If garage space is always an issue for you, and having one of those outdoor sheds in the corner of your yard isn’t an option, let us introduce you to the The TORO Recycler® Lawnmower with SmartStow™ Technology.

This mower showed up at the Dadand HQ and I immediately uncrated it and started mowing. I think the people at TORO were spying on me, because up until this beauty showed up, this is what I had been using. No joke. Needless to say, I was eager to try it out.

It’s a mower. It mows, and it mows well, so there’s the shortest mower review ever. It should mow right? It’s like reviewing water and saying “Yep, it’s wet”, or telling someone that frozen peas are frozen, or even saying “Let it Go” from Frozen is the worst song out of any Disney movie ever. Obvious, right?

I’m here to talk about the two things about this mower that make it stand out for me.

The first is the SmartStow aspect of it. Usually tipping a mower up on end is a no-no. Tilt it the wrong direction and you’ve got a cylinder full of motor oil and it might be the end of your mower. The people at TORO figured this all out though. Their scientists got tired of their mowers taking up so much space in the garage and turned the mower storage world on it’s end. It takes 2 seconds to lift and spin the little blue clips on the handle, tilt it forward, lock it into place, and stand the mower up. It’s even easier than trying to fold up one of those one-hand-folding baby strollers that never work.

The second item I love about the mower is the Auto Choke. All this means is there’s no priming the little rubber bulb. No “pump 3X” or any more of that stuff. You pull the cord and it starts immediately, no joke. I’ve never had it not start and I can tell you I’ve used it weekly for almost 8 weeks. OK, so it’s started 8 times in a row, and that doesn’t sound impressive when you think about it, but what, do you expect me to go start it everyday to see if it’s still working? Anyway, I love it, and my wife loves it, because yes, she mows the lawn, and no, she never knows where the priming bulb is or how many times to pump it on other mowers or lawn equipment, so this is good for her.

I’m a little hard on mowers so I’m a little bummed that I’ve broken a couple of the plastic trim bits like the front bumper by hitting it into tree trunks and into rock edging by trying to get too close too fast, but that’s my own issue with not being careful (the photo to the right is their corporate photo, but it’s a good representation of how I accidentally ram it into things and prove the proverb: Haste Makes Waste).

Some other features (taken for the TORO website) include:

• Personal Pace Self PropelToro’s innovative Personal Pace® self propel system automatically senses and adapts to your walking speed. Walk faster and the mower self propels faster to match your pace.
  (Available on select models.)
• Recycler Cutting SystemThe front throw chamber and Atomic® blade lift, suspend, and re-cut clippings into super fine mulch for a healthy, lush looking turf.
• Spin-Stop™ SystemThis convenient safety feature stops the blade, but not the engine, so you can step away for a moment without having to restart the engine.
  (Available on select models.)
• Bag on DemandWith our innovative Bag-On-Demand feature, you can switch from mulching to bagging in seconds with a flip of the quick-change lever – and the bag can stay mounted in either mode. Thanks to an open single-piece handle design, you can quickly and easily remove and reinstall the bag.
• Recessed Front WheelsAllows for better trimming and maneuverability.
• Auto ChokeNo need to choke or prime the engine – just start the mower and go!
• Electric StartStarts with the push of a button. There’s no need to choke or prime the engine.
  (Available on select models.)
• Washout PortThe deck washout port is a convenient way to clean the bottom of the deck – maintaining optimum airflow for high performance.
• 3 Year Guaranteed-to-StartStarts on one or two pulls up to three years or we’ll fix it for free! See retailer for warranty details.
• 2-Year Full WarrantyThis product is covered by a two-year full warranty. See your dealer for warranty details.

The verdict.

I like it, it’s solid, sturdy, and obviously it mows. The fact that the  handle folds up and relocks as easily as it does is impressive to me. Usually things like that are knuckle-busters.

For more information and pricing, visit the TORO website.

Any readers have any experience with the TORO Recycler® with SmartStow™ Technology? Let us know.