If you’re looking for a new lawnmower, you may have come across the Honda HRX217K2HXA. This is a middle-of-the-Honda range type of mower, especially regarding its price tag.
This mower comes with a host of impressive features that can take your mowing game to the next level.
But, is it the right choice for you and your needs? An in-depth review would come in handy right now, wouldn’t it? Well, you’re in luck!
Today, we have reviewed the Honda HRX217K2HXA, looking at what is good and bad about this model. By the end of this post, you should be in a much better position to make a decision on whether the Honda HRX217K2HXA lawnmower is the one for you.
Let’s start by taking a look at its specs.
Honda HRX217K2HXA Specifications
Manufacturer: Honda
Model: HRX217K2HXA
Weight: 96 lbs
Engine size: 190 cc Honda GCV
Cutting modes (4-in-1): Bag, Discharge, Mulch or Shred
Deck Size: 21 inches
Cutting Height: 0.75 to 4 inches
Total Number of Cutting Heights: 7
Additional Features: Hydrostatic Cruise Control Self Propel System
Honda HRX217K2HXA Assembly
Setting up the Honda HRX217K2HXA could not be easier. All you need to do is lock the handle into position, add gas and oil, and install the grass bag collector. As simple as they come!
Honda HRX217K2HXA – Main Features
There are numerous features that make the Honda HRX217K2HXA stand out from many of its competitors. Here are the key features that we loved.
Cutting Blades
The Honda HRX217K2HXA is made with a Micro Cut blade system, which the other two models in the HRX series also have. This design sees two blades cutting the grass simultaneously, rather than just one (like the majority of mowers). This achieves a finer cut with smaller grass clippings.
Therefore, you can redistribute the grass blades onto your lawn for mulching and extra nutrients for your grass. The smaller blades of grass are also easier to fit into the mower’s bag and take up less space, so you won’t have to empty it as frequently.
NeXite Deck
Two common issues with many lawnmowers is that their aluminium or steel decks rust over time or the paint peels off. But, with Honda’s NeXite deck, ultra-durable polymer material is used in construction instead. This material is practically indestructible yet lightweight.
Therefore, you can manoeuvre the mower more easily and grass clippings don’t stick to the deck as much, even when wet. This equates to easier cleaning and maintenance. Moreover, you can get in closer to walls, edges, and fences and still maintain a cutting width of 21 inches.
4-In-1 Versamow System
This is one intuitive and state-of-the-art system that blew our minds! The Versamow system allows users to bag, mulch, and discharge, or even shred leaves from the mower’s rear without the need for any extra inserts or attachments.
There is also a small lever found on the mower known as the “clip director.” You can set this to “bagging mode” or “mulching mode”, as well as other settings.
You can half bag the grass and half mulch it, or even three quarters mulch the clippings and a quarter bag it. It’s completely up to you! Talk about versatility!
Blade Brake Mechanism
Some lawnmowers, such as Toro, already include a blade brake system, and we’re very happy to see it on the Honda HRX217K2HXA. This excellent feature allows you to shut off the mower’s blades without needing to turn the engine off.
We’ve all needed to step away from our mower to do something else for a second but turning it off and on again can be a hassle. Not any more! If there is an obstacle coming up, you can step away and remove it without having to restart the engine every time.
Adjustable Handle
The Honda HRX217K2HXA comes with an adjustable handle so you can alter it to suit your comfort level and height. Therefore, the mower is suitable for both tall and short individuals. No more bad backs!
Requires Little Maintenance
Honda lawn mowers are renowned for needing little maintenance thanks to their impressive designs. The Honda HRX217K2HXA is no exception as it is well built and designed to last a long time.
Hydrostatic Cruise Control
The Honda Hydrostatic Cruise Control system is a thing of true beauty. It has nine different settings so you can find the right pace for you. If you want to take it slow, you can go at a crawling pace, or even choose a jogging pace.
This cruise control system works well on flat terrain, as well as slopes and hills. Therefore, you won’t have to over exert yourself with every mowing session.
Easy Start-Up
After countless tests, this mower started the first time every time with just one pull. And, unlike many mowers, you don’t need to pull on the cord with too much force. One light pull and the mower’s engine roars into action.
Honda HRX217K2HXA Performance Review
To help you decide whether the Honda HRX217K2HXA is right for you, we tested out how well it performs.
Let’s see how it did.
Cutting Power
After several tests, we found that the Honda HRX217K2HXA achieves a very level, even cut every time. Even when the grass is quite long, the mower doesn’t stall or get stuck, which is a common issue with many lawnmowers.
Mulching Power
The Honda HRX217K2HXA is excellent at mulching grass. Mulching mowers are not on everyone’s priority list, but if you’re in the market for a mulching mower, this is certainly one to consider.
The twin blade design helps mulch grass into fine clippings that are ideal for mulching. This mower is so good at mulching that it even works on damp or wet grass.
And, don’t worry if you forget to cut your grass a few times. The Honda HRX217K2HXA will still be able to mulch grass when it is thick and long.
Bagging
The bagging performance of this mower is industry leading. It can mow around 40 percent more before the bag is full, mainly thanks to the mulching power and dual blade action. So, that means you do not have to empty the bag as often as usual.
The bag itself is a 2.5 bushel design that collects the fine clippings cut by Honda’s MicroCut® twin blades. Therefore, the bag is packed more efficiently so you can spend more time mowing and less time stopping and starting to empty the grass.
Honda HRX217K2HXA Pros And Cons
Pros
There are a number of advantages when using the Honda HRX217K2HXA. Here are the main pros we found:
The 4-in-1 deck gives numerous options when mowing.
Easy to manoeuvre on slopes and hills thanks to the self propel system.
Can turn off the blades without needing to turn the engine off.
Cut grass very well and into fine pieces.
Mulches grass very well.
Very easy and quick to set up.
When running, the mower is not loud.
The NeXite deck is extremely strong and durable.
The grass bag is easy to use and requires fewer times to empty.
All the features help to cut down the overall mowing time.
The NeXite deck is easy to clean and allows grass clippings to circulate naturally. This equates to more mulching.
Lifetime warranty on the NeXite deck if any technical issues appear.
Cons
Although there are some excellent features with the Honda HRX217K2HXA, there are a few drawbacks.
Here are the main cons of the Honda HRX217K2HXA:
It is quite expensive. Compared to its competitors, the Honda HRX217K2HXA is one of the most costly models on the market. Yes, you get a lot of great features for the money, but you need to consider whether you need a top of the range mower or something more affordable.
The mower has quite a poor weight distribution, which seems to be quite common with all Honda HRX mower models. This rear drive mower means the weight of the entire machine is heaviest towards its rear end. And, this only increases with the grass clippings the bag collects on the back. Sometimes, this can result in the mower’s front end lifting and even bouncing as you mow. Therefore, we suggest that you do not always allow the bag to fill to its full capacity. Instead, aim for about 70 to 80% before emptying it.
The wheels can occasionally flatten longer grass due to their wider size. Compared to most lawnmowers, the Honda HRX217K2HXA wheels have a larger width which, when flattening the grass, can make it more challenging for the blades to reach and cut the blades properly. This can cause you to miss some tufts of grass leaving some parts cut and others long. The result? A messy, uneven lawn in some parts.
The rear-wheel drive can be quite frustrating if you have a lot of turns in your garden. You need to disengage the clutch before re-engaging it again once you have made the turn which is pretty irritating. If your garden has lots of turns, be prepared to sigh and roll your eyes quite often!
We found that the area where the handle is situated is pretty crowded. We prefer a simpler layout, but we also understand some people like having multiple controls and features in the same place. But, even if you like a crowded handle area, you will need to spend some time learning how to use the various features. So, it’s not a case of starting the mower up and going. You will need to spend more time than usual getting to know what the features do and how to use them, which can be a little tedious.
Honda Lawnmowers: Good Or Bad?
In general, Honda lawnmowers are regarded as reliable, high-performance machines. However, that doesn’t mean they are the best for you and your gardening needs. Because of their high price tag, they are out of budget for many and the countless features they possess are not needed by the average lawn owner.
But, when looking at the best lawnmowers on the market, Honda is always on the list. They are generally easy to use, reliable, durable, adaptable, cost-effective, and have a good reputation.
Whether you need to mow a residential or commercial lawn, Honda mowers, such as the HRX217K2HXA are some of the very best.
Some of the main reasons Honda mowers excel are:
They have an excellent cutting performance – Honda mowers, such as the HRX217K2HXA come with a twin-blade cutting mechanism to help produce smaller grass clippings. This means it bags and mulches the grass much better than many other mowers. The bags can also hold 30-40% more clippings because of their smaller sizes.
They have a Versamow cutting system – you can bag, shred, mulch, and discharge grass without additional attachments or tools
They boast reliable engines – Honda engines are strong, quiet and fuel-efficient with most being built with advanced technology. They are built to last a long time and are powerful enough for the hardest mowing tasks.
They are always high-quality – Honda mowers are renowned for their durability and reliability, thanks to top-quality construction materials and the latest technology.
They always come with state-of-the-art technology – Honda always makes their mowers with cutting-edge innovations, such as twin blades that stop without the engine stopping, intuitive speed control, and cruise control.
The Verdict
The Honda HRX217K2HXA is a top-quality, high-class lawnmower that has all the features you could ever wish for in a mower.
Although pretty expensive, we believe it’s worth every penny.
Versatile, reliable, and capable of quality grass cutting, the Honda HRX217K2HXA will save time on mowing and help make your lawn look pristine every time.
Hi, my name is Brian Freis and I have been a local gardener in my hometown for almost 20 years now. There’s nothing I’d rather do with my time than tend to a much-needed garden, whether that’s shaping hedges, planting flowers, weeding, mowing lawns, or more.
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Gardening can be very therapeutic and relaxing, and I want to make it as effective as possible. Good luck, and enjoy it!
