If you could start all over again

[TheDuncan]

I just moved into a new home. Since I rented before I face now the great challenges of homeownership.
I did cut grass since I am eleven, either for my parents or later during highschool/college for money. I actually had a mowing job which included a 15 acres lawn - so I know how to do the job.

Now beside a borrowed and broken Toro 22" I have no powertools at all and are looking into a complete set. I think I have St Aug. in the front and back yard.
Though the back is pretty much brown and thin it is still there and I hope it will come back in fall. I think the pre-owner stopped watering after they sold the house.
The front yard is divided by the driveway with only one big bush as an obstacle. The backyard has a weird shape with 3 trees, the patio and playscape in it.

I have about 2000 USD budget and I need :
- a lawn mower
- trimmer
- edger
- branch cutter (maybe a saw blade on the trimmer?)
- brush cutter

I eye-balled those riding mowers, but I think it is overkill for my <0,5 acre lot. And it would left me with almost no money for the rest of the tools. (but please convince me, guys like loud things on four wheels;-)

I really liked the Husqvarna products. I have worked with them in the past and, I am from Europe, have no experience with the US brands.
With that I was thinking of a HU800AWD mower, a 128L trimmer with all the needed attachment.

What you think? I am open for any suggestions. Is that a good starter set?
That borrowed 22" Toro was definitely too weak for the thick gras in the front - I need something more powerful.

 

[Kodie's Lawn Service]

I would get a exmark or toro commercial 21 that will last you forever
A Echo Pas 266 with the trimmer an edger attachment, an then a brush cutter should come in right near budget :thumbsup:

 

[exotion]

I would get a exmark or toro commercial 21 that will last you forever
A Echo Pas 266 with the trimmer an edger attachment, an then a brush cutter should come in right near budget :thumbsup:

For .5 acre? Honda hrx and echo pas with attachments and a couple bucks left over for something fun

 

[Ric]

I just moved into a new home. Since I rented before I face now the great challenges of homeownership.
I did cut grass since I am eleven, either for my parents or later during highschool/college for money. I actually had a mowing job which included a 15 acres lawn - so I know how to do the job.

Now beside a borrowed and broken Toro 22" I have no powertools at all and are looking into a complete set. I think I have St Aug. in the front and back yard.
Though the back is pretty much brown and thin it is still there and I hope it will come back in fall. I think the pre-owner stopped watering after they sold the house.
The front yard is divided by the driveway with only one big bush as an obstacle. The backyard has a weird shape with 3 trees, the patio and playscape in it.

I have about 2000 USD budget and I need :
- a lawn mower
- trimmer
- edger
- branch cutter (maybe a saw blade on the trimmer?)
- brush cutter

I eye-balled those riding mowers, but I think it is overkill for my <0,5 acre lot. And it would left me with almost no money for the rest of the tools. (but please convince me, guys like loud things on four wheels;-)

I really liked the Husqvarna products. I have worked with them in the past and, I am from Europe, have no experience with the US brands.
With that I was thinking of a HU800AWD mower, a 128L trimmer with all the needed attachment.

What you think? I am open for any suggestions. Is that a good starter set?
That borrowed 22" Toro was definitely too weak for the thick gras in the front - I need something more powerful.

For 0.5 acres you don't need to spend a ton of money on a commercial mower or a high end residential for that fact. Something like a Toro 20332 for 359.00 or if you want Bladre stop the Toro 20333 for 399.00 and if you don't like the recoil the Toro 20334 with the electric start for the same 399.00. You said really liked the Husqvarna products. The Husqvarna AWD and the 128L trimmer you mentioned would be all you would need and add one of there edgers and a pole saw and you would well within your $2000 budget. The only thing I see wrong with what you are trying to do is it sounds like your maybe buying your equipment from Lowes or a big box store, not that there's anything wrong with the Big Box stores but you may want to check with your local dealers and see what they have to offer for mowers and information and there service departments about your needs before you decide to purchase anything.

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

For .5 acre? Honda hrx and echo pas with attachments and a couple bucks left over for something fun

I totally agree! :thumbsup:

 

[afoulk]

For .5 acre? Honda hrx and echo pas with attachments and a couple bucks left over for something fun

That plan would definitely leave you plenty of money left over for the cold beer after the job is done;-)

 

[TheDuncan]

That plan would definitely leave you plenty of money left over for the cold beer after the job is done;-)

I like the part with the cold beer.


Thank you all for the advise.

 

[Ric]

For .5 acre? Honda hrx and echo pas with attachments and a couple bucks left over for something fun

I totally agree! :thumbsup:

I totally disagree. The HRX is between $599 and $699 and that's to much money to spend for .5 acres. The Pas systems you guys like to push, unless you buy the 28.1cc power head at $359.00 you might as well be doing it in the wind (to be polite ) and to match it up with there good trimmer head your total price is $459.00plus tax for one piece of equipment. You can buy the SRM 225 trimmer for $219 and the PE 225 edger for $229 and only spend $448 and have something that actually be sufficient for a homeowner to use.

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

I totally disagree. The HRX is between $599 and $699 and that's to much money to spend for .5 acres. The Pas systems you guys like to push, unless you buy the 28.1cc power head at $359.00 you might as well be doing it in the wind (to be polite ) and to match it up with there good trimmer head your total price is $459.00plus tax for one piece of equipment. You can buy the SRM 225 trimmer for $219 and the PE 225 edger for $229 and only spend $448 and have something that actually be sufficient for a homeowner to use.

0.5 acres is a decent amount of land to mow with a push mower. Most of the yards in our neighborhood are 0.25 acres and more people have HRX's than any other mower. If you are doing 0.5 acres every 5 days, that is a lot of use on a mower of lesser quality than the Honda!

 

[TheDuncan]

0.5 acres is a decent amount of land to mow with a push mower. Most of the yards in our neighborhood are 0.25 acres and more people have HRX's than any other mower. If you are doing 0.5 acres every 5 days, that is a lot of use on a mower of lesser quality than the Honda!

I spent the last 4 hours searching the web and read posts. Even though here in Texas the grass does not grow like in the North-west, I still want to have a reliable machine.
I decided to get a HRX217HYA and dropped the idea of the HU800AWD. Mainly because I don't need AWD (total flat land) and the higher quality of the Honda.

As for the trimmer I was disappointing and confused by Husqvarna. The only multi-tools are the homeowner grade 12x series. Everything above will not take attachments.
The 128Ld looked good, but only takes low cost attachments (Lowes). The 128LDx take the pro series, but no blower available and very expensive.

So I settled for a home-owner grade Stihl FS 56 RCE witht the according attachments. If there is money left I might step up to a FS90, but I will see.