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I get that the residential lawn equipment isn't built as sturdy, but some of the stuff they pump out is just horrendous. Residential doesn't have to mean mechanically inept. Opinions?
Residential vs commercial equipment
- Thread starter The motor guy
- Start date
You get what you pay for, no?
Residential stuff is likely focused on being easy to get going and fancy features while commercial is focused on serviceability and reliability.
Residential stuff is likely focused on being easy to get going and fancy features while commercial is focused on serviceability and reliability.
dnewton3
Staff member
The lawn equipment market is rife with VAST and DIVERSE choices; from the cheapest piece of garbage to the incredibly robust.
Often when people ask me about buying a ZTR, I encourage them to find a decent used commercial unit and perhaps put a tad bit of money into sprucing it up. It's actually likely to hold up better than a "new" residential until from a box store.
Often when people ask me about buying a ZTR, I encourage them to find a decent used commercial unit and perhaps put a tad bit of money into sprucing it up. It's actually likely to hold up better than a "new" residential until from a box store.
Each is built for intended use. A well cared for residential unit will last many years if not abused. I mowed a three acre antenna tower site for four years that was brutal on my residential rider. Still mowing my lawn, as it has for the last 21 years.
I take it the vast majority of people simply won't swing for the higher end equipment. It is expensive.
you just have to look at your situation and what do you actually need. I would avoid big box stores and buy from local dealer. they offer financing and with a sizeable down payment your note would be next to nothing. the dealer models offer longer warranties and offer support should you have issue. I think five years down the line, you're not going to regret spending a little more for something that gives you good service for a decade or more.
Even within the residential range, there are significant differences. Bearings or even metal bushings in the wheels of a push mower make all the difference, as compared to plastic wheel hubs rotating directly against metal axles. The latter start to get wobbly in a hurry.
Buy commercial grade equipment, pay once. I bought my commercial grade weed eater in 2017 for nearly $400 and beat the heck out of it. Now it's nearly $500 to buy a new one of those.
Buy commercial once or get a cheap one every year or 2.
Yep.
Here is an example of complete trash. I got a brand new one in a pile of trimmers I bought. Mine was the red plastic instead of this one being black plastic:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...MImtqg9vbLhgMVvF9HAR0K4gjpEAQYAyABEgLn2_D_BwE
It only had a lean carburetor, and a totally melted down spool. So I could sell it, I adjusted the carb, installed a new OEM spool, went to go test it, and a few weeds got wrapped around it (happens all the time with my echo stuff) and the new spool also melted and the engine went to full overspeed while the spool was stripping out. Before anyone asks it was not the bushing getting too hot. It was simply the cheap crap non high temp plastic they used.
I also noticed the one I had only used one screw to hold the cylinder to the crankcase, and then two on the other side. Like 4 would have cost too much? No doubt over time an air leak would have occured.
I pulled the engine and sold it dirt cheap on FB. Total junk, and should be illegal to sell something so bad.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...MImtqg9vbLhgMVvF9HAR0K4gjpEAQYAyABEgLn2_D_BwE
It only had a lean carburetor, and a totally melted down spool. So I could sell it, I adjusted the carb, installed a new OEM spool, went to go test it, and a few weeds got wrapped around it (happens all the time with my echo stuff) and the new spool also melted and the engine went to full overspeed while the spool was stripping out. Before anyone asks it was not the bushing getting too hot. It was simply the cheap crap non high temp plastic they used.
I also noticed the one I had only used one screw to hold the cylinder to the crankcase, and then two on the other side. Like 4 would have cost too much? No doubt over time an air leak would have occured.
I pulled the engine and sold it dirt cheap on FB. Total junk, and should be illegal to sell something so bad.
That is a bit of an exaggeration. Some of the cheapest of the cheap stuff will do that, sure, but not all non commercial equipment is junk after 2 years. All but my newest push mower is consumer to "pro-sumer" grade and has held up well. My L110 series Deere (first of the cheapo Deeres) has over 700 hours and 16 or 17 years of use and it's still humming along. Sure, there have been minor repairs/maintenance but that's to be expected.
I'd say that it all boils down to style of use and the environment that it's going to be used in. I'm maintaining 2 reasonably well kept yards, not dozens and I don't flog stuff (too often), so no real need to spend big money on commercial equipment. I feel that it would be overspending and that money would be better applied in other areas of my life.
I like overkill but commercial mowers are expensive. Even push type. I want a Honda HRC mower
Most of the homeowner equipment is junk.
I flog the heck out of my 30cc redmax weedeater. I load it with .105'' twisted maxpower line and mow down tumble weeds in a high dust environment.
I would easy trash any $100 to $200 weedeater.
Yeah most people are stupid and will throw away $100 every year or 2 on junk.
The other issue is that if the "average " consumer buys a commercial mower or trimmer they may not realize that it will last significantly longer than a cheap box store product. Pair this with more expensive repair costs and they might junk it as well.
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It's embarrassing how crappy a residential trimmer is. Has like 6 steps just to start them when a commercial trimmer will start on a couple pulls whether you know what you're doing or not. I've always said it's what keeps me in business.
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I used my redmax trimmer to cut down giant ragweed. The gearbox seized up not long after. Nothing I haven't done with my echo trimmers. That pos redmax stays in the garage. May have been a one off fluke idk, but I don't think it can handle taking the guard off like the echos can. I need to put it on marketplace
Commercial grade engines have metal cylinder liners. Home grade run the piston on the aluminum crankcase, which is far more prone to wear. Commercial grade engines often have roller bearings supporting the crank, home grade run the crank against the aluminum engine case, which will wear over time. This does not mean that the home stuff is junk, but it's clearly not built to last as long.
I'm in California, where they have forbidden the sale of new gas powered lawn equipment. Before it was too late, I bought a commercial grade Toro w/Kawasaki engine walk behind lower. It's a total beast; heavy, hard to handle, but stupidly powerful and, I assume, durable. I don't enjoy using it, as compared to my old residential Honda.
I'm in California, where they have forbidden the sale of new gas powered lawn equipment. Before it was too late, I bought a commercial grade Toro w/Kawasaki engine walk behind lower. It's a total beast; heavy, hard to handle, but stupidly powerful and, I assume, durable. I don't enjoy using it, as compared to my old residential Honda.
Even the "cheap" junk from big box stores is expensive. Unfortunately the price difference between lower tier mowers and commercial grade is pretty big, but it's pay me now or pay me later with mowers unless you really don't use it much. The way I see it, my time and frustration is worth something.
Horses for course man.
The cheapest well maintained mower or weed eater may last a person with a tiny postage stamp yard decades and you may break it in a week or less.. if you're mowing 1/2" saplings and giant ragweed plants all day long then of course the cheap stuff won't last long.