Choosing A Lawn Mower - Things To Consider

Posted by | Posted on 12:55 AM

By Ned Dagostino

For many, the frustration happens every year. It's time to mow the grass, but your old lawn mower won't start, shuts down, or just makes it a miserable chore. So finally you decide it's time to get a new one. But choosing a lawn mower is not as easy as it seems.

There are a lot of choices you'll have to make, but start by looking at these three important factors. How big is your yard and what is the terrain like? What features do you want and do you really need them? What type of engine will your yard require?

Do you need a riding lawn mower, or is a walk behind mower good enough. Use this rule as a starting point. If your yard is over three-quarters of an acre, then look at riding mowers. If not, a walk behind mower is likely all you need. The walk behind mower is by far the most popular. And if your yard is small, smooth, and doesn't have a lot of hills, there's no need to spend extra money on a lot of fancy features. However is your yard is over 1/2 an acre, then one thing you should definitely look at is a self propelled model. These mowers will move forward without any help from you. All you need to do is guide it in the right direction. This make mowing the yard a breeze.

Now you need to look at the mower deck and the engine power. A wider deck means you cut more grass at one time. The result is fewer trips across the yard. If you add a powerful motor into the mix, mowing will become even faster and easier. But don't get too caught up in getting more power and a wider deck then you need. You'll basically be spending more money for nothing if you don't match the mower with the yard.

The terrain and slope of the yard should also determine what size your rear wheels should be. Generally standard size wheels are OK. But on a hilly yard, getting a mower with larger wheels will make mowing easier.

If your yard is over 3/4 of an acre you'll want to think seriously about a riding mower. Once again the deck size and engine power will need to be considered and the same rules apply. A large engine and wide deck makes sense if you need to mow several acres. But don't waste money by getting more than you need.

One of the more popular features on riding lawn mowers is the zero turn radius. If your yard has lots of landscape features like trees and bushes, then this is a great option to have. Essentially these mowers let you cut in a complete tight circle, without leaving any uncut space in the middle. You can see how this would make going around trees much easier. But if you don't have a lot of landscaping in your yard, then this feature becomes unnecessary. Save your money.

Whether you are using a riding mower or a walk behind, you'll also need to decide if you want the mower to mulch. A mulching mower will continually cut the grass into tiny fragments by using specially designed blades. These small particles simply drop back down into the yard where they decompose and become a natural fertilizer. If you don't mulch, you'll have to bag and dispose of the clippings. These means having a mower with a bag or raking up the grass when you finish mowing.

Naturally there are plenty of other choices to make. Do you want an electric mower, one with a cord or without? Do you want one of the new solar powered or robotic mowers? Start by answering the basic questions first, then when you head to the dealer or look online, choosing a lawn mower will be a much easier task.

About the Author:

Comments (0)