Craftsman M230 Lawnmower Review

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[@byates59]

I purchased this mower about 6 weeks ago, it's awesome IMO!

[@EricStevenTerry]

As of September 2022, this lawn mower costs $419 at Lowes.

[@toolinhand]

Yup. Prices have been jumping for a while, now.

[@scstinger5]

Now it’s $459

[@ltrbuhq]

Crazy reading these comments, I mowed commercially with this mower for 3 years before mine shit the bed, It still starts on the first pull when warm, second when cold. I bet I have 200 hours on it.

[@scstinger5]

I have one for 2 years now and don’t like it. -The good things about it are, it starts and runs great, cuts well, the self-propel works good. -The bad things are, it’s really heavy, the handles are flimsy and not strong enough for the mower, the way the handle attaches to the mower is not remotely strong enough and will break, the cut height adjustment levers are not the same between the front wheels and back wheels (meaning for the cut-blade to be level the back wheel adjustment needs to be 2 notches lower than the front wheel adjustment), the entire back of the mower is made of cheap flimsy plastic and will break as that is what the push-handles are attached too (making the entire lawn mower a piece of garbage), it’s a very expensive mower that won’t last more than a couple years and not really fixable after that. -Hope this helps someone who is interested in this mower

[@aelfwealld]

No kidding! I just picked one up for free-99 at the dump. The thing is literally brand new. Must have been used less than 10 times. The handles where folded right over.

[@ktop4u]

is it still working for you? mine won't start this summer. i have read reviews of lot of people having issue next season

[@toolinhand]

I just used mine 2 weeks ago. Not starting has something to do with the ethenol in the fuel.

[@ktop4u]

@@toolinhand Okk, so i fill up at my local shell getting 87 octane. is that what you use?

[@toolinhand]

Actually, yes, I use Shell. And it's 87, yes.

[@pluggy86]

Just got this mower. I have a big piece of land to mow. I have a rider, but it's old, and I thought there would be times this machine would need to do the whole thing. Turns out the tractor is working, so I just left a little to try it out. Anyway, the side discharge chute kept falling off. I wound up mulching instead. Now, I know I let the grass grow too thick, and that's bad, but humans are imperfect creatures. I would have expected it to be a bit more rugged than that.

[@toolinhand]

Maybe you got a dud? My side chute attaches fine. Are you able to go to the store to trade it in?

[@pluggy86]

@@toolinhand It attaches OK, but it's flimsy.

[@toolinhand]

@@pluggy86 Mine has bumped off when I went backwards and hit something. It's not a great design, but it works.

[@jayreed8199]

Can this lawnmower be stored vertically?

[@toolinhand]

No it can't.

[@zackstaa7826]

No choke?? What are they thinking? Small carberator engines without a choke that’s just asking for problems with starting down the road. You’re already having to use a pull rope to start the engine, what’s another 2 seconds to toggle the choke for a quick crank?

[@toolinhand]

I know. When it starts giving me issues starting, I'll have no choice but to rebuild the carb.

[@ktop4u]

@@toolinhand yes this. Always need choke. Mine stopped working and won't turn on this year. purchased it in march last year.

[@Twilkins20]

@@ktop4u clean the carburetor. Mine was the same issue and it fixed it

[@GiantMeteor2024]

I have two M230s, and 15 year old Craftsman Briggs with the pull self priming also. That old machine starts fine after all these years, and it sits out year round even in the snow. No problems, it's a tank!

[@jondough4682]

Is your mower still working good?

[@toolinhand]

Yes. I had to clean the carb, due to ethanol/gas, but that's it.

[@jondough4682]

@@toolinhand I can get a new one for $200, should I?

[@toolinhand]

@@jondough4682 go for it. It's a good mower.

[@earthisfat6184]

Mine was missing the bolts that hold the front end together. Missing 3 short bolts that keep the self propelling axle together.

[@toolinhand]

Wow.

[@earthisfat6184]

@@toolinhand I don't want to return it because I'd have to downgrade too. Plus I already returned a kobalt mower that died on its first run to get this one. I'm just going to buy the bolts. Even tho this really made me mad because there's no telling what else it's missing out of the box.

[@toolinhand]

Contact Craftsman. They'll send you what was missing.

[@earthisfat6184]

@@toolinhand I'm taking one of the bolts to lowe's today. My worry is it could be missing more internally or something. I hope not because it was the only 163 they had. If I take it back I'd have to get a 140 or smaller.

[@talgwatr]

I set mine out too early this yr....ran for about 10 minutes, quit...and have never got it started again this yr....LOWES will do nothing about it either!...I have checked the carburater, changed oil, cleaned & changed fuel, checked sparkplug, air filter is useable!....NOW it makes a a crazy sound when pulling the rope and it won't start.....Only occasionally it will sort of try to start; but, only teases me and then won't even try for hrs!...I can do nothing about my grass which BTW- I live on a major thru-way n the middle of town...Embarrassing is an understatement!!!

[@toolinhand]

The jets in the carb are clogged.

[@talgwatr]

@@toolinhand Only if my fuel is so bad that it clogged it up up as soon as I cleaned the carb' which I did beforehand...I will take it apart again and see though!...

[@toolinhand]

@@talgwatr mine clogged. I used strands from a wire brush to clean out the tiny holes in the jet. That cleared it for me.

[@talgwatr]

@@toolinhand Not sure why I didn't do it today; but I was too occupied with trying to fix my old mower...wound up cracking the whole damn engine trying to straighten the spindle...hahahahahahaha! tomorrow(today) I will clean the carb' again on the M230..and yes I'll use some wire for the ports!!!

[@godagesilrex2954]

I bought this POS about two months ago and it started hammering, that it there was a mechanical banging inside the engine. It started out loping, power going up and down. Then when I started it up it hammered. It got through the yard that day okay, but now it will start and runs for a few seconds and dies. The carbeurator is made of high density plastic and the directions say you don't ever need to change the oil. Nope probably not if it only lasts two months. Don't waste your money. This same mower with the Troy Built brand on it lasted me years without any problems until one day it just died on me.

[@toolinhand]

These new Briggs and Stratton engines aren't good. Mine is still working, but you need to use ethanol free gas.

[@TBDLXBACON]

I can’t pull the cord more than 6 inches out and I can’t figure out why

[@toolinhand]

Is something stuck underneath?

[@TBDLXBACON]

Tool In Hand yeah I figured it out actually, the hand bar was still pushed in all the way past the blade, once I did that I was good

[@brandonwilliams4637]

BURNT BACON I’m having the same problem, I just purchased this mower today. How do I pull the starting rope?

[@toolinhand]

@@brandonwilliams4637 there are instructions on how to slide the handle all the way out. The way it's packed, the handle is past the deck, and in the way of the blade.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Wow Stanley got briggs and stratton to contract with them

[@toolinhand]

I think the contract came with the purchase of Craftsman.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

@@toolinhand maybe

[@mrbubetube]

3.85 horsepower? briggs website says it's 4.75 horsepower. they say horsepower ratings are stated as gross horsepower at 3600 RPM per SAE J1940

[@toolinhand]

That's what my mower states. The 4.75 isn't horsepower, according to the deck.

[@Holleystudios]

I only used Tru fuel on mine, had for 2 years mowing from March to October once a week, no problems

[@user-cv1rc8nt8j]

Do you change your oil? If so, do you tilt it to let it run out. I know the engine says no oil changes but that just seems crazy to me.

[@michaelcarter2774]

Great review however mine only lasted a few months I have upgraded to a Honda...Craftsman is not what it use to be I say don’t waste your hard earned money on this.

[@toolinhand]

Mine is still running strong. What happened to yours? Wrong gas?

[@jondough4682]

@@toolinhand is yours still running strong?

[@toolinhand]

@@jondough4682 yes it is

[@rajaz4054]

The reason Craftsman isn't what it used to be is because it's no longer a Sears product. MTD owns Craftsman now.

[@elixdab]

Mine worked amazing the 2 times I used it. Now I can't get it to crank this summer.

[@ktop4u]

Yes, I had the same issue. It seems to be widespread problem with these. interested in knowing what the reviewer did. Would be nice to know that steps to take each year

[@Twilkins20]

@@ktop4u mine same problem. New last year, but wouldn't start this year. I cleaned the carburetor and emptied and put in fresh gas and bam she roaring. I know now to run it out of gas before storage to keep carburetor clean

[@bobbyleggins3900]

Add starter fluid to carb

[@jeffreyelbert168]

I spent over 400 dollars for this

[@toolinhand]

Prices are rising everywhere

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Alot of plastic

[@toolinhand]

That's how Sears made them. This design is almost identical to those.

[@mariaonofre4402]

I just put gas and it doesn’t want to start