New mower recommendation?

[JonE]

Am looking to replace my clapped out Husqvarna Royal 43, and was thinking of a Mountfield with the Honda engine;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mountfield-sp53h-167cc-self-propelled-rotary-petrol-lawn-mower/976fy

Just looking for any opinions, or any other recommendations.

Thanks!

 

[MCKDAVID]

viking is a pretty solid mower, however comes with a Briggs engine, which seems to upset some people.. personally I've had no major problem with them especially the older ones.. and I fix/service them fairly regularly here..

the vikings aren't cheap though, but ours is 5 years old, and going strong, only maintenance is oil and air filter, sharpened the blade twice and it's been as good as gold;

 

[Mick Annick]

I’ve got a Husqvarna, 530 pro I think, Honda engine and now 10 years old and still going fine. I change the oil, plug and air filter every year and sharpen the blade. If I ever need another I’ll buy the same.

 

[pcwizme]

mountfield arnt as good as they used to be, i have binned 3 over the last 3 years (about one was 3 years old, one was 2 years old and one was about 12 yeas old ones to be fair), but depends on the budget. I like hayter.

 

[TechnicAl]

Ive got a Honda Izy.....second one in 20odd years......the first one went rotten.........I dont look after them....full of mud........never been serviced...original oil, spark plug and air filter and still starts first time every time.......old one was behind the shed for 2 years and when I got round t0 taking it to the tip I gave it a go and it started........incredible bits of kit......around here all the pro grass cutters use them

 

[PhillipM]

I've got a Mountfield, it's rubbish, I've spent more time fixing it than mowing, cables snap for fun, gearbox rebuilt twice, carb and governer goes out of adjustment about every 6.7 seconds and it barely had any power from new - turns out it was mis-timed from the factory and I ended up making an offset timing key to sort it out.

 

[JonE]

Thanks all for the tips, especially that Mountfield aren't what they used to be..

For what it's worth the Briggs & Stratton engine in the Husqvarna just runs and runs, but the rest of it is falling apart, and I've had enough of bodging it back together all the time. I bought it secondhand over ten years ago so can't really complain!

@TechnicAl Will have a closer look at the Izy, thanks!

 

[mike os]

Just bought a hyundai , not even unpacked yet, comes with 3 years warranty

 

[Will!]

Size of lawn dependent, I binned my petrol mower and threw £50 at a Bosch push mower on a whim (I think it's a legacy Qualcast model now made by Bosch). It's actually less grief than having one with a motor - being basically tiny and weighing nothing.

 

[Climber]

I've had a Honda Hrx537 for about 10 years and it's still going and it's done a lot of work.

 

[R-D-R]

honda iza is a good one, mines 15 years old and still going strong. Yes its a bit like triggers broom having had a new Deck and other bits and bobs but parts are easy to get and being a Honda Engine it starts every time and is easy to service.

 

[JonE]

Thanks, I think this one is winning me over at the moment. Is mostly just rough cutting and verges, I never collect the grass, so just having mulching or ejection seems ideal..

https://www.honda.co.uk/lawn-and-garden/products/lawnmowers/hrs/overview.html

Is a bit more than I was initially looking to spend (just under £500 online), but does have a 5yr warranty..

 

[Climber]

Thanks, I think this one is winning me over at the moment. Is mostly just rough cutting and verges, I never collect the grass, so just having mulching or ejection seems ideal..

https://www.honda.co.uk/lawn-and-garden/products/lawnmowers/hrs/overview.html

Is a bit more than I was initially looking to spend (just under £500 online), but does have a 5yr warranty..

Looks good; especially if you don't ever collect the grass. I'd definitely give that a go. For 500 quid you can't go wrong.

 

[Cobbler]

mountfield arnt as good as they used to be, i have binned 3 over the last 3 years (about one was 3 years old, one was 2 years old and one was about 12 yeas old ones to be fair), but depends on the budget. I like hayter.

That’s a pity, I have a Mountfield with a Tecumseh engine that I bought second hand about 25 years ago, still going well. I got it as I needed a mower quickly, not expecting too much as it was well used then. I gave it a treat a year or so back, bought a plug & a new blade, the guy in the mower shop told me to keep it going as I wouldn’t get anything as good today as the new ones were poor, just selling on the old good name.

 

[merryman]

If you just need a simple machine with no grassbox the Hayterette is bad to beat. They have been making it since the 1960s, aluminium deck so it won't rot. No autodrive, but they are dead easy to push.

 

[snowcat]

viking is a pretty solid mower, however comes with a Briggs engine, which seems to upset some people.. personally I've had no major problem with them especially the older ones.. and I fix/service them fairly regularly here..

the vikings aren't cheap though, but ours is 5 years old, and going strong, only maintenance is oil and air filter, sharpened the blade twice and it's been as good as gold;

Old Briggs weren't bad, then they went to the horrible intek design and built them in Malaysia...… The inteks suffered everything from cracked blocks to oil starvation, and would regularly drop the decompressors off the bigger engines.

Its killed there reputation even in the USA.

 

[Gragson]

Interesting the different experience of Mountifield, mines about 15 yrs old from new and its been great, lives outside with a tea bag cover, bring it in for a wee service every couple of years but very reliable, sees about 20 hours work p/a - should keep my gob shut will die tomorrow without a doubt...

No use to the OP, but cylinder mowers can often be picked up dead cheap.
2.5 of these I got for £25 not working. Bit of effort and bit of spares money all working, the 20" at the front took a bit more...With a fair bit of advice!

Old mowers, slippery slope but good fun. Can't beat a rotary for hoovering up on the rough though..

 

[Rannsachair]

Another vote for the Honda Izy, I run a 21" one and my brother is a gardener and uses his every dry day near enough in the growing season, always start easily and no problems.

 

[Brad93]

Honda IZY

Best mowers for the money.

 

[mike os]

honda iza is a good one, mines 15 years old and still going strong. Yes its a bit like triggers broom having had a new Deck and other bits and bobs but parts are easy to get and being a Honda Engine it starts every time and is easy to service.

Where can I get a carb?