Choosing A Lawn Mower - Things To Consider
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.
While there are many factors involved in the decision, start by looking at the big three. Look at the size of your yard, what features you want or need, and the quality of engine you 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.
Whether you need a self propelled or push mower, you need to carefully consider the engine power and the mower deck. The wider the deck, the more grass you′ll be able to cut at one time. That means fewer trips back and forth. Combine a large deck with a powerful motor and mowing will be fast and easy. And while that sound great you don’t want to get more than you need or you′ll essentially be giving money away. Just match the yard with the mower for good results.
You also need to look at the size of the rear wheels. In most cases, standard wheels are fine. But if you have a rough yard with lots of hills, large rear wheels will make the job easier.
Larger yards, those over 3/4 of an acre, may require a riding mower. Once again you′ll need to choose the deck size and engine power. Only consider higher end options if you will be mowing several acres. You′ll be saving money this way.
If you have lots of trees, shrubs and other landscape features, then consider a zero turn radius mower. With these you can basically cut in a circle without moving or leaving a space in the middle. They’re ideal for going around trees. But if you don’t have much landscaping, then save your money or use it on features you will need.
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.
Choosing a lawn mower becomes much easier when you answer the basic questions first. Sure there will be other decisions and options. Electric mowers, solar mowers and even robotic mowers are available. But in almost every case it’s a good idea to know and understand what you need before you begin your search.
