How to Choose the Perfect Lawn Mower

Is it time to buy a new lawn mower? Not sure what kind to get? Thinking about a push mower, or a self propelled one? How about a riding mower or lawn tractor? Overwhelmed by all the choices? Never fear, the lawn mower king is here to answer all your questions.

Push Reel Lawn Mowers

They still make the old-style push reel lawn mowers that your grandfather probably used. Surprisingly enough, the reel mowers do a very good job if you don't mind walking and doing all the work. They are ideal for small lawns. Push reel mowers require little maintenance, are inexpensive and environmentally friendly.

Electric Lawn Mowers

Electric lawn mowers come in two varieties: corded and rechargeable. Avoid the rechargeable ones since they are prone to failure, leaving you in the middle of a job you can't finish until after you charge it for 8-10 hours or more.

The corded electric mowers are more reliable. Your main limitation is the length of the cord which shouldn't be more than 100 feet. If your lawn is small enough, an electric mower is a good choice. It doesn't require oil and is low maintenance. It is also a sound environmental choice; just try not to run over the extension cord while mowing.

Gas Powered Lawn Mowers

Gas powered lawn mowers are by far the most common. They come in three types: push mowers, front wheel self propelled and rear wheel self propelled.

The push mowers are just that, human powered. The upside is that the engine devotes all of its power to spinning the blades. The drawback here is that you push the machine.

Front wheel self propelled lawn mowers are the best choice for most consumers. These mowers are easy to turn and controlling them is a snap. They are less expensive than rear propelled models.

Rear wheel self propelled mowers on the other hand are much more difficult to control. They are however the most powerful lawn mowers and are ideal if you have a lot of hills on your property.

These gas powered lawn mowers are not environmentally friendly. They require routine maintenance but are extremely reliable. Always purchase the largest engine you can afford, this will extend the life of the mower. Many self-propelled mowers have a "key start" option just like a car.

Riding Mowers and Lawn Tractors

Riding mowers are great if you have a lot of land to cover. They are also ideal for the elderly, disabled, and lazy. I personally use a riding mower because I am allergic to grass. You can trim your lawn in record time while keeping most debris away from you.

Lawn Tractors are larger than riding mowers. They are designed for large areas of up to 5 acres or more. Many lawn tractors have reinforced frames to accept "ground engaging" attachments such as crop cultivators and disk harrows.

Riding mowers and lawn tractors can both use attachments. Common attachments include: baggers, sweepers, spreaders, scoops, and snow blades to name a few.

Before buying a riding mower or lawn tractor measure your gates or other access points. Clearance and cutting decks on riding mowers start out at 30" and go up to 54" or more. The prices for these mowers start out at about $799 and can go beyond $4000.

Zero Turn Mowers

Zero turn mowers aren't just for professionals anymore. They make cutting the grass fast and fun. They also cost a great deal more than other riding mowers and a have a lot more that can go wrong. Prices for zero turn mowers start around $1499.

Riding mowers, Lawn Tractors and Zero turn mowers all require frequent maintenance. I strongly suggest buying an extended warranty or service agreement. You can read my article: The Consumers Guide to Extended Warranties that explains why.