Near commercial lawn mower?

lykaon78

Golden Member
Sep 5, 2001
1,174
9
81
My yard is too big for a consumer level traditional walk behind (and I'm too lazy) but my garage is too small for a riding mower. I'm looking for something between a large commercial walk behind and the traditional home self-propelled mower (pics below). Any of you yard warriors out there have an option?



Commerical
SeriesDetails.png

Consumer
sears-craftsman-mower-model-38845-21248008.jpg
 

Zeze

Lifer
Mar 4, 2011
11,395
1,187
126
There is a mid range between you two pictured.

My parents have an acre of lawn. It's a fvcking bitch to mow with a pusher and used to take 2~ hours. Then we finally bought a rider. It takes only 1 hour now and you're not so beat anymore.

07128927000


Oops, you don't have a garage for a rider. Can't help you there.
 

Jumpem

Lifer
Sep 21, 2000
10,757
3
81

RavenSEAL

Diamond Member
Jan 4, 2010
8,661
3
0
There is a mid range between you two pictured.

My parents have an acre of lawn. It's a fvcking bitch to mow with a pusher and used to take 2~ hours. Then we finally bought a rider. It takes only 1 hour now and you're not so beat anymore.

07128927000


Oops, you don't have a garage for a rider. Can't help you there.

+1 on the rider.
 

Raizinman

Platinum Member
Sep 7, 2007
2,355
75
91
meettomy.site
If you want a mower to pretty much last forever and never break, buy a commercial mower. A commercial mower is designed for 24/7 usage. The parts and engine are more heavy duty. I bought a commercial Gravely many years ago and with very little maintenance it performs like new with each mowing. I prefer this as to having to replace a mower every few years or having them constantly break down.
 

infoiltrator

Senior member
Feb 9, 2011
704
0
0
Build a shed, people are often selling perfectly useable mowers when moving.
If you have some mechanical skills tinnkering up "throw out" mowers can be very worth while..
 

Bartman39

Elite Member | For Sale/Trade
Jul 4, 2000
8,867
51
91
Last edited:

microAmp

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2000
5,988
110
106
Bought several of these at my last job (was the Maint. Super) and had very good luck and never an issue with warranty work...:thumbsup: Kinda gave me reason to buy a Toro Zero Turn mower too...
Just to add these are kinda cool as they only go as fast as you push on the handle... Push hard and it will put you in a trot...:p

http://www.conns.com/lawn-and-garden/lawn-mowers/toro-22-56-cm-personal-pacer-mower.html

Another vote for that kind of Toro mower, you can get them at Home Depot too. Been using it for years and when my folks wanted me to mow their lawn, I requested them to also get that kind.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,603
13,981
146
Bought several of these at my last job (was the Maint. Super) and had very good luck and never an issue with warranty work...:thumbsup: Kinda gave me reason to buy a Toro Zero Turn mower too...
Just to add these are kinda cool as they only go as fast as you push on the handle... Push hard and it will put you in a trot...:p

http://www.conns.com/lawn-and-garden/lawn-mowers/toro-22-56-cm-personal-pacer-mower.html

I wasn't impressed with the build quality of the Toro mowers when I was looking at new mowers 2 years ago. I ended up buying a Honda mower. Seems MUCH better built. It also has the variable speed drive...from a crawl to faster than I can walk comfortably.
(similar to this one...but slightly different model)

http://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrr216vya

It also has a blade clutch...no more shutting off the engine to empty the bag, don't have to hold the "dead man handle" to keep the engine running...let go of the handle, the blade stops turning.
 

Jumpem

Lifer
Sep 21, 2000
10,757
3
81
I wasn't impressed with the build quality of the Toro mowers when I was looking at new mowers 2 years ago. I ended up buying a Honda mower. Seems MUCH better built. It also has the variable speed drive...from a crawl to faster than I can walk comfortably.
(similar to this one...but slightly different model)

http://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrr216vya

It also has a blade clutch...no more shutting off the engine to empty the bag, don't have to hold the "dead man handle" to keep the engine running...let go of the handle, the blade stops turning.

I have the Toro Personal Pace. It's been abused on uneven ground with rocks, tree roots, and wet muddy areas. No maintenance to it other changing the original blade after four years from being dinged up on all the tree roots and brush. No problems with it at all.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,603
13,981
146
I have the Toro Personal Pace. It's been abused on uneven ground with rocks, tree roots, and wet muddy areas. No maintenance to it other changing the original blade after four years from being dinged up on all the tree roots and brush. No problems with it at all.

OK.
 

Lemon law

Lifer
Nov 6, 2005
20,984
3
0
Its one thing to mow to mow an acre plus of lawn with no trees, and quite another if you have many trees. If you have many trees and need a rider like I do, you need a zero turning radius mower. Otherwise it takes four or more passes to get around every tree with a conventional tractor type mower.
 

T_Yamamoto

Lifer
Jul 6, 2011
15,007
795
126
Get the Honda one, it has back wheel drive. no pushing, just push the little knob and it moves. self propelling, works like a charm
 
May 13, 2009
12,333
612
126
Its one thing to mow to mow an acre plus of lawn with no trees, and quite another if you have many trees. If you have many trees and need a rider like I do, you need a zero turning radius mower. Otherwise it takes four or more passes to get around every tree with a conventional tractor type mower.

I have an acre with numerous oaks. I really need a zero turn but I can do pretty well with my $1000 Troy-built tractor. The cheapest zero turn at lowes was $2600. It takes longer but I wasn't ready to throw down that much cash for a zero turn.
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
34
91
The problem is that a commercial walk-behind isn't going to be much smaller than a riding mower. The Simplicity Pacer is about as close as I could find to a "small" walk-behind and it's still going to be about three foot wide and fairly long. The guys over at lawnsite do like it a lot though, and since they're sold through dealers and not places like Home Depot there's actually some negotiation room on the price.

If you've got the space and cash for it though, the Simplicity should be a good machine.

ZV
 

drnickriviera

Platinum Member
Jan 30, 2001
2,443
250
136
That looks like it would be uncomfortable to operate. I hate standing for prolonged periods.

I love standers. I'll never go to a riding mower unless my knees give out on me. The platforms have rubber springs and if you come over rougher ground, you just bend your knees a bit and let your legs soak it all up. Since there is nothing hanging out the back of it, you can get into some really tight locations.
 

fatjohnny

Member
Sep 30, 2003
42
8
71
Bought several of these at my last job (was the Maint. Super) and had very good luck and never an issue with warranty work...:thumbsup: Kinda gave me reason to buy a Toro Zero Turn mower too...
Just to add these are kinda cool as they only go as fast as you push on the handle... Push hard and it will put you in a trot...:p

http://www.conns.com/lawn-and-garden/lawn-mowers/toro-22-56-cm-personal-pacer-mower.html

Toro now makes a mower specifically for the OP's needs. It is called the Toro Timemaster.

http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Mowers/Walk-Power-Mowers/Pages/Series.aspx?sid=Timemaster

It is the "Personal Pace" like the one above, but it is a 30" deck. With a 30" deck, you would cut 40" more per swipe over a 21" deck. Not a bad time savings.

Check out the vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJEQ1EYyo0w

At first, you think its a normal home walk-behind mower. But at 0:13 in the vid, you are like "Whoa....thats a wide mower!!"

Not cheap, about $999 at Home Depot.

FJ
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,603
13,981
146
Toro now makes a mower specifically for the OP's needs. It is called the Toro Timemaster.

http://www.toro.com/en-us/Homeowner/Mowers/Walk-Power-Mowers/Pages/Series.aspx?sid=Timemaster

It is the "Personal Pace" like the one above, but it is a 30" deck. With a 30" deck, you would cut 40" more per swipe over a 21" deck. Not a bad time savings.

Check out the vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJEQ1EYyo0w

At first, you think its a normal home walk-behind mower. But at 0:13 in the vid, you are like "Whoa....thats a wide mower!!"

Not cheap, about $999 at Home Depot.

FJ

Either you fail badly at math...or you just mis-quoted the text on the youtube vid...

40% more, not 40 inches.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
Just saw a commercial on TV for the Toro TimeCutter SS zero-turn mower just before seeing this thread. They specifically said it "may look professional but anybody can operate it."
 
May 13, 2009
12,333
612
126
If this is somewhere you like and plan on staying I'd do what Boomer suggested. Build/buy a shed to store a rider in. Not only that but store all your tools, weed eater, etc.. in there and clear up even more space in the garage.

Mowing the yard sucks and can really sap energy. Spending a good part of your day and energy on your yard is a waste. I just jump on my riding mower and it's probably 3-4X faster (literally) and I'm listening to my mp3 player sipping a cold Dr Pepper. After its done I still have plenty of energy and time to enjoy my day off.
I will never push mow my yard again. Period. 3 hours of sweat blood and tears (my yard is semi steep, full of trees, and an acre big) and when I'm done I'm tired as a dog. No thanks