I don't really need a ride-on mower but I want self-propelled.
The variable bagging/mulching feature, as well as good quality motor of Honda HRX series sounds nice to me, although gas mowers are very noisy and obviously require gasoline.
The Ryobi RY14110 is electric, has less features than the Honda, but also costs less than half and is quieter in operation.
Anyone have any thoughts on how to make a decision? While both seem to get good reviews, I am still uncertain which to buy since i don't know what kind of long term issues might arise.
I do like the fumeless, quiet operation that the Ryobi brings to the table, however, I understand the Honda is practically bulletproof.
Thanks!
Update 5/3/2011:
After using the Ryobi once, it was a lemon. Not all 4 wheels would touch the ground at the same time even though the ground was flat (I checked with my level). Also, one of the rear wheels didn't receive power 85% of the time, I'm pretty sure there was something wrong with the gear in the wheel not catching with the motor. Also, the battery (after being conditioned 4 times) still didn't last very long. It took 4 charge sessions to complete the lawn with mild use of the rear wheel motor.
I returned it to Home Depot no questions asked, and picked up the Honda HRX without electric start and without cruise control. The Honda works phenominally. It cuts better, is quite a bit louder, starts on one pull, and the accelerator handle works well for controlling speed. The manual appears to be straight forward about maintanence and easy to follow which is better than I can say for manuals for other devices.
Conclusion: electric mowers just aren't ready to compete with gas mowers in terms of quality. I do note that the Honda cost almost 2x the Ryobi, but, that was only because the market did not have a comparably priced electric mower. Could I have saved money on a similar model from Toro? Probably, but I really like how the Honda does its job, so I don't have any regrets pertaining costs.
The variable bagging/mulching feature, as well as good quality motor of Honda HRX series sounds nice to me, although gas mowers are very noisy and obviously require gasoline.
The Ryobi RY14110 is electric, has less features than the Honda, but also costs less than half and is quieter in operation.
Anyone have any thoughts on how to make a decision? While both seem to get good reviews, I am still uncertain which to buy since i don't know what kind of long term issues might arise.
I do like the fumeless, quiet operation that the Ryobi brings to the table, however, I understand the Honda is practically bulletproof.
Thanks!
Update 5/3/2011:
After using the Ryobi once, it was a lemon. Not all 4 wheels would touch the ground at the same time even though the ground was flat (I checked with my level). Also, one of the rear wheels didn't receive power 85% of the time, I'm pretty sure there was something wrong with the gear in the wheel not catching with the motor. Also, the battery (after being conditioned 4 times) still didn't last very long. It took 4 charge sessions to complete the lawn with mild use of the rear wheel motor.
I returned it to Home Depot no questions asked, and picked up the Honda HRX without electric start and without cruise control. The Honda works phenominally. It cuts better, is quite a bit louder, starts on one pull, and the accelerator handle works well for controlling speed. The manual appears to be straight forward about maintanence and easy to follow which is better than I can say for manuals for other devices.
Conclusion: electric mowers just aren't ready to compete with gas mowers in terms of quality. I do note that the Honda cost almost 2x the Ryobi, but, that was only because the market did not have a comparably priced electric mower. Could I have saved money on a similar model from Toro? Probably, but I really like how the Honda does its job, so I don't have any regrets pertaining costs.
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