The Craftsman Lawncare Appliance Consumer Reports Says Is Too Noisy For Your Yard

There's a lot to think about when trying to decide what type of lawn mower to buy for your yard. If you have a lot of grass, you'll likely be considering some kind of riding mower. Craftsman is a brand many people know and trust, and it has been producing lawnmowers for over 90 years. Unfortunately, according to Consumer Reports, the company's budget-friendly T110 lawn tractor is one you may want to skip because of the noise. Let's check the details.

The Craftsman T110 Gas Lawn Tractor offers a 42-inch cut and is powered by a 500cc single-cylinder Briggs & Stratton engine. It delivers 17.5 horsepower for a top speed of 5 mph via a 7-speed manual transmission. The list price of $2199 makes it among the cheapest riding mowers in its class. However, that alone should not be the deciding factor. There are larger, more powerful models among the best-reviewed riding mowers under $3000, so it's important to compare full specifications carefully. 

The main issue Consumer Reports mentions is how loud the Craftsman mower is. It gets their lowest score for noise at the ear (which we presume means up close) and at 25 feet away. It doesn't do much better for handling or comfort, and while side discharge gets good marks, it's only average at bagging or mulching (and accessories for both cost extra). There's no cruise control and no PTO (power take-off) to run attachments like tillers, snowblowers, etc.

Given that there is at least one top-rated Craftsman lawn mower you will want to consider, we wanted to check elsewhere in case Consumer Reports simply had a dud. It would appear not. At Craftsman's own website, buyers give the T110 just 2.7 stars. It does a little better at Ace Hardware, where owners give it 3.6, and at Lowe's, where they award it 3.8. These are hardly stellar ratings, though.

The lack of support from the seat is criticized, as was difficulty with control. That pretty much echoes what Consumer Reports felt. More troubling perhaps were issues with both the engine (including a camshaft failure) and battery. A number of people complained about the overall quality and thought it was cheaply built.

To be fair, even those who were critical didn't mention noise as a problem, and there are plenty of people who love their Craftsman T110 riding mower. "A solid machine that just keeps going," said one. "You won't be disappointed," said another. Sadly, there are a similar number of owners who say they would never buy another. So in such a competitive market, you may want to look elsewhere.