How We Did Our Ride
We tested all the models over a long duration for at least one summer. We assessed the mowing result both immediately after mowing and after a period of regular mowing to be able to provide consumers with all they need to know. All of the ride-on lawn mowers were tested on several different grass areas with varying grass types, conditions and heights. We also mowed on different grass moisture levels to put each model to the test within our test!
In our review, we focused on the following characteristics to determine the best riding lawn mower for the money:
- Performance
How efficiently does the ride-on lawn mower cut the grass without impairing the mowing result? Can it cope with tall grass? How good is it at cutting tufts of damp grass?
- Comfort & user-friendliness
How comfortable is it to operate the ride-on lawn mower? How easy is it to understand? Are there a lot of vibrations? How easy is it to clean and maintain?
- Manoeuvrability
How well does the ride-on lawn mower work in a garden with lots of obstacles? How efficient is it on larger surfaces? How does it cope with slopes, hollows, bushes and tight corners?
The ride-on lawn mowers were also assessed in terms of size, build quality, functionality, noise levels, petrol fumes, fuel consumption and available accessories. All of these factors have been taken into account, and a final score has been awarded on the basis of the lawn mowers value for money.
Best Budget: American Lawn Mower Company 14
Type: Push| Power Source: Cord | 14 inches
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Lots of power for the price
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Lightweight and compact
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Best for small lawns
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Frame isnt the most durable
The American Lawn Mower Company Corded Electric Lawn Mower is a great choice for anyone whos on a budget. This 11-amp electric lawn mower is ideal for small yards, as it has just a 14-inch deck and must be plugged into an electrical outlet to run. The mower features a single-lever height adjustment with five positions, as well as a rear bag for mulching capabilities, and youll get a lot of power for its low price.
This corded mower from the American Lawn Mower Company is lightweight and compact, making it easy to store, and its ergonomic handle has multiple height positions, ensuring its comfortable for all users. While its frame might not be the most durable, this affordable electric mower is undoubtedly a step up from reel mowers for those with small lawns.
Type: Ride on| Power Source: Battery | 42 inches
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Pricey
The RYOBI Electric Riding Zero Turn Mower has all the high-end features you could ever want in a lawn mower, and it performs so well youll barely believe its not gas-powered. With a durable 42-inch steel deck, four high-power brushless motors, and zero-turn technology, this splurge-worthy electric motor can cut yards up to 3 acres on a single charge.
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How To Stay Safe While Operating A Rider
Riding mowers can save a lot of time and help you make your yard look great, but they are pieces of heavy machinery that must be handled with caution. Here are a few safety tips for operating a riding lawn mower.
Understand All Components and Features Thoroughly
Some of these lawn mowers have more bells and whistles than you can shake a stick at, like the John Deere X350-4. Be sure you know what everything does before you start using it. Call customer service, read the manual, watch Youtube videoswhatever it takes to learn the machinery.
Know Where the Emergency Shutoff Is
All riding lawn mowers have an emergency shutoff. Be sure you know where that is located and how to use it.
Wear Eye and Ear Protection
As is the case with so many power tools, you should wear protection for your ears and eyes. Engines are loud, and blades can kick up debris from time to time, which brings us to our next point.
Clear the Yard of Debris
Do your best to remove any rocks, sticks, toys or other objects from your lawn before mowing. Even the smallest obstructions can be extremely dangerous when flung by a lawn mower at 7500 RPM. A piece of gravel can easily break a window or injure a person.
Remove the Spark Plug Before Changing Blades
Mow Up and Down Hills Not Across
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Shop At Home & Pick Up In The Us
Its easy to get what you want. Order the items you love on Sears.com, ship your order to a U.S. address or just pick up at a U.S. Sears store.
Free U.S. Store Pickup
Order something online but need a little help picking it up? No problem. You can pay and pick up online orders at a Sears store.
shop now | find a Sears store | learn more
U.S. Shipping & Delivery
Looking to keep it simple? Get your order shipped or delivered to any address in the United Statesincluding hotels. Get a little help from friends and family to get what you wantsimply have your order delivered right to them.
Sears makes it easy for Canadian customers to shop for pickup in the United States. Simply log into www.sears.com and you can order anything you want for USA delivery, from sturdy Craftsman lawn and garden tools to dependable Die Hard car batteries. Whether youre planning on picking up your order in an American Sears location or shipping to an American address, the process is simple and hassle-free.
Its easy to get packages of any size delivered to a USA address, at Sears. From small Kenmore kitchen appliances to large shipments like Samsung flat panel TVsand Sealy mattresses, Sears makes cross border shipping and pickup easy. Save big by shopping from the comfort of your own home today.
Buying John Deere Mowers
You see the ads every Sunday from your local Big Box Stores, you know the ones, the orange place and the blue place. They advertise a brand new John Deere mower at a price point comparable to brands with far less reputation.
Like you I was amazed that they could sell the thing for such a great price. The John Deere 42 X300 shown in the adjacent photo retails for $3,099.99. The John Deere BG20444 shown in the photo below retails for $1,499.00. The BG20444 is a model sold exclusively at Home Depot.
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Running The Mower At Half Speed
Some folks mistakenly believe that running a riding lawn mower at full speed is bad for the engine and shortens the life of your machine. Not so of John Deere lawn tractors, says Weekes. In fact, there’s an optimum blade tip speed on each and every machine and hitting a higher RPM on your engine means you’ll get an even better cut.
Utility Trailers Vs Lawn Carts
Lawn carts and trailers go by several namesdump carts, garden carts, utility wagons, utility trailers, and so on. No matter the name, these attachments all serve one important role: They allow you to tow heavy loads behind your lawn mower or tractor.
When theres some confusion about what a product is called, it can be difficult to choose the best item for your needs. However, the trailer attachments that people tow behind their tractors and lawn mowers can be divided into two different styles, each used for different purposes.
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Looking For Petrol Lawnmowers
They can get stolen
While they can weigh anywhere from 6 to 15kg, robot lawnmowers are portable machines that someone can certainly pick up off your lawn and carry away.
They do have various anti-theft security features, such as requiring a password to operate and GPS tracking so you always know where it is, but if you don’t want a green-fingered thief to make off with your new lawn toy, we suggest operating it within a securely fenced yard.
You’ll still have to rake or clear your lawn
Robot lawnmowers do have sensors which means they can navigate large obstacles in your yard such as trees or clothesline poles. But if you have heavy leaf cover or lots of sticks or twigs about, you’ll have to rake these up first before letting your robot loose to ensure effective operation. And if you have children’s toys or pet toys about, you’ll have to clear those too.
Robot lawnmowers don’t have bags attached to them, so they’ll leave cut-up grass in their wake, which you may also prefer to clean up afterwards.
No neat lines like you get from a mower
Robot lawnmowers work randomly, so you won’t get those neat, satisfying lines we traditionally associate with freshly cut grass.
Read more: How to buy the best lawn mower
The Pros And Cons Of Electric Lawn Mowers
Electric lawn mowers have arrived. We lay out the pros and cons of these green yard machines.
Electric lawn mowers have specific strengths and weaknesses.
Once upon a time, all lawn mowers were gas-burning beasts whose pull-start motors relied as much on elbow grease as internal combustion just to get started. These days you have more options. While big-box stores still have plenty of gas-powered models on display, there’s a growing number of electric mowers available to purchase.
If you’re new to electric lawn mowers, there are some things you should consider before buying one. Electric mowers certainly offer some unique benefits, but they have some performance limitations you will want to be aware of too.
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This guide examines both the benefits and drawbacks of electric mowers. By the time you’re done, you’ll hopefully have a sense of whether or not they’re a suitable fit for your specific lawn care needs.
Ego Power Plus sells a popular line of electric lawn mowers.
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How Big Is Your Lawn
The size of your lawn is a vital factor when youre choosing a lawn mower. After all, if youve got a large lawn encompassing multiple acres, then your mower will need the chops to handle the job well while saving you time.
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One effective way to measure a mowers capabilities is its cut width, which tells you how wide a strip of grass it can clear in a single pass. The bigger the cut width, the more grass youll be able to mow at once.
A yard less than 1 acre would do well with a cutting width of 30 to 42 inches. Two popular models that fit the bill are the Cub Cadet XT1 Enduro and the Craftsman T210 Turn Tight. Both mowers have 18-horsepower gas engines, hydrostatic transmissions and a cutting width of 42 inches.
Lawns 5 or more acres in size will typically require a cutting width of at least 54 inches otherwise youll be out there mowing all day. One such model is the Troy-Bilt Super Bronco 54 XP. With a 24-hp gas engine and a broad, 54-inch cutting width, it should make fast work of big lawns.
The Way Striping Works
The effect of stripes you see on a lawn or playing field is just light reflecting off the grass blades. Blades bent towards you look dark, while those bent the opposite way look lighter. Simple, right? You can see some of the same effect with normal mowing, and creating patterns just takes it to the next level. To get the blades to bend, you’ll need a striping kit for your mower or a roller. You can buy a striping kit online or find instructions on how to build one your own handy self.
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Con: They Are Not As Powerful
When shopping for a mower, one thing to consider is its torque rating. Torque is the driving force behind a blade’s rotational movement. Electric lawn mowers generate substantially less torque on average than a gas mower does. It means a gas mower will be a much better choice to tackle challenging terrains like hills and dips.
Overall, the lawn mower market continues to expand with diverse offerings. For homeowners with larger yards, gas-powered mowers will still be the best fit, as they have the durability and power to tackle large projects with ease.
Meanwhile, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, then an electric lawn mower is the wise way to go. Either route you take can help you gain a healthy-looking lawn that boosts the curb appeal and value of your home.
In the meantime, here are some other tips to keep your yard looking great:
Read more:
Different Types Of Lawn Mowers
Not all lawn mowers are created equal. There are push lawn mowers, mowers with rear-wheel drive, self-propelled mowers, cordless lawn mowers, riding mower models, rear engine riding mower styles and more. In this section, well break down the various different types of lawn mowers that you have to choose from. As we noted above, the type of yard that youll be cutting should dictate the type of mower you select. But so too should your personal preferences.
Whats the best mower for your situation? Weigh the information we included in the previous section with the basics of each mower type that well discuss here.
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The Best Robot Lawn Mowers For 2021
If you’ve got better things to do than spend every Saturday pushing a noisy gas-powered mower around your yard, consider investing in a robot lawn mower and letting it do the work for you. Get started with some of the best we’ve tested.
Pros
- Includes Wi-Fi and GPS radios.
- User-friendly mobile app.
Pros
- Excellent cutting and edging performance
- Slick mobile app
- Includes Bluetooth, cellular, and GPS radios
- Quiet
A Guide To Trailers And Garden Carts
Landscaping projects are no small endeavors.
The homeowners and professionals who strive to turn patches of Kentucky bluegrass and piles of lava rock into stunning outdoor scenery are the kinds of people who aren’t afraid of tackling big projects.
The jobs they take on require hours of careful planning, not to mention lots of heavy lifting. Often, the lawn care projects they plan are too big for a simple pull cart or wheelbarrow.
If youre a lawn care or outdoors aficionado, you could benefit from a utility trailer or lawn cart.
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What Size Lawnmower Do I Need
Generally speaking, the larger your lawn, the larger your mower deck should be if you want to cut grass in an efficient manner. Technically speaking, you can cut your lawn regardless of its size with any type of lawn mower. But if you have a big yard and are using a small push mower, its going to take you a lot longer than if you were using a tractor or riding mower.
Watch Where You’re Mowing
Unless you’re purposely going for a wavy pattern, you’ve got to make sure to mow in a straight line. Start by mowing parallel to a straight sidewalk or driveway. To keep mowing straight, look at least 10 feet in front of you while you mow, rather than at the ground right in front of the mower. When you come to the end of a row, lift the mower deck as you turn, then mow in the opposite direction next to your previous pass. To get that fancy checkerboard look, mow the lawn a second time at 90 degrees to your first mowing. Finish by mowing a strip around the edges of the lawn. Sweet.
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Lawn Size And Cutting Deck
Before purchasing a robotic lawn mower, you first need to figure out how much lawn it will be required to cut, or its working area capacity. Residential models typically have a working capacity of 0.20 acres up to 1.25 acres. A mower that will be used to cut large lawns will have a high-capacity battery pack that allows it to work longer and travel farther between charges. The shape of your lawn will also come into play: If you have things like flower beds, trees, and lighting, the mower has to use more battery power to navigate these obstructions than if it were just cutting a rectangular or square plot.
The cutting deck refers to the area underneath the mower where the blades spin. Most robotic mowers use a floating deck design that allows you to quickly adjust cutting height while allowing the mower to navigate the contours of your lawn without scalping the grass in higher spots. Different mowers use different types of cutting blades. For example, some mowers use a single spinning blade configuration while others use multiple spinning blades or a spinning disc lined with multiple razor blades.
Cultivate Your Green Thumb With Outdoor Power Equipment
It takes a lot of work to keep the outside of your home looking good. Just maintaining the front yard and backyard seems like a full-time job by itself, consider all the mowing, raking, trimming and edging that they require. If you have a vegetable or flower garden, it needs daily attention during the growing season. Then, there are the other things to consider going on outside your home, such if you have trees that need removing, siding or driveways that need power washing, or snow that needs removing. This would be backbreaking work if you had to do the required maintenance by hand. Fortunately, there’s a plethora of outdoor power equipment, all of which is available from Walmart, that can make your life easier. Now, you don’t have to spend all weekend or your day off working the yard. Thanks to our Every Day Low Prices, everything is affordable, too. Take a look at these power tools for making yard work easier, and get ready to garden.
Lawn mowers
Trimmers, edgers and leaf blowers
Powered edgers neaten up your lawn where it meets concrete or other hard surfaces such as a driveway or sidewalk. Edgers have two wheels in the back for stability and a single smaller wheel in the front, which allows you to control where the edger goes. There are also some combination trimmer/edgers available, which do both jobs. You can achieve this by simply rotating the trimmer/edger head to the side for edging or flat for trimming.
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