What should I look for when buying a new lawnmower?

Question

What features should it have, and what is the minimum price you can pay for one that actually works properly?

Answer 1

Any one you buy should work properly. A cheap one which has at least two sizes of cut should do.
Oh... just make sure that you get a brand which you will have no problems getting replacement blades for.

Answer 2

Buying a lawnmower definitely requires some thought pre-purchase.
First look at the job it needs to do.
If you have a large lawn ,an electric mower powered by cable may not reach the outer extremities and may be a danger hazard.
If your lawn slopes then you need one that is self propelled because you do not want the physical exertion of pushing the machine yourself.
You need to look also at whether the model can be readily adjusted to different cutting heights because the height you cut at in the spring/first cut will be much longer than later on in the season.
You want one that will start easily,have a readily adjustable speed control and that is simple to service at home (accessibility of plugs etc)
The best I've experienced is Briggs and Stratton petrol model which has lasted me a long time and proved reliable.
As to cost that is difficult since I don't know where you are but suffice to say spend the maximum you can afford because with lawnmowers you get what you pay for and cheap buys are definitely a false economy in my experience

Answer 3

I have to ask a lot of questions to give you a correct answer, but I will try to help.

The type of mower depends on yard size, slope, type of grass, height, primary use (just for home, or multiple yards), and your maintenance of the mower.

If you are a person that doesn't take very good care of a mower, then get a cheap mower because you'll just tear it up anyway.

If you take care of it, then concentrate on features such as self-propelled, lever adjustments for push mower, hydraulic adjustment for riding mower, free flow or bag for clippings,size of cutting area, warranty. You can even think about rotary mower or standard blade depending on your grass. A rotary mower works better on lawns with bermuda, it doesn't burn the grass like standard blades do.

There are a number of good brands out there to include Briggs and Stratton, Cub Cadet, John Deere, Grasshopper, and Toro. The type to use all depends on what you prefer and how much you are willing to spend. They all have good warranties and basically the same features depending on the model.

You can get a very good push mower for about $200 or a cheap one for about $75. The riding mowers are quite different in price ranging from around $500 for a cheap one and upwards of $3000 for extremely good mowers.

Just find one that you are happy with in your price range.

Answer 4

Depending on what you want from it. It needs to have a Grass Box,easy starting engine and if you want t o shade the grass, a roller on the back instead of back wheels. A clutch on it means you don't have to push it. I would have thought you could get a good deal on ebay. Around £200 should get you one with most of the features mentioned above.

Answer 5

I would definitely recommend a mulching mower. You don't have to bag the clippings (which can be time consuming and hard on your back). Mulching mowers cut the clippings into fine bits and then redistribute the clippings back into the soil, which acts as a natural fertilizer! I would also recommend at least 6.5 horsepower and a self-propeled feature (can you tell my back sux?). Good luck!

Answer 6

You should think first the use of your mower if for the home garden you should buy a mower design for that at it is energy efficient compared to the big one. Consider also the brand,prices, warranty and service.

Answer 7

Depends on the size of your cutting area. Do you need a push mower? or possibly a rider.
If you need a riding mower. get one with cast front end. Stamped front end usually break within the first year.

Answer 8

The main feature, and the only important one is, it should cut grass.

Answer 9

A shop