Reccomend me a lawnmower

[LANShark42]

If you were looking for a riding mower, I'd say John Deere. Something in the X-series, NOT the D-Series. But for a push mower, it's hard to beat a Honda.

 

[CountryBoy19]

While I am no expert, I have been buying consumer goods for a long time. Just because a single corporation sells a low end discount house grade, does not mean every product they make is falling apart crap. I would never expect a $109.00 mower to be the same quality as a $399.00 mower, no matter what brand sticker is on the box.

Remember it was the same General Motors who made the 1972 "falling apart" Vega, as made the 1972 Trans AM and the 1972 coupe deVille. Corporate diversification is not a unique. Generally, when you pay the least, you get the least.

That's possible, but when you develop a well-known reputation of producing junk products it becomes rather difficult to distinguish between the junk models and the better quality models so it's just easier to 100% avoid that company's products IMHO. I can only assume your post was intended in response to mine about avoiding MTD.

MTD makes OPE for a large number of companies and there are literally thousands of different models. Some of them you're getting the same junk but paying for the name on the side so it's hard to tell based on price alone what is better quality and what is lower quality with a name on the side. They made their bed of developing a reputation for poor products, its time for them to lie in it... Thats the beauty of the free market and that's often what happens when you buy up all your competition then outsource the manufacturing overseas to increase profit margins...

 

[Denny347]

What about Ariens Mowers? American built with their own engine. Any good?

 

[Lunati]

If Lawnboy still made real mowers (mag or alum decks, a real Lawnboy 2 cycle engine) I'd recommend them. Mine just finally died after 20 years. I'm at a loss now.

You're telling me! We've had one for about 15 years now, still running strong. Super light weight deck, and a power train that wont stop kicking. I wouldn't know what to do if I had to replace it.

 

[the1kidd03]

I will look at the Toro. Thank you.

Father In Law had a Troy Bilt mower. Complete junk. He tried to give it to me because he wouldn't use it.

Troybilt and many other names are all owned by MTD, a huge OPE conglomerate... I suggest you research which ones are NOT made by MTD and limit your purchase to those...

ETA
List of MTD OWNED brands:

• Bolens
• Columbia
• Cub Cadet
  • Cub Cadet Commercial
  • Cub Cadet Yanmar (joint with Yanmar)
• Farm King
• GardenWay
• Gold Series
• Gutbrod
  • Gutbrod-Kehrer
• Lawnflite
• Mastercut
• Mow Master
  • Mow Master Mastercut
• MTD
  • MTD Black Edition
  • MTD Silver Edition
  • MTD Gold
  • MTD Mowmaster
  • MTD Platinum Pro
  • MTD Platinum SD
  • MTD Pro
  • MTD Super
  • MTD Taral
  • MTD Tradesman
  • MTD Turbomax
  • MTD 2000 Elite
• Novotrac
• Ranch King
• Rasentrac
• Remington
• Ryobi (sold at Costco)
• Troy-Bilt
• Ventzki
• Ventzki MTD
• White Outdoor]
• Yard Machines
• Yard-Man
  • Yard-Man Elite
  • Yard-Man Select
• YardWorks

Also, of note, Toro and Craftsman product (among many others) are made by MTD. MTD is renowned for it's junk that fails within a year or so of manufacture, typically just months outside of the warranty...

ETA2, link to more complete list of who MTD makes OPE products for: Brands Manufactured by MTD

CountryBoy is exactly right. MTD is the parent corporation of many other names now. Years ago, I worked for a company which was the nationwide service provider for many retail chains on this type of equipment as the area supervisor. Our guys specifically built and repaired these machines either under warranty or for customers who bought them depending on circumstances.

IME (several years ago) the MTD lineup (before they even acquired Cub Cadet) is hit or miss depending on the subsidiary company. That said, my favorite of their line was the TroyBuilt brand. They had an equal number of, if not fewer issues than most others. The large majority of the time they needed repair, it was slight "tuning" issues and the customer simply was not mechanically inclined at ALL to deal with it themselves. Things like a loose throttle spring that need to be snugged up. Keep in mind too, that in modern manufacturing most of them have the exact SAME parts simply painted a different color. This applies to anything that's mass produced and is part of good manufacturing practices (GMPs.)

Things I remember well (although they could be entirely different today):
1. Husqvarna is not worth the $$ IMO. EVERY store had a PILE of their products tagged to be returned to manufacturer. That means they couldn't be repaired without tearing the engine completely down basically.
2. Cub Cadet (before they were MTD I believe) had a lot of issues with their rider series of mowers. Couldn't speak of their other products because they didn't sell many.
3. There is little difference between the Yard Machines and Bolens. For the price point, they are a good option for someone who has a basic mechanical ability and if you have that and the money to spare the TroyBuilt is a step above that with similar parts/design.


The other thing I do like about the MTD line is that you can get replacement parts easily and at will at almost any hardware store like Lowes. Some of their brands actually do have Honda engines, or at least used to. Most of them have the Briggs & Stratton though, which is still good IMO.

I beat the crap out of my TroyBuilts and haven't had any real problems. Even the one I bought new only a few months ago when we moved into our new house took a beating the first time it mowed the back yard. The grass had grown a bit and I couldn't see any sign of it in the yard, but the previous owner left one of those metal dog chain screw type stakes in the ground. I clipped it once and just thought it was a rock. Apparently, it moved it enough that the next time I completely nailed it and it stopped the mower. Being a new mower I was little frustrated, but it didn't shear the key or anything serious. Took a small chunk from the blade but not enough to worry about really. Still going strong.

 

[heavyhitter1k]

People knock it, but my Craftsman push mower is great! Rear wheel drive and I can do my whole yard on less than what the gas tank holds.

 

[Caleb]

Always liked the lawn boys, never had a Honda though.

 

[Leo]

We had a Honda, it was a small one for trim use, I think it was only 17 inches. Of course we only used it about 10 minutes a week so it never had a chance to wear out. It did ok, the carb clogged a couple of times, probably from gas sitting in it too long, so I cannot blame the mower. We broke a couple of the cables. We gave it to the daughter and she used it another year before it died. The Honda product is probably as good as any.

 

[VERT]

also self propelled.



they will not fail on you either.

This is a picture of a trimmer not a mower. And believe it or not I do use a pair of scissors around my two trees. I do not want to risk tearing off the bark with my string trimmer.

I had a Craftsman mower and it gave me good service. But I have been very happy with my Honda. But I am not against looking at other brands.

 

[SouthernIndy]

I would go with the Toro.

 

[gunman41mag]

Best mower I've had was a "S N A P P E R"

 

[Hammer]

The last small mower I bought was a Kmart 5hp B&S Big wheel push mower. Bought it the summer of 1994, and still use it now. Never a minutes of trouble running or starting.

Craftsman mowers are good when they are running. It's when the do break you have issues with them. They change the parts just enough from standard that you must purchase parts from them and they are more expensive.

Honda makes a damn good product. You may even keep an eye on craigs list for one with a bad engine but has a good transmission you can swap out.

 

[Bennettjh]

If Lawnboy still made real mowers (mag or alum decks, a real Lawnboy 2 cycle engine) I'd recommend them. Mine just finally died after 20 years. I'm at a loss now.

Those are the best! Can't beat 'em.

 

[Caleb]

Those are the best! Can't beat 'em.

Yep...my father has a 4.5hp and a 6.5hp lawn boys, it's all we ever use. Are they as good now as they were pre-2000? I don't know, we haven't had the need to buy a new one since before 2000.