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confusedbuyer

I need help on which is a better self Propelled Mower

confusedbuyer
14 years ago

I am looking a buying a self propeled new mower. My choices are between HD's Toro recycler just at $400, Lowes Troy bilt just at $400 and Lowes John Deere just at $500.

I have read where Toro and Troy bilt are made by the same manufacturer. All have the B&S engine. Any suggestions?

I have thick grass, steep grades, and mulch.

Any suggestions would be great.

Comments (9)

  • rdaystrom
    14 years ago

    Toro and Troy-Bilt are not the same. Toro builds Toro. MTD builds Troy-Bilt. I would suggest either the Toro or the Deere. Seems like the Deere was a Snapper style design but I could be wrong on that. If so I would like that one.

  • chesapeakebeach
    14 years ago

    Actually, MTD is now building some low-end Toro lawn tractors and will soon start building some low-end Toro mowers IIRC as Toro wants to concentrate on their commercial-grade products.

  • confusedbuyer
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    The John Deere model is a JS46 2010)
    Engine
    Manufacturer Briggs & Stratton
    Power 8.75 lb-ft gross torque per SAE J1940
    Displacement 11.6 cu in. (190 cc)
    Type 4 cycle, OHV
    Throttle control Fixed speed
    Electric start Yes, with recoil start backup
    Operator presence Yes
    Zone Yes
    BBC N/A
    Mower
    Deck 22-in. steel
    Discharge 3-in-1
    I hear the TORO is good for mulching but if Troy Bilt is making it, I guess it should be the same. The problem is that none of these mowers have reviews side by side. Thank you for the responses so far. I value your experience and knowledge.

  • rdaystrom
    14 years ago

    chesapeakebeach, Where did you learn that some Toro mowers are being made by MTD? If true it's a big deal. Please post a link to this information. It would be interesting.

  • bluemower
    14 years ago

    Most of the front wheel drive mowers from the home improvement stores and department stores are intended for light duty and flat yards. Problems frequently develop with the front drive after a few years.

    If there are hills on your property, consider rear wheel drive for better traction. My experience has been greater reliability on rear drive - from all the manufacturers mentioned.

    The flat head Briggs quantum engine has been a great mower engine for most homeowners. The earlier OHV Briggs ran great but had some hot starting issues. This engine was redesigned about two years by moving the carburetor to the opposite side of the cylinder. Problem areas with the new OHV have not yet been reported.

  • slk230red
    14 years ago

    I previously owned 2 Honda self propelled mowers. I was very happy with these mowers, but when it came time to replace parts; wheels,drive components, etc., it was very expensive. So 2 years ago when I was searching for a new self propelled mower, I purchased a Snapper mulching mower with the rear grass catcher included. What I like about this mower is the simple design of the self propelled system. It is rear wheel drive and nothing is hidden from view. The disc drive is exposed and you can see if things are working correctly.
    I bought mine from a local Snapper dealer and haven't had any problems so far. The Ninja blade works great for mulching or bagging.

  • chesapeakebeach
    14 years ago

    MTD-Toro link:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toro_(company)

    http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lmower/msg0316064123659.html

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTD_Products

    Not sure where I saw the info about MTD building some non-riding mowers for Toro -- will keep looking.

  • freebore
    13 years ago

    I just found a link to the new Snapper NXT mower (push) and seems to be the same platform that the John Deere JS46 comes from. Both use the 8.75 OHV Briggs engine, they have the same single lever height adjustment and the deck looks identical except for some cosmetics. Seems Snapper is building some of the Deere mowers.

  • lawnmowerdan
    13 years ago

    buy from a dealer -not a big box store. think ahead for parts -service