Mowing a lawn can be a lot easier if we have the right lawnmower. It doesn't really matter if we have acres of beautiful green grass in front of our house or just a humble little patch, that grass is going to grow and we're going to need to trim it.
Even if we know some reliable brands when it comes to lawnmowers, the amount of information out there can be pretty overwhelming. Should we buy gas or electric? Push or self-propelled? We're here to help you find the perfect lawnmower. Here are 10 things we should be looking for when purchasing a lawnmower.
10 Measure The Work Area
Different kinds of lawnmowers work best on specific lawn or yard sizes. You don't need the exact measurements of your lawn in order to purchase a lawnmower, but it will be helpful to have a ballpark idea. Think about whether you have an acre or more, or if your lawn is flat, sloping, or hilly.
If you're buying a corded lawnmower for a small lawn, you want to measure the distance from the nearest power source. The size of your lawn will determine if you need an electric or gas-powered lawnmower, or a push-type or riding mower. You want to pick the best model or type for the size of your lawn.
9 What's Growing In The Yard
Knowing what kind of grass grows in our yard is also a deciding factor for the kind of lawnmower that we should buy. For example, rotary lawnmowers are best at cutting long and rough kinds of grass. They're the kind that operates like the blades of a fan. You also want to know if you have bermuda grass (which grows well when you cut it low) or fescues grass which is cut higher.
You should also know that blades can be adjusted on lawnmowers according to the height of your grass. That's a good feature to look out for.
8 Consider The Brand
Do some research on the brands that you're inclined to purchase and find out where their service centers are. We might be eyeing a nice lawnmower but discover later that the nearest service center is far away from home. Different brands of lawnmowers vary in quality, affordability, and durability. Greenworks is one brand that's good and cheaper than most. Some other great brands are Ego and Worx.
But the best overall lawnmower brand that we found after some research is Honda. It has at least two great lawnmowers, like the gas-powered Honda HRX217VKA. It just ticks all the important boxes for an ideal lawnmower, like engine power and ease of use.
7 Gas or Electric
A gas-powered lawnmower is a deal-breaker for neighborhoods who have an issue with noisy homeowners and their big disturbing machines. Electric mowers definitely have lower decibel levels when operated so it's a good idea to think about that. The exhaust is also an issue with gas-powered lawnmowers, electric ones do not have that smoke discharge and gas fume smell.
But when it comes to cutting power and efficiency, gas-powered mowers are the choice. Consumer Reports compares two popular lawnmowers: electric and gas-powered. The key thing to remember is electric lawnmowers might run out of juice if you have a really big lawn. If you have a big yard, it's smarter to go with the gas-powered lawnmowers.
6 Safety and Ease-of-Use Features
Newer models of lawnmowers have more safety features and are easier to operate than traditional lawnmower types. Look at what ease-of-use features would benefit you and your yard the most, and which safety features you think you need the most.
Know that there are also robotic lawnmowers now, so if you really don't enjoy this chore, pony up and get one of these Husqvarna robotic lawnmowers. Don't buy a mower because it has the most features, buy it because it has the features that you need the most.
5 Mowers for Big Lawns
If you have a huge lawn, then pass on the manual and corded lawnmowers altogether. If your lawn measures close to 4,000 square feet, then it's definitely considered a big lawn. What we need for our big lawns are mowers with great maneuverability, power, and durability.
If you opt for a push-lawnmower, look for ones with cutting power for efficiency. The best choice we have are the ride-on lawnmowers. They're made for big lawns and should be easier to operate. One of the best ride-on lawnmowers is the Deere X350. It has a 42-inch cutting deck and mulching feature. Having a big lawn means big spending on maintenance, too.
4 Mowers for Small Lawns
Smaller lawns are easier to maintain because our work area is more manageable. One can instantly see their progress when working on a smaller lawn. What we need to look for is the advantages of each small lawn-type mower. It's easy to get a manual lawnmower for less than a hundred dollars but think of other benefits you can get with an electric or gas-powered mower first.
Some of these types can be purchased for an affordable price, too. The best one we can recommend is the Worx Cordless Mulching lawnmower. It comes with two battery packs (20V each) where one can mow up to 5,500 square feet of grass.
3 Mulching is Always Good
The mulching feature in lawnmowers is something that everybody needs, whether you have a big or small lawn. It's a smart feature with huge benefits. Look for this feature if you want to save on fertilizing your lawn.
With the mulching feature on our mowers, we can re-use the cut grass as fertilizer for the lawn. Plus, we don't have to clean the cut grass anymore because the mower cuts them down into pieces that are virtually unnoticeable and that's less work for us. If you're doubtful, get the lawnmower that can turn the mulching feature on and off.
2 Warranty, Maintenance, And Service
Some lawnmower warranties are shady, it's best not to go into details and focus on what we can do about it. According to Homeguide, the average cost of lawn mower repair is around $40 to $90. Usually, lawnmower warranties are about a year to 24 months.
Speaking of warranties, getting that extension can actually work in your favor when it comes to lawnmowers, so look and try to weigh the pros and cons for your situation. Factor in how often you are really going to use the machine, too.
1 Price
The cost of a lawnmower depends on the features it has and the efficiency it offers. Don't be blinded by the shiny color and sleek design and, instead, check out what it can do. Have a demo or test it first before purchasing, then read a little about its features and specs.
The cheapest lawnmower we can find on Amazon is priced at $67.39 and it's a manual Great States cylinder-type push mower. If you think you won't enjoy mowing with a new machine, maybe try this one out first, or get a good automatic lawnmower. Feel it out and then upgrade when you're ready for a bigger, stronger beast. The goal, of course, is a decent-looking lawn.