5 Steps Buying a New Mower

5 Steps to Finding the Perfect Walk Power Lawnmower

When considering a new lawnmower, The Mower Shop tries to find the most suitable model for each homeowner's needs. Lawns vary from manicured to weedy; smooth as a putting green to rough and bumpy. Likewise some of our customers love spending time perfecting the look of their lawn while others just want to get the grass cut before their neighbors start complaining. The Mower Shop offers many models ranging from a few hundred dollars to professional models.

Before you purchase your next lawnmower here's 5 easy steps to follow:

What do you like/dislike about your current mower?

Whether you are replacing or buying for the first time, it is important to consider what options you use and which features you want in your next mower. Self propel, rear wheel drive, electric start and blade clutch options are very popular but not available on every model. Once you have self propel, you never want to go back to pushing a heavy mower around your lawn. Making a list of these key features helps quickly choose which brand and model suits your needs.

Since each brand's features and qualities differ, we rarely switch a satisfied customer from one brand to another. If you enjoy how your old mower operates, then we advise to find a direct replacement.

How long do you want your mower to last?

Everyone wants a mower to perform for years, but there are different levels of quality. Nearly every new mower will start and run, but certain brands will perform for just a few seasons while others will last 10-15 years. Many mowers found in big box stores are equipped with inexpensive engines, low quality steel decks and weak hardware. In our showroom, Honda and Toro have different trim levels. Steel deck models like Toro's Recycler Series and Honda's HRR216 Series improve on the introductory level mowers. With proper care the average life of a steel deck Toro or Honda is around 7 seasons. Premium mowers (Toro's Super Recycler featuring an aluminum deck and Honda's HRX217 Series featuring a Nexite compositie deck) feature higher quality hardware, more durable transmissions and typically last 10-15 seasons.

So if you are replacing a 20 year old Honda, you want to replace it with another premium model.

Do you bag or mulch?

Nearly every contemporary model offers a 3 in 1 (mulch, bag & discharge) feature. Not all mowers perform equally. Within our lineup, certain models will increase the quality of mulch and others are profoundly better at bagging. For instance, Toro's Super Recycler is engineered to mulch incredibly well. Honda's HRX217 Series are highly productive mowers for mulching, but also convert to bag exceptionally well.

If you bag, consider a Honda with a blade clutch. While most engines stop each time you remove the bag, a blade clutch stops the blade, but does not require restart. You can remove, dump and replace the bag while the engine idles. This reduces stress on the engine and the operator.

You want a mower that matches how you prefer to cut your grass.

How long does it take to cut your lawn?

If your lawn only takes 20 minutes to cut, then a simple model without all the extra features is the right value for you. If you constantly wear out basic mowers because your lawn takes an hour to mow, then you upgrading to a premium mower is the right choice. If you want to reduce mowing time and ease the fatigue during the hot summer, consider Toro's TimeMaster. This model features a 30" deck which saves 40% of mowing time.

We always want to make sure our customers get the right value for their money.

Do you maintain your mower?

I think it is important to know whether you will care for your lawn equipment or simply run it until is breaks. Whether you purchase a basic mower from a big box store a premium mower from our showroom, the most important feature is care. Proper maintanance is simple and makes the difference in performance.  Regular blade sharpening, cleaning and annual tune-ups keep mowers starting, running and cutting well throughout the season.

Whether you love it or hate cutting the grass, lawncare is a chore and finding the right appliance is key.

For a full preview of our favorite walk power models read more or our favorite residential riding mowers read more