Lawncare 101: How To Choose A Lawn Mower For Your Type Of Yard

Lawncare 101: How To Choose A Lawn Mower For Your Type Of Yard

Warm weather will be here before you know it. That means it will soon be time to get your lawn care equipment ready for action. Are you in the market for a new lawn mower? If so, it’s important that you know how to choose the one that will be best for your yard.

Believe it or not, every mower isn’t the same. They come in different sizes and are designed for a variety of different uses. After all, every yard is different and can’t be effectively maintained with the same tools.

Here are some of the basics you’ll need to know in order to keep your yard looking it’s very best this summer!

Push Mowers vs. Motorized vs. Self Propelled

There are three basic types of mowers used on smaller lawns. Let’s take a look at them here.

Push Mowers

Push mowers have no motor to power the cutting blade. Thus they rely purely on muscle and sweat to get the job down. This type of mower requires a small, very flat lawn to produce a consistent cut.

Motorized Mowers

The basic motorized lawn motor is either electric or gas powered, with a blade that’s powered by the motor yet still has to be manually propelled.

Self Propelled

A self-propelled mower is just that…it’s self-propelled. The best self-propelled lawn mower is designed so that the motor engages a drive system which propels the mower automatically, smoothly and powerfully, so that the only work required of you is to steer.

Walk-Behind vs. Riding vs. Zero Turn

The next thing to consider is what type of mower is best for a bigger lawn. Here are your options.

Walk-Behind Mowers

A self-propelled walk-behind mower might be just fine for most small to mid-sized lawns. The main thing to consider with a walk-behind is the fact that you’ll be on your feet the entire time.

Riding Mowers

The next step up is a riding mower. These come in a variety of sizes, power options, and features. If your budget allows, there are riding mowers that are powerful while also offering really cool features that make mowing the grass a true pleasure.

More expensive models will typically offer more powerful motors. They also offer features like power-steering, grass catchers, radios, and cupholders, as well as elaborate settings for speed and blade adjustments that affect the way the machine cuts the grass.

Smaller, less-powerful riding mowers do a good job on small or mid-sized lawns, but ultimately the size of the cutting area of the blade will determine how long it will take to mow your lawn. Big powerful machines are simply better able to move fast through taller grass and clear a wider path with each pass.

Zero Turn Mowers

in recent years, the industry has seen a significant rise in the popularity of zero turn mowers. These are much larger machines that are capable of turning on a dime, with two steering arms that make them easy to navigate around corners and other tight spaces.

Zero turn mowers can be used for any size yard, but are really designed for covering a lot of ground in a short period of time. The cutting area is wider, with greater horsepower, and these mowers are built to handle uneven and bumpy terrain.

These mowers, or lawn tractors, are a significant step up from most other types, both in regard to power and wider cutting decks. Many come with attachments such as aerators, snow throwers, and spreaders to help with a multitude of tasks beyond simply cutting grass.

And advanced features often include headlights, four-wheel steering, cruise control, and 12-volt outlets.

When shopping for a lawn tractor, be prepared for prices to start around $2,000.

Gas Or Electric

Another consideration to keep in mind when deciding the best kind of mower for your yard is choosing between gas or electric. Let’s take a look at the difference:

Electric Mowers

Believe it or not, electric lawn mowers are rather popular. These can be corded or cordless, and are obviously much cleaner to operate, making them more environmentally friendly.

Some electric mowers require an extension cord to be plugged into an outlet, while cordless models are powered by a battery. Most electric models are available in the $200 or $400 price range.

Gas Mowers

The vast majority of mowers on the market are gas-powered.

Gas mowers tend to be messier and require more maintenance, but are built for heavier work and to cut a much larger area of grass. And obviously, you don’t have to worry about staying close enough to the power source.

Ultimately, choosing between gas or electric comes down to need. If you have a smaller, flat lawn, with few rocks or other forms of debris to worry about, an electric model might be adequate. Plus you’ll not have to worry about keeping fuel on-hand.

Considering All the Options

For most people, the two primary considerations when shopping for a new lawn mower are the size of your yard and budget. After all, if you have a larger lawn, you’ll want a machine that can most easily handle it. But you also have to keep budget limitations in mind.

Fortunately, will all the mowers discussed here, each category has plenty of models in every price range available. It’s simply up to you to decide what you require out of a mower and narrow the choices accordingly.

Now You Know How to Choose a Lawn Mower!

Spring is right around the corner. The sun will be shining and the grass will start growing. That’s why it’s important to know how to choose a lawn mower for keeping your yard looking its best.

Keep in mind that the type of lawn mower you buy will have a major impact on the amount of time and energy you have to spend out in the heat cutting the grass. Just remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the job done and have an amazing looking lawn!

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