Before You Buy A New Lawn Mower, Read This
For most people, a walk behind mower is all that you need to cut your lawn. This is because most people in North America are cutting lawns that are less than half and acre in size. If you have a larger grass area to cut, then you might look into another type of mower, such as a riding mower, or zero turn mower.
In 2009, Consumer Reports produced the largest ever study on all kinds of lawnmowers. This study reviewed up to 50 of the most common types, sizes and brands of mower. They looked at how well grass was cut, track width, useability and maintenance records from their readership.
Many people have said online that this was the best study ever done on lawnmowers - even though no study or review is perfect; including this one. The biggest complaint was that CR failed to talk about the noise levels of the lawn mowers or which ones meets California's very strict new emissions requirements.
What they found (and you don't have to go and find the article) is that price isn't a major factor when it comes to reliability! Big surprise - because the old adage that you get what you pay for doesn't seem to be a consideration here.
Most reports (including this one) state that the average lifespan of a lawnmower should be about 5 years. At which point you could buy a new/ used one or get your old one rebuilt. This is why the dealer and service network is so important to whatever brand you buy.
If you really want a lawn mower that will last - then buy a reel mower. It's what I use and I love it. It's good for your health and makes for an awesome work out. My lawn is just over half an acre and I take a few hours to get it done twice a week.
In the top brands of gas category - you won't be surprised to find that Honda, Toro and Lawn-Boy; which is owned by Toro were the best rated. However, I have found that people still think John Deere is the best brand over the long term.
Of course every lawn mower is going to have its issues. Some are too loud, some have rear-bag issues, some don't hold enough gas. Some are really easy to start - other aren't. None are perfect.
For small lawns, I happen to really like push or "reel" mowers because they are eco-friendly and they actually CUT the grass with a scissor like effect. Whereas the rotary blade sort of whacks the grass off, creating less of an accurate cut.