Snapper (21") 190cc Commercial Ninja Self-Propelled Mulching Lawn Mower

This is the 4th Snapper I have owned and the review for this commercial model is after one season's use. Overall, I have praise for this mower and B&S engine. No problems were encountered over the entire season. The engine always starts with "one pull.." Great! However, there is one annoyance and I one initial set up problem.

The mower arrives in a large box with the hardware in a bag. The bag had broken during shipment and the hardware was scattered. Someone decided (Snapper must assume the owner is a "commercial user" with good tool box and air tools) that self-tapping Torx screws (1/4-20) would be best for mounting the console rather than Phillips or hex head.

One of these was missing and another could not be installed because the hole in the handle was too small. I had to replacement them both with hex head so I could apply enough torque to "self" tap the holes. Why not tap them for the customer? I assume they wanted to be sure they were "tight"... and yes they were!

A real annoyance is the interference between the oil filler cap and the starter rope. The rope runs directly OVER the top of the oil filler cap/stick. So every time the oil is checked, the owner must use both hands... one to move the rope out of the way to avoid wiping oil off the dip stick with the rope! Poor design. B&S not talking to Snapper er vice versa.

Another annoyance is oil replacement. No drain plug in the bottom which means it is nearly impossible to drain ALL the old oil out by just "tipping it over.. " not to mention the physical problem of doing this. The solution is buying a pump to remove it which works but just another expense. I think engine mfgs quit putting plugs in bottom for some reason.

The mower's guard on the rear will "drag" and try to fold-back under the frame IF the cutting height adjustment is not set high (above 4). it is not suppose to do this the way it was designed but it does on mine.

The mower's frame is very rigid especially with the extra bracing on the handles. This is good for but you will feel every bump in your yard.

The engine has a lot torque and it will cut and mulch the high grass but works best only when dry other wise the deck will fill in with cut grass.

I never did like the wheels on a Snapper. They are too narrow so they don't distribute out the weight and smash down the grass.. Even more noticeable on this mower because it is heavier. Not bad.. just noticeable but since it is rated "Commercial" this is probably not much of a concern. I really like the "cast" decks on the early Snappers as they were "light in weight.." but guess safety and cost required the change to heavier steel.

Be sure to change the oil after the first 4-5 hours. Engine will "use some oil" and it will be dirty after break-in. After that, very little oil was needed during the season to top it off. 3rd party filters are available at lower cost. The B&S filters were not available from my local supplier.

This is the 4th Snapper I have owned and the review for this commercial model is after one season's use. Overall, I have praise for this mower and B&S engine. No problems were encountered over the entire season. The engine always starts with "one pull.." Great! However, there is one annoyance and I one initial set up problem.

The mower arrives in a large box with the hardware in a bag. The bag had broken during shipment and the hardware was scattered. Someone decided... more

This mower was easy to assemble and arrived in one box. I read the instructions, filled the oil and gas and it started on the first pull. It's always started on the first pull. Lots of power for tall grasses and I like the variable speed drive on the rear wheels. Very sturdy mower, the Briggs and Stratton 8.5 engine is very powerful and loud.

I love the mower, and it does a good job, but twice the engine died due to plastic camshaft.

I was 24 when I bought my first mower in 1989. I wanted the Snapper Hi-Vac Self-Propelled with 5.0 hp BS engine, but could only afford the 3.5 hp push model. Many years later, I replaced the engine with a 5.0 hp BS commercial engine, but it was so heavy to push without assist.

Spring forward to 2016, and I just took delivery of this Snapper Commercial Ninja. Wife and I assembled it yesterday. Instructions were a little confusing because the diagrams aren't very clear, and the parts list doesn't match this model exactly.

I mowed our new yard this afternoon. We have a very difficult back yard, with two terraces that are really too steep to mow, and lots of trees and bushes to get around.

After filling with gas, this mower started on 3rd pull and ran perfect in even the most difficult cross-hill and hill climbing conditions. The steel wheels and rubber tires are worth every penny when you are mowing in hilly conditions. Plastic tire/wheels would have just spun in the grass. This mower will climb up a hill that I have a hard time walking up. (Yes - I know I violated about every safety rule on mowing.)

The lack of a throttle on the engine was a little concerning at first, but I quickly forgot I didn't have one. The slowest ground speed on the self-propelled feature worked great for difficult conditions.

This mower is big and heavy and not always easy to move around. But after I learned how to use the self-propelled differential to assist in corners, and how to use it as a brake when the mower was wanting to come back down the hill, it was much easier. Like a big, strong horse, this machine is built to work and does it with ease.

I was 24 when I bought my first mower in 1989. I wanted the Snapper Hi-Vac Self-Propelled with 5.0 hp BS engine, but could only afford the 3.5 hp push model. Many years later, I replaced the engine with a 5.0 hp BS commercial engine, but it was so heavy to push without assist.

Spring forward to 2016, and I just took delivery of this Snapper Commercial Ninja. Wife and I assembled it yesterday. Instructions were a little confusing because the diagrams aren't very clear, and the parts list... more

It is well worth the extra money to buy the "commercial" Ninja model. With the reinforced deck, the oil filter and the solid rubber tires it is made for long term service. All I had to do was assemble and install the handle and add the engine oil (Snapper should provide a quart of oil in the carton to insure the new owner adds it.). I am sure I will have many years of trouble free service from this mower!

Seriously! This is the best mower I've ever owned! It has the most power and the most torque of any mower I've ever owned - including Snappers. And I've used Snappers for the last 20 or so years. This thing cuts through anything and doesn't miss a beat. I have hills in my yard and sometimes the grass gets rather high. No problem for this mower!

The only thing that caught me by surprise is the fact that it does not have a throttle control. This took me a bit to get used to, but I love it. It runs flat out all the time, which is what I really need it to do.

The starting system works great - no setting choke, no pushing little primer bulbs. Just pull the rope and it starts - hot or cold. Couldn't ask for more. And it is good on gas too. I can trim my whole yard on one tank, and I have almost two acres! Runs great! This thing should last me many years!

Seriously! This is the best mower I've ever owned! It has the most power and the most torque of any mower I've ever owned - including Snappers. And I've used Snappers for the last 20 or so years. This thing cuts through anything and doesn't miss a beat. I have hills in my yard and sometimes the grass gets rather high. No problem for this mower!

The only thing that caught me by surprise is the fact that it does not have a throttle control. This took me a bit to get used to, but I love... more

much the same it's been for years, the best drive system out there for ease of use & durability , except for the engage cable that breaks often, needs re-engineering. the out-ward curl on deck bottom is a good improvement, rather than inward which built up more crud underneath & made cleaning it out harder.

The plastic thumb screws on the chute opening are a joke, busted first time you get close to a fence, curb, or tree. I have both the Honda & Briggs engines. The Briggs is better on longer grass. Doesn't bog down as much as the Honda. I'm a landscaper for 25 years & snapper is best choice in 21" mowers.

much the same it's been for years, the best drive system out there for ease of use & durability , except for the engage cable that breaks often, needs re-engineering. the out-ward curl on deck bottom is a good improvement, rather than inward which built up more crud underneath & made cleaning it out harder.

The plastic thumb screws on the chute opening are a joke, busted first time you get close to a fence, curb, or tree. I have both the Honda & Briggs engines. The Briggs is... more

I ordered it because it and its sibling (the sibling is setup for bagging this one is setup for mulching) were the only ones I could find with non-plastic wheels. Every other push mower I could find anything to read about (no matter how deluxe and/or expensive) seems to sport plastic wheels -- which was a point of failure on our last mower.

It arrived quickly, in perfect condition and was easy to assemble. It started on the first easy pull, and has started on the first pull each time since.

Even though heavier than our last mower, it free-wheel pushes far more easily. Probably because of the ball bearings in the wheels, and the fact the drive mechanism thoroughly disengages when not wanted.

Speaking of that drive mechanism, the complete and easy engage-disengage is a pleasure to work with. The variable speed is a pleasure to work with also, and the speed range (from max slow to max fast) is perfect. I also find I like rear wheel drive better, as compared to our old mower's front drive.

I also very much like the fact I was able to order a mulching-mower designed as such, and not have to modify one as otherwise setup for bagging, nor have an unwanted bag and accessories to store and/or throw away.

All in all, this thing is a beaut! Quality is better than first rate. You feel good operating it, like you're driving an Audi or a BMW, as opposed to a 1970s-quality Chevrolet. Really, it sparkles quality through and through. I love it.

I ordered it because it and its sibling (the sibling is setup for bagging this one is setup for mulching) were the only ones I could find with non-plastic wheels. Every other push mower I could find anything to read about (no matter how deluxe and/or expensive) seems to sport plastic wheels -- which was a point of failure on our last mower.

It arrived quickly, in perfect condition and was easy to assemble. It started on the first easy pull, and has started on the first pull each time... more

I ordered it last Thursday, and it arrived on Friday. 20 hrs after ordering it. I was shocked. I put it together and have used it a couple times now, I cut lawns. It's got awesome power, 8.5 hp with a screw-on oil filter. This is the little mower I have always wanted. Fair price, tough unit.

My first Snapper commercial mower was powered by a two-cycle Wisconsin-Robin engine, it only lasted 18 years. When it finally played out I knew exactly what I wanted. My experience with Mowers Direct has been nothing short of first rate. The first mower arrived damaged. Mowers Direct replaced it immediately, no questions asked.

The mower is typical Snapper quality. This particular model is powered by a 190 cc commercial Briggs & Stratton engine. Plenty of power for my South Texas St Augustine lawn.

I recommend Mowers Direct!

My first Snapper commercial mower was powered by a two-cycle Wisconsin-Robin engine, it only lasted 18 years. When it finally played out I knew exactly what I wanted. My experience with Mowers Direct has been nothing short of first rate. The first mower arrived damaged. Mowers Direct replaced it immediately, no questions asked.

The mower is typical Snapper quality. This particular model is powered by a 190 cc commercial Briggs & Stratton engine. Plenty of power for my South Texas St... more

I started out working in a shop that maintained mowers and yard equipment, during that time I found Snappers to be one of the best for durability and maintenance. I recently bought this mower because my new yard has inclines to maintain and felt I needed a self propelled mower for that reason. So I handed down my previous Snapper that I have used for 20 years to one of my sons.

Initial assembly was simple and straight forward, after servicing it started right up, no priming and it really does start on the first pull. It mowed great without bogging through the tall stuff (the yard hadn't been mowed in awhile). I opted for the commercial version because I liked getting the steel wheels with bearings and having an oil filter is a great bonus. My previous mower had worn out the plastic wheels, and replacing them cost $80 so that made it worth it to me.

I started out working in a shop that maintained mowers and yard equipment, during that time I found Snappers to be one of the best for durability and maintenance. I recently bought this mower because my new yard has inclines to maintain and felt I needed a self propelled mower for that reason. So I handed down my previous Snapper that I have used for 20 years to one of my sons.

Initial assembly was simple and straight forward, after servicing it started right up, no priming and it really... more