When Consumer Reports mower testers put new models through their paces in Fort Myers, Florida, each year they look not only for good mowing performance but improved cutting and bagging over models tested in previous years. This season, the newly designed line of walk-behind mowers from Ariens, which had done no better than mediocre in previous tests, impressed our engineers enough that two models were named to our list of top mower picks by our testers.
Common to both the self-propelled Ariens Razor 911179 (see photo), $400, and the push Ariens Razor 911173, $350, is an extra-deep deck, which not only made for impressive mulching but also, in the bagging test, packed more into the bag than any other model we tested. Both 21-inch mowers have a premium engine, no-prime starting, and single-lever wheel-height adjustment. For the extra $50, the self-propelled, rear-drive Ariens Razor 911179 also offers electric start.
There's still room for improvement in the models we saw, which are sold through dealers and on Home Depot's website. Side discharge wasn't impressive. Neither was overall handling, with both harder to push and pull than most other models tested. And you can spend less for a push mower than the $350 price tag of the Ariens Razor 911173. Overall, though, the new line is a significant improvement over previous mowers from Ariens that we've tested.
Before you spring for any mower, see our buying advice, which includes a video on how we test, before checking our mower Ratings of almost 80 walk-behind models and more than 60 tractors and riders.
