will be using it in conjunction with riding mower on 3/4 acre unlevel, rough(ish) & bumpy yard...

1) TORO RECYCLER 20331

Engine Briggs & Stratton® Engine
Power Rating 6.5 ft-lb Gross Torque**
Power Train Warranty 3 Years*
Guaranteed-to-Start Promise 3 Years*
Starter Recoil
Drive System Variable Speed Front Wheel Drive
Cutting Width 22"
Deck Material Steel
Washout Port Standard
Mulch, Bag, Side Discharge Standard
Warranty 2 Full Years*
Approximate Weight 83 lbs.

VS.

2) LAWN BOY 10645

Engine Briggs & Stratton ReadyStart
Engine Power 6.5 ft-lb Gross Torque**
CARB Compliant Available in California
Drive System Push
Power Train Warranty 3 Year*
Tru-Start Warranty 3 Years*
Starter Recoil
Cutting Deck 20" steel deck
Cutting Modes Mulch, Bag and Side Discharge
***I've read that it doesn't actually side
discharge and have yet to see a pic
indicating that it's even possible***
Easy Turn Wheels Standard
Tires 7" Front, 8" Rear
Cutting Height 1-4"
Weight 66 lbs.
Warranty 2-Year Complete

vs.

3) TROY-BILT TB542

Easy to use from the start! The TB542 walk-behind lawn mower comes equipped with a dependable, easy starting 160cc* Honda engine, featuring an automatic choke release that prevents engine flooding. Its 12" rear high wheels make it ideal for smaller yards with uneven terrain or other obstacles. What's more, a choice of side discharge, mulching or rear bagging puts you in control, with a standard 2.3-bushel bag included.

• Automatic Return Choke System (ARCS) prevents engine flooding
• 21" steel deep-dome mulching deck
• 3-in-1 convertible - side discharge, mulch or rear bag
• Standard 2.3-bushel grass catcher
• 12" rear high wheels for added manueverability
• 9-position fingertip deck height adjustment
• Standard deluxe bail
• Fully assembled with oil included in carton
• 2-year limited warranty
• 160cc Honda engine

TORO: $299 + tax : pros:22"deck, 3-in-1,Highwheels,
self-propelled, hefty warranty,
local service center.

cons: self-propelled (i've heard
horror stories about failing
selfpropelleds)

LAWN-BOY: $259 + tax pros: self-propelled, hefty
warranty

cons: no high wheels, 20"deck,
self-propelled (i've heard
horror stories about failing
selfpropelleds) no side discharge (even though it states it as a feature... it's not there.. look as picks of it... it's a mulching deck only)

TROY-BILT: $249 + tax pros: honda gcv160 engine, no self
propelled systme to worry
about failing, high wheels,
high(yet limited) reviews,
and it's the cheapest of the
bunch.

I'm seriously torn between the TORO & TROY-BILT.. but am flip-flopping worse than John Kerry on the campaign trail about which to get............. I need some input...badly... HELP ! ! ! ! ! !

But with front drive, more effort is needed to push the mower up a hill especially with a bag of grass behind. Rear drives shine in this, but you need to keep the front down (on both types) to cut the grass. One big thing about the front wheel drive Craftsman that I like is that I can make a sharp left or right turn without taking it out of gear just by raising the front end up then dropping it back down after the turn.

For my own preference, the next mower I would get would probably be a Toro again with a Briggs & Stratton engine being a must. Briggs has been around a lot longer than Honda or the others and has been making engines since the late 1800's. They are tough engines, "tried and true," and has stood the test of time. I don't need to buy a Jap lawnmower for that.