Super Recycler or HRR?

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triple digit golfer
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Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by triple digit golfer » June 9th, 2019, 8:34 pm

I am in the market for a new mower for my 1/3 acre suburban lot. The most important things to me are:

1. Mulching capability

2. Bag suction for leaf cleanup.

My city charges almost $3 per lawn bag to pick up, so a good mulcher for spring and summer and ability to either mulch leaves or chop them very small for bagging leaves in the fall is important to me.

Which of these two mowers would be the best option for me?

Honda HRR216VKA
Toro Super Recycler 21381

I realize there is a price difference of about $100. Set price aside.

I do NOT want the HRX. I do not like the Select Drive system. Even though it may be the superior mower, I do not like it. I love to change the speed while mowing and I do it often for different parts of the lawn. I don't want to turn a dial every time. I want to be able to do it with pressure of the Personal Pace or Smart Drive on the HRR.

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turf_toes
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by turf_toes » June 9th, 2019, 9:22 pm

There are about five of these threads on the site. To sum up, this is basically a religious war.

Some like the Honda, some like the Toro SR, all for the same reasons. Some will say the Toro is a better mulching mower; others will tell you it’s the Honda.

They’re both good brands. I like the SR. But others disagree.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9513&p=130056&hilit ... RR#p130056

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likeasponge
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by likeasponge » June 10th, 2019, 1:03 am

turf_toes wrote:
June 9th, 2019, 9:22 pm
To sum up, this is basically a religious war.

They’re both good brands.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9513&p=130056&hilit ... RR#p130056
Best post of the day....

I agree, both are great and you won't be disappointed either way.

TimmyG
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by TimmyG » June 10th, 2019, 12:54 pm

triple digit golfer wrote:
June 9th, 2019, 8:34 pm
I do NOT want the HRX. I do not like the Select Drive system. Even though it may be the superior mower, I do not like it. I love to change the speed while mowing and I do it often for different parts of the lawn. I don't want to turn a dial every time. I want to be able to do it with pressure of the Personal Pace or Smart Drive on the HRR.
Dial? What dial? With the HRX, the orange lever next to the throttle sets your max speed, and the bar you hold with your palms or thumbs sets the fraction of that max speed. For straight runs, you hold the bar fully down and walk at your comfortable max speed. When making turns around trees and when edging and whatnot, you simply let out the bar as needed to slow down. I find it very natural all the while giving me very solid control over the handle for maneuvering.

spectrum1c
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by spectrum1c » June 16th, 2019, 2:46 am

I own an old 2004 super recycler that someone gave me free in 2012. It has a kohler engine. In 2014 I bought a Honda hrx to replace it only because I thought it would mow faster. Unfortunately it made no real difference in mowing speed or cut quality from what I could tell, so I returned the hrx and stuck with my old Toro.
Last year I picked up a returned/repaired Honda hrr from home Depot on a mangers special of $99. Again, I don't notice any difference in cut quality or speed, but the Toro's self propelled is pretty much worn out and I figured it wouldn't be worth repairing in a 14 year old mower. The only true difference I've noticed so far is the the Honda dual blade is pretty expensive to replace at $30. The other is a known defect in the Honda which I believe has now been addressed in newer models where the wheels lock up at times when pulling the mower backwards.
Given my experience, I would buy whichever is cheaper of the two.


TimmyG
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by TimmyG » June 16th, 2019, 3:12 pm

spectrum1c wrote:
June 16th, 2019, 2:46 am
the Honda dual blade is pretty expensive to replace at $30.
Much cheaper to buy just the lower blade, particularly from Boats.net. Buy a few. I find that the upper blade never gets dinged and barely needs sharpening.

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mitten
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by mitten » June 16th, 2019, 4:01 pm

I love my Toro... but have never used a Honda so I can't compare them. Sometimes I wish I bought the Toro TimeMaster so that I can cut time off my mowing... but I do kind of enjoy mowing so maybe that doesn't make any sense.

spectrum1c
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Re: Super Recycler or HRR?

Post by spectrum1c » June 17th, 2019, 11:40 am

TimmyG wrote:
June 16th, 2019, 3:12 pm
spectrum1c wrote:
June 16th, 2019, 2:46 am
the Honda dual blade is pretty expensive to replace at $30.
Much cheaper to buy just the lower blade, particularly from Boats.net. Buy a few. I find that the upper blade never gets dinged and barely needs sharpening.
Thanks for the tip! Will keep in mind for the future, but I just bought a robotic mower, so hopefully this will be my last blade purchase for the Honda

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