If you’ve ever looked into buying a Honda mower, you’ll have no doubt come across their infamous NeXite decks and you might be thinking “how does such an expensive mower have a plastic deck?!” You might also be wondering how a NeXite vs steel deck compares and what the advantages of this material are.
Having owned two Honda mowers, I’m going to use my experience to comment on all of these things.
So…What the Hell is NeXite Anyway?
First of all, it has to be said that these are not just the “plastic decks” that you find on cheaper mowers. Honda’s NeXite decks are made from a very resistant polymer material that is proprietary to the brand. Honda themselves state that the material shares many of the characteristics that are used to produce football helmets and car bumpers. It’s a lightweight yet highly resistant material.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Honda used a different polymer material called Xenoy, but this has a reputation for becoming brittle over time and had the tendency to crack. They started using the NeXite material to improve upon these flaws.
NeXite vs Steel Deck: What are the Pros and Cons of Each?
Below I’m going to compare both deck materials as each has its own set of pros and cons.
Weight
This is one area in which NeXite decks offer a big advantage. NeXite decks are significantly lighter than steel decks, and when you consider how much the deck contributes to the overall weight of the mower, it has a big impact on the weight of the mower.
The heavier the mower, the more difficult it is to push and manipulate around your yard. So you see, this single characteristic can greatly affect your experience of mowing your lawn. I’ve used mowers that were either not suited to the terrain I was tackling or just too heavy for me (my bench press isn’t terribly impressive!), and it’s not fun!
Durability
I’ve never really been one to put my mowers through the wars, so I can’t say that I ever pushed my old Honda and its NeXite deck to its limits. But it held up very well to what I subjected it to. There were a few bumps and scrapes, and it resisted those. But based on research, I would have more confidence in a steel deck in this regard though. NeXite is still known to crack if subjected to enough pressure.
Rust
One of the things owners of mowers with steel decks are most worried about is rust. It’s a big problem, particularly if you’re not that diligent with your maintenance (guilty!). If you live in an area where conditions are often damp, the underside of the deck frequently gets coated in moist clippings (read this to learn how to keep grass from sticking under the mower deck), and if these are not cleaned off before your mower is stored away, this will eventually lead to rusting.
Not being the most proactive guy with his yard tools, I have to say that this is an aspect of the NeXite vs steel deck that I rather enjoyed. I wasn’t as worried about not cleaning the undercarriage of the mower as I have been when my mower’s deck has been made of steel. Rust can eventually lead to the deck being compromised (full of holes), so it’s something you have to think about. A lot of steel decks are just thin stamped steels, so the resistance of them to rust isn’t that great.
What Type of Deck Do You Need?
For me, choosing between a NeXite vs steel deck comes down to weight and convenience vs durability. NeXite decks without doubt reduce the weight of the deck (although I have to say the mowers that have them are often quite heavy because of all the bells and whistles they have), and they’re more convenient as they are more resistant to rust. But if I had to send my mower out to battle, I’d choose a steel deck every time. So if you’re always banging into things when mowing, that’d be my choice.
If you have any thoughts on NeXite decks vs steel decks, I’d love to hear them.
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