Honda HRR Mower Review
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Editor Score - 9.2/10
9.2/10
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Customer Score - 8.8/10
8.8/10
Summary
You may have heard about the excellence of Honda mowers from online forums or your lawn obsessed neighbor, but probably still have some questions. Not to worry, we are here to provide a comprehensive look at one of the best lawn mowers ever produced.
The mower’s reliability and overall solid cutting performance have earned it one of our highest value scores. Let’s see why.
Mower Specifications
| Model Number: | HRR216VKA |
| Cutting Width: | 22 INCH |
| Ignition Method: | 0.78 – 3.14 INCH |
| Engine: | 400W |
| Power: | up to 36% (20°) degrees |
| Drive: | 28 x 25 x 12 INCH |
| Deck Material: | 44 Lb |
| Cutting Height: | 120 min |
| Included Accessories: | Rear bag and mulch kit |
| Weight: | 85.0lb |
| Speed: | Variable up to 4.0 mph |
| Clipping Discharge: | Rear bag/Mulch/Side Discharge |
| Consumer Warranty: | 3 years |
Honda HRR Quick Review
Advantages
Easy to Use: Some mowers are difficult to assemble, and seem to require an engineering degree to operate.
Thankfully, this Honda’s has many innovative features to make this mower operable by anyone. You can control how fast the mower is going by pressing on the handle; the harder you squeeze the handle the faster the machine goes. Similarly, the automatic regulation of the choke removes any need to open/close the choke or adjust it once you have started mowing.
Durability: The steel cutting deck, and the fact that the engine is made by Honda increase the mower’s life span.
Honda engines are some of the finest in the industry (there’s a reason why Honda cars last so long). The engine in the Honda HRR is constructed in a way that increases longevity. It is constructed with as few parts as possible (minimizes risk of breakdown), has a dual lubrication system, and an internal timing belt designed to last as long as the engine does. With many mowers using cheap engines, it is good to see Honda putting their all into the game.
Superior Cut: The mower cuts grass precisely thanks to its twin blade setup.
There are 2 cutting points on each blade to ensure that clippings are finely ground up. This means your lawn will look sharp and well maintained. The mower runs relatively quiet compared to other gas mowers, so you will not need to worry about waking up the neighbors with an early morning mow. Finally, the included rear bag is high capacity, so you won’t need to worry about stopping to empty it.
Disadvantages
Higher Price: The mower is around $100 more than its competitors.
With an item as frequently used as a mower, price should be overlooked in favor of quality and durability. An expensive, long-lasting, reliable mower will cost the same in the long run as a cheap mowerthat needs frequent repairs.
Rear Wheel Drive: RWD makes it harder to pull the mower back.
(although to be fair this is the case with all RWD mowers).
The nice aspect of this mower is that the strength of the RWD is dependent on how hard you push the handle that controls the drive. If you are not depressing the handle the RWD will not be that hard to overcome when you pull the mower backwards. On the other hand, if the handle is fully depressed then you will be fighting to pull the mower back.
Honda HRR216VKA vs HRX
Both of Honda’s popular walk-behind lawn mowers have made a name for themselves in the self propelled lawn mower game.
They are seen as some of the most durable, long lasting, high performing lawn mowers available today and for good reasons. Although they may be more costly than some of their competitors, the mowers makeup for the price difference in quality and performance.
While both HRR and HRX models are under the same family of Honda mowers, there are many similarities and differences between them.
In this review we will discuss the exact differences in each model, but first let’s start with the similarities.
Similarities
The vast majority of functionality is essentially equivalent in both mowers, and the similarities far outweigh the differences. On paper it may seem like the HRX comes with a whole list of additional features, but in practice they both perform excellently.
We believe that their differences should be negligible for most average homeowners who do are not overly passionate about their lawns.
Blades: Both mowers use the same cutting blades
All of Honda’s HRR and HRX models utilize their patented “MicroCut Twin Blades”. These are “3-in-1” blades that can be used for bagging, discharging, or mulching clippings and they are of a very high quality. The blades work amazingly well in conjunction with the rest of the mower and leave clippings small and easy to dispose.
Grass Discharge: The same discharging system can be found in either mower
Both mowers allow the user to select the method of discharge using a very simple system called the “3 in 1 Clip Director”. As you can see in the video below, this feature is amazingly convenient and lets you change from bagging to mulching in one quick touch of a switch.
Warranty: Honda covers both mowers with their residential warranty
Honda offers a generous residential warranty for both mowers that cover the lawn mower in its entirety. Unfortunately, the HRR variant only comes with a 3 year warranty versus a 5 year warranty for the HRX line. All things considered, a 3 year warranty is still some of the best protection offered in the lawn mower industry.
Choke: Autochoke is a standard feature found in Honda’s entire series of push mowers
Most standard lawn mowers come with a manual choke system that can be frustrating to use. Luckily all of Honda’s HRR and HRX mowers come with an autochoke system that makes it very easy to start the mower’s engine.
Propulsion: Do yourself a favor, get the self propelled version for $40 more
While it’s important to note that not all HRR series mowers have self propulsion capabilities, the HRR216VKA version does. All HRX models have this feature. At just a marginal price difference, we highly recommend you to purchase the HRR model that has this ability because it will make mowing much easier and less work.
Differences
Honda’s HR series of mowers is divided into different price ranges in the low, middle, and high-end market.
The HRR series is considered to be the mid-range model while the HRX is seen as the premium model of the series. While this price difference may seem like a big deal, the additional features of the HRX are mostly negligible differences.
Transmission: Do you really need a hydrostatic system?
The HRR comes with an automatic variable speed control system called “Smart Drive”. This lets the user select preset speeds from 0 to 4 mph as they see fit. The 5 gears can be switched on the go at the touch of a button. The HRX, on the other hand, uses Honda’s “Select Drive” system that control the mower’s hydrostatic transmission. This is slightly advantageous because speed can be controlled precisely rather than using preset gears in the HRR. We feel that this should not be a dealbreaker for most people.
Start: The HRX comes with a fancy electric start versus the good old cord found in the HRR
The HRX mowers come with an electric start button that makes it easy to start the mower, whereas the HRR uses the standard cord-pull to start the engine. This is a premium feature that saves time, but we feel that a cord start should not be a big deal for anyone capable of pulling a cord.
Engine: Trust us, you probably don’t need the additional power.
HRX mowers come with Honda’s GCV190 engine and HRR mowers come with their GCV160 which is a very close cousin of the 190. The big differences in these engines lie in a 5 millimeter wider bore which leads to an additional 30cc and 1 horsepower. Outside of the small additional power, these engines are nearly identical and both versions represent the Honda name well. Afterall, Honda engines are known for their resilience and long lifespan.
Mowing Deck: Don’t worry, the standard steel deck will probably outlast the mower
One key difference lies in the material composition of the cutting deck. While both mowing decks are 21” in diameter, the HRR’s is made of solid steel and the HRX’s is made of “Nexite” composite. This Nexite material is supposed to be highly resilient with dent, rust, and corrosion resistance. It also comes with a lifetime warranty whereas the steel deck does not.
Which one is for you?
If you are just the average homeowner looking for a lawnmower that will cut well and last for a long time, then the HRR will save you money and perform equally to the HRX.
We believe that the only individuals who should buy an HRX over the HRR are people who plan to do extensive yard work with their mower. In that case, the HRX may be slightly beneficial by being more convenient thanks to some small additional features.
To conclude, we believe the HRR is better suited for most people and a better value overall. It compromises little in terms of performance while still saving a lot of room in the budget.
Q&A
Final Thoughts
Overall, we cannot recommend the Honda HRR216K9VKA enough. It has a suite of performance features like smart drive and twin blades, but at the same time it is quiet and easy to use. It may be on the pricier side, but this is an excellent example of “you get what you pay for,” because this mower is definitely the best value for your money.