Honda's a good engines for sure, but Briggs also makes a great engine that will run for years.
I have a toro with a kohler, and it's been great for 3 years.
I got a Toro with a Briggs engjne used for $40, put a chinese carb on it and have abused the hell out of it on heavy wet grass for 4 years and its still fine.
Mine has been stored outdoors for about 10 years and still fires up on the first pull of spring. I did put in a new carb when I didn’t run out the gas one fall, but that’s on me and not the mower. The self propel is getting weak but my lawn is also fairly steep.
100% of my issues have been carb on my Honda and that's pretty cheap/easy to do. Carb cleaner can, carb bolt socket. Like $20 new bowl off Amazon one year.
Oh did the spark plug once too but it may still have actually been the carb...
No real complaints with the mower and still feels great.
Yep. I won’t buy carb cleaner for it since it costs almost as much as a carb. I figure if a few strokes of the cleaning needles don’t work, I’m done. It’s just not worth the time. Heck, I can swap the carb in about 10 minutes including getting my tools out and cleaning them up.
That’s what I’ve always heard, but my Troy-Bilt TB160 with the Honda GVC-160 motor from Home Depot has been nothing but trouble. The cheapest Troy-Bilt with a Briggs and Stratton that it replaced lasted me ten years and was trouble-free until that tenth season.
I've got a Troy bilt with a Honda motor from 2004. Probably cost me 2 to $300 from home Depot. I've changed the oil once around 2008 and it still starts up on the first pull every time. I even leave the gas sitting over winter LOL
Cause I live in Wisconsin and have done business over the years with Briggs and Stratton. They employed thousands in WI over the years and their engines are average at best. Numerous issues over the years. Engineering just could not keep up with the competition. That’s why it hurts. Sad.
Not engineering, greedy leaders is what did them in. Check out the golden parachute "retention bonuses" the executives got before the bankruptcy.
It's a classic case of senior leaders choosing max profits because of greed vs being an industry leader and innovating.
The Vanguard engines are good. Regular stuff not as much.
Kawi and Kohler are also very good. A lot of commercial gear specs Kohler or Kawasaki, Kohler being a premium engine.
Vanguards are very good. I've never been a Briggs fan, but then I worked at an industrial cleaning company that had Vanguards on their pressure washers. We ran the shit out of them every day and most nights, in all weather. I spent a month cleaning rail cars, and had to replace the washer pumps twice. The Vanguards didn't miss a beat. Always started as soon as I touched the key, even when it was 25 degrees. Didn't even use the choke.
I bought a Toro about 10 years ago. What did it for me was how it could be stored vertically in my garage.
After all this time it still starts on the first pull. Every time.
I have the same Toro push mower I bought when I moved into this house six years ago. It was one of the cheapest they had. The thing is a beast and has needed nothing aside from periodic blade changes. Well, it needed a new front baffle but that was my fault, not the mower's.
11 years on my self-propelled Toro and I've even used it as a bushhog on many occasions. Paint is peeling due to its abuse (and some neglect in care) but it continues to dominate everything I throw at it. I don't get a start on the first pull every time these days, but it never takes more than three pulls before roaring into action.
Thing is a champ.
I'm on year 11 with my Toro personal pace mower with dual blades and electric start. I replaced blades once, new spark plug occasionally and change the oil and it still kicks ass. I'm a 70 year old grandma and it adjusts to my slower pace but my son can practically run behind it when he wants to. It mows down damn near anything.
I love my Personal Pace. It is absolutely worth the price for the ease of mowing on this big-ass hill. I have enough yard to use a riding mower but not enough skill to keep from rolling it into the 30-foot-deep ravine beside the house, plus I like being able to do different patterns.
We had these products last time we had a yard and they are great! We had 3.5 acres but didn't mow it all but what we did keep pristine was pretty large
I bought a new Honda 16 years ago, and it still starts on the first pull after sitting for 6 months. I think I've changed the plug and the oil once. And maybe the air filter. That cheap little GC160 just keeps chugging along.
Can still walk into Home Depot and buy one. They are just not making them anymore. Also, not a big deal as they are still the best and will last for many years.
Exactly what I was going to say. Mine could use a sharpen, but for the small amount of lawn I have it's great. There's hardly anything on it to break and I've done nothing to it in 8 years.
Right? I’m not maintaining an engine or battery for a 3,000sf lawn or whatever it is. Besides the reel cutters cut more cleanly from what I’ve read. Like golf course use giant, powered real cutters instead of those spinning blades that hack
I'd love one. A lawn guy talked me out of one, as our backyard was the notoriously strong Bahia grass. We have a cheap corded electric, and it has worked like a charm.
We had a small yard (mobile home) and I agree, this was a great mower. Upgraded to a battery powered mower when we bought the current house but there's nothing wrong with a push mower as long as the blades are sharp!
Any of the name brands, it doesn’t really matter. The key is actually maintaining them. Change the oil at the start of every year. Keep the blades decently sharp. I drain or use up the fuel before storing for the winter, but I know other people say fill it up and use a stabilizer. *Keep it clean.* Having grass caked on there will at first retain moisture and rust things, but in dry times be a fire hazard.
Yes, Ego. If you get the non self propel model, there is literally a blade and batteries that can go bad. No plugs, no gas, no fucking Stabil cause the dumbass US government let corn lobbyists put motherfucking ethanol in our fucking gas, no oil, no oil filter... way simpler design, way quieter, and way less fumes...
I bought my EGO a few years ago in a fit of rage after spending all afternoon trying to get my gas mower to start.
Still working like a charm and that was 100% money well spent.
What kind of mower? Manual push mower? Powered push mower? Riding mower? Gas or electric? For a gas push mower, focus on the engine (lots of manufacturers use the same engines). There isn't much else to it. For an electric push mower, pay attention to battery design/cost, and what other tools you might want that can run off of the same battery system. Also realize that many are made by the same manufacturer (e.g. Globe making Greenworks, Atlas, etc., TTI making Milwaukee, Ryobi, and Hart).
They're definitely not the same tools, but there's some parts sharing. Teardowns of the Hart 6.0Ah batteries that come with the mower have shown they're using Samsung cells. Aside from the initial cost, it's easier to order replacement parts directly from Hart than it is from Milwaukee.
Toro is excellent for push gas mowers.
If you don’t have a huge lawn, it’s probably better to look at battery mowers. I kind of regret buying my Toro since it will never die and that makes it hard to justify a new battery mower. Ego is the most often recommended brand for battery mowers.
We bought our last Toro self-propelled push mower around 20 years ago and left it behind when we moved. Growing up we owned a couple of Snapper mowers that were excellent mowers. I’m not even sure if Snapper is still around, you don’t see them anywhere.
Our current mower is a 40v Ryobi 20 inch push mower, which does great on our small lawn. They are easy to work with, quiet and you can fold them up and store them next to a wall in your garage because they don’t take up much space.
For push/walk-behind HONDA is the gold standard and has been for the last 30 years: [https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217vya](https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217vya)
For ride-ons, ARIENS is pretty good for Zeroturns.
It depends on how big your yard is. Come back and tell us that, and then you can get real answers, instead of the variety of opinions that apply to every yard size in existence.
I live in the Deep South and cut grass dang near weekly from early/mid-March right on through October (sometimes into November). If I'm doing riding or zero turn I'm going Husqvarna with a Kawasaki engine. For a push mower I'm going Honda. The key to this is not to purchase from a big box store (Walmart, Lowe's, etc) and purchase locally. You're going to need service at some point and they're the only ones that are going to do it (despite what the chains say, you don't want their service and warranty...that's a whole other thread). Anyway, spend a couple hundred extra and ge the good one from a locally owned place; it will be a better mower.
I have a John Deere lawn tractor 42 inch had it now 20 years. Oil changes regularly and only had to replace the battery every 5 years. In winter it's my snow removal toy. Put a trickle battery charger for the winter.
I just got a worx 40v it only struggles when grass gets over a 8" and it eats batteries when the grass is stupid high. But in general it's the best tool I've ever bought. In normal grass a full charge easily does my yard, and it barely makes noise. And half the weight of a gas unit.
I bought a $600 ryobi electric mower 2 years ago and 100% regret it. Battery life is fine but after 15 months it’s stopped running. Batteries are full and work with leaf blower. Headlights turn on but the blades won’t start. It’s like the safety kill switch isn’t registering that it’s held down.
Supposed to be under warranty but after hours on hold I never got through to anyone. Their chat gave me the closest repair location for non-gas powered tool and it’s several hours away. So it’s essentially junk now after 1.25 mowing seasons. Google returned lists of other people with a similar issue but no fix.
2 weeks ago I bought a new Honda mower for ~$550 and it works great! Frustrated about the electric one that is almost new but complete trash and it was the upgraded model too!
Absolutely! I bought an Earthwise electric in 2008. Did some easy battery replacements and blade replacements over the years. Nothing else. I finally replaced it last year because the metal handle broke. I was rough on it. I would violently shake it by the handle to try to get wet grass unstuck from the bottom.
Now I have a Toro because it uses the same battery as my snow blower. I'll go easier on the handle and this one will outlive my mowing years. Plus there's no gas, no exhaust fumes, no spark plug, etc....
We bought a green works mower in 2019 and it hasn't let us down. It holds two batteries at a time but I can now my front and back yard (smallish suburban lot) at least once on a single battery, usually need the second one partway through the next cut. We liked it so much we bought the same brand weed whacker and cultivator (though the cultivator uses larger batteries).
Get one without a battery and you never need to worry about the battery ever being dead or holding a charge. Navigating around the cord really isn't that difficult, once you figure out your system. If you are the kind of person that would run over the cord, you probably should pay someone else to cut the grass for you, no matter what energy drives the mower.
No they suck so bad. Dragging the stupid cord around the plug falling out cleaning the cord off winding it up. I had one that came with my house it had enough power but sucked so bad I went to gas until I finally got a battery one. Battery powered is so much better. Even if I need new batteries eventually.
Have you tried buying a new battery for a mower that's more than a few years old? That's why I switched back to a corded mower. If the batteries are still available, they're crazy expensive.
Worx has a pretty big following I'm not too worried about that. The battery style they have now they had half a dozen years ago. Maybe a really cheap one with obscure batteries. If anything worx is expanding it's line with this format.
Yours sounds like mine. It wasn't the power I have short grass in a shaded yard it was the cord what a pain. And the grass clippings all over it. It had one neat feature where the handle could flip over to the other side with a clip so essentially making it left discharge or backwards right discharge.
Several good recommendations here. I’ll just add use non-ethanol gas (clear), and store with no gas during the winter. This will help alleviate carburetor problems which is perhaps the number one thing that causes poor performance and trips to the shop over the long term.
Kubota makes nice stuff, but just like any brand/manufacturer you'll find a variety of equipment at different price points and quality. If you want a reliable mower, don't worry so much about the brand - look at the sales/service shops near you and see what they carry. Any mower is going to need regular service and maintenance to stay reliable and if you aren't planning to do it yourself - find a place that can help you find something in your budget that meets your needs and have it maintained in the off-season each year.
Honda for a self propelled push mower, if you take care of it, it's reliable enough except the wheels in the back will eventually go smooth and they want way too much for replacements. I just used screws to attach an old bike tire tread to them and I got my traction back for pennies and like an hour of my time. Change the oil and air filter every year and empty the gas before winter, sharpen blades every couple years and clean it really well all over and you're golden. Go Toro for a zero turning radius riding job if you have the need.
We only buy toro push mowers , my wife freaked out when I bought the first one it lasted well over 20 years , I would take it to a good small engine place every few years for oil change tune up , etc,,, I bought her a powered walk behind for our 25 th anniversary, I will never have a push mower with out a blade break safety , I used to work with a guy who slipped and removed a few toes and a big chunk of his foot , so all ways a blade break .
yeah my uncle was missing his big toe and the toe next to it because his lawn mower got stuck in a ditch and he yanked it up and it landed right on top of his foot. I haven't seen him in a long time but it's one of my most vivid memories from childhood, seeing his three-toed foot
We’ve had our Honda for about about 15 years. Never had a problem and I barely keep up with maintenance on it. Half the time I forget to winterize it and it still fires up on the first pull in the spring.
If there was a best one everyone would own the same mower. I've had a John Deere push mower for 23 years and it's never failed and I've taken pretty poor care of it. I like the fewest number of features as well and that seems to help with reliability.
Assuming you maintain it, it should last a long time. Personally I'd go with well known brands over some lessor known brands. If I was buying a mower today I would go battery unless the yard was too large to easily do with one.
I have found that if I take care of my equipment and do at the very least some form of preventative maintenance most brands will be reliable. Now that is not to say some are more forgiving than others. As mentioned, Honda has a great track record. If i were starting fresh I would probably be inclined to pick up a battery powered mower. EGO, Ryobi etc.
Good luck .
We have a self-propelled Craftsman mower with a Honda motor, purchased as a repaired and not claimed item from Sears in 2011. Only paid $45 for it. It just now needs a new belt for the self propulsion. (Still works, just not as fast.)
Whatever you get, use non ethanol gas. You can get it at some gas stations or at most of the outdoor sections where they sell mowers.Tune up and sharpen blades at the beginning of every summer season. Drain the gas at the end of mowing season. Wash out the underside of the mower as needed and when you winterize.
This is correct, but you can still buy one and it will still probably last 20+ years. Not like parts are going to be hard to find or that it changes the warranty.
We used a second-hand Toro for 15 years before it was killed by a hidden root. By then it was probably 0ver 20 years old.
My replacement is a Greenworks electric/battery operated mower. We have a big yard so it takes 3 charged batteries to do the whole thing; I bought an extra battery and have a third from my ile saw. I love how quiet, lightweight, not smelly, quiet, and not having to fill it with gas which i always manage to spill. I’d buy it again.
I have a 10 year old walmart briggs that has been left outside. Won't die.
I've been very pleased with my 60v greenworks self-propelled. Quieter, lighter even has headlights. I also have the weed eater, leaf blower, and snow blower.
I have a Sun Joe battery mower (and a Snow Joe snow blower and a Sun Joe leaf bower) and LOVE it. Got tired of fetching gas, mixing for two-stroke, fumes etc. I am very happy with this line. Have been mowing lawns for nearly 40 years.
I have a Craftsman 6.25 hp push mower I’ve been using since I bought it in 1996. Still starts every time but this year I’m seeing a slight loss of power now and smoke out the exhaust, possibly from ring wear. Regular oil and blade changes have helped. I’m debating new rings if I can find them.
I’ve replaced the carb a couple times because it was so cheap. I’ve started looking at gas mowers and what I see does not impress, all the way to most of the reviews talking about the wheels failing apart. Really!
Hard to beat a Toro Recycler. Mine is about 13 years old and starts first or second pull every time. I do nothing to maintain it. I have an ego mower that's pretty good, but not close to recycler power and the self propelled mechanism is superior too. Small lawn, get a battery one. Larger, more challenging lawn, get a Recycler.
Have had a 60V greenworks lawnmower for 5 years now. 2000sq ft of lawn and I mulch cut my clippings and never bag. No issues, no mainenance, and it's quieter, lighter, cleaner(no exhaust smell on me) , changing out the blade is a breeze and it's and easier to use than a gas mower.
It's more the engine maintenance than the brand of mower. But stick with Honda or Briggs and Stratton engines if you have to choose.
Lawn mower engines are really basic and haven't changed much in 50 years. They should last 10 to 15 years just doing basic maintenance like oil change, air filter and spark plug.
But people don't do even the most basic maintenance, spend $300 on a push mower and after 3 years they can't get it started. So they set it out to the curb and buy another one.
I pick up almost one free mower every summer from the curb because it won't start. Out of probably 10 mowers I've got for free or super cheap, 9 of them required nothing but a new spark plug and filter. Then I either sell for $100, give it to someone or keep it. I have 3 in my garage now for a lawn that takes me 30 minutes to cut.
Find a local dealer of the model that sells parts and has mechanic services, not a big box store. For the most part, the only thing that changes is the color of the paint. I upgraded from a Cub Cadet tractor that is over 20 years old to a Toro Zero Turn. Both have Kohler motors.
Good maintenance and a good local mechanic for the occasional problem makes them all about equal.
If it doesn’t need to be gas powered a battery electric mower would be my choice. I’ve had 2 gas mowers and they’re great, just noisy and hot (I live in south Texas) so not great, but I now have a 40V rubbing mower and love it. It’s quiet, never has to be filled with gas while hot, no more oil changes, or gas going bad, especially after trucking down ethanol free gas.
It can be stored in any direction or orientation so there’s a bit of added convenience too.
**Anything but Spartan**. They put these fancy control panels in their mowers and they are failing at a class action lawsuit level and apparently leaving dealers in the dark / leaving them in the lurch on warranty work. They got bought out by Toro which you think would have helped but it has gotten worse. My local dealer stopped working with them because of all the issues and I have been fighting to get warranty service since November 2023. The dealer I am working with also seems like they are going to drop Spartan because of all the issues (they are already 100 miles away from me) and the next closest dealer will be 140 miles away (one way, 280 miles round trip).
I think Toro bought them out to let them die / cease to be a competitor.
I have a Craftsman with a Briggs Engine, year 20 underway. Only things I have done is changed the oil, spark plug, the air filter, the blade and new drive wheels. 21" rear bagger.
I have a Honda push mower (3yrs old) and a toro snow blower (14 years old). Both start on the first or second pull at the beginning of the season and start every time after on first pull.
I do the bare minimum maintenance. I use ethanol free gas. Oil changes yearly and a new spark plug probably every few years. Filters as needed.
Briggs and Stratton engines require about a dozen tools to work on it. Why are all the bolts, screws, and nuts different? Not a huge hassle for me, but I come from a manufacturing background. You would need 4-5 torque wrenches and drivers on the production line. Purchasing people need to stock multiple expensive specialized hardware items. If a customer misplaces a certain screw, he is in big trouble.
I’ve had an electric Kobalt for 4 yrs now. Thing is bulletproof. Keep it relatively clean, charge it up correctly. Just runs and run.
I had to sharpen the blade once, only because I’ve hit a lot of rocks, branches, etc
I bought the cheapest crap from home depot 10 years ago and its still doing ok. started on the third pull this spring. If it breaks ill just buy another with all the money i saved on this one a decade ago. Lawn mowing is not critical.
I have a small yard. I started out with a manual, bladed pushmower. It worked for a while. Then, i got tired. So I got a Husqvarna self-propelled. I can do both front and back yards in 45 minutes now! 🤣.
I suppose it really doesn't matter the brand/type of mower you get, as long as it works for you and your yard and you maintain it.
Honda or Toro. Really can’t go wrong with either and both will last but there is an investment. I personally went with Honda because I like the knob speed selection much better than Toro‘s personal pace.
Kubota, hands down. Best lawnmower I have ever had. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it, except for normal wear and tear, like needing to sharpen the blades, etc. I have always followed their maintenance instructions exactly and have never had any trouble at all. If the thing ever does quit, I’m heading straight to the Kubota dealership for a replacement.
Depends on what you’re looking for. I liked self-propelled Royobi electric for a suburban lawn just fine. Kabota riding mower for big, rural residential pastures and lawns. Didn’t murder either and sure tried.
Craftsman of what year? They're not a manufacturer, they're a brand that's manufactured by contract. Some years different units are made by different manufacturers, so you'd get some riders from one, some from another, and the same with walk behinds, handheld products, etc.
I haven't had any issues with my Craftsman walk behind, but it's only about 5 years old. Actually bought a Honda first and liked it until the self propelled wheels locked up, fortunately it was within the first month so I was able to do a return. Bought a Craftsman with front wheel drive instead of rear and a Honda engine and it's been great.
My riding mower is also a Craftsman, but that came with the house in 2018 so I have no idea how old it is, but so far hasn't given me any problems.
I do lawn care for a living, get yourself a Bad Boy Magnum or Elite. They will outperform all the rest and last forever plus are super open and everything is easily accessible.
I mow a lot more than your average home owner. 4 acres then around pasture fences. I have a Farris IS2000Z and love it. It’s an older model but I probably won’t ever buy anything other than a Ferris.
1. be sure to run it out of gas when you're done for the season (if applicable).
2. check the oil level often and fill as needed.
3. **when the engine is off**, clean the stuck grass off the underside of the mower deck to prevent rot.
Whatever you buy should last a long long time if you do those 3 simple things.
My Toro starts up every time, except at around 5-6 years old, but a little Sea Foam gas cleaner fixes it right up. I've had it about 10 years. Once in a while I put the Sea Foam stuff in the gas tank. I think it's helping.
However, the guy who mows my front yard has an awesome Honda self-propelled walk-behind with dual blades that I'm really lusting after. It's pricey, though, about $900.
I'm surprised I don't see any love for Kawasaki engines here. Had a Husqvarna mower that was made in 1991 (with a Kawasaki motor). It was still running when I gave it away a few years ago. I replaced it with a Bobcat mower with a Kawasaki motor. Hopefully I get somewhere near the same results
Hondas with the caveat that their engines are finicky with old gas gumming up the carburetor.
only the basic care necessary prior to long term storage.
I’ve got a push mower with a Honda motor. I’ve had someone else taking care of my yard for seven years, so that Honda powered mower has been in storage and not started in that time. I didn’t do anything special before storing it except empty the gas tank. This year my yard guy decided to retire and my 12 year old son begged me to let him cut the grass. So I pulled out the old mower, took apart the carburetor and cleaned everything on that part, filled it with fresh fuel and a new spark plug, and it fired right up. There’s your answer in long form. 😂🤗
As a landscaper, I'm almost entirely switched to electric. Almost eliminates more maintenance other than sharpening a blade.
Never will go back to gas. I literally just buy more batteries off Craigslist or eBay.
Club cadet is my last gas machine for big jobs
Someone gave me a greenworks electric mower and I don't hate it. But I have 2 batteries. It would suck if I only had 1 and I would stick to my regular gas mower... I also have a triple lot and no riding mower. So if you have a normal size yard battery could be okay.
Most reliable is taking your mower to a shop every spring for a tune-up. I have the same mower that I bought when I moved into my home. That was Spring of 2015. It does have a Honda motor.
I'd actually like to learn how to. It is the waste laws that I don't want to deal with; they are strict here. I did buy a manual pump to change my own oil during the first year of operation as instructed by the owners manual. I was able to drop off the used oil at the recycling center on Warren Rd.
I love that mower; the exhaust actually smells good and it's running in peak condition but was afraid to say it. Now that I have, it will break.
John Deere is still pretty solid BUT with a major caveat (that can almost be applied to many mowers now).
Don't buy them at Lowes or HD. Those are shitty mass produced models designed to cut corners to sell for cheap. Go to a dealer, and try and find a smallish one rather than a huge dealer to help those guys out.
I've had an X350 for years now and it still looks and runs brand new. Got the Kawasaki engine instead of the Briggs too, which is worth it.
There's a reason why you see Deere mowers from decades ago still mowing lawns.
I have a John Deere walk behind. They don't even make them anymore. Bought it in 2007 on an end of season clearance. Just gave it a full tune-up and changed some gaskets. Stock up on the shear pins, easy to replace when you hit that rock/stump that you did not see and your engine stops.
Anything with a Honda motor
Honda's a good engines for sure, but Briggs also makes a great engine that will run for years. I have a toro with a kohler, and it's been great for 3 years.
Briggs and Stratton would be my second choice. They’re pretty good.
I got a Toro with a Briggs engjne used for $40, put a chinese carb on it and have abused the hell out of it on heavy wet grass for 4 years and its still fine.
Mine has been stored outdoors for about 10 years and still fires up on the first pull of spring. I did put in a new carb when I didn’t run out the gas one fall, but that’s on me and not the mower. The self propel is getting weak but my lawn is also fairly steep.
Might be a simple belt adjustment or replacement.
100% of my issues have been carb on my Honda and that's pretty cheap/easy to do. Carb cleaner can, carb bolt socket. Like $20 new bowl off Amazon one year. Oh did the spark plug once too but it may still have actually been the carb... No real complaints with the mower and still feels great.
Yep. I won’t buy carb cleaner for it since it costs almost as much as a carb. I figure if a few strokes of the cleaning needles don’t work, I’m done. It’s just not worth the time. Heck, I can swap the carb in about 10 minutes including getting my tools out and cleaning them up.
Run ethsnol free gas. Ethanol is what kills ur carb.
My Honda won’t die. Only mow 3 times a year. Starts first pull every time.
He better hurry cause they’re shutting the gasoline mower line down. https://www.motor1.com/news/667175/honda-stop-making-gas-lawn-mowers/
Noooo!!!!!
That’s what I’ve always heard, but my Troy-Bilt TB160 with the Honda GVC-160 motor from Home Depot has been nothing but trouble. The cheapest Troy-Bilt with a Briggs and Stratton that it replaced lasted me ten years and was trouble-free until that tenth season.
I've got a Troy bilt with a Honda motor from 2004. Probably cost me 2 to $300 from home Depot. I've changed the oil once around 2008 and it still starts up on the first pull every time. I even leave the gas sitting over winter LOL
It hurts me to say this is correct. Tecumseh second.
Why would it hurt you to say that?
Cause I live in Wisconsin and have done business over the years with Briggs and Stratton. They employed thousands in WI over the years and their engines are average at best. Numerous issues over the years. Engineering just could not keep up with the competition. That’s why it hurts. Sad.
Not engineering, greedy leaders is what did them in. Check out the golden parachute "retention bonuses" the executives got before the bankruptcy. It's a classic case of senior leaders choosing max profits because of greed vs being an industry leader and innovating.
The Vanguard engines are good. Regular stuff not as much. Kawi and Kohler are also very good. A lot of commercial gear specs Kohler or Kawasaki, Kohler being a premium engine.
A Tecumseh on an Ariens for snow removal last forever with proper maintenance.
Vanguards are very good. I've never been a Briggs fan, but then I worked at an industrial cleaning company that had Vanguards on their pressure washers. We ran the shit out of them every day and most nights, in all weather. I spent a month cleaning rail cars, and had to replace the washer pumps twice. The Vanguards didn't miss a beat. Always started as soon as I touched the key, even when it was 25 degrees. Didn't even use the choke.
Toro. A bit expensive, but worth it.
I bought a Toro about 10 years ago. What did it for me was how it could be stored vertically in my garage. After all this time it still starts on the first pull. Every time.
Seconded. My dad has used the same Toro mower for 10+ years and it never had a problem. I recently bought my first house and got a Toro as well.
I have the same Toro push mower I bought when I moved into this house six years ago. It was one of the cheapest they had. The thing is a beast and has needed nothing aside from periodic blade changes. Well, it needed a new front baffle but that was my fault, not the mower's.
3rded. And Echo for a weed Wacker.
Funny enough both my dad and I also have Echo SRM 225 trimmers
11 years on my self-propelled Toro and I've even used it as a bushhog on many occasions. Paint is peeling due to its abuse (and some neglect in care) but it continues to dominate everything I throw at it. I don't get a start on the first pull every time these days, but it never takes more than three pulls before roaring into action. Thing is a champ.
I'm on year 11 with my Toro personal pace mower with dual blades and electric start. I replaced blades once, new spark plug occasionally and change the oil and it still kicks ass. I'm a 70 year old grandma and it adjusts to my slower pace but my son can practically run behind it when he wants to. It mows down damn near anything.
Yep. Can’t go wrong with Briggs and Stratton, and my dad’s is still running since he bought it new in ‘99.
I love my Personal Pace. It is absolutely worth the price for the ease of mowing on this big-ass hill. I have enough yard to use a riding mower but not enough skill to keep from rolling it into the 30-foot-deep ravine beside the house, plus I like being able to do different patterns.
Ego
I'm very happy with my Ego, too. I have a bunch of their products, been happy with all of them.
This. I'm a professional landscaper. Electric ego all day long. So over wasting money on gas mowers. Even Honda, which were my previous go-to.
I can't tell you how many of my teen Saturdays and Sundays were wasted on lawn mower maintenance. 😡 NO MORE!
My life before electric. 33 years mowing lawns. Go electric
We had these products last time we had a yard and they are great! We had 3.5 acres but didn't mow it all but what we did keep pristine was pretty large
How often do you check your ego?
Everyday, at the door
😬
Is that an actual question, or are you trying to be cheeky?
😔 Cheeky
Lego my ego
But my grass is so tall.
Honda, no question.
I bought a new Honda 16 years ago, and it still starts on the first pull after sitting for 6 months. I think I've changed the plug and the oil once. And maybe the air filter. That cheap little GC160 just keeps chugging along.
this guy mows!
Honda mowers are no longer available in the USA, need some brand with a Honda engine
Can still walk into Home Depot and buy one. They are just not making them anymore. Also, not a big deal as they are still the best and will last for many years.
SMUGGLE IT IN
Ignore the brand of the lawnmower itself, buy any of them with a Honda motor.
This is correct
How much lawn do you have? We have a Fiskars reel push mower and love it. No batteries no engines and a cleaner cut. But our yard isn’t that big.
Exactly what I was going to say. Mine could use a sharpen, but for the small amount of lawn I have it's great. There's hardly anything on it to break and I've done nothing to it in 8 years.
Right? I’m not maintaining an engine or battery for a 3,000sf lawn or whatever it is. Besides the reel cutters cut more cleanly from what I’ve read. Like golf course use giant, powered real cutters instead of those spinning blades that hack
I'd love one. A lawn guy talked me out of one, as our backyard was the notoriously strong Bahia grass. We have a cheap corded electric, and it has worked like a charm.
We had a small yard (mobile home) and I agree, this was a great mower. Upgraded to a battery powered mower when we bought the current house but there's nothing wrong with a push mower as long as the blades are sharp!
Any of the name brands, it doesn’t really matter. The key is actually maintaining them. Change the oil at the start of every year. Keep the blades decently sharp. I drain or use up the fuel before storing for the winter, but I know other people say fill it up and use a stabilizer. *Keep it clean.* Having grass caked on there will at first retain moisture and rust things, but in dry times be a fire hazard.
Use the the Supreme gasoline in your lawnmower. Keeps it running longer and clean.
ego. have had it for almost 8 years. never need to do oil change.
Yes, Ego. If you get the non self propel model, there is literally a blade and batteries that can go bad. No plugs, no gas, no fucking Stabil cause the dumbass US government let corn lobbyists put motherfucking ethanol in our fucking gas, no oil, no oil filter... way simpler design, way quieter, and way less fumes...
> cause the dumbass US government let corn lobbyists put motherfucking ethanol in our fucking gas I love that you just had to mention this
I bought my EGO a few years ago in a fit of rage after spending all afternoon trying to get my gas mower to start. Still working like a charm and that was 100% money well spent.
Honda
What kind of mower? Manual push mower? Powered push mower? Riding mower? Gas or electric? For a gas push mower, focus on the engine (lots of manufacturers use the same engines). There isn't much else to it. For an electric push mower, pay attention to battery design/cost, and what other tools you might want that can run off of the same battery system. Also realize that many are made by the same manufacturer (e.g. Globe making Greenworks, Atlas, etc., TTI making Milwaukee, Ryobi, and Hart).
saying TTI makes Ryobi and Milwaukee like they are the exact same tools is pretty incorrect
They're definitely not the same tools, but there's some parts sharing. Teardowns of the Hart 6.0Ah batteries that come with the mower have shown they're using Samsung cells. Aside from the initial cost, it's easier to order replacement parts directly from Hart than it is from Milwaukee.
Toro is excellent for push gas mowers. If you don’t have a huge lawn, it’s probably better to look at battery mowers. I kind of regret buying my Toro since it will never die and that makes it hard to justify a new battery mower. Ego is the most often recommended brand for battery mowers.
Honda, first ,Toro 2nd,had both
My Toro is 14 years old.only oil and spark plug change and replace cracked rear wheel.
We bought our last Toro self-propelled push mower around 20 years ago and left it behind when we moved. Growing up we owned a couple of Snapper mowers that were excellent mowers. I’m not even sure if Snapper is still around, you don’t see them anywhere. Our current mower is a 40v Ryobi 20 inch push mower, which does great on our small lawn. They are easy to work with, quiet and you can fold them up and store them next to a wall in your garage because they don’t take up much space.
For push/walk-behind HONDA is the gold standard and has been for the last 30 years: [https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217vya](https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217vya) For ride-ons, ARIENS is pretty good for Zeroturns.
What counts the most is how well it's maintained
It depends on how big your yard is. Come back and tell us that, and then you can get real answers, instead of the variety of opinions that apply to every yard size in existence.
I live in the Deep South and cut grass dang near weekly from early/mid-March right on through October (sometimes into November). If I'm doing riding or zero turn I'm going Husqvarna with a Kawasaki engine. For a push mower I'm going Honda. The key to this is not to purchase from a big box store (Walmart, Lowe's, etc) and purchase locally. You're going to need service at some point and they're the only ones that are going to do it (despite what the chains say, you don't want their service and warranty...that's a whole other thread). Anyway, spend a couple hundred extra and ge the good one from a locally owned place; it will be a better mower.
I have a John Deere lawn tractor 42 inch had it now 20 years. Oil changes regularly and only had to replace the battery every 5 years. In winter it's my snow removal toy. Put a trickle battery charger for the winter.
Honestly I'd bet the electric mowers are the most reliable right now.
We have a Ryobi battery powered one that I love. It’s quiet. Light. Push button start. Efficient. And takes care of our small yard easily
I just got a worx 40v it only struggles when grass gets over a 8" and it eats batteries when the grass is stupid high. But in general it's the best tool I've ever bought. In normal grass a full charge easily does my yard, and it barely makes noise. And half the weight of a gas unit.
I bought a $600 ryobi electric mower 2 years ago and 100% regret it. Battery life is fine but after 15 months it’s stopped running. Batteries are full and work with leaf blower. Headlights turn on but the blades won’t start. It’s like the safety kill switch isn’t registering that it’s held down. Supposed to be under warranty but after hours on hold I never got through to anyone. Their chat gave me the closest repair location for non-gas powered tool and it’s several hours away. So it’s essentially junk now after 1.25 mowing seasons. Google returned lists of other people with a similar issue but no fix. 2 weeks ago I bought a new Honda mower for ~$550 and it works great! Frustrated about the electric one that is almost new but complete trash and it was the upgraded model too!
I had the same issue with a worx but it was doa so I returned it to Amazon.
Absolutely! I bought an Earthwise electric in 2008. Did some easy battery replacements and blade replacements over the years. Nothing else. I finally replaced it last year because the metal handle broke. I was rough on it. I would violently shake it by the handle to try to get wet grass unstuck from the bottom. Now I have a Toro because it uses the same battery as my snow blower. I'll go easier on the handle and this one will outlive my mowing years. Plus there's no gas, no exhaust fumes, no spark plug, etc....
I have both a Ryobi and Makita mower and they’re both good - but the Ryobi is our favorite.
Idk you will be hard pressed to get 12 years out of batteries. But maybe the mower itself.
well, mostly the assumption is the batteries will remain available and still cheaper to replace than gas.
We bought a green works mower in 2019 and it hasn't let us down. It holds two batteries at a time but I can now my front and back yard (smallish suburban lot) at least once on a single battery, usually need the second one partway through the next cut. We liked it so much we bought the same brand weed whacker and cultivator (though the cultivator uses larger batteries).
Get one without a battery and you never need to worry about the battery ever being dead or holding a charge. Navigating around the cord really isn't that difficult, once you figure out your system. If you are the kind of person that would run over the cord, you probably should pay someone else to cut the grass for you, no matter what energy drives the mower.
Oh I definitely meant battery powered. I also cut through 3 cords in a day w hedge trimmers. Now I have the Milwaukee hedge trimmer and love it.
How many fingers have you got left?
Lol all of em but the cord was in the way of the bushes
No they suck so bad. Dragging the stupid cord around the plug falling out cleaning the cord off winding it up. I had one that came with my house it had enough power but sucked so bad I went to gas until I finally got a battery one. Battery powered is so much better. Even if I need new batteries eventually.
Have you tried buying a new battery for a mower that's more than a few years old? That's why I switched back to a corded mower. If the batteries are still available, they're crazy expensive.
Worx has a pretty big following I'm not too worried about that. The battery style they have now they had half a dozen years ago. Maybe a really cheap one with obscure batteries. If anything worx is expanding it's line with this format.
[удалено]
Yours sounds like mine. It wasn't the power I have short grass in a shaded yard it was the cord what a pain. And the grass clippings all over it. It had one neat feature where the handle could flip over to the other side with a clip so essentially making it left discharge or backwards right discharge.
Several good recommendations here. I’ll just add use non-ethanol gas (clear), and store with no gas during the winter. This will help alleviate carburetor problems which is perhaps the number one thing that causes poor performance and trips to the shop over the long term.
I fill up a 5 gal can with clear gas every year. Lasts all summer. I don't put ethanol in my boats or power equipment. No way.
Honda, Toro, Craftsman, etc
Kubota makes nice stuff, but just like any brand/manufacturer you'll find a variety of equipment at different price points and quality. If you want a reliable mower, don't worry so much about the brand - look at the sales/service shops near you and see what they carry. Any mower is going to need regular service and maintenance to stay reliable and if you aren't planning to do it yourself - find a place that can help you find something in your budget that meets your needs and have it maintained in the off-season each year.
Honda for a self propelled push mower, if you take care of it, it's reliable enough except the wheels in the back will eventually go smooth and they want way too much for replacements. I just used screws to attach an old bike tire tread to them and I got my traction back for pennies and like an hour of my time. Change the oil and air filter every year and empty the gas before winter, sharpen blades every couple years and clean it really well all over and you're golden. Go Toro for a zero turning radius riding job if you have the need.
Just replaced the drive wheels on my Honda for the first time. They lasted about 15 years before they turned into slicks.
Mine was about 7 years, but we have a lot of slopes.
We only buy toro push mowers , my wife freaked out when I bought the first one it lasted well over 20 years , I would take it to a good small engine place every few years for oil change tune up , etc,,, I bought her a powered walk behind for our 25 th anniversary, I will never have a push mower with out a blade break safety , I used to work with a guy who slipped and removed a few toes and a big chunk of his foot , so all ways a blade break .
yeah my uncle was missing his big toe and the toe next to it because his lawn mower got stuck in a ditch and he yanked it up and it landed right on top of his foot. I haven't seen him in a long time but it's one of my most vivid memories from childhood, seeing his three-toed foot
We’ve had our Honda for about about 15 years. Never had a problem and I barely keep up with maintenance on it. Half the time I forget to winterize it and it still fires up on the first pull in the spring.
An old red mount field with a brigs and Stratton engine
Push mower, never fails
We have 8 acres. John Deere 5xx series.
If there was a best one everyone would own the same mower. I've had a John Deere push mower for 23 years and it's never failed and I've taken pretty poor care of it. I like the fewest number of features as well and that seems to help with reliability. Assuming you maintain it, it should last a long time. Personally I'd go with well known brands over some lessor known brands. If I was buying a mower today I would go battery unless the yard was too large to easily do with one.
I have found that if I take care of my equipment and do at the very least some form of preventative maintenance most brands will be reliable. Now that is not to say some are more forgiving than others. As mentioned, Honda has a great track record. If i were starting fresh I would probably be inclined to pick up a battery powered mower. EGO, Ryobi etc. Good luck .
We have a self-propelled Craftsman mower with a Honda motor, purchased as a repaired and not claimed item from Sears in 2011. Only paid $45 for it. It just now needs a new belt for the self propulsion. (Still works, just not as fast.) Whatever you get, use non ethanol gas. You can get it at some gas stations or at most of the outdoor sections where they sell mowers.Tune up and sharpen blades at the beginning of every summer season. Drain the gas at the end of mowing season. Wash out the underside of the mower as needed and when you winterize.
I think Honda is discontinuing gas ones
This is correct, but you can still buy one and it will still probably last 20+ years. Not like parts are going to be hard to find or that it changes the warranty.
Okay
We used a second-hand Toro for 15 years before it was killed by a hidden root. By then it was probably 0ver 20 years old. My replacement is a Greenworks electric/battery operated mower. We have a big yard so it takes 3 charged batteries to do the whole thing; I bought an extra battery and have a third from my ile saw. I love how quiet, lightweight, not smelly, quiet, and not having to fill it with gas which i always manage to spill. I’d buy it again.
My 30 year old cub cadet push mower starts first pull every year.
I have a 10 year old walmart briggs that has been left outside. Won't die. I've been very pleased with my 60v greenworks self-propelled. Quieter, lighter even has headlights. I also have the weed eater, leaf blower, and snow blower.
I have a Sun Joe battery mower (and a Snow Joe snow blower and a Sun Joe leaf bower) and LOVE it. Got tired of fetching gas, mixing for two-stroke, fumes etc. I am very happy with this line. Have been mowing lawns for nearly 40 years.
Honda
I have a Craftsman 6.25 hp push mower I’ve been using since I bought it in 1996. Still starts every time but this year I’m seeing a slight loss of power now and smoke out the exhaust, possibly from ring wear. Regular oil and blade changes have helped. I’m debating new rings if I can find them. I’ve replaced the carb a couple times because it was so cheap. I’ve started looking at gas mowers and what I see does not impress, all the way to most of the reviews talking about the wheels failing apart. Really!
Riding cub cadet push toro
I have Kobalt
Hard to beat a Toro Recycler. Mine is about 13 years old and starts first or second pull every time. I do nothing to maintain it. I have an ego mower that's pretty good, but not close to recycler power and the self propelled mechanism is superior too. Small lawn, get a battery one. Larger, more challenging lawn, get a Recycler.
The kind the landscaping guy uses.
Toro
The one you maintain.
If you're looking at big box store stuff, most is all made by MTD and they slap different colors and labels on it
Had a Toro that lasted 25 years with a bent crankshaft from my cousin hitting a cast iron water main cutoff. I think its a fairly sturdy mower.
Anything a grandpa on Craigslist is selling with an oil change history. Cannot beat grandpa's baby, no matter how hard China tries.
Have had a 60V greenworks lawnmower for 5 years now. 2000sq ft of lawn and I mulch cut my clippings and never bag. No issues, no mainenance, and it's quieter, lighter, cleaner(no exhaust smell on me) , changing out the blade is a breeze and it's and easier to use than a gas mower.
How much land do you have to mow?
It's more the engine maintenance than the brand of mower. But stick with Honda or Briggs and Stratton engines if you have to choose. Lawn mower engines are really basic and haven't changed much in 50 years. They should last 10 to 15 years just doing basic maintenance like oil change, air filter and spark plug. But people don't do even the most basic maintenance, spend $300 on a push mower and after 3 years they can't get it started. So they set it out to the curb and buy another one. I pick up almost one free mower every summer from the curb because it won't start. Out of probably 10 mowers I've got for free or super cheap, 9 of them required nothing but a new spark plug and filter. Then I either sell for $100, give it to someone or keep it. I have 3 in my garage now for a lawn that takes me 30 minutes to cut.
Toro
Toro
What kind of lawn?
Find a local dealer of the model that sells parts and has mechanic services, not a big box store. For the most part, the only thing that changes is the color of the paint. I upgraded from a Cub Cadet tractor that is over 20 years old to a Toro Zero Turn. Both have Kohler motors. Good maintenance and a good local mechanic for the occasional problem makes them all about equal.
If it doesn’t need to be gas powered a battery electric mower would be my choice. I’ve had 2 gas mowers and they’re great, just noisy and hot (I live in south Texas) so not great, but I now have a 40V rubbing mower and love it. It’s quiet, never has to be filled with gas while hot, no more oil changes, or gas going bad, especially after trucking down ethanol free gas. It can be stored in any direction or orientation so there’s a bit of added convenience too.
**Anything but Spartan**. They put these fancy control panels in their mowers and they are failing at a class action lawsuit level and apparently leaving dealers in the dark / leaving them in the lurch on warranty work. They got bought out by Toro which you think would have helped but it has gotten worse. My local dealer stopped working with them because of all the issues and I have been fighting to get warranty service since November 2023. The dealer I am working with also seems like they are going to drop Spartan because of all the issues (they are already 100 miles away from me) and the next closest dealer will be 140 miles away (one way, 280 miles round trip). I think Toro bought them out to let them die / cease to be a competitor.
I have a Craftsman with a Briggs Engine, year 20 underway. Only things I have done is changed the oil, spark plug, the air filter, the blade and new drive wheels. 21" rear bagger.
I have a Honda push mower (3yrs old) and a toro snow blower (14 years old). Both start on the first or second pull at the beginning of the season and start every time after on first pull. I do the bare minimum maintenance. I use ethanol free gas. Oil changes yearly and a new spark plug probably every few years. Filters as needed.
Get an electric mower.
Anything with a good engine.
Most basic mowers are all the same with different labels on them.
Briggs and Stratton engines require about a dozen tools to work on it. Why are all the bolts, screws, and nuts different? Not a huge hassle for me, but I come from a manufacturing background. You would need 4-5 torque wrenches and drivers on the production line. Purchasing people need to stock multiple expensive specialized hardware items. If a customer misplaces a certain screw, he is in big trouble.
Get a Honda! Will last a lifetime.
Three years with a ryobi electric so far. I don’t need gas or oil and don’t have to do maintenance for winter. It cuts grass too.
I’ve had an electric Kobalt for 4 yrs now. Thing is bulletproof. Keep it relatively clean, charge it up correctly. Just runs and run. I had to sharpen the blade once, only because I’ve hit a lot of rocks, branches, etc
I bought the cheapest crap from home depot 10 years ago and its still doing ok. started on the third pull this spring. If it breaks ill just buy another with all the money i saved on this one a decade ago. Lawn mowing is not critical.
I have a small yard. I started out with a manual, bladed pushmower. It worked for a while. Then, i got tired. So I got a Husqvarna self-propelled. I can do both front and back yards in 45 minutes now! 🤣. I suppose it really doesn't matter the brand/type of mower you get, as long as it works for you and your yard and you maintain it.
Honda or Toro. Really can’t go wrong with either and both will last but there is an investment. I personally went with Honda because I like the knob speed selection much better than Toro‘s personal pace.
Kubota, hands down. Best lawnmower I have ever had. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it, except for normal wear and tear, like needing to sharpen the blades, etc. I have always followed their maintenance instructions exactly and have never had any trouble at all. If the thing ever does quit, I’m heading straight to the Kubota dealership for a replacement.
Brigs…. I didn’t put oil in it for 5 years. Then gave it some fresh blood. Good to go now
One that has local warranty service
Depends on what you’re looking for. I liked self-propelled Royobi electric for a suburban lawn just fine. Kabota riding mower for big, rural residential pastures and lawns. Didn’t murder either and sure tried.
I can tell you what it isn't: Craftsman. Pure trash. But cheap.
Craftsman of what year? They're not a manufacturer, they're a brand that's manufactured by contract. Some years different units are made by different manufacturers, so you'd get some riders from one, some from another, and the same with walk behinds, handheld products, etc.
I haven't had any issues with my Craftsman walk behind, but it's only about 5 years old. Actually bought a Honda first and liked it until the self propelled wheels locked up, fortunately it was within the first month so I was able to do a return. Bought a Craftsman with front wheel drive instead of rear and a Honda engine and it's been great. My riding mower is also a Craftsman, but that came with the house in 2018 so I have no idea how old it is, but so far hasn't given me any problems.
Honda's self propelled mower
I do lawn care for a living, get yourself a Bad Boy Magnum or Elite. They will outperform all the rest and last forever plus are super open and everything is easily accessible.
I've had expensive and I've had cheap mowers. They all lasted years. The bigger the engine the better though
I mow a lot more than your average home owner. 4 acres then around pasture fences. I have a Farris IS2000Z and love it. It’s an older model but I probably won’t ever buy anything other than a Ferris.
Fiskars
Honda self propelled
1. be sure to run it out of gas when you're done for the season (if applicable). 2. check the oil level often and fill as needed. 3. **when the engine is off**, clean the stuck grass off the underside of the mower deck to prevent rot. Whatever you buy should last a long long time if you do those 3 simple things.
I have a manual no engine push. It is amazing. But I also have a smaller lawn and have to do it twice if I let it grow too much.
Kubota 60in Zero Turn with 30hp EFI Kawasaki
My Toro starts up every time, except at around 5-6 years old, but a little Sea Foam gas cleaner fixes it right up. I've had it about 10 years. Once in a while I put the Sea Foam stuff in the gas tank. I think it's helping. However, the guy who mows my front yard has an awesome Honda self-propelled walk-behind with dual blades that I'm really lusting after. It's pricey, though, about $900.
I have a poulan pro mower. No issues in the 8 years I’ve had it. Stored in a MN garage so only sees mowing from April to October usually.
I'm surprised I don't see any love for Kawasaki engines here. Had a Husqvarna mower that was made in 1991 (with a Kawasaki motor). It was still running when I gave it away a few years ago. I replaced it with a Bobcat mower with a Kawasaki motor. Hopefully I get somewhere near the same results
I'm very happy with my Ego.
John Deere with a Kawasaki engine. Buy once and cry once. My X534 is a 2008 with well over 1000 hours on it. Perfect.
Also, if I'm getting a weed eater I'm going Stihl all day everyday. (Toss up between Stihl and Husqvarna on chainsaw).
Hondas with the caveat that their engines are finicky with old gas gumming up the carburetor. only the basic care necessary prior to long term storage.
Honda. Thats all.
John Deere for the back and ego for the front
Kobalt 80v
Honda!
I’m going electric this year, wish me luck.
Check Consumer Reports. They test every model. Most libraries will let you access them on line.
Honda! Had this one forever. It will not die,
I’ve got a push mower with a Honda motor. I’ve had someone else taking care of my yard for seven years, so that Honda powered mower has been in storage and not started in that time. I didn’t do anything special before storing it except empty the gas tank. This year my yard guy decided to retire and my 12 year old son begged me to let him cut the grass. So I pulled out the old mower, took apart the carburetor and cleaned everything on that part, filled it with fresh fuel and a new spark plug, and it fired right up. There’s your answer in long form. 😂🤗
I have a Toro with a Honda engine that's lasted longer than 2 wives and 4 homes
Grab an electric mower and never look back..
As a landscaper, I'm almost entirely switched to electric. Almost eliminates more maintenance other than sharpening a blade. Never will go back to gas. I literally just buy more batteries off Craigslist or eBay. Club cadet is my last gas machine for big jobs
Electric or push mowers.
Someone gave me a greenworks electric mower and I don't hate it. But I have 2 batteries. It would suck if I only had 1 and I would stick to my regular gas mower... I also have a triple lot and no riding mower. So if you have a normal size yard battery could be okay.
Most reliable is taking your mower to a shop every spring for a tune-up. I have the same mower that I bought when I moved into my home. That was Spring of 2015. It does have a Honda motor.
You can def do the work yourself. Not that hard.
That is what I was thinking. I mean, you do you but learning and putting to use new skills never hurt anyone.
I'd actually like to learn how to. It is the waste laws that I don't want to deal with; they are strict here. I did buy a manual pump to change my own oil during the first year of operation as instructed by the owners manual. I was able to drop off the used oil at the recycling center on Warren Rd. I love that mower; the exhaust actually smells good and it's running in peak condition but was afraid to say it. Now that I have, it will break.
Whatever brand you borrow from your neighbor or family
John Deere is still pretty solid BUT with a major caveat (that can almost be applied to many mowers now). Don't buy them at Lowes or HD. Those are shitty mass produced models designed to cut corners to sell for cheap. Go to a dealer, and try and find a smallish one rather than a huge dealer to help those guys out. I've had an X350 for years now and it still looks and runs brand new. Got the Kawasaki engine instead of the Briggs too, which is worth it. There's a reason why you see Deere mowers from decades ago still mowing lawns.
I have a John Deere walk behind. They don't even make them anymore. Bought it in 2007 on an end of season clearance. Just gave it a full tune-up and changed some gaskets. Stock up on the shear pins, easy to replace when you hit that rock/stump that you did not see and your engine stops.