Lawnmowers
The lawnmower comes in so many shapes and sizes that oftentimes it can be hard to determine what the best mower for your situation is. Our lawns come in even more varied shapes and sizes!
If you live in an urban area with small lots then a non-motorized manual push mower with a bagging option might suit your needs or even a robotic mower that works on the same technological premise as the Roomba vacuum. Larger lots might need to have a motorized manual push mower or even a self-propelled mower to accomplish the job promptly.
If you live further from the urban area you may have a larger lot size where a self-propelled mower or even a riding mower would be your best option. And if you live in rural areas on multiple acreage then a Bushhog and tractor might be one of your better options that is unless you actually do live in the “holler.”
Your options go even further than just the type of mower you choose but go to how it is powered. Much like the other outdoor power equipment we have reviewed on TekEons Lawn and Garden, mowers have 3 distinct powering methods. Gasoline, Electric, and Battery Powered.
Battery-powered Mowers
Battery-powered mowers are a good alternative to corded electric and eliminate the risk of mowing the cord on accident. These are also a great option for people with smaller yards or those striving to be green. There are a lot of brands to choose from such as Ryobi, Greenworks, and Ego. One of the downfalls of using a battery-powered mower is that you are limited by the battery life. although many batteries will give you a 40 to 60 minute charge time this might not be enough time to finish all of your yard work and you may need to recharge the battery which may itself take 40-60 minutes or longer. Perhaps allowing you enough time to recharge your own batteries or switch to some other aspect of yard work.
Two brands, Toro and Greenworks, that we reviewed have technology on their self-propelled models that adjusts to your walking pace. One thing we didn’t like about the Toro was that the run time for the mower was only about 40 minutes but the recharge time was nearly 2 and a half hours, a ridiculous 150 minutes. However, taking the cake was the Greenworks Pro 25-inch mower. Not only does it have a low recharge time of only 40 minutes but by using two 4Ah batteries you get a run time of up 80 minutes off of fully charged batteries. The 25-inch cutting deck also cuts down on mowing time while the self-propel option is great for hilly yards or for those folks “down in the holler.”
One cool tech that is out there is the robotic mower. These have a lot of neat features but they also have a price tag to go along with them. Many robotic mowers are in the $2000 or higher range, but some start at $800. The blades on these mowers are not like your traditional mowers but much smaller and designed to fold back if they hit something hard like a rock or fallen branch. Almost all models have special wiring that is used to keep the mower in your yard. It is the same technology used in invisible fencing for dogs. You do have two options here 1) stake the wiring in the yard, which could be a trip hazard, or 2) bury the wire just under the lawn, which does require some manual digging. A few models we reviewed have the added capability to add in radar which will allow it to foresee obstacles and change course. This option is particularly nice because who of us wants a mower banging into our ankles? Even though passwords and GPS are two security features these mowers can still easily be picked up and walked off with. So theft can be a downside to owning a robotic mower. It is also worth mentioning that some brands have proprietary batteries that can only be replaced by a dealer.
Over the last few years manufacturers, such as Ryobi, have also begun to put out battery-powered riding mowers. We cover this more specifically in our article on riding mowers.
We have much more info on battery-powered mowers in our comparison article.
Electric Corded Mowers
The electric corded mowers are perhaps more popular in the urban and suburban areas where they can be used on small lots. Because electric costs in urban areas compared to rural areas can be less it is more cost-effective for homeowners or renters to use an electric mower instead of paying higher gasoline prices.
As we compared electric mowers we noticed that the amperage for the mowers ranged from 6.5 amps to 13 amps with the largest market segment being 12 and 13 amp models. Sun Joe and Greenworks have many models with options like mulching or bagging with mowing deck sizes from 14 to 20 inches. Black+Decker has one model that has a 12-inch mowing deck but it’s a 3-in-1 model that can easily convert to a weedeater and an edge trimmer for sidewalks and pathways.
For more info on electric corded mowers see our comparison article.
Gas-powered Mowers
Gas-powered mowers are by far the most versatile mower, coming in manual push, self-propelled, and riding mowers. Gas-powered mowers allow for bigger cutting decks and the ability to handle tough out-of-control lawns with ease. If properly taken care of many of these mowers can last for over 15 years or even 20 years.
Every model we reviewed for the standard residential mower had a 21-inch cutting deck and ranged from 140 to 201 cubic centimeters (or cc) engine with most of them being around 200 cc. one model that caught our eye was the Honda HRX 201-cc 21-in Self-Propelled Gas Push Lawn Mower with Blade Stop System. among its features is the NeXite 21-in cutting deck that is made of a high impact resistant material that does not dent, rust, or corrode over time. this means that with proper maintenance the mower will last for a very long time.
There is also one brand out there that makes an absolute beast of a machine. it currently weighs in at a whopping $2350. But despite the price tag this machine will clear cut trails through woodlands, quickly mow open fields and let you mow ditches year-round. It can even cut through small 1.5-inch diameter trees and saplings! Now we admit that it’s probably not the best mower for everyday residential mowing but it sure did make us excited!
Because gas-powered mowers cover such a large range of mowers we have decided to write up two separate articles, one for walk-behind mowers and one for riding mowers.
*Although we can’t keep up with every local and state law it is of special note that the State of California just recently passed a law banning all gas-powered mowers and all other small offroad engines like leaf blowers and weed eaters. The new law called Assembly Bill 1346 stated that these types of engines “emit high levels of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), reactive organic gases (ROG) and particulate matter (PM).” Simply, it makes a lot of smog. The law calls for a reduction in sales and support for these types of machines and a complete ban on selling them by 2024. You may need to keep this in mind if you live in or are moving to California.
There are tons of mowers on the market today in both riding and walk-behind styles but the mowing season is limited so we haven’t been able to review and compare as many models as we would love to. If you have a mower that you like (or even hate) we would welcome your feedback on the experiences you’ve had with your particular mower. To do so just fill out the form at the bottom of the page.