Decent lower-end lawn mowers?

[ryanbatc]

Hi, my wife and I bought a home, closing on the 18th of June

This will be our first home ever, a little scary, but exciting.

As with owning a new home, there comes more responsibilities. I looked into lawn mowers a little bit, but not sure which one to get. We'd like to stay under 200 bucks. We want a powered one, but it doesnt have to be self-propelled. Our yard is very small - hehe, the driveway takes up a lot of the yard. (sometime we'll need a snowblower too lol)

anyway, just wondering if any of you guys know of any decent lawn mowers.
Heres a pic of our house!

Thanks!

[Thrashdragon]

Based on personal experience, I would avoid anything with a Briggs & Stratton engine.

If you don't go powered, the new push reel mowers are actually pretty nice, cheap ($100 or less...and no gas!) and easy to use, although their effectiveness really depends on the type of grass you have.

[BuzzSaw55]

Sears has a excellent line of good cheap lawn mowers Ive had one trouble free for 5 years now was 206 dollars new for a 6 horse power rear bagger.

Joe

[Apache Warrior]

My Briggs and Stratton has been going strong for 17 years. Changing the oil, fuel filter, air filter and spark plug every spring is crucial. Also make sure you check and sharpen your blades whenever they get dull.
Apache

[-Bar]

Wal-Mart Special push-mower.... Runs for 7 years without changing the oil in it

Made a pretty bang when it went up in flames last summer. Imagen if you did change the oil unlike me... prolly would last for ever miss the old push mower......... It died an honorable death, one that many don't get to have.

Got Briggs and Stratton now... I also change the oil now. lol


Avoid Toro's... Had to mow my grandfathers lawn as a kid.... That toro was the biggest piece of crap I ever touched.
I saw that Lowes had some nice ones on sale the other day.... That time of year again.

[Thrashdragon]

My Briggs and Stratton has been going strong for 17 years. Changing the oil, fuel filter, air filter and spark plug every spring is crucial. Also make sure you check and sharpen your blades whenever they get dull.
Apache

17 years ago they were a completely different company and known for the quality of their products. If you can find one that old then go for it.

Now they make crappy engines for Walmart mowers.

[The_Needle]

I'm also all about the $99 special from wal-mart. Mine's run for six years now and I haven't so much as sharpend a blade. It cuts grass, small shrubbery, rocks and any dogs that aren't fast enough to move quite well.

[DennisM7]

I have a Troy built with a briggs motor and it runs great

[WalkinTarget]

I just picked up a Black & Decker 18v cordless lawn care package today. I have gotten so tired of the gas/oil mix and straining my arm/back to start the current one that it ticked me off to the ponnt that I went fuel free.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-C.../dp/B00023RSUA

As you might expect, this hardware is NOT for a large yard or built solid. Its cheaply made, it will only last for 20 minutes on a charge, but .. my yard is a self sustaining thing of beauty with very little effort on my part, so this fit what I was looking for perfectly.

What I AM worried about is whether I have to submit my Man Card for buying these McYard tools. I could record my old weed whacker and play that on my MP3 player as I use these new silent tools at least.

[juneau]

I use this.


Flymo Product Information

Does the job nicely.

[Shazbot]

I use this.


Flymo Product Information

Does the job nicely.

That looks like some sort of alien egg layer...

[juneau]

Thankfully it doesn't do that.

[BlackArrow]

Ryan congrats on the new home and best of luck with it.

Get ready for endless trips to Lowes and Home Depot

[Shazbot]

I have a Murray I purchased in 1999. It's been running strong for the last decade. It has a 12.5 HP B&S 1cyl. 4-stroke. I think I paid $999 for it on sale at the Home Depot. It has either a 42" or 46" deck (can't recall) with double blades, six speed tranny, 6 deck heights, heads lamps, electric start and a cup holder. It makes mowing my 1 acre lawn a peice of cake. I just need to rig some sort of canopy to keep the sun off me.

[ryanbatc]

Thank for your replies,

Regarding the non-powered mowers, anyone have a link? I have this vague memory of my grandma's push mower (no power) and it was heavy, and horrible, and didn't cut well. That's the only picture I have of one. Are the new ones better or lighter etc?

The powered ones I saw at Sears, for like 170-200, I think they had that brigs and stratton (sp?) engine, and they were Craftsman. I wonder if they have a lifetime warranty like the tools???

So, there are many replies, some say no B+S (lol), no Toro, go for walmart special, Sears mowers, or get Juneau's alien egg layer hehe