Yardworks 173cc 3-in-1 Gas Lawn Mower, 21-in

I bought this machine a few years ago and should have returned it right away. It would seam to flood and lose power then not restart when hot. Havent used it at all last couple years as it will start but will not stay running. Im a few hours from closest CT store so returning things is a hastle.

I purchased this mower after having another Yardworks for about 10 years - no issues with the previous one all I did was change the oil and filter once a year and it worked like a charm. This current mower worked great for two years ----- easy to start and no issues at all; however, now in its 3rd year I'm experiencing the same issues as so many others have reported that once I shut the mower down after using it, it won't start up again for about 20 minutes. I was pleased initially with this mower - started easy and had good power - my only complaint would have been that when I used the rear bag --- it would fill to 1/3 or maybe 1/2 way and then the clippings would start to fall out the bottom as I don't believe the design is great ---- but I normally mulch and rarely bag so didn't care too much ---- BUT now am pretty frustrated with the unit not starting after shutting down.

I've had this mower for 7 or 8 years and I'm looking forward to getting rid of it. As others have confirmed, it is very difficult to start and even MORE difficult to re-start. I have to keep it running between mowing my front and rear lawns otherwise I won't be able to start it back up again. You have to wait at least 20 mins or longer to restart it. My wife cannot mow the lawn by herself because she can't pull the cord. I didn't realize how heavy this mower was until I borrowed a neighbours cheap Craftsman. It was a night and day difference, especially once the bag gets loaded up. You absolutely cannot leave gas in it over the winter and expect it to run in the spring; even with Stabil in it. Fresh gas or it won't run. This mower floods very easy. I would not recommend this product.

starts only when cold. After 5-10 mins of operation if shut off, cannot start again - have to wait for engine to cool off. You get what you pay for.

First off, there are a few review comments about it not starting right away. I haven't experienced more than 2 pulls to start it, but I think I understand what's happening. When it shuts down, it seems like it floods the combustion chamber. On start up, it regularly gives a puff of smoke like there is extra fuel, maybe even oil in the chamber. Something I'll be keeping an eye on for sure. Unboxing and setting it up was dead simple - following the directions provided both in the manual, AND on tags attached to the mower itself. No tools are required. Carriage bolts and heads you can turn by hand do all the work. Add oil, add gas, and away you go. The mower itself is quite heavy compared to very basic mowers like my old Yard Machines piece of misery. For a smaller person, it may be hard to push if you have hills/inclines to deal with. But for 3-in-1 mowers, I find this pretty normal. There is more involved than a simple side discharge mower. The rear bag is easy to attach and remove, as is the side discharge chute. I find the design of the side discharge quite nice - as it is a wide opening that really shoots clippings out, even in unusually heavy grass that would plug my old mower in three seconds flat. The motor itself is very powerful. It just idles along no matter what you throw at it. A section of my back yard was unmowed for a few weeks (due to death of old mower) and even in thick sections of 5-7 inch grass, it just plowed through without even a hiccup. Flat out amazed me. My old mower (when working) would almost die and take 3-4 passes on the same type of grass. It's a beast of an engine. And the pull to start it is remarkably light for a larger engine. I love the very simple, easy to use height adjusters on this mower. Very easy to raise/lower, and clearly marked which direction does what. Just remember that it's the opposite between front and back. It's great only having to adjust in two spots. I remember some mowers where you had to adjust all four wheels independently. So much easier! Done in seconds, with a very solid snap into each detent. I think the only thing I would have liked is the deck wash system of the Troy Bilt unit I debated. But for a couple hundred bucks less ... I can clean the deck old school. If I had to pick out ONE thing about this mower than I'm not crazy about, it's the location of the start cord and the gas filler spout. The cord runs very close to it, and JUST above it. Exactly in the way of my gas can. Incredibly minor, but there's my one gripe. I expect many more years of great service from this mower.