I wasn’t planning on buying a lawnmower this summer. I began thinking of my first lawnmower purchase when my lawn service didn’t show up for two weeks. The owner injured himself, and surgery will keep him out of business for at least 12 weeks. That means my lawn is pretty tall with the 90-degree-plus heat and regular rain. The grass seeds are waving in the wind as I write this post.
Local teenagers mowed lawns to make extra money all summer when I was growing up. It’s challenging to find a teenager who wants to do yard work for cash anymore, and hiring a teenager to mow lawns is a potential liability for any homeowner.
Calculating the Cost of Lawn Maintenance
The starting cost of professional lawn maintenance in Central Florida is now about $150 a month. For that fee, they will mow and edge the lawn. You are still responsible for trimming your hedges and weeding the gardens.
Weeds and disease are just one side effect of hiring a company to keep your lawn manicured. I had to argue with the lawn service to raise the blade when mowing my lawn. Saint Augustine lawns should be cut at 3 to 5 inches high. My lawn would be scalped to less than 2 inches every week. The grass would burn, and in its weakened state, become susceptible to all kinds of disease. Then the lawn service also brought seeds from every weed-infested yard they mowed into my yard.
So I decided to mow my own lawn and save that $150 each month, and now I’m comparing gas-powered to electric mowers to find the best tool for me, a 65-year-old woman.
Key Features to Consider When Buying a Lawnmower
Educate yourself before buying a lawnmower. There are many choices in the market and these options can make a huge difference in usability and durability.
The best mower for me weighs factors like yard size, ease of use, budget, and other convenience.
- My yard size is a typical 1/2-acre lot. However, my backyard is only accessible via a gated entrance with a 4-inch step. The 36-inch door opening and the 4-inch step immediately eliminate all riding lawnmowers from my list.
- There are at least eight different types of grasses in my yard, but the majority is Floratam. Floratam is a St. Augustine grass that was prominent in Florida during the 1970s. The recommended mowing height for Floratam is 3.5 to 4 inches, so any mower I buy should accommodate that height.
- I am almost 65 years old, and Florida’s warm climate means year-round mowing, so ease of use and comfort are key.
There are positive reviews for both gas and electric fuel mowers that fit all of these requirements. I don’t want to bust the budget because if I’m unable to physically do this job, I will still need to hire a landscape company.
You Can Get Power and Performance
Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers:
Gas mowers are known for their power. These lawnmowers are suitable for large or small lawns. They have the power to cut through thicker grass and rough terrains.
A gas engine provides continuous power without the need for charging or recharging, making gas mowers ideal for bigger yards, commercial landscaping, or thick, wet turf. Refueling a gas engine mower is inexpensive, and you can refuel quickly just by filling the tank.
My yard isn’t large, but St. Augustine is a thick lawn with high grass. A gas mower’s engine can generally handle these challenges better than most electric models.
Buying Electric:
Electric mowers (both corded and cordless) are generally less powerful than their gas counterparts. Still, manufacturers made great strides in reducing this gap. Electric mowers are ideally suited for small to medium-sized lawns, typically 1/2 acre or less. Newer models are strong competitors in power and efficiency when compared with gas units.
There is a niche for robot mowers that crawl the yard and cut the grass via a smart phone app. I’d be negligent if I didn’t at least address these ultra-convenient tools. But initial prices range from $800 to well over $2000 for advanced models. Robot vacuums struggle with edges, slopes and dense grass. In my book they are a budget buster.
Cordless electric mowers are especially convenient because they offer the freedom of movement without worrying about extension cords. However, the battery life can limit their performance on big lawns. Replacement batteries are expensive, often running $300 or more, and typically need to be replaced every five years.
The landscape industry leaders have recently entered the electric mower business. Stihl, Husqvarna, Snapper, and Toro are well-known leaders in the gas mower field, and all are competing in the electric mower business, too. New players are manufacturers Greenworks North America, Ryobi, and EGO, which is ironically owned by Chevron.
Compare the Lawnmower Blade Options
I was surprised to find many blade options in my buying a lawnmower research, regardless of the power source. I knew my mower must be able to mow at an appropriate height. But suddenly I was adrift in the vocabulary of high-lift, low-lift, mulching, and shredding blades.
Lift refers to the blade’s ability to create suction and pull grass upwards. High-lift blades create more potent suction for a more precise cut. Low-lift blades don’t create as much suction, but they are better for sandy or dusty conditions where debris can be stirred up.
Mulching blades are ideally designed to cut grass into small pieces and return them to the lawn as nutrients. These are best used on lawns that are cleanly maintained with few weeds. It’s not a good idea to mulch weeds into your lawn because it can lead to more weeds.
I was surprised to learn that some mowers utilize two blades. The effect is a fast, clean cut, and this feature added only about $100 to the cost.
Walk Behind and Self-Propropelled
Comfort and ease of use is important. Before buying a lawnmower, evaluate walk behind and self-propelled .
A walk behind mower is any push model that you literally walk behind when operating it. A self-propelled mower moved forward on its own using a variable speed drive system. The operator steers the path, but less physical effort is required. It is supposed to mow more evenly since it moves based on machine settings and not the operators effort. But more importantly for me it’s just easier for a weaker body to get the job done!
My quest begins here with these standards. Check back as I review models to pick the best mower for my yard!