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Craftsman Platinum 190cc 22" Briggs & Stratton Rear Bag Key Start Rear Propelled Lawn Mower -
For years I have been fighting with these cheap lawn mowers from the discount stores. They would run OK for a year or two, but even with oil changes and tune ups, they would always start giving me trouble--hard to start, hard to keep running, hard to push, poorly designed wheels and height adjustments. So in May of 2009, I decided to finally spend the money and get a top-quality self-propelled mower that would last a long time. My first choice was the $329 Craftsman model 37653 which is front-wheel drive. The salesman at Sears said that front-wheel drive is better and that's what he uses at home. I took his advice and got the 37653. After using it twice I found that in my thick grass the front wheels slip quite a bit because they have very little traction. I was having to push the mower almost as much as my old non-propelled model. And as the bag fills with grass, more weight is placed on the rear, decreasing traction on the front wheels even more. Also, due to a design flaw in the 37653, when you pull it backwards, the rubber deflector flap gets chewed up by the blade.
I took it back to Sears and with very little hassle, they exchanged it for the 37436 rear-propelled model. They even gave it to me for the same price even though the RWD version was 10 bucks more. What a difference! Plenty of traction in even the thickest and heaviest part of my lawn, and as the bag fills, the traction increases. My yard has never looked better-the precision cut blade makes for a smooth lawn. The deflector on this model doesn't hit the blade, and there is a nice window in the top of the bag to see when it's full. Also, the battery isn't hidden like it was on the 37653, it's in a little battery box behind the engine. The Briggs & Stratton 700 series Platinum engine has tremendous power--this thing is a beast and never bogs down. The electric key start is amazing. After 1 year I've only tugged the rope a couple of times. Unlike my other mowers, there is no choke, no priming, just turn the key and go. The variable speed is very nice--the harder you squeeze the handle the faster you go. This allows me to finish my yard faster and I don't feel like I'm about to stroke out like I did after pushing my old manual mower around. Emptying the grass bag is easy--the whole thing is well designed and thought out. To empty, stop the mower, flip open the spring loaded door 'til it locks, and lift the bag out. Dump it, lower it back in place, and when you grab the operator bar, the door snaps back down to seal the bag! A turn of the key and you're back to mowing. What a pleasure it is using this machine. I saw where CR magazine gave the non-electric start version of this mower (37435) its Best Buy rating. That will save you $40 but I suggest spending the extra $ and getting the electric start--you'll appreciate it every time you have to stop to remove a limb or empty the bag. Get this mower--you won't be disappointed. Now instead of dreading mowing the lawn, I almost look forward to it. Almost.
Pros: Easy starting, easy to empty bag , powerful engine, plenty of traction, smooth cutting, deck washout port, made by Husqvarna!
Cons: Heavy, could use a padded handle.
For years I have been fighting with these cheap lawn mowers from the discount stores. They would run OK for a year or two, but even with oil changes and tune ups, they would always start giving me trouble--hard to start, hard to keep running, hard to push, poorly designed wheels and height adjustments. So in May of 2009, I decided to finally spend the money and get a top-quality self-propelled mower that would last a long time. My first choice was the $329 Craftsman model 37653 which is front-wheel drive. The salesman at Sears said that front-wheel drive is better and that's what he uses at home. I took his advice and got the 37653. After using it twice I found that in my thick grass the front wheels slip quite a bit because they have very little traction. I was having to push the mower almost as much as my old non-propelled model. And as the bag fills with grass, more weight is placed on the rear, decreasing traction on the front wheels even more. Also, due to a design flaw in the 37653, when you pull it backwards, the rubber deflector flap gets chewed up by the blade.
I took it back to Sears and with very little hassle, they exchanged it for the 37436 rear-propelled model. They even gave it to me for the same price even though the RWD version was 10 bucks more. What a difference! Plenty of traction in even the thickest and heaviest part of my lawn, and as the bag fills, the traction increases. My yard has never looked better-the precision cut blade makes for a smooth lawn. The deflector on this model doesn't hit the blade, and there is a nice window in the top of the bag to see when it's full. Also, the battery isn't hidden like it was on the 37653, it's in a little battery box behind the engine. The Briggs & Stratton 700 series Platinum engine has tremendous power--this thing is a beast and never bogs down. The electric key start is amazing. After 1 year I've only tugged the rope a couple of times. Unlike my other mowers, there is no choke, no priming, just turn the key and go. The variable speed is very nice--the harder you squeeze the handle the faster you go. This allows me to finish my yard faster and I don't feel like I'm about to stroke out like I did after pushing my old manual mower around. Emptying the grass bag is easy--the whole thing is well designed and thought out. To empty, stop the mower, flip open the spring loaded door 'til it locks, and lift the bag out. Dump it, lower it back in place, and when you grab the operator bar, the door snaps back down to seal the bag! A turn of the key and you're back to mowing. What a pleasure it is using this machine. I saw where CR magazine gave the non-electric start version of this mower (37435) its Best Buy rating. That will save you $40 but I suggest spending the extra $ and getting the electric start--you'll appreciate it every time you have to stop to remove a limb or empty the bag. Get this mower--you won't be disappointed. Now instead of dreading mowing the lawn, I almost look forward to it. Almost.
Pros: Easy starting, easy to empty bag , powerful engine, plenty of traction, smooth cutting, deck washout port, made by Husqvarna!
Cons: Heavy, could use a padded handle.
