A visit to your local home improvement center to look at lawnmowers can be a bit overwhelming — from riding mowers to lawn tractors, push mowers to the most basic reel mower, your options seem almost endless. Here, we'll cover the basics of lawnmower options so you can begin to get started on deciding which one is right for you and your lawn type.
Rider or Push?
Most experts recommend that you should purchase a riding mower if you have more than ¾ of an acre to mow. That’s a great guideline, but you can also consider what amount of time you want to spend mowing and what kind of lawn you have. If you love to mow (hey, it’s not unheard of!), and want the exercise, you might not mind spending a few hours pushing a lawnmower around your property. If you’re the type who wants to get mowing out of the way as quickly as possible, you could opt for a rider even with a smaller lawn. The choice is yours!
Pro tip: Your really do get what you pay for when it comes to mowers. The more you spend, the better quality mower you’ll get. Think of it this way: if you spend more up front, you’ll have a mower that could last years longer than a cheaper model, and you'll spend less in the long run on repairs and replacements.
Riding Mowers
There are three types of riding mowers: standard, lawn tractors, and zero turn.
A standard riding mower is operated with a steering wheel and works great for ¾ of an acre or more. You can also choose to add optional features such as mulch bags, small trailers to haul tools and plants, and pull-behind spreaders to distribute grass seed.
Lawn tractors are designed the same as standard riding mowers but usually have more powerful engines and heavy-duty transmissions. If you have a lot of property — several acres or more — they can handle the job better than a standard mower.
Zero Turn mowers are great for lawns with lots of obstacles, such as trees, flower beds, and hardscapes. These mowers have front caster wheels that pivot easily around angles, resulting in a clean, close cut. Some zero turn mowers have traditional steering wheels, while others feature lap bars or levers to control the vehicle.
You can choose between manual, automatic, and hydrostatic transmissions for your rider. A manual transmission allows you to select a speed set, while an automatic transmission lets you control speed simply by pushing the gas pedal. Automatic transmission mowers work well on lawns with many obstalces. A hydrostatic transmission is similar to an automatic, but uses fluid rather than belts to power the engine, thereby providing a smoother ride. Hydrostatic transmissions also tend to last longer and require less maintenance than automatic.
Push Mowers
If you decide to purchase a push mower, you can choose between walk behind or self-propelled. If you’re the type who wants to power your own mower and use a walk behind, then more power to you! If you’d rather the mower do most of the work, then go with self-propelled.
You can choose between front, rear, and all-wheel drive self-propelled mowers. Front wheel is best for level lawns with obstacles — you just push down on the handle and easily pivot around trees, bushes, and landscapes.
Rear wheel drive will do the best job at uphill and side hill mowing. The rear wheels won’t lose traction as you work your way up the hill.
If your property has steep hills, washboard surfaces, or you’ll be doing a lot of sidehill mowing (i.e., many lawns we see in Western North Carolina), then all-wheel drive is right for you.
We’ve covered the basics of lawn mowers, but if you’re into more features, such as gas versus electric power, engine torque, mulching options, no oil change options and more, check out this helpful article from Popular Mechanics.
And remember, if you’re the type who doesn’t like mowing or just don’t have the time, we’re here for you! Call us to talk about our Lawn & Landscape Maintenance packages that include aeration and over seeding, flower bed maintenance, and of course — mowing!