This mower is fine for anyone who is a bit "mechanically challenged." I'm not a professional mechanic, although I CAN use a screwdriver & wrench, and I know how to read a manual. The other reviewer tried to be much to kind in saying that. This mower, like any other rider, is only unsuitable for the totally inept who won't pay a service person to maintain it. All mowers require regular maintenance by someone with basic know-how. Anyone who can't deal with this one should just pay a lawn service to cut the grass! This 30" rider built by MTD is a great mower, and is almost the same as several others they build for other brands (Cub Cadet, Snapper, and Troy-Bilt, etc). The Craftsman has a better engine that's more powerful and quieter than the Troy-Bilt, and has the features of the more expensive versions sold with other names. It's a perfect size for any lot under an acre. Darn few people with medium to small size yards need a 42" mower. This one is easy to use and is almost as maneuverable as a pricey zero-turn machine. All things considered, after one season of mowing, it's a really good value for the money. To respond to a few negative reviews I've seen- yes the clutch is a little jumpy, but it's easy to get used to it. Yes, you're supposed to stop the blade to mow in reverse, BUT I found a You-Tube video that showed how to fix that by diconnecting one wire. It only took about 15 seconds. My first oil change was a bit messy, but one trip to the local plumbing dept at the hardware store remedied that problem forever. The shifter for forward & reverse is a bit inconvenient, but designed for your safety and not that bad. My yard is a tad too big for a guy my age to push-mow, but too small to warrant a tractor. This mower is the perfect size for me, and any minor flaws are far outweighed by its advantages.
Failed 10 minutes after starting to mow. No information in the Owner's Manual that came with the mower. 5 days later service tech resets the discharge chute to properly depress the kill switch, which entirely kills the engine and starter. Killing the blade would make a lot more sense if there is no discharge protection in place. Tried again after 2 days of rain. It allowed the kill switch to engage after operating 20 minutes. Gave up after adjusting chute 5 more times. Bumps in the yard and slight deflections to the chute caused by shrubbery released the kill switch. Sears needs to redesign the kill switch to: Only kill the blade, allowing the mower to be driven. Be securely depressed when the plastic discharge chute is in place. Eliminate the 1/4" gap between the chute and mower deck that allows grass to build up and press the chute away from the kill switch. Disclose in the Owner's Manual that ships with the mower the presence of the kill switch as a potential problem preventing the operation of the mower. If Sears were to implement the suggested changes, I might get to operate the mower enough to find out if there are any other problems. Otherwise, I was pleased with the quietness, maneuverability, cut and overall operation of the mower in my first hour of use.
never cut right had them out twice and they basically said its a cheap mower what did you expect I asked dot trade it in on a better one they say im SOL
Other than being fast. It does a great job. And it fits through the gate.
Still going reliably.
Too bad Sears doesn't sell accessories for it.
This is a great little mower IF you know its particular nuances. I spent most of a day trouble shooting a "no start" situation only to find that the safety switch for the blade wasn't depressed because my PTO lever hadn't been pushed all the way to the rear. I spent another day troubleshooting a "no start" because my deck deflector shield hadn't pushed the safety switch fully. Other than nightmare it is to work on this machine due to its numerous, but necessary safety interlock switches, its a great little mower. I would recommend with reservations. Sears should dedicate a page in the manual to show how those need to be "fully" enagaged in order to get the machine to start.
This product has been out of stock for over a month and a store manager said that no Sears will get more and you cant order it as well.i feel this a false advertisement to get people in the stores to buy the more expensive one.
This is my third year using this mower and I've had zero issues. Starts every time and runs well. I have a appx 1/4 flat acre with alot of trees. My reason for using this besides cutting the grass is it's great for picking up the leaves. No more raking. The bagger attachment I bought with it does plug up with pinestraw though. Don't go too fast over the straw and it performs better. But that's not the mowers problem.