Troy-Bilt TB105 11A-B0SD766 21″ Push Walk-Behind Gas Mower Review

A large riding lawnmower isn’t really called for if you have a smaller lawn. Yet even people with lawns under half an acre still don’t want to wrestle with a big heavy unit. This is the perfect niche for a lightweight, and nimble, yet durable walk behind lawnmower.

The trouble is, at first glance they all can kind of look the same. Without a careful, practiced eye, it can be hard to spot the key difference that set one apart from the other.

The Troy-Bilt TB105 was designed from past user feedback to have the little things that stand apart from the sea of other walk-behind, gas-powered lawnmowers.

It is surprisingly lightweight for a gas powered lawnmower ringing in at just over 50 pounds. The deck comes with a special “Rake Bumper” which helps stand blades of grass up to be cut more efficiently. This is especially nice if you are the type of person who likes to mow in a row pattern.

The 140 cc engine has enough power to also work with an included mulching attachment. This allows you to make the most out of the 21-inch mowing path it creates.

The Troy-Bilt TB105 has a pair of 11-inch wheels at the back and two eight inch wheels in the front. This helps it move easily over even bumping turf, while also being able to pivot and turn around landscaping features. It even has six height adjustment settings to help you dial in the perfect cut every time.

Key Features

  • Rake bumper for more efficient cutting
  • 140 cc Troy-Bilt engine
  • Lightweight and maneuverable
  • 2-in-1 side discharge and mulching mower
  • 6 height adjustment settings

Performance

The TB105 is light and nimble enough to dance around trees and other landscaping features in your yard. It also has enough power from the 140 cc Troy-Bilt engine to be used as a 2-in-1 mulching mower.

The engine is a little on the loud side. If you have neighbors close by with napping children, you might want to choose your timing wisely. A simple pair of earplugs might also be a good idea.

Ease of Use

The Troy-Bilt TB105 is relatively easy to use. Two minor flaws that are worth mentioning are the lack of any type of assisted or electric start, as well as having to manually choke it. There is nothing in the way of a self-propulsion system. This saves on weight and also helps keep the cost relatively low.

Cut Quality & Options

The rake bumper built into the 21-inch steel deck is one of the big things that helps the Troy-Bilt TB105 to stand apart from the competition. This simple piece of engineering essentially lifts up blades of grass to be cut more efficiently. When you use it as a side discharge or a mulching mower the rake bumper helps you make the most out of each pass of the blades.

One minor misnomer to point out is that this is indeed a 2-in-1 mower. Yet Troy-Bilt calls it a “Tri-Action Mowing System.” Just bear in mind that it is only capable of being set up as a side discharge or a mulching mower. There is no bagger accessory available at this time.

Maintenance

The Troy-Bilt TB105 has all the basic maintenance requirements that you expect to find in a gas-powered walk behind lawnmower. It will need an oil change at least once every spring. You might need to change the oil or clean the air filter more often if you have a large yard or you use the mower frequently

If you are the type of person who likes to sharpen their own mower blades with a bench grinder, you can indeed do that with the Troy-Bilt TB105. However, Troy-Bilt also sells replacement blades, which make it even easier to change them out every spring.

The pull start, recoil system on the Troy-Bilt TB105 works in tandem with the manual choke. This means you will have to prime it, and it might take a half dozen pulls or so to start it. Filling it up with premium gasoline, and making sure to store it each winter with fuel stabilizer in the tank will go a long way toward helping it start easily as the mower ages.

Safety Features

The Troy-Bilt TB105 has the same safety hand controls that you find with most walk-behind push mowers. They were nice enough to put an indent in the handle to help it fit together comfortably. Still, there is no other cushion to speak of. So, you might want to wear garden gloves if you have a bigger yard to mow.

Special Features

The rake bumper is sort of Troy-Bilt’s only little innovation. It helps pull up the blades for a cleaner cut. This really helps the mulching feature to work efficiently.

The six height adjustments might not seem all that special on paper, but most of the competitors in this class only offer three or four.

The fact that it was also designed to specifically be lightweight and nimble makes it a good choice for homeowners with a lot of trees of landscape features that call for making some tight turns.

Cost Effectiveness

The friendly price point is perhaps the most notable cost-effective feature of the Troy-Bilt TB105. Still, you shouldn’t overlook the inherent benefits of the integrated mulching feature of the Tri-Action cutting system or the rake bumper. Working in tandem, it reduced thatch build up, which might spare you aeration costs, while at the same time the tiny pieces of mulched grass also help feed the turf layers. This can even help you cut costs on seasonal fertilizing.

 

8 Total Score
A well-designed walk-behind gas lawnmower

PROS
  • Rake bumper for more efficient cuts and mulching
  • 2-in-1 mulching feature
  • Lightweight as well as nimble
  • Backed by a three-year warranty
  • Six height adjustments
CONS
  • No electric or assisted start
  • No bagger accessory available
  • Tri-Action cutting system is a misnomer
  • The engine is a little bit on the loud side
  • Needs seasonal oil changes
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Troy-Bilt TB105 11A-B0SD766 21″ Push Walk-Behind Gas Mower Review
Troy-Bilt TB105 11A-B0SD766 21″ Push Walk-Behind Gas Mower Review
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