Take a look at the equipment that the local lawn care service uses. In most cases, the same caliber of lawn care equipment is available to the homeowner. The only real difference is that in the majority of cases, none but the laziest homeowner will justify the purchase of a riding lawn mower or tractor.
Selecting the Type of Lawnmower
So what should the shopping urban grounds keeper look for in a mower? There are several considerations...
- Size of the lot – This is where the choice to buy a riding model, with selected attachments, comes in.
- Environmental risk factors – Some types of mowers emit quite a bit of undesirable greenhouse gas emissions, while others emit none.
- Price - The budget is eventually going to dictate the choice after all other factors have been considered.
So What Types are Available?
- Gas motorized mowers – These are also called rotary mowers because they spin one large blade to cut grass. The blade may be a standard variety so the cut grass is ejected through a side chute or into a bag. Others have a mulching blade, which further cuts up the grass.
- Self propelled – These, like the name implies, employ a drive train so that the mower pulls itself, saving the operator the chore of pushing. These work well on large, open lawns. Not so much on small lawns that have many trees.
- Electric mowers – These are sort of green. They don't emit air pollution per se, but the electricity that powers them did during production. Unfortunately, the battery life leaves something to be desired.
- Riding lawn mowers or lawn tractors – Suitable for larger lawns and heavily used by commercial landscaping companies. Look for the drink holder.
- Reel mowers – reel lawn mowers hearken back to grandpa's day. An array of blades turn rapidly around a central reel which “scissor-cuts” the lawn. These are a bit more work to use, but are gaining in popularity due to the green environment movement and the outrageous cost of gasoline fuel.
Lawn Care Equipment Maintenance
All lawn care equipment such as mowers, tillers, edgers, and weed-eaters, should be undergo a comprehensive maintenance program at the beginning of each growing season. On the list are blade sharpening, oil change, air filter change, spark plug cleaning/replacement, and rust removal.
A thorough visual inspection and oil level check (where applicable) needs to be done before each use.
Top Mechanical Manufacturers
This is one of those situations, such as when shopping for a new central air conditioner, that it makes sense to stick to the big names. There's always a lemon or two in the mix, but at least mower replacement parts will be easily available.
- Riding Mowers – This is really a niche market. Look for brands like John Deere, Murray, Snapper, Toro, and Honda.
- Motorized Push Models – The same name brands mentioned above enjoy a good reputation. Keep in mind that the motor itself may be produced by a separate company. When this is the case, Briggs and Stratton is still the widely acknowledged standard.
- Reel Mowers – As mentioned above, this is the choice for going green. More and more of these are being sold daily. Because of this, many more players are jumping into the game. But experience and a track record matters, so stick with the manufacturers that have been in this niche for the long run. Brill sits on top of the heap with it's precision German engineering. The new Brill Razorcut 38 push mower now seems to be their flagship model. Pricey, but it can go eight years between blade sharpening. Scotts makes several high-quality models. The Classic is great for taller lawns.Sunlawn is another reputable company. They produce a very satisfactory entry-level line-up.
