Good walk behind mower

[Deleted member 367166]

I'm looking for a good walk behind mower to cut about 1/4 acre. What's the best brand out there?

 

[ArlyA]

I'd say a Orec built machine.

 

[Richard001]

The "best" one is the one that works for you. Are you looking at battery powered or gas powered ?

Richard

 

[scootr]

I've had a troy-built walk behind mower for years without any trouble.

 

[MossRoad]

I just obtained my late father in-law's Toro personal pace mower. He used it for probably 10 years. Mowed 1/3 acre every other day until he was 90-91 years old. I mowed it once in a while when he wasn't feeling well. Then they got a lawn service and he passed away about 2.5 years ago. So it sat in their shed unused for 4.5 years. I ran it out of gas when I put it in his shed and that's all I did to it.

I brought it home last weekend, checked the oil, put gas in it, and honest to goodness it started on the 1st pull.

I really like the personal pace feature. It self-adjusts instantly to your walking speed. You just hold the engine kill bar down, rest your hands on the handle and start walking. It takes off on its own. Slow, fast, doesn't matter. You feel nearly no resistance. It's like going for a walk.

 

[groundcover]

Have had several Snapper mowers , been great machines but like everything these days they are getting Pricey.

 

[Jrasband]

BCS

 

[SARG]

Just gonna mention.
I have eight walk behind mowers of various brands we've accumulated over the years. Two decades ago you could buy a push mower for under a hundred dollars ..... Now they are several hundred.
A couple years ago I bought the "new to the market" Yardmax 20".
You know ...... the Chinese specials with the motor that has the carb with all the plastic components. I bought it because it was on sale just for giggles.
Well ...... Turns out the machine has been remarkably durable for mowing the ditches & the heavy weeds. It will not stall like many of the others.
I've been very surprised and would buy another if I saw another "sale".

 

[CH4Ohio]

There's no such thing as a good walk-behind mower . . .

 

[ArlyA]

For doing 1/4 an acre, I was thinking a wider than normal mower.

 

[Jrasband]

There's no such thing as a good walk-behind mower . . .

WRONG.

BCS is a excellent walk behind mower.

 

[SARG]

There's no such thing as a good walk-behind mower . . .

They're handy for "trimming" when you combine them with a ZTR & four Garden tractors.

 

[Deleted member 367166]

We actually have 3 acres of "yard" to mow. I was using a John Deere 375 z-turn but I've had so much trouble with it I've just been using my bush hog. There's about 1/4 acre that I need a smaller mower to trim with, so that's why I wanted a walk mower.
Skag is making a 21 inch now, but they want $1700. I wouldn't mind if it would hold up.

BTW, anybody want to buy a z-turn?

 

[scootr]

I went to Lowes and dropped 250$ on a self propelled 21" bag mower for our front yard. It has lasted nearly 10 yrs and we mow all year long.
Still starts on the first pull every time.
I would buy another if this quits.

 

[Deleted member 367166]

I went to Lowes and dropped 250$ on a self propelled 21" bag mower for our front yard. It has lasted nearly 10 yrs and we mow all year long.
Still starts on the first pull every time.
I would buy another if this quits.

What brand?
I would buy a mower from a dealer, not a hardware store. If you have warranty/service issues, the dealer will help you out, but the hardware store will tell you to take a hike.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I have had good luck with the big box store mowers. Last time I got something like a troybilt with a honda motor. I couldn't wear it out. I like the big back wheels, not sure if it makes a difference but I've always gotten them. I would not personally spend the money on a "commercial" 21" mower.

 

[2manyrocks]

They don't seem to put much effort into making walk behind mowers these days. They all look like a basic mower deck and an engine.

Years ago, some models had cast magnesium alloy decks, variable speed control, swivel front wheels. The cast alloy decks made them much lighter and less tiring to use. Swivel front wheels are the one feature I miss the most.

Even finding a mower with a cutting deck wider than 21" isn't that easy. Toro makes one as mentioned by Moss Road. Cub Cadet makes this one. Cub Cadet CC 800 Wide Area Mower | Cub Cadet US

But if it were me, I'd be looking at either repairing the JD ZTR or buying a new ZTR and not doing any mowing at all with a walk behind.

 

[Gator6x4]

What brand?
I would buy a mower from a dealer, not a hardware store. If you have warranty/service issues, the dealer will help you out, but the hardware store will tell you to take a hike.

Unless you buy from a large devoted dealer repairs will be done at a Independent mower sales and repair facility or a stand alone repair facility. Hardware stores I am familiar with that sell mowers have a service facility they partner with for warranty repairs and other repairs.

I have a old Lawn Boy (70's) that got hard to start years ago I went to an independent repair facility looking for rings for it. The gentlemen said the Jug was probably worn carried me out back were he scratched around in a pile of junk retrieved a old Jug assembly carried it inside threw it in a glass beading machine and handed me what looked like a new one, checked the inside with a mike, took a porcupine bore cleaner made a couple of passes and sold me a set of rings and explained to me how to make a Red Neck Ring Compressor by taking a flexible plastic strip and a plastic tie rap to compress the rings. I walked out the door for if memory serves for less than $15.00 and the old mower still runs today. So don't sell the independent facilities short.

 

[two_bit_score]

I'm looking for a good walk behind mower to cut about 1/4 acre. What's the best brand out there?

I have a Honda Self propelled side discharge with a mulcher set up that I like.
Also a generic Walmart cheapie with a B&S engine that is light and easy. It’s ok.
Also a Kobalt battery self propelled. I like it.

If you are doing a big area you might want to look into the Grasshopper stand on mowers.

Stand-On Stand-On Series | Grasshopper Mower

Stand-On Stand-On Series

www.grasshoppermower.com

I was quoted $10,500 on one recently and you may be able to do better if you are in an area with several dealers.

 

[tshep]

We got a Costco battery mower, made a set (blower, trimmer) with 3 big batteries and 2 'half size'. After a vacation, cut the whole yard with just over 1 battery. (They have really improved from the '90s.)