Toro 22 inch lawn mower Model 20065

by Denise
(Springfield, VA)


We purchased a Toro 22 inch lawn mower and are very satisfied with it, it has exceeded our expectations so far. There was a little assembly required when we got the mower home, but the directions were easy to follow and we did not have any trouble with the assembly. Everything we needed was provided in the box with the mower, and it was well packed.


It has variable speed front wheel drive with larger rear wheels, which makes it very easy to handle on the uneven portions of the yard. It also has a bagging system which is very easy to use, both putting the bag on the mower and removing it.

The assembled weight of the mower is about eighty seven pounds, but with the front wheel drive it doesn’t feel nearly that heavy when using it to mow, it moves easily across the lawn and does a great job.

It is also easy to start, with little or no effort I can start the mower in just a few minutes time. We purchased the mower in the store, but were able to get the same reduced price that was offered on the internet, so we thought this mower was an excellent value.

It seems to have enough power for everything we need, and the 22 inch blade works well for our property.

Overall, we think this mower is a great value and highly recommend it. We are pleased with the service it is providing, it is a great value for the money

Comments for Toro 22 inch lawn mower Model 20065

Average Rating starstarstar

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Jun 16, 2015
Rating
star
poor mower
by: jerry thomas

purchased a toro 20065 in 2008 hated it rightaway complained to Toro dealer he told me it was an inexpensive mower it is not it is a cheap mower what enginer puts the mower drive belt under the deck in the open the clipings plug the drive up it also leaves clippings trail in the wheel tracks in stead of mulching them. i see thay have discontinued this model no wonder it realy bad. i willnever buy another toro

Mar 17, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Clarification
by: Dave

What I meant to say is that I fill the tank with gasoline and add a half ounce of fuel stabilizer to it before I put the mower in the yard for the winter.

Mar 17, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
It is a good one!
by: Dave

I bought my 20065 in 2008. It has been shared between four different yards every year totaling about 1.25 acres. I have changed the oil once and we destroyed one blade. In the winter it is stored out under the open sky in the elements without covering of any sort. I store it with the fuel tank full with fuel stabilizer. Squirrels chewed through the gas cap one year. I just rolled it into my driveway, pushed the primer bulb ten times and pulled the cord... and it started on the first pull. I would say that, as I start on my 6th season with this puppy, I have got my money's worth.

Jun 12, 2011
Rating
star
unlimitted slip transmission
by: Anonymous

two transmissions in three years worst mower i have ever owned next one will be the honda

May 29, 2011
Rating
starstarstar
toro 20065 keeps dieing after 10-15 seconds.
by: froggie in TEXAS

I was mowing my yard with my toro self pull mower. It was low on gas,but ran normal,until out of fuel. I refilled the gas tank & primed the carb. The mower would run for 10-15 seconds then die. I drained the fuel, checked the air filter & refueled with freshly purchased gas. again the same problem run till the prime is gone then die. Dose anyone have a correction for this problem? This is the first time for this happened in my multi-years of mowing. I purchased a Toro because they had a reputation of good mowers. Did I get a lemon?

Apr 25, 2011
Rating
star
20065 engine seizure (only 2.1 seasons)
by: Anderson

I purchased my Toro model 20065 in 2008 and use it solely for my residence. After spending $150.00 in replacing warn parts, the engine seized after three mowings. I moved my lawn once a week and my yard is small.

Mar 25, 2011
Rating
star
LOUSY Mower
by: Anonymous

I hate this mower. Two and one half hears old and transmission goes out. It doesn't cut clean either. It always leaves an ugly trail of clippings. I had a Honda before this one and the Honda was great. Zero problems in 7 years. I tried to save some money and went with the cheaper Toro. Never again. You get what you pay for and with Toro, that ain't much. Don't buy a Toro. Get a Honda.

Dec 16, 2010
Rating
star
BUYER BEWARE!
by: Angry Consumer

I purchased this TORO mower new at HOME DEPOT in 2008 for $250.00 and the transmission went out in 2009 (after less than a full year of average residential use). It was replaced under warranty and now in 2010 the gears are stripped in the transmission and the drive belt is shot.
I won't be making any future purchases from HOME DEPOT or TORO.




Oct 08, 2010
Rating
starstar
Pass on this one
by: Anonymous

I have owned lawn mowers for 30 years and the last 22 years have been Toro's.
I bought the Model 20065 from Home Depot two and a half years ago. Just before the two year warranty ran out, I had to replace the transmission on the front wheel drive. Thankfully that was free, aside from the hassle. Last month the motor started knocking. My lawn mowers get a lot of use because we are in Florida and my kids use it to mow lawns for hire. On average it is used for 6 lawns a week during summer. Even at that, I would have expected greater longevity than what I got.
I have since purchased a Troy-Bilt with a Honda engine in the same price range ($299).
We'll see how that goes.

Aug 07, 2010
Rating
starstar
transmission faulty
by: Frank in California

I purchased a 2007 Toro 22" from Home Depot with front transmission. After two years of service the front transmission went out and the shop want 195.00 to fix it. I paid 300.00 for it.

The first two years were great except also, I don't care for the engine turn off when you have to lean over to move a hose or pick up something.

They must be aware of the transmission being defective to warranty it for only 2 years.

I am fixing it myself, then I will not buy a Toro again.

Jul 17, 2010
Rating
starstar
Transmission
by: Anonymous

Transmission broke in year 3 - $150 to replace. Obvious lousy design.

Apr 06, 2010
Rating
starstar
transmission after 2 years
by: pat

just before 3rd.year the transmission had to be replaced.thats why toro gives a 2 year warr.

Nov 20, 2009
Rating
star
The worst designed mower I’ve ever used!
by: Bill K

Pros
- good engine

Cons
- bad design
- annoying safety feature

Rating
1 out of 5

My Toro is absolutely the worst designed mower I’ve ever used! I’ve been using power mowers since 1951 & my 2008 Toro model 20065 wins hands down as the worst. It replaced a 25 year old Toro model 20700, non self propelled that was a real sweetheart. An injury required me to get a self propelled mower so the model 20065 came home with me.

The rear bagging design of the new mower was obliviously designed by someone that has never used a lawnmower. That person should be banned from his desk & relegated to using this lawnmower for the rest of his life. My 25 year old machine has a bagger that works & is easy to use & the current one is a joke!

My old mower has a throttle, the new one has 1 speed, if you want to adjust the speed you must “slip the clutch” for a slower speed. That should make the drive belt last a long time! Imagine driving down the highway in your vehicle slipping the clutch to adjust your speed.

The latest Toro has the safety bar kill switch, release the handle, the engine stops, with a braking system on the engine yet!! Stop to open a gate, the engine stops. Move a lawn sprinkler, same thing? My old mower would idle effortlessly if you needed to step away from it for a brief period. I guess this is today’s safety feature? I believe safety starts with the operator, of any powered equipment, not with some built in gadget that keeps those klutz operators safe.

The engine is a good one & it’s guaranteed to start feature is nice because you’re going to be starting it a lot because of the auto shutdown feature mentioned above.

The glowing reviews I see here must have been written by first time mower buyers/users, because if you’ve never used a good one, how can you compare?

Nov 11, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstar
A Great Mower
by: Anonymous

This push mower is great, although it has some cons to it also.

One thing I like about it is that it can turn on a dime. Most riding mowers can't, this thing you can manoeuvre around anything. It also moves pretty fast so you can mow quicker.

The few bad things are as follows. It can get tiring if you have to mow a big lawn, because it is a push mower. It also can get clogged up if the grass is to thick or too wet.

All around, its a great mower. I would definitely consider buying a Toro mower again.

Apr 08, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstar
i like the accelarator bar
by: Jason

This is my first Toro Lawn mower, and I have fairly happy with it. The screw that holds the handle bars to the frame broke off, but that is the only issue. The mower moves from slow to pretty fast depending on how much the accelerator bar moves. While going up hill, you naturally push more on the accelerator bar which helps you push it up the hill. While controlling the mower downhill, you push less on the accelerator which helps control the mower.

When I bought the mower, I evaluated several options and liked this one for a few reasons. And have recommended the mower to others. (1) The accelerator bar which I already discussed (2) The tires (3) Engine performance (4) bagging option and (5) Recycling option. The tires are good quality and move very easily. The engine starts with one or two pulls and is more than enough power. I have adjusted the governor a few times and was happy with the results. The bagger is not better than other baggers I have had.

Once it gets full, the bag drags on the ground and is hard to use. The recycling is just an attachment that stops the grass from being ejected, however the blades are sharp and curved to compete the cross cut. I change the oil every season, which is very easy. One note, after a few uses the mower broke down and sounded like it was not getting gas. I filled it up with gas, changed a few adjustments, still just put-put-put-stop. I inspected everything then out of frustration I “gently” flipped the mower on the side and drained the gas. After draining the gas I found a small piece a foam in the spilled fuel.

Apparently the packing foam got caught in the gas tank and stopped the flow of fuel. After that, no problem.

Mar 31, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Not having to deal with a bag is a big plus
by: Anonymous

A great mower that has lasted me for way longer than I thought it would. I have a very large yard, but the large bag system and thorough mulching in the Toro Recycler series makes mowing my lawn tolerable, unlike the other models I've been though.

I've been through about three Craftsman models this summer. When I took the last one back to get repaired, I just chose a full refund instead, and put the proceeds towards a genuine Toro mower, based on other reviews on the internet.

I opted out of the more expensive self-propel models. They took up too much gas, especially considering today's high gas prices. I am perfectly fine with pushing a mower around my yard. I could use the exercise.

I can mulch my yard when the grass is much higher than with my craftsman models. The higher power motor can handle it, and not having to deal with a bag is a big plus. If I get a little lazy and end up having to bag it, the bag holds a lot, and fills up well. I have to empty it twice for each side of my house.

That brings me to the next feature of this mower. This can be set to mulch, bag, and the illustrious "side discharge", which just sends the clippings back into your lawn. This allows you to mow lawns that are too long to much, without a bag. I use this instead of bagging. It's better for the lawn.

Toro is known for their durability and high-quality mowers. They offer an impressive 2-year warranty on all their mowers.

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