The best lawn mower

By Doug Mahoney

This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer’s guide to the best homewares. When readers choose to buy The Sweethome’s independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here.

If you’re mowing less than half an acre of lawn, the best lawn mower for your grass-cutting needs is the self-propelled, gas-powered Honda HRX217K5VKA. After 60 hours of research and conversations with two landscapers, two service outlets, and Roy Berendsohn of Popular Mechanics (who has tested and evaluated lawn mowers for more than 20 years), we found that the quality, reliability, and features of the Honda—as well as its unique ability to balance how much grass is mulched and how much is bagged—justify its steep price.

How we picked

Lawn mowers come in a wide variety of flavors with a wide variety of features. Husqvarna alone has 13 different gas-powered walk-behind mowers listed at its site. Toro has a whopping 24. Many features are specific to certain lawn and terrain conditions. To cover their bases, most manufacturers offer mowers with different feature combinations to make sure that they’re going to have a model that will work for your particular lawn. To help us wade through the seemingly endless features and models of mowers available, we started with Roy Berendsohn, the resident lawn mower guru at Popular Mechanics.

After 60 hours spent researching and interviewing experts, we concluded that that ideal mower for most lawns smaller than half an acre is a self-propelled model with rear-wheel drive coupled with variable speed control. It should also have three options for disposing of clippings: side discharge, bag, and mulch. Other nice features to have are a blade-brake clutch, which allows you to stop the blade but keep the mower running, and a washout port so you can easily clean the underside of the cutting dome with your garden hose.

For anyone with a small-enough lawn for a walk-behind mower, self-propelled designs are very easy to handle because the drive wheels move the machine forward, so all you have to do is steer—not push.

All of the landscapers and service/retail people we spoke with said that they recommend rear-wheel drive (RWD) over front-wheel drive (FWD), mostly due to the superior traction. FWD is cheaper, but ultimately, we think RWD offers enough benefits to justify its price premium.

For more on features like brake clutches and washout ports, and on the differences between engines in mowers, see our full guide.

Our pick

According to our research, interviews, and testing, the mower to get for most lawns under half an acre is the Honda HRX217K5VKA. (If you have a lawn larger than half an acre, consider getting a riding mower.) Costing $600 at the time of writing, no doubt it’s on the expensive side, but all indications say that it is worth the cost both in performance and long-term durability. The Honda is up near the top spot at Consumer Reports and is also well-liked by Berendsohn, who called it “the luxury car of walk-behind mowers.” The Honda has rear-wheel drive, a powerful 190cc engine, and a two-blade cutting system, so it offers great traction and can tackle tall, thick grass with no problems. Though most high-end mowers can bag, side discharge, and mulch, the Honda can also shred leaves to the point that it can replace raking entirely. And it comes with a nearly indestructible (and fully warrantied) composite mowing dome.

All of these features are enough to set a mower apart from the pack, but what really launches the Honda into new territory is the unique Versamow system. Versamow, simply put, lets you control how much grass is being bagged and how much is being mulched. It does this via a 10-position toggle that adjusts the opening between the mowing dome and the bag opening. On other mulching mowers, the dome is either completely open or completely closed off, so 100 percent of the grass gets bagged or mulched. But with Versamow, you can, for example, set one-third to be bagged and two-thirds to be mulched, which really helps you respond to your yard’s conditions to make mowing easier.

A space-saving mower

A space-saving mower

If the Honda is too expensive or you’re extremely tight on storage space, we also like the Toro Recycler 20340, which has the unique ability to be folded up and stored in an upright position. According to Toro, this reduces the storage footprint up to 70 percent over a traditional mower. Consumer Reports rates the 20340 favorably, placing it in the ninth spot, but it doesn’t have the finesse or long-term reputation of the Honda (nor the Versamow feature).

A lightweight mower under $300

Photo: Lawn Boy

If you’re on a tight budget and are looking for a decent RWD, self-propelled, variable-speed mower for less than $300, we suggest the Lawn-Boy 17732 (our former pick in this category, Lawn-Boy model 10732, is the previous version of the same mower). In his RWD piece, Berendsohn gives it his “best buy” designation, calling it “a delightfully simple, light, basic mower.” He added that he was “pleasantly surprised by how fast and effective it is despite its small Kohler engine.”

Unlike the Honda and the Toro, it doesn’t have any sort of innovative drive-control mechanism. Instead, it comes with the basic standard metal bar that you pull against the handle. Though it is not a fancy system, it doesn’t have a learning curve, and it could probably even be comfortable in its familiarity.

A good cordless mower

Photo: Ego

If your mowing usually takes less than 45 minutes and you want to bypass the hassles involved with owning a combustion engine, we recommend the Ego LM2101 56-Volt Cordless Lawn Mower. The LM2101 is an expensive machine, only $100 less than the recommended Honda, but the feedback on it is overwhelmingly positive.

The LM2101 has a 21-inch cutting deck and comes with a 5.0 Ah battery, as opposed to the older LM2001, which has a 20-inch cutting deck and comes with a 4.0 Ah battery. Consumer Reports, which tested both models, rates the newer LM2101 higher in the categories of mulching, bagging, and side discharge (Ego mails the side-discharge chute for free when the you register the mower). Berendsohn hasn’t reviewed the newer model, but lauded the older LM2001 for its power, handling, and stowability, all of which are the same or improved with the LM2101. The older LM2001 is now selling for $50 less than the new LM2101, but we feel that the upgrade is worth it. We also wouldn’t be surprised if the older LM2001 is slowly phased out.

(Top photo by Honda.)

This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.

Note from The Sweethome: When readers choose to buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn affiliate commissions that support our work.

Streaming services will pay writers more following a new deal

Amazon, Hulu and Netflix are going to have to open their wallets a little bit wider if they want to keep producing original shows. The Writers Guild of America has outlined a tentative 3-year contract that will increase the residuals paid to writers for every episode in a high-budget series. The exact payouts vary depending on the size of the service and the length of the show, but the companies are looking at anywhere between $3,448 more per episode for the life of the contract (for a half-hour Hulu show) to $34,637 (for an hour-long Netflix production). That may not sound like much given the money these companies can throw around, but it could add up for a series cranking out several new episodes every year.

It’s not immediately clear what prompted the WGA’s residual hike. However, the move is a sign of how valuable streaming video has become. You’re not writing for online services because you couldn’t find work at a conventional TV studio — there’s a real chance that you could win an award and otherwise earn the same kind of respect that you’d have if you were writing for cable. While this probably won’t lead to an increase in your subscription fee (not in the near-term, at least), it might attract writers who’d otherwise be tempted to skip internet video.

Source: Deadline

Amazon Echo gets its own ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit

How do you know when a gadget has become part of the American cultural zeitgeist? When it gets its own Saturday Night Live routine, apparently. The comedy show ran a skit (US-only) on May 13th pitching the “Amazon Echo Silver,” an imaginary smart speaker aimed at the “greatest generation.” Not surprisingly, that means lots of stereotypical jokes about seniors: the Silver is extremely loud, repeats itself and will answer back if you say any name that sounds even vaguely like Alexa. Naturally, you can only order it with a check or money order.

The funniest part: while the Silver is clearly a spoof on Amazon’s ever-growing Echo lineup, it’s not that much of a stretch. Amazon is clearly capitalizing on the Echo’s success by filling every possible niche, so it’s easy to imagine the internet giant building a voice-controlled speaker for the retired crowd. And let’s be honest… SNL’s concept doesn’t look that bad. Wouldn’t you want to give your grandparents a speaker that blends into their decor?

As seen on SNL: An Echo designed for the greatest generation that will answer to any name close to Alexa 😂 pic.twitter.com/uqN1FRT7uP

— Amazon (@amazon) May 14, 2017

Source: SNL (YouTube), Amazon (Twitter)

You can now bank with your voice thanks to American Express’ new Alexa skill

Why it matters to you

Who has the time to log onto an account just to check their credit card balance? Alexa and American Express understand, and together, are here to help.

Keeping tabs on your spending habits is onerous in and of itself (because who wants to know how much they spent on that outfit they just had to have or that extra dessert they just couldn’t pass up). But now that you can check yourself using just your voice, basic financial responsibility is more feasible than ever. Last week, American Express launched its new Amex skill for Amazon Alexa, bringing “select experiences of AmericanExpress.com and the Amex mobile app to Alexa.”

If you’re an OPEN Card Member with an American Express ID and password, you can now link your online Amex account to the skill, allowing you to check your account balance, review recent charges, make a payment, and more through voice commands.

“We first introduced a partnership with Amazon in 2010 that enabled our Card Members to use Membership Rewards for purchases on Amazon.com,” said Luke Gebb, senior vice president, Enterprise Digital, American Express. “Today, we’re bringing another element of the Card Member experience to Amazon with the introduction of the Amex skill for Alexa. Our Card Members are redefining how they engage with our brand across the digital platforms of their choice, and we want them to have great experiences wherever they are.”

The new skill also syncs with the Amex Offers ecosystem, which allows card holders to browse exclusive offers and deals and add them to eligible cards. Amex notes that this makes it the first financial services skill to include a benefit like Amex Offers in its Alexa offerings.

“We’re excited that the American Express skill is coming to Alexa,” said Rob Pulciani, Director, Amazon Alexa. “American Express is known for innovating on behalf of customers and providing top-notch service, values we share at Amazon. With the Amex skill for Alexa, Card Members are just a question away from getting account information, offers, and more.”

To set up the new Amex skill, head over to “Skills” in the Alexa app, and search “Amex.” Enable the skill and log into your American Express online account using your User ID and password, then create a 4-digit PIN (which you’ll need to say every time in order to open up the Amex skill). From there, treat Amex as you would any other skill, saying things like “Alexa, open Amex,” and then asking your virtual assistant to make a payment or check your current balance.

Is that phone stolen? Check and see with the CTIA’s new tool, the Stolen Phone Checker

Why it matters to you

Think that phone deal is too good to be true? Check to see if it is with the CTIA’s Stolen Phone Checker.

You may never even think to steal a phone, but who’s to say that you wouldn’t purchase a stolen phone by accident? Here to help you ensure that you don’t break the law, inadvertently or not, is a new tool from the CTIA (the nonprofit representing the U.S. wireless communications industry) that lets you check if the phone you’re interested in purchasing came from an illegitimate source. Aptly named the Stolen Phone Checker, this tool quite simply allows users to look up if a device has been reported as lost or stolen.

The straightforward site is free and easy to use — simply input your device’s IMEI, MEID, or ESN. Each of these codes are unique to a mobile device, and every mobile device must have one of these ID umbers. Finding them might be a bit tricky, though. For example, if you have an iPhone, the number may be printed on the back or your device, but some other phones may require you to dig through the settings menu to find the code.

In any case, once you’ve located the specified string, just head over to the Stolen Phone Checker, input those digits, check the “I’m not a robot” CAPTCHA, and hit submit. You’ll then be told if your phone is safe to use, or has been reported stolen.

One caveat, however: if a stolen or lost phone’s original owner has not reported the device missing, the tool won’t know about it. That said, Stolen Phone Checker will still likely be useful the rest of the time.

So why is it so important to know whether or not your device comes from a legitimate source? Quite simply, if you try to activate a stolen phone, it just won’t work. In fact, American phone carriers have a collective database of stolen phone IDs, and if your device happens to match one of these numbers, it won’t be able to join a wireless service provider’s network. That means it’s key to check the authenticity of that phone on eBay before you buy it, and you can do that for free (up to five times a day) with Stolen Phone Checker.

Project Treble is super exciting, but custom Android interfaces are here to stay

The future of Android updates is upon us … sort of.

For the Android enthusiasts among us, Google’s announcement of Project Treble felt like a message straight from the heavens. The new system, coming in Android O, lays the groundwork for Android devices to have proper separation between the core of Android and the necessary (and unnecessary) customizations device manufacturers need to apply before sending out software updates. Functionally, it means Google can update its own parts of Android without disturbing the OEM interface on top or the low-level device-specific firmware underneath. Reaction on Twitter and in the comments of our articles took this announcement as a sign that the utopian future of Android updates is finally here.

Looking at the details a bit closer and thinking about how this will actually play out in the real world with real companies, though, you start to bring yourself back down to earth a bit. The first issue is that because of the massive change in overall architecture, this isn’t something that is likely to come to any devices released before 2017 — it requires a complete partition change, and that’s not something you want to mess with by just sending out an OTA. Some of the big flagships of the year may be able to have Project Treble with their Android O update, but that’s not a guarantee — and we may see devices released throughout the year that don’t ever get it.

Perhaps the biggest thing that will bring people back down to earth with Project Treble is realizing exactly what Google can and can’t change without the device maker’s intervention. Project Treble being integrated into a phone does not mean that the device maker’s “skin” is somehow easily removable or no longer part of the device — it’s still there, looking as it always did, even if Google pushes out an under-the-hood platform update. Project Treble simply creates an abstraction layer to separate the parts Google can change from everything else — it doesn’t get rid of the manufacturer’s customizations entirely.

Project Treble is super important, but primarily in the long run.

And that brings into play what is likely the most substantial hurdle here: the manufacturers themselves are still involved. They’re just simply not critical to the process of Google updating the parts of the software it will now have control over. That’s a good thing! It means that Samsung or Qualcomm doesn’t necessarily have to be involved with Google pushing out a new feature or a security patch. But at the same time, you’re still going to be waiting on Samsung, Moto, HTC, LG or Huawei (and hey, probably your carrier) to push out new user-facing interface changes — that in no way changes with Project Treble.

With all that being said, Project Treble is an extremely important change to the way Android works and will have huge influence on the Android experience. The ability for Google to push out software updates unilaterally that improve security or standardize phones on a single implementation of a feature is a big deal going forward. Just because this change doesn’t signal the death of manufacturer interface customizations doesn’t mean it can’t have a big impact on how we use our Androids in the future.

And with that, a few random thoughts:

• HTC is about to drop its new flagship, expectedly called the U 11, on Tuesday — the launch event is at an … inconvenient time of 2 a.m. ET, as it’s happening in Taipei.
• After a frustratingly weak showing with the U Ultra and U Play, here’s hoping HTC can get a few things right and make a dent of some size with the U 11.
• I’m still using the Galaxy S8, and I’ve actually found a nice super-thin case that works for me — bonus being how much better it makes the fingerprint sensor.
• Also actually bringing the Galaxy Tab S3 and its keyboard case on my current trip. Much easier to use on a plane than a laptop, and more compact than a Pixel C.
• Google I/O kicks off on Wednesday, and if this big Project Treble announcement is any indication we should be in for some really interesting news out of the conference.
• That being said, a lot of the magic of I/O happens behind the scenes rather than in the headlines — developers and device makers learn so much from the conference, and the fruits of those discussions come later on.

That’s it for now — have a great week, everyone.

-Andrew