I need some advice.
I have a medium sized yard with an extremely dense elite KBG lawn (complete renovation fall 2011).
It has rendered a 33" snapper 16 HP virtually useless as a mulcher unless lawn is cut 3-4 times week. Also, height simple does not go high enough.
I do have a 21" snapper Hi-Vac that does a good job as a bagger but a so/so job as a mulcher. I have been a snapper fan most of my like and have only owned snapper mowers to date.
Anyway, my plan is to retain the snapper for bagging but purchase another walk behind machine which will be predominately used for mulching. I prefer a walk-behind vs a tractor as storage space is limited and I feel that better results are obtained via a walk-behind.
With that said, and based off some of the comments here and research, I am torn between a Commercial Toro vs. a commercial Honda.
The Toro has more Torque in the engine (honda 190 series vs 160 for the honda) but the Honda has twin blades. It kind of does not make sense that Honda does NOT put their most powerful engine on thjeir machine but it IS on the Toro Cost is not an issue.
If anyone has any feedback, it would be appreciated.....still have 2 plus months before I need it but I want to make the correct decision.
Thanks!!
Ed C.

PS I will post some pics of my lawn when I figure how to upload them. I am a degreed Chemical Engineer and do things applying as much science as possible. It is nice to see that there exists many more freaks out there than I was aware of!!

Both Toro and Honda make excellent mowers, but Honda is the better of the two IMO and 3rd party testers.

Torque is important as you said, not just HP, torque can be changed thru gear reduction. My old walk behind has 7.6 HP considered low by todays standards. But it has lots of torque, you can't stall it unless you run out of gas loose spark or compression. This is nothing but information, not trying to sell any type or brand of mower.

I've used Toro walk behind mowers before with good results. However, I believe the overwhelming opinion on this website is that Honda makes a superior machine. I've never used one, don't see the sense in spending that kind of money for results that, although are consistently high, don't seem to be that much higher than Toro. But, if price isn't an issue.......

I have a Honda and love it. My wife loves it also and is trying to talk me into buying a second one (we take care of a little more than an acre).

Yes, you read it right. My wife wants me to buy another lawn mower.

You're slipping Jon. That was two years ago. Let's stay away from discussing Ancient History.

Yes, true. But the Romans were interesting and you're not.

And yes also to "older than dirt" - if you think watching KBG sprout is slow, try watching Basalt turn to dirt.

It is. Give it a million years for erosion, and you get dirt.

simpson wrote:I thought Basalt was a lava rock?

It is, but all dirt is eroded rock, and will turn back to rock eventually as it settles and hardens.

"Lava Rocks" are igneous rock, formed directly from lava or magma. They erode and then settle/harden/become sedimentary rock. Some of that folds/compresses or gets exposed to heat for millions of years and becomes metamorphic rock. And the process repeats.