Have to buy new power mower-any opinions? (lawn, grass, mowers)

[Dockside]

Any opinions about mowers with a key start engine? I'm tired of struggling with pull cords, but I suspect it's just another problem in the making. How about brand name - any preferences? Thanks.

[seashelly]

I went green. Now I own an easy flip-of-the-switch electric mower and pull the cord behind.

[Scooby]

Personally for a walk behind mower I would buy a Honda. Everyone I have talked to that has one has said it's the best mower they ever had. I've owned a quite a few of the inexpensive brands including craftsman and never again.

[jlvs2run]

A friend said cord mowers were the best, then I went through 15 years of other mowers and finally got one 5 years ago.

The first day I was pushing it lightly through thick grass with one hand, flipping a 50 foot cord side to side with the other. Wow! That was the first time in my life I have actually enjoyed mowing the lawn!

Black & Decker electric mower. The big W has them.

[Tek_Freek]

I bought a John Deere walk behind a few years ago. Excellent mower, always starts, even the first time out after a bad winter. One pull and I'm cutting!

I get a chuckle when reading about electrics. I think they're a good idea but I remember my father's electric cord. It was repaired in about 6 places with electric tape because he kept running over it.

[Cornerguy1]

Like most things, dockside, you generally get what you pay for. If you buy cheap, you'll get cheap performance.

You didn't mention how large an area you plan on mowing or your physical fitness level, but an electric is probably out of the question if you have to range more than 100 feet from an outlet.

It surpising how far gas mowers have come in the last 5 years in terms of startability. We have 6 push mowers in our fleet. A couple of the 15-year-old Lawn Boy units are bears to start after a winter in storage, but the new Husquvarna mowers require 5 pushes on the primer button and 2 pulls. Easy, peezy.

For easy spring starting, always fill the mower tank with fresh fuel in the fall before storage and use a fuel stabilizor. Keeping the air cleaner free from debris and replacing the spark plug each spring will go a long way to ensuring easy starts all summer.

Honda has a reputation for making a quality product.

To make your life easier, consider a self-propelled model, perhaps even one with variable speed gearing which adjusts itself to your making pace. Having the option side discharge, mulching, and bagging with same mower is nice as well. Consider using mulching blades on the machine at all times to help chop the grass into smaller pieces for easier breakdown when not bagging.

Bagging your lawn clippings actually robs your lawn of fertility provided by the cut grass. Regular cutting and a good mulch blade will keep the clippings almost unnoticeable.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by Scooby

Personally for a walk behind mower I would buy a Honda. Everyone I have talked to that has one has said it's the best mower they ever had. I've owned a quite a few of the inexpensive brands including craftsman and never again.

I have to agree, love 'em or hate 'em, HONDA makes a fine product. Especially when the engine is the most important, it really is their specialty.

[golfgal]

We bought a cheepo Sears Craftsman mower 15 years ago, paid around $100 for it and it was still going strong until a couple weeks ago when DH tried to start it up for the first time this spring before he remembered that he drained all the oil out last winter . We bought another Craftsman the next day.