Snapper 1687914 Review
21" SP Walk Mower Kit, Self Propelled, Red/Black
88Good!
4.1 / 5 from 1283 users
$449.99$599.99
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We spent 8.9 hours reading reviews from customers and experts. In summary, here's what users think:
10 reasons to buy
The self-propelled feature of the Snapper 1687914 allows the mower to be easily maneuvered, especially uphill or on slopes. The speed is adjustable with an easy-to-reach lever. (25 reviews)
“The self-propelled feature always works, whether or not the mower blade is turned on. ... no more pushing a heavy mower through the yard to the garage after mowing, it propels itself.”
“The variable-speed lever for the self-propelled function is easy to operate, even changing speeds while mowing, & its maximum speed is actually faster than I would comfortably walk most of the time.”
“My first self propelled. Just walk and steer.”
“I really need the assisted drive this mower provides”
“The self propel works perfectly.”
“If your yard is like mine, with sudden incline changes I recommend getting the self propelled version. it's worth it to not have to push excessively uphill.”
“The self propelled drive is strong and I keep it about medium. On full go it will out walk you. I put it about quarter throttle for tough spots.”
“Going up hill the power wheels will pull you right along if you need it unlike the Toro which is more of a power assist.”
“I have a slight incline on my lot and the self-propelled powers through without any problems.”
“And I love that you can adjust the speed of the self-propelled function. This thing can really hop along if you have it set on the top speed.”
Batteries charge extremely fast and have a runtime of around 30-45 minutes each. They do not lose power towards the end of their charge cycle. (23 reviews)
“The batteries charge in the same time they last so you never need more than two.”
“The 2ah batteries only take 30 minutes to charge when fully discharged, so if I charged the first battery after the switchover mid-mow, I expect that I would be able to reinstall it after exhausting the second one & still complete the overall job without any significant delay.”
“The included charger is a great rapid charger as well, completely charging the battery in roughly 30 minutes.”
“I highly recommend having a 2nd battery since they charge in 30 minutes and deplete in about 30 minutes.”
“The batteries last long enough to do whole lawn and recharge at a fast rate.”
“The batteries seem really good so far and they are easy to charge and rotate through the other tools. Total charge time from empty is about 30 minutes or so.”
“The battery charges very fast and since I have two batteries I never have any issues with Mowing and weed eating at the same time.”
“The battery charger in less than 30 minutes.”
“The batteries really do charge in 30 minutes BTW.”
The mower operates quietly compared to gas-powered mowers, making it less disruptive. (21 reviews)
“no maintenance other than change the blade and give it a bath, lawn looks beautiful, it's quiet”
“The quieter operation is a plus as well!”
“The unit is very quiet compared with gas power. I no longer need to wear earplugs, & my wife & I actually had a conversation in a normal tone of voice from a distance while the Snapper was running.”
“Quiet, wife even came out during mow and comment on how she doesnt hear anything inside. Allows me to turn down my KFAN in my headphones instead of almost up to mask.”
“Runs fantastic...so quiet, I can mow at 0700 on a Sunday, if wished to do so.”
“Super Quiet.”
“It's maybe 1/2 as loud as a gas mower, which is quite a pleasant feature also.”
“Appreciate how much quieter the mower is than a gas mower.”
“It is nice and quiet compared to a gas mower. I was able to hold a conversation with my neighbor as it ran.”
“The mower experience is fantastic ! So quiet ( about as loud as a box fan , if a box fan were cutting grass lol)neighbors will be gawking and asking questions.”
The mower is described as powerful, capable of handling various grass thicknesses and terrains without bogging down, and automatically supplying more power in heavier/thicker grass. (17 reviews)
“It is great in straight runs and even gentle curves - with the self-propelled feature I have had no trouble cutting grass going up a steep hill although I hear the mower engine go into a faster or more powerful mode when the grass is tall and I am going uphill.”
“Both batteries lasted longer than I expected, and that is even cutting through tall and dense grass with it powering up the motor to handle that.”
“When I'm running self-propelled the mower senses when the grass is thicker or taller in places and speeds up the blade significantly meaning very little grass clumps left behind as were the case with my old gas mower.”
“Power is very sufficient. I've had a few cuts when the grass height was probably higher than ideal, but the Snapper has handled it with no issues.”
“If the grass is more than two weeks high the mower will still mow through it and better than a typical gas mower.”
“Powerful and I especially like the self power adjust when it senses it needs more power in thick grass.”
“The cutting and mulching are good, and the mower does a good job of revving up in the high / dense areas and then settling back down when out of the weeds.”
“It will ramp up its motor speed automatically if it encounters sufficient resistance, and ramps back down as soon as it can. It's very effective.”
“It mows fine and even does a good job of auto-regulating the blade speed depending on grass thickness.”
The Snapper 1687914 mower is lightweight compared to previous gas models, making it easier to handle and less physically demanding to operate. (13 reviews)
“Lightweight comparison to previous gas model & our first battery powered mower (B&D).”
“With its weight, it is easy to both push & turn, & the track is not impressed into damp ground, as was always the case with my big Toro.”
“This mower is lighter and rolls easier than the Toro, so I do not engage power to the wheels on level ground or down hill.”
“After using a 100lb push mower, even with the self-propell feature, this is a breeze to move, store and clean. Although it’s still awkward, I can lift this mower by myself.”
“This thing is also so light I don't have to use self propulsion, so that helps with battery life, too.”
“The mower is so much more lightweight and maneuverable than my old one.”
No gas, oil changes, or spark plug replacements needed. Maintenance is primarily limited to cleaning the deck and sharpening the blade. (12 reviews)
“Easy to use and maintain (clean deck and sharpen blade).”
“no gas cans sitting around and no trips to get it , no choking, puking, sputtering engine, no maintenance other than change the blade and give it a bath”
“No gas, oil changes, or spark plug replacements needed.”
“Not having to bother with gas and oil is the greatest part of this mower.”
“Only maintenance is sharping the blade”
“No gasoline, no oil, no air filters, no fouled spark plugs and best of all no hard starting.”
“Didn’t have to mess with finicky carbs, didn’t have to run for gas last second, didn’t have to prep it for winter. With addition to not having to store fuel over winter that will be flat in spring.”
The mower has a single lever for height adjustment, making it easy to adjust the mowing height without dealing with each wheel individually. (8 reviews)
“ONE lever height adjustment-no screwing around with 4 wheels”
“This Snapper deck height adjusts so easily.”
“Easy adjustment for different grass levels.”
“I also love the one touch height adjustment--one lever does the whole deck height instead of four individual wheel adjustments.”
“The one lever height adjustment is a great improvement over my prior mowers where each wheel had to be adjusted.”
“There is 1 handle that is used to adjust the height, and it is easily done.”
“Easy height adjustment is a big plus.”
“One lever lowering”
The mower can be easily folded up and stored upright, taking up less space in storage. (8 reviews)
“Also love that it easily folds up and stores upright for super compact storage.”
“Convenience. Everybody knows it: oil, gas, smell, upright storage.”
“I looked online at the new Snapper electrics that you can store upright. I have very little room in my shed as I went from a three-car garage in S. Dak. to a 10 x 10 carport shed here in Fl. Storing vertically was a big space saver for me.”
“but since it's easy stored in an upright position, I'll be occasionally using it as a back up.”
“It folds up so storage space is cut in half.”
“Mower itself is great. Quiet, cuts well, stores compactly.”
“I like how easy this mower is to maneuver and it stores easy.”
“the ability to store the mower upright in my shed is a great feature.”
The batteries for the Snapper 1687914 are compatible with other Snapper tools, offering versatility. (5 reviews)
“Battery is the same as other Snapper tools, allowing me to share between them”
“Swapped that battery into the trimmer and went to work.”
“The batteries seem really good so far and they are easy to charge and rotate through the other tools.”
“The ability to use three batteries between them is extremely useful for the times I need to give my yard more attention.”
“I like that there are other power tools that can use these batteries. I have the blower as well, which is insanely powerful.”
The mower mulches grass effectively, leaving no clippings behind in wheel tracks when rows are overlapped. (4 reviews)
“The mulching result is very good.........there is no grass left behind or in wheel tracks with overlapped rows.”
“Mulch cut is exceptional. There are never any clippings left on the ground.”
“I have also noticed that this mower Does a better job at mulching then previous mowers I have had.”
“I use the mulching feature.”
4 reasons not to buy
When you release the self-propelled mode on the Snapper 1687914, the back wheels can remain locked, making it difficult to pull the mower backward. (9 reviews)
“I have had to learn to turn the self-propel off a foot earlier so that I move the mower ahead by a foot on manual, thus releasing the back wheel engagement and it can now be pulled backwards from the obstruction.”
“The quirk about a delay in turning or backing in self-propelled mode is real. If SP is active all the way to the end of a row, or forward to an obstacle, the wheels will lock up, if an attempt is made to immediately turn or reverse course. I have learned to overcome this most of the time by releasing the SP bar about two seconds/steps before reaching the end of the row or obstacle & "coasting" to the end point. That time delay is enough for the SP to fully disengage & permit a quick turn or back-up. This is the one real annoyance in the Snapper for me, but now that I've learned to compensate, it rarely happens to me anymore.”
“Take your time when coming out of the self propelled feature. It does not always disengage the rear wheels without moving forward. It can make for really hard turns and grinding of the grass or gears.”
“The power drive is slow to disengage. It does not disengage instantaneously.”
“Some have complained that the wheels lock if the power is engage at the end of a row. My solution is to just let go of the bottom bar a few inches before you get to the end.”
“The self propel feature is difficult to manage for tight turns, turning around and backing up.”
“After letting go of the traction handle the rear wheels do not freewheel. Meaning that as you pull the mower back towards you, the rear wheels remain locked in place and you are pulling against extra friction. To get the wheels free you actually have to push forward a few inches.”
“The Snapper's system requires one to adjust the power/speed and the user to turn it off whenever one needs to back up or turn.”
“It free wheels when you do a 180 pivot at the end of a row. Like the 3 second delay propelling it seems to take 3 seconds to disengage.”
Downsides are some missed grass cuts with tighter turns and faster pace. (7 reviews)
“I have noticed the mower leaves partially cut ridges on the tighter curves, something my old push mower never did.”
“As some have noted, the cut does not seem to get EVERY blade, but the uncut volume is not sufficient to be concerned about.”
“The self propel feature is difficult to manage for tight turns, turning around and backing up. I have to constantly change my grip to turn off/on the propel lever, turn and then restart the propel.”
“It doesn't have a differential so negotiating tight turns is a pain.”
“Might need to go over cut areas twice.”
“The blade is not super sharp and leaves behind some standing grass/weeds.”
The handle is adjustable, but may be low for taller people. (4 reviews)
“I am 6'7'' tall and its just barely tall enough for me to push comfortably. Wish it could adjust up a tiny bit more, but still more comfortable than any other motor I have ever tried.”
“I feel like the self propel engage lever is just a hair out of reach of where I would like it.”
“Echo was much harder to manouver & lacked adjustable handle height (it was too tall and I'm 6')”
“As to the machine itself, the handle is oddly long and hard to adjust. I haven't been able to figure it out and hope I do eventually. It would probably be good for a 6'1" guy. I am a 5'5" woman.”
Replacement blades are difficult to find online; you have to order through a Snapper dealer or call Briggs and Stratton. (1 review)
“Also people were asking where can you get replacement blades as they are difficult to find online. No info comes up when you use the blade number. So you either have your local Snapper dealer order them for you or call Briggs and Stratton - you won't find them on either website. (Guys- you need to fix this as it is very annoying, especially given that there's no mention in any of the accompanying literature that addresses the blade issue).”
Bottom Line
The Snapper 1687914 is a self-propelled, battery-powered lawn mower perfect for tackling slopes and thick grass with ease. Its fast-charging batteries run for 30-45 minutes without losing power. This quiet mower is lightweight and requires minimal maintenance—no gas, oil, or spark plug changes. It features a single lever for height adjustment and folds up for easy storage. However, it can be tough to pull backward, miss some grass on tight turns, and may have a low handle for taller users.
Facts
| Brand | Snapper |
|---|---|
| Cutting Width (in) | 21 inch |
| Features | Electric Start, Mulching, Bagging, Side Discharge |
| Max Cutting Height | 3.75" |
| Min Cutting Height | 1.375" |
| Power Source | Battery |
| Category | Self Propelled Mowers |
| Warranty | 5 Year Product; 2 Year Battery |
| Weight | 80.9 lbs. |
Special Features
- Self-Propelled Transmission with Variable Speed: Makes it easier to mow because you can set the speed you want based on how fast you want to go and the type of ground you're on.
- Long Run Time: Comes with two powerful batteries that can keep the mower running for up to 45 minutes, so you don’t have to stop halfway through to recharge.
- Durable 21-inch Steel Mowing Deck: Has a strong steel deck that lets you choose to mulch, bag, or side discharge the grass clippings, making it very versatile.
- Smart Load Sensing Technology: Automatically adjusts the power to the blades based on how tough the grass is, which saves battery and makes sure it cuts well.
- Convenient Push Button Start: Starts with a simple push of a button, so you don’t have to mess with pull cords.
- Single Lever, 7-Position Height Adjustment: Lets you easily change the cutting height to 7 different positions with just one lever, so you can cut your grass the way you like it.
- Quiet Operation and Minimal Maintenance: Runs quietly and doesn't need much upkeep, which is great for residential areas.
- Vertical Storage Capability: Can be stored upright, saving you space in your garage or shed.
- Quick Battery Charging: Batteries charge fast—up to 50% in just 13 minutes and fully in 30 minutes, so you can get back to mowing quickly.
- Large Rear Wheels: Has 10-inch wheels on the back that make it easier to move around, especially on uneven or hilly ground.
- Customer Satisfaction: People find it easy to put together, light to push, and the self-propelled feature makes mowing less tiring.
FAQ
- Q:
Is the 45-minute run time estimate for one battery or both batteries combined?
- A:
The 45-minute run time is for each battery individually. However, the duration may decrease if the lawn is wet or difficult to cut.
- Q:
Will the mower continue operating after the first battery is depleted if both batteries are installed?
- A:
Yes, the mower will keep running until both batteries are depleted. It can operate with a single battery, allowing the other to charge simultaneously.
- Q:
How does the warranty service work for this mower purchased on Amazon?
- A:
For warranty service, customers may be offered options such as a partial refund or a replacement battery. If issues arise, contacting Amazon customer service for resolution is recommended, which may involve coordination with a local dealer or direct replacement, depending on the situation.
- Q:
Where is this mower manufactured?
- A:
The lawn mower and its battery are manufactured in China.
- Q:
Does the Snapper 1687914 21" self-propelled mower fold and stand up straight for easy storage?
- A:
Yes, this mower can fold and stand up straight for convenient storage.
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