Steel Workshop Tool Review: Craftsman Push Mower
As we approach the spring and summer months, depending on where you live in the U.S, it’s time to stow the shovels and snow blowers in the back of your steel workshop, and bring out your trusty lawn mower. This is the perfect time to perform maintenance and get your mower ready for the start of a long season of trimming, shearing, and clipping. If, in the middle of your maintenance, you find out you might be in the market for a new mower, you might want to check out the Craftsman 37043 Push Mower.
After looking in local hardware stores as well as online, I found that most new push mowers can run you anywhere from $200 to $500, or more. You would think the more expensive mowers would be better, but in this case, I didn’t see the advantages. The Craftsman actually retails for around $285, and I thought it outperformed other mowers in its class.
While, this mower is efficient, it doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles. If you’re more interested in a mower’s performance, this is a terrific fit. But if you like a mower with more features, you might want to go in a different direction. That’s not to say this mower doesn’t have some neat additions. This self-propelled mower is easy to use and is aesthetically pleasing, plus it has all the power you’ll need to keep the lawn outside of your steel workshop groomed perfectly for years. It comes with 22-inch steel blade and has a wider swath than many other mowers on the market right now. It might not seem like a lot, but the extra inch of blade with makes for a smooth cutting experience. Of course, this means you can cut your grass faster since you cover more space. This mower has nine different cutting positions, which sounds like a good amount. However, the cutting range isn’t as large a gap as I had hoped. From shortest to longest, the cutting range is 1.25 inches and 3.5 inches. 1.25 inches is usually good for most people, however, those that want a cut shorter should investigate other options.
What’s missing from this mower? A blade brake clutch and an electric start. Neither is really a big deal; it’s mostly up to the owners needs. On mowers with no blade brake clutch, the blades continue to rotate until the engine stops running. That means you have to turn the mower to the off position when you empty the bag.
This Craftsman model is perfect for yards about as big as a half acre. Anything bigger than that, and you might want to investigate a riding lawnmower to save your legs. It has front-wheel drive, which is ideal for level yards. The 8-inch front wheels don’t have a huge problem with obstacles, but aren’t made to tackle huge hills. Also, front wheel drive lets you make better U-turns by pushing down on the handlebar and swinging the motor around without disengaging the drive. The only downside you get is less traction than mowers with rear wheel drive. It’s really up the person, but I like the front-wheel drive better.
I think this mower has more than enough power. While some reviews say it’s has an average amount of torque, about 6.75 ft-lbs, it keeps the 190cc Briggs and Stratton engine turning. It’s an excellent mulcher, and also features a folding arm, so it will fit nicely in your steel workshop.
Let’s take a quick look at some more specs. The Craftsman 37043 weighs 96 pounds, which isn’t too heavy, but not too light either. It holds nearly half a gallon of gas, which is pretty impressive. There are also three different handle height positions.
When you look at a steel workshop tool review online, you want to know how a mower like this feels. I can say that this is where the Craftsman shines. It is extremely smooth and perfect for mowing over most types of yards or properties. This is an essential lawnmower for everyone’s steel workshop.
If you’re a Power Tool enthusiast like I am, you’ll love our Contractor Central blog, which covers all things steel building related.
Photo courtesy: Craftsman
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