Craftsman M105 Gas Mower Review

The Craftsman M105 is a mid-range gas mower that comes with a good number of features for the price you pay. Proudly produced in the USA (Mississippi), it is a 3-in-1 mower, has a 21-inch cutting deck that makes it a good fit for both small and medium-size lawns, and is powered by a trusty Craftsman engine. We read through hundreds of consumer experiences to put together this Craftsman M105 review, and in it, we will talk through the main pros and cons that were commonly mentioned.

Craftsman M105 Review - Specifications
Manufacturer	MTD Products
Model	M105
Engine	Craftsman 140cc
Deck Size	21 inches
Cutting Modes	3-in-1: Bag, Side Discharge or Mulch
Cutting Heights	1.25 - 3.75 inches
Number of Cutting Heights	6
Weight	72 lbs

Craftsman M105 Pros: What People Like About this Mower

• A Real Clean Cut – This is the main thing. You want to know if this thing cuts or sucks ***, right? Well, our research seemed to suggest that you're in luck. The combination of the powerful 140cc engine and a sharp blade makes for a clean and efficient cut. It's a good option for taller grass, picking up leaves in the fall, and just your regular yard maintenance too.
• Easy Enough to Assemble – Are you the sort to worry about setting products up before you can use them? Well the Craftsman M105 gets another tick here, as we found that the vast majority of folks had no real problems in assembling it. You'll just need to set the handle and the grass bag up, then add the oil and gas as is standard with gas mowers. You get a small amount of oil with the mower, and it comes in a sealed bag with the instructions (which are easy to follow) to stop it from leaking everywhere – no joke we've read about this happening with other brands of mowers when bought online.
• Starts Up Without Trouble – This is a deal-breaker for a lot of people. It can give you the best cut in the world, but if it's a devil to start up, why bother?! But there are no such worries with the Craftsman M105, as it's one of the easier gas mowers to start up. Most people report it starting on the very first attempt, and the engine boasts an auto choke feature, so there's no need to mess around pushing a primer bulb before you start. Another nice touch is that the pull cord rests halfway up the handle, so there's no need to bend right over to grab it each time you start up this mower.
• 3-in-1 Capabilities – If you like to have options, you'll like this. With the Craftsman M105, you can bag, side discharge or mulch your clippings. So whatever the conditions or situation, whatever your needs, you get an option for them all. When the grass is particularly tall, you might want to bag your clippings, whereas normally you might like to mulch and provide your lawn with some extra nutrition.
• Great User Experience – The Craftsman M105 gets two things right. It really is quite straightforward to understand and use, and then it combines that with some really nice user-friendly features to make using it a pleasure. From the way the starter cord rests halfway up the handle assembly to the super easy to use height adjustment levers to the grass bag that’s easy to take off and then re-seat in its place. It’s just a pleasure to use every time you wheel it out onto the lawn.
• Good Value for What You Get – Taking into account everything that you get with the Craftsman M105, the price of this unit really is a drop in the bucket. And that certainly seemed to be the general consensus that we found among the consumer experiences we analyzed.

Craftsman M105 Cons: What People Complain About

I'll be completely honest. We didn't find a whole lot of negatives when digging into what consumers really think about the Craftsman M105. There was no real common complaint that we could find. Having said that, here are a couple of considerations for you to take into account before deciding whether to buy or not.

• You Might Find the Bag Small – A handful of people said that they found the grass bag on the M105 to be too small. This means you have to dump it more frequently, which in the end results in it taking you longer to mow your lawn. If you’re going to be using this mower on a small lawn, the size of the bag probably won’t be an issue that affects you too much, but if you plan to use it on a medium lawn, it’s something that may be worth thinking about.
• Some Find It Heavy – This will really come down to how strong you are. This is a push mower, so there’s no self-propel feature to aid you in moving it about your lawn. Its wheels do roll nicely across the surface, but it does weigh around 70 lbs, which is no small weight for a mower. It’s certainly not the heaviest push mower produced, but something to bear in mind when you’re weighing up the options (pun intended!).

Frequently Asked Questions About the Craftsman M105

Does it come with oil?

It does come with a small amount of oil for the first use. But you will need to buy some more. The engine is 4 stroke, so make sure any oil you buy is designed for use with this type of engine.

Is this a self-propelled lawn mower?

No. The Craftsman M105 is a push model.

What is the warranty on this mower?

It comes with a 2-year limited warranty.

Is it a Briggs and Stratton engine?

No, the M105 comes fitted with a Craftsman engine.