Shopping for a lawnmower may appear fairly easy, till you think about all of the choices which can be out there.
There are lots of components to contemplate, reminiscent of the dimensions of your yard, the terrain, your means and energy, panorama options, and whether or not you like fuel or electrical energy.
Right here is a few recommendation on buying a garden mower from Stan Musser, proprietor of Musser’s Garden & Backyard in Lititz:
Table of Contents
Step 1: Think about the dimensions of your yard
It will assist decide whether or not you need a driving mower, a self-propelled mower or a push mower. A flat yard is good for a driving mower. Self-propelled or push mowers work finest for a really small yard. Typically, push garden mowers are solely beneficial for yards of a half-acre or much less. Any larger and it’ll take quite a lot of power to push the mower. Even utilizing a self-propelled mower shall be a tiring process, particularly on a scorching summer season day. In case your yard is massive, a driving mower works finest, and it’s even form of enjoyable.
Step 2: Think about the terrain
Is the yard principally flat and clear? Or are there hills and obstacles to navigate? In case your yard is small and comparatively flat, a regular push mower will work simply high quality. In case you have hills to navigate, you will have a self-propelled mower to ease the pressure. In case your yard is massive AND steep, a driving mower won’t work nicely on the incline. You’d most likely do higher with a self-propelled mower.
Step 3: Select between a gas-powered mower or an electrical mower
Every has its execs and cons, however usually an electrical mower is way simpler to start out and is way quieter. Plus, you don’t want fuel, in fact. Nevertheless, an electrical mower might not work nicely for a really massive yard, because the cost for a cordless mower could be restricted. Electrical mowers are higher for the surroundings, however they will value a little bit extra.
A fuel mower usually has extra energy and might simply final the complete length of your mowing session. The draw back is that upkeep is extra difficult and fuel mowers usually begin with a pull wire, which some folks might discover tough.
Step 4: Think about the deck measurement of the mower
The deck is the world the place the blades are situated. The broader the mower deck, the larger the swath you may reduce in a single move. Decks can vary kind 20 to 70 inches or bigger, however are normally between 30 and 60 inches. A wider deck can scale back the time it takes to chop a garden, significantly you probably have a bigger yard. Nevertheless, you probably have a smaller yard or you need to maneuver between quite a lot of panorama options, a smaller deck measurement may match higher.
Step 5: Resolve the way you need to deal with grass clippings
You’ll be able to bag them, discharge them from the facet of the mower or mulch them. Musser says it’s primarily a matter of private desire.
If you happen to select to bag, you may mow in practically all circumstances, fully take away all clippings and work rapidly. The drawback is that you’ll have to get rid of the grass clippings. Sometimes the bag is on the rear.
Aspect-discharge mowers shoot the grass clippings out the facet as you mow. They permit you to mow in virtually all circumstances, work on the quickest velocity and get a high-quality reduce. Nevertheless, the clippings can litter the road or driveways, so this methodology works finest on bigger lawns. Raking clippings will not be beneficial since it might harm the garden. Baggage will be tailored for side-discharge mowers.
Mulching mowers work in a different way in that they finely chop grass clippings as they reduce, permitting them to filter right down to the soil and supply vitamins to the garden. Whereas mulching mowers supply nonstop mowing, they shouldn’t be used if the garden is damp or moist, they usually have a tendency to scale back your mowing velocity.
Step 6: Decide for those who want a zero-turn mower
In case your yard has a number of backyard beds, bushes or particular options, you would possibly need to think about a driving mower with a zero-turn radius. Such a driving mower has entrance caster wheels that pivot at sharper angles, making it fast and straightforward to take turns and trim round obstacles in your yard. This superior characteristic makes a garden mower dearer.
Step 7: Decide your price range
Garden mowers can value as little as $200 for a gas-powered push mower to as a lot as $15,000 for a commercial-level driving mower, Musser says. The preferred mower at Musser’s is a zero-turn driving mower priced at over $4,000. Musser says provide chain points are affecting the garden mower business, and inventory is unusually low proper now. An electrical non-riding mower may cost a little round $500.