Excellent and very helpful video! Thank you for posting. I looked up Carl’s and y’all are completely on the other side of the country from me, otherwise, if you were anywhere fairly nearby, I’d be buying from you. Regardless, much appreciation for explaining the model differences. I’m taking your advice and looking for a local dealer, though they are getting harder and harder to find as we all surrender our lives to the purely transactional bid box stores.
The single per axle adjustment is so much better. The "If one breaks" is a joke and that it is bolted on is a non issue. Okay..the steel vis plastic deck is still a non issue. I am 63 yrs old and have never had a deck fail so again a non issue. The versa mow is splitting hairs. The 9 inch rubber wheels I see as a advantage but in reality I am not riding on it so a non issue. The larger engine again a non issue unless you wait for your lawn to get out of control and it is so tall it put strain on your engine. If your lawn is that tall then you have other issues such as poor bagging and mulching. The two vs. 3 heights may be good for taller folks "I have to say how much effort would it have been for Honda to make 3 holes instead of two...awh...marketing" The bigger bag, no brain needed here..yes please! Smart drive vs. select drive, now we are getting somewhere that a owner will notice a difference and of course it is a personal choice. If you are mowing a average size lawn then why spend the extra money for very little benefit. The HRN he is showing is NOT a entry level Honda but a mid level. It has the Blade stop function that lets you keep the engine running without the blade spinning. GET THIS FUNCTION! When you have to stop briefly to remove a object, talk to the wife or any other reason it nice to not have to start the engine every time. Look, if you feel you need to buy the top of the line...go for it. If you want to save money and still have a world class mower get the HRN with the blade stop. Of course all this is my opinion and after many years at this game I never pay more for items that in the end are more bragging rights then items that make a real difference. Hope this helps someone feel good about saving some money and getting a great mower. I love my HRN and could afford to buy any mower I wanted.
Hi do you have an issue with front left hand side freewheeling?? I got a new hrn basic model and it does that.its only mm difference but some people say they dnt have it some say they have it and won’t make any difference to mowing.whats ur thoughts???
As an HRX owner, I have to say the Versamow clip director is one of the reasons for considering the HRX over the HRN. It works exceptionally well, especially if you have a thick lawn that grows quickly. If you get a little behind and your grass has grown a little taller but you like to mulch, being able to put it halfway between and bag some of the clippings but still mulch some is such a nice feature. It takes so much stress off the engine and results in far less grass clippings being visible on your lawn. The lead shred mode also works great for the fall. So I would say the HRX has a place for sure, and stepping up to the model with the blade clutch and the hydrostatic self propel (which I have) is well worth it. I do agree that most homeowners will be very happy with the HRN, but you won't feel like you wasted your money if you spend extra on the HRX.
mhtube01 I’ve owned an HRX217VYA for the last 7 years. I have thick grass and never found the clip director useful. If I set to half open it would plug up lol. So I was finding myself either full mulch or full bag. I also found the HRX to be bulky and clunky in tight spaces, along fence lines and maneuvering around trees. Sold it for an EGO Select Cut and wasn’t happy with that, went back to gas and bought an HRN out of curiosity, thinking I’d return for the HRX that was used to. To my surprise I like it a lot more, the mower feels more nimble, I’m able to maneuver it around stuff in the yard better and don’t even notice the difference in power, seems to mow just as efficiently. At the end of the day I’d be lying saying I miss the HRX, I don’t. I don’t see the value in the price point of it and features I didn’t find useful for me personally, saved myself couple hundred bucks this time around
I had an HRN. After about 10 years the deck rusted out completely. Rest of mower was fine. Had to junk it, and bought an HRX because the deck will never rust out.
I have both and the HRN is my goto mower. Lighter and easier to operate than the HRX and it cuts just as good as the HRX. Save yourself 1 to 2 hundred with the HRN. Oh, and get the HRN with the clutch blade, it`s well worth it.
But wait a lot of people buy the cheaper one because they can't afford the better more expensive one. And then they cope by claiming the cheaper one is superior. In reality, the more expensive one is always the best one as the price justifies the difference. We have seen a lot of Xbox Series S owners claim their gaming system is better than the Series X. We all laugh at them because there is no comparison. So are you telling the truth or coping?
I have to disagree. You always go with what you need. Is your yard sloped? Then maybe you want to go with the hrn since it's lighter and easier to push on a slope. The hrx takes more movements to adjust over the hrx. But being as I've owned both clearly you get more advantages with the HRX, but I think your opinion is way too simplified by stating because it's more money, you'll get a better mower. That's like saying you buying a 500 horse power car is better than a 400 horsepower car, and yet you both hit the same lights and both get stuck in the same traffic lol@@brentmichael4770
@@brentmichael4770 He says he has both. For my smaller lot where I need to do a lot of maneuvering, the HRN is more suitable because it is significantly lighter weight.
Exactly what I wanted to know... Knew I wanted a Honda, but didn't know the major differences between these two mowers. Thank you so much for the video. Just bought the HRX.
I wish they made an HRN with a GCV200 and ball bearing wheels. I just love the way the HRN looks and the two height adjusters. I ended up getting the HRX217, and it's a good mower
I know it's a 4 year old post, but I have to agree. The HRN is a nicer looking mower and about 30 pounds lighter than the HRX, and if you have to pull back a lot, which I do, it's much easier than the HRX. Does the HRX pull backwards easily for you?
Upgraded to a HRX last summer. The difference was very noticeable. Cut quality is much better than my previous orange mower. It also mulches / bags much better so less debris left after making a pass. Oil changes are easy and so are blade swaps. Highly recommended!
Pretty well done review. Do agree with others that the HRN is a little down played. That said I was set to buy a HRX but bought the HRN. So think of if this way. If you want to neglect the deck and never clean it, then the HRX is for you, with a big caveat = it is 11 pounds heavier than the HRN steel deck. That may or may not be a big deal if you have a postage stamp lawn. If you are cutting on slopes or a larger lawn you will tire quicker with the extra weight. Don't forget, if you start out heavy and also bag, you are going to feel the difference big time. I had an old HRR that was much heavier than the HRN. I was amazed how much the weight difference made when I bought new. So you are paying for a plastic deck on a mower that will likely last you the same amount of time that is heavier. Again if you have a small lawn it may not matter but in 90+ degrees you might have buyers remorse.
Back when the manufacturer had to compensate for idiots by putting labels on the mower such as "Do not place hands under mower when engine is running" I'm sure because some dip shit put his hands under there while it was running cut his hand off and sued the manufacturer saying "I didn't know I couldn't do that" and won his case.
@@bigbilltoady412 When I was 12 running barefoot in Florida I stepped on a garden rake (the heavy metal ones) and needed stitches as it cut the foot wide open. While in the hospital a boy around my age had cut four fingers off due to trying to clean the blades while it was running!
@@loriwitkop1389 Yours was an accident and boy I'll bet that one hurt. The guy that lost two fingers. Well, lets just say that was from pure stupidity.
After pouring over many comparisons and articles, this video really nailed the differences right. The explanation on the advantages of the mixed mode bag/much system on the HRX based on the season really helped a lot. Very nice job dude!
Nice Video for comparing the two mowers. I went with the HRX and like it alot. A bit heavier than I'm used to but my last mower was a 9 year old Craftsman push. Honda quality is apparent on this mower. Should last a long time with proper care. Very happy with it! Thanks again.
Good comparison. I never knew about the HRN. I had to replace my 20 year old HRX when the valve seats came loose in the engine. Repair shop said that it cannot really be fixed properly and said I needed a new engine. I just bought a new machine. I don't like the automatic choke on the new one, it does not start as clean or as easy as the old one which always started first pull. There is no throttle control for the engine on the new one so it basically runs wide open until you shut it off. I liked the controls of the older model. Despite these changes, I still like my Honda HRX
I rarely set my Mulch/ Bag door in the middle but it's nice to have it if you want to bag half for compost, and mulch half to feed the lawn. You will get less thatch in your lawn that way too. Problem is with composted grass is that you pick up a lot of seed from grass and weeds that will one day grow excessively in the garden. If you plan to pick up leaves in the fall with the mower go for the larger bag model, it will fill up fast. If you don't have a lot of leaves the lesser model will suffice. And bottom line small yard, small model; Larger yard larger model
Peter Hi Peter. I saw your comment and since I just bought an HRX and learned a bit about Honda’s pricing policy, I thought I share some info. Honda sets the price of all its mowers. From time to time they make price adjustments which will lower the prices of some mowers. So no matter where you go to purchase a Honda mower, you will find the same price. If you go to Honda’s website, they advertise the price of each model mower, thus it would be easy to see the difference in cost between the HRN versus the HRX. When checking prices its important to know which, if any options, such as electric start, etc. that you might want on your mower. You will find several models (with different price points) within each of Honda’s series (HRN, HRX, etc. of mowers. This is important to ensure you are comparing apples to apples when looking at various Honda mowers. I’m not sure, but I think that the Honda HRX series mower has at least 3, if not more, models; all with different price points.As long as you know which features you want on your mower, its pretty easy to compare prices between the various series of Honda mowers. Hope this helps...Ed
Okay .... update. I purchased the HRX and tried it on and off for 3 days. Now you might say I'm crazy but for my purposes of trimming and cleaning up the yard after mowing with a riding mower I found it a little to heavy and hard to maneuver. Don't get me wrong it's a great mower with great features. So .... I took it back and got the HRN. I love it. It just fits my needs better. I also found it rolls better in revers and the handle bar is set just a little higher than the HRX making it more comfortable. I also got the blade stop model on the HRN. Anyway, hope this helps someone making the decision between the two models. Both are great units.
Not only lighter and easier to move around, but the smart drive makes it easier to mow a yard with elevation differences and lots of weird geometry/obstacles. With the HRX you have to either do a lot of small moving adjustments by hand or constantly be twiddling that stupid speed knob.
The biggest advantage of independent wheel height adjustment is mowing along a curb you can lower one pair of wheels onto the road and mow along the top of the curb stones.
@@Agent_Duck659 I'm pretty sure Honda make the best walk behind mowers but no I don't work for Honda or any dealership. I'm just a retired soldier who likes neat edges. I might add that should Husqvarna expand their EPOS system to their 4WD models, and answer my techy questions about the wireless coverage, I will gladly give up walking behind a mower, even if I do have to strim the curbs and get the Billy Goat or Stihl Leaf Vacuum out to pickup the cuttings (cos I don't need to with the Honda).
Nice video. I just bought my mom an HRN and she loves it. I used it once and found it to be a solid mower. My fiance's father has a 2016 HRR mower that's been used pretty heavily over the last 4 years and doing great. I kind of influenced them buying that since I have a 2014 HRX217 with the blade clutch and hydrostatic self propel. I will not buy another lawn mower, at least for walk behind mowers as no other even compares! I never thought I'd enjoy using a hand mower but the Honda makes it so much less of a chore and is just a really good product. I've raved about them over the last 6 years that I've had mine, anyone who asks for my advice I always tell them to spend the money on a Honda. You'll be glad you spent the money instead of buying a cheap mower that you're going to end up replacing in a matter of years. Not to mention your lawn is going to look so much better.
I have an HRN and love it. I had an electric piece of junk with battery's. Nothing but problems. Honda after 2 years nothing. Oil changes that's it. Two pulls is the most I have ever done.
The HRX is worth the money.. My HRX is 12 years old when they were doing the hydrostatic drive on them and the only thing that I have as to replace other than maintenance items was the carburetor last year. I could have rebuilt it but it was more convenient to just buy a new carb and stick it on. If it ever does you bet I will buy another HRX to replace it.
Tom Hints I’m still running a 1999 proline with the Suzuki two stroke motor. Still cuts like the day I bought it. The deck on the prolines can’t be beat. Also it holds 1 gallon of gas.
I bought a Honda HR216 in 1989 - I remember it was expensive. 31 years on it still starts up first pull and runs and drives like new. Looks great too. My model has an alloy deck. I change the oil regularly but have never had to clean out the carburetor in spite of leaving high ethanol fuel in the tank during the winter. It even looks like the latest models. Moral of the story: buy a Honda and you will never have to buy another lawnmower.
similar experience here! It was probably 1990-91. I talked my Mom into spending probably $700 on probably the same one as yours, allow deck. No issues, still going strong, first pull start. Mom is 82 now, and she starts it and uses it to this day. I bought the same model in 1999-00, called a Masters by then. Probably spent $800 or so. Mine has been as reliable as hers.
I just went to school there. Excellent video which really helps me make the choice for the HRX. A few hundred more is worth it especially when you mention the deck.
I use the HRX for my lawn business and it's indestructible. My has a roto stop system that stops the blade but not the engine, its a bit pricier but its worth it. Also the "plastic" deck is incredible. No dents, no rust and what's most important - it weighs much less than a steel deck. When you have to pick up a mower 10 times a day to put it in a van, the weight difference shows.. Also with a versamow system you don't have to carry around mulch plugs or chutes for side discharge. Honda HRX is the best 21" professional mower on the market. Period.
My HRX 217 is 7 years old, starts every-time, the bar height is perfect for me and my wife. Works perfectly. I mow 2 times a week, "lawn nut" I love it. The only problem I have found is I need new blades after only 7 years.
Excellent comparison, well done. Have had an HRX for 15 years, use it nine or ten months out of the year, from spring clean up to late fall leaf mulching (into December not unusual), on a half-acre lot. It is a beast!
I should have gone the HRX route as well. My steel deck Honda runs perfect but it has huge rust holes that I can no longer patch. Grass is shooting out through the holes. Time for a new mower when I probably could have just bought one HRX.
Great video, excellent explanation of all of the features. Honda should pay you, it's better than their own marketing videos for their own products, if they have a video for that product, which often they don't. Thanks.
Thanks for the video! On the HRX you can adjust the front wheels higher than the back wheels to allow leaves to get sucked in and trapped for better mulching.
Thank you for that break down. I bought the non Commercial one 16 years ago. Used it not commercially but a lot a heavy use still running rental house flip home my home. I think every 20 year old should just bite the bullet by the commercial one and never buy another mower the rest of their life.
Did I come here for you advice? Yes. Did I come here to barely hear you over the crappy canned music? No. Stop adding music to your videos. This isn’t Hollywood.
look into the speed selection... I had the HRX at home and returned it for an HRN before using. Cant imagine the pain of speed adjustment with a dial when going around obstacles. Large flat areas though hell yeah HRX
@@TripleAstyle1 that is a good point. Just bought the hrn today and was thinking if swapping it out for the Hrx but now that I think about it tuning the speed on turns sounds like it'll be in inconvenience but I do like the fact that you can choose how much you want to mulch vs mulching 100% to none
@@TripleAstyle1 Watched a how to and the speed can still be adjust by how far you depress the handle. You just set the max and then you can slow down by backing off the handle. I don't see a problem.
*Honda mowers are the best. I'm still using my old 2008 honda hrt216 mower and it starts first pull and makes my lawn look like a golf course every time.*
Excellent and helpful in making a somewhat difficult decision; wish you guys had some shops here in GA. What are also helpful are the experience-backed comments, especially with the weight and drive differences between the two mowers. I'm replacing my dearly departed, 27 year old, Snapper High Vac push mower with the Vari-Speed Human propulsion system. It has a steel deck showing no signs of "rusting through". It has plastic wheels that respond well to occasional oil ...like I suspect the ones on the HRN will. I thought the ergonomics of the HRX drive would be better than the HRN setup, but feedback from user comments brought up advantages of the HRN drive system I run up against when I mow. The lighter weight of the HRN is also a major factor. And it will be lighter on my wallet. My local dealer has the "VYA" version of the HRN 216 ...which means it has a throttle ...the "gearhead" in me having its say. Which means you can actually allow the mower to warm up a bit at idle speed as opposed to the engine going from stone cold to full tilt in a matter of seconds ...IMHO, not a practice conducive to ultimate engine longevity. And when you're done mowing, you can allow the engine to idle for a minute or so, allowing it to cool down and stabilize, before shutting it down. So I'll post this, add to the knowledge base, and be off to purchase my new HRN216-VYA Honda.
What a salesman! Nice job. The only problem is the HRX Versamow's Nexite deck will bust- cracks form and holes can be punched through it. I have a 2013 HRX217VKA3 that I really was excited to get and look forward to what: a 15, 20, 25+ year machine! Not even close. The Nexite deck is crap. And I am not talking abuse or extravagantly exceeding its operating limits or mistake or accident or ran over a manhole cover or pick your flavor, "duh, I guess I am an idiot..duh" scenario. The polymer can degenerate and become brittle. And so normal use on a homeowner lawn you've done for 9 years and poof....hole in the deck appears and trashed machine. Never seen anything like it on steel or aluminum. Frankly, it's an overpriced, over lauded, phony-ass premium, in actuality throw-away product after maybe 7 years. The Nexite lifetime warranty to original purchaser is a cruel tease. Honda will in all cases. call it outside influences that broke the deck and shove it up your ass. And then you're sheepishly going back to them to buy a $200 deck (making them richer) and rebuild your machine on your time, because you can't use it or sell it. But keep selling! I saw your Exmark video. That's a real machine! Fuck Honda. They're an old washed-out whore making millions on fraudulent quality.😁
I have owned the hrx with the plastic deck for 14 years now. self propelled and it has been flawless and has been nothing less than perfect every time. still have the same drive belt. The only thing I have changed is a set of blades and only because I felt guilty I changed the spark plugs at about 6 years old because I felt like I had to do something. I cant say enough about it. Cost me about $700 when I bought it as I recall but it was worth every penny. Nothing else has ever performed as well. This thing is bad ass no lie
I have had about 9 of the hrx and I like them but the one thing i hate is that it doesnt have a good vacuum due to the deck underneath having too much loose parts that grass gets stuck on them
It’s actually the deck design / blade design that affects the vacuum. In order to mulch we don’t want vacuum. Honda relies on the blades throwing the grass on the bag vs vacuuming it in. The “loose” deck parts are not part of that factor
As a hobby I repair junk thrown out mowers and resell them but when it came time for me to buy a lawnmower money meant nothing and my first home I bought the HRX 217HYA and never looked back 👍❤️
Been trying to get my hands on one of these since March. Been back ordered the whole time. My old JD finally blew up, so now I'm borrowing one every week because I will wait to buy the Honda.
My only gripe about the HRX217 (mine is a 2008 doubt it has changed much) plastic honda deck is that the door of the Mulch / Bag lever gets stuck from grass clippings that build up which you have to clean after every mow especially if it's wet. Plus there is a honeycomb design in the under deck around the edges, for strength purposes, that traps grass clippings major pain in the a**. Don't forget about the hidden area where the belt connects to the transmission, grass can collect there and you'll never see it unless you stick your nose in there, the belt can literally ride in a bunched up pile of grass.
I would need the HRX model with each wheel separate adjusting. I like to drop the height on one side of the mower to cut a chamfer on the grass that borders the street, driveway, and side walk. I also put a chamfered edge cut on the property line, my neighbor cuts low and I cut high. It makes a less noticeable transition from low to high grass.
Excellent presentation -- well shot video -- good, clean looking facility. We sell a ton of HRX217HYA with the hydro trans (its our largest selling mower) -- wondering why you wouldn't be featuring it. Good vid, though!
This video was about comparing the basic differences between HRN and HRX. When we are able to get Honda’s back in full supply I plan to do a comparison on all HRX units. Showing the steps.
Thanks for the video. Either one should work well for the majority of the home owner. I love Honda mower for varieties and reliability. I hope mine last forever!
Honda builds great mowers ! I have the HRX 217 ! I’ve never been disappointed My yard looks sharp after cutting. Sharp blades are Key ! The HRX 217 commands a premium price . I saw one with a electric start . Mine you pull start it .
Good video but kill the background music. Its distracting and people who are here to watch this don’t care about the cinematic effect the music adds. We want to hear you talk :-)
My 1998 Troy-Bilt mower gave up today. I watched your video and decided on the HRX217. Thank you for helping me make a decision on a mower that should last well into my retirement years.
Great mower, had my hrx217 for 4 years, never done any maintenance on it (even though I should), aside from changing blades and runs perfect. Honda engines are bomb proof.
I'll let you in on a little secret, if you can figure out how to keep the lever in place you can "versamow" with an HRN. It's not like it works any differently than an HRX, there's just no indexing notches.
Sold my HRX for HRN. The HRN or lower series has made some significant improvements such as adding the mulch/bag lever and single axle wheel adjustment. The wheel adjustment of the HRX rear wheels is a chore, especially for those mowing more than one lawn and need to make frequent adjustments. Try it, and you will know what I mean. Save yourself 200 and get the HRN. I have both right now and everyone pics the HRN due to adjustment and lighter/smaller weight. Always go with the thumb drive on Honda with the blade stop; there is an HRX with blade stop that is a full-bar drive (poor, unless you mow always in straight lines). It will take years to wear out a steel deck. The HRX bag fits on the HRN--there is really no difference in bag capacity. Both the HRN and HRX have the exact same blade--so your grass will not know the difference ;)
Had few mowers in my time..Had Honda CB750/4 and CB500/4 motorcycles. A Honda mid-range outboard. I converted my son, he rides a Honda Africa Twin... And we have a Honda GCV190 mower.....What am I getting at..Honda reliability...just can fault anything with all of my Honda experiences .....Cheers.
I've had the Honda HRX mower for almost 10 years. Best mower I have ever owned. Period. On my recommendation, my son also bought a Honda -- the HRN model. He loves it. BTW: The Nexite deck is also quieter than a steel deck. If my mower fell apart tomorrow, I would head to the local power center and buy another HRX. No question! And I just purchased a new Simpson pressure washer and I chose it washer because it had a Honda engine. Love 'em!
I love my HRX, but at 2:14 I think you're stretching a little to find an advantage for the height adjuster on each wheel. I own an HRX and most of the time it's a pain in the neck to adjust the height, particularly the rear wheels where most of the weight is concentrated. Plus it gets harder with age as parts clog up with dust, dirt and grass. But there is one advantage I've found for my lawn. On my first cut around the perimeter I have the left side lower than the right to get the grass level closer to the perimeter paths. Then I raise the left side to match the right for the remainder of the lawn. I have to admit I don't do that as often these days as it's getting so damn hard.
@@Carlsmower Thoughtful of you to follow up. It was difficult removing the compacted debris between the sliding mulching plate and the body, but it's done. I also sharpened the upper blade (no spares in Australia) and replaced the lower blade with one I bought as a spare about a year ago. Bought a torque wrench also to make sure I got it reassembled correctly. Since then it's rained, wouldn't you know it. Extreme floods in some areas. Most unusual weather. Cheers, Greg.
I just purchased an HRN216VKA early this month, and definitely would "not" recommend it. The issue is the deck. I can't really adjust it to the height I need without the deck getting caught on the ground. This was never an issue with my other mower. I could set it even lower than necessary and the deck would never touch.
Hydrostatic drive is the best version in my humble opinion. Farting about with your hands to set drive speed is a pain. Set the red leever for yuh drive speed and away yuh go kiddies. Greetings from England 🇬🇧😀
I have an HRR (I guess the HRN is the replacement ) and an HRX. The HRR not only has a smaller bag, but it also generates more vacuum some how. That results in lots more full bags in bag mode. The HRX with its more powerful motor does a better job mulching. I actually use both regularly. I use the HRR on my front lawn because after edging the sidewalks and driveway, the HRR vacuums all the debris up. For my back lawn where I have no sidewalks, I use the HRX on full mulch mode. It’s easier to vary the speed on the HRR as the self-propel lever acts like a gas pedal. The HRX is harder to vary speed as you have to adjust the dial to set speed and the lever is such that it’s either on or off. I actually find the HRX more usable as a push mower than the HRR model. The wheel bearings do work wonders. The twin blade design on both mowers results in a very even cut. Like he implies, it is easier to sharpen the blades off the lawnmower. For that reason, I have 2 sets of blades for each. I’d have a hard time choosing between the 2 models if I had to pick one. In case you are wondering, my HRR is 16 years old and it broke so I bought the HRX after having taken the HRR to 2 different shops to fix. They couldn’t fix it. After owning the HRX for a year, I found that the HRR was missing a circlip on the rear axle and fixed it myself!
I’ve been using a poulan pro 625 for 6 years now and last week decided to spend a little more money and went for the HRX and boy, the feel and the cut is so much better.
the smart drive system is a poor drive system. Right out of the box trouble with drive wheels lock when rolling back. There too many people having this problem.
