BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 Gas Powered Walk Behind Push Mower Review
A well-designed gasoline-powered push mower can be a thing of simple beauty for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money, yet still wants a relatively lightweight mower that can tackle even the thickest blades of grass. If this sounds like you, then the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 deserves a good hard look. Right off the bat, they make a statement about thoughtful engineering and overall material quality by backing this gasoline-powered lawn mower with a comprehensive 2-year warranty.
The 140 CC gasoline engine provides plenty of power for the cutting blades under the 21-inch diameter cutting deck. It’s just the right power to weight ratio for cutting through even thick grass, without making the lawn mower awkwardly heavy. To that point, the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 only weighs in at just under 65-pounds, after fully assembled.
It is also worth noting that the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 was engineered to be versatile. It has the ability to provide a custom cut for the characteristics of your grass as well as the underlying turf. The 21-inch diameter cutting deck can be set to any one of six cutting heights.
As a true 3-in-1 gasoline-powered push mower the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 can be set up for side discharge right out of the box. This is great for those times when you can cut your lawn frequently enough to prevent thatch buildup. If you happen to have concerns about spent grass clippings drying out into problematic thatch, you can just as easily set up the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 as a mulching or bagging lawn mower. You even get a grass collection bag is included in the initial purchase.
Key Features
- 140 cc gasoline engine
- 21 Inch cutting deck
- 3-in-1 side discharge, mulch or bag
- 6 cutting height settings
- 2-year warranty
Performance
The 140 CC gasoline engine in the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 offers a robust amount of power to give the cutting blades an impressive harvest percentage. All without making the mower overly heavy.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any sort of auto-choke or other easy ignition system built into the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736. So, while it does start easily right when it is new, the 140 CC gasoline engine will need good maintenance habits as well as proper storage to ensure it continues to fire up reliably year after year.
Ease Of Use
The BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 was designed to be easy to use. You see this in the relatively light 65-pound dry weight that makes it easy to maneuver the gasoline-powered lawn mower across even a bumpy lawn or one with a lot of changes in elevation. The 21-inch diameter cutting deck was also designed to be easy to adjust with a pair of easy-to-use levers.
One tiny complaint with the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 is that the bagger doesn’t have any sort of visual indicator. This means that it can sometimes get a little heavy or clog the rear discharge port if it is allowed to over-fill. If you get in the habit of keeping an eye on it and making frequent dumps in the compost pile or garden, you should be able to prevent these problems from happening.
Special Features
The BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 lets you set it up for the ideal thatch management with its 3-in-1 versatility. This means you can use it as a traditional side discharge push mower when it is convenient. Though you can just as easily switch it over to mulching or bagging if you have concerns about thatch build-up.
When you set it up as a mulching mower the tiny mulched pieces of grass clippings can even help feed some nitrogen back into your turf to help boost grass growth. When the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 is set up as a bagger, you can use the harvested grass clippings to help boost your compost pile, or to side-dress garden plants for a little extra weed blocking.
Cut Quality & Options
The 21-inch diameter cutting deck on the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 has six different height settings which is a nice touch if you need to precisely dial in the length of the grass to the prevailing weather conditions. If the regional weather has been an ideal mix of sun and rain to promote vigorous growth, you can adjust the cutting deck down low to stay ahead of your lawn.
If the recent weather trend has been overly hot and dry, you can just as easily set the 21-inch diameter cutting deck up high to help shade the turf and retain ambient moisture. This can certainly help prevent a drought from forcing your lawn into premature dormancy.
Maintenance
The BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 will need a seasonal oil change, as well as an oil change every 50 hours of operation, just like any gasoline-powered push mower. It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to help prevent problems with the carburetor or spark plug fouling as the lawn mower ages. Especially since it has a recoil start without any other sort of ignition assistance systems.
The cutting blade under the 21-inch diameter deck is robust and can handle perhaps five or six careful sharpening sessions before it needs to be totally replaced. If you are not comfortable with using a fine-toothed mill file, the replacement blade for the BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 is easily affordable.
Safety Features
The BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 comes with all the standard hand control safety features you expect to find on a gasoline-powered push mower.
Cost-Effectiveness
The BLACK+DECKER 11A-A2SD736 was engineered to be as cost-effective as possible for a gasoline-powered push mower with a friendly price tag. Assuming proper maintenance, the 140 CC gasoline engine will be fair fuel-efficient, even as the lawn mower ages.
You might also appreciate how the bagging and mulching features help with thatch management and allow for a custom cut. In the long-term, this could save you a fair amount of money on seasonal aeration cost, while potentially reducing the need for in-season fertilizing.
