new mower. help me pick!

Hi everyone,

New member here. I just got a new house so will need a new mower. I'm a beginner at this besides mowing my parents lot when I was young.

I'm looking at a nice "investment" quality mower that will last me a long time. My lot is .25 acre. There's about 6' of slope front to back but nothing really excessive. There are a couple small trees, curved flower beds, and a curved sidewalk (corner lot). I've been researching for a couple weeks and THINK I have it narrowed down but am looking for opinions/suggestions. I'm thinking walkbehind self propelled.

My short list is the Cub Cadet 98H for $481, Honda HRX217VKA $537, or Honda HRR216VKA for $358. Those are links to the product pages.

Getting discounted gift cards and coupons brings the Honda prices at HD down quite a bit.

There's a Tractor Supply Co near me so I can go put my hands on a 98M but will have to special order a 98H somewhere else.

I like the swivel wheels of the 98M. I've read that some of the fasteners on this line are pretty cheap and will need replacement. That's not a huge deal though, Ace hardware to the rescue. Anyone have feedback on them in general? There are discrepancies about which Honda engine is actually included on the 98H. You might notice the literature differs.

I'm not sure if I should just skip the CC and go for a reliable Honda though. The dual blades look nice though. Is the composite deck of the HRX actually worth it? I don't remember any of my dad's mowers ever rusting and they were run-of-the-mill Craftsmans.

Thanks!
-DJR

The MSRP for the Honda HRR216VKA is $479 so if you can get it for $358 that would be a good deal. You really can't go wrong buying a Honda and with just .25 acres that mower should last for a couple decades if you maintain it properly.

I'd recommend a mower with a blade clutch so you don't have to turn the engine off every time you leave the mower.

For several years I mowed an elderly relative's lawn, about your size, and he had John Deere with this feature. It was super handy. I think he had a Deere model JS63C but I no longer see it listed. The Deere overall was an excellent mower, self propelled, but a bit on the heavy side for back and forth mowing around bushes.

Here is one model with the blade clutch that I did find while looking at Ingersoll tractors earlier. There probably are other manufacturers.

EASTMAN COMMERCIAL

Thanks guys.

Homedepot has the Honda HRR at a "new low price" of $399.

There's also the HRR216VXA for $499 if a brade brake clutch really is an important feature. I suppose it would take work load off of the pull starter and that always seems to be what breaks. It's still in my price range too at $447 after discounts. I definitely can't afford an HRX with the BBC.

I'll have to look at the Eastman later. Can't view the website right now.

djrussell said:

I'll have to look at the Eastman later. Can't view the website right now.

Click to expand...

I threw in the Eastman link only because their equipment is very interesting and unique. I imagine their mowers must be well over $500. A quick Google search found one dealer selling a demo Eastman SP21K Lawn Mower for $600.

The Eastmans actually look pretty good but there's not price data. I'll call the local dealer and see what they say. An aluminum deck and Kawi engine sound good to me.

Also, I just realized i probably put this in the wrong forum. Sorry, moderators. Feel free to move.

Hello I moved your thread to the Mower Buying & Pricing Forum. :smile:

Thanks, Briana.

I got to look at the Cub Cadet 98M this weekend and am going to pass on it. There are the plastic wing nuts that look pretty wimpy. There's also a LOT of plastic on the underside of the deck. Some people mentioned it getting chewed up. I kind of ignored them thinking "it can't be that bad". It really is though. The handle is non-adjustable so will likely not fit me and my wife.

It really comes down to "Do I want a 98H with Honda engine and swivel wheels or a Honda HRR216VXA with Honda engine and blade brake clutch?" They're about the same price all said and done, $450. I think I'll get a lot more use out of the BBC so I'll take the rock solid Honda platform. So unless an awesome deal comes across craigslist in the next couple days, that's my mower.

Thanks for helping me pick!

Congrats on narrowing your search! Be sure to post pictures after you've made the purchase. :biggrin: