🧑‍🤝‍🧑 / 🏡 Is it a sign of getting old when you get excited about a lawn mower purchase?

[TerryP]

It drags me at a brisk walk.

 

[sean]

at least you didn't buy a troy-bilt

 

[planomateo]

One thing I really like about that, there are 2 levers for raising/lowering the mowing height vs 4.

 

[TerryP]

One thing I really like about that, there are 2 levers for raising/lowering the mowing height vs 4.

7 positions from 1" to 4".

\

 

[planomateo]

Also appears the knobs, oil fill plug, and gas cap are larger than normal.

 

[TerryP]

at least you didn't buy a troy-bilt

Troy-Bilt does have some with a Honda engine. That's my starting point; Honda.

This makes the third Honda mower I've purchased since August of 1992. Think about that...the first two last right at 28 years. My old one still runs. It's just down to the point of things beginning to fall apart (JB Weld on a hole in the deck, a new recoil, etc.)

I came pretty close to buying the one with the patented deck (molded hard plastic, not steel) but couldn't talk myself into the $800 number.

 

[TerryP]

Also appears the knobs, oil fill plug, and gas cap are larger than normal.

Pretty standard on a Honda for the last 15 years or so....knobs for wheel adjustments are larger on this model.

The green lever on the side changes the blade system ... mulch to bag. That's a newer design.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Time for me to get one soon. My last one was bought cheap for the small yard we had at that house. Now we have a corner lot and it just ain't cutting it anymore (pun intended). Seriously thinking about a battery powered one though. Any thoughts?

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Very nice, Terry. I go cheap on lawn mowers, just a push mower in GA and another push mower and a used Cub Cadet for the lake. I do enjoy how much ground I can cover in the Cub Cadet.

 

[planomateo]

Time for me to get one soon. My last one was bought cheap for the small yard we had at that house. Now we have a corner lot and it just ain't cutting it anymore (pun intended). Seriously thinking about a battery powered one though. Any thoughts?

I'm a Milwaukee guy, would absolutely love for them to come out with an M18 setup.

 

[sean]

question...is the one with the plastic deck or steel?

both honda and troy-bilt make a model with a plastic deck (can't remember what they actually call the material, but it's essentially plastic). we well them where i work. they may be durable, but i'm not too sure i want a mower with a plastic deck. sure steel can rust, but if you take care of it, like i have my toro, it'll last you a good while; like my toro has for over 15 years (still starts on the 1st pull and has no rust).

of course they're making riding mowers with plastic engine housings, as well. both troy-bilt and cub cadet make some like that. again, not a fan.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I'm a Milwaukee guy, would absolutely love for them to come out with an M18 setup.

They have almost everything except a mower in M18. Do you have any M12 tools? I've researched and I really want the ratchet. This is about the best deal I've seen, going to get it today. My porter cable drills still work well, but the ratchet makes this a good deal. Cheapest I've seen on the ratchet w/o battery is $130 alone.

Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12V Li-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit (2-Tool)w/ M12 3/8 in. Ratchet 2598-22-2457-20

The 2598-22 M12 FUEL 2-Tool Combo Kit is the Most Capable and Most Compact 12-Volt Hammer Drill Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit on the market. Included is the M12 FUEL Hammer Drill Driver (2504-20),

www.homedepot.com

RTR,

Tim

 

[planomateo]

They have almost everything except a mower in M18. Do you have any M12 tools? I've researched and I really want the ratchet. This is about the best deal I've seen, going to get it today. My porter cable drills still work well, but the ratchet makes this a good deal. Cheapest I've seen on the ratchet w/o battery is $130 alone.

Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12V Li-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit (2-Tool)w/ M12 3/8 in. Ratchet 2598-22-2457-20

The 2598-22 M12 FUEL 2-Tool Combo Kit is the Most Capable and Most Compact 12-Volt Hammer Drill Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit on the market. Included is the M12 FUEL Hammer Drill Driver (2504-20),

www.homedepot.com

RTR,

Tim

I have an m12 grease gun, some flashlights, and a screwdriver. I also have the ratchet on my list. Will come in very handy as I work on all my cars.

Regularly check on Home Depots Deal of the Day. Every week or two they have Milwaukee deals.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I have an m12 grease gun, some flashlights, and a screwdriver. I also have the ratchet on my list. Will come in very handy as I work on all my cars.

Regularly check on Home Depots Deal of the Day. Every week or two they have Milwaukee deals.

Yeah, a mechanic put me on to the ratchet.

 

[TerryP]

Seriously thinking about a battery powered one though. Any thoughts?

I looked at the Ryobi model briefly and have pretty much moved to battery powered tools. With Ryobi's string trimmer...the electric model is so much more powerful than the battery model ... made me shy away from a mower version. One of the houses is a little over a half of an acre and it's thick Centipede. It's a casual stroll behind the Honda's (though more suited for a riding mower, but that's just not really practical for what was needed.)

 

[TerryP]

they may be durable, but i'm not too sure i want a mower with a plastic deck. sure steel can rust,

The first one I had came with their synthetic deck. NeXite, something like that. There is no may be about its durability. The reason I had to buy the second mower was the first one fell apart. Wheels fell off of it. Still ran well...one pull crack. The second had a steel deck. Last week I put a little JBWeld on two holes...would have last another few years.

This one is not the synthetic deck. That mower was $709. There's another difference ... steel comes with their 170 engine, the other 201...30cc difference but only one ft/lb's difference in torque.

 

[TerryP]

Very nice, Terry. I go cheap on lawn mowers, just a push mower in GA and another push mower and a used Cub Cadet for the lake. I do enjoy how much ground I can cover in the Cub Cadet.

I can't. I've seen too many go that 150 dollar route, two years later there doing it again, and in a few years ...

I got lucky on the first one. I'd found it for $700+ but also found a company in Myrtle Beach that was going out of business. He had the same model for $400. The guy locally matched the price.

Then went with the steel deck as you've read...still, bills for something that'll last 10 or more years? That one pull and it's cranked ... can't beat it.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

I looked at the Ryobi model briefly and have pretty much moved to battery powered tools. With Ryobi's string trimmer...the electric model is so much more powerful than the battery model ... made me shy away from a mower version. One of the houses is a little over a half of an acre and it's thick Centipede. It's a casual stroll behind the Honda's (though more suited for a riding mower, but that's just not really practical for what was needed.)

Ryobi is the way I have gone also with most things, but I was thinking more about one of the other companies. One thing I don't need is self-propelled.

 

[bamachine]

I got emotional over a mower when I was like 13. I went from having to do the grass with an old style push reel manual mower to a riding mower, when dad brought home a John Deere mower. I rarely got to mow after that. Do not get me wrong, he was far from lazy. That is not what spurred the change. He just liked being on a tractor and this was like being on a mini-tractor for him. So he would spend his weekends on the mower or on the 1010 tractor, moving dirt or bushhogging the pasture.

 

[TerryP]

Ryobi is the way I have gone also with most things, but I was thinking more about one of the other companies. One thing I don't need is self-propelled.

@planomateo point to Milwaukee earlier and like you, I"ve been into Ryobi for awhile now. A lot of those tools are seeing their last days...getting worn out:

I believe it was Home Depot, may have been Lowe's, where I saw a line I wasn't familiar with...can't recall the name without looking it up, but their guarantee is what caught my eye. As it read there was a lifetime guarantee on their batteries...