Best petrol mower <£600

[Harvz]

What are your thoughts on the best petrol mower at present for <£600.
I have used that value due to the fact that modern mowers don't tend to last very long, and spending £1000 just isn't worth it, IMO.
To my mind, a mower has 3 main parts- engine, gearbox (if self propelled), and cutting deck.
So, on these parts, which is best
- engine- Honda, B&S or something else?
- gearbox- is simpler the better?
- deck material- steel, aluminium or poly plastic?

Then, is there a mower that has all the best of these parts?

[Mick]

That's a very tricky question nowadays tbh. 

One of the biggest problems is you never know who makes what and for who.  All the machines have good points and bad points imo.  It would be very difficult to find one with all the best components for that sort of money. 

I mainly repair Hayter, Toro, Honda so kind of don't know what the other stuff out there is like tbh.

[Harvz]

Thanks- to be honest, that's what I thought. Maybe I was being a bit ambitious with the OP.

If we just look at the deck material, what is your (and others) opinion as to what the best material is?
Steel for strength ( but corrodes?)
Poly plastic - various types- for non corroding (but risk of breakages?)
Aluminium for best of both worlds (but master of none?)

[Mick]

Thanks- to be honest, that's what I thought. Maybe I was being a bit ambitious with the OP.

If we just look at the deck material, what is your (and others) opinion as to what the best material is?
Steel for strength ( but corrodes?)
Poly plastic - various types- for non corroding (but risk of breakages?)
Aluminium for best of both worlds (but master of none?)

They all have their problems. 

Steel as you say corrodes / rusts, but some worse than others.  Not sure how the new IZY will stand up, but the old ones about ten years and whole front falls off..  lol..

Also if it's tin deck make sure its using fairly heavy gauge steel or the front wheels will splay out. Especially on some of the cheaper models with separate / independent front wheel adjusters.

Poly /Plastic.  Well again it has its problems, but is pretty impact resistant.  Things tend to fail around screws and fixings especially if it's Chinese plastic.

Aluminium, more expensive, sometimes heavy, and will corrode like hell if you feed your lawns and don't clean the underside of the mower.  Lawn feed can be highly corrosive to aluminium.  It will still break or crack if hit hard.