Best Craftsman Lawn Mowers 2023

A well cared for and lustrous lawn adds to your property’s visual appeal. And only a powerful, and burly gas lawn mower can help you attain that look.

After all, while mowing your large lawn, you can’t simply afford running out of battery, stringing with multiple extension cords or stuttering in the middle of denser patches.

And when it comes to push-behind mowers, Craftsman is a great choice.

Respected for years in the gardening industry, for its quality and durability, Craftsman has recently added to its already large lineup of lawn mowers and the good news is that they are all in reasonable rates.

However, the search for ‘the best craftsman mower, with numerous options stacked out there, may wrap your head around. As, although from the same brand, they slightly vary in their cutting swatch width, grass management options, size and power of the engine, safety features, and height adjustment options.

Read on our 5 best Craftsman lawnmowers review to find the one better aligned with your requirements.

Comparison Table for Best Craftsman Lawn Mowers 2023

1. CRAFTSMAN M215 Self-Propelled Gas Powered Lawn Mower

If you are out in the market for something that takes the whole strain out of the lawn mowing equation, CRAFTSMAN M215 is a comprehensive package for you, waiting to be unboxed.

Stocked with an array of rich features, you will find a heavy-duty 159cc OHV gas engine at its crux that is delivered completely fitted and with an auto choke and a smooth recoil.

These two distinct, nifty features make it start quicker than other gas-fueled lawn mowers, and completely make one forget fiddling between choke and primer.All that you need to start this machine is an easy pull, and THEN the rest is history.

With its 11 inches Zag tread rear and 8 inches front tier, M215 runs smoothly on tough terrains, leaving a finely mowed lawn behind.

Its self-propelled function makes you whizz your mowing away with very little effort. Moreover, this self-propelled feature allows the mower to switch between slow to fast speed according to grass thickness. Also, it lets you walk with your normal walking gait and doesn’t give you a feeling that you are toiling hard to push.

Much to the ease of the user, its 21 inches wide deck has a double lever which makes height adjustment quite easy.

The only downside with this feature-laden lawn mower is its brittle plastic build, which is complained about by many users. It’s only a matter of little heat and time applied to the plastic and it will break soon.

Had the material used in this mower been of premium quality, it would have become our first choice.

2. Craftsman M115 11A-B25W791 Push Lawn Mower – Top Pick Overall

The engine that runs the show here is Briggs and Stratton 550E. And with this robust engine, Craftsman M115 will do your lawn with equal to no effort involved and undoubtedly beautifully too.

If that didn’t impress you much, consider its 21 inches wide deck which will trim your lawn real clean in a few passes, with a consistent finish.

Craftsman, you might know, has earned a name, over the years, in the gardening tools industry for providing durable and top-quality tools to consumers and it is well reflected in M215.

You will be glad to experience its stability while pushing it forward. It will let you enjoy the mowing sessions with no jolts and jerks.

Primarily designed for medium-sized lawns, M115 with its powerful 140cc engine is quite sturdy and flexible to do commercial lawns as well.

To increase grass maneuverability, its rear wheel is made 11-inches high and the front wheel is 7inches.

Much to the user’s comfort, M115 has a dual lever that allows the operator to adjust between 6 cutting heights easily.

On the downside, it is reviewed negatively by many consumers for its bagging attachment. They complain that the bagger delivered with the package doesn’t fit the snug perfectly and throws less than half of the grass clippings out from the slit openings left at the side.

Yet another issue with this mower is related to packaging. It is not packed with the point of view of delivery. The box is so flimsy and completely torn up, with the parts falling off, as reported by many consumers as if it fell from the sky, completely shattered to bits, and the oil smeared all over. However, I believe that packaging has nothing to do with its actual functions and the issue can be quickly fixed by the shipping authority.

3. Craftsman M275 Self-Propelled –Best User-Friendly

Equipped with a whopping total of all the three functions-mulching, bagging, discharging- in a compact package, this Craftsman model is also self-propelled, which means it can be pushed around your lawn with least effort involved, as it exerts an equal force to push itself forward.

The stand-out feature of this gas-run lawnmower is its highly responsive single lever squeezebox which will make you feel that the mower is automated to run on its own. With M275, you can adjust the grass trimming between six different heights.

Featuring sturdy wheels for improved stability, this mower is shipped with mulching, side, and rear discharge kits.

It would not be an overstatement that with its stolid 159cc OHV gas engine, it wins the trophy of being one of the most powerful gas engine lawnmowers and takes no time to do away with the toughest of terrains in a few passes, saving your time and fuel in return.

With its self-explanatory manual, its assembly takes about 15 minutes. it is really less pricy than a Black and Decker Lawn Mower.

It could be the best buy for the homeowners with small-to-medium-sized lawn owners.

What I love the most is the ‘humming sound’ it produces while running. Yes, I won’t call it noise as it has quite a therapeutic effect on me.

4. Craftsman M125 Briggs & Stratton Gas Powered Push Lawn Mower

Continuing, we make a stop at M125 by Craftsman which is a heavy-duty trusted gas lawn mower with 163cc engine. Chopping grass on your uneven, tough terrain is not a big deal for this guy with its 11 inches rear tires possessing zag threading for easy traction.

It qualifies the status of the best push behind gas mower with its ergonomically built handles and 163cc Briggs and Stratton 675 exi gas engine.

Clearly, being powerful and easy to use are not the only desirable features, one looks for when buying such kind of grooming machines. There is a whole lot of other things too which when combined make machine a precise package and luckily, Craftsman M125 has them all.

Featuring ready start technology, the struggle with choke and prime at the beginning of mowing operations is eliminated.

That’s definitely not all that M125 offers, its 21 inches cutting swatch underneath its deck, handles a wide mowing area just in a few passes.To make a large deck run smoothly on even as well as uneven surfaces, a mower must have a powerful engine too, else it will stutter and seize back. This issue is already addressed in M125 by placing a robust engine oozing power every inch.

That being established, with its easy to adjust dual lever, you can adjust the trimming height to 6 different options.

The initial package includes all the three mowing options-mulching, bagging, side, and rear discharge.

Overall, it can easily be the first choice of homeowners with medium-to-large-sized lawns searching for a mower from a reliable brand at an affordable price.

5. CRAFTSMAN V60 3-in-1 Cordless Lawn Mower -Best For the Money

With a rich history in the field of the residential, gas-powered line up of mowers, Craftsman’s relatively new electric mower V60 intrigued lawn enthusiasts to see what new this self-propelled cordless lawn mower has in its kit bag. And they were excited to see that V60 had a lot to add to the electric lawn mowers’ landscape, such as a sturdy steel deck, ½ acre cutting potential with really long run time at one charge and an easy to eyes battery level indicator.

Including everything you need to mulch, bag or discharge in the initial package, V60 is an economical buy.

To add to it, it is backed by the manufacturer’s four years warranty.

As for comfort, it allows for three different handle positions and covers the maximum number of user heights. Moreover, it folds the handles to occupy little room in your shed, so don’t worry if your storage is already packed with other tools.

Although it enjoys the lead of more than 10 MPH in the cordless lawn mowers group and performs well on maintenance and cutting of soft grass, it comes out of lawn gate huffing, real hot with the maximum tip speed recorded in electric mowers.

Moreover, with its brushed motor, it behaves more like its gas-powered brothers. Whenever put against some resistance, its RPM drops off drastically. And since electric mowers already have less power, the drop is quite significant.

For noise level, it may be called quieter for gas mowers but not quiet enough to stand with the other electric rivals.

However, it should not be taken to conclude that V60 is ill-equipped, as its high blade speed makes mowing a breeze for routine cuts and shaves a two-days-grown grass very well.

Your Buyer Guide to Craftsman Lawn Mowers

Aside from your budget, there are several underlying factors to consider while buying your Craftsman lawnmower.

Self-propelled Vs Push Mower

Out of these two options available in craftsman lawn mowers, whatever you end up choosing, should depend on the following factors:

Deck Size and Width of Cutting Swath

A wider cutting swath will translate into fewer passes to finish your trimming and thus saving time and money. Most of the Craftsman mowers come with no less than 20 inches wide cutting swath. A few, however, feature up to 24 inches too. The sooner you are done with mowing, the more time you would get for other activities.

However, while making for a wider cutting swath you need to ensure that the engine is also powerful to support it.

All this boils down to buying something between 20 and 24 inches with a sturdy self-propelled engine.

Grass Clipping Management

Know what you want to do with the grass clipped-mulch, bag, or discharge?

Why it is imperative at this stage? Because some lawnmowers don’t include mulching and bagging attachments in the initial package. And you will have to purchase them later which itself can be time taking. Worse still, there are a few mowers that offer only one option and cannot be modified to include the other two options.

So, knowing what you want to do with clippings will help you determine which mower is best for you.

I would recommend the one which has the option to attach mulching and bagging attachments so that you can opt for it if you happen to make up your mind for it later.

Type and Size of Engine

For size, out of the two variants available in Craftsman gas mowers, the two-stroke engine should suffice your residential requirements. However, if your residential lawn is densely grown with St. Augustine, Bermuda, or any other tough grass type sneaking in your neighbors’ lawn, you must require a brawnier, four-stroke which basically is meant for larger and commercial properties. A smaller engine, in this case, will work slow and will be more often seen standing in the service station.

As for the type, depending on where you are residing, you may require an engine that complies with the standard operating procedures of CARB (California Air Resources Board), which has set a criterion for emission requirements for gas-fueled vehicles. Even if you are not living in the area covered by CARB. It is wise to purchase the one that emits fewer fumes so that you and your environment may stay clean.

Grass height and safety features

The former may be more important than you think. Especially if you don’t have a uniform mowing routine, like me, and find different heights of grass every time you get time to mow.

If so, you need to adjust your mower to a different cutting height each time, as if you cut more than one-third of its current height, you are going to make your lawn more prone to diseases and waves of dry hot weather, and this will ultimately result into no grass in lawn. This fact is backed by rigorous research conducted by lawn care scientists.

Therefore, go for the one with the maximum number of cutting height options.

As for safety, choose according to your needs. Craftsman showcases its mowers with numerous safety options, such as child lock, thick rubber flap to prevent debris and stones being ejected and injuring feet, another to halt the blade if the safety lever is not held.  The safer, the better!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Craftsman lawn mowers last?

Eight to ten years, on average, provided they are maintained and taken care of well. Low maintenance and carelessness may shorten its life span by one half that period.

Does Lowes carry Craftsman lawn mower parts?

Yes. It carries Craftsman’s blades, wheels, and other accessories. You may order online if the current ones are worn out.

Which the Best Model of Craftsman Lawn Mower to Buy?

Much of it depends on your needs. However, M225 with its 159cc engine is rated higher on different buying sites.

Are Troy Bilt and Craftsman mowers the same?

Yes, for 2020, many things are changed for Craftsman. It now belongs to Stanley, Black & Decker (SBD). And SBD has a Craftsman mower built by MTD. MTD already owns a lawnmower brand with the name Troy Bilt. So, about 80% of the parts used in Troy Bilt and Craftsman are similar now as they are being manufactures by MTD.