Inside CR Test Labs: A mower that lives large

Spring is upon us, so you're probably pondering your lawn and the yard work in front of you. If your lawn measures a half-acre or so, your needs fall midway between a self-propelled gas-engine mower and a riding mower. A lawn tractor and a zero-turn-radius cutter are options if you prefer sitting and steering to pushing a walk-behind machine. But if you see yard work as an opportunity to get some exercise, consider the Craftsman 88933 (shown), a consumer version of a professional wide-area mower with a 33-inch-wide cutting swath; most walk-behinds are 21 inches. The mower is made by Cub Cadet, which sells its own version, the CC-760ES, $1,200.

During our testing, the 88933 proved a bit difficult to handle, but that's not surprising given its 262-pound weight. To run the mower after startup—our model did not have an electric start, but that option is available—you push down on the two control levers, one on each handle. The four forward speeds and one reverse (handy for backing up a hill) allow you to use ground speeds from very slow (for maneuvering around bushes) to fast (for getting the job done quickly). With the knee-operated gearshift, you won't have to release the handles to change speeds.

Our early tests showed that the twin-blade mower provided an even cut; distributed grass clippings out of the side discharge chute in a very wide and even pattern, eliminating the need for raking; and did well at mulching. We can't comment on bagging because this mower isn't equipped to do so.

At $1,000, the 88933 is not inexpensive, especially for a mower that doesn't bag. For $200 more, you could buy the gear-driven Craftsman 28713 tractor, but then you wouldn't get any of the cardiovascular benefits from pushing this behemoth walk-behind.—Ed Perratore  

Essential information: You'll see our first-ever comparisons of mowers, tractors, and zero-turn-radius machines together in the May 2007 issue. Our 10-page special yard-and-garden report also includes advice on how to deal with the most common lawn problems. Meanwhile, check out our free advice on choosing the right mower, tractor, or zero-turn-radius machine and maintaining the mower or tractor you already own.