I originally purchased this lawn mower when I lived in town so it was perfect. It's great for small lawns but it isn't so great for big overgrown lawns. This is a really cheap money and I got more than my money back considering everything I put this lawn mower through. It lasted a year when I lived in town, even that yard wasn't easy. The yard grew up so fast that year because it rained a lot and on top of tall grass the backyard at that house wasn't regular grass it was full of sticky weeds, grass that wraps around lawn mowers and weedeaters. This lawn mower handled it so well even with grass all the way up to my knees. I now have a bigger yard and this lawn mower finally quit working just a few months ago. Here the yard as really overgrown. It had weeds taller than me and this lawn mower cut it all. I really did test the durability of this lawn mower and it's well worth the little bit you pay for it. My husband liked it so much that his mom gave him one identical to it that the wheels were messed up and he fixed it with his. So technically we still have the lawn mower and it's now running again. He loves it so much that when he helps anyone with their lawns that's the only lawn mower going with him. However, we no longer use it in our own yard we got a bigger lawn mower due to a lot bigger yard.

sarahlavergne

tx

In all honesty, I can't rate it lower than a 5, because it DID cut well. When it worked. Which wasn't for long. I bought one of these mowers from Wal-Mart, and was excited to get mowing (seriously!). It cut through ANYthing, which is saying a lot since I have tough weeds, grass and bushes to mow down. It was actually the first mower to do this that well. But...after about 3 months of use, the gas cable pulley broke, and I had to tape and splint it to get it to work. Ok, that was bad enough, but I couldn't mow for long periods (about 45 min.) of time because it would overheat and had to cool down to restart. I have a huge yard, so that was really time consuming. Thinking this one was just a sub par one in that batch, we got another one--the same, since we like the mowing ability. After using is for about 3 months (I see a pattern!), a 2 inch piece of the engine block blew out the side of the mower! We are talking a solid metal chunk and a big hole in the mower! Thank goodness nobody was standing near, because it shot it about 5 feet away! The worst part? I talked to a mower repairman and he told me he had seen that before in those engines--yipes! All in all, my experiences have been pretty bad with this mower. Performance It cut the grass really well. If the grass was damp at all it would clog the discharge, which was inconvenient. Handling A bit heavy and hard to turn, but it worked on our hilly yard. Durability So far I haven't gotten one past 3 months without something breaking. Safety The side discharge clogs, so if you try to unclog it you have to stick something in there, or be turning it off every 10 minutes. Watch out for flying parts! Ease of Use Gotta say, it had one of the most right out of the package capabilities I have ever seen. The mower is easy to start too without having to pull until your arm is tired. Engine Power Cut through anything in our yard, which was impressive.

coolretrogal

Stella, MO

This was the first mower I have ever owned. At the time I thought it was one of the best mowers out there, but since I have owned a few other models since then I can tell you it is not. Murray mowers do what they are supposed to do. They cut grass. For the most part they will mow through small lawns, big lawns and everything in between. This mower doesn't have a bag, which can be a problem for some people, but it does do a great job of mulching grass. My biggest problem with this mower was that even though it was priced the same as other models in its league, it really does not hold up to the test of time. With my craftsman mower it is three years going strong. This mower got me through about a year and a half. The mower just can't hold up to long term use. Overall this mower does a good job cutting grass, It just is not the most durable model out there. I would only recommend the Murray mowers, if there was no Craftsmans models in your area.

Eno17

USA

I cannot say anything bad about this mower as it did get the job done even though it was a long and arduous job to mow 7 acres with a push mower. It wasn't necessarily a hard job but long and full of vibration on the handle which led me to feel numbness after a four hour mowing. However, even though it was painstaking, the yard always looked fantastic after being done with our Murray. Performance I cannot complain in the least! It has lasted for years and, even though we have purchased a new John Deere riding mower, this one is still in use in between the hedges and around trees. We have had it for over 7 years without any issues whatsoever. We merely sharpen the blades, change the oil and winterize when not in use and it has been a dependable lawn mower for us. Handling It handles well for a push mower. I cannot say it's "self propelled" but it is easy to push and use on our ill contoured acreage. Durability It has made it through summers and summers of grass cutting, sometimes, really high grass when we get lazy but it always gets the job done. Safety I don't care for the fact that any small rock or branch can come out from the back but I wear safety glasses to help keep that issue to a minimum. It does hurt when the items hit the legs, though! Ease of Use It is an easy mower to use. Upkeep is easy, storage is simple and it's always ready to go more rounds the next year. The only thing I don't care for is the vibration but, that may be a "time" thing considering that I use it for hours at a time. Engine Power Excellent Briggs and Stratton motor.

mangomiata2

Whitewright, TX

Overall this mower is pretty good at mowing flat, level land. The hilly stuff is hard to go about with this for me. It came unassembled so we had to attach the handle, start string, start bar, and wheels. Pretty much everything except the motor. It runs off of straight gasoline, although you have to prime it and pull start it similar to a weedeater or chainsaw. The pull start on this is actually pretty easy to pull and get started. It's definitely woman and teen friendly. If you can't get it started, try pushing the primer 2-3 times and checking to make sure it has gasoline. I noticed that it doesn't want to run or start when it's lower on gas. It won't be empty and it will look as if there is at least a cup of gasoline in it but it won't want to start. As soon as I top it off, it likes to start every time. Be careful pouring the gas in. Sometimes it gets on the side and floods the mower. Also, be careful when it rains as it will stall out. I've also noticed if the grass is dewy in morning or evening, the mower stalls out and won't mow because the grass is too soggy. The grass sods also tend to get stuck in the blade underneath and the side shoot and you eventually have to stop, turn it off, and empty out the clumps by hand. Over all, easy enough to assembled but it was a two person job because it required two sets of channel locks simultaneously to get the wheels bolted in. Easy to mow on good, level ground and easy to start. Just stalls easily and clogs up easy. Also, the 3 wheel levels just don't seem to get it right. On the highest, it is up way too high and makes my grass look like I'm too lazy to mow and it doesn't meet city regulation of 3 inches. On medium and low, they both cut so low it looks like you can see the dirt on the ground. There's no real middle ground with this so I opted to let it cut low and deal with the bald look of my little lot. Better too short when it comes to my gras than too high and harboring animals or snakes. Performance Does a good job unless the grass is even slightly damp. Also, the wheel settings just don't have a good in-between; it's too high or too short. Handling Pretty easy to handle. It's self propelling to an extent but any slight incline whatsoever and you're pushing or pulling it. Best on absolutely flat, level land. Durability It stalls out way to easily and after the first use, I noticed rust when I got it back out. Safety The motor is exposed so your feet are at risk of a burn if you get too close. Also, the blades can cut your hands and toes in an instant. If you're working on it, wear gloves because you frequently have to empty/rake grass out of the bottom and the blades can and will cut. Ease of Use It's very easy to prime, fuel, and start but hard to pull and push on uneven land. Also, stalls a lot on dewy grass. Engine Power It self propels pretty good and does work very well at cutting the lawn.

clinen11

USA

I have a 20" Murray lawn mower with a 3.5 horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine that I have been using for nearly twenty years.  I have never had it in for service ane it has never failed to start.  This is the third home it has been used at and while my current yard is nearly two acres and most of the mowing is done with a lawn tractor I still use it for those areas which are too small for the tractor but too large to easily do with the weed whacker.  At my two previous homes it was used weekly for the entire lawn.  I have not change the spark plug in years and only add oil once in a blue moon.  There have even been times I have left the gas in the tank over the winter, but I just pump the primer ball about ten pumps and it never takes more than two or three pulls to start.  I have hit rocks and stumps and many other items my kids leave lying around.  I don't know if this brand is still available but I would certainly buy another mower with this type of engine if this one ever gives out.

mrdago

Lapeer, MI

I own two Murrays with the sidedischarge. The mowers are tough and dependable, and are good quality for the price. The Briggs and stratton 3.5 HP engine is a sturdy one that cranks on the first pull everytime. If you are small in stature or loking for a push mower that cuts your grass with relative ease, then the Murray 3.5 lightweight mower is perfectly designed for us!

fanodan

Mooresboro, NC