Honda HRX217K2HMA

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

ConsumerReports.org compares the similar Honda HRX217HXA (which lacks electric start) with 30 other self-propelled lawn mowers and 21 mowers of other types in this roundup review based on objective tests. All are ranked based on performance, handling and ease of use.

Review: Lawn Mowers, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, April 2010

2. PopularMechanics.comDetails/Subscribe

Tests here give top ranking to the similar but less costly (and still expensive) Honda HRX2172VKA (*Est. $800), compared with seven other lawn mowers that also convert easily between mulching and bagging. Even though the specific Honda HRX model tested here lacks both cruise control and electric start, it earns praise as "the luxury car of walk-behind mowers," with the inconvenient height adjustment the sole drawback.

Review: Best Lawnmowers of the Year: Comparison Test, Roy Berendsohn, March 2010

3. J.D. Power & Associates

Based on a 2009 customer-satisfaction survey of more than 2,220 users rating 10 brands, J. D. Power and Associates ranks Honda the best brand for walk-behind lawn mowers. Each brand gets specific ratings for performance, ease of use and durability.

Review: 2009 Walk-Behind Lawn Mower Study, Editors of J. D. Power and Associates, Sept. 10, 2009

4. Choice magazineDetails/Subscribe

Tests here (by the Australian equivalent of ConsumerReports.org) give high scores to a Honda mower, finding it quieter and easier to use than another brand available in the United States, Yardman. Both mowers cut evenly, but the Honda mower cuts closer to edges.

Review: Lawnmowers: push and petrol, Editors of Choice magazine, Sept. 2008

5. HowStuffWorks.com

This detailed review of the similar Honda HRX217K2HXA (which lacks electric start) gives it perfect ratings for features and performance, praising the versatile mowing system (you can mix the bagging-to-mulching ratio), transmission and blade brake, plus the OHV engine as quiet, fuel-efficient and nearly free of vibration. The ball-bearing rear wheels provide excellent traction. The four-lever height adjustment and long handle are the only drawbacks.

Review: Expert Review: Honda HRX217K2HXA Self-propelled Gas Mower, Editors of HowStuffWorks.com, April 2008

6. National Noise Pollution Clearinghouse

Based on objective tests, this older review recommends the similar Honda HRX217HXA as the quietest self-propelled gasoline mower.

Review: Quiet Lawns, Editors of National Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, 2005

7. Consumers DigestDetails/Subscribe

The Honda HRX217K2HMA is recommended here again this year, along with the less expensive Honda HRX217K2HXA (*Est. $800), as the best gasoline mowers, noting that the engine already meets 2012 EPA emissions standards. The twin-blade mulching also earns praise here, along with the five-year warranty and lifetime warranty on the deck.

Review: Lawn Mowers: The Changing Landscape, Kristin Hampshire, April 2010

8. HomeDepot.com

Most of the handful of owners reviewing the Honda HRX217HMA mower here give it high praise, but one complains that it's too heavy to push by hand around trees, and that after a few uses it wouldn't start.

Review: Honda HRX217HMA, Contributors to HomeDepot.com

9. Men's HealthDetails/Subscribe

This brief article recommends the similar Honda HRX217HMA for its average 84-decibel noise level, which is low among lawn mowers.

Review: Special Report: Silent Running, Seth Porges, March 2006

10. PopularMechanics.comDetails/Subscribe

This brief review notes that the Smart Drive on the newer Honda HRR series of lawn mowers isn't as comfortable to use as the Honda HRX mowers, because it can strain the hand and wrist.

Review: Honda's Thumb Operated Lawnmower Controls, Roy Berendsohn, April 2007