If you’re into lawn care equipment like me, then Honda is a name you’ve surely come across multiple times!
This Japanese brand is one of the largest and best manufacturers of power equipment the world over. With a product line that spans from motorcycles to lawn mowers, Honda is certainly a brand that has created ripples worldwide. But are its lawn care products as good as it claims to be?
Hi! I’m Stacy Smith, your friendly neighborhood lawn care expert. And today, I’m going to take you through an overview of Honda lawn products. Along the way, I’ll also acquaint you with the history of the brand and whether its products are worth your money.
Let’s get straight into the deets then!
Overview Of Honda Lawn Products
A Brief History Of Honda
Truth be told, the history of Honda is too huge to be fitted into a few paragraphs. The company’s journey started with one Soichiro Honda, who worked as a mechanic in the Art Shokai garage, tuning race cars.
Due to his lifelong interest in automobiles, Soichiro Honda thought about starting his own automobile parts company. After obtaining the required funds from his acquaintances, he founded the Tokai Seiki company in 1937 for making piston rings.
Even though Tokai Seiki obtained a contract from Toyota, Honda soon lost it due to the rings’ poor production quality. Not one to be daunted by his failure, Honda put in the work and was able to mass-produce products that Toyota approved of.
After World War II, Honda sold Tokai Seiki’s remains to Toyota and used the funds from the sale to start the Honda Technical Research Institute in the October of 1946. With a team of just 12 men, Honda began to sell improvised motorcycles.
In 1949, the Honda Technical Research Institute was again sold, and the proceeds were used for incorporating the Honda Motor Company. With painstaking effort, Soichiro Honda built up his company and started manufacturing small engines used in power equipment in 1953.
Under the technical expertise of Soichiro Honda and the marketing and business acumen of Takeo Fujisawa, Honda worked over the years to build a global presence in motor vehicle engines and equipment. By 1964, Honda had become the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.
In 1973, Honda introduced products such as tillers, generators, and outboards in the US market. This was followed by the addition of water pumps (1975) and lawn mowers (1979). Within the next four years, the company had also added snow blowers to its product range.
Where Honda Stands Today
Through turbulent decades of wartime devastation and navigating hostile takeovers, Honda today is a multinational conglomerate with stakes in motor vehicles of all kinds. It has also been able to build a presence in the power equipment market.
The company is considered the world’s largest internal combustion engine manufacturer. Honda is committed to creating products beyond mere motor vehicles and holds the distinction of having manufactured over 100 million power equipment.
Although the company has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo in Japan, it has global offices and manufacturing units spread across the world. In the US, Honda Power Equipments has its headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia, where it operates out of three separate units.
It also has a sprawling research and development center in North Carolina, where the company tests its equipment made for US audiences. Overall, I think it’s not a mistake to say that today, Honda is a brand that has settled itself well beyond its national boundaries.
What Products Does The Brand Manufacture?
It’s no secret that Honda started operations as a manufacturer of motorcycles. However, the brand today has expanded to produce automobiles, generators, and other power equipment spread across six product families.
Apart from domestic, recreational, and industrial generators, Honda also produces lawn mowers (manual and automatic). It even has the MIIMO family of robotic lawn mowers that can make the job easier for you.
Its lawn care equipment includes Mini, Mid-Tine, and Rear-Tine Tillers, along with Brushcutters, Trimmers, and Versattach systems. It also has a range of general-purpose, construction, and submersible pumps.
However, that’s not all; as you’ve already seen, Honda is a force to reckon with when it comes to snow blowers. The brand’s single and two-stage snow blowers are highly maneuverable and powerful, allowing you to clear snow in less time and with minimal effort.
With an eye to the future, Honda has also put in significant effort and R&D in robotics and artificial intelligence. Honda’s ASIMO robot is very popular, and the company is also foraying into self-driving cars.
Is The Quality Worth The Price?
In a word: yes! Honda’s product quality is vouched for by experts the world over. Its gas push lawn mowers are top-rated among gardeners and homeowners all over the US. They need very little maintenance or repair and last for years.
The maintenance factor aside, Honda mowers are simple and very easy to use. They offer an exclusive twin blade technology that helps you cut through the grass faster and with effortless ease. Simultaneously, Honda lawn products incorporate several helpful safety features that ensure accident-free operation.
At the same time, all Honda lawn products come with a comprehensive warranty policy. The company also has one of the largest dealer networks all over the US, with trained staff ready to serve customers.
Final Words
From its humble beginnings manufacturing piston rings to becoming one of the largest motor vehicle and power equipment manufacturers globally, Honda has certainly come a long way. I, for one, am convinced that its lawn care products are among the very best.
That said, Honda’s product prices are a bit on the steeper side. However, considering the impeccable quality you get, I guess the high price tag is justified. At least, once you invest in a Honda product, you can use it for years, if not decades.
But that’s enough about Honda from my end! Now, it’s time for me to mow my lawn. I’ll leave you with the hope that I’ve been able to answer most of your questions regarding the brand. And I’ll be back soon with more such reads.
Till then, bye!