Sears Craftsman 550 Series Push Lawnmower
by Dana
(Texas)
I just brought a Sears Craftsman 550 Series push lawnmower. It has the ability to bag grass from behind it, thus letting you get into tight spaces or throw it out the side if you don't want to bag your yard. You can also close both doors and on a yard with not too tall of grass, mulch the yard.
The grass catcher is made from a soft, tightly woven material that should cut down on the dust let through it. It has a metal wire frame around the edges of the grass catcher bag to hold its shape.
While this does have the possibility of being torn, I prefer the ability to collapse it, as opposed to the hard plastic grass catcher variety that does not store well. I find the lawn mower very light weight and easy to push even through it is not a self propelled . I did buy the one with large back wheels on it to make it easier to maneuver as a non-self-propelled lawnmower.
It has a 158 cc size engine, and while it cuts through the tallest grass, it doesn't seem to use a lot of gas. I can easily mow a normal front and back yard on one tank, which is a quart of gas. You have to prime it a couple of times to start, but it does start easily with the first pull and then after it has warmed up.
I have had good service from other Sears craftsman lawn mowers in the past, as my last one lasted for 20 years. Removing the grass catcher is a little awkward as it is connected under the handlebars.
With a well manicured lawn, one shouldn't have to empty the grass catcher much at all, as this lawnmower also mulches grass very well, too.
