I second the Honda. I inherited (literally) a HR215HMA that is 10 to
12 years old. It works great. I gave it a tune-up this spring, but it
really didn't need it.

Things I really like about the Honda:
- aluminum deck that will never rust
- electric start, although it starts by rope quite easily
- full range throttle control, something my last (cheap) mower didn't
have
- full range drive speed control; my last mower had on/off drive
- rear wheel drive; i like it much better than front wheel drive
- blade brake that allows blade to be disengaged without stopping
engine
- adjustable handle height
- mulches or bags; i use the dual-blade mulching and it chops the grass
quite finely

Since I didn't have to pay anything for it, I wasn't put off by the
purchase price. But if I had to buy another mower, I'd pony up the
cash for another Honda.