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Keeping your garden and lawn looking good is something that requires work on a regular basis and so you want to ensure you have the right tools for the job. As well as having the tools for the task you will also want to try and ensure that your chosen tools also make the tasks as easy as possible, expending you less time and energy.
Honda HRR216K9VKA
Troy-Bilt TB330
Lawn-Boy 17732
A good lawn mower is therefore an importanttool needed by anyone with a lawn and whilst sit-on mowers may be out of manypeople’s budgets, most people’s lawns are not large enough to warrant using oneanyway. That leaves one of the easiest options to be a powered walk behindmower but which to choose as there are now so many available and the optionscome in both electric or gas.
The choice of electric or gas will very much depend on the size and type of lawn you have but perhaps most importantly it is a choice of personal preference but you should consider several factors before deciding.
If you decide on a self-propelled gas mower, here are 5 which are considered among the best
1. The Ergonomic Troy-Bilt TB330
Designed with an ergonomic handle for more comfortable use, this mower also increases its ease of use by using just one lever to adjust its variable four speed settings, making the mower both comfortable and controllable.
With a 163cc Briggs & Stratton Engine providing rearwheel drive for this self-propelled mower it is powerful enough to offer 3types of disposal for cuttings, bag, mulch or side ejection. By usingReadyStart technology, starting the engine with just one pull can be expected.
This mower’s 8” wheels help to ensure good maneuverability even on uneven lawns and make steering and control easer. The combination of the mower’s sharp blades not only ensures a clean cut lawn but also finely mulched cuttings. Not only does this mower making mowing the lawn easy but due to its integrated deck wash, it also makes the cleaning up after easier too.
As well as having 4 different speed settings this mower also has 6 different cut height settings making it versatile and compatible for most lawns. Whilst 4 speed settings may seem excessive, considering the first 2 do little more than run the motor and require the mower to be pushed, the number of settings is adequate without being excessive.
- Engine: Briggs & Stratton , 163cc
- Cutting width: 21″
- Height of Cut: 1.25″ -3.75″
- Weight: 84 lb
- Variable cut and speed settings
- Easy start
- 3 disposal settings
- Integrated wash
- Speed setting lever can give trouble
2. Reliable Honda HRR216K9VKA
To allow for easy maneuverability around obstacles this mower has 2 speed settings and for a reliable, easy start, has an auto choke system. For safety Honda have added an auto shut off meaning that if the flywheel lever is released, the motor will stop.
6 different cut settings allow for a lawn to be cut to owner’s discretion and not the machines and its 3 disposal options also allow the owner to dispose of the cuttings in their chosen fashion, mulch, bagged or discharged across the lawn. However, as the discharge is located to the rear of the machine, if this option is chosen the owner can expect cuttings to cover their shoes.
- Engine: Honda GCV160 , 160 cc
- Cutting width: 21″
- Height of Cut: 1.25″ – 4″
- Weight: 83 lb
- Reliable
- Easy start
- Variable cutting heights
- Dual speed
- Rear discharg
3. Comfortable Lawn-Boy 17732
Mowing the lawn can be a bind at any time but at least the this self-propelled mower has speed control at your fingertips, under the handle, so as to make the chore as comfortable and easyas possible. The Kohler 149cc engine for power and the better traction offered by the rear wheel drive system adds to that ease and comfort.
As with many similar mowers, this mower offers 3 choices fordisposal of cuttings, mulch, bag or discharge and with a double height settingfor the deck, a choice of cutting heights is offered. To avoid frequentemptying, the cuttings bag is large and so therefore offers furtherconvenience.
The height of cut adjustment is determined on the setting of the front wheels but unfortunately some people have found that as this housing is only made of plastic, it can often break or give trouble sooner than expected considering the quality of the mower otherwise.
- Engine: Kohler , 149 cc
- Cutting width: 21″
- Height of Cut: 1.2 – 3.7″
- Weight: 66 lb
- Adjustable handle adds comfort
- Conveniently placed speed control
- 3 disposal options
- Good traction
- Poor quality front wheel adjustment
4. Powerful Husqvarna HU700H
The Honda gcv160 160cc 4-cycle OHV engine provides more power than most mower owners will need but is good to know it is “under the hood” if needed. With the engine providing enough power for moving and mowing forward, actual mowing presents no problem but as many owners have stated it can give problems when pulling back, it may not be as maneuverable as many other mowers. It does though have 8” and 11” wheels so it is maneuverable in all types of grass.
This mower is easy to assemble with only the handle needingto be put and secured in place before it is ready to use. It has 3 options forgrass disposal, mulch, bagged or discharged and with a side discharge there isless chance of the user’s shoes becoming covered in cuttings.
The adjustable handle allows for 3 different settings making it easier for any family member to use, especially as there is just one lever for adjusting cut height.
- Engine: Honda , 160 cc
- Cutting width: 22″
- Height of Cut: 1.38″ – 3.75″
- Weight: 91 lb
- Powerful engine
- 3 disposal options
- Adjustable handle
- Side discharge
- Awkward to reverse
5. Maneuverable Craftsman M310
The two different sized wheels, 2 x 8” front and 2 x 11” back, make this mower easily maneuverable and therefore suitable for most lawns. The 163cc Briggs and Stratton 4 stroke engine also helps to make mowing easy and maintenance minimal.
The mower affords 3 different types of disposal for cutting,mulch, discharge or bagging. The bags for cuttings may be smaller than on mostother mowers but many owners have said they prefer the ability to remove andempty the bag with just one hand and so is perhaps a pro as opposed to a con.
Craftsman are generally known for quality products but in this instance many of the owners comments and reviews show disappointment in the quality of materials used in this mower which has often resulted in repairs of some kind being needed to the body although the engine seems more robust.
As well as having six different cutting heights, this moweralso has two adjustable heights for its deck, reducing potential for problemsdue to lack of blade clearance.
- Engine: Briggs and Stratton, 163cc
- Cutting width: 21″
- Height of Cut: 1.25″ – 3.75″
- Weight: 103 lb
- 4 stroke engine
- Maneuverability
- Easy bag removal
- Adjustable deck height
- Inferior materials and workmanship
The Future for Powered Mowers
Currently the most popular choices for walk behind mowers are gas powered due to them not needing clumsy and long extension cords or batteries which frequently need replacing or recharging however, solar powered mowers are likely to soon appear.
Soon solar powered mowers are likely to become even more popular than even gas mowers as not only will they not require long extension cables or regularly changed batteries but neither will they need the gas or maintenance gas powered mowers need.
Conclusion
Care should be taken when choosing a lawn mower, not just toensure that you buy what best suits your needs but also because of thecompetiveness in the industry, cheap mowers are often available which eventhough given their low price, are not worth the money. Obviously cheaper pricesare competitive but although the well-known brands achieve this with improvedtechnology, some less known brands achieve cheaper pricing by using cheapermaterials and cheap labour, resulting in inferior products which do not last.
Certainly buy a mower which best suits your needs but also read reviews for the product before you buy to see how previous buyers have said about the product’s quality and longevity. Not always are the most expensive mowers the best but also neither do the cheapest mowers always offer the biggest savings over time.