I did a torture test on a Craftsman 21″ Briggs & Stratton model 38903 push mower. The mower was purchased in 2005 and is quite similar to the current model 38903. The push mower technology doesn’t seem change a lot.The main difference is my mower is 6.5 horsepower and the new model is 6.75 horsepower.
The test was conducted by running the mower for approximately one hour per week. In Houston, Texas, the harvest season is very hot, lasting about 35 weeks of the year. So the mower has cut my lawn about 175 times.
The suggested service hours have been completely neglected. No oil check before each use, no annual oil change, no spark plug replacement, no sharpening of the blade… you get the idea.
Even with this abuse, the mower has started reliably on the first pull or two and has performed well. After the fifth year there was some grass that was a little bent and not cut cleanly. At that time I got a new blade and changed the oil, air filter and spark plug. My guess is that this will keep the mower running for a few more years.
Obviously, it’s best to do maintenance on schedule, but this machine seems to handle neglect quite well. (A good reason NOT to neglect the service is that it could cause security problems.) If your lawn is very large, a self-propelled lawn mower might be better. However, it is nice to get some exercise and this machine is easy to push and maneuver. The rear bag on my mower has been used occasionally and works fine, but fills up fast. The cutting height is easy to adjust, but I wish the maximum height was a little higher. The engine power is sufficient and the noise level is typical of a walk-behind mower.
My purchase price was $179 and five years later I see the newer version on sale for about the same price. I think this mower is good value for money. One nice thing about getting a Sears product is that replacement parts are available for many years after the sale.