In-depth Review of the Poulan Pro 961420127 Front Wheel Self Propelled 22 Inch Mower
The Poulan Pro 961420127 front wheel drive mower is here to rescue everyone who’s faced with the daunting task of mowing erratic slopes and challenging terrains. Let’s face it- literally everyone wants to own that perfect, lush lawn that makes your neighbors flush in envy. But taking care of it is a hell of a task! Consider yourself lucky if your yard is naturally leveled; as you can easily make do with a lightweight, push mower without wearing yourself out. But the minute you need to tackle slopes, uneven terrains and a bunch of obstacles or structures, investing in a good quality self propelled mower is what makes the most sense.
This gas-powered, self-propelled mower from Poulan Pro boasts of a powerful Briggs and Stratton 625 Series Engine. The 12” rear wheels and 8” front wheels march ahead in perfect coordination to take over all kinds of terrains. Equipped with a modern, auto-choke system and ReadyStart Engine, you needn’t be worried about ‘starting issues’ any time of the year, and especially after winterization. Not to forget, the22” cutting deck and easy height adjustment, add on to the efficiency of this Poulan Pro Mower!
Poulan Pro PR625Y22RHP, 22 in. 150cc Briggs & Stratton Walk Behind Front-Wheel-Drive Mower
Amazon.com - 625Ex 150cc Briggs & Stratton Autochoke engine
- 22-Inch deck push mower
- 3 in 1 side discharge, mulch and bag capability
- 4-Quick height adjusters with 9 positions
- 8-Inch Front and 12-Inch Rear Wheels
Ease of Use
In terms of ease of use, the Poulan Pro 961420127 mower is really as good as they say! I needn’t talk much about the ‘assembling’ part because any novice can do it in half an hour, after reading the manual. Yes, there have been issues of transit damage, as I’ve heard from many buyers in the past. But that seems to have been taken care of lately, because my shipment arrived well-packed and protected as always.
Weighed at around 76 pounds and with dimensions of 21” x 25” x 40”, this mower is actually lighter as compared to many other self propelled mowers in the market. It was also a pleasant surprise to see how compact it was, and for once, I didn’t have to worry about storing a new one! With 3 different handlebar positions, it is convenient to hold for people of all heights. But if you’ve always been using a push mower or rear drive or all-drive mower thus far, it might take some time getting used to this beast.
The first few times, it’s most likely that the front wheels will swivel out of control. I advise you to run the machine at minimal speed to get completely used to it, and then gradually notch it up. What’s the most delightful aspect about using a front wheel mower is that going up a slope (which is always tiresome) suddenly becomes a cakewalk.
I should also mention here, that the high 12” rear wheels add on to this front wheel drive mower’s ‘slope-conquering’ capacity. So if you have some major, sloping turfs to conquer, you’ll actually fall in love with this Poulan Pro 22”self propelled mower!
Cut Quality
The 22” deck takes on the toughest patches of grass with great ease. Also, you can choose to mulch and naturally fertilize your soil. On patches where your family or visitors hardly tread, you could just side-discharge the clippings. You’ll be glad to note that this mower is also equipped with a bagger; this comes especially handy when your grass is too short for discharging, and the season is not conducive for mulching. Either way, the mulching quality as well as the clippings are as fine as required. This is one of the few front-drive mowers I’ve used that actually handles tall or dense grass well owing to its powerful engine, fine engineering and well-set deck blades. Otherwise most other mowers tend to channelize all power to the wheels and very less to the cutting deck, thus getting the blades entangled in tough grass. No cutting worries with this Poulan Pro marvel though!
Height Adjustment
With a range of 9 different cutting height positions between 1.25 to 3.5 inches to opt from, the Poulan Pro 961420127 gives you ample choice. Instead of single-level height adjustment, this front-wheel drive mower has 4 easy-to-handle knobs for selecting your desired height; two of which are for the front wheels, and two for the rear wheels. On the whole, it’s more than what I expected from a budget-mower!
Motor Power
No doubt the 150cc Briggs and Stratton Autochoke Engine is incredibly powerful. This 4-stroke engine has a belt-drive that evenly distributes the power between the wheels and the cutting deck. That’s why when you’re going uphill, you will notice that the blade action has marginally slowed down. But it obviously does a fantastic job, especially for sloping turfs spanning 1 acre to 1.5 acres max. Anything bigger, and you might want to opt for a powerful riding mower like the Cub Cadet XT1 46” V-Twin Hydrostatic Riding Mower or the Troy Bilt 30” Riding Mower.
Lest I forget, let me mention that the fuel tank has a capacity of 0.24 gallon, but you need to add Fuel Stabilizer to the gas, in order to prevent early corrosion of the engine. An 8 oz bottle costs around $10 and will easily last for 80+ uses. But it still pinches you to spend 10 bucks more! The engine oil is of course included, and will last you for at least 4 years.
Maintenance
The Poulan Pro 961420127 self propelled mower comes with a 2-year limited warranty. It also has a deck-wash port for eliminating cleaning hassles and dirt build-up. After examining its overall construction and material, I can tell you for a fact that it will not last you for ages (unlike, say the super-sturdy Toro 21” Personal Pace Mower which is the rage!). As long as you don’t over-use it (for lawns beyond 1.5 acres) and care enough not to bump it against trees or boulders, you can be rest assured of minimal maintenance and repair costs!
Cost Effectiveness
In the ever-expanding lawn equipment industry, you’ll find tons of mowers that are absolute non-performers. Since I professionally test at least 2 new mower models every month, I can tell you with conviction that the Poulan Pro 961420127 is a keeper in terms of cost-effectiveness. Yes there are some ‘side-issues’ that I’ve spoken about earlier. The noise factor for instance, is just an unwanted side effect that can be tackled with some good quality earmuffs. And with a few bouts of practice, you can easily control the front wheels and master the art of maneuvering it on the whole. A fairly ergonomic design on the whole with an adjustable handlebar as well as an easily foldable handle for storage; does its core job of mowing and helps you tackle slopes that would otherwise have you drained out completely. Also, the bagger, mulching kit and engine oil are included in the price, which in my humble opinion is more than a fair deal!
