Mowers Reviews

I love this lawn mower, it's easy to start and easy to push around, it takes care of my grass just fine. The only problem I am having is finding an air filter for it. Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon even the Yard Man dealer does not have them. Where in the world do I buy parts?

I got a really good deal on this mower because it was left over from last season. I was hoping that it would be all it was announced to be, and it hasn't let me down.
The machine is solid as a rock, comfortable to drive for hours, and all the features add up to a really good buy.
The turning radius isn't great, but I'm sure if you want to pay another 1500 bucks, one of those Zero-turning-radius machines would do you up right. For the rest of us, though, this machine puts it all in perspective - it has the heavy-duty front end, the hourmeter/stats on constant display, all the horsepower you'll ever need, and just about the most comfortable seat on the market.
Being a new unit, I haven't had to purchase any replacement parts, so I may be writing again in the hopefully distant future - but, for now put me in the category labelled "happy owners."

I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A RIDING LAWN MOWER FOR THTEE MONTHS, AND FOUND THAT EVERY THING I LOOKED AT WAS SIMILAR, A LITTLE LESS HERE A LITTLE MORE THERE IN FEATURES. THEN I FOUND THIS MTD YARD MAN LAWNTRACTOR 13AY614 THAT HAD "FAST ATTCHMENTS" AND DROVE LIKE A CAR. THERE WHERE SIMILAR MTD PRODUCTS, WITH DIFFERENT SUB DIVISION "NAMES" BUT MOSTLY ALIKE! THE COST WAS LESS THAN THOSE NAME BRANDS (JD, SNAPPER, ECT) YOU GOT MORE FEATURES FOR LESS $$. THE ONE THING I DIDN'T GET WAS PULLING CAPABILITIES, I WANT TO MOVE A BOAT TRAILER AROUND, MTD DOESN'T HAVE ANY SPECS, OR THEY DON'T GIVE THEM OUT, NOT EVEN TO THERE DEALERS? I TRIED TO FIND OUT FROM THERE WEB SITE, BUT DIDN'T FIND THE INFO I WAS SEEKING?? ASIDE FROM THE LACK OF THAT INFO, I ONLY HAD TO ADJUST THE DECK ANTISCARFF WHEELS DOWN AN INCH, TO PREVENT CUTTING TOO CLOSE WHEN ROUNDING MY TREES, THE 18 INCH TURNING RADIOUS WAS THE SHARPEST TURN IN A LAWN TRACTOR. I GOT A GOOD VALUE IN THE YARD-MAN MODEL 13AY614.

I really like how easy this mower is to start and to care for, but I hate that I can only mow 1/3 of my yard before it goes dead! My yard is only 1/3 acre which is what the manufacturer claims it can mow on a single charge. This is a big misleading claim.

Black and Decker claims that this mower can mow 1/3 of an acre on a single charge. However, I have found it to be more like 1/8 of an acre (my lot is 1/4 of an acre; I can only mow half of it before the battery dies).

Other than that, this mower is great. It runs smooth, cuts well, and pushes easily. So, if you have a very small yard, or don't mind splitting up your mowing over a couple of days, this mower is for you.

I highly recommend this lawn mower. It is so superior to any gas or electric mower I have ever had. It is so worth the money. It cuts and mulches beautifully and evenly. It is super easy to turn on and to recharge. It is about half as quiet as a gas mower. It would be nice if it were self propelled but that is not a problem. It cut about 1/2 acre on one recharge. It is very powerful and such a pleasure to use.

This "Bug" is really poor. I bought a yardman and experienced a lot of trouble: Gasline leakage, engine failed to start, etc. So it is not a best buy for your choice!

I received my Yard Bug in a week from the time I ordered it. The Trucking Company called me two days before delivery and I explained to them that this was a private residence and I had no way to unload it if they sent a tractor trailer or regular box truck. After hearing my situation, they sent it out on a lift-gate truck and used a palate- jack to take it from the street to my garage. I followed the instructions, put the battery on charge while I ran some errands for a couple of hours, hooked up the battery when I got home and drove it away. Put it through it's paces for about a halh hour ahd am real satisfied.

I really like the bug except you cannot mow in reverse. How can I bypass this micro device. Please explain

Thought having this would help. Didn't. Grass would clog at the opening of the bag which of course caused the mower to slow or stop with grass clogged in it. In the end it's just easier to rake up after mowing. Also, if it did go into the bag, the bag doesn't hold very much.

I seldom used this when mowing my small lawn, but even so, the hole in the mower's plastic deck that holds the metal rod that in turn holds the bag up wore out, so the rod would not keep the bag up any more.

It arrived quickly. However, the product is cumbersome and not really easy to use. (I had a rear bag for my last B&D electric lawn mower but one was not avaiable for this model.)First of all, it hangs off a bar that attaches to the back of the lawn mower. Second, when you empty it, you have to shake it hard because the opening is so small. The grass does not come out easily.

Neuton Electric Mower

For those with no time to read this in its entirety, the bottom line is this: not ready for prime time. However, given that conclusion, I'm not sure that I will be taking advantage of the six month return policy. The Neuton would definitely never satisfy my neighbor who wants to have a putting green lawn, but then, I'm not nearly as concerned as he. All I want is something relatively green. If you have a small level lot and don't want it to look like a putting green, the Neuton is probably for you. This review is based on using the Neuton from June until September.
Pros:
1. Extremely quiet. I don't have to wear ear plugs anymore. You don't know the lawn is getting mowed unless you see the person pushing the mower.
2. Not a point source of pollution. Some power plant somewhere is generating a little more pollution to recharge the battery. Hopefully, more renewable energy sources will be coming on-line.
3. Easier to maneuver than my heavier gas mower.
4. Good battery life. I bought an extra battery because of what I read prior to purchasing the Neuton. However, I have never had to change batteries to get the lawn mowed. We are on a court, the front is around 40', the back is something like 350' and the yard is about 80' deep. In addition, there is a 20' easement between us and our western neighbor. I mow half of that, too.
5. Cuts better and faster after sunset. It cuts even better after the battery status light is interfering with my night vision. However, it is not disturbing the neighbors!
Cons:
1. Does not cut evenly. There is much more tall grass left behind than with the gas mower. I imagine that is because the Neuton's blade doesn't run as fast as a gas mower and that it doesn't generate as much vacuum to pull the grass up into the blade.
2. Does not mulch well. I installed the mulching kit. If the mower is cutting more than a half inch to an inch or so, it leaves a trail of once cut clippings. Cutting only half the mower width to reduce the load doesn't seem to help. My gas mower has two blades and the partial width trick works great with it when I let the lawn get too long. Our east side grows much faster than the west side, so by the time the west needs cutting, the east is way overdue.
3. Does not cut, let alone mulch, leaves. Our crab apple tree dropped a lot of leaves this summer. Running the Neuton over the leaves left them laughing. They got tickled, not cut or mulched. Since I started using a gas mulching mower years ago, I haven't collected leaves in the fall because the gas mower mulched them very well. The Neuton is lucky if it cuts a leaf in two. [A couple weeks later:] The poplars in the wetland at the back of the yard dropped a lot of leaves in the last week. I could not see any difference between before and after running over them with the Neuton.
4. Is a lot more work than the self-propelled gas mower. Our lot is six to eight feet lower at the back than the front. When we moved in from our level lot, I discovered that my push gas mower was very heavy. Fortunately, the blade brake died during the first season and I traded it in on a self-propelled unit. I thought the Neuton might be light enough, but it isn't. I thought I was going to have a heart attack the evening I mowed when the heat index was over 100�F.
5. Blade doesn't seem to hold an edge. It will certainly take one, as my bloody thumb demonstrated when I got careless the first time I sharpened it. (I don't have a grinder, so I use a file.)
Safety:
1. Check/tighten the four screws that hold the handle on and together frequently.
Since I wanted an extra battery and the mulching kit, I just ordered the accessory kit. I have used the edger once. It does a much better job of cutting than my electric hand weed whacker. However, being attached to a 45 pound mower on four wheels it is rather clumsy. Being light weight compared to a gas mower makes the mower seem manuverable, but it is still extremely massive for an edger.
Competition: Last year, the Neuton was the only cordless rotory mower I could find. (Black & Decker was under a recall.) I couldn't find a single review of the Neuton, so I didn't buy. This year, Black & Decker was back, but at 75 pounds, 30 more than the Neuton, I rejected it. (I didn't see anything indicating that the Black & Decker is self propelled as a 75 pound mower should be.) The new contender was the Bully. It is lighter than the Neuton, but I rejected it because it doesn't have a mulching option. (Turns out the Neuton doesn't mulch very well, so maybe that wasn't a good criterion to reject it.)

I was committed to purchasing an electric lawnmower. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of options and even fewer reviews so was hard to decide! Ultimately went with the neuton and have been very happy. It is extremely light and easy to maneuver and turn which is great b/c we have a couple of hills and narrow spaces on our lawn. I was worried b/c it is more narrow than some mowers (maybe 14"?) but that hasn't been a problem at all; in fact, we don't even notice. Charges quickly and we haven't had any battery problems (have used 1 season). Never ran out of charge on our small lawn (lawn took about 45" with power mower). Quiet (I can cut early in the morning without waking the neighbors) and cuts well. I'm thrilled not to have a cord. Haven't used the mulcher or any other fancy accessories (the local sales guy said not to bother with buying those).

I would buy this again without hesitation and would recommend to others. I didn't give it 5 stars only b/c there are so few cordless electric mowers to choose from in 2005 that I can't imagine this is yet the model of perfection, but for the average small lawn owner (like me), it's a great machine.

Addendum 7/2006: now in our second season and no complaints. We love this machine; it was a great purchase for us.

I highly recommend this mower. It cuts and mulches as good and my previous corded Craftsman electric mower and it is much more quiet. I also bought the optional mulching kit (blade and insert) which works well for my yard (northern IL).

The product is well engineered and well made. There is a high quality metal connector for the cable running to the push handle where the on/off switch is located and all the parts seem durable and easy to remove or service. The battery is easy to remove; it can be charged in the mower or separately.

If you want to read more download the manual from the DR Power website: here is the URL: http://www.countryhomeproducts.com/contentpages/CSTM_manuals-cem.aspx

The customer service at DR Power is great. I ordered the mower on Sunday and had it by Thursday with free shipping!

The picture shown for the part is not accurate. The part you sent me has a round hole for mounting in the center. The picture shows one that is 'saturn' shaped, like the one that is on my edger. So, I have purchased a part that I cannot use.

TO: Reviewer:S. Carmona (Manhattan Beach CA) and OTHERS...

I could be wrong but I suspect I have the same EDGE HOG edger as you guys. Just put the washer ON, then the BLADE, then the washer, and TIGHTEN.

I know that the blade would have a tendency to SLIP, but only if it encounters INCREDIBLE RESISTANCE - in which case you would WANT it to slip. I originally thought this was the wrong blade, but after thinking about it, I realized that it actually is a good design.

If you hit something that might bind up the blade, the motor will NOT burn up, but some slippage might occur. If that happens with me, I just remember to tighten the blade when I am done. Actually I tighten it before use ANYWAY - it is usually NOT LOOSE at all though.

It is an amazing edger, with CLEAN EDGES on sidewalks, etc.
For me the blades are working GREAT with the same edger you all have. I am not trying to be snotty or anything, just saying that even though it looks like the wrong blade when you first look at it, it funtions "safely" and does a great job.

They always tend to wear down, that is my only complaint, but that is minor. They are worth it.

Again, you might think by looking at it that there is NO WAY it would work since the hole is not the same, and you might think it would NOT SPIN or CUT (EDGE) anything, but it does work great.

If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer them (here). If you suspect we have different edgers (I think not), I can post some photos of installing the blade on mine. Again, I am just trying to be helpful - not trying to start a "war". :-)

Good Luck,
Greg

They may have had problems in the past but Amazon is delivering the replacement blade the photo shows. It is hardened steel!! I ordered the blade as a backup when I purchased my edger. I used the Black and Decker edger my father owned on the numerous lawns I cut as a kid. The edger lasted over 25 years and was given away to friends when Mom and Dad moved into a condo. It still had the origional blade on it.
I've got a hint for those other reviewers who seem to go through blades. All those sparks you are seeing demonstrate that you are not properly aligned. Take your time, don't rush, you'll get a quality job and you'll save your blades.

This is my third season with this mower. Virtually problem free; it's performed nearly flawlessly. The self-propelled mower (make sure it's the self-propelled mower like the description of the product says; the title says push mower) practically mows the lawn by itself. The cut is quick and even.

The only glitch is that if you stop it to go from one part of your property to another (should you need to wheel the mower over concrete or asphalt), it is tough to restart. It will restart, but you have to wait a few minutes and then pull the cords several times for it to start up. It's a little annoying, but overall I'm very glad I bought this mower.

Good mower for the money. Powerful engine, nice big rear wheels and easy bag use. The only downfall I see to this mower is the fact that the wheels and the way they are attached are not the most durable. It has been fine for me, but when I allowed someone else to use it (someone who was a bit careless with it) it didn't hold up as well. I had to replace some of the wheel connecting parts. For my use it is fine, if I wanted something that was very very durable I would have bought a Toro for quite a bit more. All the features of the expensive mowers. It's worth it.

It's perfect for uneven terrains because of the big wheels at the back. The Briggs & Stratton engine is excellent. Been using it for the last 4 years and never once did I have any probs. Back then it was the best lawn mower to buy according to the consumer digest reports.

If you're sidewalk isn't badly overgrown, or if very short, you MIGHT be ok with this. I have a TB475 4 stroke weed eater, and it just wasn't enough power to do it without getting a permanent case of the shakes from holding the trimmer at full throttle (vibration) that long. If you have more than about 30 ft total to do, I would seriously consider finding a "real" edger. I found a 3.5 hp one used at a garage sale for 1/3 the price I paid for the attachment.

I was a bit skeptical as to how well this edger would perform. I own the Troy-Bilt TB90BC gas-powered (2-cycle) string trimmer, which this edger can attach to. Although the trimmer works reasonably well, I wasn't convinced the edger would have enough power to do the job.

I have now used the edger several times around walkways, the driveway, and shrubs. I am surprised how well the edger performs. It has sufficient power for most of my routine yard work. The motor did bog down through unusually thick sections of grass next to the driveway. However, I was able to raise the blade (a nice and simple-to-use feature) and take a couple of slow passes. Now that it has been cleared out, I can keep the blade lower with no problems.

For routine yard work, I recommend this purchase if you have a compatible unit. It's definitely worth the price as compared to a separate unit, and is much easier to use than the electric edger I replaced.