May 2008
Best yard gear: Lawn mower review
Even if mowing isn't your idea of a relaxing afternoon, take heart: Some of the latest mowers cut time and effort as well
as the grass without breaking the bank.
Among mowers, you can spend $700 or $800 and get a top-scoring Honda. Or you can pay as little as $350 for a Toro that cuts nearly as well and has a rear bag that drops into place without the usual fuss. Toros and some Craftsman models include fittings that let you hose off the deck's underside from above.
Sales of greener mowers are also growing as manufacturers push more powerful cordless electrics and new versions of the age-old manual reel mower. You might even see more robotic mowers that buzz along on their own. But months of testing revealed that some of those new and old designs don't cut it. Indeed, the LawnBott LB3200 Evolution, $2,500, robotic mower proved risky enough for us to judge it Not Acceptable.
Here are the details of our latest testing:
Some "premium" mowers aren't. More walk-behind mowers are switching to more-efficient, overhead-valve engines to meet tougher emissions standards. Sears' $500 Craftsman Professional 88921 goes a step further with a commercial-grade Kawasaki engine that boasts heavier-duty parts. But this pricey pro delivered so-so mulching and left clumps of clippings in the side-discharge mode. The $430 self-propelled Ariens BR21SP and $220 White Outdoor 11A-54K1090 push mower include premium overhead-valve engines made in China. Yet neither mower delivered impressive mowing.
When more volts equal less. The $400 Craftsman 37048 cordless mower packs 48 volts instead of the usual 24, while the $450 Remington MPS6017A touts a sizzling 60 volts. Yet the top-scoring Black & Decker electric outcut both models, despite its humble 24 volts.
Where bigger isn't better. You might be tempted by Ariens' 34-inch-wide Zoom zero-turn-radius mower for tighter spaces. But unimpressive mowing and a jerky drive system at all but the fastest speeds zoomed it to the bottom of its category.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Even if you don't plan on shopping for a mower, you could be if you own an older model and it breaks. The latest data from the Consumer Reports National Research Center show that push mowers usually aren't worth fixing after four years and self-propelled mowers after six years.
Refer to our Ratings of push and self-propelled mowers. Here are some shopping tips:
Match the mower to your lawn. A push mower is fine for small lawns, but you'll probably prefer a rear-drive, self-propelled model for slopes.
Think twice about zero-turn mowers. They're difficult to steer and can lose traction on slopes, and tend to tear up grass during U-turns. Consider a tight-turning tractor for lots of obstacles.
Don't buy by the numbers. More gas-mower makers are switching from horsepower figures to engine cubic centimeters, or ccs. But as with higher volts, a bigger engine isn't necessarily better.
Play it safe. Wear long pants, boots, goggles, and hearing protection. Some respondents to our recent lawn survey drank and listened to music as they mowed. We suggest you save both for after you're done. See more results from our survey in Americans & Lawn Care.
Among mowers, you can spend $700 or $800 and get a top-scoring Honda. Or you can pay as little as $350 for a Toro that cuts nearly as well and has a rear bag that drops into place without the usual fuss. Toros and some Craftsman models include fittings that let you hose off the deck's underside from above.
Sales of greener mowers are also growing as manufacturers push more powerful cordless electrics and new versions of the age-old manual reel mower. You might even see more robotic mowers that buzz along on their own. But months of testing revealed that some of those new and old designs don't cut it. Indeed, the LawnBott LB3200 Evolution, $2,500, robotic mower proved risky enough for us to judge it Not Acceptable.
Here are the details of our latest testing:
Some "premium" mowers aren't. More walk-behind mowers are switching to more-efficient, overhead-valve engines to meet tougher emissions standards. Sears' $500 Craftsman Professional 88921 goes a step further with a commercial-grade Kawasaki engine that boasts heavier-duty parts. But this pricey pro delivered so-so mulching and left clumps of clippings in the side-discharge mode. The $430 self-propelled Ariens BR21SP and $220 White Outdoor 11A-54K1090 push mower include premium overhead-valve engines made in China. Yet neither mower delivered impressive mowing.
When more volts equal less. The $400 Craftsman 37048 cordless mower packs 48 volts instead of the usual 24, while the $450 Remington MPS6017A touts a sizzling 60 volts. Yet the top-scoring Black & Decker electric outcut both models, despite its humble 24 volts.
Where bigger isn't better. You might be tempted by Ariens' 34-inch-wide Zoom zero-turn-radius mower for tighter spaces. But unimpressive mowing and a jerky drive system at all but the fastest speeds zoomed it to the bottom of its category.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Even if you don't plan on shopping for a mower, you could be if you own an older model and it breaks. The latest data from the Consumer Reports National Research Center show that push mowers usually aren't worth fixing after four years and self-propelled mowers after six years.
Refer to our Ratings of push and self-propelled mowers. Here are some shopping tips:
Match the mower to your lawn. A push mower is fine for small lawns, but you'll probably prefer a rear-drive, self-propelled model for slopes.
Think twice about zero-turn mowers. They're difficult to steer and can lose traction on slopes, and tend to tear up grass during U-turns. Consider a tight-turning tractor for lots of obstacles.
Don't buy by the numbers. More gas-mower makers are switching from horsepower figures to engine cubic centimeters, or ccs. But as with higher volts, a bigger engine isn't necessarily better.
Play it safe. Wear long pants, boots, goggles, and hearing protection. Some respondents to our recent lawn survey drank and listened to music as they mowed. We suggest you save both for after you're done. See more results from our survey in Americans & Lawn Care.
