Poulan PO500N22S Review

(Rated: 3.5 / 5) Review by Frank Lowery
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Ease of Assembly
Maneuverability
Balance And Handling
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A gas powered mower is an excellent choice for a number of reasons. The most apparent one is that as walk behind mowers go, gas mowers still provide the most power, and far outstrip electric mowers in that regard. Gas mowers have enough power to support larger deck widths than electric mowers can. Gas mowers also provide the kind of raw power needed for lawns that are planted with dense or tougher varieties of grass, such as St Augustine or Bermuda grass. Once they get going, there are very few challenges that grass mowers are unable to tackle. It is for this reason that many homeowners continue to provide a robust market for gas mowers.

The Poulan PO500N22S has a Briggs & Stratton 500 series 158 cubic centimeter engine with 4.7 horsepower. It provides this power very affordably as well, and is one of the more inexpensive walk behind gas mowers on the market today. It has a 22 inch cutting deck width, which puts it on the higher end of comparably priced gas mowers. It only weighs 47 pounds, which is important if you are dealing with uneven terrain or do not want to have to deal with the frustration of pushing a heavy mower around your yard. Overall this is a good mower for the price.

Review Summary

While power is the most obvious area in which gas mowers are superior to electric mowers, there are a number of other factors to consider as well. The first is reliability. A gas powered combustion engine is going to run much more reliably than a battery powered lawn mower will, especially if it is serviced properly. This is simply because the design of gas engines is simpler than that of battery powered engines. Besides that, you will never have to deal with long, bulky power cords or heavy batteries that die in the middle of a big job. A gas mower simply needs a full tank and it is good to go for much longer than most battery powered electric mowers can.

But power is an important consideration as well. The Poulan PO500N22S has a lot of it as walk behind mowers go. It has Briggs and Stratton 500 series, 158 cc engine that provides 4.7 horsepower. That is more than even the most powerful electric mowers, and it is enough to deal with even the toughest grass or thickest patches on your lawn. The engine provides enough power to the cutting deck to mow through dense grass without slowing down. That means you will not have to worry about getting a ragged cut or having your mower get bogged down.

The Poulan is able to reliably power a 22 inch cutting deck, which means you will be able to mow your lawn in fewer passes than with a smaller mower. This will save you time and labor. It has 5 cutting heights between 1.5 and 3.75 inches and only weighs 47 pounds, which means it will not be too difficult to maneuver around your yard, even if you have uneven terrain or hills. And because the price is so low, the Poulan PO500N22S is one of the most affordable walk behind mowers on the market today. So it will save you not only time and labor but money as well.

Specifications

The Poulan PO500N22S has a 22 inch cutting deck and dimensions of 33.5 x 17.1 x 25.1 inches. It weighs a mere 47 pounds for easy maneuverability. I has a gas powered, Briggs & Stratton manufactured, 500 series 158 cc engine that will provide enough power for even the toughest and densest grass. It uses the kind of recoil starter typical of gas mowers, in which the user first primes a starter button to get gasoline into the engine and then pulls a starter cord to get the engine going. The Poulan PO500N22Sis a manual push mower. It has one grass clipping management option included at the initial purchase – side discharge. Height adjustment is controlled individually and the mower has five height options between 1.5 and 3.75 inches. Its front and rear wheels are both 7 inches tall. He Poulan comes with an industry standard 2 year consumer warranty.

The Poulan PO500N22S is a standard walk behind gas mower designed for residential lawn maintenance and meant to provide a cost effective price tag. The Briggs & Stratton motor is manufactured by a company that is known for their engine quality and is used widely by many of the top lawn mower manufacturers on the market today. It is designed to deliver the kind of power necessary for mowing all types of grass. It is perfect for the home owner with an average sized lawn of 1/2 an acre or less, as larger jobs will be difficult with a walk behind lawn mower. The steel cutting deck is well suited for most suburban lawns.

Description

The Poulan PO500N22s is a walk behind gas mower with a 4.7 horsepower, 500 series 158 cc engine manufactured by Briggs & Stratton. The engine is designed to consistently provide the kind of power required for residential lawn maintenance all over the United States, regardless of whether you live in an area where tough grass varieties like St Augustine or Bermuda grass are common. In addition it has a 22 inch deck width and a steel cutting blade that can mow even the densest patches of grass out there. If you are not familiar with gas mowers, it is important to point out here that they will need periodic servicing, such as changing the oil or spark plugs. But they also provide more reliable power than electric mowers. The 22 inch deck is large for a walk behind mower, which is advantageous because it allows you to cut your lawn in fewer passes. Fewer passes means you will spend less time cutting your grass and put less wear and tear on your mower over the years, so it will last longer.

The Poulan mower features five height adjustment options between 1.5 and 3.75 inches, and they are easily adjusted using individual levers mounted at each wheel. Adjusting the height is done in a matter of minutes. It is important to purchase a lawn mower with a range of height options. Lawn care experts advise that you do not cut your grass any shorter than 1/3 of its initial height, as doing so can weaken the individual blades and make them susceptible to invasions by weeds or crabgrass, the effects of diseases, or dieback and brown spots during drought or heat waves. Incorrectly mowing your lawn, even if you water and fertilize it properly, and leave it looking unhealthy and ragged.

The Poulan mower features front and rear wheels that are both seven inches tall. This is intended to make the mower more maneuverable than those with wheel sizes of variable heights. In addition the mower only weighs 47 pounds, which puts it in the lowest weight classes for a gas mower with such a wide cutting deck size. Along with the greater maneuverability thanks to the equalized wheel sizes, the fact that the mower is lightweight makes it one of the easiest walk behind mowers to steer today. Even if you have a slight frame, you should not have any trouble navigating around your yard and over uneven terrain with the Poulan. That means that even senior citizens and teenagers can use it with relative ease.

The Poulan PO500N22S provides only one grass clippings management option out of the box: side discharge. The discharge is angled slightly to the rear as you move the mower forward, and provides neat rows of cut grass that can be easily raked up for disposal or addition to the compost pile, or raked into the lawn for mulching. There is an option to purchase a mulching plug separately, which will make sure that grass clippings are shredded to much smaller pieces than with the cutting blade alone. This can be useful if you are interested in mulching your clippings into the lawn. There is no option of a rear bag attachment. So if you are interested in collecting your clippings for disposal, you will have to do it manually after you are done cutting your grass. This can be problematic if you have a larger lawn.

Overall, Poulan has succeeded in designing and manufacturing a cost efficient walk behind gas mower for the suburban or urban homeowner who does not have a lot of ground to cover. The PO500N22S is powerful enough to handle lawns with tough grass, and can do so on a budget. Because it features a Briggs & Stratton gas engine, you can be confident that you will get reliable power for years to come with this mower. And with the 22 inch blade, you will save a lot of time and effort mowing your lawn because you will be able to finish the job in fewer passes. That means you will be able to relax and play with your kids or sit with a cold beverage in your yard while your neighbors are still hard at work cutting their grass.

Pros

There are a number of reasons why a gas mower is the best choice for lawn care. Far and away the biggest advantage gas mowers provide over electric or reel mowers is their sheer power. The engines on gas mowers like the Poulan PO500N22S are able to reliably run a large blade at high speeds even through the toughest grass without slowing down or stopping. This is generally why most consumers who buy gas mowers are interested in them and stick with them over the years. If you live in an area where the predominant grass type is a thicker variety such as St Augustine or Bermuda grass, a gas mower may be the right choice for you. They will start up fairly reliably and if the engines are properly serviced and maintained they will typically run for many years, regardless of how tough the lawn they are dealing with is. And the price tag on this mower makes it extremely affordable and competitive compared to many other comparable lawn mowers. Here are some of the pros associated with the Poulan PO500N22S in a bit more detail.

1. Powerful 500 Series Briggs & Stratton engine : The Poulan PO500N22S boasts a powerful 148 cc engine with 4.7 horse power. It is a 500 Series which is a measure of its torque and places it at the higher end of the range for walk behind mowers. It is manufactured by Briggs & Stratton, a leader in engines and engine components. The engine is powerful enough to reliably power this lawnmower for many years to come, especially if it is properly maintained and cared for. It provides enough power and torque to reliably cut through thick grasses without slowing down, stopping or breaking, which makes it ideal for homeowners in the Southern United States. But it is also a great all around mower with enough power to tackle lawns in suburbia all over the country without problems.
2. 22inch steel cutting deck for faster cuts : It’s simple. The wider the size of the cutting deck, the wider the cutting swath. And the wider the cutting swath, the fewer passes it will take to get the job done. Fewer passes mean less time and labor spent cutting your lawn. The Poulan PO500N22S boasts a 22 inch steel cutting deck. This places it on the higher end of the range for walk behind mowers. Unlike electric mowers or even gas mowers with less powerful engines, the PO500N22S can run a 22 inch blade at full speed through the toughest grasses. That means you will be finished mowing your lawn much faster than you would be able to be with a smaller lawn mower. Getting the job done quickly will save you time and money in the long run, and have you relaxing with a cold beverage or playing catch with your kids on your freshly mowed lawn while your neighbors are still maneuvering their small lawn mowers back and forth across their yards.
3. Light weight and equalized wheel height for better maneuverability : The Poulan PO500N22S is one of the lightest walk behind mowers available on the market today. At only 47 pounds, it is far lighter than most electric or even gas mowers out there. That means it is easier for everyone to use, including teens and senior citizens. And the light weight means it will not be nearly as difficult to navigate on uneven terrain or on sloped ground with the Poulan PO500N22S. Add to that the fact that this mower has equalized wheel heights designed to improve the overall maneuverability while you are cutting your lawn, and you have a mower that is a breeze to push around your lawn. This is important for those of us who are older or have slight frames and have trouble pushing heavy mowers around our property, but also do not want a self propelled mower. Poulan solves this problem in one easy step – by making the PO500N22S incredibly light and easy to push.
4. Starts reliably and is easy to use out of the box : Multiple users reported in glowing terms on how easy it is to get the Poulan PO500N22S up and running in minutes after unpacking it from the box. It arrives mostly assembled, and you only have to put together the handle. Then, add gas to the tank and oil to the engine and you are ready to go. Unlike many other gas mowers, users also commonly report that the Poulan PO500N22S is very easy to start up. Instead of struggling with pulling a start cord over and over until the mower gets going, this mower starts reliably every time. That means you will not break your back starting it up. And the sooner you can start mowing your lawn, the sooner you will be done with the job and relaxing.
5. One of the most affordable walk behind mowers available : The Poulan PO500N22S is designed to be one of the most cost effective walk behind mowers on the market today, and it has succeeded in that area by a long shot. This mower has a price tag that consistently puts it at the lowest end of the price range. That is great for the homeowner who is on a budget and does not have a lot of extra money to spend on yard and garden products. But at the same time, the Poulan PO500N22S has a proven Briggs & Stratton engine and durable design so you can be sure you are not buying a cheaply made or poorly built lawn mower. Your wallet as well as your lawn will be better off for this purchase, and it should last for many years to come, which will save you money in the long run as well.

Poulan designed the PO500N22S to make sure they were putting a quality lawn mower on the market at an affordable price. This model has a superior Briggs & Stratton 500 series engine that packs 4.7 horse power into 158 cc. Along with a 22 inch steel cutting blade, this mower has the kind of power necessary to make child’s play of even the toughest grass on the densest patches of your lawn. It can tackle tough patches without slowing down or losing power to the blade. The wide deck size will provide you with the ability to cut your lawn in record time, since at 22 inches it is one of the wider blades available on a walk behind mower today. And the ease of assembly and assurance that it starts easily almost every time mean that some of the biggest hassles associated with cutting your lawn are taken out of the equation right at the start of the job. These and other features make the experience of using the Poulan PO500N22S a great one for homeowners with smaller properties who want to save money and still have a reliable, powerful walk behind mower that will get the job done every time.

Cons

There are a number of areas where a manufacturer is forced to cut back in order to provide a walk behind mower that is not only reliable and powerful but also does not have a huge price tag. It is generally in these areas that users encounter the most problems, and there are plenty of consumer reviews available online that can give us a good picture of the drawbacks of a particular lawn mower. Reading these reviews and comparing them to the positive ones is a great way to get a complete picture of what the real life owners of a product tend to think about it. In order to help give you a good picture of what people are saying about the Poulan PO500N22S, I took a look at dozens of consumer reviews and collected the most common complaints. I list them here and go into some detail on each one. Hopefully this will help you to get a full picture of the pluses and minuses the Poulan PO500N22S offers.

1. Gas mowers produce fumes and contribute to carbon emissions : This is the major drawback of gas mowers, and it is a serious one that you should not take lightly when you are considering buying one. While gas mowers definitely offer more power than electric mowers, they do so at considerable cost. You will have to keep smelly gas cans and messy oil cans in your garage, and when you are finished mowing your lawn, both the yard and your clothes will smell like gas fumes. In addition, the EPA estimates that gas mowers are responsible for five percent of all household emissions in the United States, and that is no small amount. Therefore it is important to consider the tradeoff of having a powerful lawn mower versus filling your yard and environment with harmful emissions. In some cases there is no choice – you may have a lawn that needs the extra power. Either way, it’s worth thinking about.
2. There is only one grass clippings management option : In order to provide a reliable gas mower at a reasonable cost, Poulan had to make concessions in a number of areas, and this is a major one. Other walk behind mowers that are more expensive also offer more grass management options, including a mulching plug and rear bag along with the initial purchase price. Poulan does not on this model, although you can buy a mulching plug accessory separately from Poulan or a third party retailer, and they are generally inexpensive. But there is not an option to purchase a rear bag add on, which means that if you want to collect your clippings for later disposal or composting, you will have no choice but to do it the old fashioned way, with a rake or a broom. This can be a considerable drawback for many users, but it is important to recognize that this concession is due largely to the fact that the Poulan PO500N22S is designed to be a budget lawn mower.
3. Wheel height has to be adjusted manually : It is fairly common for walk behind mowers these days to have a single lever that adjusts all four wheel heights with a simple one step push. This is not so for the Poulan PO500N22S; each wheel has to be adjusted separately. Of course, this is not a huge inconvenience once you get used to it, as adjusting the wheels only takes a few minutes. The major problem associated with having to adjust each wheel in turn is the fact that you may accidentally adjust the height differently from one wheel to the next, resulting in an uneven cutting deck. That will provide a poor cut to the lawn and make the lawn mower harder to maneuver. It is not a drawback that can’t be dealt with, but it is an inconvenience that again is associated with the fact that this is a budget mower.
4. Mulching plug affects mower performance : More than one user complained that the mulching plug they eventually did acquire separately wound up interfering with the performance of the mower. This, of course, is more of a design flaw than a concession that was made in order to keep the price of the mower down. If you are not interested in any additional grass management options other than the original side discharge, you can of course disregard this problem. But if you are interested in buying a budget mower that has a mulching feature, this could become a major problem. There isn’t really any use to having a mulching accessory if it means the mower will not provide optimal performance.
5. Deck is stamped and thin : Unlike more expensive walk behind mowers, the Poulan PO500N22S has a cutting deck that is stamped rather than fabricated from welded parts, and a number of users have complained that it is thin enough that they could see it buckle at times. Of course, this is not particularly a problem if you do not intend to use this mower for anything other than typical residential lawn care on a small or average sized lot. But it is a matter of concern. While one certainly cannot expect the highest quality manufacturing or parts on a budget mower, it is worth noting that cheaper materials will not last as long as better quality ones. This will not affect engine performance or durability of the cutting blade, but at the same time it may wind up spelling a shorter life for the Poulan PO500N22S than more expensive mowers.

Of course, it is unfair to expect a budget mower that is designed to provide a fairly reliable performance to not have certain drawbacks in accessories or manufacturing. That is why it is important to know what you are getting when you opt to spend less money on a home and garden product like a gas mower. A product like the Poulan PO500N22S will do the job reliably, but it will also do it without the frills or high quality manufacturing and parts that more expensive lawn mowers can provide. Of course, if you have a relatively small lot to mow, and do not intend to cut it more than once or twice a month, a budget lawn mower is probably going to be right for you. It will provide exactly what you need to get the job done without taxing your wallet by providing extras that you may not need or want. If you are positive that you want a gas mower and do not need extra grass clippings option, and if you have a small property that does not require heavy work to mow it, the Poulan PO500N22S may be right for you despite its drawbacks.

Product Comparison

Once you have decided on a particular style of mower to buy – reel, electric, or gas powered – and you have a fair idea of what kind of price range you want to be in, the most important part of choosing the right product starts: comparison shopping. Comparison shopping is the best way to zero in on the right mower for your needs. It allows you to compare the attributes of different mowers that are similarly designed or priced. In this way you can determine which one is perfect for your needs. There will be certain aspects that you find more important than others, and so you should find out which models offer those that are most important to you. In order to help you do some comparison shopping quickly and easily, I have provided a table that compares the Poulan PO500N22S with the Yard-Man 11A-B29Q701 and the Lawn Boy 10604.

	Poulan PO500N22S	Yard-Man 11A-B29Q701	Lawn Boy 10604
Dimensions	33.5 x 17.1 x 25.1 inches	36.8 x 24.1 x 17.8 inches	42.1 x 21.9 x 24.3 inches
Power	Gas	Gas	Gas
Engine Manufacturer	Briggs & Stratton	Honda	Kohler
Engine Specs	500 Series 158-cc Engine	GVC160 ARCS 160-cc Engine	6-1/2-Torque 149-cc Engine
Gas Tank	0.3 Galons	0.25 Galons	0.25 Galons
Starter	Recoil	Recoil	Recoil
Deck Size (cutting swath)	22-inch	21-inch	20-inch
Mulch/Bag/Discharge	Side discharge	Mulch, bag, and discharge	Mulch, bag, and discharge
Drive System	Manual Push	Manual Push	Self-Propelled Motor
Height Adjustment	Individual (5 positions)	Single lever (5 positions)	Single lever (7 positions)
Height Settings	1-1/2- to 3-3/4-inch	1-1/4- to 3-3/4-inch	1- to 4-inch
Wheel Size	7-inch front / 7-inch rear	8-inch front / 12-inch rear	7-inch front / 8-inch rear
Weight	47 pounds	71 pounds	79 pounds
Warranty	2 years	2 years	2 years

As you can see, the Poulan PO500N22S has one of the more powerful of the three engines at 158 cc, the largest gas tank at 0.3 gallons, and the largest deck size at 22 inches. It is also the lightest of the three lawn mowers, at 47 pounds, compared to 71 and 79 pounds for the Yard-Man and the Lawn Boy mowers, respectively. The major drawbacks on the Poulan PO500N22S are the fact that it only offers one grass management option, as opposed to the three each of the other mowers offer, and it requires the user to adjust the height of each wheel individually. It and the Yard-Man mowers both have only five height options, while the Yard Boy has seven. Of the three mowers, the Poulan PO500N22S has the smallest dimensions, which means it will be the easiest to store in your garage or tool shed. Finally, the Poulan and Yard-Man mowers are both push style mowers, while the Yard Boy offers a self propelled drive mechanism.

Conclusion

If you want a lawn mower that is going to provide a good amount of power, and you do not want to spend a lot of money to get one, a walk behind gas mower that is designed with cost effectiveness in mind is the right choice for you. The Poulan PO500N22S is just such a mower. It has a powerful engine, large cutting deck, and is designed without all of the frills or add ons that drive up the price of other mowers. This is a great gas mower for the average homeowner who does not have a large lawn to maintain and who does not want to be spending a lot of money maintaining it. It has several pros that make it a great lawn mower that sells at a budget price. Let’s review the pros and cons one more time.

Conclusion Pros

1. Powerful 500 Series Briggs & Stratton engine.
2. 20 inch steel cutting deck for faster cuts.
3. Light weight and equalized wheel height for better maneuvering.
4. Starts reliably and is easy to use out of the box.
5. One of the most affordable walk behind mowers available.

Considering each of these features, you can see how the Poulan PO500N22S provides all of the advantages of a powerful gas mower, but doesn’t make you break the bank to do it. It has a powerful 500 series Briggs & Stratton engine that packs 4.7 horse into 158 cc. It has a wide cutting deck that along with its powerful engine can tackle the toughest lawns out there, and do so in fewer passes, which means you will be finished with the job and relaxing before you know it. It is light weight for easier maneuverability, and it starts reliably every time. If it is taken care of and serviced properly, this budget mower will last many years, and save you a great deal of money while it does it.

Conclusion Cons

1. Produces fumes and carbon emissions.
2. Only one grass clippings management option out of the box.
3. Wheel height has to be adjusted individually.
4. Mulching plug affects mower performance.
5. Deck is stamped and thinly made.

Like any gas mower, the Poulan PO500N22S is going to produce fumes and carbon emissions. This may seem like an obvious drawback, but it is important to keep in mind while you are shopping for a new lawn mower. The tradeoff for the emissions is the fact that it will provide power – a lot more power than electric mowers can. But because it is a budget mower, the manufacturer made certain concessions in other areas as well. It only has one grass management option, the wheels have to be individually adjusted instead of all at once with a single lever, what accessories are available affect the mower’s performance, and the mower is made out of inexpensive parts and is cheaply manufactured. If you think these drawbacks outweigh the savings this mower provides, then I don’t blame you for wanting to look elsewhere.

Final Word

A budget gas mower is perfect for the homeowner who does not have a large property with a lot of grass that needs cutting. This mower will provide exactly what they need without forcing to spend too much money on extras or accessories they may not need or want anyway. And the power a gas mower provides is unparalleled in walk behind mowers. This allows gas mowers to provide wider deck sizes and enough torque to cut through even the toughest varieties of dense grass reliably without slowing down or getting stuck.

The Poulan PO500N22S provides all of the benefits of a more expensive gas mower without breaking your wallet. It has the kind of quality engine and wide deck size to ensure you will get a good cut in a timely manner every time. It has a reputation for starting reliably and being easy to use. It is designed to be lightweight and maneuverable, and has small enough dimensions that storing it will never pose a problem. As reasonably priced gas mowers go, the Poulan PO500N22S has many advantages, especially if you are not looking for a mower with expensive frills and add ons.

Best Price

Throughout this review I have been pointing out the affordability of the Poulan PO500N22S, and I certainly don’t intend to stop here. Simply put, this is one of the most affordable gas mowers on the market today. And it provides that low price tag without cutting into the integrity of the engine or size of the mower. While it does not have accessories like a rear bag or mulch plug included, and it is made out of stamped parts, it still has a quality Briggs & Stratton engine and a durable steel cutting blade. That means it will reliably cut your grass for a long time to come. But it will not cost you hundreds of dollars up front. The Poulan PO500N22S tends to be priced at less than a couple hundred dollars. Compare that to more expensive walk behind gas mowers, which can run all the way up to eight or nine hundred dollars, and you can see why a budget mower like the Poulan PO500N22S is a bargain.