Curb appeal is what separates you from your neighbors. You want your lawn to look its very best every year. Get the most for your money by selecting the right lawn mower to begin with! Let Blain’s Farm & Fleet help you find the right one for your yard and your budget.
A lawn mower is an investment. The money you put into this piece of equipment is as important as the yard around your home. Make this task easy and maybe even enjoyable by purchasing the right lawn mower for your property.
Here are some key features to look for in a push lawn mower, also known as a walk behind mower.
Reel lawn mowers have almost become obsolete with new technology. However, they are a wonderful option for home owner with smaller yards. A reel lawn mower is a manual push mower for a very small and flat yard as you are the power behind generating the mower to cut the grass. For some, push reel mowers can be nostalgic.
They are quiet, economical, and require little maintenance and no gasoline! Manual reel mowers are also environmentally friendly as they do not release any emissions into the atmosphere like gas powered mowers do. Grass clippings can also be used in composting.
Electric lawn mowers are great for the environment as they are quiet, produce no emissions, and tend to be easy to start. They run cordless and off of a battery. However, as the battery life depletes, the cut quality declines.
There are also corded electric lawn mowers, but they are best for smaller, flat lawns.
Gas lawn mowers are for larger yards and tend to be more high powered than electric lawn mowers. They have wider cutting swaths and can handle much more grass. If your yard is small and flat, a gas mower with a standard engine will give you enough power to get the job done.
An engine that features an overhead cam, or OHC, is more powerful than standard engines. OHC engines have more power to them and tend to run quieter than standard engines.
However, if you have a lot of uneven or hilly lawn to mow, you may want to find an engine that has an overhead valve or OHV. OHV engines tend to be the most powerful option on push mowers and provide an easy start and run efficiently. OHV mowers are also known to run cleaner, causing fewer pollutants.
If you expect any member of your family to use the mower, and not overexert themselves doing so, it’s a good idea to buy a mower that is self-propelled. These mowers move automatically at speeds of one to three miles per hour when the drive is engaged.
Front wheel drive is best for yards that are flat. It is easier to maneuver around corners and obstacles in a yard without letting go of the drive and helps avoid tearing up your yard.
Rear wheel drive is best for hilly yards, so when you are going up a hill and your mower tips back, the mower will still pull you up the hill.
Most mowers only go one speed, but some do offer variable speeds.
This decision comes down to a few factors, including the square footage of your lawn, the amount of storage space you have available to store your lawn mower, your budget, and your physical fitness or desired level of activity when mowing your lawn.
If you have a small lawn, limited storage space, a smaller budget, and want a little bit more of a workout when you use your lawn mower, then a push mower is probably a better fit for you.
If you have a larger lawn, a shed or garage to store your mower in, a higher budget, and you don’t want your lawn mowing to be physically demanding, then get yourself a riding lawn mower.
If you’re somewhere in between these two descriptions, think about what’s most important to you.
If you want to get the lawn mowed quickly, a riding lawn mower will let you cover more area and finish the job quickly. If you enjoy working out in the sun and breaking a sweat like the old days when you used to mow lawns for spending money as a kid, a push mower might be the right fit for you!
It’s a matter of preference, and there is no wrong answer!
This will largely depend on how you want to use your mower. A 2 in 1 mower will side discharge the grass clippings, or turn them into mulch. A 3 in 1 will let you do both of those things, while also allowing for the bagging of clippings.
If you are going to use a bagger or lawn vacuum, keep in mind this may lead to extra stops to empty the bag. If you’re going to use a tow-behind lawn sweeper for lawn cleanup, make sure you get a mower with a little extra power to handle the weight of towing the sweeper attachment.
Mulching mowers are a great alternative to bagging as the grass clippings are chopped into fine pieces that do not clump. However, mulching mowers require a more powerful engine.
Most gas lawn mowers will come with a pull start mechanism. This means that you have to pull a cord to get the lawn mower to start. While reliable, it can be a tedious and strenuous task to get the mower to start this way.
More and more lawn mowers now feature an electric start. This eliminates the work to start your mower – simply push a button or turn the key and you’re set!
The standard deck size for push mowers is 21 inches in cutting width. This is the cutting path your mower will leave. Non-commercial riding lawn mowers have decks up to 54 inches in cutting width to help you mow your lawn that much faster.
High wheels in the back will make it easier for you to turn your mower and go over bumps.
If you choose a self propelled mower, the rear wheel drive options cost a bit more to repair. To fix a front drive lawn mower, you’ll simply need to replace a belt.
Depending on the thickness of your grass, you will want different options for the cutting height.
If you are trying to cut very thick grass down in one swipe, this can greatly slow down your mower and be hard on your engine. You also want to be able to adjust the cutting height of your mower if your yard is particularly bumpy. This will cut down on the scalping of the grass. Never cut your grass too short.
We hope that these tips from Blain’s Farm & Fleet has helped you get an idea on which mower is best suited for you. For more tips and information on lawn mowers and other outdoor equipment, check out our Outdoor Power Equipment blog.
