So help me out here. I have no clue what is good, what isn't. I need some reccomendations, stat.

While mowing yesterday the fucking wheel fell off. I thought for a second, "no big deal, I just need to replace that wheel or reattach it." Negative, ghost rider. The axle broke...snapped like a twig. Kind of a blessing really. ThIng was a POS hand-me-down that I've secretly longed to replace for a while.

To you I turn, oh wise Obner.

Keeps grass real short; provides plenty of wool for knitting or sell for extra dough; vagina very similar to a woman's, though maybe a bit rubbery.

i'm actually going to get one this weekend. i'm done with my POS electric. fuck that cord. going to get a real lawnmower...probably a honda.

just go talk to some folks at home depot or something....

This is timely, I've just returned from outside where I couldn't start my lawnmower. My lawnmower is 10 years old, so maybe it is time for a new one. It just wouldn't turn over, kept sounding like it would so I checked the spark plug and all that and nothing...bleh.

Until this afternoon, I loved, loved loved my Briggs & Stratton mower I bought from a Sam's Club or one of those giant warehouse stores.

You want a push or ride, bagger or recycler and what's the budget?

I guess I'm an expert on the subject (I own quite a few mowers) but I'll likely steer you into a $$$ bracket that makes you uncomfortable.

what's your rec for a push + bagger around $300?

I'm not up on model #'s but I consider Toro's to be the best push mowers.

My commercial recycle/bagger set me back about 800 bucks though.

I do have an excellent Craftsman (I consider it a "garbage" mower since it gets most of its work in ditches, gullies and backlots) but to be honest, the thing is a beast and I believe I picked it up for about 300.

Lemme look around.

And this Craftsman is actually really similiar to the one I have. I'd give it a pretty strong recomendation. I've had very little engine trouble and the bastard cranks really easily.

ok the Toro link im trying here isnt working but at 400 bucks it may be out of y'alls range anywat

Lawn-Boy Insight Rear Wheel Drive Walk Power Mower, with Sens-a-Speed Self-Propel system, 3-N-1
Model 10685
Price: $379.00/ea

yeah, i was gonna say the home depot link no worky. what is the $400 getting you? is it one of them self-propelled dealio's?

hmmm, i'll check out that craftsmen...i don't have a huge yard or anything...so it seems like it'd fit the bill. thanks yail.

i had a friend recommend honda's. any thoughts on those?

honda's are traditonally pretty reliable engine wise so you may wanna compare a model or two. and all of these are self propelled boyo, nobody pushes a mower anymore.

I think as far as consumer shit goes though, the Craftsman's are pretty great. The two we have have been fine though they are kind of embarrasing when you have some of the other gear we have.

edit: that Craftsman is a Briggs and Staraton engine so no concerns there either.

Well, he have definitely offset the ladies' shoe thread. Good work, dudes.

Hey, I'm a lady (well more in the Eliza Doolittle sense) and I chimed in on this thread...I'm all about mowing the lawn...it is the only Zen thing I've got going in my life (since I can't afford new shoes).

i love my Toro.

http://www.toro.com/home/mowers/recycler/20017.html

talk to me about what a "recycler" is. is that just talking about how the grass won't be bagged, but spread around the yard instead? if so, i think it's way to hot and dry here for that...i think we have to bag our clippings....

It basically mulches up the clippings to where they are fine enough it's not a problem. If you mow regularly it's not a big deal, but if you let the grass get on the long side it can be a pain cause you'll end up raking up some of the stuff that was too clumpy(?make sense?).

EDIT: Same goes if you mow when it's wet. Still beats messing with a bag in my opinion though.

i need to mow. i have some briggs and stratton POS from home depot that i almost destroyed last year by putting way too much oil in it. if you do this - and you would not be as dumb as me - change the air filter and it will run again.

<== buys the least expensive mover at Home Depot every three years. Works out to about $40 per year.

If I end up a homeowner (and thus a grownup, whole 'nother set of issues), I want a reel mower. And a small yard, obviously, as that means doing all the work myself, in a physics sense.

No shit. Electric mowers suck. I was given one and it lasted for years, despite my leaving it out in the rain every damn chance I got. The redneck neighbors would give me weird looks whenever I was cutting the grass, and more than once I ran over the damn cord, though never completely severed it. Why do they make outdoor power cords green?!?

Finally, it died, and my conscience was free to buy the gas-guzzling 2-stroke I'd always dreamed about.

Here's a free one.

Man, I'd stay away from LawnBoys. I have a horror story from when I was a youth trying to make some cash with a brand-new pos LawnBoy.

And by the way, lawns are the stupidest thing ever. What an incredible waste of water.

Here in AZ I have to bag the clippings. If I just let it all go all over the yard, it just dries up and turns yellow, looks nasty.

I have an electric and like it - no gas to mess with, no engine to worry about keeping up, etc. It is corded, however, and that sucks. If you want electric, spend the extra and get one of the battery-powered ones. It might be annoying to charge, but the cord really makes mowing irritating.

What's the catch? We need a new lawn mower, and I'd love a free one, but I'm wary about this freebie deal.