Lawn mowers to avoid. Can I Hose Off My Lawn Mower? Yes, but avoid this common mistake

Can I Hose Off My Lawn Mower? Yes, but avoid this common mistake

Cleaning your mower after cutting the yard every time is a bit of a chore. But it doesn’t have to be, there’s an easier way, and it’s been hiding in plain sight.

So can I hose off my lawnmower? Hosing off your mower is OK, but avoid spraying water on the engine and never use a pressure washer to clean your mower.

Cleaning after every use is important, decaying grass will eat all your metal components.

A thorough clean down at the end of the season is critical to your mower’s health. If you’re winterizing your mower, check out the “Mower winterizing” post or see the video here, they walk you through the winterizing process step by step – from cleaning to engine and fuel system protection.

My Favorite Way To Hose Down The Mower

Of course, you can use soapy water and your garden hose to wash down your mower deck. Although your mower is weatherproof, it’s not waterproof, so avoid the engine altogether. Getting water on the electrics can cause them to fail, which is expensive and the warranty likely won’t cover it. Avoid the cables, transmission, and belts, water causes the cables to rust and eventually bind and break.

Anyway, I want to share this info with you, because I don’t want you guys scraping and scrubbing on your knees when there’s a better way. This discrete fitting escaped my notice for years, and I felt more than a little silly when I discovered what it was for.

Now I use it after every mow because it only takes 2 minutes. Take a look at your mower deck, if it’s relatively new, it’ll likely have a mower deck wash-out port fitted.

Deck Wash Out Hose Port – Bet you never noticed it, right? Anyway, if you’ve got a garden hose, simply move the mower to a paved flat surface and follow these procedures:

• Remove Grass Bag
• Lower Deck Height
• Connect Hose To Deck
• Turn Water On
• Start Your Mower
• Run Blade Until Water Runs Clear
• Remove Hose Water Off
• Start Mower Run Blade To Dry Deck

Hose On – This is so cool! I got so excited when I did this the first time, scraping the underside of a mower just isn’t fun. Be warned, it does leave a green mess on the drive but if you hose it off before it dries, it’s not a problem.

Why You Should Never Power Wash Your Mower

Power washing is a fantastic tool, and it’s great for washing the car, decking, driveway but not the mower. The problem is, the pressure is so great, it forces water into bearings, cables, underseals, and water turns to rust which in time will cause failure and dollars.

The high-pressure water also washes away vital assembly grease, on axles and that causes the dry components to wear out prematurely. Removing the grass from the deck after each mow is important. Decaying grass produces acid which will happily eat your mower in a few short years. The top of the mower deck can be washed but a brush or leaf blower will do a fine job too.

Too late for this deck, and it was right there!

Related Questions

Is it OK to tip a lawnmower on its side? You can tip a mower on its side provided the carburetor side is pointed upwards.

Will my lawnmower be OK in the rain? A mower will be OK in light rain, it is weatherproof, but it needs to be stored under cover long-term.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!

Dangers of Zero Turn Mowers on Hills: And How To Prevent Them

Dangers of zero-turn mowers on hills include the risk of a mower toppling sideways or getting completely out of hand. These mower types are one of the best we have for lawn care on flat surfaces, however, these mowers might not be your best option when you mow the grass on a hill.

Find out some of the dangers of using this mower on steep surfaces and how to prevent them in this guide.

• What Are The Dangers of Zero Turn Mowers on Hills?

• – The Lawn Mower Might Overturn
• – The Mower Might Slide Out of Control
• – Mow Slowly on Hills
• – Mow Only When The Grass is Dry
• – Don’t Go Near Dangerous Areas
• – Turn Very Carefully
• – Avoid Mowing With People Around
• – Use Premium Quality Tires
• – Have a Rollover Protection System Installed
• – Only Mow From Side to Side
• – Start From the Bottom of the Hill Upwards
• – Keep Away From Skids

• – What Is Better, a Lawn Tractor or Zero Turn Mower?
• – What Are the Disadvantages of Zero Turn Lawn Mowers?
• – How Long Will a Zero-Turn Mower Last?

What Are The Dangers of Zero Turn Mowers on Hills?

The main danger of zero-turn mowers is that they might overturn and tip over while you are taking a turn. It is also possible that they might get out of control when working on a hill steeper than 15 degrees.

– The Lawn Mower Might Overturn

When working on a hill, a zero-turn mower is always at risk of overturning to the side or tipping its back. This danger becomes particularly pronounced when you try to turn this mower around on such a hill.

This is because the rear wheels of a zero-turn mower are faster and stronger than the front wheels. Its engine is also located towards the back. Most of the weight of these riding mowers is concentrated towards their back. What’s more, they mostly rely on the back brakes, which are more efficient than the front brakes.

Your mower might tip over whenever you encounter a pothole or similar obstruction. When going up a hill steeper than 15 degrees, it is at risk of tipping backward under its weight.

– The Mower Might Slide Out of Control

Most of the accidents that occur with zero-turn lawn mowers happen when they get out of control and end up crashing someplace or someone.

That is why these mowers are best suited for flat surfaces. When mowing on a hill, ensure it isn’t steeper than 15 degrees.

At any rate, while mowing on a hill, avoid taking turns until you are back on the flat surface.

– Mow Slowly on Hills

No matter how fast your ride-on mower has the ability to go, it’s best to keep that in check while on a slope. This mower type already has the worst traction and might lose even that when sped up more.

It will do you well to remember that the majority of the weight of the mower is concentrated towards its rear end. Its rear end will skid across the lawn under that weight and tear it up when going uphill at high speed.

If the hill is too steep, the mower might tip over on its back, and you might injure yourself or anyone else nearby.

The same advice goes for accelerating while on a hill. No matter how busy you might be, go as slowly and steadily as possible and never make the mistake of making a turn at high speeds.

– Mow Only When The Grass is Dry

Adding wet grass to the equation will worsen things for a riding lawn mower with poor traction. You will have to ensure that it is as dry as you can keep it before mowing any hill.

And we are not just talking about rain here. It would be best to allow early morning dewdrops on the grass blades to dry to stay on the safe side.

There are several other advantages of mowing only when the grass is thoroughly dry. First, it is much easier to cut and takes less effort from the mower. The result will be neater as compared to wet grass.

Lastly, the cleanup after mowing dry grass is also easier because dry grass clippings can easily be picked up and collected. Wet clippings tend to stick together in clumps that become a headache to remove properly from the hill.

– Don’t Go Near Dangerous Areas

Zero-turn mowers were not manufactured for steep hills with more than 15 degrees slopes. It is impossible, and if you somehow make your way there, don’t make a turn.

You will also need to keep away from nearby water bodies or walls. At any rate, move along the side of the wall rather than towards it because you will not be able to take a turn and might end up crashing into it.

Steer well clear of muddy, rough terrains or unstable areas of the hill. If your mower gets stuck in the mud, it will be difficult for you to take it out without external help. You might end up overturning the mower to its side during the effort.

– Turn Very Carefully

It would be best never to make sharp and quick turns when mowing on hills. Start turning the mower from a reasonable distance and take a very slow, deliberate, and wide turn.

Even if you seem to leave several inches of lawn unmowed, don’t worry.

– Avoid Mowing With People Around

There is a real danger of a zero-turn mower getting out of control and hurting someone in the way. We always suggest you ensure the kids and the pets are safe inside the house while you mow away on hilly terrain.

Keep in mind that these mowers do not have the ability to take turns sideways safely if something or someone suddenly pops up in front of them. Because of their massive weight and rear-placed brakes, pulling emergency brakes at the last minute might lead to tipping the zero-turn mowers in a forward direction.

Stay alert to your surroundings while going up and down a hill with such mowers. Take the necessary precautions if you see someone, even if they are at a distance. Make sure to avoid them beforehand without having to turn or brake last minute.

– Use Premium Quality Tires

Suppose your zero-turn mower has the best quality tires attached to it, especially the back tires. This will help ensure it mows grass properly and provides better traction on hills and steep terrains.

First of all, buy tires of the best quality from a trusted seller. These might be a tad more expensive than ordinary tires but trust us, they will be worth all your money.

The wider the back tires of a lawn riding mower, the safer it is to ride. These tires create all the power a mower generates and are the major source of support on the grass. The wider they are, the more surface area of the mower stays in contact with the land. Naturally, this provides much more stability and safety to your mower while working up and down steep slopes.

– Have a Rollover Protection System Installed

A rollover protection system (RPS) is a safety system meant to protect the rider from serious injuries in case of an accidental rollover or overturn of lawn mowers. Most new models of mowers come with this system pre-attached to them.

If you have yet to buy a zero-turn mower for yourself, look specifically for those with an installed RPS system. They do cost more than the average mower, but this is an investment you need to make for your safety.

If you own a mower that does not have this feature, ask the manufacturer if they can install one on your machine. Many manufacturers are willing to charge only a small amount to install a pretty effective rollover protection system on old mowers that do not have this feature.

– Only Mow From Side to Side

No, going up and down the hill using a zero-turn mower is not a good idea. Most of the accidents while mowing slopes occur when the riders go either up or down and then lose their machine’s balance.

We agree that going side to side on a hill is not going to be easy. You will not be able to mow in neat and straight lines. Unfortunately, you don’t have any other option while mowing slopes.

While going up, you risk accelerating inadvertently and lifting the front of the mower. At any rate, the back end of the mower will end up damaging the grass.

While going down, you run the risk of losing control and either not being able to brake or just tumbling down the hill unimpeded.

– Start From the Bottom of the Hill Upwards

Of course, it matters where you start when mowing a hill using a zero-turn mower. We suggest you start from a stable, flat surface at the bottom and then slowly move upwards.

This gives you more control and stability while mowing. The cutting deck at the back will also come in close contact with the grass, cutting it more efficiently.

If, for some reason, you must mow from the top of the hill downwards. then do it in reverse. Trust us, this will help prevent skidding, and you will be able to control the mower should any need arise.

– Keep Away From Skids

Don’t push the power accelerator if you lose balance while mowing a hill with a zero-turn mower. Skidding the mower, in this case, is a bad idea through and through.

If there is a flat surface at the bottom of the hill, it’s just best to let the mower run down and halt by itself.

Suppose you try to pull the brakes or push down on the power button, then you risk suddenly tipping the mower over. The cutting deck will also skid along the grass and tear it off along with the skidding mower.

Frequently Asked Questions

– What Is Better, a Lawn Tractor or Zero Turn Mower?

For steep surfaces and hills, lawn tractors are undoubtedly a better option. They are powdered by their front wheels and are easier to control while mowing up and down a hill. These properties also make these mowers safer on hills.

When it comes to a large lawn with curved edges, a zero-turn mower is much better. Lawn tractors have a wide radius of turning, always leaving a large patch of grass untouched at the edges. You will then have to return to that patch again. On the other hand, mowers are very efficient at turning on flat surfaces and don’t miss any spots.

– What Are the Disadvantages of Zero Turn Lawn Mowers?

One main disadvantage of a zero-turn mower is that it is not easy to operate. You will have to practice regularly to get the hang of how it works and how to control it.

over, these mower types are quite pricey and need a lot of expensive maintenance. especially compared to push mower types.

No proper brake pedal is a major disadvantage on slopes and hills. Most of these are gas-powered and are not environmentally friendly.

– How Long Will a Zero-Turn Mower Last?

On average, a zero-turn mower will last about two thousand hours without giving you any major problems. This means that if your lawn takes about one hour to mow, you get to mow it a whopping two thousand times before it wears out.

Of course, this calculation depends on the quality of your zero-turn mower and whether you opted for a reputable manufacturer. It also depends on how well you take care of the mower and the condition of your lawn. Mowers that are ridden on rocky terrain understandably wear out much faster.

Conclusion

While zero-turn mowers work on flat and stable surfaces, they can be dangerous when mowing hills. You risk toppling over the mower or getting it out of control if you aren’t careful.

In this guide, you not only learn the dangers associated with using such a mower on a steep surface but also the various ways you can avoid these dangers. We hope you will follow these safety precautions the next time to take your mower out to cut down the grass on the hill.

How Long Do Riding Mowers Last? Average Life Expectancy By Brand

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Buying a riding lawn mower isn’t a cheap investment. Because of this, it’s only natural for you to wonder how long an average lawnmower lasts. However, not many know that certain factors may shorten or extend its life expectancy.

Update: Bad News for Honda Lawn Mowers!!Unbelievable!

Sudden machine breakdowns can be a hassle, so our lawn care professionals listed each brand’s average life span, proper care, and maintenance for your convenience.

What is the Average Life Expectancy of Riding Mowers?

Generally, a typical riding mower can last around ten to fifteen years of usage. However, it ultimately depends on how properly maintained the lawnmower is.

If you’ve been an avid user of modern lawn mowers like our team, you’d know that most manufacturers measure how many hours their product would last. This information is often included in the owner’s manual to manage mower life expectations.

Upon searching the current market, we also noticed that affordable riding lawn mowers have an average service life of 1200 hours or less. Meanwhile, premium brands are designed to last around 1500 operating hours or even more.

Riding Mower Life Expectancy by Brand/Manufacturer

Husqvarna

As a gardening and landscaping enthusiast, you have probably already heard of high-quality riding lawnmowers from Husqvarna. This company has been in the industry for so long that its product line includes different lawn tractor options suitable for small to large yards.

As we evaluated riding lawn mowers from the brand, our testers noticed that the average life expectancy of Husqvarna machines depends on their load settings. If the lawnmower is often used in a small to medium landscape, its service life could be between 400 and 800 hours.

If your mower deck cuts through larger yards, you can expect it to reach 1200 to 1600 hours. However, all these calculations revolve around the fact that you have a well-maintained mower.

Cub Cadet

Another riding lawn mower brand known for its great features and durability is Cub Cadet. With proper care and maintenance, their cutting machines can reliably mow your lawn for at least 500 to 1000 hours.

John Deere

If a riding lawn mower that can last a long period is what you seek, our resident landscaping experts could confidently recommend John Deere. Its single-cylinder mower options are popularly known to have an average life expectancy of 500 to 1000 hours.

On top of that, larger mowers equipped with two or more cylinders could last up to 2000 hours of cutting operations. The longevity of this lawnmower depends on how and where you use it. If properly maintained, it’s not uncommon for John Deere Lawn Mowers to last 15 years. You will seldom encounter John Deere lawn mowers with starting problems. Thus it is one of the top brands to consider.

Craftsman

Craftsman is known for its well-engineered tractors, but how long do riding mowers last under this brand? Considering the manufacturer’s many offerings, many factors like engine type and model can affect its service life calculation.

However, many users reported that using Craftsman Riding Lawn Mower for eight years or more is typical. Without proper maintenance, you can expect one-half of that lawnmower life expectation.

Briggs and Stratton

Garden tools powered by award-winning Briggs Stratton Corporation [1] is an option not even our experts can ignore. If you don’t seek a massive mower or cutting blades to eliminate the long grass on your lawn, its 500 hours average life expectancy should be enough for your needs.

If you want, you can try to run a Briggs Stratton lawn mower through routine maintenance so that it can last up to 1000 operational hours or more.

Lifespan of Riding Mower Parts

Engine

No matter what brand of riding lawn mower you own, you’d know that engine has a big role in determining how long a machine can last. As you may expect, lawn mower manufacturers adhere to that need by making this specific part durable and long-lasting.

We highly discourage using your riding lawn mower while low on engine oil. You may not know, but it can quickly degrade your unit.

Batteries

Batteries are often an inexpensive part of a mower. Generally, electric riding lawn mowers are powered by a lead-acid battery that can last up to 4 years.

However, a dead battery doesn’t mean that your lawnmower is unusable. All you need to do is replace it, and your machine should be good to go.

Blades

Let’s face it. Long-lasting lawnmowers with a powerful engine are rendered of no use without a sharp blade. One thing is for sure, though. These lawn mower parts can last for years with proper maintenance, which we’ll briefly discuss below.

Carburetor

Like it or not, a riding lawn mower will be exposed to harmful elements and harsh conditions. With our team’s extensive experience handling riding lawnmower machines, we can assure you that you can see rust on any unit’s surface within five years of usage.

Contributing Factors to the Decline of a Riding Lawn Mower

#1: Lack of/Improper Maintenance

When buying your own ride-on mower, you should know that it entails the responsibility of maintaining it, so you can avoid issues such as a faulty lawn mower belt. Spending long hours on a riding lawn mower while trimming rough landscape makes the mower work harder, so the lack of proper maintenance could ultimately shorten its life expectancy.

#2: Corrosion

The corrosion problem in your lawnmower often starts in the cables and connectors. You’ll hear a clicking sound as your riding lawn mower refuses to start or charge the batteries when this happens. The corrosion often dries up terminals and builds barriers to the lawnmower starter and battery.

#3: Lawn and Grass

The decline in the cutting performance of your riding lawn mower can also be connected to the yard you’re mowing. So if you don’t want your cutting tool to break down suddenly, get a unit that suits the condition of your lawn. For example, electric mowers may work well on smaller yards, but they’re not efficient for landscapes with dense grass.

#4: Frequency of Use

It’s not a secret that frequently using your riding lawn mower may cause it to wear down. This scenario is especially true for users handling a complex and extensive lawn layout. Because of this, proper maintenance becomes essentially crucial.

The Best Lawn Mowers

A fter spending a whole season mowing a 4,300 square-foot lawn with self-propelled gas, electric and manual lawn mowers, we’ve selected the Honda – 21″ HRR216K9VKA as the best lawn mower. With a 160cc engine, the Honda’s cord-free, self-propelled operation gives you plenty of power to get through weeds and overgrowth. If you’ve got a smaller lawn and you don’t want to deal with gasoline and engine maintenance, the Greenworks – 22502 electric is a great option.

A fter spending a whole season mowing a 4,300 square-foot lawn with self-propelled gas, electric and manual lawn mowers, we’ve selected the Honda – 21″ HRR216K9VKA as the best lawn mower. With a 160cc engine, the Honda’s cord-free, self-propelled operation gives you plenty of power to get through weeds and overgrowth. If you’ve got a smaller lawn and you don’t want to deal with gasoline and engine maintenance, the Greenworks – 22502 electric is a great option.

The 6 lawn mowers we tested

Best self-propelled gas mower: Honda – 21″

Honda seems to have discontinued our winning pick but has released a new model that seems almost identical in features. The changes seem to be a different engine, adding 1 more height option, and a darker paint on the body. We have adjusted all the links to point towards the newer item.

Both models of self-propelled gas mower that we tested are well-built machines. This was a very close call, but Honda – 21″ has included design and ergonomic considerations that make it a better mower.

Honda has models in the 500 and 600 range which add features and functions you may be interested in: electric starting or the option to stop the blade and idle down the engine rather than shutting off and re-starting every time you need to stop, for example. We stuck to our 400 budget and feel confident that most will be happy with the performance of this machine on an average lawn like ours.

Top Pick: Honda. HRR216K9VKA 21

Honda’s small engines are rock-solid and reliable. Plenty of power and great design considerations — even the pull start was easy to use. If you need the power and speed of a self-propelled mower, this is your best bet for under 400.

Honda engines have a reputation for easy starting and this one is no exception. Even with just a pull-start (and needing to re-start every time we stopped to pick up a piece of debris), we never had any trouble getting this mower going.

Self-propelled mowers are heavy and can cause damage in wet soil when making a tight turn. Turning while in motion was very manageable on the Honda, but avoiding lawn damage with a heavy mower requires getting to know the wet spots on your lawn and developing a feel for the balance of the mower.

We tested the mowers in wet grass to see how they’d fare, and the Honda did stall on the wettest grass we tested — probably because the chute clogged up with the wet clippings we were bagging. Other reviewers claim their machine didn’t stall with wet grass, but very wet grass is definitely not something any mower is designed for.

After running electric mowers and manual mowers, the Honda was definitely louder, but it’s not like a straight-pipe Harley or a chainsaw.

Adjusting cutter height requires individual settings on each wheel — this is a bit annoying, but most people won’t have to adjust often.

Since the mower is pulling itself forward whenever the engine is going, variable speed control helps for working slowly around turns or near edges of a curb. Honda’s thumb-controlled walk-speed setting was easy to use and felt more natural than the “personal pace” adjuster on the Toro, which was another mower we tested.

Honda’s switch controlling the bagging/mulching flap is also nicer than the Toro’s lever, with a solid engagement that clicks reassuringly in place. Honda claims that their blade system cuts better with two blades, but with a yard the size of the one we tested it was difficult to tell the difference. Suffice it to say, the Honda and Toro both cut well.

The foldable handle has quick-release locks for folding and storing the handle, whereas the Toro uses spin-off fasteners that take more time. Honda also includes padding on the handles of their machine, where Toro leaves you with plastic.

We stored our mowers in a raised shed in the backyard. The shed isn’t super roomy, so storage size and maneuverability were something we noticed. At 84 pounds the Honda is still light enough to lift on its back wheels to roll in, but lifting it to move around in a tight space is noticeably more difficult than with the non-gas models.

Key takeaways:

• The Honda – 21″ HRR216K9VKA gave us trouble-free performance the first time and every time. No trouble with the pull-starter, the bagging system, or the blade adjustment.
• This mower is powerful enough to take on wet grass and mulches whatever twigs and leaves are on your lawn.
• While it’s hefty compared to electric or manual-powered mowers, Honda designed a handle-folding system that makes it relatively easy to store.

Best electric mower: Greenworks – 22502

Compared to the heavy gas mowers the Greenworks – 22502 electric powered mower feels incredibly light: at 56 lb, it’s about 30 lb lighter than the Honda. This makes it far easier to turn without skidding, not to mention easier to handle when you’re putting it away. There’s a lot of plastic involved in keeping that weight down, of course, but the Greenworks still feels more like a serious lawn mower than the other electric model we tested. It’s a simple machine and doesn’t need unnecessary bulk.

Best Electric Mower: Greenworks. 22502

With a wide cutting path and easy-to use features, the Greenworks makes quick work of a lawn without the extra noise and smell of gasoline power.

The Greenworks mower has a 20-inch mowing width and height can be adjusted from 1.5 inches to 3.75 inches with seven height settings total. In the price range we tested, most electric mowers cut a much narrower track (the Sun Joe is a 14-inch and a comparable Black and Decker model is 15 inches) which means you’ll finish 20-30 percent more quickly with the Greenworks.

The Greenworks came ready to go for bagging, side discharge, and mulching, where the Sun Joe only lets you bag unless you buy extra accessories. Setup was a piece of cake, though we should note that the box it came in was not taped shut — the outer shipping box was secure and nothing was missing, but it was a possible sign of lax shipping quality control.

Greenworks made height adjustment very easy: adjusting one lever controls cutting height on the entire mower. On the other hand, the Sun Joe required individual wheel adjustments, as did the gas-powered models we tested.)

This mower has a side discharge chute, but it requires an attachment to keep open. You have to insert a plug in the back of the mower and add the chute on the side to spread clippings to the side.

One of the disappointing things we noted was that clipping shreds occasionally spray out from the catch basket around the perimeter of the deck. This isn’t a big deal, but it’s not something that happened with other mowers.

Dumping the clippings can be slightly awkward since there’s a crossbar that supports the handles. This is an issue on both electric models we tested, but not on the gas models (which have larger, more robust handlebars that don’t use a cross-brace.) This doesn’t stop you from removing the bag, but you have to be aware of where your hands are and bend in awkward ways.

Mowing with an attached power cord is not fun. You’re chained to the plug, dancing a tango with the mower to avoid the cable getting clipped. It’s manageable if you start near the plug and work going away from the cord, but annoying to say the least. Water in pools or puddles is also an electricity-related hazard you’ll have to pay attention to with a long cord.

Note that the Greenworks mower doesn’t come with an extension cord; you’ll need to buy a fairly heavy cord, at least 14 gauge if you’re going longer than 50 feet. 16GA is okay at 50 feet, but you’ll want something longer than that unless you have electrical outlets on every corner of your lawn. You’ll also have to coil the cable carefully after you use it, either a careful straight coil or over-under, unless you want to spend time every week untying a bunch of knots and dealing with a spiral-shaped cord after a year of twisting and untwisting it from sloppy coils.

We felt this mower was ideally sized for our lawn and having no exhaust fumes was great, but it still made a lot of noise relative to manual mowers. Plus, we really missed being cord-free after our time with the gas mowers.

Key takeaways:

• Like any electric mower, the Greenworks – 22502 20″ mower is lighter and easier to maneuver, but you’re tied to an electrical cord.
• Greenworks gives you a lot of mower for your money; it’s much more efficient and better built than the other electric mower we tested.
• It’s not as quiet as the manual mowers, but not having to deal with the noise and smell of a gasoline engine is a huge plus.

Best manual mower: Fiskars – Staysharp Max

The Fiskars – Staysharp Max is wonderfully simple. It’s solid and precise. Plus, with an 18-inch wide reel it covers ground more quickly than even the Sun Joe electric mower we tested (the Fiskars also costs more though.) Manual mowers use a scissor-like blade system that usually makes a grinding or swishing noise, but Fiskars takes pride in their carefully aligned blades and resulting lack of noise.

Before starting we knew we were going to be in love with manual mowers for the eco-friendly aspect, quiet operation, and lack of gas exhaust. The Fiskars mower was indeed very enjoyable to cut with.

Best Manual Mower: Fiskars. Staysharp Max

Quiet and smooth, this is a machine made to clip a smaller lawn that’s already in top condition.

A quiet mower means you don’t feel guilty bugging your neighbors if mowing early in the day or late in the evening. A great perk is that you can talk on the phone or listen to music with non-sealing earbuds while mowing with this machine.

We wore gloves while mowing (since you need to be even more diligent about clearing debris with a manual mower) but were surprised at how comfortable the padded handles are on the Fiskars.

Fiskars went for a very wide cutting area, two inches wider than the Great States mower. This lessens cutting time, but all that width makes it more cumbersome to maneuver in the shed. We feel that it’s well worth the tradeoff and had no issues maneuvering on the turf.

Out of the box, setup was pretty simple, requiring a few screws to connect the handles to the body. The handles fold up (without locking), which saves space, making storage easy compared to non-folding handles.

Adjusting height on this mower is even easier than on the gas-powered models — it’s just one lever in the front instead of adjusting four wheels individually. It’s also marked at 1 inch (shortest) to 4 inches cutting height. On other models you kind of just have to know the height range and wing it, so this was a nice touch on the Fiskars.

To give this manual mower a workout, we used the 1.5-inch setting on overgrowth at first. It was easy in some parts, but extremely difficult towards the end, in patches that weren’t even super tall. On subsequent mowings, it was a breeze. Unlike with gas or electric mowers, you definitely have to spend more time clearing the lawn of twigs and debris before mowing so you don’t jam up the mower.

The adjustable chute can let you direct clippings forward or backward as needed. There’s no included bagging option and even with the optional clipping-catcher this mower can’t suck up and pulverize leaves and small twigs like the powered mowers can.

With extra lawn-clearing time and smaller cutting width, a manual mower can be more work and will take longer than powered lawn mowers. However, if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint and don’t ever let your grass get overgrown, this may be the mower for you.

Key takeaways:

• Heavier than most manual mowers, the Fiskars Staysharp Max‘s 18-inch cutting width makes quick work of small lawns.
• Most manual mowers are somewhat quiet, but Fiskars has made a reel that’s almost noiseless.
• Great build quality, fit and finish; this mower is more expensive than a cheap plug-in mower and it shows.

Other products we tested

Toro – 22″ Recycler 20334

Immediately, we noticed the Toro 22″ Recycler’s excellent packaging: high-quality plastic wrap on all the parts and the engine keeps everything tidy during shipping.

While we appreciated the padding and a few control details on the Honda just a bit more, Toro really knows their stuff too. The handle and connectors on this mower are excellent.

One setup detail that lost Toro some points is how hard it is to add oil to the BS engine and check the level. Waiting for the oil to drip down into the crankcase so you can read the dipstick accurately is a tedious process and the min/max markings on the dipstick are not present as depicted in the manual. Instead, there are only dots. There’s very little room for error, so setting up the mower for the first time involved a lot of waiting/re-dipping to make sure we got the right amount of oil.

We had trouble with the electric starting system, too. We charged the starter battery as directed, but it didn’t work. The instructions for initial startup weren’t especially clear, either. The starter button didn’t work in an intuitive way and the manual talks about a key-start that our mower doesn’t have. So for our review, the tester started the mower manually, just like the Honda. The Toro we tested does include the electric starter at the same price as the Honda with pull-start only.

Wheel height adjustment on the Toro isn’t as easy as other mowers. You have to adjust each wheel individually. Plus, the front wheel height adjustment tab was bent on the machine we received.

Eventually, the first Toro we got had to be exchanged, since the metal tab on a wire that looks up to the blade control lever was broken. This rendered the machine unable to start. Home Depot swapped this out for us without a problem.

Toro’s “personal pace” drive speed feature works just fine, but we preferred the thumb control of the Honda. On the Toro, you have to hold the fixed handle in one hand and control speed with another handle that slides up and down. It’s not difficult to use, but it’s not as easy as Honda’s system.

Great States – 16″ 415-16

Unpacking the Great States – 16″ 415-16 mower was definitely a low point. Terrible setup instructions meant we had to undo the assembly we’d already done to fit the handles into the lower mower part. The plastic twist knobs that hold the handle fasteners together are poor quality, to say the least. In fact, you could cut yourself while tightening them. That being said, it’s a tool-free setup process.

At 16 inches of cutting width, (two inches less than the Fiskars, but much lighter overall), this machine is definitely more maneuverable. The quality of build feels lower than Fiskars, but not too bad considering it’s less than half the cost.

The cutting height on the Great States ranges from 0.5 inch to 2.5 inches compared to the Fiskars’ 1-4 inches. You really don’t need the 4-inch range unless you are cutting down overgrowth, but this might matter in a few cases.

The lack of motor noise and exhaust is still a great reason for choosing this manual model, but the cutting blade makes a grinding sound that’s louder than the Fiskars precisely adjusted cutter. The Great States is also slightly harder to push than the Fiskars.

This is a tool that gets the job done for less than 100 and will likely last for many years (with a design that’s been around longer than you probably have.) There are even folks with yards larger than ½ acre who happily use this machine to mow. When it comes down to details, though, the Fiskars is a much nicer mower.

Sun Joe – 14″ MJ401E

Setting up the Sun Joe 14″ MJ401E was drama-free, with a good (non-folding) attachment design for the surprisingly comfortable padded handles, but the budget price shows through: This mower looks and feels like a toy. While it is more agile than most of the other mowers, it is very plastic, very light, and very basic. At about 40 less than our winning electric model, this should be treated as a basic mower.

Sun Joe doesn’t even include the parts needed for mulching at this price point; If you only ever bag and need to stay within a low budget, this will get the job done. The relatively smaller clippings compartment fills up fast, though. We had to dump out 5-6 times on a small lawn, though that’s partly on account of some overgrowth we were chopping through.

Another disappointment was the very flimsy-feeling height adjuster, which uses a spring-loaded adjuster on each wheel axle and makes you turn the mower on its side to adjust. With three settings, it’s adequate for basic lawn care.

How we selected

For our lineup, we selected an assortment of manual, electric, and gas-powered mowers. As always, we tried to avoid products with consistently negative reviews that mention the same problems. We narrowed our selection to mowers from top brands with good reputations for warranty, reliability, and quality.

Lawn sizes have been shrinking. Recent census data shows that 95-percent of new houses sold have a lot smaller than ¼ acre (and the houses on those lots are getting bigger, leaving even less space for turf). So, we excluded riding mowers from our review and focused on the benefits of powered mowers relative to calorie-powered manual push mowers on a moderately-sized lawn.

We capped the price of the gas models at 400 since there were lots of good options. There are many other features to be had beyond that price range, but unless your lawn is bigger than 1/2 acre, it probably won’t make sense for you to spend much more.

How we tested

Our test lawns (front and back) total to around 4,300 square feet. We cut at the recommended height of 2.5 inches multiple times with each mower. Some mowers got a bit of an extra workout at the beginning of the season due to overgrowth, but we made sure to mow with them again once they reached normal heights to be fair.

Setup

Initial setup was one of the big differentiators for the mowers. Some had great instructions, while others were misleading and confusing. Each of these machines required some setup time since they come disassembled. The Great States mower stood out as most frustrating to set up.

Bagging

We tested the bagging feature on all the mowers that included it. We also compared all of the features used for normal lawn mowing including setup of the cutter height and ease of storage.

Overall usability

Weight and size were some of the most important factors that we noticed. A bulky mower is more difficult to store and transport and extra weight also requires some practice to get clean turns and avoid damaging lawns.

Important features to consider

Mower type – This is typically recommended by lawn size, but there are plenty of options; even within the broader gas/electric/manual categories there’s much to consider.

Bagging and mulching options – Some people will want to bag their clippings. We found that while all of these mowers are capable of bagging, you’d have to buy a separate attachment for the manual mowers. Overall, the design of the bigger self-propelled mowers made removing and emptying the clipping bag easier than the electric models.

Self-propel or push-assist – This makes the work much easier, but it comes with noise, smell, maintenance concerns, and a CO2 footprint. On the flip side, people-powered mowers are quiet and pollution-free, but they’re only efficient if you’re mowing on a rigid schedule to minimize the amount you’re cutting with each pass.

Electric-powered mowers – Electric motors offer great performance, but until battery technology can improve, these models require power cords which introduces a set of compromises compared to other style mowers.

Cutting-height adjustment – This is something most people won’t be adjusting frequently, but it’s still something you’ll have to deal with at least once on all mowers.

Cleaning and storage – This is another big usability consideration. Each mower has its own set of folding-handle quirks, plus nooks and crannies that need to be brushed out or washed off.

How to properly mow a lawn

Mowing a lawn often includes other maintenance aspects like perimeter cleaning with a string trimmer and clearing clippings or debris with a leaf blower which we cover on those respective articles Below we’ll stick to strictly mowing tips.

Direction

The “stripe” pattern clearly visible on most sporting fields comes from the fact that mowers push the grass over slightly while they trim and alternating directions when mowing will create contrast in the way those ‘rows’ of clipped grass reflect sunlight.

Generally, the back-and-forth stripe pattern is also the most efficient way for you to mow at home. If you start by mowing around the perimeter a few times, you’ll have some “headland” room to turn around at the end of each long row without fussing about grass you might miss when you turn.

Cutting in a concentric spiral pattern from the outside perimeter is also viable if you’re looking to minimize the stripe effect; Some also find the right-angle corners easier than 180° turns.

(If you really want to get fancy, reel mowers or powered mowers with a roller attachment push the grass flat enough to create the contrast needed for the intricate patterns you sometimes see on ball diamond outfields. David Mellor, groundskeeper for Fenway Park, even wrote a book on the subject.)

The best practice is to rotate your mowing pattern 90 degrees (start at a right angle to your previous pattern) every few mowings to keep grass from being pushed down too much in one direction.

Types of grass

There are basically two “regions” of grass-growing in the United States: “warm-season” grasses in the South, “cool-season” grasses in the North, and a narrow “transitional zone” where it’s common to cross-seed types from both regions.

Seed producers like Pennington and Scotts have lots of great info about the different varieties you might have in your yard. It’s a good idea to get to talk with a lawn-care professional in your area who can help you understand the quirks of growing locally (especially weeds and disease).

The biggest difference between these regions and the varieties you’ll find there is in the timing of peak growth: warm-season grasses grow the most during the summer, then go dormant and turn brown during the cooler winter months; cool-season grasses grow the most in spring, slow down when it gets hot, then have another growth spurt in the fall before winter dormancy.

Grass height and mowing frequency

When you’re deciding how tall you want your grass, the most important thing to remember is that if your grass is too short, it can’t absorb sunlight. Photosynthesis doesn’t happen without leaf area, and all of the other qualities of good turf are dependent on that energy. Basically, longer is better for the health of the grass.

This is especially important in non-growing seasons: the grass will be stressed and needs plenty of leaf and root area (with stored energy from the growing season) to continue thriving. Mow when the air is cool and avoid mowing right before hot weather is in the forecast.

Some warm-climate species, like Bermudagrass, are cut as low as a half-inch on sporting fields. This requires daily mowing in quick-growth seasons, though. (And plenty of water to keep it healthy.) See our in-depth review we did on garden hoses too.

There’s another benefit to keeping lawn grass on the longer side. While the grass is soaking up all the sunlight with lush, long leaves, it’s keeping that sunlight away from any weeds that might be trying to start underneath.

As a rule of thumb, never remove more than a third of the leaf area in one mowing. So if you’re mowing down to two inches, mow again before the grass hits three inches. Pennington provides a handy chart of mowing height for common grass types.

Mulching grass vs. bagging

In very sandy soil mulching can cause some problems since there aren’t as many organisms to consume clippings, but in most cases mulching regular clippings back into the turf is highly recommended by grass experts and municipalities alike.

Earthworms, fungi, and other primary consumers in your lawn’s ecosystem thrive on the clippings and turn the mulch back into available nitrogen for your lawn. (So it’s not just easier than disposing of bags: it means less fertilizer!)

So long as you aren’t trimming off more than an inch of grass, and you aren’t mowing when it’s wet, the clippings should easily scatter down to soil level and form a helpful layer of worm-food. You can even mulch the leaves that fall off your trees!

How to sharpen lawn mower blades THE CORRECT WAY ( Angle grinders will destroy your mower blades)

All of the mowers we tested are mulch-ready except for the Sun Joe 401E, which requires an optional attachment to safely funnel the clippings (and any debris you may accidentally find in your grass) to the side. The other powered mowers will require a quick conversion from bag-mode with an included plug or a moveable flap.

Because bagging is occasionally beneficial (if you have to wait for your lawn to dry in the spring and the grass gets really long, for example) we also tested the bagging features of all the powered mowers. (Manual-power reel mowers aren’t very good at cutting tall grass, but you can get leaf-catcher attachments if you really don’t want to mulch.)

Mowing wet grass

While it’s good to mow when the air is cool, avoid mowing grass that is wet from watering or rainfall. When fibers in the leaves get wet they get tougher, so the cut takes more work and can leave a ragged edge on the leaf. It requires you to sharpen your blades more frequently, too.

Plus, if you’re mulching your clippings, wet mulch all over your lawn is just as bad as it sounds — clumpy and prone to get musty. If you don’t have a way to dispose of them within a few days, having bags of wet mulch sitting in your garage is even worse.

Mowing wet grass is just a bad idea. A little dew in the morning generally won’t slow you down much, but if the grass is soaked it’s best to wait for the sun to come out.

Mower maintenance

Mowers are tools and tools need to be taken care of if you want them to keep doing a job well. Storage in a clean, dry place should be a given, but there are a few specific tasks that you’ll have to get used to if you want a mower that will keep your lawn looking its best:

Sharpening

All cutting edges require routine sharpening, even mower blades. Plan on sharpening at least once a season if you don’t want to bruise or tear your grass. Checking the blades for uneven wear and other problems is Smart, but checking the grass to see how well you’re cutting is the surest way to determine the condition of your mower blades.

Sharpening more than once a season should only be necessary if you’re cutting heavier material like a lot of twigs (or the bane of every mower, hidden gravel/sand leftover from winter snow piles.)

Fiskars claims that the steel and tight-tolerance design used in their reel mower will cut cleanly for the life of the mower, but they still sell a sharpening kit and it works like all the other reel-mower sharpening kits. An abrasive compound wears away high spots and leaves a keen edge when you spread it on the blades and run the reel backward against the stationary cutting bar. (If dismounting drive chains or spinning mower reels with a hand drill aren’t your idea of fun, you can usually find a local handyman or landscaper who will do the job for you.)

Powered mower blades have edges more like axes and you can sharpen them in nearly the same way. A vise or other clamp to hold the blade steady and a carbide scraper or good steel file are all you really need to bring the edge back to a chisel-shaped apex that will be able to slice paper and keep your lawn looking crisp and green.

Winterizing gas mowers and oil changes

If your lawn is covered in snow (or simply not growing) for more than a month every year, there are storage tasks you’ll need to remember for gas engines. Old gasoline can go stale or dry out and create a layer of varnish inside your engine. You need to either add a stabilizer to your mower’s gas tank and fill it before storage (pretty easy, but the mower will be heavy) or get all of the gas out of the system.

Like your car, a mower’s four-cycle gasoline engine uses oil for lubrication, but unlike your car, it doesn’t run the oil through a filter to clean out debris. Nearly everyone will recommend annual oil changes before storage as part of a winter routine.

Spark plugs in a mower should last for a long time, but you should check them annually or as directed in your owner’s manual. People fool themselves into replacing electrical components arbitrarily if mowers won’t start, but it’s well worth learning how to spot signs of failure as a part of annual maintenance.

Gas vs. electric vs. manual mowers

All the mowers we tested will cut well enough once the blades hit the grass. The biggest differences come down to how much effort is required from a homeowner to get there and cover ground efficiently.

Manual reel mowers

These are the greenest of mowers, powered by whatever you’ve had for breakfast. They’re relatively simple tools that do one job: they cut grass quietly and efficiently for as long as you can push them. Beyond the sustainability and simplicity, they’re lighter and easier to store: no cord, no gas, no worries. If you like the idea of augmenting your lawn-mowing cardio with a bit more resistance, you should consider a reel mower.

The biggest weakness to the reel mower is that it’s not effective with thick or tall grass. This is a tool that will make you regret every time you forget to mow by making you work much harder. Have a lot of overgrown weeds? You’ll want to look elsewhere.

Electric mowers

If your lawn is big enough that just thinking about pushing a reel mower is exhausting, an electric-powered mower is one way to ease your burden without the weight, noise, smell, and maintenance concerns of a gasoline engine.

Even compared to the Fiskars Max, the electric mowers we tested were light and easy to maneuver. They’re still louder than the manual mowers, since there’s a 14-inch or 20-inch steel blade swinging around under the deck. However, your neighbors and family will still have less reason to complain about your Saturday-morning routine.

There’s not nearly as much to maintain on an electric mower as on a gasoline-powered mower, but keeping the deck clean and inspecting the cord for wear are still important tasks you’ll need to perform.

Managing the cord on an electric mower is similar to the annoyances of working with a household vacuum cleaner but on a larger scale. Running over the cord with the mower is, obviously, something you must never do. You also don’t want to trip on it, drop it in a pool, accidentally unplug it or plug it into a socket that can’t provide the 12 Amps of AC power needed by these engines.

Gas-powered self-propelled mowers

The bigger your lawn, the more you’ll appreciate the self-propelled mower: these machines are designed to help you cover a lot of ground quickly by pulling themselves along at up to four MPH. So, all you really need to do is steer.

The gas mowers we tested have engines that provide around five horsepower to get through thick or long grass. (These are very similar to the engines you’ll find on a small Go-Kart.) Naturally, having all of that internal combustion power at your fingertips also brings noise and smells that other kinds of mowers won’t have.

While your time mowing will be much easier, the biggest drawback to gas-powered mowers is in maintenance. Like a gas-powered car, these mowers need fuel, oil changes, and air filter and spark-plug checkups. Maintaining a small engine is very simple: you can do a mower oil change in minutes and even teach your kids how to do it. However, it’s not for everyone. Naturally, there are mechanics who will do all of these services for you, for a fee.

The bottom line

Mowing your own lawn is one of those rites of passage for do-it-yourself home ownership. Like other jobs you do around your house, it will save you money compared to professional care, but it may take you more time and involve more cursing than you expected. We hope one of these mowers will help make your weekly lawn chores more enjoyable and less frustrating.

If you’ve got a smaller lawn and you’re excited about the idea of a brisk walk back and forth across it every Saturday morning, the Fiskars is probably an ideal machine for you. Smooth, quiet and precise, like the scissors the company is famous for, the Staysharp Max reel mower can help you keep your lawn looking its best without the noise and complications powered mowers bring.

If you’ve got a few weeds that are invading your lawn or if you anticipate dealing with overgrowth after a wet spring, a powered mower will mean less straining — not to mention the time it’ll save. The Greenworks 22502 has a 20-inch cutting blade that lessen the number of rows you’ll need to walk. Plus, it’ll make quick work of just about any foliage found in an urban lawn-care setting. It’s ready to go for bagging out of the box, too.

And if you’ve got a lawn bigger than ¼ acre or if you think you’ll appreciate the one-switch conversion between mulching and bagging, the Honda HRR216K9VKA cuts a wide swath quickly and efficiently through leaves, twigs and tall weeds. A self-propelled machine takes a bit more maintenance than an electric, but annual oil changes might seem a small price to pay compared to the headache of dancing around a cord on a larger lawn.

Top Pick: Honda. HRR216K9VKA 21

Whether bagging or mulching, the Honda keeps up with your needs. It’s solid and simple to make the most of your mowing time.