Need lawn mover recommendations

[WoodworkerTom]

I have decided it's time to buy a lawn mower after having a service for many years. I'm tired of the dramatic price increases and decreased quality and leaving ruts in lawn because they go so fast, even when lawn is wet.

My kids are now old enough that they can help so it eont solely be "dads" job.

I like my Honda snowblowers engine reliability and quick start so I am leaning towards that brand, assuming the same engine quick start.

Yard is fairly flat but would want a self propelled mower to decrease the complaints from my kids.

I saw DR has a SP22 mower with an aluminum deck and single height adjustment feature which I like too.

My budget is between 400 - 500 and having really good mulching and bagging is a plus.

What mower works for you and why?

Thanks in advance

[JosephP]

How big is the yard?

Is a battery mower an option? I haven't changed oil or had to pull a mower cord in 3 years...

[R Clark]

Back when I had a suburban lawn, my mower of choice was a Toro Super Recycler with personal pace self-propelled feature . I changed the oil every year, and made sure to run it out of gas at the end of the season. That mower lasted me 11 seasons with no maintenance other than that described above. Sold it when we moved to our acreage.

[Stwood_]

Don't believe I've ever seen a lawn being moved.


Now I've seen sod loaded on trucks....

[Mike L B]

I highly recommend the Ego 58 volt mower.
It’s quiet, no gas or oil to mess with, no exhaust fumes for the kids to inhale and the self propelled drive is really nice.
It’s light weight and it folds up for easy, compact storage.

[grwold]

I second the Ego. I've started my second season with it, and think it's an ideal mower for a smaller lawn (so it will do the entire lawn without needing a recharge). My yard's about 1/2 acre, with a modest-sized house & garage and quite a bit of mulched gardening space.

Quiet, no gasoline, no oil to change, and a nicely adjustable handle, plus it folds up to stand in storage, so takes less floor space.

I find the Ego struggles a bit with heavier growth, so wouldn't use it to knock down overgrown areas. But it does very nicely on a regularly-maintained lawn.

[daddo]

I bought a used well cared for self propelled Toro with a bagger for 150 bucks- was one year old. Military folks going TDY. (Temporary Duty assignment over Yonder).


 Been doing fine for about 6 years now and I mow a lot with it. I have about an acre and use it when the weather is cool to mow at least 3/4 of the lawn. Typically, I mow with it first and when I'm near exhausted I get the lawn tractor out and finish. (I need the exercise at my age).

1 spark plug and bi-annual oil changes (Mobile1).
 Starts first or second pull.


 I think any name brand will do the job.

 The battery ones are nice and a great idea for small yards- no stinky gas to store, bad plugs, start problems with bad gas, but your not saving the planet if that's your goal.

[measure once cut remeasure]

Some inexpensive gas mowers have carbs that are not adjustable or repairable.

The last time I had a snow blower repaired for carb issues, the shop owner offered two bits of advice. One was to use gasoline without alcohol, and regardless what kind of gas you use to always add ethanol shield made by the company B3C. He found this brand of gas additive to be better than stabil. The shop was an authorized repair center for about every brand of outdoor power equipment made. He mentioned that at least half of his business was carburetor relate.

I buy the additive at home depot. I buy premium gas without alcohol at local Stewarts stores (a regional chain of convenience stores). Since taking his advice I haven't had any gasoline engine repairs for more than 10 years. I have gas powered; generator, lawn mower, rototiller, leaf shredder, chain saw, leaf blower,and string trimmer. I am spending an extra $10 to $15 a year for the premium gas and additive over just buying regular gas.

My push mower is a 20 year old craftsman with the tall rear wheels.

Per the advice of a cemetery caretaker, If you have a lawn with a lot of slope, You wouldn't want a typical 4 stroke gas mower. On severe slopes a 2 stroke gas mower will last a lot longer due to the lubrication in the gas.

[daddo]

Some inexpensive gas mowers have carbs that are not adjustable or repairable.

The last time I had a snow blower repaired for carb issues, the shop owner offered two bits of advice.  One was to use gasoline without alcohol, and regardless what kind of gas you use to always add ethanol shield made by the company B3C.  He found this brand of gas additive to be better than stabil.  The shop was an authorized repair center for about every brand of outdoor power equipment made.  He mentioned that at least half of his business was carburetor relate.

I buy the additive at home depot. I buy premium gas without alcohol at local Stewarts stores (a regional chain of convenience stores). Since taking his advice I haven't had any gasoline engine repairs for more than 10 years.  I have gas powered; generator, lawn mower, rototiller, leaf shredder, chain saw, leaf blower,and string trimmer. I am spending an extra $10 to $15 a year for the premium gas and additive over just buying regular gas.

My push mower is a 20 year old craftsman with the tall rear wheels.

Per the advice of a cemetery caretaker, If you have a lawn with a lot of slope, You wouldn't want a typical 4 stroke gas mower.  On severe slopes a 2 stroke gas mower will last a lot longer due to the lubrication in the gas.

 This is VERY good advice. 

 The last time I had to replace the carb on the old stihl chainsaw, I bought two of them. The alcohol free gas would have prevented this, even though I use stabil. I think the alcohol content is more than they are saying it is.

[TDKPE]

Yard is fairly flat but would want a self propelled mower to decrease the complaints from my kids.

Times sure have changed.  My younger brother and I used to push this high-wheel, horizontal shaft 1.6 hp rope-and-cup start B&S engine, quarter-turn belt driven, rear discharge Worcester/Savage Arms Rotor-Master 19" mower.  Not self-propelled.  And a LOT of grass to cut.  Complaining didn't change anything, so we stopped after a while.  
 

   

But it could have been worse, as there was one of these in the garage when we moved in.  That was in 1961.