Toro or Craftsman Lawn Mower

[Crumm]

Well I had two operational mowers last weekend but after this weekend I have part of one operational mower. A buddy gave me one that he said had a blown engine. I tuned it up and got about three or four mowing's out of it and now it really is blown up. It totally went up in smoke after knocking for a couple of hundred feet. All the oil blew out the front of it where a new hole seemed to form. I then got out my old stand-by and it seemed to take about 1/2 a quart of oil to finish up the job. Then I had to rake because the old one does not have a bag. Moral of the story, time for a new mower.

I want high wheel(back yard is a bit rough), 22" cut, 6.5+ HP, rear bag(front yard), mulch, side discharge(back yard) and self propelled. I shopped around and found two with the options I want. Sears has this one for $350 with a Briggs and stratton engine. Home depot has this Toro for $299 with a Tecumseh® Engine. The Toro also comes with a mail in coupon for a free battery operated trimmer.

Which would be the better way to go? The ones I had were craftsman and I guess I am not overly impressed with them but they were both over 7 years old and were run hard. Are Toro's any good?

 

[DBogo]

toro is a much better product then the craftsman

 

[Crumm]

Toro is a much better product

That is what I thought but the Toro is $50 cheaper plus it comes with a free $60 trimmer so I began to wonder. Sometimes things are too good to be true. Guess I better get me a Toro. It rained for about 36 hours straight after my Saturday mowing adventure so the darn grass will need mowed as soon as is dries out enough. I never should have fertilized it all it does it grow..

 

[HoustonPerson]

Toro is a lot better than Craftsman. Honda is a lot better than Toro.....70% of the yard crews aroung here (yards are done twice a week) now use Hondas. Their commercial line is top drawer, you can not get that line at Home Depot.

 

[JohnBoyToo]

Have had a Toro Personal Pace mower since they came out about 3 years ago and it has been run HARD and never missed a lick...
This replaced my wife's Toro that was given to her son after about 15 years and the wheels had fallen off - LITERALLY - he put new wheels on it and just now replaced it with another Toro this year when it smoked to a stop - he admitted he hadn't done any service since he had it !

only thing I've done to mine is change the oil once a year and put gas in it....
it is now a trimming mower since we moved into the new house this year, but my wife is anal about HER yard and will use it to do most of the acre even
she doesn't like the John Deere rider - imagine that !!!!

really like the personal pace AND the electric start -
got it from Lowe's or Home Depot IIRC....
never knew how much easier it would be to start and stop a mower than with this system....
one finger can get it going...
and stop any pressure on the handle and it stops...
makes turns a LOT easier...


I have not had the best luck with craftsman or sear's the last 10 years or so... used to get a LOT of stuff from them, but their quality has gone down tremendously...
including their appliances, according to my daughter in law and her washer-dryer troubles...

 

[KansasDiesel]

I just bought the Toro a couple of weeks ago, I like it starts right up and it has the Tecumseh® Engine in it. I would have also bought the Honda if it was in my price range.

The only thing I dislike about the Toro I got was there is no throttle, it is wide open all the time.

 

[rgdillon]

Just to throw another mower into the mix for you - I bought a Troy-Bilt at Lowes three years ago - and love it.

It has the tall rear wheels, self propelled - and although it's not electric start - it has a spring assist type starter on it. You only have to pull start it the first time you use it each year (unless you forget to push the button down). Zero problems with it. Has a rear bagger on it or you can mulch with it.

Ron

 

[whatabudro]

Well I had two operational mowers last weekend but after this weekend I have part of one operational mower. A buddy gave me one that he said had a blown engine. I tuned it up and got about three or four mowing's out of it and now it really is blown up. It totally went up in smoke after knocking for a couple of hundred feet. All the oil blew out the front of it where a new hole seemed to form. I then got out my old stand-by and it seemed to take about 1/2 a quart of oil to finish up the job. Then I had to rake because the old one does not have a bag. Moral of the story, time for a new mower.

I want high wheel(back yard is a bit rough), 22" cut, 6.5+ HP, rear bag(front yard), mulch, side discharge(back yard) and self propelled. I shopped around and found two with the options I want. Sears has this one for $350 with a Briggs and stratton engine. Home depot has this Toro for $299 with a Tecumseh® Engine. The Toro also comes with a mail in coupon for a free battery operated trimmer.

Which would be the better way to go? The ones I had were craftsman and I guess I am not overly impressed with them but they were both over 7 years old and were run hard. Are Toro's any good?

DO NOT buy a john deere, the only thing worth a crap on mine is the briggs and straton motor.

 

[Crumm]

Honda is a lot better than Toro.

I checked them out and they cost more than I really wanted to spend and they don't have one with the big rear tires. I agree that Honda is good. My pressure washer has a Honda engine, it starts good and runs excellent.

I have not had the best luck with craftsman or Sears the last 10 years or so... used to get a LOT of stuff from them, but their quality has gone down tremendously...

I have several Craftsman power lawn tools and I agree, the gas powered equipment just doesn't rate up there with the mechanics hand tools.

The only thing I dislike about the Toro I got was there is no throttle, it is wide open all the time.

I am a wide open kind of guy

Troy-Bilt at Lowes three years ago - and love it.

Does it also have side discharge? I have a weed patch out-back that is sometimes too tall to mulch or bag.

Thanks for all the replies, keep the ideas coming -popcorn I tried checking out lawnsite for some information but them guys are into BIG mowers.

 

[bigdaddyTank]

DO NOT buy a john deere, the only thing worth a crap on mine is the briggs and straton motor.

My dad has had a Deere push mower for 8 years, not a single problem, his LX rider with the Vtwin liquid cooled Kawasaki motor is also 8 years old and the only thing he had go wrong is the carb had to be rebuilt and put a battery in it. Both get regular oil changes.
I have a Deere rider LT180 with the Vtwin Kawasaki for 3 years now and all I do is put gas in it and change the oil and filters. My old POS push mower died so I had to just buy a new push mower and I got a Troy Built from lowes also, it can do side discharge or rear, 21inch 6.5HP self propelled, $260