Some lawnmower claims not up to speed

Self-propelled walk-behind mowers are useful for most lawns under a half-acre, especially if you have any hills. If you don't want to shell out $350 to $600 for the better self-propelled models, which have multiple speeds for various cutting situations, you might consider a single-speed model. We've separated out single-speed self-propelled mowers, which start at $250 for recommended models, from multiple-speed in our recently updated Ratings for self-propelled mowers.

But while we believe our readers can appreciate the distinction, an e-mail from Sears let us know that not all mower companies agree. The retailer's complaint? That three self-propelled mowers we classified as single-speed, the Craftsman 37043 (see photo), 37040, and 37091, were technically not single- but multiple-speed.

We were sure of our findings but agreed to reexamine those models, which range from $260 to $360. On Sears' own website, the page for the 37040 indeed does indicate single-speed as of this publication date, despite Sears' claim. The other two claim to be multiple-speed.

Another look at these models, however, confirmed our initial findings. With all three, there's a second, lower bail besides the one you hold to keep the engine running. The ability to hold that lower bail in a partial position accounts for Sears' claim, since the mower could run at a slightly lower speed that way. But this doesn't make for true multiple-speed capability but rather a single-speed mower with the ability to partially engage the drive by not fully raising the lever. Moreover, holding the lever in this position as you mow is not practical for any length of time.

Multiple-speeds come in especially handy for parts of the yard you need to do slowly—say, when the grass is heavy or you want to avoid running over flowers. These Sears mowers seemed a reasonable medium between too slow and too fast. But if you want a true multiple-speed mower from Sears, consider the $350 Craftsman 37044. Besides being among our recommended models for fine cutting across all mowing modes, it has a handle-grip that's easy to hold in various positions as you mow.

—Ed Perratore