CRAFTSMAN Gas Self-Propelled Mower and String Trimmer

I wanted to love it, but...

To preface this, I have chronic back and hip problems, I am on disability and my income is low, I have had my previous Craftsman mower for 17+ years and it's been great to me. My mobility has been decreasing over the years. My previous mower had a broken wheel and I thought I would treat myself to a new mower. I specifically went with Craftsman with how long I've had the prior mower and how reliable it has been.I decided to get a self propelled mower to help me out physically. I have only used ...

Received as opened box

Received as a opened box with missing parts and other damage when calling company Thay wanted me to pay to replace parts that go to the handle and Deck when missing right out of the box and I also found other parts damaged and missing upon further inspection didn't bother calling company back because I don't feel that for a mower as expensive as this one I should have to pay for things that were not right from the start other problems found costing me more money to fix anyways to make it a good...

Returned Open Box $75

I owned this lawn mower since Aug 3, 2020. I had to fix it twice. First time was Sep 4, 2022. It wouldn't start. I removed the carb, cleaned it and and drained the fuel from the tank. Too easy. The next time I had to fix it was Jun 26, 2025. I left it out in a two day heavy down pour. Drained every thing, let it dry, put fresh fluids, and it started up after about 20 pulls and 4 sprays of starter fluid. I lucked out, no water in the crank case. I paid $75 for it. It was a return repair open box ...

The Craftsman name is on it, but...

The first picture shows the mower in the box. Lowes’s personnel were kind enough to load it into my vehicle. Other reviews or questions about this mower indicated that people had challenges with the assembly so I provide pictures and descriptions of the various steps. I started with plenty of time available so I did not have to hurry and could contemplate before each step. The second picture shows the mower inside the box with all the accessory pieces. The grass catcher bag and frame on top, oi...

Great but also not

Great mower with easy pull start. My issue is that no matter when I mow or how high I mow, the grass sticks to the inside of the mower. This has happened since day 1. It will build up to the point where the mower chokes itself out. Attempting to use the washout connector would seem like the logical fix except for the fact that it does absolutely nothing to clear out the buildup after just 2 minutes of mowing. I literally have to prop the handle of the mower down so that I can use the water hose ...

DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY!

Wow! What happened to the Craftsman brand?!! This mower was the absolute worst I’ve ever had. I borrowed my neighbors push mower before buying this one, and it was MUCH easier to use than this one…. Is it this one REALLY self propelled?!? The mower started on the first pull. Bonus. That’s the only positive thing I can say about it. There is absolutely no power in the self-propel department. The extra handle was a pain to hold down as well. I cut my front lawn and part of the back. I stopped fo...

Completely inadequate operator documentation.

M230 Review I recently (early July 2022) purchased the Craftsman M230 (comes with a Brigg & Stratton engine) from Lowes because of past good experiences with Lowes, Craftsman and Brigg & Stratton. With this purchase Lowes is just great as usual; however, the comments that follow pertain to a not good experience with both Craftsman and Briggs & Stratton. My below review information will only be useful to prospective buyers who care about Operator Manuals being accurate, &/or existing at all, an...

My brother gave me a Craftsman M230 Self-Propelled lawnmower for my wedding present,it has performed flawlessly for 4 yrs.,it took a little tweaking to get the self-propelled dialed in but couldn’t ask for a better mower,had put a bungee cord to hold the side door open one time and let me tell you it cut 6”-8” grass down and never even bogged down the Briggs&Stratton 163cc engine is a beast,I don’t understand all the negative comments,if it don’t work absolutely perfect the first time then ya”ll...

Quit Working after 1 year

I purchased the M230 21-in Gas Self Propelled Lawn Mower with the 163 cc Briggs and Stratton Engine on July 28, 2023 (one year and two days as of writing this review). I've probably used the mower a total of 12 times since I've owned it and now it won't start. When it does run, it doesn't bag grass as it should, and gets bogged down very easily. I tried to return it to Lowes on 7/30/2024 because of the issue with it not starting and they stated that I would have to call manufacturer to initia...

Broken Connecting Rod

I did not buy this mower. I repair small engines, and this mower came in with the complaint that the engine would not turn over when the starter rope was pulled. I disassembled the engine and found the connecting rod broken into 5 pieces. This was caused by one of the bolts holding the rod to the crankshaft had backed out. I purchased a new rod and gasket set and repaired it for my own use. It was not low of oil, and had been used one season by my client. It runs and cuts very nicely.