The Lawn Boy 10642 is definitely for you if you are sick of yanking on a manual pull cord. No need to rip your rotator cuff with this one. Just turn a key, exactly how you would start your car. That’s right with this model you get the electric start option which is great if you’re not physically able to pull a cord or you’re just sick of doing it and want an easier way to get started. You’ve still got a self propel feature here which makes life a lot easier and saves you a lot of energy. Its variable speed too so it adjusts to how fast you want to go. Maybe you can only walk slowly, not a problem, but it's not a problem if you also like to walk really fast when mowing. Again you have the 20 inch steel deck which gives the whole mower a very sturdy feel. It’s not as solid as some of the high end Honda’s, but it should last you a good few seasons. This mower will bag, mulch or discharge your clippings and has a tough Briggs & Stratton engine that will get the job done. We found plenty to like about this mower and we will point these things out to you now..
Lawn Boy 10642 Review - Specifications |
|
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Lawn Boy |
| Model | 10642 |
| Engine | Briggs & Stratton ReadyStart |
| Engine Power | 6.75 ft-lb Gross Torque |
| Deck Size | 20 inches |
| Cutting Modes | 3-in-1: Mulch, Bag or Side Discharge |
| Cutting Heights | 1 - 4 inches |
| Weight | 79 lbs |
| Extra Features | Variable Speed Self Propel, Electric Start |
Lawn Boy 10642 Review – Key Features
- So easy to start – This mower is ridiculously easy to start. You have two options to do it as well. You can either use the electric start feature, which requires you to simply turn a key or you can use the pull cord which works just as good. You only have to charge the electric start feature up every 25 uses, so that’s not too much hassle to take care of either.
- Nice self propel system – This really works nicely and you can decide on what pace you want to go, the options range from a very slow walk to almost jogging pace. It’s also rear wheel drive and this is great for combating hills and inclines if you need to. If you have not used a variable speed system before it will take a bit of getting used to, but you should have it figured out after a couple of outings.
- Grass catcher – This is located at the rear of the mower, so it allows you to get close to edges (particularly walls and fences) no matter what direction you’re going in. It’s also really easy to empty but it is a tad on the small side and you might find yourself emptying it more often as a result of this.
- Cutting Heights – There are seven different settings to choose from which range from as low as an inch right up to 4 inches, which is a decent selection to have at your disposal. It is a little bit hard to adjust to be honest though – definitely harder than they should be and the adjusters themselves feel a bit cheap compared to the rest of the mower.
Lawn Boy 10642 Review – Assembly
This won’t take you long. In fact all you have to do is fasten the handle on with two screws and hand knobs and then put the oil and gas in and you’re good to go.
Lawn Boy 10642 Review – Performance
- Cutting Ability – The Lawn Boy 10642 has a nice bit of power behind it. It can cut through tall grass, thick grass, wet grass – pretty much anything you throw at it within reason. This mower will cut cleanly and do what you ask it to. The engine is powerful enough to not bog down all the time.As we have said in some of the other Lawn Boy reviews, these mowers seems to be fairly quiet considering they are gas mowers (and we all know that gas mowers are hyped up for being some kind of mechanical monster that roars around your yard!)
- Mulching Ability – Produces nutrient rich mulch when you ask it to. Healthy for your lawn and convenient for you as you don’t have to empty grass bags.
The Bottom Line
Here we're going to cut right to the point and compare the main pros and cons, so you can hopefully get a clearer picture of whether this is "the one."
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
The features you get here for under 300 bucks are outstanding. Well done to Lawn Boy for making a mower of this standard more affordable and therefore more accessible for a lot of people. It is a bit on the heavy side if you’re not that physically strong so you might want to consider that. But apart from that it’s got all the features you could want. It’s easy to start with the electric start, the self propel feature saves your energy and it cuts just great. It’s a high quality lawn mower for a very reasonable price.
Our Rating
mower steers to right, tires look ok, in fact switched tires, still to right?