To ensure that you buy the best push lawn mower for you, you’ll want to factor in yard size, whether your yard is hilly or flat, the number of trees or other obstacles to mow around, as well as the needs of the person doing most of the mowing.
There are many different lawn mowers on the market to meet a variety of lawn mowing needs. A mower that is perfect for your neighbor may not be the right one for you.
To find a mower that meets your needs, follow the tips in this helpful buyer’s guide.
What Mower Is Right For You, a Self Propelled or Push Mower?
Push Mowers are ideal for flat yards under ¼ acre. The mower deck ranges from 20-22 inches, which is the perfect size to quickly and efficiently make any lawn look beautiful. If you are in good physical condition, this may be a great way to save when buying a new lawn mower.
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Self-Propelled Lawn Mowers are perfect for yards up to ¾ acre. The mower actually pushes itself to reduce fatigue that may come with a push mower. You simply walk behind the mower to control its path. Self-Propelled lawn mowers offer both front and rear wheel drive to better suit your yard. See below to determine which is right for you:
- Front-drive push mowers are remarkably easy to maneuver and turn. Swiveling front mower wheels make this possible by allowing easy 180-degree turns. These are perfect for smaller yards with numerous obstacles.
- Rear-wheel drive mowers have better traction on hills and better steering control, but may make it a little harder to make sharp turns. These mowers are suited for open yards with steep hills.
If your lawn is larger than ¾ acres you may want to consider a ride on lawnmower
Lawn Mower Features: Choosing The Features Right For You
- Starting Systems - An easy start lawn mower is one of the most important features to get the job started right. That’s why selecting the right starting system is vital in ensuring you a hassle-free lawn mowing experience.
- Electric Starting Systems eliminate pull starts all together. Simply prime the mower engine and turn the key for quick, dependable starts without any maintenance required.
- Automatic Choke Starting Systems come ready to run. Simply engage the safety handle and pull the starter rope for a hassle free start that completely eliminates priming or choking.
- Primer Starting System pumps the exact amount of gas into the carburetor to allow quick and easy one pull starts.
- No Prime. No Choke. No Problem. The readystart system from Briggs & Stratton helps eliminate the strain and the hassle of starting your lawn mower. Manual priming and choking are now a thing of the past. Simply pull the rope and mow. The ReadyStart™ system makes starting Briggs & Stratton power products easier and faster.
What To Do With The Grass Clippings
- Bagging is a technique used to catch cut grass. Grass catchers are available in both rear and side bagging options. Rear bagging mowers give you more maneuverability around trees and landscaping throughout your yard. Bagging leaves you with a fresh looking lawn every time you mow.
- A mulching mower uses mulching blades to cut grass into fine pieces and return them to your lawn to act as a natural fertilizer This works to enhance your lawn and does not require any extra time or money. It also eliminates the time you may spend emptying the grass out of a bagging mower.
Additional Features
- Leaf-Handling Capability: These mowers suck up, shred and catch leaves with a screen that goes between the cutting blade and the discharge chute. Several newer mowers offer this unique feature.
- Sound Quality: Briggs & Stratton offers specially designed mufflers to reduce to the sound of your mower during operation.
- Durability: When purchasing a lawn mower, look for engine features like Maxi-Clean™ filters and overhead value technology (OHV) that help make your lawn mower engine last a lifetime.
The Mower Engine.
Purchase a mower with a quality engine, one suitable for the size job you expect it to do. Quality engines like Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Honda, Kawasaki can be found on several brands of lawn mowers. They power mowers ranging from small walk behind mowers to large zero-turn mowers and garden tractors.
Your Yard Size.
The size of your yard will help determine the best mower for your needs. Generally, a walk-behind mower is a good choice for yards that are about 3/4 of an acre or less. The smaller your yard, the smaller the mower deck can be. The mower deck size is the actual width the mower will cut in a single pass. A 20-inch walk-behind mower may be perfect for a small yard, but you will probably want a 21-22 inch mower for a larger yard to cut down on mowing time.
For yards larger than 3/4 acre, consider a rear-engine riding mower or a lawn and garden tractor. Riding mowers with rear-mounted engines provide good visibility and excellent mobility around trees, flowerbeds and other landscape features. They are available with mowing decks that range from 28-42 inches wide and engines from 12-20 hp.
For yards in the one-to-three acre range, a zero-turning rider or front engine lawn tractor may be appropriate. Look for a mower with at least 14-16 hp and a wide mowing deck – at least 38 inches – to get your lawn work done quickly.
Yards larger than three acres are best handled by a large zero turn mower or a garden tractor. Look for models that have at least 18hp engines and mowing decks in the 44-54 inch range.
Your Yard’s Terrain
A small flat yard requires only a typical walk-behind mower. If your yard is sloped or hilly, you will want to consider a self-propelled walk-behind mower rather than one you will have to push. A walk-behind mower with big back wheels is easier to maneuver across rough terrain. All riding mowers can handle varied terrain, although some mowers handle better on slopes than others.
Care must be taken when mowing on slopes and hills. If you are using a riding mower, mow up and down the incline, never across the incline. With a walk-behind mower, always mow across the incline, and never pull a mower backwards towards your feet. Put safety first, and always dress appropriately when using your mower.
Lawn Mower Features
While optional items add to the cost of a lawn mower, they are worth considering. Top among options is a mulching blade for your mower. A mulching mower returns the finely cut grass pieces to the lawn as a natural fertilizer – you won't need to collect and dispose of clippings.
Bagging mowers do what their name implies – you attach a grass catcher bag to the side or back of the mower to collect the grass clippings. You can choose a rear-bagging or side-bagging mower. The rear-bagging models are more maneuverable around trees, landscaping and those tight spaces in your yard.