pull start all summer with the only issue being the usual maintenance issues. Most I ever paid for a lawn mower, but probably the cheapest to own over time
Granted the CM was many years ago, but when you contract your manufacturing to the lowest bidder, chances are you will not be getting the best quality, consistently...
Whatever mower you get, may I suggest you use a fuel treatment that helps improve the ethanol you get from the pump and should give you additional years of engine life...

[fixtureman]

My nephews Honda spent most of 2 summers in the shop we gave him a $99 MTD that we gave him and he has used that for 8 years now He sold the Honda at a yard sale when he moved.

[Robert Adams]

I don't know where you pull this stuff up from, but it has a tad too much fertilizer being applied to it.
Ariens was & still is made by Ariens.
https://www.ariens.com/en-us/lawn-products

Here is one quick source. 
    
   http://todaysmower.com/2014-lawn-yard-ga...facturers/


     I also had a friend that owned a mower shop and would help him do repairs when he got busy. Airens is made by Husqvarna and no fertilizer needed

[srv52761]

I'm looking to replace my 16 year old MTD push mower with something a little less maintenance intensive.....

My sons use battery units. 
One uses a 56volt Worx.  He easily does just shy of a 1/4 acre on a charge. 
The other uses an EGO... not sure of the voltage.  He is about 50-50 on just finishing about 1/6 of an acre. 

No oil, spark plug, gasoline.  Battery won't last as long as a gasoline engine, but subtract oil, plug, and gas; plus the time and hassle of procuring same....  And your criteria was less maintenance...

[Cooler]

I had a Honda rotary mower, rear wheel drive.  I used it for 18 years.  I replaced the wheels after about 16 years as the tread had worn out.  I was told that when the clutch wore out it would not make sense to repair it (and it was showing signs of wear).  

I hired a gardener and I sold him the old mower for $40.00.  He used it for a couple more years.  So I would say that the Honda is  pretty durable.  

It is fussy about air filters though.  A dirty air filter will make it difficult or impossible to start.  

So I  recommend a Honda.  Or a Honda engined mower.  

I am replacing my Tecumseh powered snow blower this year with a Honda powered unit.  Can't get parts for the  Tecumseh.  A new carburetor took 8 months to come in.  And it is falling apart (20 years old).  I will probably buy an actual Honda brand snow blower. 

Husqvarna makes snowblowers.  They are famous for their chain saw engines and their motorcycle engines.  But the Husqvarna snowblowers use to us Tecumseh (now probably Briggs & Stratton) engines.  So the main reason to buy a Husqvarna is not even a factor.

[Cooler]

I don't know where you pull this stuff up from, but it has a tad too much fertilizer being applied to it.
Ariens was & still is made by Ariens.
https://www.ariens.com/en-us/lawn-products

Ariens are produced by Husqvarna.  

According to Ariens own website the rotary mowers are powered by either Honda or Briggs & Stratton.  No Husqvarna engines are involved, no manure either:

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/law...961450028/

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/law...961450021/

[Cooler]

How do you explain this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husqvarna_Group
Husqvarna doe not produce, manufacturer, or distribute Ariens products of any kind.
End of story.

http://todaysmower.com/2014-lawn-yard-ga...facturers/

Ariens Lawn Tractors  – Current lawn and garden tractors are made for Ariens by Husqvarna Outdoor Products. Ariens owns the brand. Ariens® lawn and garden equipment has been the choice of discerning homeowners for more than 75 years. Built tough but easy to operate, Ariens delivers a heritage of reliable performance, year after year.  Ariens products are available at independent power equipment dealers in North America and Europe, The Home Depot stores, broadline MRO (maintenance, repair and operating) suppliers, regional farm retailers and select on-line retailers.

Regardless of the above, neither Ariens nor Husqvarna use engines of their own manufacture.  Honda does.  I'm not saying that the Kohler or Briggs & Stratton engines are inferior, but that Husqvarna is famous primarily for the engines that they produce.  But those engines are not being used in their mowers or snowblowers.

There may be other reasons to pick them over MTD or Craftsman or Honda, but the belief that they sport a superior engine should not cloud your judgment.  They use the same plain vanilla engines as Craftsman and MTD and others.  

Black Max, which used to use Honda engines exclusively have quietly changed over to other manufacturers for some of their products.  

If you are buying a brand because of the engine manufacturer, then you cannot count on all those manufacturers using engines of their own manufacture in all their products.

It is like the Mini-Cooper, owned by BMW, the early versions had a Chrysler engine manufactured in Brazil, and not a British or any European designed and built engine.  

[crokett™]

I have an Ariens riding mower. It has a B&S engine.

I have been to the MTD manufacturing site in Cleveland on business twice. MTD manufactures the same mowers for a lot of different brands, including Cub Cadet. The lower end mowers are all the same mower, just painted different colors with different brand name.

[atgcpaul]

I'm looking to replace my 16 year old MTD push mower with something a little less maintenance intensive. I found a Craftsman model 917.377150 on Craigslist for what appears to be a reasonable price. It is 22" w 6HP motor (not sure if that is actual HP or "peak HP"). Asking price is $150. I can't find anything on this model other than the manual. It looks to be in good shape from the ad. Mower ad. If anyone has any input on this or similar, I'd like to hear it.

I have a Craftsman push mower with 6.75HP Briggs and Stratton engine but it's not self-propelled like this one.  My mower is 7 years ago and I bought it for less than $250.  I change the oil in the Spring (not every one) and it has started on one pull every time I use it.  This summer I had to replace the front wheel height adjusters but the parts were readily available through Sears Parts Direct and weren't outrageously priced.  Other than sharpening the blades and that wheel adjuster, it's been a good mower.

The posted mower seems to be in good shape and the price isn't unreasonable considering it's self-propelled.  I'd probably offer $100 and work up to $125.

[fixtureman]

Here is one quick source. 
    
   http://todaysmower.com/2014-lawn-yard-ga...facturers/


     I also had a friend that owned a mower shop and would help him do repairs when he got busy. Airens is made by Husqvarna and no fertilizer needed

That is not true I just bought a 2017 Gravely zero turn that your list says is not made anymore.  I had to call Ariens as they own Gravely.  My niece works for MTD in Valley City Ohio and I have been there a few times along with delivering fertilizer for the ag division I did have a Cub Cadet that they made before the Gravely.