Lawn mower options for 0.75 acres?

[redpoint5]

I leave my mower out in the rain all winter. Last week I turned the mower on the side to pour out what little gasoline remained in the tank onto the concrete driveway. Then I light it on fire to burn it off.

Added some gas that also sat all winter in a sealed can, and it fired up without issue.

The cheap POS is falling apart though. The lever to engage sell-propel broke and the wire that connects to the engine kill lever also broke. Moving the throttle lever does nothing.

I'm thinking an electric might make sense for that smallish yard (30min to cut front and back). The roommates never mow though so maybe I won't bother and just pay the neighbor kid to cut it.

[Frank Lee]

I got an corded electric push mower for my Mom because she loathes messing with small ICE's. She loves it! Luckily she only has a relatively small area to mow because it's a small mower and the bagger needs frequent emptying. I love the light weight and quiet operation.

[sneakerhead04]

If only robot lawnmowers are affordable.

[Fat Charlie]

I saw one on TV once.

[redpoint5]

I thought that was to keep solicitors down?

You've got to run it at least twice per week during peak solicitation.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by JSH

My Toro SmartStow mower works fine with E10. Manual says using E10 is fine. I top off as needed during the mowing season and run it dry before storing for the winter. 3 years and counting. Don't buy a mower from a company too cheap to pay a few cents to make it E10 compatible.

Given how little gasoline is used over a calendar year, ethanol-gasoline is of no benefit. A Toro is a nice mower. I’d stick to pure gasoline with a stabilizing additive.

As mowers aren’t optional in Texas (maybe unused 1 or 2 weeks; and then used twice-weekly at least four months) it has always paid to buy quality.

Probably the best walk-behind ever sold in the States was handled by Sears in the early 1990s: KUBOTA.

A friend is the power equipment business. He’s bought two the last ten years. Figures that’s a lifetime supply at our age (another quarter century).

Some years ago he custom-built me a SNAPPER 21’ without all the irritating safety devices. I added just about every available accessory. Great machine. Too late in the day for a Robyn/Subaru commercial engine, but the B&S was good enough.

The mower previous to that I had put into service in 1973. A JACOBSEN Turbo-Vent 21’. Gave it to a divorced friend in 1997. Took a few tries to start, compression was more theoretical than actual. But it would run all day after that.

Buy quality & take care of it.

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[redpoint5]

You can hardly find E0 in Oregon. There's a station nearby selling E0 premium at $1.40 more than regular.

E10 hasn't been a problem for me as long as I cycle through it in a year or so in the cans, and put fresh stuff in the tank in spring.

Even my cheap and abused mower starts easily. I think from here on out I'll probably go robotic/electric, unless the property is so large that I need a tractor. Could probably just have grandpa's Mitsubishi diesel since my dad cuts his grass with his lawn mower. Dad's got a bigger John Deer tractor for larger implements, and an even larger AC one ninety.

[freebeard]

One of these?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by freebeard

One of these?

Exactly

[JSH]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Given how little gasoline is used over a calendar year, ethanol-gasoline is of no benefit. A Toro is a nice mower. I’d stick to pure gasoline with a stabilizing additive.

The benefit is that E10 is available at the local gas station and works fine. Van, outboard, mower, motorcycles - they all run fine on E10.