Hello all! New to this board and have a question on purchasing my first mower (not my first time mowing by any means). I'm less than a week away from closing on my first house and it will be in desperate need of having the lawn cut by then. I would like to buy a mower this weekend and do it right away. -I'm looking to spend no more than $250 -Lot is small..maybe around 6,000 sq. ft -Not real interested in self-propelled because of the small size/obstacles/budget -Must be a bagger/mulcher -Like to buy locally because of any warranty repair issues I live in a smaller city with the only big-box retailer being Walmart and I would just rather not buy from them. There is a Sears and the nearest Home Depot is 25 miles away so that could be an option. Models I've looked up: Sears: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07138905000P?keyword=71-38905&sLevel=0 http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07138906000P?keyword=71-38906&sLevel=0 (higher rear wheel version of one above...is it worth spending $20 more the larger wheels) Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100659984&N=10000003+90401+528374 I'm wondering what you guys thought of these choices and what other models I should possibly consider. Thanks!

Purrus, I'm in Canada so cannot advise you on what will make your budget because appliances are more expensive here. Have you subscribed to the consumer reports website? You can do so for just one month and it costs about $6 US, if I'm not mistaken. It can help you with your choices. Once you have checked that out and chosen a few names and models, return to this forum and ask questions on the choices, or do a search to see if they have been previously commented upon (in many cases, they will have). There is a wealth of info here. I've spent HOURS on this forum and other websites.

Imo, the older Jenn-Air appliances from about a year and a half ago and beyond are not that good. The newer ones built by Whirlpool are better.

Here is the first rule of appliance selection. Don't buy a suite of everything from one manufacturer. No one does everything well. Many of the appliance salesmen will try to steer you into one brand. Why? It's easy or they get an incentive. Next, organize you thoughts and select what is the best fit for you and your family. You may want to splurge on one item and economize on another. Do a lot of research on the appliance thread. Gardenweb is the best resource out there. Plan on spending some time here. Then go out and shop, armed with an idea of what you need, what you want and what you can afford. You have given us a budget, ~$20,000. Don't forget you will need ventilation. Everyone always forgets it and it's not cheap. I like Vent-a-Hood. I hate downdraft ventilation. Everyone has a preference. Those are mine. Rethink convection in your ovens. If you are buying double ovens, consider making one of them convection. If you have never had convection, you may not know what you are missing. But, you don't have to spend extra for double convection. If you have double ovens, you probably don't need a warming drawer. Plan on never running the self clean function on your ovens and you will be a happier customer. You only have to fry the mother board once to learn this lesson. This goes for all manufacturers. Dishwashers: Bosch, Miele, Asko for quiet. Bosch makes a wide variety of price points. I've had success with them on a number of homes. But, Miele and Asko are highly regarded. Cooktops/rangetops: You want gas. You have to decide whether you want sealed burner versus open burner. The difference is the amount of BTU that the burner can deliver. Open delivers more, closed delivers less. Some people believe that closed is easier to clean if you have an over spill. I don't agree, but let some other posters offer an opinion. I can only say I am replacing my closed burner Thermador for an open burner Bluestar rangetop. Refrigeration: You won't go wrong with Subzero, but your wallet will ache. There is nothing sexier than a set of Subzero full refrigerator and freezer. Liebherr is a competitor. I suggest that you take a look at your kitchen plans. You may be able to surround a full depth refrigerator with cabinets to create a built-in look. You will pay a lot more for counter depth and get less storage. Rather than a 48", think about a 36" full depth and supplement with an additional garage refrigerator or freezer. It's a cost effective way to get capacity. Instead of Subzero, I ended up buying the Kitchenaid Architect II 36" French door. I used the money I saved elsewhere. Educate yourself on one item at a time and it will all come together. I think the dishwasher is the easiest place to start. Good Luck.