Gizmo

By Andy Walker, Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

The Self-Starter Yard-Man (model 979T) is a new type of lawnmower that is easy to start and will appeal to older gardeners and those with sore backs.

You just pull the starter cord at the beginning of the season and then, every time afterwards the lawnmower starts with the push of a button, reports Simon Walker, my suburban brother, who extensively lawn tested this gizmo.

The mower starts the motor by using energy stored from the flywheel when the engine was last stopped. To start the mower again you press the start button and pull back on the safety handle. It's faster than starting a car.

The Yardman is a powerful mower with a strong six-horse power Briggs and Stratton gasoline engine, which cuts long grass in a single pass.

It has attachments for mulching, throwing and collecting the clippings in bag catcher. The design of the mower brings the 21-inch blade very close to walls, trees and other obstacles which reduces the need for trimming.

The lawnmower comes pre-assembled, so within 15 minutes of opening the box the mower is ready to go. The only downside: "The starting instructions were not as clear as they could be on the mower and in the instructions book," said brother Simon. "It took a few minutes to figure it out."

Price: $699.99 Cdn / $450 US
More info: http://www.yardman.com, http://www.mtdcanada.com/
Buy it: In Canada at Home Hardware, Rona/Revy stores and Co-Op stores. In the U.S., at Lowe's, Ace Hardware and TSC. More U.S. retailers listed by ZIP code at www.yardman.com.

Search for more gadgets at: The Sharper Image