Quick verdict
A 21-inch steel-deck gas push mower with a 144cc OHV engine, auto choke, mulching and side discharge, six heights from 1.5 to 3.9 inches and a handle that folds for storage. It suits a flat quarter-acre lawn cut weekly on a budget. The caveat is the pairing of a small engine with a full-width deck: it is fine for maintenance cuts, not for overgrown grass.
Strengths
- Full 21-inch cut from a light, affordable push mower
- Auto-choke 144cc OHV engine starts without priming
- All-steel deck with mulch and side-discharge modes
- Six heights from 1.5 to 3.9 inches on one lever
- Folding handle saves up to 70 percent of storage space per the maker
- 10-inch rear and 7-inch front wheels roll over bumps
Weaknesses
- No bagging option
- 144cc is small for a 21-inch deck in thick or tall grass
- Push only; no self-propel for slopes
- Weight and warranty term are not stated
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Who this mower is for
A flat quarter-acre lawn does not need a self-propelled drive or a bag, and the buyer who knows that can save real money. The PowerSmart 21-inch is a gas push mower built around that logic: full-width steel deck, a modest 144cc engine with an auto choke, mulching and side discharge, and a handle that folds so the mower takes up a slice of garage wall instead of a bay. It is a maintenance mower for a lawn that gets cut every week, not a brush cutter for a lot that gets cut twice a summer.
This review is based on the maker’s published specifications and on recurring owner feedback. We have not run this product ourselves.
What you get
The listing specifies a 21-inch cutting path under an all-steel deck, a 144cc four-stroke OHV engine with an auto choke, and 2-in-1 cutting, meaning mulch or side discharge with no bag. A single lever sets six cutting heights from 1.5 to 3.9 inches. The rear wheels are 10 inches and the fronts 7 inches. The handle folds, and PowerSmart claims the folded footprint saves up to 70 percent of storage space. Not stated: the weight, whether oil is included, the blade type beyond the word specialized, and the warranty term.
Cutting and power
The thing to understand about this mower is the ratio of engine to deck. Most 21-inch mowers carry 140 to 170cc, so 144cc sits at the bottom of that band. On a healthy lawn cut weekly, that is enough; the blade does not meet much resistance and the mulch is fine. Where owners of small-engine 21-inch mowers notice the limit is in the first cut of spring, after a rainy week, or on a lawn that was skipped: the engine note drops, the deck clogs and the cut turns ragged. The remedy is standard. Raise the deck to the top of the 3.9-inch range, slow your walk, overlap passes by half a deck and switch from mulch to side discharge until the lawn is back under control. The 1.5-inch floor is the common minimum for the class and suits most cool-season grasses.
Ease of use and handling
A push mower is only as pleasant as its weight and its wheels, and PowerSmart has got the wheels right: 10-inch rears and 7-inch fronts roll over roots and ruts more easily than the small wheels on bargain mowers. Weight is not stated, but a 144cc engine is lighter than a 190cc one and there is no drive system to carry, so this should be among the lighter 21-inch gas mowers to push and to turn. The auto choke removes priming from the start routine. The single-lever height adjustment is quicker than per-wheel levers. The folding handle is a real benefit in a tight garage, and the mower can be stood against a wall between cuts.
Build and durability
The all-steel deck is the right choice for gas and takes the occasional stone better than poly. The engine is a generic four-stroke OHV of the type fitted across the budget end of the market; owners of PowerSmart mowers generally report it starting and running without drama when the oil is kept topped up and the fuel is fresh. The limits are the ones you would expect at the price: the bail, cables and handle hardware are built to a cost, and the blade will want sharpening sooner than a premium one.
Living with it
Add oil before the first start and never run it low; small engines are unforgiving of that. Check the oil each cut, change it each season, replace the air filter and plug annually, and sharpen the blade at least once a season. Use fresh fuel and stabilize the tank or run it dry before winter. Without a bag, fall leaves are either mulched in place with a couple of passes or discharged to the side and raked, so plan on that. PowerSmart does not state the warranty term in the listing; check the product page.
Alternatives to Consider
The Craftsman M105 is the mainstream 21-inch 140cc push mower with a 3-in-1 deck that adds a bag, backed by a big-box parts network. The Toro Recycler 21-inch push mower costs more but brings Toro’s mulching deck and a stronger engine. If storage space and quiet matter more than price, the Greenworks 40V 17-inch cordless push mower trades gas upkeep for a battery.
Verdict
Buy the PowerSmart 21-inch 144cc if the lawn is flat, a quarter acre or so, cut weekly, and you want a wide cut, a folding handle and a low price without needing a bag. Skip it if the lawn gets away from you between cuts, if you want to collect clippings, or if there is a slope that a push mower will make you regret.
Full specifications
PowerSmart 21-Inch 144cc 4-Cycle OHV Gas Push Mower with Mulching and Side Discharge, 6 Cutting Heights FAQs
No. This is a 2-in-1 deck: mulch or side discharge. If you want to collect clippings for a tidy finish or for leaves in fall, look at a 3-in-1 mower with a rear bag.
For a weekly cut of a healthy lawn, yes. It is at the small end for the width, so in tall, wet or dense grass raise the deck, slow down and take narrower passes rather than forcing it.
PowerSmart says the folding handle cuts the storage footprint by up to 70 percent. With the handle folded the mower stands roughly as deep as its deck, so it tucks against a wall.
No. It is a gas mower; you add oil and gasoline. The auto choke means you pull the cord without priming or setting a choke lever.
