ᐅ Buying Guide for Lawn Mowers

Hello

We’re not quite there yet, but very soon.

We definitely need a lawn mower for the summer, but we’re not sure which one to get. I’ve done a bit of research but haven’t made much progress.

Lawn area: about 250m² (2700 sq ft), maximum 300m² (3200 sq ft)

Previously, as renters, we had an old corded electric mower. The advantage was that it was very quiet, didn’t require gasoline, and was easy to start (just push a lever and go). The downside, of course, is that you can’t run over the cable, which can also be annoying as it’s always in the way.

Then there are battery-powered mowers, which don’t have a cord. However, I have doubts about the battery life and the fact that after 2-3 years, the battery capacity tends to deteriorate significantly. Eventually, the battery may no longer be able to mow the entire lawn in one go. Also, battery mowers generally have less power than gas mowers.

That leaves the typical gas mower, preferably self-propelled. The advantage is that there are no cables to get in the way. The downside, in my opinion, is that starting often requires a strong pull on the cord (not ideal for women or children), and you have to store gasoline safely. On the plus side, it has the most power and can easily handle taller grass if you’ve been a bit lazy.

We haven’t really settled on a brand yet. I’d like to get a robotic mower in a few years, but my partner isn’t convinced. Still, 250m² (2700 sq ft) is manageable with a good traditional mower.

Do you have any recommendations? Is it worth buying these devices online in terms of price?

That’s a tricky subject. Here’s how it went for me:
I didn’t want an electric one. I had enough trouble with those when I was younger at my parents’ place.
So, I went with petrol. They also come with an electric starter, but that’s usually only available on the higher-end models and I didn’t think it was worth the extra cost.
Some colleagues recommended Sabo, but to me, it seemed like you’re mostly paying for the brand name there.
My main options were Viking, Honda, and Husqvarna. The engines are often the same from Briggs & Stratton, and the differences in features are minimal.
For a short while, I considered a mulching mower, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be diligent enough—at least once a week mowing to prevent the grass from getting too tall.
In the end, I chose the Viking MBT 248T. The price of 399 MSRP was perfectly reasonable for me. It has rear-wheel drive. Starting it is nothing like how it used to be with grandpa’s mower. After one pull, it starts easily, and you don’t need a lot of strength. I use regular unleaded petrol, stored in a 5-liter (1.3 gallons) container in the garden shed. When the petrol in the mower runs low, I just refill it from the container before topping up the canister again.
I mow about 600m² (6458 square feet).
I wouldn’t buy it online. I don’t think the price difference compensates for the disadvantages.
The mower came from a dealer in the neighboring town, filled with oil and petrol. If there’s any problem, I know where to go.

We had a cordless lawn mower from Ryobi with two 18V batteries. It was supposedly suitable for up to 600m² (6,460 sq ft) of lawn. When the grass was very short and dry and I moved very quickly, I managed to mow about 300m² (3,230 sq ft) on a single charge. Usually, though, I needed two charges, and sometimes even three with wet or longer grass. With two batteries, that meant waiting at least 4-5 hours to recharge. Newly seeded grass is very dense, and for that, the cordless mower was too weak.

So, I was faced with the choice of buying a second battery set for almost 200€ or giving up the mower.

I decided against the cordless mower and chose a petrol mower instead.

Advantages of the cordless mower:
- very handy
- good for small or awkwardly shaped yards up to 150m² (1,615 sq ft), or if you have plenty of time to mow regularly, like retirees
- quiet
- light

Disadvantages:
- expensive
- underpowered
- can only mow effectively at the highest cutting height; too weak for lower settings

My father-in-law bought an electric lawn mower. €120 for 140 m² (1,507 sq ft) of lawn.

That’s enough for us.

I have been considering this as well.

- Borrowed an electric mower with a cord. That was awful. Once and never again, the cable is always in the way. You bend down more than you actually mow.

- Battery-powered mower: I’m only somewhat happy with it, and it’s also expensive.

The advantage would have been: I could have stored either option inside the house since I don’t have a garden shed yet.

So: a gas-powered mower it is. Please with self-propulsion.
Buy a new one? Then it would have to stay outside? No way.
Found a 20-year-old mower in a shed at some friends’ place, with self-propulsion and a Briggs & Stratton engine. Price: 0.0 euros. Took it for servicing and had it repaired for €82.

What can I say: One pull of the starter cord last week, and it started up again after winter. The mower has enough power – I still prefer mowing with a gas engine.

If I buy a new mower, it will most likely be one from Wolf.

Best regards,
Thorsten

Sounds like gasoline is still the preferred option. The Wolf mowers also caught my attention easily; I just don’t really know which one would actually suit my needs. It would be nice if it had a mulching function right away.