Toro or Honda?

[Scag48]

I am looking into a 21" for next season. I'm trying to decide who's got the better machine. Is it Toro or Honda? I mulch and will probably be bagging in the fall. Do you have to change blades when going from mulching to bagging? I'm looking at the big commercial ones, the Big Daddy's. I'm a Toro believer in mulching but what's making me think twice is my dealer isn't really all that great. I've got a better dealer for Honda. What's the wise choice here?

[landscaper3]

Toro personal pace are nice

[bob]

On your post you said you were lokking at 21" mowers, then you said "the big commercial ones" "the big daddys".Are you still talking about 21" or 48" or larger walk behinds?

[65hoss]

I have a early 80's model commercial 21" honda. Countless hrs on it. Still cranks on first pull. Also has a better deck. Steel deck verses alum. on the toro.

In mid size, DO NOT BUY A HONDA!!!!! Honda should stay out of the mid size market.

Eric

[RYAN]

Just the other day you were looking at exmarks and now you are looking at 21" mowers????? Anyway I like the honda and agree with hoss they start on the first pull, last forever, and are tough as nails.

[lawnMaster5000]

there have been previous posts recently on the toro, i love the 21" but it is not the best mulcher. I have seen countless hondas destroyed and never seen a toro need much work. For more info on the toro search toro 21" and you will find a very thourough review of the equipment.


and to 65hoss i have a honda 52" that i really like but i agree they do have many problems. not to discourage anyone from buying one of the best machines. 2nd to of course ferris.

[65hoss]

Ok, let me correct my statement on midsize. The true gear is the one I had. It would beat you up trying to use it. Bought it new in march and sold it in July. Bought an exmark 36 walkbehind. Should have bought it in March, I believe it is the best purchase i made this year.

I see a lot of the hondas 21" around all the time. Very rare to see a toro in my area. Most commercial guys don't want an aluminum deck.

[Chuck Sinclair]

Nothing but the best HONDA i have three 21" one is 12 years old and still going strong. never met a Toro i liked.

[AB Lawn Care]

Very hard chioce.Here is my opinion.

Honda Pro-engine will never die,very tuff machine,very good mulcher,cuts good in the wet.

Honda Con-Very expensive parts.Up here one wheel will cost you $60!!!!Almost all parts are expensive compaired to other brands.

Toro pro-close to reliability to honda but not quite as good.cheaper parts than honda,some models have a very cool self cleaning deck,you hook up a garden hose and it powers the blades and sprays the deck at the same time!Awsome warrenty on engine if it does not start in 2 pulls it will be repaired for free.

Toro con-parts and dealers may be a little less common than honda.multching is as good as honda and does not preform as well in the wet.

you tell me what's better????I shure will have a hard time choosing when I buy my next 21''!!!!

[lawnMaster5000]

ok here is my opinion again. the 21" toro that i was refering to is the 21" commercial 2cycle. I do not recomend any other toro. the commercial is absolutely industructable. i ruber/steel wheels, belt drive(never sliped yet, super reinforced handles. Easily adjustable speed control, will go as fast as you (or employee) can.

the honda has plastic wheels that often break($60?) and the handles are attached w/ only two bolts. tehn the gear box is not smooth (grabs to engage)and wears out easily. The honda is a slow machine.

as i posted on the other toro discussion i used my toro 20 hours a week and would never do that with a honda.

I have used the honda and toro both extensively and woudl recomend spending the extra money for the toro.

hope this helps.

s_marquart@hotmial.com

[Eric ELM]

When you joined, from looking at your screen name, I was lead to believe you had and used a Scag 48" mower, but I think you said you borrowed a 21" from your uncle. I think you have asked about every commercial mower except the MTD. Your moto is Big or Small, We mow 'em All and now your talking about getting a 21" mower again. How big of a lawn do you plan to mow with a 21"? I mow mostly 2 acre lawns and I consider them medium size lawns next to the 5 acre lawn we mow. If your going to buy a mower, get at least a 36" to mow those BIG lawns you will be mowing. Mowing a 2 acre lawn or bigger with a 36" mower will be a slow process. If you are going to use this 21" as your main mower, you better stick to very small lawns, 10 K or less. If you plan to get a Big Daddy commercial 21" mower, spend double that and get at least a 36" mower and you can do twice as much and make more money.

[Turfer]

I'm going to get smacked for this but I use a lawn boy commercial 21" on my real small properties. I like the 2 cycle torque and I thought the Toro with Suzuki 2 cycle was just not in my budget. I tried Honda but I did not like the cut as well as the lawn boy. I mulch. The honda left alot of standing blades of grass. The lawn boy has a 6.5 hp engine. The only thing I don't like is the mix is 32:1 and I have to keep a seperate gas can just for it. I cut yesterday in rain. The grass here is tall fescue and it had 1 week's growth. No clumping. I actually think the yards looked better than they did when I cut them dry. The lawn boy also has a flap on the back of the deck much like my striping kit on my 44" Toro. It leaves a good pattern. I think I probably got what I paid for because I don't think this lawn boy is going to hold up like the commercial Toro 21" but it sure cuts good.

[Runner]

Our trim mowers are Snappers. The old 2 cycles with the 19" deck. One bagger, and one side discharge. They get used a total of about 10 minutes a week between the two of them.

[Cutter1]

I use the 21 inch Toro Proline. I have 4 of them and would never buy anyhthing else. I have used the honda's, they are nice, but for simplicity you can not beat the toro. You squeeze the handle and go. I also rig them to NOT turn off when you let the handle go and when you pull the throttle up they shut off. THis is nice and it saves time. They are a little pricy, but so are the honda's. You pay for what you get.

[Chuck Sinclair]

Hmm All three on my HONDAs have steel wheels! I think you need to ouit buying you lawn mowers from HOME DEPOT cuz you arent using any commercial HONDAS I have been using one HONDA for 12 years and have not had any of those problems. There is not a toro built that will last that long.

>the honda has plastic wheels that often break($60?) and >the handles are attached w/ only two bolts. tehn the gear >box is not smooth (grabs to engage)and wears out easily. >The honda is a slow machine.

[AB Lawn Care]

lawnmaster5000-Thanks for the post!I agree honda's are slow!Also you are right about the gear box in the honda!Mine is toast!Leaving a 100pd mower to push around....not fun!

How do you find the the suzuki smokes?Any 2 cycle is going to atleast puff a bit!But how is toro???And how does it preform on hills??????

[The Lawn Genie]

I've got a Toro proline... love it. The other day I borrowed a buddy of mines Honda Commercial 21" because I needed 2 push mowers for the day... I l;ike the Toro much better. I think it has a better cut and is easier to drive. I also like the fact that it is a 2 stroke. (Just my personal opinion.

[Twotoros]

21" commercial 2-stroke for me. I get lot's of use out of these low maintainance babies and after three seasons either put a short block on or trade in. I decided this year to trade in every two seasons . That new I usually get 250-300$ trade or sell and would have very little into them for upkeep.
Can't say I've tried the hondas but not many in my burg use them.

[Cutter1]

The toro's all blow smoke. A little at first, but as they get older and are used more, they blow more. They still run good, just a little more of a smoke screen.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by Turfer
I'm going to get smacked for this but I use a lawn boy commercial 21" on my real small properties

Gil, not refering to an older post are you. Thanks for the laugh.

[Turfer]

Ray,
The first thing I learned about this forum is to prepare yourself for a tongue lashing if you mention certain words or phrases.(lawnboy, homelite, MTD) I was expecting to get beat up about my lime green machine but didn't. Whew !