Lawn mowers are powered in one of two ways: with a cord, or a supply of gas. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on what your mowing personality is like and what your job consists of. One is great for the lawn mower who likes a bit of freedom when cutting the grass, although environmental friendliness may not be a top priority. The other option, though, may be more environmentally friendly, but it has a limited leash on which it can run. We’ll take a fun and lighthearted look at the pros and cons of each type of lawn mower so you can decide which one’s best for you.

Freedom

Not all of us have a postage stamp-sized lawn or one with electrical outlets every 10 feet, so it’s important to get a lawn mower that can go where it needs to get the job done. This is especially true for larger lawns or oddly-shaped ones where you need a mower that can cut, turn, weave and pretty much just barrel its way to short-shorn success.

Winner: Gas-powered lawn mowers

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Environmental Friendliness

It’s not new news anymore that machines that belch gas and fumes aren’t exactly good for the air we breathe. Although a lawn mower is much smaller than a gas-guzzling SUV, it still has a carbon footprint that’s far bigger than using a pair of scissors to cut grass. There are times when we just can’t avoid using gas machines, but cutting the lawn doesn’t have to be one of them.

Winner: Electric lawn mowers

Toughness and Thoroughness

The debate between gas and electric in terms of power is also nothing new. All you have to do is look at mopeds versus e-bikes, and regular cars versus electric ones, like the Tesla. If you had to pit one against the other in each vehicle size, which one do you think would be able to go further and produce more power? Hands down it’s the gas ones. Where a lawn mower is different is that it’s attached to a continuous power source, but electric is still no match for a gas lawn mower, which can cut through tough grass and just last longer.

Winner: Gas-powered lawn mowers

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Cost

There’s just one variable to consider when it comes to savings here, and that’s the size of your yard. If you have a tiny yard that’s about a tenth of an acre or less, or a big yard (half an acre or more), then gas is the way to go. But if you have a medium-sized lawn that’s about a third of an acre, then your best bet is electric.

Winner: Tie

Noise

Lawn mowing isn’t exactly a silent job, but there are certain aspects you can control. Most of us probably don’t need a Harley-strong engine in our lawn mowers, with the exception being riding mowers (but that’s a different article altogether). For regular push mowers, though, you have three noise settings: sort of loud, loud, and super duper loud. If you can avoid mowing your lawn before the sun gets up, then you may be okay on the volume it produces. But either way, your neighbours may be a little happier if you get a quieter mower.

Winner: Electric lawn mowers

Maintenance

Because a lawn mower is a machine, it’s made up of many parts — and they’ll need to be looked after. It’s an inevitability before something needs to be fixed or replaced, and the only question is when. However, how much work you have to do on your lawn mower differs depending on the kind you got, and there’s a noticeable difference between the two. Electric mowers tend to be the simpler ones, while gas lawn mowers are a little, ahem, fussier.

Winner: Electric lawn mowers

The kind of lawn mower you end up buying really comes down to personal preference and the kind of yard you get. But if you’re looking at our selection, then the worry of getting a good-quality one is gone. Each one of our lawn mowers is a top-notch one that arrives in great condition, and you’ll even get free shipping on each and every one, too.

The last thing you want to see happen to your beautifully manicured lawn, the one you put so much time, work and effort into, is to see it destroyed by little multi-legged critters. It’s never any fun waking up to your pristine grass being chewed apart by ravaging little mouths, but luckily, there are a variety of steps you can take to prevent/manage it. The telltale sign of a patchy lawn that’s dead in spots doesn’t have to be something that happens to you, so read on to learn about what you can do for lawn pests.

Recognizing What’s Eating at You – and Your Lawn

One of the most dastardly lawn pests is the chinch bug, a tiny, black-shelled hexapod that’s about a fifth of an inch long. They may be pretty hard to spot, but the scorched earth damage they leave behind is not. The nymphs (babies) are easier to see because they’re pinkish to bright red in color, but unfortunately, they’re usually born in June so you’re a bit out of luck. Either way, you’ll be looking at a lawn that looks like it’s suffered through a drought, with wilting grass blades that turn yellow and die.

Lawn grub

Lawn grubs are another nasty culprit, and they aren’t nearly as stealthy as cinch bugs. Fat and white in color, they have a C-shaped body and move pretty slowly. While the damage they cause borders on ruined-lawn devastation, you’ve got one big factor on your side: they can remain underground for up to four years, so the timing of your actions is a lot more flexible.

Finally, we come to the Japanese beetle, which is a 0.6″ lout with a copper-colored back and green thorax/head. It’s a bit of a pitiful flyer and its version of Kryptonite is milky spore disease, which can be found in grass roots. Once the USDA realized the Japanese beetle was susceptible to milky spore disease, it began harvesting it to sell as an anti-beetle powder.

Japanese beetle

Sending That Problem Back to Where it Came From

The key to ridding lawn pests from your grass is to formulate a good plan and then act quickly. It’s sort of like tackling rust on your car: if you wait until rust has overtaken your entire vehicle — as opposed to yearly rust-proofing — then it’s too late. You’ll have a much bigger problem to deal with.

One technique, which we discussed a little bit earlier, is to apply milky spore disease to your lawn. The key is to apply it before the Japanese beetles start feeding, when they’re still in the larval stage and look like chubby little white grub worms.

Beneficial Nematodes are another strategy you can use when tackling lawn pests. They’re teeny tiny non-segmented worms that feast on just about everything bad crawling around in your lawn, and a good rule of thumb to use is one vial of Beneficial Nematodes for every 900 square feet of grass. All you have is mix the vial contents with water, and then irrigate your lawn with it either in the early morning or late afternoon.

Nematode

For a generalized approach, mist this solution on your lawn. It’s a natural insecticide, so it’s a little easier on your grass while still working to get rid of lawn pests.

Just make sure to wait two to three hours to let it set in, and then rinse off so the soapiness doesn’t wreck the grass. Apply it again every day for about three days.

Stopping lawn pests from taking over isn’t an easy task, as you’ll need to battle it constantly to get that lush green look back. But if you keep at it and tackle the problems as they come, you can show those lawn pests who’s the boss at the end of the day. For everything you else you need to make sure your lawn keeps looking awesome, check out our inventory and enjoy free shipping on everything you order.

Most of us have seen Edward Scissorhands and remember the scene when he whips Peggy’s yard into a work of art, making it go from an overgrown mess into the jewel of the neighborhood crown. While showing how to do Edward’s job is a lot more involved than one blog post — it takes artists years of practice to develop that kind of skill — it is possible to learn a few tips and pointers about what makes neat and tidy shrubs. It’s not an overly difficult task and certainly not one you’d need to hire someone to do, just as long as you’re methodical, don’t skip a step, and be patient with yourself. Plus, having the right Mower Source tools will go a long way in ensuring the job is as smooth as possible.

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Starting Small: Pruning

If you’ve maintained your shrubbery year round in a nice shape, then your task here is small. Branches, unfortunately, don’t grow uniformly and evenly and will need a bit of shaping, sort of like regular haircuts for yourself. The key is to be a little conservative because you’re this late in the season, and just prune the stuff that’s sticking out waywardly. The kinds of branches you’ll want to tackle will be thin and weak- or dead-looking, making a 45-degree angle cut just above a node of new growth.

Jumping In: Making Something Out of a Mess

At the opposite end of the spectrum from above is shrubbery that hasn’t been touched at all, a sort of before picture until Edward Scissorhands got his paws on it. You’ll first want to trim off any tangled or really long branches from the top, front and sides; if your shrubs are up against a wall, lop off any of the really long branches that stick out awkwardly.

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Next you’ll be giving it a generally tidy shape, which can be easy or difficult, depending on whether or not you have an eye for straight lines. Many people don’t, and it’s easier to take a couple of pre-steps to ensure your shrubs don’t slope. Just put up a stake at either end of your shrubs, tie a string across, and use a carpenter’s level to make sure it’s straight. For bigger shrubs, have two stakes at either end: one for the front of the shrub and one for the back.

You can use the same stakes for both the tops and fronts of your shrubs, simply adjusting where the strings are. For a straight line on the top, keep the strings on the top. For a straight line on the front, move the strings to the front.

Going Artistic: Fine-tuning What’s Already Been Shaped

If you’re intent on making your bushes and shrubs into shapes, like cats or lollipops, then you need to start when the plants are still relatively young, such as before they’re two feet high. After that, you’ll be wrestling with a lot of growth, which will make your job more suited to professionals.

The two basic shapes you’ll be starting with are either an oval or a square, both of which can be shaped into more complex looks as they grow. Next, get a hold of some chicken wire to bend into basic shapes, using zip ties to hold the wires together into a frame (the frame will go over your bushes), and only trim a few inches at a time (about once a month). Remember, complex shapes like animals will takes years to become fully formed, so go at it patiently and with a long-term view in mind.

Mower Source is your go-to place when it comes to both high-quality tools and all things related to your yard. Having the right hedge trimmers will make your job infinitely easier, so check out our selection now and enjoy free shipping on every item.

We hate to say the following words — but summer will soon be over and autumn is waiting just around the corner. Because of that, your lawn and garden need to be prepared for the upcoming cooler weather so you’ll have a lush, green yard next year. It doesn’t take too much work, as maintenance is far easier than letting things go and facing a mountain of work. In this Mower Source post, we’ll go over some of the things you’ll have to start looking at in the coming weeks to prepare your garden for the fall.

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Get Rid of the Weeds

By far, one of the most important things you can do for your lawn and garden is keeping it free of weeds. You can use pesticides, but there’s no guarantee you’ll hit every single pest. Plus, dousing your lawn and garden in pesticides doesn’t exactly provide a hospitable environment for grass and plants to grow and thrive.

As much as everyone hates pulling weeds, it’s really the best way to go. The thought of bending down and yanking weed after weed is something that few people look forward to, but that’s because they don’t do it right. Instead, follow these tips to make the job much easier:

Treat the Soil

If you live in a northern state, like Wisconsin or Minnesota, you’re not used to year-long sunshine that’s strong and powerful. And if you go on vacation somewhere where the weather is like that, like Hawaii, then your skin will throw a little hissy fit. You know this, and prepare your skin by slathering on sunscreen.

Do the same for your soil, giving it a protective coating for the impending cooler air. Soil particularly likes compost and cover crops, with a thin layer of topsoil raked over a little bonus. For your grass, wait until the leaves start falling and then use your lawn mower to turn it into mulch. These measures are a little bit of rejuvenation for your lawn and garden, and help prime it until the sun pokes out again next spring.

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Plant Cool Season Grasses

This tip applies to states where cooler weather is a regularity, not an exception. Putting in cool-season grasses — those that do the majority of their growing when the weather is cooler (not necessarily cold) rather than warmer. Some of the grasses you’ll be looking at include fescue and rye, and by planting before the frost hits, you’ll be giving the seeds a chance to spread and take root.

You’ll also want to apply a slow-release fertilizer, giving your grasses an extra bit of carbohydrates so they can stay “fed” during the cold months. It’s not a necessary step to take, but it will give your lawn a boost in looking healthy come spring.

And if you want to plant ornamental grasses for a gorgeous autumn look, try out fountain grass, red switch grass, feather reed grass or flame grass for amazing color and texture.

Mower Source has you covered on everything that has to do with your yard, from how to mow your grass properly to what a great garden should — and can — look like. And on every product you buy from us, we’ll send it over right away without charging a dime for taxes (except MN) and shipping.

Nobody thinks they’ll ever get injured when mowing the lawn and not because they don’t misunderstand the injuries a lawn mower can cause, but because they think the accidents will always happen to someone else. But that’s not the case, as people get injured by lawn mowers everyday. Sometimes it’s because of lack of preparation, sometimes it’s because of distraction, and sometimes it’s because of truly unavoidable circumstances. Mower Source is here to look over some of the most common accidents that can happen with a lawn mower, and what you can do to minimize your chances of becoming a statistic.

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Contact with the Rotating Blade

You’re mowing along happily when suddenly, you notice the grass isn’t being cut anymore. So, in an attempt to get it going again, you turn the lawn mower off, reach underneath to clear a clump of clogged grass…and find out the blades haven’t stopped moving. This kind of accident can also occur if you reach into the discharge chute, and is incredibly preventable. Remember that just because you turned the lawn mower off, it doesn’t necessarily mean the blades won’t move of their own accord. Sometimes, there’s pressure holding them in a certain position and dislodging the object that’s pushing them back can cause a reverse reaction, causing the blades to move. Your best bet is to turn the machine off, unplug the cord (if it’s an electrical lawn mower), and then use a stick or broom handle to dislodge anything underneath or in the chute.

Thrown Objects

Let’s say you’re smart about not sticking your hand anywhere near the blades and know to use a stick instead — you’re still not out of the accident woods yet. Objects on your lawn that can’t get shredded by the blades — just about anything other than grass, small sticks, and paper — will ricochet off the blades and possibly up at you. And despite your best efforts to clear the lawn free of debris before you start, there can still be little objects laying hidden in the grass, like pieces of glass or small stones. Your best course of action is to walk around your lawn before you start, trying as best as you can to pick up anything that’s not grass.

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Burns

If you ride a motorcycle, then you know to be incredibly careful of the muffler when you dismount, because that thing gets incredibly hot, incredibly fast. Lawn mowers operate much the same way, heating up quickly and able to cause severe burns. Treat your lawn mower like an oven, and don’t touch until you’re absolutely sure it’s cooled down. Another kind of burn injury can be caused if gasoline leaks anywhere, and is sparked into a fire by the engine’s ignition system or battery. To prevent becoming seriously injured, make sure you have a fire extinguisher outside with you that can put out either electrical or gasoline fires.

Back-Over Accidents

If you use a riding lawn mower, then this type of accident is always a possibility. You don’t have a lot of visibility behind you, and with the amount of noise a riding mower makes, there’s always the chance of reversing over someone. To avoid this, always have your children or anyone else in plain sight before going backwards.

And as sturdy as some riding mowers may be, they’re not completely immune from toppling over, such as on hills or bumpy spots on the lawn. To prevent this, go as steadily as you can, using a walk-behind mower if you have to on tricky bits. It may seem like a lot of extra work, but compared to the chance of severe injury caused by riding a lawn mower over trouble spots, it’s just a lot smarter to take a couple minutes extra.

Mower Source knows that its readers are a smart, safe bunch, which is why we want you to check our selection of lawn mowers and accessories so you can practice these safety tips on top-of-the-line products. Order anything you want, and get free shipping to the lower 48 states.

It’s not enough to just pull out your Mower Source lawn mower, throw it back and forth a couple of times, and call it a day. To really get an ace-looking lawn, the devil lies in the details: mulching, watering and edging. In this post, we’ll take a look at the last point and what’s involved in getting your lawn looking as though it was professionally designed. Because at the heart of every beautiful lawn isn’t someone whose sole occupation is landscaping, but a person who’s able to recognize the difference between a job mostly done and a job really taken to the nth degree. Edging, in particular, keeps your lawn looking crisp and neat, even when the rest of it may be suffering a bit. The key is to make sure all areas are looked after, but for now, we’ll tackle edging.

Mow the Lawn First

To get the most accurate sense of how much you should be edging and what needs to be done, cut your lawn first. This’ll put the grass at a mostly even length throughout, and make your edging job a lot easier. Don’t worry too much about use a weed trimmer to really get the corners done well, as you’ll be focusing on that a little bit later on.

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Mark out the Edges

There are some people who have a natural eye in being able to size something up right away, and quite accurately measure it for dimensions and perspective (think of hanging pictures on a wall). However, not everyone has this knack, so don’t leave anything to chance and measure it out by hand. When it comes to your lawn, you don’t have many second chances at making sure the lines are as straight, neat and even as they should be.

One way of marking out the edges is to use chalk to draw a line where you want your new edges to be. Once your line is drawn, take a spade or gardening shovel and make half-moon indentations a few inches deep. Or if you don’t have chalk, just lay out your garden hose in a straight line and make your half-moon indentations that way.

Separate the Turf from the Edges

Now that you know exactly where your edges are going to be, it’s time to take the turf out and create your new border. This can be both the easiest and hardest part of the process, as people can use either any tool they want or proper edging tools. If you’re up for a bit of MacGyver-ing, then go ahead and pull out those bits of turf with a spade, your hand, or anything else you’ve got around. But for an easier time — which also means investing in the right tools — then use an edger or pair of sharp shears. Whatever tool you use, just make sure you keep the edges going down at a right angle to make it look as good as possible.

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Tidy Up the Last Few Details

There are two ways of finishing up your edging job:

Check out Mower Source for everything you need to give yourself a great-looking lawn, whether it’s our stellar collection of lawn mowers or that edger you need to make your job easier. And with whatever you buy, enjoy free shipping to the lower 48 states.

Your yard is something to be proud of, but it requires a lot of work to get there. You have to put in the hours making sure the soil is good, the grass is watered and cut to a decent level, and pulling weeds. Another part of the job is the cleanup, making sure all the pesky little bits of debris are out of sight and out of mind. When it comes to leaves, there are so many of them it just doesn’t make sense to get on your hands and knees and remove them one by one. Enter the leaf blower, that little machine that pushes them into one neat little corner, making your job infinitely easier. But did you know that there’s actually a process to follow when getting a leaf blower? Read on to find out what you need to know before getting one.

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Light-Duty Electric Leaf Blowers: For Basic, Small Jobs

Not everyone lives in an area where it thunderstorms leaves every time the wind whispers, and these are perfect for a light smattering of leaves. If all you need to do is blow a little bit of dirt or leaves from your deck or driveway, then this electric one — also known as a “corded broom” — is perfect for you. Plus, they have little motors, which only produce a little bit of noise.

Heavy-Duty Electric Leaf Blowers: For When the Job’s a Little Tougher

Say you want to do more than just tidy up your deck or driveway, like you want to actually move onto your lawn now. For that, pick up a heavy-duty electric blower and head straight for your grass. These have a bigger motor and are capable of moving more weight around, and you can plug it into an extension cord to make sure you get all areas of your lawn. And depending on the kind you get, you may just be able to turn it into a vacuum for your flowerbeds, too.

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Handheld Gas Leaf Blowers: A Little Bit of Freedom to Move Around

While one of the big advantages of an electric leaf blower is the lack of filling up a motor — which makes them quieter, too — their big downside is their reach. A gas leaf blower, on the other hand, lets you go wherever you want. They are quite a bit heavier than electric leaf blowers, but the 30cc or 40cc engine can do just that much more. Just remember to always have mixed gasoline on hand so you never run out.

Backpack Gas Leaf Blowers: Hands-Free and Ready to Roar

We’re finally onto the monsters of all leaf blowers, as these ones are so big and powerful, they’re best worn strapped to your back instead of lugged around in your hands. They can blow anything anywhere you want, so just remember to get one that has an air circulator and vibration-reducer on the back. You’ll also want to go upwards of 40cc to really maximize its potential.

The choice is always yours when it comes to what kind of leaf blower you want to get, but buying the right one for the job will make you that much more efficient. But whether it’s a gas or electric leaf blower you want, we’ve got what you need. And no matter what you pick out, there’s always free shipping to the lower 48 states.

While some homeowners may be content to shop for a Mower Source lawn mower, wait for it to be shipped, and use it once it arrives, there’s a lot more to a tidy green lawn than just the mower. Accessories can be the make or break factor for a job done easily, and we’re here to show you the top ones that would love to find a home in your shed. We’ve selected our list based on necessity, cost and efficiency, always keeping you, our dear reader, in mind.

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1. Replacement Blades

Just like tires are one of the most important parts of you car, blades perform the same function. If we had to isolate one part, and one part only, that help your lawn mower do the best job possible, it’d be the blades, hand down. They make constant contact with grass blades, cutting them down to just the length you’ve set it to. But dull blades? All you’re doing is pressing down the blades, making the job a lot harder for yourself and leaving your lawn looking sloppily cut. A set of spare blades will only set you back about as much as it costs to go to the movies, give or take a bag of popcorn or two.

2. Lawn Mower Cover

We know that when the top priority is buying land and a house, other things can get compromised, like storage space. However, a lawn mower is not one of the things that should be left exposed to the elements, as the sun, rain, dirt and wind can wreak a little bit of havoc on your machine. The UV rays from the sun can damage your tires, the rain can rust the metal parts, and the wind and dirt can cause tiny little critters to make your lawn mower their new home. Buying a lawn mower cover is a bit pricier than a set of spare blades, but it’s still a worthy investment when you factor it against the cost of buying a new lawn mower prematurely.

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3. Mulching Kits

We’ve written before about how much better it is to mulch your lawn — especially using the materials available on your lawn itself — than to simply mow it. It revitalizes your grass, adds incredibly important nutrients, and helps keep your lawn healthy, happy and long-living. And while you could take the long way around by mulching by hand or trying to MacGuyver your lawn mower to do it, it’d be so much easier to just get a mulching kit and have your work cut in half. The price is quite a bit higher than the previous two entries (think the mid-100s), but think of this analogy: washing clothes with a manual washing machine is free, but it takes an incredibly long amount of time and a lot of elbow grease. A washing machine, on the other hand, can be pricey in comparison, but makes the job so much more incredibly easier. A mulching kit is the same way.

You’ve got a Mower Source lawn mower, you’ve got the three lawn mower accessories you need, and now you’ve got an incredible summer set ahead for you. But just in case you don’t have any of what we just talked about, take a look at our inventory and find the perfect products for yourself. Not only do we have free rush-order processing, but we have free shipping on every single item, too.

Lawn mowers, no matter what the details are, essentially come in one of two forms: riding or walk behind. The kind you choose has a lot to do with personal preference, but the factor of necessity comes into play, too. Should you really buy a riding mower if your lawn is smaller than a postage stamp? Conversely, how effective will a walk behind mower be if your yard is almost as big as a baseball field? In this article, we take a look at the pros and cons of getting a walk behind mower so you can see if it’s the right one for you.

Exercise

There’s no comparison at all when it comes to riding lawn mowers and walk behind lawn mowers. None at all. With a riding lawn mower, the most exercise you’ll get is turning the wheel or hopping on and off. But with a walk behind mower, you’re giving your body one heck of a good workout.

It takes serious strength and endurance to operate a walk behind mower efficiently and cleanly, and it’s one of the easiest ways to get in shape during the warmer months. Plus, you’re using major muscle groups in your body: your legs, to walk with the mower; your arms, to push it; and your core; to keep a perfect balance between you and the machine.

Con

It’s fun to get a workout with a walk behind mower…until the mercury hits the triple digits. Then, it seems like you’re mowing every blade of grass on this planet with no end in sight. And for people with heart or lung problems, it can be a deadly exercise. If you’re going to use mowing the lawn as a way to get in shape, start slow and talk to your doctor first.

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Efficiency

Walk behind mowers lag behind their riding cousins, but it’s hardly fair to compare the engines. The former has about as much pep as your dishwasher, while the latter are almost motor vehicles. But instead of comparing the two in terms of pound-for-pound power, let’s look at what each is able to do in terms of what it’s got.

In this case, the walk behind mower wins — again. It’s got a relatively tiny engine that needs hardly any maintenance, comes in gas or electric forms (can the riding mower boast of that?), and performs with the heart of a lion. The riding mower, on the other hand, requires a lot more maintenance because of its bigger size, and can’t be plugged in.

Con

The smaller engine does mean more work for you, so when comparing engine size and the time it takes to get the job done, the walk behind mower falls back a bit. This isn’t so noticeable when you’ve just got a decent-sized lawn but move up in property size, and you’ll really notice the difference.

Cost

You can buy walk behind mowers for a couple hundred dollars and start using them right away. With riding mowers, though, you’re looking to spend a lot more, plus learning how to use the controls while mowing the lawn neatly. There’s just about no learning curve on a walk behind mower, making that and their cheap cost what the Apple products of the world should be.

Con

Cheap doesn’t always equal good, and you’ll have to do your homework before you invest in a walk behind mower. You don’t have to read pages and pages of material on lawn mowers, just keep checking back with our blog to get all the best tips and pointers.

If you’re in the market for a walk behind mower, we’re more than happy to supply you. All of our mowers are of the best quality and come with free shipping to the lower 48 states.

Zero-turn lawn mowers are the type of invention that may have taken a little while to get here but once they did in the early ’60s, made you shake your head and wonder what took it so long to arrive. The have great manoeuvrability, can cover a really big space, are fun to ride, and fairly simple to maintain. They’re called “zero turn” because these lawn mowers are able to contour corners so closely, there’s hardly any grass left to trim after. It saves a huge amount of time and work, for if you only need one piece of equipment to do the job instead of two, you’re twice as far ahead. Before you go shopping for a zero-turn lawn mower, though, take a second to read this guide so you know exactly what to look for.

1. What Deck Size Do You Need?

Deck size refers to how wide your zero-turn lawn mower will be, with a general rule of thumb being the bigger the yard, the wider the deck. This is so your mower can efficiently clear your lawn without you having to spend hours and hours at it, with the equivalent being something like using nail clippers to cut an average-sized front year.

But hold on a sec: having a wide deck size doesn’t automatically mean that you should go with the biggest number to get the job done the fastest. You have to keep proportion, balance and curvature in mind. A wider deck size will allow you to cut more in one go, yes, but you won’t be able to corner quite as tightly. But by picking out a smaller deck size, you trade off a bit of stability, which is necessary if your yard is sloped.

Deck Construction

Along with size, you’ll want to check out the guts of the deck. They’re assembled in one of two ways, stamped or welded. Commercial grade mowers have the steel layers of the deck welded together for added toughness, while residential mowers tend to have lighter gauge steel, and stamped together instead of welded. The difference is mainly for the type of terrain you have, as welded can handle roughness a lot more easily than stamped decks.

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2. Get the Right Engine Size for What You Need

Just like deck size, engine size matters only as much as the specs of your lawn. If you’ve got an even, smooth lawn, you’re not going to need something that can blast its way through granite. Conversely, if you’ve got rough, hilly terrain on your property, you’re going to need something with a little more oomph to it.

There are two basic engines you can get with a zero-turn lawn mower, and each is equipped to do a specific job:

3. Finish it Off with Tires and Cutting Height

Until someone invents a lawn mower that can do its job by floating in the air, lawn mowers will have tires. And the tires you pick are going to be holding up the whole weight of the mower, so check out four-ply-rated tires for the best job. And if you can get them, wide tires will help distribute the weight of the mower more evenly, which is always a good idea.

Lastly, cutting height is a feature that you’ll almost always be using. You can adjust the height of the blades either manual — which eats away at productivity and efficiency — or foot assist or hand lever to raise and lower the blades on the go.

As much as a zero-turn lawn mower is something you use for big lawns to make the job easier, they’re also just plain fun to use. But instead of going for the most fun-looking zero-turn lawn mower, get one that’s perfect for your yard for the best job possible. Take a look at our selection to see which would be the best fit for you, and enjoy both free shipping and free rush order processing.